Loved Shiri & Bichunmoo - Any other Korean films this good?
They'd have to be anamorphic widescreen DVD releases like these two are. ;) BTW, I did not like Time And Tide.
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just to be a smartass - Time and Tide is HK not Korean - though No Where to Hide is Korean and man I hate that movie (liked Time and Tide though :P) Nowhere to Hide reminded me a lil' of Sonatine (sp? the Kitano Takeshi flick) but less entertaining, slower, and really stupid. It won awards and people love it, i'm still trying to figure this one out.
Shiri was cool though - couldn't get into Bichunmoo, the fights sort of bothered me. Sorry I can't really recommend anything right now, hehe. -Rich |
JSA
JSA (Joint Security Area) is a good korean movie about North and South Korea. I'm not aware of any english subtitled dvd release (there might be a non subbed Korean release, not sure) available.
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JSA and Attack the Gas Station
I'd second JSA, although it's not out on DVD, yet. Just put it on your radar . . . .
Altough there are many shortcomings (i.e., all South Korean (ROK) soldiers look like weaklings, the non-existant MANNED guardpost at the bridge, the absolutely incredulous use of non-formal honorific speech forms between senior and junior conscripts), it seems from second hand knowledge that ROK guys and N. Korean soldiers meeting (for soju?) at the JSA isn't all that improbable. In my personal opinion, JSA seemed to have a tighter plot than Shiri, a plot that was more enjoyable and possibly less interminable. The whole story about JSA revolves around one incident, while Shiri is about agents trying to thwart a plot by N. Korean infiltrators. If I recall correctly, Shiri's plot is more linear, while JSA has nice blend of flashbacks with the present. S. PS: From seeing your dvd collection, I'd recommend that you check out: ATTACK THE GAS STATION and BEAT. I personally prefer them over Shiri and Bichunmoo. |
I'd highly recommend Memento Mori and Tell Me Something. Both are horror movies as opposed to action movies but they have incredible stories and cinematography. Memento Mori was just released on DVD and both are all region (despite what Memento Mori lists).
I'd also recommend: Attack the Gas Station: Highly underrated and a great action comedy. Jakarta: In the style of Memento (told kinda backwards) it's a great caper movie about 3 groups of bank robbers all executing at the same time. One of the best Korean movies ever. |
Re: Loved Shiri & Bichunmoo - Any other Korean films this good?
To answer your question directly: yes, but not many. You'll be hard-pressed to find many Korean action movies as "good" as the ones above. [You'll note that I'm not even qualifying this as a personal opinion-just look at movie receipts or talk to Koreans] There are action movies as good, and possibly better, but most Korean movies are of the soapy melodrama variety, a genre in which you'll find better luck in finding quality movies. This genre, however, may be more difficult to enjoy than the universal language of action movies, though.
You gotta remember the gov't censorship and low-budgets (not to mention a smaller and more nascent industry when compared to H-wood) of less than a decade ago, made making movies like Shiri difficult, if not outright impossible. There are good movies coming out, though, with the lifting of draconian censorship and increase in movie budgets. But then again, don't take my word for it: unlike you, I didn't like Bichunmoo. |
Originally posted by carnifern [B]I'd highly recommend Memento Mori and Tell Me Something... |
I do not recommend TELL ME SOMETHING to anybody who does not know what they are getting themselves int. This is a gruesome film that quite honestly makes little, if any sense. It tries to be daring and cool and different and just ends up pissing you off. There are fewquent laps in logic and I think the director made the same so vague that you will never know what you just watched.
A RENTAL is warranted with this one. |
Originally posted by carnifern I'd highly recommend Memento Mori and Tell Me Something. Both are horror movies as opposed to action movies but they have incredible stories and cinematography. Memento Mori was just released on DVD and both are all region (despite what Memento Mori lists). For me I would go with the region 3 version. Actually for me I always go with the korean version instead of the hong kong version. I may pay a little more but usually it is better quality overall. <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
Originally posted by kahuna The Hong Kong (Mei Ah) version maybe be region all but it is fullscreen, no features and I heard that the picture quality is not as good as the Korean (Spectrum) version of Momento Mori which is Regionn 3 but is Widescreen - Enhanced for 16:9 TVs,. Also has a few special features added to the dvd, Cast and Crews, Trailer, Original Sound Track, Interactive Menu, Scene Selection. For me I would go with the region 3 version. Actually for me I always go with the korean version instead of the hong kong version. I may pay a little more but usually it is better quality overall. <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
Originally posted by carnifern I agree. I should've specified which version I meant. The HK version should be avoided. I have the Korean Memento Mori DVD and it's ALL REGION despite the fact that it says R3 on the back. |
Originally posted by axolotls return Are you absolutely certain? I actually have a copy of the hong kong version on vhs tape in sp mode. Someone sent it to me so I could watch it and if I like the movie I will buy the region 3 version. I can play region 3 dvds on my computer but not my Pioneer DV-333 since it is only a region 1 dvd player. Should be getting a region free player soon once I sell my 2 region 1 dvd players. <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
Originally posted by axolotls return Are you absolutely certain? |
Originally posted by carnifern Yes. I tried it on my R1 Malata and it loaded without changing the region. Any other non-R1 or R0 DVD makes me change the region before it'll load. This is definitely an all region DVD. <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
No one seems to have mentioned "Beat" which is an excellent Korean film which I would highly recommend!
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bichunmoo Widescreen?
What version of this film do you have? I am aware of only region 0/1 version of this disc and it is non-anamorphic full frame!!
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I haven't seen a region 1 version. I have the official Korean DVD that is widescreen. I don't recall if it's animorphic or not, I'll have to check.
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Re: bichunmoo Widescreen?
Originally posted by Steve What version of this film do you have? I am aware of only region 0/1 version of this disc and it is non-anamorphic full frame!! |
Re: Re: bichunmoo Widescreen?
All:
Thanks for the many responses. You've given me some more titles to look into. :) Originally posted by ScreachingWeasel There is an anamorphic widescreen 2 disc region 3 Dvd. |
I *really* liked a film called "Peppermint Candy" - a truly disturbing and powerful film that recounts South Korea's often turbulent and violent recent history. However, the available DVDs of this film are woefully horrid - all are full-screen, when the film was shot in widescren....
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My small korean dvd collection. Might not be everyones cup of tea but i enjoy all of them. Should be getting more once I get a region free dvd player. All these are the korean dvd versions.
1. My Heart 2. Jakarta 3. Tell Me Something 4. Christmas in August 5. Happy End - region 3 6. Attack of the Gas Station 7. Shiri SE - first disc went bad :( 8. Ditto 9. Bichunmoo - fullscreen :( 10. Peppermint Candy - fullscreen :( 11. The Foul King 12. Love Wind Love Song 13. Spring in My Hometown 14. Channel 69 15. La Belle 16. The Shackle 17. Nowwhere to Hide These I have or will be getting them soon on vhs tape: 1. Green Fish 2. Momento Mori 3. The Contact 4. Art Museum By The Zoo 5. Interview 6. II Mare 7. Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
Memento Mori supports R1 player
I just tested my Spectrum DVD of Memento Mori, and it works fine in my R1 Panasonic A110 player. It may not be ALL Region, but it sure supports R1.
My pick of Korean DVDs: The Foul King Attack The Gas Station No. 3 Shiri SE Bichunmoo SE Memento Mori Tell Me Something Libera Me J.T. |
Re: Memento Mori supports R1 player
Originally posted by jtkv I just tested my Spectrum DVD of Memento Mori, and it works fine in my R1 Panasonic A110 player. It may not be ALL Region, but it sure supports R1. J.T. I also heard from someone else that these region 3 korean dvds "Art Museum by the Zoo", "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors", & "Bedroom and Courtroom" can also be played on regionn 1 dvd players. Dvdasian.com list them as region all but everyone else lists them as region 3, can anyone confirm this? <b>Kahuna</b> :cool: |
Bichunmoo had potential...sigh..too bad it turned into some serious disjointed cheese imho...god i cant stand the main actor... (ive had problems with him since i saw him in a korean soap drama long ago :))
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A few films to watch for:
Barking Dogs Never Bite (aka Plandas-eu gae) The Isle (aka Seom) Don't think they are on DVD yet. |
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