Friday, March 2, 2012

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" film Series at Japan Society

March is a golden month here in New York, if you are a movie buff like me. All around town, there are plenty of film series to satisfy all your nitty-gritty cinephiliac tendencies. At Japan Society starting today, some amazing films from the past and present under the loose theme of amour fou are present, included are some recent Korean films too. I've seen many of these films and I strongly encourage you to go check them out.

From Love Will Tear Us Apart Press Release:
Bad romance, blind love, amour fou! This spring, we screen a series of twisted, obsessive, heart-blazing love stories from Japan and Korea, because, after all, it takes two to tango and at least two to tumble. The 20+ film lineup, mostly from the past decade, includes the U.S. premiere of Shinya Tsukamoto's latest film, KOTOKO, and the world premiere of Koji Wakamatsu’s Petrel Hotel Blue, as well as Hirokazu Kore'eda's Air Doll, Nagisa Oshima's arch-classic In the Realm of the Senses, Yukio Ninagawa's Snakes and Earrings, Lee Sang-il's Villain, Lee Chang-dong's Oasis, and Kim Ki-duk's Bad Guy, among other twisted tales. The complex relationship between Korea and Japan provides a fascinating coupling of national cinematic identities. Although both Japanese and Korean films and filmmakers demonstrate their own unique preoccupations, narrative traditions, structures and cultural sensibilities, a considerable amount of shared ground leads directly to unique avenues of artistic collaboration (Korean actress Bae Doo-Na and director Hirokazu Kore'eda, Kim Ki-duk and Joe Odagiri), ultimately revealing a similar visual grammar and inclination towards the emotional violence that flows beneath the quiet surface of societal restraints.

I'd personally recommend following films:

Vital - Tsukamoto
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Shinya Tsukamoto's experimental horror at its most elegant, touching form.

Running in Madness, Dying in Love - Wakamatsu
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One of the Japanese New Wave giants Koji Wakamatsu's examination of the world in turmoil in still rigid society and desperate people in love. One of my favorites.

My Review


In the Realm of Senses - Oshima
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Nagisa Oshima's controversial 1976 film. Still shocks with its depiction of graphic sex and obsession.

Tale of Cinema - Hong
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Hong Sang-soo's love, jealousy and all its pettiness, excessive drinking and public drunkenness, mountain of cigarette butts are an acquired taste. But once you get into it, it's very funny.

The series runs March 2-18

For more information and tickets, click here.

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