Reviews

Living our everyday lives, we rarely imagine such an occasion (save for some dismissible bad dreams) that in instant would take away all of our routine attachments in the familiar world around us -- all those minute rituals and conventions, duties and honors, comfort and confidence. What would then be left inside us, what would emerge, would we accept ourselves?

While a tourist experience gives some idea, it never crosses the border line that is inside ourselves. There's always a mental insurance that we draw for ourselves before departure, the required return-ticket. So too often the tourists can be spotted always inside their bubble, filled with so supporting homeland air. Take that ticket away, burst the bubble, fill the lungs with the foreign mix, put a question mark in homeland! Chilling prospect of a new life, unwanted blank canvas?

Something on such scale brought Sung-nam, the protagonist of 'Night and Day', into Paris. Not a random destination for him, still a forced one. While the director Hong Sang-soo presents a certain Korean regard, not much would be "lost in translation" should that be applied to the being under any skin.

A horny pursuit of familiar, a fearful fight with loneliness all bring about the image of a bird beyond the reach from its nest. Our confused protagonist makes his choice, yet keeps his proverbial eye, arm, and un-cut ear. Through these sweet songs of Sirens, we must hear the hopeful bells of forgiveness.

If all this appears too cloudy, so it really is! One can see many shapes in the clouds. I personally took out for myself that I should not be tempted and compare my loved one to whoever might be (and certainly will be) prettier, smarter, sexier or appealing as long as we find home in our love. OK, that was an after-144minute-thought.

But seriously, you're still at home, so BRING YOUR REFLECTIVE MOOD TO THE SHOW!

Although I saw "Caché" a month ago it really echoed now in November 2005, as the rage-fires are blazing across whole France. Maybe the world-audience reactions would have been different should they have had such a dramatic reminder of the very issues so masterfully pulled back to light in this movie.

Michael Haneke's most recent film "Caché" was nominated in Cannes and enjoys box-success in France, so it rightfully appears on the program of established international film festivals...mostly to the viewers' misunderstanding or dismay.

The names of the star lead-actors (versatile Daniel Auteuil and true Juliette Binoche) somewhat mislead the foreign audiences to expect the entertainment import, which it is not, as it's Haneke 100%, so the audience's conformism (mindful or cultivated) is his target to hit.

Unfairly described in reviews as a thriller, this movie is rather a masked exposée of not just the shameful and terrifying event (happened in Paris back in 1961 and carefully wiped off the pages since then), but also of the cultivated hypocrisy and imperial arrogance that still keeps denying its maladies, while continuing to impose its superiority on others.

Too late on this board to quote the Director in his remarks to the festival press:"If you write criticisms of this film, good or bad, please don't tell the story of the film". The notions raised in the movie stretch far-beyond its storyline and some historical commentary, however in order to form the basis for presence during this film and more multi-faceted understanding of such a contemporary statement, I believe, the interested viewers might refer to the facts (as scarce and specific they are) behind the massacre during the Algerian protests in Paris on October 17, 1961. Incidentally on the same festival program there might be another film on the subject: "Nuit Noire".

Ironically the festival screening of "Caché" I attended was on October 17, I may dismiss it as a coincidence, well as the audience may dismiss the baseless allegations and simply follow the thriller. Do we feel the smoke in the world?