停车, Parking; An In Depth View of a Problematic Social Structure

Did I mention awesome cover...and great soundtrack music??

Parking (2008), a thought provoking movie by director Chung Mong-Hong and starred by the renowned Chang Chen, is the first movie that deserves my five out of five stars rating. It is a beautiful story that perfectly mixes simple emotions/characteristics like love, kindness, humor, and sympathy with the complicated darkness of Chinese/Taiwanese social and government structures. Very creepy, yet heartwarming.

On Mother’s Day, Chen-Mo (Chang Chen) a kind yet niave man, plans a dinner date with his wife (Kwai Lun-mei), trying to improve their near-disastrous relationship. As he buys a gorgeous cake, a car blocks his parking space. Up until midnight, Chen-Mo searches for the owner of the car, encountering a wierd events and eccentric people: an old couple who lost their only son; a one-armed barbershop owner with an interesting past; a mainland Chinese prostitute trying to escape her pimp’s cruel clutches; and a plump Hong-Kong tailor beaten by underground loan sharks. This is the kind of story where different segments of different characters' lives come together to create a big picture for Chen-Mo, one that he learns a lesson from.

I am not usually a fan of Taiwanese films, because they are too slow, too superficial, and too 'cute' for my liking, but wow this one is a mind-blower. This film gives me a whole new sense of being. Worth a watch, but not for the really light-hearted movie-goer.

Here are some reviews:

As with most Taiwanese productions, Parking is never in any great hurry to tell its story, and lets events unfurl at a leisurely pace, however first-time writer-director-cinematographer Chung Mong-Hong remains in careful control throughout. The script is darkly comic, with the audience guiltily sucked in by the escalating schadenfreude that drives the narrative forward. Those familiar with this type of narrative, essentially Orpheus with bubble tea, will realize that only the dawn can hope to bring salvation for Chen Mo, and until then he may very well be taken to hell and back and forced to face demons long buried beneath a routine of mundane complacency. Chung’s cinematography effectively simulates Chen Mo’s mounting sleep deprivation, slowly creating a soft-focused, dream-like atmosphere as events become increasingly other-worldly.  -- http://www.bcmagazine.net/

Swinging delicately between offbeat comedy, gangster thriller and arthouse melodrama, Parking is a kaleidoscopic little film that never ceases to fascinate with its inspired originality – not to mention its enchanting score, crisp editing and dazzling cinematography. -- http://www.timeout.com.hk/


Wonderful, out-of-expectation production. Best I have seen of Chang Chen yet. This Weds, get ready for a Korean romantic movie!

마이 블랙 미니드레스; My Black Mini Dress: Beautiful and Extremely Fun

Korean film My Black Mini Dress was directed by Heo In-moo (허인무) on March 23, 2011. It is a film about the lives of four friends coming right out of college to 'real' life; through 24 years old characters, this movie presents the real stories of young women in South Korea.

In the beginning of the movie, I thought it was another superficial Korean drama about love, cute couples, and physical fun with alot of pretty teenage girls partying their lives away. However, after one scene with a depressed protagonist crying without out her makeup, I was greatly sobered and I immediately started getting into the story. I love the unconventional plot! Such modern uniqueness, such wonderful creativity. For once this year, I was moved in several scenes. And the newest actress I have fallen in love with is Cha Ye-ryeon (차예련). She looks smart and sophisticated, captivating me at first sight. Her character is all that I personally wish to be.

Here is what a critic said:
 'MBMD' is so humorous and fun, that it would be almost impossible for young women to keep their eyes away from the screen, and they will at least nod once in agreement to the concerns that the four women face.
But it also has some lacking areas for men to sympathize with. It makes you wonder if the rich man Suk Woo (Lee Yong Woo), who's life mission is simply to hunt women and Soo Hwan (Lee Chun Hee), a loser who has just entered the society, are too dichotomized.
And it may also lose some sympathy from men because the movie doesn't allow the clubbing and brand name crazed women to be labeled as 'Dwen Jang Nyus (brand name items/expensive lifestyle crazed girls)'.

http://yooneunhye.net/forums/topic/my-black-mini-dress-movie-review

There you go, 4 out of 5 stars. Everything is perfect except for the strong hints of Sex and the City (*shivers*). Give it a try; maybe you'll find your first fave Korean star too. Great for watching with girlfriends and the family (maybe, maybe not the kids). The film is a wonderful mix of the sad and the happy, the funny and the serious.

Okay, see you on Wednesday for a review on a Chinese martial arts movie.