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Subway Cinema Coming Attractions:
NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL - Asian Films Are Go!!! (June 16 - July 1)

Visit our archive for previous editions of the NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL:
2004
and 2005.




September 30 - October 7, 2004

The New York Film Festival opens this week, as well as a Shaw Brothers retro at Lincoln Center.

Also, we're offering our readers a chance to win tickets to the NYC premiere of the remake of Takashi Shimizu's JU-ON. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Bill Pullman (and Clea Duvall!), THE GRUDGE is directed by Shimizu himself and features Americans being terrorized by dead Japanese people while living in Japan. Go to the link below and enter your info to be put in the drawing for tickets to the NYC premiere of THE GRUDGE, with the cast and crew in attendance. It'll be on Tuesday, Oct 19 at midnight.
Put SUBCN in the promotional code box to let them know that we sent you:
http://www.fearsmag.com/contests/grunge/grunge_con.php

COMING SOON
October 1 - 17 brings us a great Asian line-up in the New York Film Festival.
For details:
http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyff.htm

October 2 sees a Shaw Brothers retrospective at Lincoln Center - part of the New York Film Festival.
For details:
http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyfffilm2004shaw.htm

October 15 brings Susan Sontag to the Japan Society to curate a series of 10 Japanese movies.
More info:
http://www.japansociety.org/events/series.cfm?id_series=947112741

October 15 will also see the Korean film, UNTOLD SCANDAL, open theatrically in NYC. It's a Korean version of DANGEROUS LIASONS.
More info:
http://www.kino.com/untoldscandal/

October 18-29 sees a great contemporary Hong Kong retro at Lincoln Center.
For details:
http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/programs/10-2004/hongkong04.htm

The American Museum of the Moving Image is screening Yasujiro Ozu's 1959 film, FLOATING WEEDS (119 minutes), as part of their Subway Film series (which has nothing to do with us at Subway Cinema, but we're thinking about suing). It'll play at 6:30PM on Saturday, Oct. 9; and Sunday, Oct. 10 at 6:30PM as well.

November 12-December 2 sees a contemporary Korean Cinema retro at Lincoln Center.

December 3 sees a wide release of Zhang Yimou's HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS.


NOW PLAYING
AMC Empire 25 (42nd Street and 8th Avenue)
GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE (2004, Japan)
Anime fans have been making little puddles on their seats for weeks in anticipation of Mamoru Oshii's follow-up to his ground-breaking GHOST IN THE SHELL. And there's no doubt that this movie is absolutely stunning visually.
Read some reviews:
http://www.mrqe.com/lookup?%5eInnocence+(2004/I)

Angelika Film Center
INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002, Hong Kong, 101 minutes)
Whammy! American independent crime movies don't aspire to anything more ambitious than remaking PULP FICTION and Hollywood crime films have become special effects-clogged action flicks that can be sold on the international marketplace. So who's making good crime movies these days? Everyone else. INFERNAL AFFAIRS is the most gripping and ambitious gangster flick to hit movie screens since...well, since a long time. Head down to Chinatown (or to the New York Film Festival) and check out INFERNAL AFFAIRS 2, and 3 after you've watched IA 1. It rivals the three GODFATHER flicks in terms of epic scope (and, true to form, Kelly Chen is the "in over her head" equivalent of Sofia Coppola, and part 3 is a bit of a disappointment). Action flicks don't get any smarter than this.
Read a review:
http://www.subwaycinema.com/frames/nyaff04-infernal.htm

Anthology Film Archives
BLISSFULLY YOURS (2001, Thailand, 125 minutes)
It won "Un Certain Regard" at Cannes, and smarty-pants film people can't say enough good things about this enigmatic, sultry, sweaty Thai art film by director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. People go on a picnic, and there's lots of ants and sensuality. Apichatpong is being hailed as the great new arthouse director, on a par with Wong Kar-wai, so if you consider yourself a cinema-lover, you owe it to yourself to check him out.
Read a review:
http://www.mrqe.com/lookup?blissfully+yours

Broadway Theater (Broadway and 53rd)
The hit British musical, BOMBAY DREAMS is chuffing along. But even a score by A.R. Rahman (including "Chaiya Chaiya" from DIL SE, and "Shakalaka Baby" from NAYAK), a role for Madhur Jaffrey, the biggest Indian cookbook writer in the West, and inflatable Ganesh statues (plus a big fountain) haven't saved it from almost unanimous critical slams. Yikes! I liked it, but I like Bollywood, and if you don't know Bollywood you probably won't like it, and who in the US knows much about Bollywood? Bolly-bummer.
Ticket info:212-239-6200

Cinema Village
GOODBYE DRAGON INN (Taiwan, 2003)
Daily shows at 1:40PM, 3:45PM, 5:50PM, 7:50PM
Taiwan's arthouse director (does Taiwan produce anything else, these days?) Tsai Ming-liang brings his trademark silences, Buster Keaton deadpan, and drip-drip-drip constant water leakage to the world of movie love. It's the last days in the life of the Fu-Ho theater and they're screening King Hu's masterpiece, DRAGON INN. While the movie runs, lonely people meet and try to connect in the theater, the bathrooms and the ticket booths. The theater is haunted, and actors Miao Tien and Chun Shih are in the audience, watching themselves perform in the movie they made almost 40 years earlier. Some people hate this movie, but a lot of Tsai Ming-liang fans are calling it amazing.
read a review:
http://www.mrqe.com/lookup?goodbye+dragon+inn

Crown New York Twin (Second Avenue and 66th Street)
INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002, Hong Kong, 101 minutes)

ImaginAsian Theater
239 East 59th Street (at Second Avenue)
GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE (2004, Japan)
Daily at 12PM, 2PM, 4PM, 6PM, 8PM and 10PM

Landmark Sunshine (Houston Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE (2004, Japan)
Daily shows 12PM, 5:15PM, 9:55PM; Fri/Sat late show at 11:55PM


34th Street Loews (between 8 and 9 Avenues)
TAEGUKGI (2004, Korea, 145 minutes)
Saving Private Ryan for Korea, this epic war flick replicates the strengths and weaknesses of Spielberg's flick. But somehow TAEGUKGI feels more like an old time Hollywood epic, along the lines of GONE WITH THE WIND or DR. ZHIVAGO, only with more amputated limbs. The promotional effort for this movie doesn't let you know that it's not just the highest grossing movie of all time, but it made TWICE as much money in Korea as its nearest competition (the Lord of the Rings movies). That would be like an American movie making $500 million dollars, instead of leveling out at the $200 million mark which seems to be where our super-blockbusters hover these days. Searing and brutal. Well worth your $10.
Read a review:
http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm04.html#taegukgi


New York Film Festival
October 1 - 17 at Lincoln Center
This year's festival features a strong Asian line-up as well as appearances by filmmakers, including Zhang Yimou. Most shows are sold out but here's a rundown:

Cafe Lumiere - Hou Hsia-hsien's latest

House of Flying Daggers - the latest martial romper stomper from Zhang Yimou, who's rapidly turning into the action director to beat. By the way, Zhang Yimou and Zhang Ziyi will be making an appearance at the screenings.

Tropical Malady - Apichatpong Weerasethakul's latest brain-boggler

Woman is the Future of Man - Hong Sang-Soo's latest Korean art film. Director Hong Sang-Soo will be present at the 8/10 and 9/10 screenings to intro the film and do a Q&A.

The World - from Jia Zhangke, director of Platform

All three INFERNAL AFFAIRS movies (do not miss a chance to watch 1 and 2 back-to-back)

"Elegance, Passion and Cold, Hard Steel," a tribute to the Shaw Brothers Studios. Ivy Ling Po, star of THE LOVE ETERNE, will be at the opening of this special retro.
more info on the Shaw retro at:
http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyfffilm2004shaw.htm

Plus, more info on the rest of the NY Film Festival at:
http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyff.htm
(also, please see the bottom of this page for comments about a non-Asian NY Film Fest recommendation)


Union Square 14 (and other theaters)
HERO (2002, China, 98 minutes)
Right outta the New York Asian Film Festival comes Zhang Yimou's HERO, his eye-popping martial epic starring Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung and Donnie Yen. It's about two years since this movie was released everywhere else in the world, but better late than never. With cornea-blistering visuals by long-time Wong Kar-wai collaborator, Christopher Doyle, this flick is not the Second Coming, as many would have you believe, but it is an awe-inspiring spectacle on the big screen. It took a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and pressure to get this movie released in the US at all, but bless 'em for finally doing it.

Webster Hall
Puffy AmiYumi Concert!!!
October 8 - doors open at 7PM
Japan's disco-pop super-duo, Puffy AmiYumi, are not only a cartoon coming up on the Cartoon Network, but they're a real J-pop band that's hitting Webster Hall for a concert this October. Japanese Power Pop Girl Band Madness unleashed!!!
More info:
http://www.puffyamiyumi.com
Tickets at:
http://www.ticketweb.com/


Super Special Notes!!!
You can show off how smart you are by going to book readings too! Books are those things made of paper that they sell in those Barnes and Noble stores around the coffee shops. They are very flammable, and hurt if they hit you in the head, but apart from that they aren't dangerous.

Ease yourself in slowly by going to the Barnes and Noble store at 6th Avenue and 22nd Street on October 27th @ 7PM to see Koji Suzuki read from his books. He's the guy who wrote THE RING and SPIRAL that the movies are based on.

A TASTE OF CHINATOWN
Saturday, October 2 @ 1PM (until 6PM)
(rain date is October 9)
A chance to wander through Chinatown and eat little bits of food in 30 restaurants for the low, low price of only $1!!! That's right -- $1!!!! It's billed as a "risk-free" opportunity to eat at new restaurants, although I'm not quite sure of what the risk would involve. Death? Abduction? Tummy ache?
More info:
http://www.explorechinatown.com/AutumnMoon/TasteofChinatownTour.pdf


Regular Special Note:
We don't just cover New York! Look! It's proof!
TAE GUK GI is also playing at the Movieworld at Douglaston in Queens (718-423-9200) and the Mayfair Triplex in New Jersey (865-2010), the Brandon Cinemas in Forest Hills and the College Point Multiplex Cinemas in Queens.


AND IN NON-ASIAN FILM NEWS...
Don't miss TARNATION at the NY Film Fest on Tuesday, October 5th at 9pm. The 30-some year old director began documenting his and his mother's tragic lives when he was only11 years old, and he has managed to create a portrait of family life that is both extremely troubling and touching. In brief, his mother - when still a young and beautiful child model - falls off of a roof and is temporarily paralyzed. Believing it all in her head, her parents are persuaded to subject her to twice weekly shock treatments. And when her mental health truly begins to suffer, are the treatments stopped? No. They continue. Still, she grows to marry and - after being abandoned by her husband - has his son... the film's director. Soon, however, she is raped in front of her son, who is subsequently taken from her and placed in a foster home, where he is abused. Then - at 11 - he is released into the careof his mother's parents, who one might fault for her condition.

Still, the remarkable thing about this film is that the director is not interested in pointing fingers or casting blame. Instead, his interest lies in telling of his love and struggles with his mother. And the result is a stunning achievement.


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