Shin Min-ah

October 9, 2014January 30, 2015

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Gyeongju (경주) – ★★★☆☆

Gyeongju (경주)

When his childhood friend tragically dies, Professor Choi Hyeon (Park Hae-il (박해일), having spent the past several years working at Beijing University, returns to Korea for the funeral. Hyeon however seems less concerned with reconnecting with old friends than he is rediscovering his roots, and to that end he visits Gyeongju, the former capital of the ancient Silla kingdom full of historical landmarks. Rather than sightseeing, Hyeon is strangely motivated to find an old pornographic painting he and his friends encountered on a trip there years prior. Upon locating the teahouse Hyeon is greeted by the new owner Yoon-hee (Sin Min-ah (신민아) and the two form an intriguing relationship.

Hyeon locates the teahouse from his past, and meets owner Yoon-hee

Gyeongju is a poetic, meditative exploration of history and relationships by director Zhang Lu (장률). That may come as a surprise considering the film has been marketed as something of a romantic-drama (see the trailer below), yet director Lu’s film is far removed from typical genre fare as from the moment it begins it is clear he has crafted an artistically conscious, rather than commercially minded, examination of relationships. The approach subtly inhabits every sentence and every frame as Hyeon attempts to explore and understand his complex connection with history, and how the relationships of his past inform his present. As the story is so introspective director Lu relies heavily on visual aesthetics, skillfully composing highly attractive shots of Hyeon, particularly in relation to his surroundings and with other people, to convey a wealth of powerful yet understated meaning. Many of the shots within Gyeongju certainly wouldn’t look out of place in a filmmaking textbook such is the director’s prowess, notably in the manner in which he employs space and distance. The meticulously constructed, elegant shots at Yoon-hee’s Arisol Teahouse, for example, are emblematic of his penetrating insight into the psychological state of the characters within.

The composition and framing within the teahouse subtly reveals a wealth of meaning

As Hyeon walks around the old capital contemplating the landmarks and the people he encounters, it becomes increasingly clear that the film is also highly concerned with the notion of identity and belonging. As a Korean living in China and married with a Chinese woman, Hyeon lost his connections with not only his friends but also his country, history, and sense of identity. As such Gyeongju serves not only as a place for quiet contemplation but also an arena in which he attempts to trace his roots, which proves increasingly difficult the longer Hyeon stays there. His troubled psychological state finds a companion in Yoon-hee, who is also unsure of her place in the world. Their connection is not so much romantic as it is motivated by a desire to belong, and as the two are surrounded by history and death (in the form of tombs), the film puts forth interesting debates about the nature of relationships.

At 2 hours and 20 minutes however, to say that Gyeongju is overly long is quite an understatement. As the film is so introspective Gyeongju is an incredibly slow-paced affair, and while for the first hour the story is compelling enough for it not to be an issue, when the film begins to meander viewing becomes somewhat laborious. Primarily this occurs during the scenes at night, when Hyeon and Yoon-hee develop their relationship further which feels not only contrived but also unnecessarily long, despite great performances from Park Hae-il and Shin Min-ah. Bizarrely, after 2 hours of controlled and moderated pacing, Gyeongju suddenly becomes in a big hurry to end, which results in an unsatisfying finale to an otherwise deep and insightful film.

Hyeon contemplates his identity and existence in Korea’s picturesque former capital

Verdict:

Gyeongju is a poetic, introspective exploration of history, identity and relationships by director Zhang Lu. The film is very much artistically focused rather than commercially orientated, and as such it benefits from wonderfully composed shots and framing devices, as well as a controlled meditative pace, that subtly convey a wealth of meaning over exposition. Yet at 2 hours and 20 minutes Gyeongju is also incredibly overly long and feels particularly laborious after the halfway mark, while the artistic sensibilities won’t be for everyone.

★★★☆☆

Scenes that require depth have the greatest impact in Screen X

October 8, 2013January 30, 2015

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The X (더 엑스) – N/A

The X (더 엑스)

Commissioned by film production powerhouse CJ CGV, short film The X (더 엑스) has been specifically created with the purpose of experimenting with Screen X technology. By utilising the space either side of the screen, Screen X intends for films to be a more immersive experience for audiences.

In order to fully explore the possibilities offered by the technology, famed director Kim Jee-woon (김지운) has been brought on board to helm the short film, while stars Kang Dong-won, Shin Min-ah, and E Som fill the roles within the spy thriller. The story itself is intended as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the spy sub-genre, and in all honesty is rather inconsequential. Ultimately The X is intended as an experiment, and as such it deifies review. Instead, it is more apt to discuss the pros and cons of Screen X technology, as director Kim and his team only somewhat succeed in exploiting the extra space they have been afforded.

New camera technology allows for a more immersive experience

The Good

Screen X is indeed an immersive experience when employed correctly. One of the earliest scenes features Kang Dong-won in a room filled with light reflected from a ’70s disco ball, and when the screen expands to envelop the audience it does truly feel like being within the film itself. There are two or three shots such as this within The X, and in each case the film looked quite stunning as the extra depth generated genuinely creates a feeling of immersion within the events on screen.

By director Kim’s own admission during a press conference at BIFF 2013, there was only one particular sequence he focused on within the film, and it shows. The car chase sequence is short but thrilling, as motorcycles and cars weave through all three of the screens and into adjacent areas, with the action flowing well throughout. Director Kim’s incredible vision for action is fully on display during these scenes, and as villains are mown down in hails of bullets their bodies and motorcycles fly from one screen to the next. The manner in which such devices are executed allows the audience to follow the carnage naturally, before moving back to the action on the central screen. While short, it’s an impressive sequence that utilises the technology well.

Action scenes tend to stay centrally located, rather than exploit the extra space

The Bad

The chief issue with The X is that director Kim hasn’t adjusted his directing skills in order to fully exploit what Screen X technology provides. The story and action are continually centrally located, and when the side screens suddenly appear it is extremely jarring and pulls the audience from the film easily. Throughout The X this is a key problem, as rather than gradually guide the audience from one screen to another, the impromptu flash of a new screen unexpectedly appearing is quite frustrating and distracting. Moreover what often appears on the peripheral screens is of little importance anyway. When Agent Fingers (E Som) uses her computer, for example, images of her PC screen appear on the outer cinema screens – extremely odd considering she is looking it in the central area. As such, several members of the audience complained they didn’t know where to look, or what action to follow.

Another issue with Screen X is actually within the cinema itself. Unless a cinema is equipped with the two additional (angled) side screens, the film must be projected onto the walls of the room. This may seem a minor quibble, however in attempting to follow a story from one area of the room to another the 90 degree angles of the cinema walls made the transitions awkward and interrupted the flow. This also begs further questions as to whether cinema chains will want to refit screens to provide such an experience or, perhaps more importantly, if other directors will wish to use the medium in the first place to justify such expenditure.

Currently Screen X is an interesting concept, although at this early stage is somewhat gimmicky. However the same was said of 3D and 4DX once upon a time, and it will be interesting to see whether industry professionals decide to take the technology a step further and make it a permanent feature of the cinema-going experience.

Scenes that require depth have the greatest impact in Screen X

Verdict:

The X is ultimately a technological experiment rather than a short film. Commissioned by CJ CGV and directed by auteur Kim Ji-woon, the production is intended as a showcase for Screen X technology which employs two additional, peripheral screens. Aside from an impressive car chase and one of two key shots, director Kim and his team generally fail to exploit the potential offered by Screen X making it feel somewhat gimmicky, although time will tell if the industry adopts what’s on offer.