This, my friends, stuck out from the crowd. This is the type of movie I like to watch and someday hope to make. This film was absolutely amazing from start to finish! A true art film, slightly similar in tone and mood to one of the best art house films of all time, In The Mood for Love.
I did not know what to expect going in. I was half-terrified that this was going to be some gut - wrenching tragedy that will haunt me for days, but it wasn't. Not in the least. Instead it was one of the most beautiful renditions of love I've ever seen materialize on film in a very long time.
The leads do not speak a word of dialogue, but it was neither missed nor needed. Everything that's important was beautifully communicated with a meaningful glance or a tender act. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable. I never grew tired of being in their world, in fact I wanted to get lost in it.
More than anything, though, I loved the message that I interpreted from it.
A lot can be said about life and how we get through our own personal struggles. The audience might not be entirely sure what is real or imagined, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. What matters is that as human beings we need these moments of reprieve, real or imagined, to get through life. They add meaning to our existence and give us the strength to carry on in the face of adversary. I just love it.
I also loved the ending - bittersweet, but not in a sad, haunting sort of way. In a very positive, hopeful, uplifting sort of way. It's been a couple of days since I saw the film and it still brings a smile to my face just remembering it.
I can't praise it enough. Everything about it was just perfectly rendered: the atmosphere, the setting, the acting, the score! I've been listening to the lovely, evocative music of Natasha Atlas ever since I saw this film. Kim Ki-duk, by this effort alone, has not only cemented himself as a director to watch for me, but also one that is likely to influence my own work as a filmmaker. This was a perfect 10. I'm sure I'll be re-watching for this for years to come.
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This movie is very quiet but it works quite well for it. Throughout the entire movie, probably only about 4 songs are played. Three of which are instrumentals and the fourth an extremely calming, beautiful song called Gafsa sung by Natacha Atlas. Music would only be played if a scene needed to be over emphasized. This only happened a select few times in the movie but when music would play it would do exactly that. It would evoke a whole new kind of feeling from a scene.
As for the dialogue, it was also very quiet. In the entire movie, the extras had more dialogue than the two main characters. The main male character, Taesuk did not have a single line while the main female character, Sunhwa, had two.
The plot and dialogue alone may not have been anything amazing, but the idea of the movie appeared not to be focused on a gripped story. Instead, it felt more focused on extracting emotions from the audience and allowed the audience silence to think and interpret the movie without distractions of constant dialogue, music, and plot changes. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.
For people that are into solid plots, surprising twists, complex dialogues, and romance, I would not recommend this movie. But for the people that can appreciate a calming, simplistic movie with realistic themes this would be for them.
This is my all time favorite movie and is the only thing on this site that I'm okay with giving a 10 on rewatch value because no matter how many times I watch it I never get sick of it
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The cast is amazing! The two main leads express themselves so beautifully without any use of words. I would recommend it to everyone. One of the finest Korean movies I have watched till date.
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This movie is awesome and I love this much! This silent movie is so nerve wrecking (in good way) and geesh, it leaves a great impact to me! I thank MDL's Winnie19 for featuring this to her profile BG and recommending this, just wow!
All the setting, the body language, the story and those unnerving stealthily actions/scene of the male lead, it's so beyond!
I love it and highly reco guys!
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Bin Jip is silent. The actions speak more than those few words the actors say. So the acting, the talent of the actors, their facial expressions are more important than ever. And I have to say: the actors did their job excellently.
To the other side opf the world this movie could seem to be very odd. But if you look into a bit of the ways of korean society you'll find the answers to your questions.
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If you are not a KKD fan and haven't seen any of his movies I suggest you begin with this one because it's the easiest to understand and it's a delightful love story.
The main characters don't talk during all movie but their feelings are definitly conveyed to the viewer (that's the power of all KKD movies in my opinion and the reason why they are so famous worldwide).
As in most of his movies the main character is a woman with a problematic life that finds salvation through love. It's a very moving and beautiful story that will leave you wanting more of KKD.
The movie has violence and sex (as all of KKD's other works) although here in a very small scale (compared to others of KKD's works). It's definitly a must watch.
If you liked this and want more of KKD's works I suggest to move on to 'Time' or 'Beautiful' and then keep going to other of his most heavy works.
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It was fantastic. This was my VERY first drama I've ever watched. For a beginner, it's really hard to catch the storyline, get all the character's names so you know who's talking about who (& faces), read the subtitles, grasping the emotions & moments given... Man, it was work for me, compared to anime (plus I HATE Romantic >.
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The characters are strange, and yet we know them, because we know loneliness. We know what it's like to look into a house and wonder about the lives of its inhabitants. We know what it's like to feel helpless and trapped. And if we don't know what it's like to meet someone who understands us, we want to know, and 3-iron (or "Empty Houses") takes us there. It doesn't shy away from the weird, the violent, or the morally ambiguous, but somehow the main characters' innocence is overwhelming.
Weird and wonderful is the best way I can describe the movie. Highly recommended!
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The art of making this show was really good and i have nuff respect for the writer and director. It gives more meaning to action speak louder than words.
Very good show will definitely be watching it over and over for time to come.
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This movie is so weirdly likable.. and I think it really is to be watched by those who are able to understand the subtleties of little things. I kinda of fell in love with this movie even though I really.. REALLY don't understand it. I started watching it and.. It's one of those movies that's just a what-the-fuck movie. You occasionally come across one of those and this is definitely a what-the-fuck kind of movie. You really don't understand what it is you're seeing but you keep watching and you are enjoying it, weirdly enough.
The lack of dialogue, the music, the slowness.. it's like some sort of foreign dance. You aren't really used to it and so you don't think it's "good" but you still enjoy it BECAUSE of it's foreignness and because of it's beauty and difference. It's difference is what makes it enjoyably.
To be able to watch and fully enjoy and understand it, I think you're going to have to be someone who can be very open-minded and also not easily get emotional. It's a very emotional movie but in so much subtlety. Subtlety is truly the other title for this movie. it touches on everything, but the touch is so light, I feel like a lot will go unnoticed and just go in one ear and out the other to those who are unable to see this movie as an art piece.
There is little-to-no dialogue in this movie but it makes for a rather melodramatic, dark plot that kind of worms it's way into your brain and sits there waiting for a reaction. I get the feeling, while watching this dark movie, that it's one of those painful and artistic movies where subtlety is everything and you really have to listen and look to understand what's happening. It's almost messed up and twisted but it's not. A purely innocent love story that leads the characters to a sort of new love and family warmth that they have (or so the story forgets to tell us) never had or have been able to receive.
This movie touches a lot on the lack of a normal, easy life these two have. It touches on domestic violence and what it does to woman both during and after they've gone through the abuse. It touches mental illness and on homelessness and.. in a way.. life "on the run."
Love, misunderstanding, intelligence, trickery, mental health, physical disability, although this movie portrays all of these things.. I feel like they do it in a way that's very difficult to understand yet so easy to pick up on once you really take a look at it.
If you can understand the pain and beauty people go through in life and see how the humans react to different types of treatment, I feel like you'll very much enjoy this movie.. very much.
It's definitely worth your time so go and watch at least 20 minutes of it before you drop it. I promise you wont be disappointed if you didn't run away after reading the summary.
"It's hard to tell that the world we live in is either a reality or a dream."
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Everytime I think about it, I feel like watching it again. >~
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