Memories of Murder
Last night, I decided to fall asleep watching the Korean film Memories of Murder which I just got in the mail. It was four in the morning so I figured I'd just fall asleep after a couple minutes but instead I ended up staying wide awake for the entire thing.
It was very very very good. Certain scenes were genuinely frightening and still are even after having seen them many many times now. The acting was excellent throughout and everything else about the film was top notch.
It's based on a serial killer who killed 10 women between 1986 and 1991 in the country side of Korea. It's a true story and it occurred during a volatile time in Korean history as well because the government was being democratized after having been run by a military dictatorship, students all over the country were throwing all sorts of dangerous firey things at cops, and it was just ugly in general.
The film really captures the time period aside from telling the story skillfully as well and I think that's one of the great things about it. I just loved the movie in general and I'm watching it again right now actually... Sometimes I think I just really like Korean films and am biased towards them and that's why I like them so much, but then I think what's coming out of the country at the moment really is just that good and worthy of all this praise I'm constantly heaping upon them.
Great performances from the leads of Sympathy for Mr. Vegeance and The Turning Gate. Great film.
I fell asleep afterwards.
