Here at M365D.com, we like to think that we are cultured enough to not only love Hollywood’s latest offerings, but to also love movies that are produced all over the world. However, the heady world of foreign cinema can be a little bit hit and miss at times, especially if, like us, you only dip in and out occasionally – it can be tricky to know what’s going to be good and what isn’t and there is a distinct lack of foreign cinema on most TV channels in the UK, so it’s not exactly easy to take a punt without laying out cash.
Having said all that, every so often, a major UK channel will air some decent foreign movies. And those lovely people at Film4 are doing just that. Starting tonight, and running until 18 November, they are going to be screening a series of New Asian Cinema, and some of the movies they’ve picked have us really rather excited.
We’ve picked the two that have us most a-tingle…
DEATH NOTE / DEATH NOTE: THE LAST NAME
Friday 13 November, 22:40 / Saturday 14 November, 01:05
The DEATH NOTE movies are based on the hugely successful manga of the same name – and when we say hugely successful, we mean it; apparently over 21,000,000 Death Note magazines have been sold.
The movies revolve around student Light Yagami. He finds a notebook, the Death Note, lying on the ground. Inside are instructions that claim that if a person’s name is written within it while picturing that person’s face, that person shall die. Obviously sceptical (well, you would be, wouldn’t you?), Yagami gives it a go and soon realises it’s for real. Essentially, the dude is now a micro-superhero and can kill people at will – he uses the notebook to start ridding the world of evil. Obviously, the authorities aren’t too enamoured, but hey, you can’t have everything.
I’M A CYBORG BUT THAT’S OK
Saturday 14 November, 23:00
Directed by OLDBOY’s Park Chan-Wook, I’M A CYBORG is the story of Young Goon, who thinks she’s a combat-ready cyborg. Il-Sun is an anti-social schizophrenic who believes he can take peoples souls. They both live in the same mental institute. Unfortunately, Young Goon has stopped eating and is physically wasting away. Il-Sun makes it his mission in life to get her to eat and save her.
One of the oddest romantic coming-of-age flicks you’re ever likely to see, I’M A CYBORG is also sweet and charming and well worth watching while you can – I doubt you’ll see it repeated on UK TV any time soon!
So, thanks to Film4, film lovers across the UK have the opportunity to expand their horizons a little. Don’t squander it, chances like this don’t come along every day.
You can see the full schedule on Film4’s website.
