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birrellesque
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Oldeuboi (2003)
... (stunned silence)
Inspired, disgusting, moving, exciting, funny, sick, tortuous, exhilarating, unbelievable.
I could dredge every adjective in my vocabulary and it still wouldn't come close to describing the effect this movie had. Not so much an emotional roller-coaster as an emotional mugging, Chan-wook Park's hits the force of a brick through a church window and is just as likely to ruffle feathers. Like it, love it or loath it this a movie that will inspire a reaction in even the most jaded cinephile. It's cinema at its most (e)visceral, blasting away the cobwebs (and competition) with a one-two punch of adrenalin and audaciousness that no movie since City of God has managed.
No plot synopsis, no standouts, no criticism and no spoilers. Just go see it and spread the word.
Helmiä ja sikoja (2003)
Who knew?
Who knew Finnish people were funny? (Who knew they actually had electricity?)
Casual xenophobia aside I saw this as part of Edinburgh Film Festival and of the (too) many movies I saw this was second only to Old Boy on my favourites list and certainly the biggest crowdpleaser. Perhaps it's because I sat through for too many 'worthy' efforts but this really funny and had my friends, who weren't keen and came under duress, laughing throughout. A buoy of simple charms in a sea of pretension, the tale of the four brothers and their get-rich-quick schemes isn't exactly original but more than makes up for it in charm and feeling. Are all Finnish movies this good?
Love Actually (2003)
Cockle Warming
In a festive season with a severe shortage of good old crimbo movies Richard Curtis' directorial debut is more than welcome. It's Short Cuts meets Capra for the Cosmo generation and there's nothing wrong with that. (Warning! The previous sentence is only 75% as accurate and 35% as clever as it thinks it is). That-genius-behind-Blackadder even lets some darkness creep in around the edges of the fairytale tableau and the film is all the better for it. Funny, touching and more than a little bit cockle warming.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Woo, and indeed, Hoo!
Is Tarantino making films just for me or what? This man's finger is so close to my pulse I may sue for sexual harassment. "God will be cut." That line alone is worth my UGC monthly fee. If i put my critical hat on (it's gray, sensible and very,very boring) I could find faults but I'd much rather keep my geek hat on (it's red and says 'Hail To The King Baby!' in green neon) and say bring on part two!