So if you’ve ever perused this blog, you’ll by now be made aware of the fact that I am a huge fan of foreign films, be they good or bad. I’m fascinated by the similarities and differences of American versus Foreign, and how the blending of the cultures creates an overall appealing movie. People are generally the same from continent to continent; the same gripes, hopes, dreams, and setbacks. But the subtle cultural differences seem to pop creatively on film. My latest pick is a bad boy out of South Korea titled “A Better Tomorrow”, which is a 2010 remake of the original 1986 Hong Kong classic that featured shoot ‘em up action titan Yun-Fat Chow. In short, the film centers around two brothers, separated at a young age, that end up re-connecting years down the road. One brother chose the police force and the other followed a life of crime, so we can predict the inevitable clashes that arise with that; in addition, we have the usual double crossing bad guy that you end up hating by the end of the movie. While I’m generally opposed to remakes and ‘re-imaginings’, this is a solid version of a true gem.
A Better Tomorrow – 2010
A Better Tomorrow – 1986- and yes, the music is ridiculously cheesy, so it’s perfectly ok if you bust out into uncontrollable laughter. It’s not every day that you get to see gigantic explosions and blazing guns while listening to sappy Hong Kong power pop.
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