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where faith and film are intertwined

Korea

House of Hummingbird – The Trials of 8th Grade

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“It takes some time to learn to like yourself.”

Bora Kim’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama House of Hummingbird takes us inside the struggle of a middle school girl as she keeps looking for something in her life that will bring emotional nurture and fulfilment.

Eighth grader Eun-hee (Ji-hu Park) is seen by many of her classmates as a bit slow and doomed to a life serving them. What joy she finds is in drawing comics. Her older brother is abusive. Her older sister a bad role model. Her mother struggles with chronic pain. Her father is demanding. There is little nurture to be found at home. Even when Eun-hee finds a lump under her ear, she must deal with the doctors herself. She makes an occasional friend, both male and female, and even has some tentative romantic experiences. But her friends seem to go off with others, leaving her alone.

Her life brightens when she meets Yong-ji (Sae-Byeok Kim), her new Chinese tutor. Yong-ji is young and pretty. And she smokes! But what really makes Yong-ji special is that she notices Eun-hee. She is willing to talk with her and listen to her. She treats her as a real person. These interactions give Eun-hee a glimpse of what she may become. Yong-ji gives Eun-hee bits of insight that could help her as she struggles to find her place in life.

The film is set in 1994, and from time to time key news stories mark the passing of time. First the beginning of the World Cup, then the death of North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung, and eventually the catastrophic collapse of the Seongsu Bridge that left 32 people dead—and is a pivotal point in the film. There is a sense that Korea as a whole is going through transitions, just as Eun-hee is facing constant change in her life.

Eun-hee is at an interesting coming-of-age point. There is something about the uncertainty and insecurities of eighth grade that makes it especially conducive to such examinations. One might compare the 2018 American film Eighth Grade. Although the American film was told with much more comedy, both films reflect the difficulty of that age. Eun-hee captures a bit of that difficulty when she ponders “When will my life start to shine?”

Such feelings are not limited to fourteen year-olds. Coming-of-age films, such as House of Hummingbird, aren’t just about looking at how difficult growing up can be; they offer us a chance to reflect on our own issues of facing a world that is filled with abuse, abandonment, and grief. Perhaps the key to happiness is, as with hummingbirds, constantly searching for the sweetness that may come our way.

House of Hummingbird is available on Virtual Cinema through local theaters.

Photos courtesy of Well Go USA

Parasite: Class Struggle

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The intersection of the haves and have-nots is the world of Parasite, for which director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Set in South Korea, where I’m told the difference of economic divisions is very real, the story also taps into a more universal understanding of the disdain and resentments inherent in class structure.

The film is the story of two families, the Kims and the Parks. The Kim family is from the lowest part of society, as we see in their living in a basement apartment where they have to crawl up next to their toilet to get a phone signal. They get by doing piece work such as folding pizza boxes for a few cents each. When college age son Ki-woo is recommended by a friend to take over the job as English tutor for the Parks’ daughter, he is astounded by the opulence of their home high on a hill. Quickly, he begins a series of cons that bring other family members into the Parks’ employ (although their relationship is secret). This involves lies about others that are working for the family to make way for new hiring.

There is a comic feel to the first half of the film as the Kims worm their way into the Parks’ lives. In a similar fashion as Shoplifters (which won the Palme d’Or last year), this family of grifters is somewhat endearing, even though we may be put off by their lack of morals.

The Parks, on the other hand, are a bit cold. They clearly care about their children, but don’t want to be bothered with the actual raising of them. For all their affluence, they lack any kind of human affection. They are a bit suspicious of some of the Kims because they don’t smell right. They smell of the underclass, which the Parks want nothing to do with.

The second half of the film slowly turns more toward tragedy when the Parks leave on a trip and the Kims inhabit the house. Soon they discover some secrets about the house, and the former servants that begins to lead this story to a violent confrontation that Quentin Tarantino would probably enjoy.

The dichotomy of the two families gives us a chance to consider the role class plays in life. To be sure the differences vary from one society to another, but they still exist everywhere. Is it an inevitability that such divisions will lead to some sort of violent confrontation? Even though in the film the violence arises out of a kind of comedy of errors, it still seems to be the only way that the class struggle will finally be addressed. The title of the film suggests that the class struggle is about those who live off others. But which class is living off which?

It is interesting that Bong brings the audience (who are probably more closely related to the Parks) into the film on the side of the Kims. It is the Kims with whom we emotionally identify. It is a trick that film uses to help us see the plight of others, but it also serves to suggest that perhaps we should be judged for the same shortcomings we see in the Park family. As with all good films, we discover that it is not a story about other people; it is about us.

Parasite is available on Blu-ray and digital now.

Photos courtesy Neon CJ Entertainment

Rampant: Land of the Living Dead

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Directed by Kim Sung-Hoon, Rampant is an unexpectedly fascinating mashup of genres as classical Asian cinema meets horror film. After all, a period piece about a Korean prince who returns home amidst political turmoil hardly screams zombie apocalypse. Somewhat surprisingly, however, Rampant proves itself to be a fun and engaging film that breathes fresh life into the genre.

Set in ancient South Korea, Rampant tells the story of Prince Ganglim (Hyun Bin), the heir to the throne of the Joseon region. Returning home as a result of his brother’s death, Ganglim soon discovers that a darkness looms over his home province as murderous creatures known as Night Demons have overrun the country. With the nightmarish monsters plaguing the country and the minister of military Kim Ja-joon (Jang Dong-gun) plotting to overthrow the dynasty, Prince Ganglim realizes that he must fight in order to save his home country.

While the film contains plenty of the gore and violence that one would expect from the zombie genre, the heart of the film lies in the journey of Prince Ganglim and his relationship with the throne. Returning home due to the death of his brother, Ganglim has no interest in taking the seat of power from his father when the time comes. A womanizer with a proficiency to curse, Ganglim hardly lives his life in a manner that reveals the image of a King (nor is he interested in doing so). Though respectful of the culture of the time, he strangely seems like a man out of time, more interested in his own freedom than continuing the family legacy of leadership. To Ganglim, leadership represents power, control and maintaining the status quo – three words that he finds utterly repulsive. The Joseon region is in dire need of change, though he does not believe he is the one to bring it to fruition given his values and interests.

With this in mind, Ganglim’s journey speaks to his understanding of the nature of leadership. Though he views the throne through the eyes of power, the people of the Joseon region view it as a position of servanthood. (“Without the people, there is no king,” Ganglim is reminded.) As Ganglim begins to realize that the nature of leadership stems from one’s desire to seek the best for those under their care, he also begins to recognize that genuine change may be possible. (Incidentally, Ganglim’s views are diametrically opposed to the Minister of War Kim, Ja-joon. Although he also believes a new world must be created, his tactics reveal his belief that change comes not from altering the systems of power but simply placing himself in the role instead.) Here, Ganglim must realize that true leadership comes when royalty humble themselves and take the very nature of a servant. As he does, he opens his heart to become more than the selfish regime that came before.In the end, Rampant serves its audience well. By balancing the gore and intensity of the zombie genre with the classical battle for power of other Asian period pieces, the film creates space for something new while honouring tradition. Still, the true heart of the film lies in one hero’s journey to rebirth as a true leader.

Rampant is available on demand on February 26th, 2019

 

Sunday at AFI Fest

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When I arrived at Hollywood and Highland on Sunday morning, there were some people on the street organizing a march about sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment industry. News in recent weeks has been full of stories about the issue and social media filled up with “me too” comments. It is indeed a serious subject that needs to be addressed. I hope bringing this out into the open will facilitate healing and changes in a culture that allows such behavior.

One of the films that I’ve been looking forward to at AFI Fest was M*A*S*H, part of the Robert Altman retrospective at the festival. I first saw the film when it was released in 1970 while I was in college. Most people are familiar with the TV series, but the film is a darker comedy than the TV series was. Set in the Korean War, the film is really a commentary on the Vietnam War that was underway when the film came out. The film is satire that has an irreverent take on all institutions, especially the military and religion. The wonderful ensemble cast included Donald Sutherland, Tom Skerritt, Elliott Gould, Rene Auberjonois, Sally Kellerman, Robert Duvall, and Gary Burghoff (the only actor to also be in the TV series). Of note, given the protests going on outside, is the objectification of women in the film. That, too, was a part of the zeitgeist. In some ways we may have grown past that, but in other ways, it is still a work in progress. I may have to put together a TBT review of this to consider how it plays today versus when it came out.

Since I was already in Korea for that film, I stayed for Park Hoon-Jung’s V.I.P. (Midnight section). This is a very dark and often disturbing film about a serial killer who has murdered young women in both North and South Korea and in Hong Kong. The killer is the scion of a North Korean official and may have information about hidden bank accounts. A no-holds barred police detective, a by-the-book Korean federal agent, a North Korean defector, and the CIA battle amongst themselves over how to treat the case. When the programmer introduced the film, she said “It really resonated with me, because I want to kill people every day.” That reflects the corrosive effect of anger and hatred on all of those involved in the story.

Fits & Starts (American Independent) is the feature directing debut for Lara Terruso. The comedy focuses on two married writers. David is struggling with his career, but his wife Jennifer’s career is skyrocketing. When Jennifer’s publisher invites them to a salon at his home, their journey turns very strange. They eventually become separated en route, with David making it to the party looking for his wife, while she is stranded some ways behind. They discover things about themselves, but more importantly about their relationship that will allow them to grow closer than they have been of late.

 

The Handmaiden – A Delightfully Twisted Tale

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 The Handmaiden takes us on a twisting road of deceptions, double- (even triple-) crosses in a crime drama that straddles worlds. Inspired by a novel set in Victorian England, the story has been transferred to the colonial period in Korea, a time that is tied to the traditions of the past and the emergence of modernity. The house in which most of the story takes place is a blend of both Japanese and English styles. The characters come from the aristocratic world and the world of the streets. The film uses both Japanese and Korean (with different colored subtitles so we know which language is being spoken).

Sookie (Kim Tae-ri) is a young woman chosen to be the new handmaiden for Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), a beautiful young heiress who has lived most of her life in Korea as the ward of her uncle, Master Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong). When Sookie arrives she is in awe of the opulence of the home. But things are not as they seem. There are limits to where Sookie is allowed to go. The basement is especially off limits. There is a kind of dark feeling to this house despite the richness of the surroundings.

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The twists begin when we learn that Sookie is not really a servant, but a thief who has been recruited by The Count (Ha Jung-woo), a slick conman posing as nobility, to befriend Lady Kideko and help The Count woo her. The plan is for The Count and Lady Kideko to elope, claim Lady Kideko’s wealth in Japan, then have her committed and steal her money. But as the story unfolds there are far more twists, with secrets coming to light all along the way—including a love story. The less said about the surprises, the better. After all, that’s what makes this kind of movie so enjoyable—the way we keep feeling off-balance until the end.

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As with most crime films, The Handmaiden touches lightly on some of the darker side of life: crime, physical and emotional abuse, soft porn and the lasciviousness that feeds on it. But it does so in a way that avoids explicit portrayals. This is a story that spends a lot of time on the sinful nature of people, yet there is a small bit of the virtuousness of love that offers redemption from the depravity. That too is a way the film tries to balance very different worlds that clash in the story—by providing the chance for love to defeat all the plots of those who seek to do harm.

Photos courtesy of Amazon Studios/Magnolia Pictures