Page 2 November 3, 2016 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Entertainment Check It Out Film Review El Segundo Library Staff Book Reviews and Recommendations A great many advances in medicine and science are exploding the myth of middle age as a time when things start to go downhill for people. Ms. Hagerty uses her own midlife experiences as she struggled to write this book as well as anecdotes from friends, family, and from “regular” folks. She conducted interviews with professionals who are involved in the research and application of methods and understanding of the transformation possible in relation to enjoying our middle years. Some topics discussed include health, memory, purpose in life and the importance of friendship. The sections on friendship stood out to me. I can imagine there are many out there who can relate to the fast pace of life these days and how difficult it can be to spread attention among family, work, medical obligations, and a million other things. Sometimes our friends are neglected while we attend to the other areas that are vying for our consideration. According to Hagerty, friends are like “Swiss Army Knives” of relationships. They do everything from boosting your health, lengthening your life, preserving your memory, helping your career and “gentling” the aging process. It is much more important for people to have robust friendships than it is for them to have close family relationships, says Rebecca Adams, sociologist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She elabo- STARS & STRIPES A M E R I C A N M A D E C L O T H I N G S T O R E COME CHECK US OUT! GREAT CLOTHING INCLUDING DENIM, HATS, BAGS, SHOES AND MORE 1107 Van Ness Ave.Torrance, CA 90501 • 310.320-3207 LEE 101 USA, WOOLRICH, SAVE KHAKI, MINNETONKA MOCCASIN, PENNY, JAN SPORT, DULUTH, REYN SPOONER, TRETORN, BALL, BURTON, STANCE, RAINBOW SANDALS, FILSON, TEVA, NEW YORK HAT, PADDY WAX, RICHER & POORER, SCHOTT USA, STRATHTAY Open Mondays through Saturdays Noon to 6pm “The Handmaiden” is a Tangled Web of Lies, Deceit, and Twisted Romance By Morgan Rojas for www.cinemacy.com “A story is all about the journey,” Uncle Kouzuki says to Count Fujiwara as he cuts off the Count’s fingers one by one, taking joy in the other man’s pain. The sex-obsessed and domineering Uncle, while deplorable in every way, reveals a ring of truth in his observation of what makes a good story, and in the case of director Park Chan-wook’s film “The Handmaiden,” the 2.5-hour journey leads us through a tangled web of sexually-charged Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee in “The Handmaiden.” Courtesy of Amazon Studios / Magnolia Pictures. tension made even more complicated by the layers of lies and deceit. And while the film remains shocking during its entire duration, it is actually a beautiful piece of cinema at its core. This is a film where trying to predict what will happen next is utterly pointless, so best to just sit back and let Park Chan-wook be your guide throughout this multidimensional journey. The scene is set during the 1930s as a young Korean woman, Sookee (Kim Tae-ri), is chosen to work as a handmaiden to the young Japanese heiress Lady Hideko (Min-hee Kim), whose family have all passed away, leaving her the sole proprietor of her family’s fortune. Sookee meets the heiress at the beautiful, yet secluded, Korean estate where she lives with her much older Uncle Kouzuki (Jin-woong Jo)– who has made his plans of marrying her to inherit her wealth very clear. Both women are quickly drawn to each other as the lines of friendship become blurred and sexual tension arises, however, it is Sookee who hides an ulterior motive that may prove to be detrimental. Before being hired as the handmaiden, Sookee made her living as a forgery specialist and master pickpocket. Seeing an opportunity to leave that life behind for good, Count Fujiwara (Jung-woo Ha) devised a plan to get Sookee close to the Lady, with the intention to convince the heiress to marry him instead of her Uncle. Soon after she married the Count, he planned to put Lady Hideko in a mental hospital and keep all of her money to himself. He would give Sookee a cut of the wealth, as well as give her all of the Lady’s clothes and beautiful garments. Sookee knows that following through with the plan is her ticket out of her dead-end life, however, she never anticipated growing so personally attached to and falling in love with Lady Hideko, which leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew and wanted. “The Handmaiden” is divided into three distinct parts, and what I have just described takes place in just the first act. Needless to say, there is much more drama to unfold in the second and third part. The second act delves deeper into the Lady’s childhood growing up alone and her relationship with her twisted uncle, a man who collects pornographic novels and forces his young niece to read them aloud to grown men. While the first act leaves the viewer with one sense of how the film is going to progress, the second act turns that theory upside down. We revisit scenes that occurred in the first act through a new lens in the second and third acts, proving that what you think you know… you really don’t. Park Chan-wook’s phenomenal storytelling abilities are on heightened display here. Using the three-part structure to tell the same story through three very distinct characters gives the film a tangible sense of fullness. Scenes that seemed to be abruptly cut off at the height of tension are revisited and followed through in later acts. Park Chan-wook doesn’t hold back from getting graphic, but he does so in a way that doesn’t feel overly pornographic for shock’s sake. The energy he creates from the environment, the characters, and the situations make for one truly unforgettable viewing experience. All of the performances are effective and wildly entertaining, but it is the debut from actress Kim Tae-ri who plays Sookee that is truly mesmerizing. Tae-ri beat out over 1,500 other actresses to secure the part and it is to her advantage that she had little to no acting experience prior. Her demeanor can best be likened to ‘Belle’ in “Beauty and the Beast.” Both have an innocence that is only intensified by their large, doe-eyes when cautiously roaming through the large estate that is filled with books. While at first naive, they are selfsufficient and prove to have a backbone when they feel like they’re in jeopardy. This may be just a coincidence, but even Sookee’s outfit– a blue long-sleeved dress with a white apron– also seems reminiscent of the Disney princess. If you were not familiar with Park Chanwook’s impressive filmography (credits include “Oldboy” and “Thirst”), before “The Handmaiden,” then you are in for a mind-blowing experience. Often regarded as a Renaissance man of Korean cinema, Park Chan-wook does what all excellent filmmakers strive to do– create a technically engrossing and emotionally compelling story that resonates with its audience long after the credits have stopped rolling. “The Handmaiden” should serve as an example of masterfully executed cinema from both sides of the camera. Despite “The Handmaiden’s“ rather lengthy runtime with both Japanese and Korean subtitles, this is the rare occurrence where I am actually looking forward to re-watching the film again, knowing that when I do, I’ll walk away with an even deeper appreciation of Park Chan-wook’s unique style. ‘The Handmaiden’ is not rated and runs 144 minutes. Now playing at ArcLight Cinemas, The Landmark, and other select theaters. • Life Reimagined: The Science, Art and Opportunity of Midlife By Barbara Bradley Hagerty a 20-year correspondent for NPR (National Public Radio) rates: “Family includes a lot of people you might not get along with or you might not have chosen to have in your family, because it can lead to stress and other deleterious effects on the body. With friendships, you tend to keep the ones that benefit you, so they have a bigger impact on the ones that actually benefit you.” Then, there’s loneliness. Loneliness can make even healthy people sick, says John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. Historic numbers of middle-aged people live alone. They are either single or divorced, scattered across the country, disconnected from their families of origin. Work drives more middle-aged folks to act as independent contractors or freelancers, since our new economy tends to favor younger, cheaper, tech-savvy employees. Often times there is no workplace in which colleagues can socialize. As the Beatles sang, (we) get by with a little help from (our) friends. Ms. Hagerty has an engaging style of writing and her insights as well as the people she interviews are compelling and important. You CAN change your brain and your attitude. You CAN find your purpose in life. You CAN have that second or third encore in your life. The El Segundo Public Library offers access to its collection of titles in a variety of formats, including traditional hardback, e-books and books on CD. To check out Life Reimagined, or any other title on your to-read list, please visit the library to apply for your free library card, or please contact the reference staff for further assistance. Reviewed by Roz Templin, Library Assistant, El Segundo Public Library. • Roz Templin. Life Reimagined: The Science,Art and Opportunity of Midlife by Barbara Bradley Hagerty. Like Us on Facebook
Torrance_110316_FNL_lorez
To see the actual publication please follow the link above