Stoker (Park Chan-wook)

Rabies

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/stoker/

This looks interesting.

johnny_ultimate

Im still cautiously pessimistic about all these talented Korean directors moving to America (such emigrations have proven unsuccessful in the past). But the trailer somewhat allays fears: looking like Chan-wook hasnt lost his demented touch and eccentric eye completely. I also think Mia Wasikowsa could provide an excellence performance when she has a script that gives her something to work with.

Da Shins Kelly

Sounds like a very interesting plot.

Squelchy

Looks a bit Shadow of a Doubt-y.

D-FENS

Presumed it was about Bram until I clicked the link

Sad Professor

Yeah, the plot is very reminiscent of Shadow of Doubt.

I love Park, but I wish Kidman wasn't in this. Her lips are too distracting. I find her totally unwatchable these days. Such a good actress, shame to see her destroy herself.

johnny_ultimate

Really enjoyed this. It's a relief that in terms of pure craftsmanship Park-wook has emigrated with confidence. The film is a visual tour de force - using uneasy framing, eccentric match / jump cuts and a forceful soundtrack to create a compelling idiosyncratic atmosphere. The editing and cinematography is simply wonderful, and Park certainly hasn't been forced to reign in his style. Wasikowska is excellent - great to see her get a solid lead.

The script is the closest thing to a problem at times. It struggles to sustain the creepy, perverse weirdness in the third act particularly. The first hour is consistently brilliant though, and even if the some of the parts near the end don't quite do what came before justice (the ending is awesome though) at only 90 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome anyway.

A confident, frequently brilliant burst of atmospheric eccentricity.

JP Liz V1

Just seen that the guy who played Michael in Prison Break wrote the script :eek:

tupac_healy

Just seen a tv spot for this and it looks very interesting.

I'd like to find out more without spoiling it, if thays even possible!

Decuc500

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Just seen that the guy who played Michael in Prison Break wrote the script :eek:

Unfortunately there's the problem. I felt the script was very formulaic. Thankfully Park Chan-wook brings his usual flair and makes something out of it. Overall slightly disappointing considering the directors other work.

Sad Professor

I thought it was excellent. Splendid little throwback to the psychological suspense thrillers of yesteryear. It will be very divisive though. Too restrained and tame for Park's Asian Extreme fans and horror fans in general. Too slow-burning and cinematic for audiences used to plot-driven, dialogue-heavy contemporary thrillers. The script probably would have been bland and forgettable in anyone else's hands, but I thought it was perfectly suited to Park, who is a brilliant visual storyteller (as opposed to stylist). It's the closest thing I've seen in many years to a Hitchcock film.

Marty McFly

Really looking forward to seeing this now.

Melion

Just caught the trailer for this, dunno how it managed to slip past me. Looking forward to watching it

catallus

Just saw this, thought it was very good, I think the term used above, "atmospheric eccentricity" is very applicable.

It is beautifully presented, it looks great in all of the important scenes.

Nicely paced and

a satisfyingly crazy ending.

opr

I came away feeling completely cheated. Wonderfully shot and holds a great sense of mystery for most of the film which makes it extremely compelling. It's all though predicated on subterfuge, the unexplained and ludicrous reaches which knit nothing together. As much fun as the movie is to watch I just felt bitter about the whole thing after it was over.

Opr

The Barefoot Pizza Thief

I liked this in parts but there was also a lot I didn't like.

Far and away the most annoying thing was Mia Wasikowska playing an 18 year old as she just doesn't pull it off.

It's a massive part of the movie that this girl is just turned 18 and so they should have cast someone that looked that age.

Same thing bugged me about Taken, where you had a 25 year old playing a 17 year old.

budgemook

Just watched this tonight. I've never come out of a film before thinking "wow, what great editing in that film" until tonight. It really stands out.

Plot and story decent enough. Run of the mill until the end. All in all a good cinema experience.

Mont

I was expecting more. The trailer looked brilliant. Its a decent flick but you never feel that interested in the characters who are comic-book stuff. It tries to be Lynchesque but it doesnt quite pull it off. Pity could have been very good.

LuckyLloyd

opr wrote: »

I came away feeling completely cheated. Wonderfully shot and holds a great sense of mystery for most of the film which makes it extremely compelling. It's all though predicated on subterfuge, the unexplained and ludicrous reaches which knit nothing together. As much fun as the movie is to watch I just felt bitter about the whole thing after it was over.

Opr

Agree, while the film is a visual feast it doesn't hold together and leaves you feeling it was rather nasty for no real reason.

One thing I particularly loved was the choice of costume and set design - real feel of the fifeties about it. The school, the scene at the back of the diner, the car, his attire - very interesting way to add to the unease.

tupac_healy

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Agree, while the film is a visual feast it doesn't hold together and leaves you feeling it was rather nasty for no real reason.

One thing I particularly loved was the choice of costume and set design - real feel of the fifeties about it. The school, the scene at the back of the diner, the car, his attire - very interesting way to add to the unease.

Sometimes no reason is needed.... You above all should know that

Da Shins Kelly

Finally saw this. Thought it was visually amazing and genuinely creepy at times. There were bits and pieces here and there that didn't make sense to me. For example,

how did both her father and her uncle know she had the potential to be a psychopath? She says somewhere that her father had her hunting animals in order to keep her from doing worse things, not because he particularly enjoyed hunting himself, and Charlie seemed to know she was like him too. Didn't really get how anyone could have realised this before she even did. Also didn't understand why she spared her mother at the end once she'd gone full-blown crazy.

However, I still enjoyed it. Thought the scenes with

the aunt from the house up until her murder at the motel

were pretty great.

S.M.B.

I think it's merely just a simple case of

it's in her blood/she was predestined to be a killer. I don't think there is (and you could argue there dones't need to be) any more reasoning behind it.

I wasn't overly impressed with it tbh. Think it's a case of all style over substance unfortunately. Usually Chan-wook's aesthetic is a bit more intertwined with the story in hand. This to me was just a by-the-numbers screen play in the hand of a very accomplished director.

calex71

Slow on the uptake to this one, thought in terms of Korea does America for Park he did well, one thing that really bugged me though was the contradiction in terms of the visuals and when the movie was supposed to be set ie the here and now yet everything on camera bar the cell phones etc made it seems like it was set decades ago, even in the scene at the school the kids were drinking "soda" from vintage bottles ? I'm sure this was intentional but it was lost on me