#200 – Farewell My Concubine, (霸王别姬), 1993, Chen Kaige
Abandoned by his prostitute mother in 1920, Douzi was raised by a theater troupe. There he meets Shitou and over the following years the two develop an act entitled “Farewell My Concubine” that brings them fame and fortune. When Shitou marries Juxian, Doutzi becomes jealous, the beginnings of the acting duo’s explosive breakup and tragic fall take root.
#201 – Her, 2013, Spike Jonze
In the not so distant future, Theodore, a lonely writer purchases a newly developed operating system designed to meet the user’s every needs. To Theodore’s surprise, a romantic relationship develops between him and his operating system. This unconventional love story blends science fiction and romance in a sweet tale that explores the nature of love and the ways that technology isolates and connects us all.
JUMBO CACTUAR APPROVED FILM
#202 – The Host, (괴물), 2006, Bong Joon-ho
Gang-du is a dim-witted man working at his father’s tiny snack bar near the Han River. Following the dumping of gallons of toxic waste in the river, a giant mutated squid-like appears and begins attacking the populace. Gang-du’s daughter Hyun-seo is snatched up by the creature and he and his family are taken into custody by the military, who fear a virus spread by the creature. In detention, Gang-du receives a phone call from Hyun-seo, who is not dead, merely trapped in a sewer. With his family to assist him, he sets off to find Hyun-seo.
JUMBO CACTUAR APPROVED FILM
#203 – The White Ribbon, (Das weisse Band), 2009, Michael Haneke
Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years just before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. The abused and suppressed children of the villagers seem to be at the heart of this mystery.
#204 – The Handmaiden, (아가씨), 2016, Park Chan-wook
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a young woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering uncle. But, the maid has a secret: she is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese count to help him seduce the heiress to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until the women discover some unexpected emotions.
JUMBO CACTUAR APPROVED FILM
#205 – Life Is Beautiful, (La vita è bella), 1997, Roberto Benigni
A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game.
#206 – Rome, Open City, (Roma città aperta), 1945, Roberto Rossellini
ROME, OPEN CITY is a landmark in film history. Filmed in secrecy during the Nazi occupation of Italy, the film shows a realistic portrayal of the underground resistance in Italy in 1945. The film has strong impacting imagery with its mix of fiction and reality that strengthened Italian Neo-realism and the film industry.
JUMBO CACTUAR APPROVED FILM
#207 – Intentions of Murder, (赤い殺意), 1964, Shōhei Imamura
Sadako, cursed by generations before her and neglected by her common-law husband, falls prey to a brutal home intruder. But rather than become a victim, she forges a path to her own awakening.
#208 – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004, Michel Gondry
Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realises that he still loves her, and may be too late to correct his mistake.
#209 – Tokyo Twilight, (東京暮色), 1957, Yasujirō Ozu
Two sisters find out the existence of their long-lost mother, but the younger cannot take the truth of being abandoned as a child.
Jumbo Cactuar Film Index 