The Sun Also Rises

The film is about the life of several characters during the last year of the Cultural Revolution. It is broken up into four segments. Each segment gives the point of view of one character and the audience has to figure out how they are interconnected. The last segment is a flashback to explain how everything began.

Just saw "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" two days ago, so thought the style was pretty similar! Liked the nice countryside scenery, the interesting crazy antics of a particular person, the second segment's opening sequence with the female cooks lined up neatly and the flashback in the last segment!

Internet Movie Database Link

The Day a Pig Fell into the Well

The film is about the complicated love relationship among several characters. It is broken up into four segments. Each segment gives the point of view of one character and the audience has to figure out how they are interconnected.

Nice debut from the Korean director Hong Sang Soo! Liked his jigsaw puzzle type of film editing that tests the audience's ability to spot minute details and connect seemingly unrelated things together! Also liked the subject matter on how lonely individuals are coping in society! Was shocked and surprised at first but was really impressed by how everything gelled together towards the end!

Internet Movie Database Link

Dying at a Hospital

The film is about how people spend their last days in the hospital told in a "Crime Watch" style; several short stories were acted out based on real events.

Nice opening scene! Hmm, wonder if Tsai Ming Liang was influenced by it when he made "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone". Liked the unhurried style employed by the director, the voice narration and how the vibrant city life were interspersed with that of the hospital life! The stories of each of the characters were all pretty interesting!

Internet Movie Database Link

Nianchan

The story is about the plight of Koreans staying in postwar Japan during the 50s told through a family of four siblings that just lost their father.

The two younger siblings looked really small and skinny! Thought the size of the younger sister especially contrasted with the size of the bath house! Liked the positive attitude of the second brother and that of the teacher!

Internet Movie Database Link

Appassionata

The story is about the life of a famous Japanese female painter. She was born in the late 19th century and specialises in drawing pictures of beautiful women.

Pretty interesting biography! Realised how difficult it was for a woman to succeed in the painting circles during that time and was quite amazed that she succeeded against all odds! Liked the nice award winning paintings that flashed on the screen from time to time and the actress's fully concentrated face when she is at work! Nice ending too!

Internet Movie Database Link

Ballad of Narayama

The story is about life in a small village with a strange custom that required the son to carry his 70 year old parent on the back and trek to Mount Narayama.

Liked how the director showed how the old grandmother lead a dignified life despite the harsh environment! There were many funny moments and interesting scenes with the animals in the jungle! I also find the journey to Narayama towards the end pretty touching!

Internet Movie Database Link

Vengeance is Mine

The story is about how a killer goes about cheating and killing people. At the same time, it shows how the lower class people lead their lives.

Liked how the director examined the killer from many different angles! There are flashbacks to his family background, shots from the killer's point of view as well as police interviews with his father, wife and lovers. Loved how the director was able to explain things very concisely with just a few scenes and the touching episode with the bar owner lady!

Internet Movie Database Link

Black Rain

The story is about the long term effect of the atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima on the survivors after the second World War. In particular, it focuses on a young girl who has many rejected marriage proposals because of health reasons.

Was shocked by some of the scenes in the post atomic bomb city and liked the twist that followed after the neighbor offered the girl his handmade statues! Felt the rest of the scenes were a bit too repetitive though.

Internet Movie Database Link

The Home Song Stories

The story is based on the director's life when he was still a little boy staying with his mother and his sister. They travelled from Hong Kong to Australia and their mother had a hard time searching for a father for them.

Liked the small little details that made each of the family members come to life! I also liked the flashback sequences and the fantasy sequences! They helped me to understand the mother and the son better. The daughter looked quite cute with two pony tails! The grandmother looked very fierce and just right for her role!

Internet Movie Database Link

The Willow Tree

The story is about how the life of a blind professor changes after he regains his eyesight.

Liked the depiction of the nice family life that the professor leads and his encounter with a fellow patient! Preferred the director's previous work, "The Children of Heaven" with its innocent child actors as I find it difficult to identify with the erratic professor and the film's heavy religious slant.

Internet Movie Database Link