Review of the year: 2010

May 2012
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Review of the year: 2010

We take a look at the best, and worst, in a year that’s had some genuine highpoints for Asian film in the UK, but has also found distribution generally somewhat lacking…

Here at easternKicks.com we’ve previously shied away from yearly lists and round-ups. It always seems such an artificial construct, particularly with reference to Asian film where films from years ago might only just have been released on DVD (or even at the cinema) this year in the UK.

So where do you draw the line? Actual theatrical releases, or DVD and Blu-ray releases? Or maybe just what’s stood out for us this year? It has to be a personal journey, so that’s just what this will be – a completely personal take on the year, the highs, the lows, anything that’s stood out for us, even if it’s that DVD we’ve had on the top of the telly since whoknowswhen.

(So don’t expect pinpoint accuracy or geeky adherence to dates!)

So without further ado…

The year that was…

There’s no doubt that South Korea has confirmed it’s status as one of the most exciting, inventive and consistent filmmaking countries in the world. Kicking off the year with the DVD release of Park Chan-wook’s Thirst and a quality release from Terracotta Distribution of Yang Ik-June’s Breathless, continued with the theatrical release (at last!) of Bong Joon-ho’s Mother, as well as screenings of Jo Sung-Hee’s End Of Animal at this years London Film Festival and culminating with an exceptional series of screenings and Q&A’s at this years London Korean Film Festival, which included Im Sang-soo’s The Housemaid, Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw The Devil and Lee Jeong-beom’s The Man From Nowhere.

Hong Kong also proved that it can still produce some of the most intelligent action films around – even if that’s mainly due to the hand of Johnnie To: both producing Soi Cheang’s Accident and directing his own Le Samurai homage Vengeance, his (pseudo) English language debut (not to mention the Russian remake of Breaking News). We also enjoyed Benny Chan’s fantastically enjoyable Invisible Target and Connected (though rather belatedly) which took us back too the good old days of Hong Kong cinema when it was all about the spectacle.

Of course, the dominance of mainland China as a market for Hong Kong films has meant that, alongside some sterling examples of imaginative takes on common HK themes we’ve had a stack of more historical dramas: from 14 Blades and Mulan to Confucius and Bodyguards And Assassins, mainly enjoyable but often somewhat disturbingly revisionist in tone. (I, for one, could have forgiven turning Confucius into a military strategist if only we’d leant more about his philosophies and how they became so widely spread in the final act.)

Yet when it comes to funding of more contentious films, such as Lu Chuan’s City Of Life And Death – which gave a very balanced view of the occupation of Nanjing, still look to Hong Kong for funding – just as Zhang Yimou did in the 90s.

Meanwhile Zhang Yimou’s own A Woman, A Gun & A Noodle Shop made it to a limited release in the US, but few other places. A highly-stylised version of Coen Brothers Blood Simple, it’s part of a growing trend for Asian remakes of Western films (as opposed to vice versa) like Connected, a superior version of the Larry Cohen-scripted Cellular, and one we’re keen to see more of.

In Japan, low-budget, ‘splatterpunk’ horrors are dominating the releases that make it to the UK, giving little room for more interesting work by filmmakers like Tetsuya Nakashima – whose scripted Lala Pipo got a theatrical release, and whose own Kamikaze Girls got a superior DVD and Blu-ray release – and Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Cold Fish).

And let’s not forget that this was the year that Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives won the Cannes Palme d’Or.

And yet sadly it’s been another disappointing show from UK distributors, who’ve shown a distinct lack of commitment or even confidence in what they’ve licensed for release in the UK.

Bong Joon-ho’s Mother languished for nine months before a rather lacklustre pre-DVD release, while some money (at least) was put into pumped into a limited release on the enjoyable but hardly groundbreaking True Legend (even with the 3D!). Elsewhere films that would have made a good opportunity as an entry point for audiences, like To’s Vengeance, have been missed. Even high profile work like the latest Studio Ghibli film Ponyo wasn’t released in the UK until after it had been out in the US and on DVD. (Hello?)

Now, the eagle-eyed among you may notice a connection between the all above, but honestly, at least they’re doing something! Third Window and Terracotta have had limited runs, but beyond festivals and limited pre-DVD runs, there’s little commitment to Asian film beyond the BFI.

The year was a lot more encouraging for DVD and Blu-ray releases, with some impressive releases for Breathless and the aforementioned Kamikaze Girls, though outside of Cine Asia, few labels have been able to keep up a particularly consistent level of quality on their releases. Good news, particularly as the label has cranked up their output thanks mainly to a new tie-up with Weinstein’s US-based Dragon Dynasty label this has meant titles like Fist Of Legend, Fong Sai Yuk , Tai Chi Master and S.P.L. Kill Zone have finally made a UK release.

For me personally, it’s also been a rewarding year. I’ve jugged my commitments to the site and my ‘day job’ more successfully than previous years, managing to keep up with the latest releases (just about! Apologies to the PR companies for those I’ve missed!) and fit in the odd interview here and there. It culminated, of course, in the London Korean Film Festival, where I got exclusive access to screenings and filmmakers.

I’ve also been interviewed for the upcoming documentary for Cine Asia, a budget DVD entry to the label that should be entering HMV and better known supermarkets early next year. Jonathan Ross watch out (that’s presuming I make the final cut…!)

» But enough about me, it’s time for our awards…

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