The Television and Movie Recommendation/Discussion Thread!

[Hyo Shin]

>Have there been many gay and lesbian characters in Korean television?



They exist. :-)



There is a TV series called "A Perfect Love". It's a tragic love story of a straight couple and one of their close friends is openly gay. The series includes a big coming out scene of the character. Recently he has a boyfriend and looks quite happy. Not that bad, right? Hong Suk-chun played the character and he is the only openly gay actor in Korea.



(Here is a picture of him. star.empas.com/people/info/31/38/3138/ )



I remember a mini series called "Jazz." It was a self-destructive love story about two rich gay boys. It was unintentionally funny. :-)



There was a popular TV sitcom called "Three Friends." The second last episode had a big lesbian coming out scene. It was a quite surprise because the character was the fiancee of one of these friends. So it was not a happy ending to him. (But he had to noticed. The relationship of his fiancee and her best friend is just too obvious.)



There were two one-hour dramas about lesbian characters but they were just bad. Full of obvious cliches. I've heard about a quite good TV drama about a middle aged married man and his co-worker. Haven't seen it.



Movies... I've already talk about "Memento Mori" several time. It's the part of a "Whispering Corridors" series and they are all gay.



www.imdb.com/title/tt0241073/

www.imdb.com/title/tt0266075/

www.imdb.com/title/tt0370082/



Of course I have a Korean home page about "Memento Mori." :-P



members.fortunecity.com/cria/memento/



Here are some pictures of recent "The Wishing Stairs". Not a good movie but the story had some interesting ideas.



cinema.empas.com/movies/c...maID=17747



Here is a review of the movie.



www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm03.html#wishing



Recent Korean hit "The Tale of Two Sisters" is not a lesbian love story. But the intense relationship between two sisters is almost incestuous. I'm sure it was intentional. (They even used some TATU songs for some of their publicity clips.) BTW, the director made a short movie called "Coming Out" and it was a coming out story of a female vampire.



Here are some picture of "The Tale of Two Sisters". Dreamworks will make a Hollywood remake version of the movie next year.



211.234.93.143./image/cin...7440m1.jpg

www.cineline.net/data/pho.../15540.jpg



There is a movie called "Road Movie". It a road movie (of course!) of three social outcasts. One gay guy, one straight guy and one fag hag. Gloomy.



Here is a good article about queer characters in Korean movies.



www.thefilmjournal.com/issue7/wanee.html



OK, this is the end of our tour.

Edited by: Hyo Shin at: 12/12/03 8:45 am

[xita]

Hyo Shin thank you so much for all those links. I obviously run on short term memory because I know remember reading about Memento Mori. I wanted to see it but at the time there was just no way. A little searching now and i must ask, is this it?

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"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[Hyo Shin]

Yep, but the picture quality of the DVD is terrible. Check this review.



www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=3356



Spectrum DVD is better.



global.yesasia.com/en/Prd...on-videos/



The best version is the French one. A glorious 2 disk set. Full of supplements. But I don't think they have English subtitles. Weird.



www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos...11-1387420

Edited by: Hyo Shin at: 12/12/03 9:10 am

[xita]

I don't have a multi region player though, and I really need my subtitles, does the second link you posted there, does that have subtitles?

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"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[Hyo Shin]

Yes, most of Korean DVDs have English subtitles.



The spectrum DVD is officially region 3. But it's actually all-region.



www.yeondvd.com/horror.html#mori

[xita]

Hyo, you've been so helpful , I am going to order!

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"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[Alia16]

I don't know if anyone here likes Anime, but I would highly recommend Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. They are some of the best movies I've ever seen, and not just animated either. check em' out =)

[SuperMandy13]

Studio Ghibli stuff is always really great. I finally got to watch 'Spirited Away' and I was so blown away by the art quality and the story! And the little coal thingies! Oh my god, I love them! I haven't gotten to see 'Princess Monoke', yet, though. I keep putting it off, 'cause there's SO much anime that I really want to watch.



Btw, for Studio Ghibli fans, look out in the future for a movie called 'The Cat Returns'. It's fantastic! I don't think it's released, yet, though. So, shh....



Okay, I'm gonna shut up now, or else I'm just gonna recommend a huge bunch of anime and not be able to stop. It's what happens when you get suckered in as the VP to your college anime club and have to hear about anime so much.

[Hyo Shin]

I can't say I like 'The Cat Returns'. The animation is good. I like most of the cats except the boring Baron. I love the Cat kingdom. But the heroine is too girly! A typical damsel in distress.

Edited by: Hyo Shin at: 12/14/03 8:50 am

[emma peel]

I caught most of a flick called "The New Guy" on WAM (a cable station) early this morning. I had no intention of watching until I saw that Eliza Dusku had second billing. The film was a bit of "Revenge of the Nerds" combined with "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Bring It On," and a bit of "Braveheart" thrown in if you can imagine.

I caught myself laughing out loud a lot, but the real reason I wound up watching was due to ED, who is really good in this goofy,loopy film. She is so natural in front of the camera.

Plus, you get to see her in a montage modeling bikinis.

To those interested, it'll be shown again on WAM tonight at 6PM Eastern.

There are also cameos with Howard Rollins, Tommy Lee (yuck!), Gene Simmons, Kool Moe D (sp??), and some more I can't remember. The only reason I know about the cameos is 'cause they showed the cast in the end credits.

Anyhoo, I digress. I think it's a free "must see" 'cause of Eliza.

I've got a tape in the good old VCR.

Janice

[emma peel]

Tee hee. I completely forgot about the bull (aka "Urban Cowboy") riding scene. Silly me.

Whew, is ED one very sexy woman or what?

Thanks for the reminder, GG and Aaron.

I'm glad someone else actually caught the flick.

Janice

Edited to add that today, December 30, is Eliza'a birthday. She is now 23 years old.

Happy Birthday, Eliza!!

Edited by: emma peel at: 12/30/03 12:11 am

[Gatito Grande]

emma p, while the "bikini modeling" scene is justly -worthy, the scene that really got me was when she was riding the bull. I kid you not, I nearly 1) fell of the couch and 2) swallowed my tongue!



GG How soon till new Tru Calling eps? Out

[TaraBaby77]

GG -



Ask my girlfriend, I was right there with ya. =)

Aaron

'TaraBaby77'

[Hyo Shin]

Here is a warning messsage. "Haute tension"'s official English title is "Switchblade Romance". If you want to see the most obnoxious lesbian stereotype in the film history, try this movie.



But C?ile De France who played Marie is still a very nice actress. And she was just wonderful in "L'Auberge espagnole." I really want to see her playing more lesbian characters.



BTW, don't you think she just looks like Sarah Clarke who plays Nina in "24"?



www.ceciledefrance.net/ph...mo&fiche=9



And... here is some new info of the Korean series "Daejanggeum."



Court Lady Han died few weeks ago. The actress said "It was a beautiful death. She was with her most loved one." The rating of the episode was quite low (48% or something. )Many people didn't want to see her death.



img.imbc.com/./broad/tv/d...8_0010.jpg



Recently Janggeum met a medical woman called Jangduk. She will be her next mentor. Of course they are planning a straight romance for Janggeum. Alessandro Safina will sing a love song for them. (No, really!) We will see a big revenge scene too. People want to see it.



I mentioned another Korean TV series called "Damo" few months ago. I don't care of the series anymore but here is an interesting epilogue. The "Damo" writer/director team's next series is based of an uber fanfic of the original series. I thought it was just a wet dream of fanfic writers.



Another Korean stuff. I mentioned A Korean horror movie called "A Tale of Two Sisters" before. I just noticed there was a weird fanfic phenomenon called "Geun-Su". It means "Moon Geun-young and Lim Su-jeong" and they are actresses who played sisters in the movie. "Geun-Su" fanfics are not about the movie. They are about these real life actresses' fictional lesbian relationship. I'm little uncomfortable about it because Moon Geun-young is still a very young girl. I don't know...



img.movist.com/data/imgro.../56_46.jpg

Edited by: Hyo Shin at: 12/30/03 1:04 pm

[Willow Rocks]

So did anyone watch the new years eve episode in which they kissed, i actually found it very sweet, though on new years day Zoe ignoring Kelly's pleas to talk about it, can't be a good sign.



click here for small spoiler

[SJ]

Yeah I watched Eastenders.

Agree Zoe ignoring Kelly about the kiss doesn't bode well.

[Willow Rocks]

To be fair though she was suffering from hyperthermia.

[Gatito Grande]

I just saw this painfully funny (i.e. it's funny, but frequently painful) documentary on the Trio Network (it came out a couple of years ago in the UK, so it may be known to Brit Kittens).



In it, an gay American guy named Scott Capurro (working out of the UK), investigates various locales and naturalists, in search of . . . well, y'know.



It's slow going at first: not even the infamously lusty bonobos will perform on cue! Of the people he interviews, their level of denial is incredible (by local bumpkins w/ their swans and dogs, but more seriously w/ supposedly objective zoologists). People seem to spare no efforts to say (of same-sex sex they observed): "Well, that's not sexual, that's just something animals do." After enduring a scary visit to Florida (where a man supposedly killed his dog "because he was gay"---the dog's behavior confirmed by the guy's ex-wife), he finally finds a sheep zoologist in Montana (a woman) who's ready and willing to show him the Real Deal: honest-to-god "Never mind the ewe in heat, I'm (literally) into rams" gay sheep!



That seems to open a floodgate: having made inquiries all over, our intrepid reporter arrives back in Britain to videotapes of all sorts of animals, going at it in all sorts of m/m, f/f ways! Polymorphous perversity reigns supreme!



Last but not least, in a cringe-worthy segment (I was cringing anyway) Capurro takes his evidence to stick in the face of a 'phobic MP (that's Member of Parliament to us Yanks) : "How can you say it's unnatural?" he logically asks her---till she ends the interview (surprise!).



Anyway, it was a great show (It'll be on again at 12 midnight EST tonight).



GG And like Scott, I too sorta got turned on! Out

[Cicca]

I thought this had a thread of its own, but I can't find it!

So....

And this may have been mentioned already.



DEBS is showing at Sundance this year. The full-length one. Woo!



Thursday, Jan 22

9:30 PM

Eccles Center

Friday, Jan 23

12:00 PM

Egyptian Theatre

Saturday, Jan 24

9:00 PM

Broadway Centre Cinemas VI







The short was just hilarious so I hope that this one will show up somewhere besides Sundance.

Is there a hyphen in anal-retentive?

[FlyingPoppy]

I've found the perfect way to cheer myself up this evening. There's a documentary on Channel 5 in the UK called "Bisexual Girls" - a look into the life of bisexual girls. It's absolutely hilarious! Why do they always have really thick sounding people on these programs. Someone just came out with the gem "I'm attracted to pretty girls....I just like breasts, what can I say?"

Life can suck, but at least there's chocolate - Cicca

[Sheridan]

Quote:

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Yeah I watched Eastenders.

Agree Zoe ignoring Kelly about the kiss doesn't bode well.

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Well I never watch Eastenders(that's not a snobbish 'I do really but I wont admit it'; its a 'I would rather have my eyes gouged out') but I did see some spoilers in a TV mag that suggest that no one should be building any hopes up here.

Willow: ...I have to tell you....

Tara: No, I understand you have to be with the person you l-love

Willow: I am

[Willow Rocks]

Yeah apparently they have sorted it out but the bbc boards are being flooded and i mean flooded about this cop out, but a lot of people are just saying that they are trying to be realistic about the storyline and not having them hop straight into bed, and there is a picture of a new kiss being published in New and Sneak magazines, that sugests that the storyline may not be over, plus the confirmed spoiler that Kelly is looking for a new flat mate is getting people to think that they do kiss again and maybe there feelings are to much to live together anymore when neither of them are addmitting (yet!) their real feelings.



Plus my new and huge infatuation with Brooke Kinsella, who plays Kelly is making me pray that the stroyline does continue and continue realistically.

[TaraBaby77]

Did any of you see Eliza Dushku get punked on MTV's Punk'd??? I thought it was hilarious. =)

Aaron

'TaraBaby77'

[LokiPromise]

I also really hope they go further with the Zoe and Kelly story line as it would do Eastenders a good service, one that this show has missed over the last few years.



Also heres a little heads up for those in the UK, Channel 4 are beginning a little series called "Making babies the gay way", looks quite interesting starting on Thursday 22nd of Febuary and concluding on the 29th. Ok not quite a series but couldn't think of another word for it.

BB:Hello Xander...and Anya, how is your money?!

A:Fine!Thank you for asking!

[dekalog]

Hey all just wanted to say that this film is a knockout. It is a sharp witty and informative documentary that is daring and brave in it's message and you shouldn't miss it even if you disagree with the politics.



It's called The Corporation and if it comes to a movie theatre near you please go see it. It is a very good film done by independent filmmakers. Your dollars spend at the box office are especially important to smaller filmmakers like this. If you want to find out more their website is - - www.thecorporation.tv/

[Warduke]

Read this over at AICN...

Quote:

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Sundance: Miss Electroxb reviews D.E.B.S. the lesbian superhero epic of our lives!



Hey folks, Harry here with a film... well... I am honored that the first review of D.E.B.S. is coming from a bisexual wonder-lass somewhere nestled in the frozen beauty of Utah! Alright, well here's her look at a flick with Jordana Brewster - who, in person, is 40 grams of ginseng!





So here it is Harry, my first night ever in Sundance. I even got to see a real Hollywood executive chowing down in Starbucks. I'm psyched because I finally got to see the full length version of one of my favorite shorts, Angela Robinson's D.E.B.S.



Oh what a movie it was. Lesbians and teenage crime fighters: What more could you ask for? The plot may be your average Charlie's Angel episode with a twist but the humor is great. It takes the cheese from all those sad b-movie action chick flicks and adds a little old-school Austin Powers humor, plus did I mention the lesbians?



Now speaking as a bisexual young chica, I was a little disapointed in the PG-13 kissage. As much of a hottie as Jordana Brewster is, the kissing just wasn't that great. At least in Monster the actresses had real passion but I did mention how gorgeous Jordana is?



The film also has the returning actress from the short, Jill Ritchie, who rocks as Janet. She steals every scene with her crazy expressions along with her love interest, Jimmi Simpson. He is a great catch and I can't wait to see what else these two do.



The film is shot on 24p and looks great. If all digital films look like this then bring on that new age!



My only vice is I really liked the humor and sex in the short. It was a little more adult and I miss that sexy sex scene and cool Max Payne-style gun jump & shoot.



But alas, Jordana is fucking hot. What I great year it should be for positive lesbian and bisexual characters. After a year of many sad and depressing Lesbians portrayed in film, it's finally great to start off the year with a fun, light-hearted lesbian film with no death, killing, or prosthetics. Same for the L word too.



For the inevitable sequel, Jordana needs to practice kissing more girls and I'll be first in line. Just point me to the after party.



Miss Electroxb

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Firebird: One Browser To Rule Them All.

[dreiser]

Oh yes... D.E.B.S. thanks to Moof I am still much addicted to the short film and Jordanna's kissing skills or not, the new version sounds like it will hold up to the original just on humor alone. But I am doubting anyone can be better than Claire when it comes to playing Lucy In The Sky.



Thanks for the article tidbit, Brian.

[xita]

claire was so incredibly hot.. i await this full version.. but it would have been better with claire

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"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[Warduke]

I'm a big fan of the Blade movies, starring Wesley Snipes. The third and final movie is Blade: Trinity, which is being filmed right now.



Jessica Biel is in this movie, playing Abigail, the daughter of Whistler (Blade's mentor.) Well I was over at Comics Continuum and they had the first publicity photos for the movie.



So please enjoy these pics of Jessica (xita sure did )



Pic 1

Pic 2

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Firebird: One Browser To Rule Them All.

[xita]

I still am Brian

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"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"