Sam gang (2002) Reviews

• "One" would have been better

  Sinnerman2002-08-31

  As quoted from its website, "The movie THREE is an omnibus of Asian mystery tales, inspired by the desire of three film-makers in three very different countries - Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong - to create an exciting new movie in a proven genre which would appeal to audiences across Asia. THREE represents a true pan-Asian collaboration, as it brings together three acclaimed directors from each country - respectively Kim Jee-woon, Nonzee Nimibutr and Peter Ho-sun Chan - as well as three vibrant new film production companies - b.o.m film production, Cinemasia and Applause Pictures." Ok, with that out of the way, below my take on "THREE" The derivative Korean section("Memories" by Kim Jee-woon)is mediocre at best. Resorting to cheap shock tactics, it completely lacks that the hair raising mood provided by the likes of Dark Water or THE EYE(Both Asian Horror Hits over the past year). For the Thai section("The Wheel" by Nonzee Nimibutr of "Nang Nak" fame), what can I say? To put it nicely, the film would have worked if it was made for an unjaded audience 10-20 years ago. (In short, not very scary) But for the Hong Kong Section, that's another story. Directed by Peter Ho-sun Chan("Comrades, almost a love story") and exquisitely shot by Christopher Doyle, "Coming Home"(its title) completely blew me away. If I had a say, I would have rather "Coming Home" been a complete movie by itself. Part Sci-fi, part horror, this idiosyncratic film is in a league of its own. In a strange concoction of morbid chills and genuine pathos, "Coming Home" came packed with an unexpectedly heartbreaking punch. I didn't know what hit me until its searing climax. Unbelievable... Worthy mention goes to Leon Lai for his intensely left-of-center performance. (Spoilers) Despite portraying an initially creepy character with perversed tendency, Leon miraculously blindsided our judgement with his overwhelming conviction to his wife, whose love he had for, is beyond simple words. This was indeed a tour de force performance deserving of award recognition come year end. Had he not completely discarded his pop idol veneer, this film might have fallen apart like its two other Asian counterparts. Having been mis-marketed as a straight horror flick, audiences who went into "THREE" were thus sorely disappointed. Coupled by the disappointments of the first two installment, "Coming Home" may as a result be denied its rightful chance to shine. And shine it did. "Coming Home" dared challenge the artistic threshold of its audience. Transcending its genre origins, this profoundly moving film brims with ethereal beauty, stirring soul and most of all, a sincere heart. I am going out on a limb here but I think "Coming Home" can qualifiably rank as one of the most poignant films to come out of Hong Kong cinema in recent years. At the very least, when all the hoopla dies down, I can take comfort that films like this remain as treasured cult classics for discerning movie lovers out there.

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• Three different films in one; each of differing quality.

  refresh_daemon2008-06-01

  Three is an omnibus supernatural horror film comprised of three one-hour long mini-features. Each one was produced in a different country, Peter Chan representing Hong Kong, Kim Ji-Woon representing South Corea, and Nonzee Nimibtr representing Thailand. The opening film, Kim Ji-Woon's "Memories" follows two individuals as they grapple with seemingly missing memories: a man who's wife is missing and a woman who's trying to figure out who she is. The work actually foreshadows a lot of what will eventually show up in Kim's following feature, A Tale of Two Sisters, which I really liked. While the film does feature a number of eerie moments, it also suffers from a lack of a strong story. There's not much to its revelation and the characters are fairly static. To its merit, it's probably the most technically proficient of the three films and certainly the scariest. The second piece is Peter Chan's "Going Home" and this is probably the best overall of the bunch. While its production values are actually the roughest of the three, the story is probably the highlight of the three. The story is divided into two segments, the first where a cop and his son move into an aging complex where few people live and is seemingly haunted. The second, the cop grapples with a seemingly mad homeopathic doctor who is appearing to pursue the resurrection of his dead wife. The film grasps well its theme and the story has a few interesting revelations to provide while also having something to say about the power of love/hope. It's not a scary piece for the most part, but despite the production values, the direction appears sure and makes great use of its setting and limitations. The final film is Nimibtr's "Wheel", which is about an arts troupe grappling with the curse of an evil puppet. This is probably the weakest segment. While it does have some good imagery to offer, the story is confusing, aimless and the scares are without method or meaning. Some of the visuals are chilling, but because of the rather slapdash and sometimes illogical story, the overall effect of the piece is muted. All in all, I have to say that Three isn't a complete waste of time due to the solid piece by Peter Chan and the stylish opening act. On the other hand, it's weakened by the third piece and while the three do try to take on the same overall concept, they seem to be too divergent to really make a cohesive whole, with Nimibutr's "Wheel" really on a different plane than the other two. Probably better viewing for genre lovers of horror or supernatural films and perhaps for more curious cinephiles, but I don't see that it's going to be particularly impressive for anyone else. 6/10 for Memories, 8/10 for Going Home, 4/10 for Wheel. 6/10 overall. Note: The US release of this film changes the order of the films around so that it opens with Memories, then goes to Wheel and closes with Going Home. I'm not certain how the Hong Kong and Thai versions of the film orders the three; I watched the Corean version.

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• Haunting and lyrical

  LarkWithakay2006-07-24

  Peter Chan's 'Going Home' makes this collection worth watching. A haunting examination of loss and and the clash between Eastern and Western ideologies, 'Going Home' paints an elegiac portrait of isolation and longing in modern day Asia. The cool colors set a mood of emptiness and despair, while the understated performances are poetic in their simplicity. The child actor who plays Cheung is simply amazing; his emotions are utterly convincing and it's easy to forget that he's acting. Unfortunately, the other two pieces, 'Memories' and 'Wheel', leave much to be desired. 'Memories' somehow manages to be tense and predictable at the same time, so I have to give the director credit for at least being able to instill some sense of terror in the audience. But ultimately, the hackneyed plot is yawn inducing, though the scenes are shot beautifully. Finally, that leaves 'Wheel', a confusing mess if there ever was one. Throughout the short, I kept wondering if censorship was the reason I hadn't been scared yet. All in all, most would probably be happier renting Saam Gaang. Although regardless of your decision, I am sure that 'Going Home' will spark some thought-provoking conversation on the dangers of globalization and the dilution of culture to Americanization.

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• THREE EXTREMES II flounders as horror but flourishes as drama

  generouspalmstroke2010-03-02

  After the vast success of "Three Extremes" three other Asian horror savants (South Korea's Kim Je-Woon, Thailand's Nonzee Nimibutr, China's Peter Chan) stepped up to the plate to deliver us a successor. The original had three tales of distinct horror methods--one of gross-outs, one of violence, and one of psychological maiming. "Three Extremes II" however, seems to have a common theme about all three which is the voyage of the afterlife. Due to atmospheric and thematic similarities I found the stories a little less engaging when viewed back-to-back. Perhaps this could've been that the first two films of the movie (the first especially) were rather uneventful. Starting chronologically, the short "Memories" by Kim Je-Woon is South Korea's entry into the anthology. It starts with promise as it shows a man presumably sleeping on a couch and very gradually pans closer and closer to him. Then it shows us more of the room he is in, and immediately Je-Woon strikes a nerve of undeniable creepiness with a huddled women rocking to and from in a corner. This sense of uneasiness quickly dissolves as the story progresses. Nothing really happens throughout. Like I said above it was uneventful--sure people are talking (though there's an odd lack of dialogue in "Memories"), sure they're walking and driving around trying to discover a mystery, but it's a mystery most viewers have probably solved. There's also a woman who seems to have lost her memory, but almost immediately I put two-and-two together and figured out her connection with our main character. Je-Woon uses rather cheap shock-tactics like sudden movements and sharp music to make us jump. Its unfortunate Kim Je-Woon's entry was so weak narrative-wise and predictable story-wise, because he is the director of one of my favorite movies ever "A Tale of Two Sisters". I went in hoping for something exquisite from him but got a rather generic story. I do not dislike the movie, because it does have its pluses like solid acting, beautiful camera-work, and the cutest child you'll ever see in any movie, but I cannot say I liked it either because there was so little story. All-in-all, Kim Je-Woon's "Memories" is forgettable, shiny, and predictable--nothing more than you'd expect from one of Hollywood's J-horror remakes. The middle segment on the disc is one of Thai origins called "The Wheel" from director Nonzee Nimibutr. Being only briefly acquainted with Thai horror, I found myself excited to see what Thailand had to offer. Many reviews claim this to be the flimsiest entry, but I have to disagree. I think most of "The Wheel" was lost in translation because it is a piece so close to Thailand. It's a cultural short involving Thai beliefs that we North American viewers simply cannot grasp--or at least not appreciate fully. That being said, I personally loved the cultural experience of watching "The Wheel" and felt almost like it was a documentary of rural Thailand. The set design is beautiful and exotic; the costumes and puppets are breath-taking and unique; the entire piece rings with foreign flavor, and was a nice contrast to "Memories" which could've been copied and pasted into any country's film. That being said, while it dealt with horror (spirits, possession and vengeance) it didn't feel like a full-feldged horror. The very opening is chilling but like "Memories" it fades to black rather quickly. Unlike "Memories" I found myself interested by the foreign aspect and the beauty of the setting, from the murky lagoon to the unique houses to the vibrant costumes. The acting throughout is rocky--there's a few actors who deliver questionable performances, and that is probably my biggest qualm with the film. Aside from that it had a very redeeming ending, and in more ways than one. The closing piece is absolutely and without question my favorite of the three, and probably my favorite out of the original three as well. I think the DVD editors placing Peter Chan's "Going Home" last was strategy, as they started with the most feeble and the "Going Home" segment is powerful enough to make you forget about "Memories"'s weakness and leaves you with a very positive feeling after watching. Had they reversed the order, the haunting touch of "Going Home" wouldn't have survived through the end of "Memories" and my review would be two starts instead of three. That may sound ridiculous but it's all too true. The story starts with a single father and his son who are moving into a new complex, one that looks decrepit and neglected. This dirty setting is awesome for capturing what will happen later. Chan's direction then switches from the father-son relationship and to a much more aberrant relationship concerning a rather shoddy character we're introduced to through the young son and a wife who is seemingly long-dead. This is a ghastly, provocative, touching story of requited love and the testing of lengths one will go through for that love. I will not delve any further into the story--discover this gem on your own. If anything this DVD is worth the $15 for this piece alone--I wish it could've been a feature length film. Overall, "Three Extremes II" doesn't succeed as horror but are an excellent trio of chilling dramas. It was a disappointing follow-up to "Three Extremes" but the two shouldn't be compared because they are different films with different messages. I picture only a fan of Asian horror liking this DVD, so if you're new perhaps go with something more user-friendly before diving into this piece. 6.5/10

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• Third chunk is the charm in Three SPOILERS!!

  ETCmodel022002-10-25

  SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! Three short films from three places, South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong, each progressively better than the last, and certainly worth the viewing. Memories is a sometimes heavy handed jumper with some very cool gross out moments at the end that begin with a heavy nod to the Ring then carry a few steps further deliciously. Downside, the Tales from the Crypt punchline left me feeling pretty empty, really. Told through two simultaneous inter-cut narratives, one follows the hubby trying to remember what he did, while the other follows the wife waking up with amnesia in a street. The hubby material is generally boring and laden with noise blast jumper moments that are OK, but nothing new, except the visitation from the apparent ghost of the missing wife whole feels a brain is a good thing to waste after all. Nice one. The wife's narrative as she goes through a mini-Memento tracking through the clues and flashes of memory trying to figure out who and where she is kicks ass. This is well shot, well edited, tense and absolutely wonderful. Apparently also too good to be true, because the climax of the short film is apparently a simultaneous realization by both people as to what had happened between them. Neat. Now we've managed to resolve the mystery, true, in the lamest way possible, well, not completely lame, it's definitely disturbing on a visceral level which has appeal on a base level, BUT now we also feel empty, because the wife, who by now we dig, well her whole struggle and journey past the scary construction sites and insane cab driver, now all of that is rendered useless and unjustified, while the hubby rides off into the sunset the tail end of a Viagra commercial. Damn, almost a genius piece of jumper genre fare. The Wheel is a very captivating and almost completely alien yarn that works well and moreover is generally fun to watch. Starts a bit slow, and the appearance of dead loved ones could have been held off until the end, and didn't get the crying blood thing but it looked cool so who cares? Ends extremely well, who can frown on a machete welding preschooler? Moving on. Going Home is what I bought this anthology for without even knowing it. Oh my. Beautifully rendered in every department, the location is an astoundingly effective nearly abandoned pair of adjacent dense apartment towers in the seedier side of HK, where we follow a Dad and son moving in while everyone else is moving out (the building is going to be demolished in a month explains the manager). We meet another couple and a little girl, and we learn through brilliant art direction all kinds of things, like how ghosts do graffiti, how Eastern medicine cures liver cancer, how to best groom and maintain a beloved wife who has taken a three year hiatus from living to get well again, and most importantly, how big a urine bottle needs to be to adequately provide for your well saturated hostage. I'm making light only because I'm giddy with joy over how fresh, beautiful, terrifying, disturbing and ultimately heart touching (did I say "touching", more like "pounding with a meat cleaver and pair of well matched tuna"). Been a long time since I've burst into tears during a movie, not counting tears of frustration. I love this film, and frankly, of the three, this one most deserves to be remade as a full length feature with more characters and intertwined stories, because frankly, the location alone is simply a freak magnet. And here I also have to retract earlier snide remarks about Leon Lai. Although I expect he was massively directed, still, in this he was simply perfect, and trust me, his role would not be an easy one to pull off for most actors, not convincingly anyway. Perhaps he has found his true niche in cinema? And as for the rest of the cast? Although familiar already with the power of Eric Tsang, the rest of the cast was new to me, and further, blew me away as well, astounding as two of the actors I'm referring to are tiny children, not something I'm generally impressed by. And how does the beautiful Eugenia Yuan manage to hold so still playing a stiff and still manage to convey her character? (something I've ironically accused Leon Lai of doing in the past, ha ha. Ok, I did like his album "Sound". So sue me...)

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