Mademoiselle

I saw this tonight at London Film Festival and Park Chan Wook was there, to answer Q&A. A very special moment to me.

I would advise anyone new to Park Chan-Wook's filmography to first explore his vampire flick 'Thirst' which has a similar style. 'Oldboy' is a cult classic, but more of an opium-filled, octopus eating thrill-ride, which this film is NOT, so be advised. I also think having SOME knowledge of Japanese rule in Korea is essential for understanding this film, or it will be above your head. Do some surface-level research on Japanese annexation of Korea and specifically the infamous 'comfort women'.

Completed that? OK now you're ready for this journey.

Now let's focus on the best part. The villain. This IS the best villain in recent memory. Seriously as far back as Hannibal Lecter. Uncle Kouzuki, is more creepy than Burton's Penguin. Compulsory viewing. I cannot mention anymore out of fear for spoiling the intricate plot. Highly recommended.

Sex. One of the most overused element in cinema and often mis-used and unnecessary. I was concerned when this movie is announced, a mis-used sex scene could make the movie feels cheap.

This movie did manage to get it quite right.There were scenes of sexual attractions in many parts of the movie but it did not take away all other elements that were done well in the movie.

Thematically beautiful, the mansion itself is split half between a western and Japanese. The costume design and cinematography are perfect. The west : grand and luxury; The Japanese : Clean, simple elegant design.

The story can be summed up as a hero saving a princess and is split into 3 parts. I loved the first two parts, the third part was the only disappointing part where the plot was predictable and not as interesting and it being the last part makes the movie fell short.

The music is perfect. Just like Old Boy, music is more crucial than other movies. Old Boy is a movie that would make you think of a modernized hero revenge movie that is both realistic and unbelievable. The music have strong presence to help build up that world. Same goes with this movie as it is also a very realistic setting (you know the period of time it is based upon, the characters motives are clear and their actions are) yet with some very unbelievable events when you add everything together.

It isn't a perfect movie, I saw some editing that could be improved here and there. The last part was also a small disappointment for myself. But it is a damn unique movie that you have to watch.

I knew nothing about this film coming into it, other that it being very well considered, and that it has some strong sexual content. This is probably the best way to watch it, as I did not know where the plot was going to start or go. Essentially a con man plans to seduce, marry, and abandon a wealthy unmarried woman – taking her from her uncle and then taking her money. To do this he employs the services of a young pickpocket to work as her handmaiden, and help work the plan from the inside, so to speak.

What the film does with this basic plot is enjoyable and engaging. The narrative is solid, holds the interest without effort, and is very well paced and structured. I wonder would it work as well if I had known the source material, or had more knowledge of the wider plot. As a con, the plot is solidly enjoyable and avoids the silly flamboyance of some films where such a plot would be allowed to turn into a 'caper'. Within the plot are some surprisingly sexual elements, and these sit across the sweet, the sensual, and the dark. There is also a good amount of humor where it matters – in particular in part 1 of the film, this is used well in relation to the main character.

The direction, production values, and general pacing of the film, all work together to give it a beautiful appearance and tone. It is quite sensuous to watch, with such great colors, sets, costumes, and designs. Within this the actors are all strong. Min-hee Kim and Tae- ri Kim in particular are engaging, although the downside of me being into their characters/performances was that it made the heavy nudity in some of their extended scenes feel a bit exploitative in nature. Jung-woo Ha is solid throughout, and Jin-woong Jo is just the right level of monster for the plot to work.

A richly enjoyable film, that sits across so many elements and looks so good that it keeps the plot engaging throughout.

The controversial film from Korean master Chan-wook Park evokes the sexiness of Abdellatif Kechiche's "Blue is the Warmest Colour" and Park's own signature violence and thrills. Set in the 1930s Japanese occupied Korea, it's a story of a young female pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri) who becomes a handmaiden to a beautiful Japanese heiress (Min-hee Kim). However, she must manage to convince the heiress to marry a conman (Jung-woo Ha) who poses as a count, for which she will get a chance for a better life. She gets into a moral dilemma when she starts developing feelings for the heiress.

The Handmaiden is a triumph on every level. The film is divided into three chapters, all giving different perspective. This way, the story is perfectly structured to give more and more insight as the film progresses, but at the same time, keep the viewers guessing. It offers a few surprises along the way as well. Visually, it's a feast for the eyes. The term "every frame a painting" gets overused, but it really fits here. I'm not only talking about cinematography, which offered plenty of memorable shots and beautiful scenery, but the costume and set design. The three leads all gave terrific performances. Musical score by Yeong-wook evokes, or better said, amplifies the emotions and the suspenseful tone. Despite the run time of 2 hours and 24 minutes, it never gets dull, it's very evenly paced throughout. I couldn't look away for a second.

One thing needs to be addressed, the film is quite explicit. That being said, it never gets vulgar, the sex scenes are done in perfect taste, they never feel out of place and they're not there just for the sake of it. The relationship between the characters and the physical presentation of it are integral to the film. It's a film about passion, abuse, jealousy, betrayal and deception, but most of all, it's an atypical love story, which will make one love and hate the protagonists at the same time. It's original and daring work of art that will stick with viewers long after it's finished.

Whenever Chan-wook Park makes a film, it must undoubtedly be compared to his masterpiece, "Oldboy". I don't think that "The Handmaiden" surpasses it, but it comes very close. With this film, he proved himself to be one of the greatest working directors today. It's the best film I've seen this year, one that I can't wait to revisit. It's not to be missed.

"The Handmaiden" is a crazily imaginative and beautiful movie by Chan-wook Park, who is at the top of his game in this story of a pickpocket that tries to steal the fortune of a naive, innocent rich woman that has been secluded in a mansion in the middle of nowhere. Of course, things will start to get complicated soon enough.

Chan-wook Park has done a great job in adapting the original novel by Sarah Waters, and mixing it with the history of the Japanese invasion of Korea at the beginning of the twentieth century. The plot is a little bit silly sometimes, but Chan-wook Park makes it all tight and fast-paced, and even the most silly moment becomes a moment of beauty and fun. From the first moment, the viewer will be enthralled by the story of these two women and their relationship, and every plot development will just add fun to the whole.

If the plot and the direction weren't amazing enough, the movie is as beautiful as they come. From the darkest moment, the most violent, to the most intimate, beauty transpires in every frame, and every scene comes to life and threatens to pop and break free from the screen. This is helped by the amazing work of all the cast, who does an incredible job in bringing this tale to life (it could be criticized, though, some of the heavily accented Japanese, for characters that are supposed to be able to pass as them).

All in all, "The Handmaiden" is proof that a movie can have a plot, amazing direction, acting, scenery, craziness and the most beautiful package possible. And even if it is almost two hours and a half long, it feels like a breeze.

You will fall in love with this movie. Just plain great.