Friday, March 31
Oldboy (map)
dir. Chan-wook Park, Korea 2003

Like Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus with chopsticks, this Korean thriller is a modern Asian answer to the Elizabethan revenge tragedy. Full of insanely grand passions, bloodthirsty violence and jet black comedy, it's a sadistic masterpiece that confirms Korea's current status as producer of some of the world's most exciting cinema. Choi Min-sik (Chihwaseon and Shiri) stars as kidnap victim Dae-su, who's locked up for 15 years by an anonymous enemy. Escaping, he vows to get his revenge.

With its twisting and turning plot, it's hard to talk about Old Boy without spoiling the delirious sense of disorientation that awaits first time viewers. Embarking on his quest to discover the man responsible for his imprisonment, Dae-su teams up with female sushi chef (Gang Hye-jung) — impressing her by chowing down on a live octopus then passing out — and unravels a conspiracy that brings him eyeball to eyeball with the mocking cruelty of fate. - Jamie Russell, BBCi Films