The fifth annual Subway Cinema New York Asian Film Festival continues. Here’s a rundown of some of the films that played during the second week of the festival (some of which still have additional showings, check the schedule here.) There’s still lots of good stuff in the last week, including a final showing of Linda Linda Linda, so get out there!

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Oh! My Zombie Mermaid [aka Ah! Ikkenya puroresu]
Directed by: Naoki Kudo
Japan (2005)

Forget the zombie, forget the mermaid, what this movie has is a full-blown, knock-down drag out battle to the finish that’ll knock your socks off. See the full review here. Recommended.

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Funky Forest: The First Contact [aka Naisu no mori: The First Contact]
Directed by: Katsuhito Ishii, Hajime Ishimine, Shinichiro Miki
Japan (2005)

Last year, Katsuhito Ishii directed A Taste of Tea, which was a sweet and funny look at an eccentric family. This year, he decided to let it all hang out, and the result was Funky Forest, a completely bizarre mélange of sketch comedy, non-sequitur humor, and cheerfully obscene special effects. And dancing, lots of dancing. I absolutely loved it, and so did the crowd at the Festival. Many of you will too, and you probably know who you are. With Tadanobu Asano as “Guitar Brother.” Highly recommended.

(a full review will be forthcoming, but don’t expect any more enlightenment)

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Company
Directed by: Ram Gopal Varma
India (2002)

Company is undoubtedly one of the best gangster films of this or any decade. RGV details the rise to power of two men; cold, business-oriented Malik (Ajay Devgan) and hot-headed street thug Chandu (Vivek Oberoi). The two combine to form a crime syndicate known only as the Company, and take over the streets of India before becoming a truly multinational conglomerate. Naturally, such good fortune cannot last. RGV’s vision here is both bleak and tremendously accomplished, and he pays his debts to the greats of the past with a couple of well-placed Scarface hommages. Company deservedly made Devgan and Oberoi enormous stars, but it also features a terrific ensemble cast that includes the sexy and strung-out looking Manisha Koirala in one of her most appealling roles. This is essential cinema. Highly recommended.

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Welcome to Dongmakgol
Directed by: Kwang-hyun Park
South Korea (2005)

This was a huge hit in Korea and I’m not surprised. WTD knows exactly what buttons to push – you know you’re being manipulated but you can’t (and don’t want to) fight it. The plot is the hoary old tale of strangers from a modern world wandering into Utopia, only set in a remote, isolated village during the Korean War. A stranded American airman, and soldiers from both the North and the South all end up in the town, and have to learn to deal with each other. There’s a lot of rancor, and a lot of bonding – none of it breaks new ground, but it’s all exceptionally well-done.

Sad and funny in equal turns, WTD has one of the most hilariously over-the-top slow-motion sequences ever. Also features a solid performance by actor Steve Taschler – along with Angela Kelly in Please Teach Me English, the Koreans have shown a knack for getting good performances by Westerners that no other Asian film industry can match. Recommended.

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Duelist [aka Hyeongsa]
Directed by: Lee Myung-se
South Korea (2005)

Director Lee Myung-se directed Nowhere to Hide, and then dropped out of the film scene for 6 years before returning to direct period-piece actioner Duelist. Unfortunately, Duelist suffers from many of the same flaws as Nowhere to Hide – irritating over-the-top characters, a huge reliance on flashy style and camerawork to disguise a dumb plot, and way too much annoying “comedy.” Ha Ji-won who plays a tomboy police officer out to bust open a counterfeiting ring at least has some modicum of charm, but Kang Dong-won, as the mysterious swordsman whom she falls for, has all the charisma of a rock, and acts with his anime hair. He’s the Ekin Cheng of South Korea.

The film is filled with extremely pretty pictures, and Ha Ji-won looks great dressed up like Cheng Pei-pei in full Golden Swallow garb. There is also one outstanding set-piece, where the conflation of dance and martial arts is made explicit, as Ha and Kang perform a lovely sword tango with tremendous sexual energy. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is too filled with problems to compensate.

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It’s Only Talk [aka Yawarakai Seikatsu]
Directed by: Ryuichi Hiroki
Japan (2005)

Ryuichi Hiroki keeps turning out quietly amazing little movies about deeply flawed people trying to get by in the world. A few years, he directed Vibrator, a lovely and sad film starring Nao Omori (Ichi the Killer) and Shinobu Terashima as two lonely people trying to provide each other with a little companionship. In It’s Only Talk, Hiroki has re-united with Terashima, who stars as a manic-depressive trying to eke out a life for herself in a suburb of Tokyo (the film’s Japanese title could be translated as “a flexible life” or “a soft life” – it’s a much better indicator of the film’s nature). Terashima is a subtle, nuanced performer – she broadcasts her changing moods without having to resort to theatrics.

The film shows her relationships with the men in her life and with the world, but really takes off when her cousin, played by Etsushi Toyokawa, arrives and sets up in her home. He’s a loner and a bit of a misanthrope, fleeing the responsibilities of a wife and child, but discovers that Terashima is no easier, despite her party girl façade.

Watching the two actors interact is a treat – they’re at the top of the game. It’s Only Talk is really an actor’s film – in addition to the two leads, there are standout performance by Shunsuke Matsuoka as a college friend, and Tomoro Taguchi as a friendly pervert, as well as a cameo by Nao Omori. It’s also probably the best (and most realistic) film I’ve ever seen about mental illness - often sad, but rarely depressing. Recommended.

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Linda Linda Linda
Directed by: Nobuhiro Yamashita
Japan (2005)

The end-of-the-year high school festival is coming up fast. Three girls want to perform in the rock band, but their singer friend is injured, so they recruit a lonely Korean exchange student to sing (Bae Doo-na, in a terrific and heartfelt performance). The song: Linda Linda Linda by The Blue Hearts. The plot is simple, the characters are not. Director Yamashita deftly sketches an entire high school world that extends well beyond the main quartet, even with minor characters he evokes a living, breathing character – one can sense there is a lot going on in the school that has nothing to do with the leads. LLL also benefits from the absence of artificial conflict – there’s no evil teacher or administrator, or rival band, just the girls and their ability to get to know each other and work the song out. I defy anyone to leave this movie not in a good mood – it’s my favorite film from the festival so far, and my pick for best of the fest. Highly recommended.

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Beetle, the Horn King [aka Kabuto-Ô Bîtoru]
Directed by: Minoru Kawasaki
Japan (2005)

More wacky non-human wrestling antics from Minoru Kawasaki, director of The Calamari Wrestler. See the full review here. Recommended.