Brucesploitation, sexploitation, this was an abysmal kung fu movie. I can sit through just about any kung fu movie but nearly dropped this 90-minute movie-twice-while watching it.

What drew me to the movie was the cast---Lo Lieh, Nora Miao, Michael Chan, a host of famous kung fu stuntmen, and Bolo even makes a guest appearance! Bruce Le was not playing Bruce Lee, his character's name was Bruce Wong, but he tried to duplicate some of THE Bruce Lee's mannerisms which came across as laughable.

Bruce Wong was trying to find Bruce Lee's secrety secret Kung Fu Finger Book which had been entrusted to his sifu. Lo Lieh, playing the Big Bad Lee Hung, was after it as well. There you go, that's the plot. Bruce Wong's sister and ex-girlfriend were kidnapped three times. Did they get their frequent kidnapping card punched each time? There was gratuitous nudity, one scene had a naked woman being threatened with a snake. Those scenes pandering to fifteen-year-old boys dropped my rating to a 1. I gave it a 1 point bump for Lo Lieh and Bolo.

The fight scenes were actually pretty good, especially the ones Bruce Le wasn't in. Wong's buddy and an Interpol agent spent a great deal of time fighting each other and the baddies as well. The strong bit part players lent to some good fights. The nunchuck work, however, like Le's Bruce Lee mannerisms should have been omitted.

The problem the director and writer had was they didn't know what to do in between fights or how to develop anything that resembled a coherent story. Let's kidnap and threaten the women again! Show some boobs! Let's have a shot of someone walking down the street or down a hallway! How about watching someone drive a car or play cards? How about two people watching television? Should we have them say anything that would be considered plot or character development? What's that?

This might have been a watchable movie if Bruce Le hadn't tried to look like and act like Bruce Lee. All he managed to do was remind me how charismatic the original was. Michael Chan seemed to be channeling his inner Bruce, too. It might have been a watchable movie if the women hadn't been there to be objectified and tormented. They didn't need the women as bait because the "good" guys were always looking for a fight anyway. This movie had a strong kung fu cast, with good fights, and a magic kung fu book, everything a kung fu movie needs. Too bad the filmmakers took the low road into exploitation.

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A remake of Dangerous Liaisons made with an international cast of Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, and American actors. If this is the first version of this story you've ever seen, you might be far more impressed than I was.

What I liked about this movie: The cinematography was lush and the scenes were wrapped in golden light and settings. 1930's Shanghai came to life beautifully.

What didn't work for me: Mostly the acting and the reworked story. Cecilia Cheung played the Marquise de Merteuil/Madam Mo Jie Yu role. This is a key role, she was the independent, manipulative, devious mind pulling the strings in business, society, and the bedroom. She should have been the alluring lethal danger in this movie. Unfortunately, instead of displaying the cunning and cruelty at the heart of Jie Yu, Cecilia could only manage a fake smile and a grimace occasionally, bringing almost no nuance to this multi-layered character.

Jang Dong Gun in the Vicomte de Valmont /Xie Yi Fan role was pleasing enough but lacked the sexually sinister side needed as Valmont/Fan slept his way across Shanghai and ultimately tripped himself up by falling in love. Zhang Zi Yi portrayed the Madame de Tourvel/Madam Du Fen Yu role. Her performance was perhaps the most disappointing, and I'm a fan of hers. Somehow, they transformed her into a frumpy woman, a woman who moved and dressed like an elderly little old lady. A reserved character became almost lifeless in her hands, and it was hard to understand how Fan fell so hopelessly in love with her.

The secondary younger characters, integral to the story were given short shrift and much of their important action was done offstage.

Key parts of the original story were cut out or given to other characters. Sometimes a new vision works, this retelling of the tale did not for me. Again, if you've never seen other versions of this, this interpretation may be perfectly serviceable.

Most unsatisfactorily of all, they took the bite, rancor, revenge, and tragedy out of the ending. This cast lured me into watching yet another version of this story, bitterly disappointing me in the end. Jang Dong Gun's charisma did lift an otherwise limp version of this sexual and power games movie, but his performance wasn't enough to save it for me. Instead of Dangerous Liaisons it was more like Irksome Liaisons.

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Dumplings anyone?

The Name is a heartwarming and bittersweet love story built on longings and lies.

Ri Ae offers Cheol Woo a small fortune for him to create 20 paintings and let her sign her name to them for an art exhibit. Living in what amounts to an artistic coffin in the park, Cheol Woo ultimately, if not reluctantly, agrees to being a ghost painter. Of course, not all is what it seems with the two characters.

The Name's plot is quite simplistic, with well used tropes and twists that can be seen from a mile/km away. The characters have some growth, but little depth. Cheol Woo's supposedly ground breaking artistic style peaked quite awhile back in the real world, but I understand they needed art for the displays.

Romantic movies whether comedy or tragedy succeed or fail on the chemistry of the leads, something The Name succeeded with for the most part. Jeon So Min gave a nice but not overly wrought performance as a woman with a complicated relationship with her mother, who was dealing with her own health concerns, and living with unrealized dreams. Choi Jung Won gave a charming turn as the down on his luck but rarely down in his mood artist whose success was just always out of reach. The remaining cast give perfunctory if not inspired performances.

If you are looking for something new and innovative, this is not it, unless you haven't watched many dramas. If you are looking for a comfortable, familiar romance with two likable actors this is just the ticket.

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An old school drama that dealt with AIDS, dementia, redemption, and single parenthood in a thoughtful and compelling manner.

I loved how this drama did not back away from confronting the stigma HIV/AIDS patients face, especially nearly two decades ago. Once the little girl's situation was brought out into the open, the drama used each episode as a teachable moment not just for the characters, but the audience as well. The scope of her disease was narrowed down for drama purposes but I'm glad they showed how people afflicted with AIDS need support and not ostracization.

Seo Shin Ae, as little Bom, won my heart with her performance. She moved from tears, to laughter, to precocious behavior seamlessly. She was a joy to watch.

Jang Hyuk gave a stellar performance as the closed off doctor who found redemption and peace on a small island. A family of misfits washed him as clean as the shore after the waves recede-a single mother, a daughter with AIDS, and a father with dementia in a remote community was not where this ill tempered doctor ever thought he would wind up. Throughout the drama Jang Hyuk allowed us to feel Min Ki Seo's contempt, his sorrow, his compassion, and his reluctant love developing.

The drawback for me was Gong Hyo Jin's performance. Most of the characters grew and changed, all except her Lee Young Shin. Hyo Jin excels at playing self-sacrificing doormats, but aside from a few smiles with Bom, her performance was rather one note. The writers were at fault as well, they never fully developed this matriarch of misfits. Up until the very end of this drama, I never understood her, never saw a glimmer of affection for the man they told us she was falling in love with. Her mumbling, stumbling, head down performance and frozen expression took away from the emotional depth of this drama. It was hard to hope for a relationship to develop between Min Ki Seo and this woman who could not crack her heart open long enough to share a part of herself with him.

I enjoyed this drama overall and would have loved it more if the writers and actress had let us watch Lee Young Shin grow and blossom, learn to stand up for herself and her daughter, and bask in the love of the imperfect but dedicated man who fought to stand beside her. As it was, I found Min's and Bom's First Guardian Angel and Angel friendship much more heartwarming and engaging.

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Michelle Yeoh was the star and hero of this movie, let there be no doubt. Everyone else was along for the ride. And what a fun, fast paced, romantic ride it was!

Michelle Yeoh was amazing as the young woman, Wing Chun, who had escaped a forced marriage and gone to study martial arts for years. Upon returning home and setting up a tofu shop she was often the wall between the townspeople and roving bandits. Michelle did nearly all of her own stunt work and truly shone brightly in this role.

Donnie Yen played Leung Pok To, Wing Chun’s childhood friend, who had returned after several years away to ask for her hand in marriage. He didn’t recognize her as she was dressed as a man and mistakenly thought the pretty young widow who worked in Wing’s tofu shop was her. Suitors competed for the women and there was some good-natured bed hopping. There was a love triangle, or maybe square, on second thought it might have been a love heptagon.

Donnie was as cute as a puppy in his role as Wing Chun’s would-be suitor. Leung was skilled in martial arts but not as accomplished as his childhood love. Norman Chu seemed to have a good time playing the Bandit King, he made a brash and comical villain. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to beat Wing Chun or marry her. The side characters were interesting and distinguishable--the money counting and intimidating sister who had eyes on a scholar, the scholar who was torn between Wing Chun and the young widow, the young widow who was in need of a man’s, uh, services, and a bandit who wanted the widow as his wife--all helped fill out the story in a meaningful way.

I liked this movie because unlike a lot of kung fu movies the romances weren’t tacked on and were relevant to the plot. These were all people trying to earn their happily ever afters in between kung fu fights, of course.

Yuen Woo Ping outdid himself with the creative fights, one particularly clever fight between Wing Chun, a hired fighter, and a plate of tofu was ingenious. There were no deaths or blood-soaked bodies, just lots of high wire, good old-fashioned fights with people who knew what they were doing. The action was fast, stunningly choreographed, and well-acted at the same time. Though some parts of the fights were unrealistic, who cares when they were so entertaining.

Importantly, they stuck the landing. I loved the final fight between Wing Chun and the Bandit King. I’ve never seen fight scenes quite like the ones shot for this film. The culmination of it was perfect. They also made me laugh. This film made me laugh several times and I rarely if ever laugh at “funny” kung fu movies. This was not a perfect film and some parts of it were dated. Regardless of its flaws, I enjoyed it.

Michelle and Donnie are two of my favorite actors and this film was a dream team for me complete with romance and spectacular fights. If you enjoy kung fu movies, this one is well worth seeking out.

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When it comes to movies about historical figures I tend to take them with a grain of salt, sometimes a whole bag. I'm neither familiar with Xuan Zang's life nor am I a scholar of Buddhism or this time period so this review is based sheerly on my enjoyment of this film as a work of art. Though I am sure there are discrepancies as with most historical films I have no quarrel with the filmmakers for at least the major characters were dealt with respectfully. I've also neither read the novel nor seen the movie Journey to the West which are based on Xuan's life.

Xuan Zang set out for India, when it was forbidden to leave the country, in order to bring copies of more accurate Buddhist scriptures home. Reason, laws, and the threat of death could not deter him from his holy quest.

The cinematography was extraordinary and a treat for the eyes as Xuan traveled through both cities and desert wilderness, often alone. Varying from lush green to desolate sand and stone, and later snow capped mountains, the scenery was breath-taking. Ancient ruins, temples, and shrines are visited. Often the scenery showed him barely visible, a tiny monk making his way through a vast and sacred world. The music fit with the mood perfectly.

This is a slow, reflective film as Xuan's faith meets up against disappointment and hardship. Living in a time when I can find information with the push of a button, I'm in awe of someone who was willing to risk death, imprisonment, starvation, and thirst to increase his knowledge and faith and then the overwhelming desire to bring it back home again to share. His journey took between 16 and 19 years depending on the source and he covered over 25,000 km (15,534 miles). This film gives a glimpse of what he accomplished, the people he met, the effect he had on others, and the joy the scriptures brought to him. There are a couple of narrative hiccoughs when an inexplicable time and place jump occur, but that's a rarity, and a small quibble. The censor's heavy hand causes a few shadows as well. For the most part this is a film to soothe the eyes, ears, and soul. Every moment and person is treated as holy and a gift. It may be the idealized version of his life but it was a pleasure to sink into it and let the beauty of the colors and notes and love for all life wash over me.

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Rodan is the third movie in the family of Godzilla movies and the first to be filmed in color. I admit to being hesitant about watching a stand alone movie for this particular Kaiju. He'd never impressed me in the movies I've seen him co-starring in. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. I found Rodan to be quite entertaining.

The movie starts with miners being violently killed in a dark, flooded cave. It is creepy and claustrophobic. Up out of the ground come giant killer dragonfly larvae. Much of the first part of the film is people hunting them down and attempting to kill them. Little did they know that what eats the giant insects was going to be more problematic-like letting a tiger in the back door to chase the wolves away at the front door.

Rodan was much more impressive in this movie than subsequent ones. He was huge, mobile, and destructive. Yes, you can see the wires at times if you look closely, but this old movie did quite a bit with the special effects and budget they had available to them. The miniatures were exquisite. Honda Ishiro and Ifukube Akira did a good job of bringing a giant flying dinosaur to life and making us care about him when by all rights we shouldn't.

Many times the human aspect of these movies fails. This time there was a sense of urgency and pathos from the beginning to the end. It also helped that this movie came before subsequent campy monster romps. As with Godzilla, by the end of the movie, even the human characters begin to feel sympathy for the great beasts.

Though around 65 years old I thought Rodan held up pretty well. He's now in my top three early Toho movies.

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A slow, slice of life story revolving around an estranged husband's and father's funeral. The funeral brings up old grievances and guilt. The mother must not only come to terms with her unfinished emotions for the man who left her but also deal with her three daughters' sense of loss and pain. Throw in a mistress, illness, divorces, family secrets, resentments, and Karaoke cab and there is enough to fill a drama much less a two hour movie.

For me there were too many characters and too many conflicts to fully connect with many of the characters. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it and likely would not visit this group of dysfunctional people again. Bittersweet and heart-warming at the same time, Big Little Women at least gave us a largely female cast and shined a light on the complicated female relationships and strengths within a family.

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This is my first Filipino movie and I really enjoyed it. It's the story of a family that drifted apart after the mother died years ago.

The story begins with the father of four grown children spending his birthday alone because his children are too focused on their own lives and problems to visit. On the day of his unattended party his receives news that he has cancer and only 7 weeks to live. He sends a text to his children to inform them of the news.

The eldest son took over the family store and is on the verge of bankruptcy. The second son became wealthy and successful but believes his family only likes him for his money. The daughter has three children with a philandering husband. The youngest child felt abandoned after the mother died and his siblings moved away and is now in legal trouble.

The children decide to come together on a Sunday and throw him a surprise birthday party, but old wounds flare up and arguments explode. After learning of their father's distress over their squabbles, the children agree to get along for his sake and to meet every Sunday at his house. Each Sunday the family comes together on various adventures and learn about each other in the process.

There are ups and downs in the story as wounds and secrets are revealed and healed.

I don't want to spoil the secrets, but I will say that this is not a downer or tragedy. This movie is the definition of heart-warming.

I can recommend this movie with a happy heart.

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It's not very often a martial arts movie comes out with strong fight scenes and even stronger acting. Brotherhood of the Blades boasted a quietly competent cast who elevated this movie above standard wuxia fare.

Three Imperial Assassins and sworn brothers, though skilled with their swords had to face down death and deception from various factions. The always troublesome eunuch (this time after he was deposed) who shows up in numerous martial arts movies, once again instigated double-crossing schemes, this time imperiling the three loyal assassins.

Chang Chen led the three sworn brothers. His character, Shen Lian, though loyal to his brothers and emperor, was morally ambiguous. Willing to do whatever the situation called for, he set into motion a sword that would hang over all three of the assassins' heads.

The three hearty friends all harbored a need for money. Shen Lian wished to free a courtesan but lacked the power and money to do so. Wang Qian Yuan, as Lu Jian Xing, longed for promotion, only lacking the amount of money needed for bribing officials. Li Dong Xue as Jin Yi Chuan, the third assassin and the youngest, loved a doctor's daughter and had secrets of his own. The eunuch's waning power and wealth still proved perilous and tempting. The loyal allies had no safe quarter with the emperor and his officials. Blades aimed at them from nearly every quarter, even longtime allies proved treacherous.

The fight choreography was quite good, less reliant on wires and Olympic level gymnastics. The fights were fast, brutal, and bloody. They stretched reality in a few scenes, but so do most action movies. If I have one quibble, it's that the action scenes went on too long and were overused. As the story felt thin, perhaps it distracted from the lack of a more complex plot and character development.

The cinematography though dark and dreary fit the mood of the film. Often monochromatic, the shots worked perfectly for the bloody fight scenes. The costumes and sets were well done, befitting the time period. Brotherhood of Blades was stunning to watch without being overdone.

Chang Chen gave a mesmerizing performance, filling in gaps the script lacked. The supporting actors were all strong even though many of their characters were thinly drawn.

Brotherhood of the Blades battered away at the characters through intrigue and loss. Dark and intense, this film balanced its three main characters on the edge of a knife in the midst of hungry wolves. And set this viewer on the edge of her seat wondering who, if any, of the Brotherhood would survive.

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"People are ghosts, and ghosts are people."

The cold stone complex with glowing red eyes in Zhang Yi Mou’s Raise the Red Lantern bids young women into its luxurious lifestyle. Afterall, it’s just as easy to marry a rich man as it is a poor man. Or is it?

Gong Li stars as Songlian the newest concubine of a rich man in this gilded cage of competitive horrors. Educated but with few options after her father dies she marries an older man. She quickly learns that the women and servants are pitted against one another in a popularity game to garner the master’s favor. Red lanterns are lit in the courtyard and living apartment of the woman he chooses for the night. The clickety clack of massage hammers used on the chosen one’s feet turns into a Pavlov’s bell for the women. The master’s idea of foreplay is something akin to “brace yourself darlin’” but the women do what they must to attract his attention and keep it.

Other than the privileges the chosen one temporarily receives, the concubines hold no power. They are largely interchangeable, this is the territory of the powerful master and his game and rules. The women’s fate is tied to pleasing him and gifting him sons. In the ruthless conflict between the concubines, betrayal and tragedy are always near at hand.

Master Chen’s face is never focused on. His is the face of oppression and rigid familial customs, the ringmaster in the tragic circus.

Songlian discovers that the people in the huge complex are largely ghosts living in the house abiding by the rules of ancestors long gone. She tries to rebel, game the system, and in the end becomes ostracized and alone. When she witnesses an unspeakable act she realizes that she is trapped with only two ways out-death or madness.

Raise the Red Lantern criticizes a number of social structures as well as the plight of women during this time. Outdated cruel traditions that guide their everyday life are firmly in the director’s bullseye. It is gripping and difficult to watch at times.

Songlian is not an easy character to like as she can be very abrasive and snobbish. Her youth and independent nature cause her to chafe under the ridiculous rules and volatile hierarchy. She learns the hard way the price for disobedience. Gong Li’s expressive face helps us to understand how we should feel as well. Rebellious. Trapped. Isolated. Horrified. She gives a gloriously understated performance as a young woman caught in the chains of family customs; the players involved more like ghosts ensnaring fresh faces to drag into their macabre story.

Zhang Yi Mou saturates some scenes in a rich red light, the color of birth, life, and death. At other times an icy blue hue overtakes the scene driving home the solitariness of the one not chosen. The large complex could almost be given a credit as well the way Zhang lovingly uses the stunning architecture to showcase the concubines’ limited stone world. There was no soft place to land amongst the hard edges. The lush colors of their costumes played in stark contrast to the institutional banality. It was a remote facility both physically and emotionally.

The sets, concubines, and costumes are intoxicatingly beautiful but lying beneath them is a grotesque cruelty. Raise the Red Lantern is a treat for the eyes as most of Zhang Yi Mou’s films are. Though difficult to watch this story of the powerful’s abuse of women and tradition is one worth trying.

“What do people amount to in this house? They’re like dogs, cats, or rats, but certainly not people.”

1/12/23

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Even if you start at a disadvantage, you can still be first across the finish line

Zero to Hero is an inspiring biopic about twelve-time Paralympic medalist So Wa Wai. So was the first para-athlete from Hong Kong to win gold and still holds the record in the 200m sprint. Zero to Hero is a feel good movie that also doesn't shy away from it's characters' faults and harsh reality.

So Wa Wai was born with haemolytic jaundice which resulted in cerebral palsy. His mother was told he would never walk or be able to hold chopsticks. And he would only be able to hear 10-20%. She carried him on her back, literally, until he was four. In a desperate life or death moment, the mother challenged him to walk. As he gained more ability, they learned he may not walk well, but he could run.

As a teenager he joined the para-athlete's association and trained to run in competitions. The way to his success did not always run smoothly. His family was poor and used desperately needed funds to help him achieve his success. The movie highlighted how difficult it was for Paralympic athletes to continue training and competing with few subsidies from the government.

The true heart of this movie was the mother-son relationship. Sandra Ng gave a beautiful performance as the resolute mother who refused to give up on her child and sacrificed greatly to ensure he became all he could be and that he would have a financially secure future after she was gone. This created conflict with Wa Wai as he worried she was using him at one point and with his younger brother who felt at times that his only role was to be Wa Wai's future caretaker. Though perhaps flawed, the strength of this mother's love and determination to gain the best for her son and for him to overcome his limitations shined through. "Run to me at the finish line."

Leung Chung Hang's performance never felt patronizing. He poignantly portrayed a child dependent on his mother who grew into a man with his own goals and need to help his family. Yet in the end, it was the love for his dedicated mother that gave him the strength to attain those goals.

Heartwarming and inspirational with enough realistic edge to keep it from being treacly, Zero to Hero is a winner.

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"The more secrets you know, the sooner you will die"

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Inn was a weirdly addictive drama despite uneven storytelling and even more uneven acting. If you are looking for a drama centered around the famous Dragon Gate Inn, look elsewhere. This inn might as well have been named the Flamingo Palm Tree Inn as little as the mythology of the inn played into the story. If, like me, you see where Nie Yuan is listed as a main character, prepare to be disappointed. His Zhao Huai An was a supporting character who occasionally lent emotional and martial arts support. This was primarily a palace drama and a case of missing royal twins who grew up to be the princess and crown prince. The only trouble was, only one person knew how to identify them and he wasn’t talking.

There will be slight spoilers from the first few episodes in the next *two paragraphs* to follow because the synopsis is not what this drama is about, if you want to avoid them, please skip down to general comments:

*The emperor’s consort Lady Lan bears him twins while he is away. The jealous empress manages to steal the girl baby while Dr. Feng quickly takes the boy child and gives him to General Yu who hands the baby off to Zhao for safe keeping. The eunuch and close ally to the empress, Wan Yu Lou, accidentally kills Lady Lan. The emperor returns to find Lady Lan dead and only a deformed daughter that he orders to be killed. Wan and the empress work to cover up their vile deeds with Wan agreeing to secretly adopt the baby princess. The two are determined to find the missing crown prince as well.

*Twenty years later Hu Zhong Yu is one of Zhao’s disciples, though Zhao isn’t around much. Hu also vowed to protect the young master of the Ma clan, Ma Tian You. When the Wanma Hall is destroyed and the young master goes missing Hu goes in search of him. During this time, he rebuilds the Dragon Gate Inn with the help of the Xia princess Bu Lu Du and tomb raider Gu Shao Tang. Later, Hu sees Tian You entering the palace grounds and follows him. Dressed as a eunuch Hu ends up serving the Western Depot under You Jia and his second in command Yu Hua Tian, a no-nonsense warrior who unknowingly to You is one of the adopted daughters of the evil Eastern Depot commander, Wan Yu Lou. Hu and Yu find themselves going from adversaries to allies as they struggle to survive the dangerous politics of the palace driven by an incompetent emperor and a treacherous Eunuch Wan.

This drama focused on the relationship between Hu Zhong Yu and Yu Hua Tian. The two actors had a nice chemistry together and were fun to watch. The other dominant stories involved Wan and his “daughters” and how he used them to gain power and advantages over his enemies. Zhou Huai An and Jin Xian Gyu showed up to guide the patriotic rebels against Wan and to give sage advice. Two of the most annoying characters to ever set foot in Dramaland were the princess Bu Lu Du and tomb raider Gu Shao Tang. They bickered non-stop and fought over Zhong Yu for 38 ½ episodes. They were childish and downright dangerous to have as allies. With the exception of Yu and Jin as the drama progressed, most of the female characters were not shown in a positive light. Thankfully, Yu, for the most part, was a thoroughly competent warrior and character. She protected those she loved and was unafraid to stand up to evil. On a side note, I was happy to see old kung fu movie star, David Chiang, in the role of Dr. Feng.

While there were scenes at the Dragon Gate Inn, they were few and far between. Most of the action took place at the palace. The “Who’s your daddy?” storylines gave a slightly different angle to the usual fight for the throne trope. It also changed relationship dynamics when people thought they knew who the royal children were and caused heartache as well. The censors could be felt when characters awkwardly declared that love was only between a man and a woman. This sentiment was largely overshadowed as one of Wan’s daughters deeply loved Yu thinking Yu was a male eunuch. Hu fell in love with Yu thinking the same thing. Both still loved Yu when “he” was revealed to be a woman. Love was love regardless of gender which felt like a bold step for a Cdrama. Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Inn could be campy and fun, dark and emotional, with terribly uneven acting and annoying characters, but it was also hard to stop watching.

27 May 2024

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Treeless Mountain was a poignant story about two little girls who were abandoned with relatives and seen through their innocent eyes. This was a spare, melancholy slice of life with little music or dialogue as the sisters learned to navigate their everchanging world.

Grade schooler Jin and her little sister Bin are dropped off at their paternal aunt’s house when their mother goes in search of their missing deadbeat father. As the mother leaves, she hands Jin a red piggy bank and tells her when it is full of coins they earn for doing chores for their aunt, she’ll return. Their aunt who doesn’t work and drinks too much soju does the bare minimum for them and sometimes not even that. The girls often find themselves alone and fending for themselves or asking a neighbor for food. Jin, who was a good student, is no longer enrolled in school. Despite their circumstances the girls stick together and look for ways to earn money to fill their piggybank.

This film eschewed dramatic music for natural sounds or the girls singing. The young actresses gave beautifully genuine, unpretentious performances. They carried the weight of the movie on their tiny shoulders as the story was seen through their eyes. It was agonizing watching Jin slowly piece together the reality of her life after the harsh realization of their situation hit her. Each emotional blow would rock her and she would slowly absorb the new information and try again. Kim Hee Yeon’s eyes told the depth of Jin’s pain. Though the girls were shuttled about, they stayed together and never gave into despair, always making the best of their lives.

Treeless Mountain demonstrated how vulnerable children are and how resilient they can be when they shouldn’t have to be. There were moments that were genuinely heartbreaking as Jin came to realize that adults lie and had let her down repeatedly and others that were filled with hope when she offered all she had to someone in need. This film will cause you to want to show great kindness to any children in your life-to cuddle them and fill their bellies with warm food and shelter them from all danger. Not every child has that security, some sisters live on a treeless mountain with only each other to truly depend on. While this slow meditation on the perils of childhood may not be for everyone, I found it to be deeply moving.

21 May 2024

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"Don't criticize other people's customs and don't criticize their kimchi!"

Heo Young Man, Ryu Soo Young, and Mimi traveled the country trying and discovering new takes on kimchi and relishing the traditional ways of making it on A Nation of Kimchi.

Like the other K Food Shows, our adventurous hosts embraced their roles as food guides whole-heartedly. They demonstrated how “Kimchi shows Korea’s history, culture, and lifestyle.” Nothing else embodies Korea quite as much. Archaeologists have discovered the making of kimchi dating back as far as the Three Kingdom Era (220-280 C.E.). The oldest mention in writing goes back to a poem in 918 C.E. Since that time Koreans have experimented using different plants, seafoods, and spices. The introduction of chili peppers during the Joseon era caused an explosion of new taste sensations and the familiar red color known today.

Seasonal and regional ingredients and differences were examined. “Don’t criticize other people’s customs and don’t criticize their kimchi.” The crew visited restaurants, food stalls, and two temples. At the first temple the head monk used lotus flowers to make kimchi dishes into stunning artwork. At the second temple, the community gathered yearly to pick the vegetables and make the kimchi to be served there.

If kimchi is the heart of Korea, women make that heart pulse. In all the scenes of kimchi being made throughout the country, it was the women working together to lovingly produce it. When Ryu helped out, he was the only man among tables of women massaging the red filling into the cabbage leaves. Heo made the statement, “There are as many kinds of kimchi as there are mothers in the world.” These women might adhere to family traditions, but many of them pushed the boundaries, willing to experiment with new ingredients and combinations. “Gimjang”, the community making of kimchi, has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Whether served with wine or makgeolli, used as a side dish or main dish, in traditional combinations or new imaginative ways, the hosts enthusiastically tried them all. I enjoyed learning more about the history and making of kimchi as well as the nearly endless ways of serving it by people who demonstrated a deep love and appreciation for the national culinary treasure.

20 May 2024

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