I have not seen many remarkable motion pictures in the last few years. I may not be exposed to enough new and original creations, since Panama is not the best city to go to the cinema, monopolized by American mainstream productions. Through a fan of Asian cinema, I have lately watched a few films from Japan, China and South Korea that have really impressed me. On top of the list I place South Korean Ki-duk Kim's beautiful tale "Seom", a metaphor of an erotic obsession and gender submission, which in a way reminded me of Nagisa Oshima's "Aï no corrida". But while Oshima opted for a naturalistic representation of sex to narrate a true story, Kim's parable is frequently approached from a distance, with his characters' physicality and motivations subtly emerging from their actions and their placing in the beautiful fishing resort where all the story takes place. When Kim does get closer... well, you better be on guard, although the sadistic elements of the story make it more fascinating. "The Isle"'s last images are among the most striking (and unexpected) I've seen in decades. Highly recommended.
