[Movie 2005] A Bittersweet Life 달콤한 인생

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October 30, 2014
25 Years of the Best Asian Films
by matthewgist-54-206142 IMDb
1. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)2. Raise the Red Lantern (1991)3. To Live (1994)4. Princess Mononoke (1997)5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)6. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) 7. Failan (2001)8. Spirited Away (2001)9. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)10. Oldboy (2003)11. 3-Iron (2004)12. A Bittersweet Life (2005) 7.7/1013. Fearless (2006)14. The Warlords (2007)15. The Chaser (2008)16. The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) 17. Breathless (2008)18. Thirst (2009)19. Castaway on the Moon (2009)20. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)21. Aftershock (2010)22. I Saw the Devil (2010)23. The Front Line (2011)24. Masquerade (2012)25. New World (2013)

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Artwork credit: klegend619 via Instagram

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Credit: Wilfred5 via Twitter

[Guest rilim]

this movie is awesome. Any similar movies this year ?

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Video post by moviehaven via instagram
Watch clip HERE

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July 30, 2015

The 25 Best Action Movies Of The 21st Century So Far

By Jessica Kiang and Oliver Lyttelton | The Playlist

We think it was Jean-Luc Godard who once said “the purest form of cinema is Tom Cruise dangling off something very high.” Well, maybe it was Bresson. Regardless, this week sees the release of “Mission Impossible — Rogue Nation,” the fifth in the long-running spy series that over the last twenty years has presented some of the most spectacular set pieces for the screen in modern times, and in a year when action cinema has been thrillingly revived, it marks a high point. 

The action movie has been around since 1903's “The Great Train Robbery,” and when done right, it's a form of pure cinema injected straight into the veins. It’s a very particular set of skills, one that’s thwarted many great directors, but in able hands capable of precisely choreographing a fight, battle, chase or showdown, to shoot them in inventive and thrilling ways, and to cut them to maximize tension and visceral qualities, the form can reach a level of transcendence.

With Ethan Hunt smashing up motorbikes and hanging off planes again, it seemed like the perfect time to turn the spotlight of our Best Of The Century So Far series (see Comedies, Sci-Fi, Music Documentaries, Animations and Horror) to the action movie. We tried to exclude films in slightly adjacent but different genres —war, thriller, superhero— and those that had already appeared in one of our lists, but otherwise, any theatrically-released action fare was game. Take a look below and let us know your favorites in the comments.

25. “Bad Boys II” (2003) 

24. “Unstoppable” (2010) 

23. “Lucy” (2014) 

22. “Blackhat” (2015) 

21. "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) 
Hollywood may have given up on the Action-Western (and if they hadn’t before “The Lone Ranger,” they certainly have now), but Korea hasn’t, as Kim Jee-Woon’s agreeably nutty “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” makes abundantly clear. Like Sergio Leone directing a mash-up of “Treasure Of The Sierra Madre” and “Raiders Of The Lost Ark,” the film’s convoluted plot sees the title characters (Jung Woo-sung, Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho) tussling over a treasure map in 1930s Manchuria. Beginning with three cracking sequences in a row —a train robbery, a siege and a heist— the film barely lets off the gas from there, until the epic closing horse and motorcycle sequence. With the tone-juggling magic that often characterizes Korean cinema and Kim’s killer skills behind a camera, it’s essential for anyone that loves Westerns, Asian action flicks or cinema in general. 

20. “All Is Lost” (2013)

19. “Elite Squad” (2007) 

18. “Sleepless Night” (2011) 

17. ”Ong Bak" (2003)

16. “Fast Five” (2011)

15. “Why Don’t You Play In Hell?” (2013) 

14. “Hero” (2002) / “House Of Flying Daggers” (2004) 

13. “Casino Royale” (2006) 

12. “Apocalypto” (2006)

11. “Gladiator” (2000) 

10. “13 Assassins” (2010) 

9. “Crank” (2006)

8. “John Wick” (2014)

7. “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” (2011)

6. “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007)

5. “Exiled” (2006) 

4. “The Raid” (2011)

3. “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” (2000) 

2. “Kill Bill” (2003/2004) 

1. “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)

Honorable Mentions: So what did we leave out? Well, a ton. We tried to avoid anything already appearing on one of these Best Of The Century lists, which meant things like “Edge Of Tomorrow,” “District 9,” “Star Trek,” “Inception,” “Minority Report,” “Attack The Block,” “Hot Fuzz,” “Gravity,” “Battle Royale," and “Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes.” We also tried to avoid superhero movies, because we may do a separate piece for those at some point, and also because it’s not like they need the help. We also excluded war movies (“Black Hawk Down,” “The Hurt Locker”) and thrillers (“Collateral”), which would only muddy the waters further, and stuck to theatrical releases, so missing excellent DTV movies like “Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning."

Even then there’s plenty we couldn’t fit in. Briefly (and excluding sequels to other films mentioned above), there was also “Ip Man,” “Avatar,” “The Rundown,” “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World,” “The World’s End,” “Hanna,” “The Last Stand,” “Brotherhood Of The Wolf,” “Kung Fu Hustle,” “Zatoichi,” “Torque,” “Red Cliff,” “300,” “Grindhouse,” “Chocolate,” “Pineapple Express,” “District 13,” “Let The Bullets Fly,” “Welcome To The Punch,” “Fulltime Killer,” “A Bittersweet Life,” “The Man From Nowhere,” “The Nest,” “Dredd,” “Point Blank,” “Fearless,” “Unleashed,” “Taken,” “Sherlock Holmes," and “The Matrix Reloaded.”

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Thankyou to the fan-sharing at LBH DC Gallery 

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Photo credit: themoviebeat

 

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Photo credit: themoviebeat

 

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Thanks to the fan-sharing at LBH DC Gallery

Inside Men Meets A Bittersweet Life

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Thanks to the fan-sharing at LBH DC Gallery for these BSL posters

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Photo credit: maroniebooks_

Must-see Korean movies 1001 feat. A Bittersweet Life (2005)

10 years ago, this was the award-winning action noir that showcased the acting of Lee Byung Hun alongside a stellar cast of Kim Young Chul, Shin Min Ah, Hwang Jung Min, Mun Jung Hyuk, Kim Roi Ha.

Iin 2015, 'Inside Men' has once again showcased the superb acting performance of Lee Byung Hun, proclaiming a truly deserved recognition. 

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Photo credit: jhmil37

#ABittersweetLife #Sunwoo #LeeByungHun #Sketch

 

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Photo credit: tuff86

A Bittersweet Life. A really cool film from South Korea, directed by Jee-woon Kim. The storey is very simple but it's all executed with style. Byung-hun Lee is excellent, even when he doesn't speak he seems to convey so much emotion. Highly recommended if you watch foreign films. So pleased to have this Korean edition in my collection, I believe it's almost impossible to get hold of now.

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August 13, 2016

[Guest Film Review] "A Bittersweet Life"

Source: Hancinema.net

Violent thrillers featuring gangsters have been S. Korean cinema's most successful export genre for many years, with quite a large number of films of the genre still being shot in the country. "A Bittersweet Life" is another entry in the category, which, despite not reaching the standards of the masterpieces of the genre (The Chaser, I Saw the Devil) is still, quite entertaining.

Sun-woo is the senior bodyguard of mafia boss Kang. During one of his boss's travels, he is tasked with escorting his mistress, Hee-soo, with a clear mandate to kill her if he finds out that she has an affair with someone else. Expectantly, she does, but Sun-woo decides not to kill her, thus turning the whole of the crime syndicate against him and him onto a path of revenge.

Kim Jee-woon, one of the genre's (and the country's) best filmmakers creates a film that stands below his usual standards. "A Bittersweet Life" is filled with clichés of the category, starting with the script and continuing with the characters. However, Kim seems to realize the fact, and does not take the film so seriously, in a tactic that adds to the entertainment it offers. Some utterly unexpected scenes of humor, as the one where members of the gang dig Sun-woo's grave, exemplify the tendency. The second great trait of the film is the astonishing action scenes, that benefit the most from Kim Ji-yong's cinematography, Choi Jae-geun's editing, and the overall production values, which highlight the film's big budget.

Lee Byung-hun plays the role that best suits him, being cool, full of style, and laconic, in a role, though, that is not demanding at all. The cast, in general, seems to simply service the action scenes, and despite the fact that includes names like Hwang Jeong-min and Oh Dal-soo, does not take advantage of their acting skills.

"A Bittersweet Life" is actually an overcompensating flick, in the fashion of Hollywood action movies. Fans of the genre and of Lee Byung-hun will definitely enjoy it, but soon forget it.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

--- Nope! Don't agree with that last statement at all.

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Photo: bruceleekim

 

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Photo: gulozdemir46

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Thanks to the highlight at LBH DC Gallery