Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring review

 Number 233 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Korean drama 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring.'

The film is set in a Korean Buddhist monastery exploring the relationship between the unnamed apprentice (Kim Young-Min) and his unnamed master (O Yeong-Su.) We see the apprentice grow from a little boy into a man with each stage of his life being reflected in one of the seasons mentioned in the title.

Christ, this was a tedious film. Maybe I'm just not spiritually enlightened, as this film heavily leant on Buddhist imagery. However, most of the allusions and symbology went straight over my head. Cats and roosters feature heavily, but I missed out on their significance.

This was because I was bored senseless. This film was so slow. Very little action happens on-screen. We could have seen the apprentice killing his wife's lover or a mysterious mother falling through the ice, but we don't. That would have only been too interesting.

Instead, we were treated to extensive sequences of men standing around, looking pensive, often in complete silence. We don't even get any music to interest us.  Sure the scenery was pretty, but not pretty enough to make up for such a monotonous film. Yes, you get slow-burners, but this wasn't even alight.

It would have helped if we had an interesting likeable main character to follow, but we didn't. From the start, it is obvious that our novice monk has a few screws loose. As a child, he takes delight by tying rocks to a frog, snake and a fish. When he discovers that he is responsible for the snake and frog later dying, he feels guilty and starts crying. Yet that doesn't excuse that psychotic behaviour. Considering he goes onto kill a man, I'm not being hyperbolic.

Yes, his master punishes him tying a rock around him, but that doesn't make him any more likeable. He doesn't get any more likeable when he grows up and falls in love with a woman who arrives at the monastery needing to be cured from a mysterious illness. In the process, he begins a physical relationship with her, breaking his vows in the process. After his master sends her away, our apprentice becomes the world's biggest whinger. He later attempts suicide, but even something as dramatic as this was so boring to watch. It was no more interesting watching his master go a similar route later on.

I'm honestly surprised that I had this much to say about this film. It was so boring that I was shocked that I didn't fall asleep in the first half hour. 

Master and Commander: Far Side of the World review

 Number 917 on top 1000 films of all time is the period-drama Master and Commander: Far Side of the World.

Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and Dr Stephen Matinue (Paul Bettany) are stationed on the HMS Surprise during the onset of the Napoleonic Wars. They are tasked with hunting down and catching the feared French frigate, the Acheron. But Jack's dedication to his duty soon turns to arrogance, as he is determined to catch this ship at all costs. In doing so, he endangers the lives of his whole crew.

I've never been a fan of period dramas. That's usually because there's a lack of stakes. I'm not saying I need gunfights and explosions, but a sense of life and death helps to add some drama. Obviously, the stakes aren't the same in a period drama, and, as such, they're not always very exciting to watch.

At times, I felt the same about Master and Commander. Although, it is Lucky Jim's brashness that is putting the crew into danger, how much danger are they actually in? Nobody of any significance dies until the final act. The exception that proves the rule is Captain of the Mizzentop, William Warley (Joseph Morgan) who is thrown overboard in a storm. Caught between saving his crew member or his ship, Jack saves the ship. Yet he doesn't face any consequences from this action. In fact, Will's death is attributed to Midshipman Hollam (Lee Ingleby) who is ostracised by the crew as a Jonah. He later commits suicide. Perhaps the characterising as Jack was "lucky" was a mistake. He and his crew too easily overcome all their obstacles.

This isn't to deride Russell Crowe's performance. I've not always spoken too fondly of Crowe - I think he is quite wooden at times, but he was good here. His accent was certainly more consistent than some of his other films.

Honestly, the stakes felt higher with Paul Bettany's character of Dr Steven Maturin. He had something to lose. A scientist, first and foremost, he has the opportunity to study the animals of the Galapagos islands. But despite multiple promises from Lucky Jack, he never gets the chance. This puts their friendship to the ultimate test. Both actors worked well together with Bettany being a calming presence to Crowe's megalomania.

Although this film was watchable, it wasn't really for me. The two leads gave good performances, but I'm just not a fan of period dramas.