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By Dean Crawford KOREAN DVD CORNER THE SMALL SCREEN 85 stoker (스토커) The Last stand (라스트 스탠드) Directed by Park Chan-wook Directed by Kim Jee-woon The worldwide success and subsequent cult status of films such as “Oldboy” (2003) and “Lady Vengeance” (2005) meant that it was only a matter of time before Park Chan-wook made his way to Hollywood. His debut came last February when he adapted one of the hottest scripts on the 2010 black list, “Stoker,” written by Wentworth Miller (of “Prison Break” fame). On the morning of her 18th birthday, India Stoker’s father is tragically killed in a car ac- cident, leaving India alone with her mother, Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). During the funeral, India’s uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) ap- pears in an attempt to help his family through this tragic time. Whilst Evelyn is smitten, In- dia (Mia Wasikowska) senses that under- neath his dashing exterior, something isn’t quite right with her Uncle Charlie. “Stoker” (2013) is a subtle film filled with symbolism and metaphors that drive the nar- rative. For example, the sexual tensions that transpire from the playing of a piano or the fitting of a pair of shoes say more than any line of dialogue ever could. Whilst the acting is admirable, the real star of the film is the direction. From the first minute, we realize we are watching some- thing unique as the opening titles come alive and move along with the panning camera. India’s senses are incredibly heightened, so Park cranks up the sound, allowing us to hear everything the way she does, at times uncomfortably so. Colors are rich and full, al- most dreamlike, which forces the viewer to question the validity of what we are actually seeing. Given the film’s title and the way In- dia interacts with her uncle Charlie, it’s no surprise that many thought that this could well be a vampire film. Thankfully, it’s not. For those of you hoping to see another “Oldboy,” this might not be the film for you. “Stoker” is essentially a coming-of-age tale, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a mys- tery, it’s a thriller; it’s a piece of art. With the amount of buzz that surrounded Park Chan-wook and “Stoker” (2013), you could be forgiven for forgetting that Kim Jee- woon actually beat Park to the punch in releas- ing his Hollywood directorial debut, arguably with greater fanfare. “The Last Stand” (2013) was not only Kim’s English-language debut, but also the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a bona fide leading action man. The early buzz was strong. Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) is working what is expected to be a highly une- ventful weekend in the close-knit, sleepy town of Sommerton Junction, Arizona, as the local football team, along with most of the town, is away for the big game. There’s nothing for his deputies to do except shoot slabs of meat on the farm of eccentric gun-nut Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville). The weekend doesn’t go quite as planned, though, after a deadly cartel boss, Gabriel Cortez, breaks out of jail with plans to cross the Mexican border via Som- merton. Little do they know that Owens is a former narcotics agent from LA who, despite leaving the big city behind, is still in posses- sion of his morals and his marksmanship. As you would expect from a Kim Jee-woon film, there are some thrilling visuals. Cortez’s escape is particularly impressive, with several long takes and excellent camera work. Even though the film isn’t particularly violent (by Kim’s standards anyway), it still has one of the best deaths by flare gun I have ever seen on celluloid. There is a lot of humor to counteract the shootouts, mainly from John- ny Knoxville, who is funny if you’re into that sort of thing, I guess. If you were one of the many viewers who got lost in the initial hype surrounding Arnie’s big return and were expecting something more than a generic action flick, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But if you go into it with the right mindset, “The Last Stand” is an en- joyable film. Rated R Action/Crime 107 minutes R Drama/Thriller 99 minutes Rated