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Sympathy for Lady Vengeance- - WOW!

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Yes, I know you have not seen it, so I will not spoil it.
Firs, the most beautiful film ever, visually. Better than Days of Heaven, Excalibur, or Delicatessen, the most visually beautiful I had seen up till now.
Plot takes about 30 minutes to come together,it just seems like crazy unrelated incidents, but when the lead actress says "A kidnapper kidnapped a kidnapper's kid" it all falls into place.
I wrongly thought this was about a brother and sister, like its two fabulous acompanying pieces, Oldboy and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, but noop, it is about mother and daughter-loyalty, revenge and love.
I actually have a little over 20 minuts to go, and know there is one more major plot twist that is supposed to knock me over. But it really has come together from 3.5 stars out of 5, which is what I gave the fist hour, to 4.5 stars out of five, now that the last 40 minutes have brought it all together. Annoying, obvious product placement for Mitsubishi, BTW.
I love the most exquistely beautiful visual scene where the actrees pulls the bad guys cell phone out of his pocket, and there is a keyachain. She holds it front of his face, and honest to God, it is the most beautiful moment on film I have seen, bar none. The color, the composition, the focus, unbelievably beautiful. AND THEN she does the mental gymnastics (which I did not do; I love that!!) and figures out the meaning of the keychain!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4.5 heading for 5.

Follow Ups:

BTW - Jack G 05:14:48 03/20/06 (8)
If you haven't seen it yet, you may wish to see "A Bittersweet Life", a different type of revenge film that came out of Korea on 2004.
Jack
- "A Bittersweet Life" - Jon L 16:44:01 03/20/06 (7)
  I never finished watching "Sympathy.." b/c I got sidetracked by something after only 20 minutes, so I missed the good parts apparently. Up to that point, it was veeryy slow, even for Korean standards.
  "A Bittersweet Life" was one heck of an entertaining, driving movie-de-force. Straightforward, pure, unadulterated explosion of energy, a movie-lover's movie. No tricks or twists necessary at all.
  - John AND Jack G: where did you find those films? - tinear 06:30:35 03/21/06 (1)
    I don't find them at Netflix. Thanks!
    - Imports - Jack G 08:07:27 03/21/06 (0)
      These days, I've been getting my imports from www.yesasia.com They have a huge selection, that is pretty much up to date, and their service is good, with fast shipping.
      Again, this is why I have an all-region player.
      Both "Princess Aurora" and "Welcome to Dongmakgol" are being shown at a few film festivals this month in the US, so you might be able to see them here this year as R1, possibly in theaters (though I doubt it).
      Jack
  - Try "Princess Aurora" - Jack G 04:49:38 03/21/06 (4)
    I just watched it last night. Fantastic movie. One of the top 2 or 3 Korean movies I've ever seen. Fast paced for a Korean movie. Its a cross between murder drama and a revenge flick. Extremely well done, not art for art's sake. Much better than Sympathy. The last 20 minutes are rather intense.
    Highly recomended.
    Jack
    - saw that a few weeks ago - Jon L 19:08:40 03/21/06 (3)
      I can't rate it quite that highly, but I'm biased b/c I was rather disappointed about the physical appearance of the leading actress, who used to be very hot when she was a famous singer, before the aging(isn't it sad) and all the plastic surgery..
      - LOL - Jack G 04:54:04 03/22/06 (2)
        
        In Reply to: saw that a few weeks ago posted by Jon L on March 21, 2006 at 19:08:40:
        
        Ok, I don't know her from that era. Perhaps I did over rate it a bit.
        I have to say, that I'm all vengenced out. I need to give that genre a rest.
        Jack
        
        It really IS sad - Jon L 20:23:35 03/22/06 (1)
        
        In Reply to: LOL posted by Jack G on March 22, 2006 at 04:54:04:
        
        She really did look so much better...
        Singer Years (Open in New Window)
        
        Correct Pic Link - Jon L 11:39:50 03/23/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: It really IS sad posted by Jon L on March 22, 2006 at 20:23:35:
        
        nt
        link (Open in New Window)
last 20 minutes, let down. - Duilawyer 11:51:54 03/19/06 (5)
I cannot understand the final 15 minutes. And the final scene with the tofu is ridiculous. 3.5 stars out of 5 overall.
- I liked the last 20 mintes - Jack G 16:49:08 03/19/06 (4)
  The real vengence, and the last scene.
  Jack
  - Really, why? What did that scene mean? - Duilawyer 17:19:13 03/19/06 (3)
    Honestly, I got so lost, I don't even think I liked the movie. She was scarfing up tofu to prove she would not commit further evil? What was the real revenge? And how come in the beginning we see her shooting the guy alone on a sled, and then at the end we see her shooting him for real in the grave surrounded by victims relatives?
    And what was the boy Wan-mo doing in the bathroom?
    Why did she have sex with the employee at the job? Was he her brother? Who was he? What was the "cop" connection? Who was a cop?
    And by helping the kidnapper, did she participate in the first one, or just give him an alibi?
    - Re: Really, why? What did that scene mean? - Jack G 05:11:44 03/20/06 (2)
      The tofu symbolised redemption-she was given some when she got out of jail, she refused. Her daughter gave her some at the end, but it was too late, there was no redemption, no satisfaction and she could not undo the last 13 years. The real revenge was letting/helping the parents do their thing, and that wasn't even planned. The first shooting was a fantasy, the second one was venting.
      The boy in the bathroom was her concience haunting her.
      I don't remember the sex with the employee, so I cannot comment.
      I don't think she participated in the kidnapping, but she was blackmailed into taking the fall for him. That's what the whole vengeance thing was about.
      BTW, the narrator was her daughter.
      Jack
      - the narrator was her daughter? I missed almsot all of this. - Duilawyer 20:43:08 03/20/06 (1)
        
        In Reply to: Re: Really, why? What did that scene mean? posted by Jack G on March 20, 2006 at 05:11:44:
        
        But you are right. Hmm, how many stars you give it, Jack?.
        
        Re: the narrator was her daughter? I missed almsot all of this. - Jack G 05:04:47 03/21/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: the narrator was her daughter? I missed almsot all of this. posted by Duilawyer on March 20, 2006 at 20:43:08:
        
        I'ld probably give it 3 1/2 stars. It was good, but not great. As I just posted elsewhere, you should try "Princess Aurora". This I would give 5 stars. Despite the goofy name, its a fantastic movie, and a bit more coherent than Vengence.
        Also, in a totally different genre, I strongly recomend "Welcome to Dongmakgol" an anti-war movie, thats a bit lighter than the revenge genre, and better IMO.
        enjoy,
        Jack

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