Bullets 'n' Babes

Aye, I saw a clip of this and it looks horrendous. I love Keanu but he can't pull off a good romantic role - unless it involves bullet time.

The Korean one is a superb drama with the sci-fi twist. Most importantly, it had heartfelt performances without going too melodramatic.

From the clips, it looked like an extended episode of Footballers' Wives.

I can't judge until I've seen it but my hopes aren't high. I'll catch it this week maybe.

Also, do you think that film studios should have some courtesy and credit the original movie (like on the poster, trailer, opening titles etc)? Hell even Takashi Miike was polite enough to credit The Quiet Family on the trailer for Katakuris.

I always feel that the public should be aware of where remakes come from.

BiscLimpkit wrote:Aye, I saw a clip of this and it looks horrendous.

You mean it could actually be more horrendous than the disaster that was "Il Mare"?

omg... how dare you.

Nah that's cool. I'm a sucker for romance movies. I love Il Mare.

Excellent news about the remake, now the original will have a good chance of seeing DVD release in the English-speaking world.

BiscLimpkit wrote:Nah that's cool. I'm a sucker for romance movies. I love Il Mare.

Hey, me too. I'm not an action-only junkie. But the romances do have to be good. "Il Mare" is so boring until the last 10 minutes. IIRC the two "loving" characters don't even meet once until the end.

Romances I like:
The Twilight Samurai
Dolls
Failan
In the Mood for Love
Juliet in Love
An Autumn's Tale
Laundry
Crying Out Love, in the Centre of the World
Fly me to Polaris
Lost in Time
My Sassy Girl
The Classic
Windstruck

Oh my God, I didn't realise it was a remake of Il Mare. I am now very embarrassed to say that I never realised the characters in Il Mare were separated by two years of time

I like romances too.

Jenna Loves Britney
Jenna Licks Britany
Britney Loves and Licks Jenna.

All classic eight-tissue jobs.

I like the WKW romatic dramas, plus I like Rouge.
And one of the best romantic movies I've seen is Eternal Sunshine.

My Sassy Girl is also a big favourite of mine. Brilliant movie. Love it.

I didnt realise it was a remake of Il Mare either - the Ceefax review says its a remake of Siworae (?) which is from 2000.

Siworae = Il Mare?

Yep, Siworae = Il Mare.

When Richard and Judy were reviewing The Lake House the other day, I'm pretty sure they didn't once mention that it's a remake lol

thelostdragon wrote:IIRC the two "loving" characters don't even meet once until the end.

That's kinda the point dude.

Now I can understand average joe not knowing this is a remake, but for Asian cinema enthusiasts to not know indicates how neglegent the studios have been with regards to not crediting the original.

The thing is the Korean film-makers are some of the best in the world for creating melodrama and romance.

Hollywood film-makers on the other hand are some of the worst. They add to much gushing, soppyness and make it really unrealistic.

Sure the central premise is unrealistic of course it is but the way it was portrayed in the original is anything but. I'm not just saying this because it's a remake but because A: Hollywood can't make this type of film at all (proven over and over again) and B: Sandie while a great comic actor with good comic timing can't otherwise act and Keanu while better than most think really only has one facial expression.

Mark Kermode's rant about the film was really funny though. Work this out because he and I couldn't: The lake house of the title is a glass house, Keanu keeps going up to the attic, pan to outside THERE IS NO ATTIC!

Huh? The funniest part is Keanu's character is an architect

thelostdragon wrote:You mean it could actually be more horrendous than the disaster that was "Il Mare"?

What!!! :shock: . Il Mare is one of my favourite Korean films, it's such a sad and moving film.

EvaUnit02 wrote:Excellent news about the remake, now the original will have a good chance of seeing DVD release in the English-speaking world.

That's not guaranteed for sure. We still have no decent English Friendly Taxi DVD for example.

BiscLimpkit wrote:Now I can understand average joe not knowing this is a remake, but for Asian cinema enthusiasts to not know indicates how neglegent the studios have been with regards to not crediting the original.

They never do bar if you're luck a tiny mention in the credits. I agree btw it should be mentioned before the film or at least on the poster.

They say if it's based on a book so why not a remake?

thelostdragon wrote:IIRC the two "loving" characters don't even meet once until the end.

LOL you've really missed the point of the entire film

gasteropod wrote:When Richard and Judy were reviewing The Lake House the other day, I'm pretty sure they didn't once mention that it's a remake lol

LOL you expect them to know?

Il Mare is Italian for The Sea.

bradavon wrote:

thelostdragon wrote:IIRC the two "loving" characters don't even meet once until the end.

LOL you've really missed the point of the entire film

No, I didn't. They send letters back and forth in time. It isn't the first unbelievable story as it is clearly fiction, but even though we know that while watching the film I thought it was so unbelievable. Especially, when they start falling in love, lol. I wasn't able to identify myself with the characters at all.

This thread has spoilers regarding the original Il Mare. I'll update the title accordingly.

The lake house of the title is a glass house, Keanu keeps going up to the attic, pan to outside THERE IS NOT ATTIC!

Ha-Ha!

3/5

Just seen the remake and actually, it's pretty decent. I'm sure I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I hadn't seen the original. The two are quite similar in style - both opting for a sombre mood and wonderful photography. There appeared to be a bit more humour in the Lake House.

However I personally preferred the Korean version, mostly because it felt more original watching it for the first time. Also I think the US version makes the film easier to understand - especially the mailbox/time travel part. It started to get a bit like instant messaging - I can't remember the Korean version looking so comical.

Lastly, the peformances were satisfactory but the Korean actors definitely appeared more heart-felt. Keanu does well but there are one or two scenes, which look unintentionally humourous when he acts all sentimental.

So yeah, not bad but I'm more interested in a decent DVD of the Korean original.

PS: The attic thing is so true.

Also I think the US version makes the film easier to understand - especially . . .

@ Bisc: Why?

bradavon wrote: @ Bisc: Why?

You know what mainstream American remakes are like. The studios assume that the average audience member is a retard and needs everything spelled out for them. Anything remotely cerebral is nicely laid out. Sad fact is that it's true. I've met people who were totally perplexed with Vanilla Sky - one the rare remakes to be a carbon copy of the original.

The Lake House is a tad too rushed with it's approach to the finale and subsequently loses some of the emotional potency that made Il Mare such a treasured item.

Basically anything in the Korean version that made you think "eh? what's going on?" is vividly explained in the Lake House.

Thanks. I'm not at all surprised :shock:

Their obsession to completely spell out the smallest thing COMPLETELY killed the American Ring for me.

BiscLimpkit wrote:Vanilla Sky - one the rare remakes to be a carbon copy of the original.

I'd disagree on that one. It's far from a carbon copy but of course is very much the same.

BiscLimpkit wrote:Vanilla Sky

I saw that last week, was nothing special I thought. The type of thing Philip K. Dick would write if he tried the romance genre.

- one the rare remakes to be a carbon copy of the original.

Gus Van Sant's Psycho remake was pretty much a carbon copy of the original. Same script, emulated cinematography, same Bernard Herrmann score, etc.

The point I was trying to make is that because Open Your Eyes and Vanilla Sky were so similar (the latter didn't try to explain more than necessary), there were still some people who couldn't understand the Hollywood version.

Are you supposed to understand it? Why does everything have to make sense? Personally I love it when a film confuses me to the point I can't stop thinking about it.

Imagine if Lynch started explaining his films

EvaUnit02 wrote:I saw that last week, was nothing special I thought. The type of thing Philip K. Dick would write if he tried the romance genre.

You should check out the original you may like it more. It's definitely much darker.

Personally I like them both the same. Although a little out of place the album cover montages were great (particularly the Bob Dylan one).

Gus Van Sant's Psycho remake was pretty much a carbon copy of the original. Same script, emulated cinematography, same Bernard Herrmann score, etc.

GVS decided to add in a wanking scene :shock: , yep that was needed.

bradavon wrote:Are you supposed to understand it?

Well... yes as there was nothing confusing about it in the first place.

bradavon wrote: Imagine if Lynch started explaining his films

Yup then they may acctually turn into good films, with plots! and not confusing pieces of poo that are made by a looney.