Korean Film Downunder 1: Genre and Distribution

This post was originally published over on the KOFFIA Blog, Hungry for Drama?, as part of the Korean Blogathon. I've replicated it here as I feel its quite an interesting time to take a look at the state of Korean cinema in Australia, given it's presence here has not always been as good as it looks today. In this 1st edition I look at Korean DVDs, Genre and Co-productions. At this point in time almost 50 Korean films have been released on DVD, which may not be anywhere near the amount of Japanese films, but is gradually improving. 

 

Observing Kim Ki-duk Part 1: Auteur Origin

When I was instructed to choose a figure to analyse for a voice and vision task as part of my Screen Culture course at AFTRS, a few names immediately came to mind. The one that stuck was the enigmatic unique figure of Kim Ki-duk. An anomaly not only in Korean cinema but in world cinema, I applied the same approach of analysis and pattern recognition on his career as I have on many other directors. Tarantino once stated that the thing he enjoyed doing most was analysing the change in style and quality of a film director over their career, and I am no different. One day I may get around to posting those other analyses here, but for now my look at Kim Ki-duk will have to do. 

2010 Year in Review: My Top 10

The final piece in my 2010 Year in Review, which includes my Film Log of every film I saw, and my At the Cinema analysis for films watched .. at the cinema, is my Top 10 Films of 2010.

Even though the analysis post looked at all the films I saw in the theatre, I have decided not to include classic films such as "Small Soldiers", "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "The Blues Brothers", all of which would have been in this list otherwise. Enjoy!

10. "Shutter Island", USA, Event George St - 19/03/10

I am by no means a Scorsese fan, in fact I despised "The Departed", but apart from a slightly poor ending, I thoroughly enjoyed the mood he established here.

2010 Year in Review: At the Cinema

While it may just look like numbers, for a Mathematician such as myself, it means so much more than just figures. All of the references to 'films watched' below refer to 'films watched in the theatre only'. Nothing I saw on DVD, TV, Pay per view, Online etc were included. While anything seen in the theatre, outdoor cinema, at a film festival or special screening are included. 

I hope you find it interesting. 2010 was a crazily busy year for me so I only managed to see half as many films as I did in 2009, but probably saw many more outside of the theatre that are too numerous to even count!

My 2010 Cinema Going Analysis

"Fantastic Mr. Fox", the 1st film I saw in 2010

2010 Year in Review: Film Log

Every film (that I can remember) that I watched in 2010 is listed below in the order that I watched them. This includes films seen in the theatre, at festivals, on screeners or any other method. You can also find my analysis of the films I watched in the theatre in 2010, and My Top 10 of 2010. Below is a more complete list with all ratings.

Films Watched: 125. Films Seen in the Theatre: 58 (46%)

The list includes films seen in the theatre or festivals which are bolded, as well as those seen on screeners or any other method. Red highlights are for films of ratings of 8 or higher out of 10 and are my highlights of the year. Enjoy!

2010
31/12. Take Off! - 7/10
24/12. The Host - 8/10
23/12. The Messenger - 8/10
17/12. Duk Dum Dui - 2/10
12/12. Winter's Bone - 3/10
05/12. The Social Network - 6/10
18/11. Rare Exports - 1/10
17/11. The Loved Ones - 2/10
14/11. Leap Year - 4/10
14/11. Gasland - 6/10
08/11. A Brand New Life - 6/10
06/11. Hello Stranger - 8/10
06/11. Summer Coda - 2/10
02/11. The Red Chapel - 7/10
20/10. Hanamizuki - 5/10
19/10. Villion's Wife - 7/10
18/10. Zero Focus - 5/10
17/10. Kyoto Story - 8/10
17/10. Box! - 6/10
16/10. Flowers - 6/10
16/10. The Summit - 3/10
15/10. About Her Brother - 6/10
15/10. Solanin - 8/10
14/10. A Lone Scalpel - 8/10
13/10. Flavour of Happiness - 5/10
12/10. Shodo Girls - 4/10
11/10. Wish You Were Here - 6/10
11/10. Precious - 4/10
11/10. Oblivion Island - 7/10
10/10. Time of Eve - 4/10
10/10. Tokyo Marble Chocolate - 5/10
07/10. 2 or 3 Things I Know About Kim Ki-young - 6/10
13/09. Confessions - 7/10
06/09. The Snowman - 4/10
05/09. Tomorrow When the War Began - 4/10
28/08. Lou - 4/10
08/08. I Killed My Mother - 8/10
06/08. 1981 - 5/10
01/08. Greenberg - 7/10
30/07. Small Soldiers - 8/10
30/07. Taqwacore - 7/10
30/07. The Well - 3/10
29/07. Cell 211 - 7/10
29/07. The Juche Idea - 4/10
29/07. Karaoke - 1/10
29/07. A Time to Love - 6/10
28/07. Kanikosen - 1/10
28/07. Four Lions - 8/10
28/07. Boy - 8/10
28/07. Mai Mai Miracle - 8/10
27/07. Beeswax - 7/10
27/07. Ha Ha Ha - 8/10
21/07. Inception - 5/10
18/07. Predators - 5/10
09/07. Toy Story 3 - 8/10
08/07. Toy Story 2 - 8/10
07/07. Toy Story - 8/10
05/07. Animal Kingdom - 4/10
04/07. Hot Tub Time Machine - 5/10
03/07. Kickass - 5/10
03/07. Sherlock Holmes - 3/10
02/07. Blowout - 7/10
01/07. Brick - 8/10
30/06. Bangkok Dangerous - 6/10
07/06. Elmer Gantry - 6/10
07/06. Treasure Hunter - 2/10
06/06. Happiness of Kati - 5/10
06/06. Dear Galileo - 6/10
06/06. Youth in Revolt - 3/10
04/06. Il Mare - 5/10
01/06. The Hangover - 3/10
25/05. Mother - 9/10
22/05. Rough Cut - 7/10
21/05. 200 Pounds Beauty - 6/10
19/05. A Million - 5/10
15/05. Paju - 4/10
15/05. Forever the Moment - 5/10
09/05. Dream - 4/10
09/05. Address Unknown - 7/10
08/05. Thirst - 8/10
08/05. Secret Sunshine - 8/10
07/05. Castaway on the Moon - 9/10
04/05. The Show Must Go On - 7/10
04/05. Like a Virgin - 7/10
02/05. Same Same But Different - 6/10
22/04. Tandoori Love - 5/10
14/04. Accident's Happen - 1/10
13/04. Rushmore - 9/10
12/04. Dodesukaden - 6/10
11/04. Christmas in August - 8/10
01/04. Rear Window - 6/10
29/03. Fahrenheit 451 - 4/10
27/03. A Single Man - 5/10
19/03. Shutter Island - 7/10
13/03. Raging Phoenix - 7/10
11/03. Welcome - 7/10
09/03. Please, Please Me - 6/10
04/03. The Blues Brothers - 8/10
28/02. LOL - 5/10
25/02. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - 8/10
23/02. Sleepy Town - 1/10
22/02. From Paris with Love - 5/10
18/02. Gamer - 3/10
17/02. Red Cliff - 4/10
16/02. Zombieland - 5/10
15/02. Daybreakers - 4/10
11/02. Battle for Terra - 4/10
10/02. Crazy Heart - 6/10
09/02. Bran Nue Dae - 4/10
08/02. Rec - 7/10
07/02. A Serious Man - 6/10
02/02. The Road - 8/10
27/01. Precious - 6/10
26/01. Disturbing Behaviour - 6/10
26/01. I Heart Huckabees - 4/10
25/01. Once upon a Time in the West - 10/10
23.01. The Girl Next Door - 8/10
22/01. Where the Wild Things Are - 6/10
18/01. Old School - 7/10
11/01. The Silence - 3/10
09/01. The Princess and the Frog - 6/10
07/01. Se7en - 7/10
06/01. The 400 Blows - 6/10
02/01. Fantastic Mr. Fox - 6/10

Agree? Disagree?

Follow Me @TullysRecall

The Dark Age of Australian Cinema

(Note: An edited version of this post was previously submitted for my AFTRS Screen Culture course, Industry Appreciation article, January 2010)

It may seem ironic to title a reflection on a man I claim to be significant to the Australian industry with such a negative statement, but that has always been what is so unique about Antony I. Ginnane. From a Business background with an aim seemingly purely to make money, he is now the man whose job it is to lead our industry out of a Dark Age, and I believe he may be the man to do so. (I was inspired to publish this article I wrote after recently writing on the state of Korean Film in Australia over on the KOFFIA Blog).

The Dark Age was a period of perceived cultural decline or social collapse. To claim that the Australian industry is in such an era is not a bold statement in my mind, but a clear fact. While in a year  (this article was first created in 2010) that has been termed a ‘great year for Australian film’ the box office does not reflect this. Yes “Mao’s Last Dancer”, “Samson & Delilah” and “Charlie and Boots” may be the exceptions, but this is still an industry that does not provide a clear career path for young filmmakers. Plain and simple, it is not a sane decision to enter an industry that cannot sustain itself.