Tale of Two Sisters

Tale of Two Sisters


Starring:Claudia Christian, Valerie Breiman, Robert Munic, Sydney Lassick, Jeff Conaway, Laurianne Jameson, Dee Coppola, Brian Belknap, Charlie Sheen, Charity Katz, Tom Hodges, Danielle von Zerneck, Samantha Hallie Culp, Peter Berg
Director: Adam Rifkin
Studio: Simitar Ent.
Product Type: DVD
A Bittersweet Life (Standard Edition) DVD
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bittersweet Review
  • Kim Ji-Woon just keeps getting better and better every time!
  • A Bittersweet Life
  • His Life Really Is Bittersweet
  • solid action movie
A Bittersweet Life (Standard Edition) DVD
Director: Kim Jee Woon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:
  • 1 disc package (region 0 ntsc)

ASIN: B000HAX8ZC

Product Description

"A Bittersweet Life," starring Lee Byung-hun from "Everybody Has a Little Secret" and Shin Mina from "Madeleine," portrays the desperate and brutal revenge of Sun-woo (played by Lee) after he is expelled from his gang and comes close to being killed by his boss. Lee Byung-hun is a hitman who falls for the girlfriend of his boss in the stylishly violent "A Bittersweet Life." Conventional ideas of causation are put into doubt in director Kim Jee-woon's twist on film noire. "A Bittersweet Life (Talkomhan Insaeng)" is what Korean critics are describing as 'Action Noire.' In it, he tweaks the traditional Korean gangster story line, presenting a work with film noire undertones and stylish cinematography.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Bittersweet Review.......2007-07-04

This was a good movie with good acting. My only draw back was the excessive violence.I also wish the ending was different but for those who enjoy this type of drama go for it you will not be disappointed. As usual Lee Byung Hun was great.

4 out of 5 stars Kim Ji-Woon just keeps getting better and better every time!.......2007-04-04

In the same vein as "Oldboy" comes "A Bittersweet Life," a movie so good it shocked me when watching it for the first time. It's a violent revenge movie with a gripping story with some fantastic actors such as Byung-hun Lee. He stars as Seon-woo, an enforcer for President Kang, a very dangerous man and if he wants to get rid of people, Seon-woo is the one taking care of it. The most interesting thing about this movie besides the story being so great is Seon-woo himself. The way Byung-hun Lee has captured the character sure tells that he's a great actor and what's keeping the movie alive from beginning to end. Seon-woo seem to know nothing about what it's like to have a "normal" life, as the world he lives in is only filled with evil and violence. He has a hard front, can be violent and nasty without remorse, but its fairly easy to see through all that and see that he has a gentle side as well, and that makes him interesting.

For instance with all the violence going on in the movie it sometimes seems like he has no conscience and couldn't care less about what happens to other people. His face is like stone with no expressions to reveal what he really feels, if anything. But at the same time you know that there's something more underneath it all, like when he's around the mistress you really get to see that there's more than one side to him, and that makes him a really likable character. Actually, the further the movie goes, the more likable he becomes and you can't help but feeling sorry for him which is a really effective part of the overall experience.

As reviewer K. Jones has put it, this movie does mixes violence and emotions in an excellent way, and even if the violence is a bit too brutal at times, you still have a lot of "nice" things to fall back on. There are a lot of action elements and the movie is quite stylish to say the least, but the most important thing is that it's not the least bit shallow and while its entertaining eye candy at times; you still really care about the characters and what's going on. This is easily one of the best Korean movies I've seen this year, and a movie that I will probably enjoy watching many times in the future. If you're a fan of "Oldboy," you're most likely to find "A Bittersweet Life" to be pretty sweet, both dealing with the concept of revenge but very different from each other. I also recommend "A Tale of Two Sisters" which is also fantastic.

5 out of 5 stars A Bittersweet Life.......2007-04-01

This was a good movie but I did not like the end, it was maybe alittle confusing and it let open some questions of is this real or a dream.

5 out of 5 stars His Life Really Is Bittersweet.......2007-03-30

I just can't get enough of these Korean revenge films because they're just so different and unique from your normal revenge plot. Now of course a film like this or one of the films from Park Chan-wook's "Vengeance trilogy" won't be appreciated by all simply because some may think they go to far with the amount of violence. It really depends on what your limit is but I had no problem with any of these films.

Sun-woo is a mob enforcer and a darn good one, as you'll see in the beginning. While eating desert in the restaurant he manages Sun-woo is alerted that there is a disturbance downstairs. Sun-woo quickly grabs someone (Min-gi) to help handle the situation. Three men are refusing to leave so Sun-woo tells them they have three seconds to leave and starts counting down. When he gets to 1 he tells Min-gi to lock the door. It's a little hard to explain what happens after the door is locked but let's just say Sun-woo handles the situation. Sun-woo has been working for his boss Kang for seven years and has not made a mistake in all those years but everyone makes a mistake at least once in their life. Being in the mob he knows that he can't mess up but what happens is something that he couldn't help.

Come to find out the three men Sun-woo beat up were men from a rival mob family. This was not Sun-woo's only problem; actually this situation only provides half of the story's plot. While avoiding to talk to the boss of the rival family Sun-woo is asked to do something important for his boss. Kang has a mistress (Hee-soo) and suspects that she is seeing another man. Because of the age difference Kang believes that she is tired of him and is seeing a younger man. He asks Sun-woo to watch her for three days while he is away on business. Not only does he have to watch her but also he has to drive her and basically be attached to her hip. If he does find that she is seeing someone else Sun-woo is to either call Kang or take care of it himself. Sun-woo starts to fall for the girl and when he finds that she was unfaithful he can't finish the job.

After all this Sun-woo is caught by the rival family and that's when the good stuff starts. The film just goes crazy, after a few events I won't tell cause I don't want to spoil the film but after them Sun-woo goes on a revenge spree. No matter how bad the pain gets Sun-woo refuses to say sorry or show any remorse for any of the things he's done. He won't stop until he sees the situation to the end and let me tell you he definitely does. For the rest of the film it gets very nasty and bloody for Sun-woo and the men that have wronged him.

I was amazed to see Lee Byung-Hun (Addicted, Everybody Has Secrets) in this film, he did great fight sequences and just an overall perfect performance. The acting in this film was great, very realistic and believable but not over the top. The settings and picture were beautiful, great camera work and very good sound quality. I liked that Sun-woo felt like a real person. At the end when he confronts everyone he seems like a person that has been very hurt and insulted over the reasons he's been attacked. I didn't really see any flaws in A Bittersweet Life but some people will for their own reasons, which I do understand. I do hope that nobody takes this film as trying to bite off of Chan-wook's trilogy because you'll miss out. It's definitely not as complex as the trilogy but at the same time it has its own style and feel to it. Anyone that just wants to see a good film with a simple plot then I definitely encourage you to see this.

3 out of 5 stars solid action movie.......2007-03-05

This isn't going to win an award or anything, but action movies don't get that kind of recognition anyway. This is what I would call a smart action movie. There is good character development, coupled with action that isn't too over the top, killing any suspensed disbelief. I like Korean movies because there is usually an undeniable syle, and they tend to be darker than most american movies. This isn't the cream of the crop for Korean films, but it is entertaining and it does have substance.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best horror films in modern cinema
  • Horror Movie With a Broken Heart
  • Another excellent ghost story
  • Didn't understand it..Didn't like it
  • Hidden treasures
A Tale of Two Sisters
Starring: Kap-su Kim , Jung-ah Yum , Su-jeong Lim , Geun-yeong Mun , and Seung-bi Lee
Director: Ji-woon Kim
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007M237Y
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Amazon.com

Two young sisters recovering from an unnamed trauma must face a mysterious past in this excellent South Korean shocker. A worldwide hit upon its release and based on an old Korean fairy tale; two sisters (wonderfully played by Su-jeong Lim and Geun-yeong Mun) come to live with their cold and distant father and turn-on-a-dime stepmother in a house where nothing is as it seems. A wonderfully haunting score, starkly beautiful imagery, and a labyrinthine plot that twists and turns at every dark corner all set the stage for a riveting and often terrifying guessing game of a movie. Equal parts drama, mystery, and ghost story, A Tale of Two Sisters is a richly complex and challenging cinematic treat that may very well demand repeat viewings. --Matt Wold

Description

Something strange is happening when Su-mi and her younger sister, Su-yeon, come home to their fathers large but dark and somewhat foreboding house after a stay in the hospital. Their dad is taciturn and burdened, and their stepmother, Eun-joo, greets them with forced enthusiasm and more than a little sense of irritation. But thats nothing compared to what happens when bedtime rolls around. Stylish and shocking, this visually arresting tale of family secrets and uncertain realities is based on a traditional Korean folktale. Guaranteed to have you gasping for breath with each successive scare. Youll be kept guessing until the very end of this unique and brilliant film.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best horror films in modern cinema.......2007-07-05

I'll keep spoilers down to a minimum. This is definitely one of those films like "The Crying Game" and "The Sixth Sense" where you can ruin it by giving too much away.

Today, horror cinema is dominated commercially by the U.S. and Japan. American horror films tend to be gore films with few scares and lots of violence. Japanese horror films are more psychological with more scares and less violence but little plot. Korean horror films usually follow the formula of Japanese horror but don't usually match the quality. This film is an outstanding exception. Like most other Korean horror films, this is a psychological horror although it's partially a thriller. However, unlike most of its peers, it has a very strong plot. Although the stories are quite a bit different, I would compare this movie to "The Sixth Sense". Both films are intelligent, scary, and emotionally powerful. That last element is rare in the horror genre and it's nice to see for a change. Horror and thriller films are simply more effective when you can connect with the characters and their pain. Usually, they are just meat.

This film is one part a ghost story, one part a film about domestic abuse, and one part a film about mental illness. It follows two teenage girls who return home from a mental hospital. Their stepmother is outwardly friendly but is slowly revealed to be an abusive monster. The father is a good man with good intentions but he's complacent and does a poor job at listening to his daughters' cries for help. Oh, and their house is apparently haunted.

The movie does a good job at amping up each of the important elements at an appropriate pace and tying them together through the plotline. The ghost story is introduced early, but the topics of domestic abuse and mental illness are gradually built up until the movie turns into an absolute emotional whirlwind. The film also does an excellent job at portraying the daughters sympathetically and in a way that we can truly connect with the characters. The movie is also genuinely scary.

Some people complain that this movie is "confusing". It's definitely a thinking man's horror/thriller. Sometimes it's a little hard to follow, but I'd say it's easier to follow than other artsy films like Mulholland Dr. (which I LOVE). The last few scenes reveal a lot and clear up quite a bit of the confusion. However, it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch repeatedly to understand everything.

If you don't mind a heady and somewhat artsy take on the horror and thriller genres, then I'd recommend picking this one up immediately.

5 out of 5 stars Horror Movie With a Broken Heart.......2007-06-26

This is probably my favorite movie of all time. I absolutely love this movie and recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in a true horror movie -- a horror movie with a broken heart.

I have watched this movie over and over again and I still get terrified at the one scene where The Sister is in bed and the ghost eerily approaches her with strange buzzing noise in the background. I have to warn you. This movie is VERY disturbing. My brother, who has a Phd in philosophy said as much after he borrowed the dvd from me. That should tell you something.

I don't want to spoil the movie (so many people find the movie difficult to understand) so I will only suggest that it could be a story about one sister and her lapse into schizophrenia. The heart-wrenching scene when the father confronts The Sister and Su-yeon (the "other" sister) is incredibly powerful and moving. The acting is absolutely amazing.

The remembrance scene that recalls the tragedy the movie centers around is nothing short of heartbreaking. The step-mother wants to intercede but The Sister comes out of her room and spews such venom at her that the step-mother is enraged and does nothing. And The Sister walks away, ignorant of the tragedy enfolding in another room inside the house.

The Sister lives with the agonizing pain that comes with realizing: "if only I hadn't done this or said that." She knows it's too late and life has forever changed for her. Her actions can never be undone. The heartbreak is too much for The Sister to bear. She creates a false universe where she rewrites the script and brings the dead back to life. Only to be confronted with reality at the end.

Yes there is a ghost in the movie. No, The Sister does not kill the step-mother as has been suggested in other reviews.

This is a movie about having to accept that the greatest horror, tragedy and enduring heartache can result from one human mistake.

5 out of 5 stars Another excellent ghost story.......2007-05-07

This ghost story has a real twist to it! The movie was well written and acted.

1 out of 5 stars Didn't understand it..Didn't like it.......2007-04-15

I have to say that this was aconfusing mis-mash of a movie. I didn't understand half the things that happened in it. The end was a total let down and I'm still puzzled as to who was alive, dead, a ghost, or what. Rent don't buy. I fast forwarded thru parts because it got so slow that I was almost falling asleep several times. i had high hopes from reading the reviews, but my hopes were all dashed.

5 out of 5 stars Hidden treasures.......2007-04-06

I collect Korean movies and this is by far one of my favorites. The story line is excellent and it is not overly obvious to its "intentions" as many horror/suspense movies tend to be lately.
Through out the movie, little "hidden treasures" (the child under the sink, etc.) are given to you...teasing you...some even outright confuse you, however, in the end, when you realize what has "actually happened", you can piece them all together.
TOP NOTCH MOVIE!
A Tale of Two Sisters
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best horror films in modern cinema
  • Good albeit confusing
A Tale of Two Sisters
Starring: Mun Geun-yeong , Yeom Jeong-ah , Im Su-jung , and Kim Gab-su
Director: Kim Jee-Woon
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FZEQFA
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best horror films in modern cinema.......2007-06-25

I'll keep spoilers down to a minimum. This is definitely one of those films like "The Crying Game" and "The Sixth Sense" where you can ruin it by giving too much away.

Today, horror cinema is dominated commercially by the U.S. and Japan. American horror films tend to be gore films with few scares and lots of violence. Japanese horror films are more psychological with more scares and less violence but little plot. Korean horror films usually follow the formula of Japanese horror but don't usually match the quality. This film is an outstanding exception. Like most other Korean horror films, this is a psychological horror although it's partially a thriller. However, unlike most of its peers, it has a very strong plot. Although the stories are quite a bit different, I would compare this movie to "The Sixth Sense". Both films are intelligent, scary, and emotionally powerful. That last element is rare in the horror genre and it's nice to see for a change. Horror and thriller films are simply more effective when you can connect with the characters and their pain. Usually, they are just meat.

This film is one part a ghost story, one part a film about domestic abuse, and one part a film about mental illness. It follows two teenage girls who return home from a mental hospital. Their stepmother is outwardly friendly but is slowly revealed to be an abusive monster. The father is a good man with good intentions but he's complacent and does a poor job at listening to his daughters' cries for help. Oh, and their house is apparently haunted.

The movie does a good job at amping up each of the important elements at an appropriate pace and tying them together through the plotline. The ghost story is introduced early, but the topics of domestic abuse and mental illness are gradually built up until the movie turns into an absolute emotional whirlwind. The film also does an excellent job at portraying the daughters sympathetically and in a way that we can truly connect with the characters. The movie is also genuinely scary.

Some people complain that this movie is "confusing". It's definitely a thinking man's horror/thriller. Sometimes it's a little hard to follow, but I'd say it's easier to follow than other artsy films like Mulholland Dr. (which I LOVE). The last few scenes reveal a lot and clear up quite a bit of the confusion. However, it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch repeatedly to understand everything.

If you don't mind a heady and somewhat artsy take on the horror and thriller genres, then I'd recommend picking this one up immediately.

3 out of 5 stars Good albeit confusing.......2006-08-31

This movie has a good story line: two sisters feel threatened by a stepmother that barely tolerates them.Both sisters were recently released from a hospital, presumably from the trauma of losing their mother-which we are left to guess how it happened-for now. The older sister always tries to protect her little sister from their new stepmother but doesn't always succeed. Strange things happen to the oldest sister but her father seems to be in his own world, not noticing what the dynamics are of the relationship between his daughters and new wife. The story takes several twists before the end and leaves you a bit confused about what actually took place, especially as it bounces back and forth between past and present. In the end, I think I get what the story was trying to tell us but I also think the writers could have left out a twist or two, making it easier to understand.
A Tale of Two Sisters - Tartan Asia Extreme
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • TAE's best yet
A Tale of Two Sisters - Tartan Asia Extreme

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ASIN: B000GSYRY6

Product Description

The most beautiful if not the scariest horror movie in ages - tv guide's movie guide

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars TAE's best yet.......2007-01-21

"A Tale of Two Sisters" meets 2 criteria of great cinema. First, this is the kind of film you think about long after you have watched it -- days, weeks, MONTHS after you have watched it. And second, this is a film that demands -- commands -- repeated viewings, and it just keeps getting better each time. Haunting and stunning images shot brilliantly, a plot that thickens richly, and layers of meaning and possible meanings that unravel (then reravel, then unravel again) like a great chess match. KIM Jee-Woon, I believe, is to the early 21st century what Hitchcock was to the 50's and 60's. Western filmmakers have a new standard to meet. In addition, as the other Tartan Asia Extreme releases, the dvd is digitally mastered masterfully -- sound and color to bring out the best in HD home theaters.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Average customer rating: Not rated
    A Tale of Two Sisters
    Starring: Mun Geun-yeong , Yeom Jeong-ah , Im Su-jung , and Kim Gab-su
    Director: Kim Jee-Woon
    Manufacturer: Tartan Video
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    ASIN: B000FVQYY0
    Release Date: 2005-03-29
    Tale of Two Sisters
    Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    • Too far out there!
    • What the Hell was that?
    Tale of Two Sisters
    Starring: Claudia Christian , Valerie Breiman , Robert Munic , Laurianne Jameson , and Brian Belknap
    Director: Adam Rifkin
    Manufacturer: Simitar Ent.
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    ASIN: 6305065691
    Release Date: 1998-08-04

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Too far out there!.......2002-01-01

    To classify this film as bizzare does not even begin to cover it. Basically, this is an almost totally improvasational tone poem about the victims of an overbearing mother and dysfunctional family.

    You'll find plenty that doesn't make the least bit of sense, and even more that looks like it was only added for "art" value. Much of the film will not make any sense unless you watch the film twice, which I gaurantee isn't something you'll be wanting to do after sitting throught it once. On top of that, because the narrative is so disjointed, and the editing so choppy, you can't fast-forward through the odder parts.

    Fans of this kind of cinema have supported Peter Greenaway for years, and if you like Greenaway's work, you'll feel quite at home with the efforts of Adam Rifkin and his "A Tale of Two Sisters".

    Without a linear storyline, it's difficult to describe what happens. In short, younger, poorer, and wilder sister goes to visit older, more stable, and rich sister at her luxurious L.A. condo after a six-year separation. During the visit, they squawk about The Past.

    Their Mother, a weird cross between Divine, Tammy Faye Bakker, and Dolly Parton, is a destructive and overbearing monster as the girls flash back to childhood events. Their Father is weak and emasculated, and the end result is that younger sister becomes the Rebel and older sister becomes the Stable One.

    Part of the problem with the film is that you never know just what Rifkin is trying to say, which is the inherent danger with this type of loosely-structured narrative. Without anything to tie the scenes together, you're left with a bunch of artsy camera work and actors struggling to make up what their characters are suppossed to say. Greenaway has this down to a science, so much so that you can tell that he adds weird stuff just to BE weird (I've always suspected Greenaway is having a big laugh on the pretentious art crowd by adding bits of pointless stuff to his films, knowing they'll go nuts trying to figure it out and put "meaning" into it all). Unfortunately, Rifkin is not in the same league as Greenaway, and this film may be why he drifted into more mainstream projects after this one.

    Besides Claudia Christian of "Babylon 5" fame, "Taxi" alum (and later "B5" alum), Jeff Conaway has a bit part as (what else?), a taxi driver. The only other familiar name in the cast is that of Charlie Sheen, who narrates with his "poetry". Want a sample?

    "They used to call me Wheezy/ Now they call me Moe./ Busted liver, three-pronged freebase device/ My chin, she is on fire!/ The erosion was fast, the lectures were not./ He pondered high atop the mountain of fig newtons..."

    Want another? How about this one?

    "Black and blue skidmark lunchbox drools pasta prima./ Frozen bacon pie suffering from the the heat cries out in salted pork./ FREEZE FRAME!/ Mom and Dad are trying to think, we hope..."

    This gives you an idea how the film is set up, because Sheen's "poetry" compliments it perfectly. If you sit through it twice, you will only then be able to understand that the tripe Sheen is babbling is somewhat related to the storyline of the film (such as it is). Otherwise, it's pointless, and I think Sheen was just there for name value.

    And if you think you have a pretentious, bad movie on your hands that's just right for your own MST3k party, forget it! Strangely enough, the film's own disjointed structure (which makes the film almost unviewable for most filmgoers), innoculates it from MSTie-ing. This is too bad, because the characters are just begging for it. For God's sake, there's even a mime!

    In all fairness, this type of work is for the ultra-serious film buff or "artiste", not the average person. The actors do their best, and the cinematography rocks. I have to give it three stars for that, plus that fact that this is an indie, non-Hollywood effort. There is a place for this kind of cinema, but it is better left to art classes and pretentious art bars in Greenwich Village.

    3 out of 5 stars What the Hell was that?.......2000-12-14

    You may look at the cover and be turned off but but don't be. This is one wicked funny movie. Its the most obscure thing I've ever seen. Give it a try.
    A Tale of Two Sisters (Deluxe Edition)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • One of the best horror films in modern cinema
    • Horror Movie With a Broken Heart
    • Another excellent ghost story
    • Didn't understand it..Didn't like it
    • Hidden treasures
    A Tale of Two Sisters (Deluxe Edition)
    Starring: Kap-su Kim , Jung-ah Yum , Su-jeong Lim , Geun-yeong Mun , and Seung-bi Lee
    Director: Ji-woon Kim
    Manufacturer: Tartan Video
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    ASIN: B0007M2374
    Release Date: 2005-03-29

    Amazon.com

    Two young sisters recovering from an unnamed trauma must face a mysterious past in this excellent South Korean shocker. A worldwide hit upon its release and based on an old Korean fairy tale; two sisters (wonderfully played by Su-jeong Lim and Geun-yeong Mun) come to live with their cold and distant father and turn-on-a-dime stepmother in a house where nothing is as it seems. A wonderfully haunting score, starkly beautiful imagery, and a labyrinthine plot that twists and turns at every dark corner all set the stage for a riveting and often terrifying guessing game of a movie. Equal parts drama, mystery, and ghost story, A Tale of Two Sisters is a richly complex and challenging cinematic treat that may very well demand repeat viewings. --Matt Wold

    Description

    Something strange is happening when Su-mi and her younger sister, Su-yeon, come home to their fathers large but dark and somewhat foreboding house after a stay in the hospital. Their dad is taciturn and burdened, and their stepmother, Eun-joo, greets them with forced enthusiasm and more than a little sense of irritation. But thats nothing compared to what happens when bedtime rolls around. Stylish and shocking, this visually arresting tale of family secrets and uncertain realities is based on a traditional Korean folktale. Guaranteed to have you gasping for breath with each successive scare. 2 disc set features over 2 hours of bonus footage.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars One of the best horror films in modern cinema.......2007-07-05

    I'll keep spoilers down to a minimum. This is definitely one of those films like "The Crying Game" and "The Sixth Sense" where you can ruin it by giving too much away.

    Today, horror cinema is dominated commercially by the U.S. and Japan. American horror films tend to be gore films with few scares and lots of violence. Japanese horror films are more psychological with more scares and less violence but little plot. Korean horror films usually follow the formula of Japanese horror but don't usually match the quality. This film is an outstanding exception. Like most other Korean horror films, this is a psychological horror although it's partially a thriller. However, unlike most of its peers, it has a very strong plot. Although the stories are quite a bit different, I would compare this movie to "The Sixth Sense". Both films are intelligent, scary, and emotionally powerful. That last element is rare in the horror genre and it's nice to see for a change. Horror and thriller films are simply more effective when you can connect with the characters and their pain. Usually, they are just meat.

    This film is one part a ghost story, one part a film about domestic abuse, and one part a film about mental illness. It follows two teenage girls who return home from a mental hospital. Their stepmother is outwardly friendly but is slowly revealed to be an abusive monster. The father is a good man with good intentions but he's complacent and does a poor job at listening to his daughters' cries for help. Oh, and their house is apparently haunted.

    The movie does a good job at amping up each of the important elements at an appropriate pace and tying them together through the plotline. The ghost story is introduced early, but the topics of domestic abuse and mental illness are gradually built up until the movie turns into an absolute emotional whirlwind. The film also does an excellent job at portraying the daughters sympathetically and in a way that we can truly connect with the characters. The movie is also genuinely scary.

    Some people complain that this movie is "confusing". It's definitely a thinking man's horror/thriller. Sometimes it's a little hard to follow, but I'd say it's easier to follow than other artsy films like Mulholland Dr. (which I LOVE). The last few scenes reveal a lot and clear up quite a bit of the confusion. However, it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch repeatedly to understand everything.

    If you don't mind a heady and somewhat artsy take on the horror and thriller genres, then I'd recommend picking this one up immediately.

    5 out of 5 stars Horror Movie With a Broken Heart.......2007-06-26

    This is probably my favorite movie of all time. I absolutely love this movie and recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in a true horror movie -- a horror movie with a broken heart.

    I have watched this movie over and over again and I still get terrified at the one scene where The Sister is in bed and the ghost eerily approaches her with strange buzzing noise in the background. I have to warn you. This movie is VERY disturbing. My brother, who has a Phd in philosophy said as much after he borrowed the dvd from me. That should tell you something.

    I don't want to spoil the movie (so many people find the movie difficult to understand) so I will only suggest that it could be a story about one sister and her lapse into schizophrenia. The heart-wrenching scene when the father confronts The Sister and Su-yeon (the "other" sister) is incredibly powerful and moving. The acting is absolutely amazing.

    The remembrance scene that recalls the tragedy the movie centers around is nothing short of heartbreaking. The step-mother wants to intercede but The Sister comes out of her room and spews such venom at her that the step-mother is enraged and does nothing. And The Sister walks away, ignorant of the tragedy enfolding in another room inside the house.

    The Sister lives with the agonizing pain that comes with realizing: "if only I hadn't done this or said that." She knows it's too late and life has forever changed for her. Her actions can never be undone. The heartbreak is too much for The Sister to bear. She creates a false universe where she rewrites the script and brings the dead back to life. Only to be confronted with reality at the end.

    Yes there is a ghost in the movie. No, The Sister does not kill the step-mother as has been suggested in other reviews.

    This is a movie about having to accept that the greatest horror, tragedy and enduring heartache can result from one human mistake.

    5 out of 5 stars Another excellent ghost story.......2007-05-07

    This ghost story has a real twist to it! The movie was well written and acted.

    1 out of 5 stars Didn't understand it..Didn't like it.......2007-04-15

    I have to say that this was aconfusing mis-mash of a movie. I didn't understand half the things that happened in it. The end was a total let down and I'm still puzzled as to who was alive, dead, a ghost, or what. Rent don't buy. I fast forwarded thru parts because it got so slow that I was almost falling asleep several times. i had high hopes from reading the reviews, but my hopes were all dashed.

    5 out of 5 stars Hidden treasures.......2007-04-06

    I collect Korean movies and this is by far one of my favorites. The story line is excellent and it is not overly obvious to its "intentions" as many horror/suspense movies tend to be lately.
    Through out the movie, little "hidden treasures" (the child under the sink, etc.) are given to you...teasing you...some even outright confuse you, however, in the end, when you realize what has "actually happened", you can piece them all together.
    TOP NOTCH MOVIE!
    A Tale of Two Sisters
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      A Tale of Two Sisters

      Manufacturer: Red Sun
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

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      ASIN: B000AS63N0

      Product Description

      Two sisters, Su-Mi and Su-Yeon, come home after recovering from a long illness. Their new stepmother, Eun-Joo, welcomes them; but Su-Mi, the elder sister, intentionally avoids her while Su-Yeon, the younger sister, shows fear for her weird stepmother. After their first dinner back home, Su-Mi and Su-Yeon go to bed in their dark and dismal rooms. One day, Mu-Hyun goes into town and Su-Mi can't find her sister Su-Yeon anywhere. Feeling petrified, Su-Mi looks all over the house for her sister and then discovers bloody stains on the floor...
      A Bittersweet Life (Director's Cut Version) [Region 3 Import]
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        A Bittersweet Life (Director's Cut Version) [Region 3 Import]

        Manufacturer: CJ Entertainment
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        Product Features:
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        ASIN: B000IHB6WG

        Product Description

        2 Disc Set

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        1. Bend It Like Beckham / Drumline
        2. Break of Dawn
        3. Big Chance
        4. Bottom Feeders
        5. Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
        6. Dead Heart
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