Oasis
by LEE Chang-Dong
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DVD details
Actor: SOL Kyung-gu; MOON So-ri; AHN Nae-sang; RYOO Seung-wanDirector: LEE Chang-Dong
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Korean (Original Language), Unknown
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-23
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Lifesize Home Entert
DVD Reviews of Oasis
DVD Review: A very special story about "special people"
Summary: 5 Stars
The tribulations of handicapped lovers, one physically and the other socially. It wants to make me treat people with disabilities with more understanding and sympathy, not just helping occasionally. DVD Review: jaw dropper
Summary: 4 Stars
As a fan of Korean cinema, I have come across some films that are either cookie-cutter romantic-comedies, run-of-the-mill action films, and the occasional WTF film. I love it when I watch a movie that is an experience in and of itself. "Oasis" is a "WTF" movie in many ways - it's so unique in so many ways. This ranks up there with "Tae Guk Gi", "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Mr Vengeance" in terms of high-quality, original film making.
It actually did remind me of a B American movie "The Other Sister" but in no way are these two movies similar.
I should point out that it is (of course) a Korean language film with embedded English subtitles. My main DVD player would not display them (as they are not toggle-able in the main menu) but my Playstation 2 played the movie just fine. Just FYI.
I hate it when someone ruins a movie for me so let me just end with a word of advice: this movie is dirty, realistic, heartbreaking, and tender.
DVD Review: This movie will accept you for who your are...
Summary: 4 Stars
I must say the grace and beauty of this film left me speechless with its powerful portrayal of two outcast Koreans. One, a young man with multiple incarcerations and nowhere to belong, is wondrously portrayed by Sol Kyung-Gu, while the other performance is, in my estimation, perhaps the finest performance anywhere of 2002. So-ri Moon portrays a young lady with cerebral palsy who is basically abandoned by her family and left to fend for herself much of the time, except when they can manipulate the system for her subsidized apartment.
Moon's portrayal is so completely absorbing that it is impossible to not draw comparison to Daniel Day-Lewis in "My Left Foot." It is, without a doubt, one of the best portrayals of an adult with a disability in cinema. Moon captures the physicalization of her character so completely, so accurately that it is often painful and tiring to watch her. This, in some ways, is a "stick with it film." The first few minutes are quite challenging to watch as the viewers is forced to adjust to the constant spastic behavior, the difficult speech and the aberrant behavior of her soon to be beau.
A lot of viewers will cringe early on as the young woman is faced with a near rape by the man who grows to care about her, accept her and ultimately love her beyond what most would ever recognize as love. Watching the scene where he begins to assault her, then suddenly and rather horrifyingly recognizes his behavior is one of the most painful scenes I've ever seen in a film. The pain of both perpetrator and victim is pushed to the forefront and, in essence, becomes one. As the two become closer, the film deals powerfully with the taboos of society...the alleged impossibility of loving a person with a disability...of being sexual with a person with a disability. It is horrifying to watch the young woman's family...who had been so negligent and so abusive to her suddenly "care" about her now that she was being loved for the very first time AND able to love freely for the very first time.
The filmmaker made so many wise choices here...including the inter-mixing of scenes of Moon fantasizing about having a normal body and doing normal things and enjoying a normal day. These fantasies gave us a glimpse of Moon without disabilities...without a twitch or spasm or speech difficulty. While this may sound a tad judgmental, this "break" allows the audience to breathe and to fully appreciate the challenges that the character faces. Both sides are presented. In many ways, this is such a sad film...because there is so much truth within it. Every aspect of this production is outstanding from the performances to the cinematography. Before I end this I have to say Thanks Woopak on advising me towards this. "Oasis" is, indeed, a film of power and beauty, grace, and wisdom. It is, in my eyes, a "must see" foreign film.
DVD Review: NOT your standard "Romeo and Juliet", POWERFUL, and awe-inspiring...
Summary: 5 Stars
OASIS is a very real tale of life directed by Chang-Dong Lee. I've heard someone saying before that filming comedy is hard; a genuine melodrama is almost impossible. Well, "Oasis" is a film of raw emotion; happiness and laughter, sadness and tears. When and if all the right factors come together in the same movie, we see an accomplishment that truly is alive, that the proceedings seem to have a life all it's own and the plot truly breathes.
Jong-Du is a young man who is almost at the end of his rope, he has made a lot of bad choices and lives his life without a care. He has just gotten out of prison to serve a sentence of vehicular manslaughter, his family and friends greet him with somewhat a lukewarm reception. Jong-Du finds it very difficult to re-adjust to common life and for some reason, he seeks out the family of the man killed in the car accident; mostly for the purpose of amusing himself and partly to apologize. When he arrives, he finds Gong-Ju (Moon So-ri), the man's cerebral palsy inflicted daughter who spends most of her days in a tiny apartment fantasizing in her own dreamworld. The two misfits of society begin to form a bond that is both impressive, touching and disturbing.
The film's title is very fitting. "Oasis" signifies a world wherein a person or couple can have a place all their own without care or consequences of modern society. Jong-Du (Kyung-Gu Sol) is a young man who is seen as lacking in common sense and smarts to make the right choices for himself. He tries to just "make" do with his life but for some reason, anything he does goes blowing up on his face. Gong-ju (So-ri Moon) is a young woman, who is suffering from a crippling ailment that keeps her from articulating properly, her muscles shake without her accord. We see two people searching for something that is missing from their lives. By themselves, they are nothing but bits and pieces but together they become complete.
The film's main strengths come from the lead characters' performances, which is just unbelievable. So-ri Moon won numerous awards for her performance that outshines ANYTHING I've seen before. Her physical performance filled me with awe; as she contorts her own body to express the pain the disease has inflicted upon her. Moon successfully twists to the sharp, stiff movements (much like a contortionist would) of her limbs which is almost weird, since the gestures really look like they're not her own volition. Of course, Kyung-Gu Sol's (Public Enemy) performance is also worth mentioning. He successfully portrays the role of a simpleton with such depth and tremendous odd charisma. His is not a simple idiot, but rather one with layers upon layers of character; with each underlying layer that adds more depth to his portrayal.
Every great story has its complications. Without any opposition then the couple will just play around their fantasy world and the emotional impact of the film will not achieve its potential. Both sides of their respective families beset the couple. Jong-du's brethren sees Gong-ju as a woman who is handicapped and should be left alone; they see her as another bad mistake. Gong-ju's family sees Jong-du as the murderer of her father. There was a very moving scene where Jong-du took Gong-ju to his family's party in a restaurant. The couple had to bear all the humiliating stares and whispers by the patrons of a public place. Despite all odds, the couple decides to continue seeing each other despite their families' wishes, which will ultimately test the strength of love they feel for one another.
I was very moved and at the same time disgusted with the family of each side, since they have their own motivations for keeping the two apart. There is a nice almost unexpected twist regarding the car accident, I really found myself repelled that one's family (Gong-ju's) will use her handicap as an advantage to cheat and for financial advantages, at the same time ashamed of her and mostly neglects her needs. I understand that the families have their own concerns about the views of society. I think the film's premise is so deep that it goes further than your standard "Romeo and Juliet" with two lovers in an "against all odds" predicament.
I found "Oasis" a very difficult film to review. It is very different from all the love stories that have been told through the years. Whether it is because of the "taboos" involving the handicapped, or maybe because of the fact that reproducing these two VERY unique characters and their TRULY odd relationship are almost unachievable. The film truly pushes the envelope with its pessimistic portrayal of society. It pushes the limits of film-making, and makes one ponder a single honest question; "How far would you go to love someone? How do you know if what you have is something real or just a product of necessity?"
The film truly challenges the very definition of LOVE that it will test our hearts and minds.
VIDEO/AUDIO: 1.78 ratio Anamorphic Widescreen. The transfer is pretty simple for the U.S. release (I rented this film first). The picture is lacking in contrast and has an inky color palette. I thought this was done on purpose until I bought the region-3 release from CJ Entertainment, which was flawless in picture and audio quality. If you're able to play import dvds, get the original Korean release that carries spectacular PQ and DTS sound. English Subtitles are excellent.
HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!! [4 ?+ stars]
DVD Review: Powerful and complex
Summary: 5 Stars
I highly recommend this movie, which will permanently change the way you think of love stories, and there is one scene in this movie which is quite shocking. The two main actors Kyung-gu Sol and So-ri Moon are excellent.
I was saddened to learn that the director had made only three movies before accepting a government position. His two other films are Peppermint Candy and Green Fish which are both very good though Oasis is his best. Peppermint Candy is the second best of the three. I found Green Fish to be a bit too depressing.
Description of Oasis
Hailed as the seminal film of the Korean New Wave, acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong's Oasistells the story of two societal misfits (the award winning Moon So-ri and Sol Kyung-gu) and their struggle to find love and acceptance. Fate helped bring them together; family fought to keep them apart. The film truly is "a triumph...that gives humanism back it's good name (LA Weekly)."General DVDs
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