I will be screening Courthouse on Horseback and Boarding Gate in
April at my theater.

As for L, C I thought using sex as the pivot to the story was deeply unsatisfying. The fact that sex was all their was to their relationship, and we basically get half an hour of that, pushed it too much to the front and removed all other context. Did you notice that her husband completely disappeared? Was that explained? Was he supposedly killed? Trapped in another city (HK)? Did I miss that?

Also, the scene where she tells the young patriot and their handler about her feelings was awfully clumsy foreshadowing/storytelling. For the resistance to rely on such an amateur for an important mission, and to provide virtually no training as far as we can tell seemed shortsighted at best. You would think her handlers would have reinforced his power and detailed some of his evil-doings to keep her focused on the task at hand. I understood that the old-looking college students were very naive and went about the resistance like it was a new play. But since the resistance cleaned up the early botched effort, wouldn't they conclude that these people needed to indoctrination and training.

I was unimpressed with the story construction. And a good half hour should have been snipped. Lastly I didn't like the cheesy look of the key fleeing scene. Looked like a TV production at that point. Definitely needed a re-take or preferably a re-staging.

Obviously for the heroine their relationship WAS about a great deal more than sex.

SPOILER:
(Stockholm syndrome, anyone??).

Or sex took on greater meaning for her.
But how does the audience know that except for one brief clunky mention, and the ending?
Watching varying sex positions didn't get that through for me.


Yes, but wouldn't this be enormously complicated by the fact that she wasn't just a victim but was an undercover operative and he was her target. I didn't think those complications were fleshed out at all. Instead we get an overdose of steamy sex scenes, one clunky line mention, and the ending with long-forgotten characters trotted out. Things needed tightening up in my view.

I thought it was a mistake to have his wife, her husband, and the earlier plotters all recede deep into the background, only to have the two central characters creatively hump but otherwise have limited contact.

As for "exotic," I guess that term does have a questionable history in connection with Western dealings with Asia. But I'd apply it globally, as in whenever I see a film from a country/culture I'm unfamiliar with, it's more interesting because there is an anthropological lesson folded in. Meaning no matter the quality of the film itself, I'm going to learn about customs, and daily culture, and see some fascinating items which may be standard in that culture, but new to me.

For instance, I just picked up a new Chadian film Daratt (2007), which I expect will fit the bill.

But mostly I think I just don't like the themes and styles which are prevalent in modern Asian cinema.
I started off in the mid-90's with the early Zhang YiMou's and loved them, and not really sure I can name another recent Asian film I liked much since (not including Ang Lee's American output). Maybe just some lower key Japanese films, or anime such as Paprika.

I would say that Lust, Caution was one of the better ones I've seen. Though it left me dissatisfied, it was well done, with good casting (though weak characters, imo).

Green Fish was Lee Chang-dong's first film, and by most accounts his next two, Peppermint Candy and Oasis, are better. They are/were around but I haven't decided to give them a go. He also has a new film out (his 4th), Secret Sunshine.
Just doing a little research.

P Candy (1997) is about one man's life told in flashbacks which cover the turbulent history of Korea from Japanese occupation to the early 90's.
Oasis (1999) sounds interesting as a violent sociopath gets out of prison (shades of Green Fish), and decides to atone. He ends up in a relationship with a woman suffering from cerebral palsy. Sort of a "social outcasts attract" film, I gather.

They both sound like more assured efforts than Green Fish. Might have to track down Oasis now.

Saw Juno. Pleasant, well-acted but facile film that just manages to earn some cred by knifing a few official pieties. The music made me want to throw things at the screen.

http://tinyurl.com/yrnqek

Fascinating letter to RogerEbert.com which explains perfectly why I will never watch Funny Games at any time or in any place.