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thegirlwhogotoverit
Reviews
Yo (2007)
Thought provoking and disturbing
Yo tells the intriguing story of Hans, who moves from Germany to Mallorca to take up a job as a groundsman on a large estate. Lost (in more ways than one) from the moment he arrives in the small town, Hans struggles against a bleak and somewhat ominous atmosphere from the word go. None of the locals seem interested in his attempts at conversation, and those who do engage with him can't seem to remember his name which becomes even stranger when one realises that the previous groundsman was also named Hans.
The first Hans was a dominant, somewhat dangerous character, and his shadow hangs heavy over the new Hans as he tries to forge his own place in the community. In a village where names seem to define not just identity but also station, Hans struggles to keep himself distinct from his predecessor in the minds of both the villagers and himself.
A fascinating and disturbing film, Yo has something to say about how circumstance and the opinions of others can come to define us. Well made and making excellent use of light and mis-en-scene (especially reflections, and that door to old Hans' bedroom that can never seem to stay closed), the film's subtle air of menace keeps one on edge even during the most innocuous of scenes.
Alex Brendemuhl as Hans nails his character's gradually escalating confusion and frustration, and brings an endearing dorkiness to Hans, which contrasts nicely with the "ladies man" reputation of the old Hans. Without spoiling the climax, I can say that it poses more questions than it answers; Yo is sure to leave everyone who sees it talking about it for days.
Gau ngao gau (2006)
Immensely entertaining
Dog Bite Dog isn't going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. Full of slapping, stabbing and shooting (but don't worry the lead's a terrible shot), it can best be described as a violent romp through Hong Kong and Cambodia. Edison Cheng plays Pang, a Cambodian assassin in town to kill a barrister. Despite being filthy from his journey, he's almost immediately seated at a huge table in the middle of an obviously expensive restaurant. If this sounds wildly implausible to you, you should probably avoid this film. It acted as my cue to suspend disbelief, and I had a lot more fun for it.
Chasing Pang down is Wai (Sam Lee), a young, edgy cop who likes to smack people around almost as much as he likes to smoke. Wai walks a fine line that has Internal Affairs investigating him, and his father, a legendary Good Cop, is in a coma following a drug deal that went south (the implication is that Wai is letting his father take the rap for his own corrupt dealings).
There are a car crashes, lots of killings, and a strange and awkward love story on offer here, all played out in almost comic-book style. I suspect the humour was deliberate (nobody uses gargantuan concrete bludgeons without an eye for the extravagantly absurd), though the over-the-top nature lost a number of my fellow audience members. There are at least three points where the film might have ended, and at 109 mins it may have benefited from more ruthless editing, or the deletion of one of the narrative threads (the light-hearted stuff worked well, so I would have left out the interactions with the three fathers).
I'm inclined to give it a (high) pass, however, if only because of the ending I've rarely heard so many people laugh so loudly at what should have been a poignant moment. This is one to see with a group of friends who love the ridiculous