No on the dumplings but pass the squid

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2008)

First of all, I NEVER miss a South Korean film even though there have been 200 in all made for release. When I saw OLDBOY, I was mostly captivated by how nice the prison was and thoughtful to give the prisoners television. From there, it all was a question mark as to why people told me I MUST see it. There is no need for all the praise this film received or even the awards. I saw it won the Palme D'Or or first prize at the Cannes film festival which I have attended five times and sat by the jury section, because the head was an old friend of mine in the 60's, and I saw some really dreadful films get top awards and cinema was becoming very French and avant garde with New Wave directors and exuberance was riding the crest of fresh filmmaker and film-making. Well, this is the 21st century and OLDBOY was about as substandard a piece of "genius" as I have ever seen at Cannes or anywhere including my lazy-boy and giant screen and theater like stereo. Just remember that the French still consider Jerry Lewis a great filmmaker the next time you stand up cheering "Bravo!". IF all of you who thought this was brilliant, you never saw MY SASSY GIRL...talk about revolutionary film-making! It helps one understand real comedy in ways which put Billy Wilder in the bottom drawer.FANTABULOUS!BTW it IS avant garde.