DionysoReal

I've read Ram Dass's "Be Here Now" and "Journey of Awakening". I've seen his other books on the shelf like "How Can I Help" and "Grist for the Mill" and though it's been a while, I recall his account of meeting his guru for the first time from "Be Here Now" which is retold in this doc. Being familiar with him, Fierce Grace felt very natural to me like a visit from an old, trusted friend. I soaked in the Kirtan chanting of Krishna Das as well. Beautiful. The footage of the gatherings of like minded youth at his family's estate and the story of his psychedelic experimenting which eventually led to his spiritual journey were magical.

Let me say this is some Real Stuff from life. We all have our struggles in life and this film shows others struggling through things like the death of loved ones and having to deal with the aftermath of a stroke. It gave me strength to deal with my own issues and to remember the process of life from the more eternal perspective. Thanks Ram Dass!

Be warned, this is not for the squeamish nor for the hack. This is some serious pain and agony and no New Age Fluff. You will witness the soul depart and communicate to loved ones through a medium. Trance possession and graphic blood sacrifice for feeding a ravenous spirit, as well as deep mourning for the deceased will disturb you. I thought wrongly that I would see something akin to funeral rites but I saw powerful catharsis and deep ritual imagery that made me squirm at times but gripped my attention tight as a vice. Some ancient practices evoked a more harsh existence and powerful, primal spirit presence in some scenes scared the hell out of me.

The beauty of deep understanding still comes through and challenges one to rethink some of the things we are spoon fed by those who seek to hide or dilute the reality of death and pain in existence. It makes those popular psychics with their vague premonitions seem vain and immature, while pandering for the ratings and fame instead of being meaningful. Brush aside the feel good, watered down spirituality that is so out of touch and you might confront the passion, power and the mystery of the soul's journey. Outstanding for those interested in Shamanism, the Supernatural, Anthropology, and Ancient practices.

Very realistic in tone but with the film makers perspective tacked on, this gangster flick doesn't take itself too seriously. It sure seems like it could be happening somewhere in Korea right now and that's what may be the gimmick that will hook you.

Imagine a hungry, low level gangster on the rise and the murders and betrayals that go along with it. Throw in an old friend, who happens to be a scriptwriter, who picks the gangster's brain for authenticity for a script he is working on and there you go. After watching it a second time around, I was impressed by the portrayal of the Gangster Byung Doo. When he kills it kills him inside, when he fights he unleashes a fury and when he plots he is quietly cold. He is loyal to his boys to a fault; but those who stand in his way, no matter what their position or rank may be, better watch their backs. Watch the story of the gangster on the rise and then see the consequences unfold before your eyes. The clean cut killer has his day in the sun and his heart of gold is stained with blood. The backs he stabbed return to him in a "novel" way in this one, literally. "What goes around comes around," so they say.

The fight scenes are chaotic and violent instead of ultra stylish. Pace is a little slow and of course there is the obligatory love interest and sad upbringing back story that tries to garner sympathy for the tragic anti-hero. "Running Wild(Ya-Soo)" is more intense a drama and "Bittersweet Life(Dalkoman Insaeng)" is better in the action department. Those two movies had me pumped throughout but this one required a bit more patience. This is more of a brooding type of film that comes at you with the unique angle of the film maker as an actual character who is pivotal to the story that unfolds.

I must confess I don't get a lot of his films but I adored "Spring, Summer Fall, Winter and Spring again". Now I see that this man just comes from a different place with his stories. He is not trying to be commercial. He is brave enough to make some weird stuff but without formulaic endings and feel good clichés. The man is stretching the boundaries of our perception and disturbing our sensibilities enough to make us remember what we just saw whether we liked it or not. For that I give him his due.

Hwal is another zen story in my eyes but with a bit of Shamanism as well. The imagery is once again luscious with Buddhism and nature with beautiful Korean traditional wedding costumes also. The old man and young girl thing disturbed me to no end but that was the intent. There was something sincerely loving between them even though one's moral sensibilities are assaulted from the get go. As the young man enters the picture in what would seem a more appropriate love interest the conflict begins. Just as things start to seem to turn normal the magic begins and the spiritual enters the mundane like an old Korean fairy tale.

Good stuff baby! Homicide Detective JANG and Chief Inspector OH are hot on the trail of the ever elusive and seemingly untouchable Gangster boss YU.

Now Jang is like a thug himself beating out confessions and going on vigilante rampages but the man is on a mission of revenge. Inspector OH , on the other hand is your clean cut, by the book career cop trying to make the world a better place by fighting organized crime. Extenuating circumstances bring the two together because they are after the same people essentially in Boss YU and his crime family.

Boss YU is not one to be trifled with as he is major connected in legitimate and illegitimate ways to the top of the food chain in the gangster and political scene. He is like the Zen Master Gangster who is adept at the Art of War. He is always pulling something out to escape the clutches of his foes and those who are against him or stand in his way always face death or double cross.

The tension is high and the pace never relents. Each scene plays out like a chess game that is opening up as the story unfolds revealing bits and pieces of a murderous game. The acting is superb if you like intensity and the quality of production is impressive to say the least. The characters are definitely attention getting. The tension between the three main players just burns with each pursuing a destiny that consumes them.

Wonderful fairy tale movie! A charming village full of innocent, simple people really show some jaded soldiers how to step out of that mentality of fear. In the process of dealing with personal demons and bonding with the villagers, a wonderful transformation takes place between the North and South Korean soldiers toward each other.

The bonding between the soldiers and villagers and the innocence that the soldiers try to protect really hits home. The village's crazy girl was quite endearing --another symbol of innocence which is a major theme. She will remind you of a little child that never grows.

All the politics and harsh realities of the war is secondary to the possibility that the village of Dongmakgol represents. Though more jaded folks might blast the movie as ignoring reality, we all could use a break from all the hate and war in the world couldn't we?

OK folks here is the rebuttal to the one star dis:

Korean propaganda you say? So Hollywood is not biased? What about Hong Kong or Mainland China? What about all the Tibetan films coming out against China. What about all the Japanese assertions of superiority and denials of atrocities during WW2? Get the picture? Let me give you some parallels. If your country was invaded and your culture was systematically erased or someone attempted this and succeeded then you have the situation of Native Americans. If you were used as slave labor you have the situation of the African Americans. Japan tried to do both to Koreans and got away with a lot of it. No reparations I know of came out of it. If you think the Native Americans or African Americans are biased they have a good reason to be and you probably will write it off as the past. Don't write off the past. Don't ignore the Legacy inside people. It will come back to bite you.

So be mad all you want and call it propaganda but the people you take issue with suffered devastatingly by the people they take issue with. It is till going on today. Check out what Ichiro said about Koreans during the World Baseball Tournament and see the Korean backlash. You really weren't there or descended from either one of these people so you have a rosy picture of Koreans and Japanese. You don't even know the beginning of the injustices, cultural looting, rape and pillaging and slavery that went on. So do some research which you haven't and you will better understand why a bias in a film is nothing compared to what actually happened in real life. Don't you think the film makers wanted to create a strong reaction? If you are still reading thanks for indulging me please forgive any unpleasant tone as it was not directed to any particular group. Just toward an attitude of ignoring a whole peoples'sentiment that is more than justified. The future is a result of the past.

Heres my "biased" review Please take with a grain of salt:

Like "Yeokdosan" which is a very similar story of a Korean rising in importance to Japan, "Fighter in the Wind" shows a person who overcomes through sheer determination and stubbornness all the popular sentiment of inferiority surrounding him in a nation that is not his. Thus he rises to great status despite the discrimination and attitude of superiority against him. If you would like a less fairy tale and more realistic and slickly produced drama, I heartily recommend "Yeokdosan" which is about a Korean wrestler who becomes a star in America and a legend in Japan.

The visuals are a treat. I sense a bit of a limited budget so don't expect the most elaborate settings and extras but enjoy scenes of Power Karate instead of the Hyperkinetic wushu films of late. Yang Don Gun really did a great performance as the MAN. If you saw Rocky or any of Jackie Chan's earlier works you know the story. Underdog gets beat and then underdog finds courage and a trainer and goes back for revenge. Mas Oyama did go to the mountains and discovered something about himself there and the rest is history.

If you did just a documentary it would not have the impact that a well produced drama would. You need conflict and memorable characters purposely designed to stir a reaction. You need to show the hatred, fear and injustice to get the people into it. The greater the hardship and the odds the more memorable the story and Character/Hero.

Sammo and Donnie are already tops to me but I think that the reviews are a little generous. I understand we don't have many options so we are really going through Kung Fu withdrawal. It's OK though I am still with you in spirit.

Of course, I wanted more fighting!!! Sammo movies always had endearing characters that grew on you. Sad to say, I barely got to know these characters. There were too many clichés that didn't work for me either. Funny, I was rooting for Sammo and his assassin the whole time. I guess I just didn't like the police characters in this film. They just didn't make me believe their cause. The little girl and a brain tumor were just too trite. Too much is taken for granted from the viewer as if the lines are clearly drawn without taking the time to let it sink in. Before I knew it, it was over. Felt like a tease.

I wouldn't complain if it had more fighting. Then I would be smiling with glee and the other complaints would be minor. Still, I would rather have seen it than not. Wireless fighting rules! I can still think of tons of approaches to making martial arts films that haven't been done yet.