SoYongKim Tagged Articles at Cinematical
400 Screens, 400 Blows - Treeless Mountain
Filed under: Columns », 400 Screens, 400 Blows »
400 Screens, 400 Blows is a weekly column that takes an in-depth look at the films playing below the radar, beneath the top ten, and on 400 screens or less.
Every few months I find myself sitting down for another "coming of age movie." It's taken awhile, but I think I have these things sorted out now. There are essentially three categories. In the first, a young boy befriends a crusty, cynical man -- sometimes a grandfatherly old fellow. The man coaxes the boy out of his shell, and the boy reminds the old man of what it's like to live. Examples include Cinema Paradiso, About a Boy and the new Is Anybody There? In the next category, the boy befriends another boy (or girl) of roughly the same age. The second boy is knowledgeable, outgoing and/or unique and coaxes the first boy out of his shell. Examples include Son of Rambow or The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Then we get the "sexual awakening" kind of film, in which the boy falls in love with a grown woman, as in Malena or Mister Foe.
Festival Fave 'In Between Days' Finally Gets Theatrical Release Date
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », Independent », Cinematical Indie »
Premiering at Sundance in January 2006, In Between Days won a Special Jury Prize for Independent Vision and subsequently played a flock of festivals, including Berlin, Hong Kong and Toronto. Justin Chang's Variety review in the hothouse sales atmosphere of Sundance was somewhat dismissive of its market potential, but other critics -- including Scott Foundas in LA Weekly and Dennis Lim in The Village Voice -- were more appreciative of the film's artistic merit; it placed #4 on IndieWire's "Best Undistributed Film" list for the year. At last more people will be able to see it. Variety reports that In Between Days will be released in New York on June 27, to be followed by a "limited theatrical release" -- which means keep a sharp eye out for it. Kino International will be handling the release, though their web site has not yet been updated with specific locations for the theatrical playdates. Filmmaker So Yong Kim says that her own life provided the inspiration. Growing up in suburban Los Angeles, she was raised by a single mother who never discussed the issues of love and sex; among her "circle of Korean immigrant teenage friends there was a persistent tension when it came to the topics." In Between Days features newcomer Jiseon Kim as Aimie, a teenage girl who doesn't know how to deal with romantic feelings for her "best and only" friend Tran (Taegu Andy Kang). The minimalist visual style and deliberate pace, so favorably remarked upon by most critics, sounds like a perfect fit for exploring themes of isolation, alienation and frustration. Without having seen it myself, I'm at a disadvantage, but it's been on my "want to see" list for many months. If it doesn't play at a theater near you, don't fret excessively -- the Sundance Channel will be showing it, and no doubt a DVD will be issued -- hopefully without too much delay -- after the theatrical run concludes.
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