Only my second official movie in my foray into the Czech New Wave genre. Actually a serendipitous find in the library, and I had no idea what I was getting into. Tour de force psychological drama that tells a Holocaust story in a vein not chosen by most movies on the Holocaust, as well as commentary on Communism vs. the Third Reich. I felt full thrust into the paranoia and fear of the narrative. Not a movie for those used to the conventional, but for anyone wanting a masterful telling of such a dark portion of history.
Truly a tour de force in an interpretation of real Korean history by director Im Sang-sooâhaving studied Korean myself, and getting to know Korea through my classmates and the study of the language, I can see how the director gave a real sense of the political milieu in Korea, not to mention some insights into the sociological landscape of that country in 1979.
Not a lighthearted movie, this black comedy will capture the interest of those interested in Korean history and culture.
Indeed, I am a fan of the less usual and revel in the off-the-beaten-path approach to the arts, entertainment, and other various areas of my life. With the wacky characters presented in The Extra Man, I enjoyed trying to follow what wasn't always exactly followable, and even if something appeared to be followable it didn't always reveal itself right-side up or even upside down. However, there seems to be more denouement to this story than say, one like Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket (1996), and while some may find depressing elements in The Extra Man, it's a lot more light-hearted than David Russell's Spanking the Monkey (1994). I did also appreciate the open-endedness of the story, specifically of the character Louis Ives' search for his true identity. So if you want something a little funky, something a bit off kilter, go ahead and take in a screening of The Extra Man.
I'm not one for watching the usual major releases, but I had fun watching this movie. If M.C. Esher made an action movie, Salt would at least contain some elements he might use. For many twists and turns, check out Salt.
