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E D I T O R I A L
Sunday, December 17: Raiders of the Lost Heart
On a pleasant Saturday afternoon in 1981, I made my way to Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood to see the new film by Steven Spielberg. I had been a fan since seeing his television film, Duel, in the early 70's. The theater was not packed on its opening weekend, but I was enthralled by Raiders of the Lost Ark from its opening scene. Now, you can pick the film apart for many reasons (and I have), but in the end I was entertained.
Obviously, people watch movies for a wide variety of reasons. Most want to be entertained. Some want to be educated, others to be enlightened. For me, at the most basic level, I want to be entertained - I want to feel that my time was not completely wasted. Perhaps I am more easily pleased than others. It's easy for me to be sucked into a movie emotionally. If the movie doesn't unduly bore, insult, or offend me, I'm generally satisfied. That doesn't necessarily mean I recommend it to others - a lot depends on my knowledge of the other person and what she or he enjoys watching.
Of course, on this web site I have a ratings system of sorts, just because most people (including me) expect a concise recommendation. It's based entirely on my likes and dislikes, naturally, without any real knowledge of what a prospective reader might enjoy. My experience, however, has been that, whether you agree with a particular reviewer's opinions or not, once you identify common benchmark films, you can get a sense of whether you might enjoy a film or not. For example, I seldom agree with the well-known American critic Roger Ebert, so when he recommends a film I know I probably won't like it, and vice versa.
This long and winding road brings me back to this week's reviews. Many well-respected film critics have been effusive in their praise of In the Mood for Love, and I just don't see it. On the other hand, many long-time and respected Hong Kong film reviewers absolutely hated Tokyo Raiders, while I found it to be a very enjoyable experience. Whether you agree with me or feel that I have completely lost my mind, at least you know where I stand and why (to the best of my ability to explain). If you are somehow offended by Tokyo Raiders, then Big Bullet may be the film for you. Or perhaps you would like Once Upon a Time in China III more than I did.
This week I also watched two Korean films: Shiri is similar to Big Bullet in that it is a well-made and tense thriller. Shiri is about North Korean terrorists threatening the reunification with South Korea. It moves at a quick pace and includes a standard-issue romance along with a couple of excellent performances. Tell Me Something is, on the most obvious level, a Korean version of Seven. Yet the filmmakers evidently tried to make cogent observations about Korean society. It is quite gruesome and bloody, and is not as clever as it thinks it is when it comes to standard genre twists, but there are certainly some memorable scenes.
Friday night I watched Strangers on a Train, a classic thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It was made in 1951, it's in black and white, yet it feels utterly contemporary with a chilling performance by Robert Walker.
As usual, please feel free to send feedback, criticisms, etc.
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