BROOKLYN SPECTATOR
CUPID'S MISTAKE
(Phaedra /Dearfilm: Not yet rated by the MPAA)J
September, 5, 2001
Here's a sweet little independent movie from Korean-American filmmaker Young Man Kang who wrote, produced, and directed this, his first feature. 'CUPID'S MISTAKE' is a "la ronde' type of love venture that has each individual rebuffed by the other, who is in turn equally rebuffed when the shoe is on the other foot.
Susan(Susan Petry) is an actress who is in love with filmmaker Gil (Everado Gil), but he doesn't respond with similar feelings. Rather, he is entranced by Toya (Toya Cho), a Korean-American model who doesn't respond to his overtures of love. She in turn loves Ken (Ken Yasuda), a Japanese-American body builder and personal trainer, but is nixed by him when he is made aware of her love. He finds Susan, who completes the cycle, only to be rejected by her when he expresses his feelings.
It's Gil who comes to his senses concerning Susan, but now it may be too late.
Against the backdrop of Santa Monica, love and relationship turn out to be fickle and fleeting, and matches aren't always in the making. Pain, frustration, and heartbreak are readily seen in these encounters.
Running an hour and ten minutes, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" has ordinary dialogue between ordinary people in ordinary situations - nothing of the glossy Hollywood variety.
The film well demonstrates finding, keeping, and losing love is all part of the love game.
Shot on digital video and a $980 budget, with improvisation by the principles in this love quadrangle, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" appears more real in its situations than a lot of the romantic dribble that has come out of Hollywood with enormous budgets.
Easy Reader
South Bay Newspaper Weekly
Cupid's Mistake
Sep 25, 2000
This little (70 minute) “jewel” is much like a cinematic poem celebrating the ups and downs (hey, let’s face it - usually overwhelmingly downs) of UNREQUITED LOVE. Writer/Director Young Man Kang gives us a fresh, hip retelling of the basic equation of “unrequited-ness”. namely A loves B, but B loves C, but C loves D, and… well - you’ll have to see for yourself where the chain ends in the hands of Kang and his talented, attractive, offbeat young cast. Filmed along the Santa Monica/Venice Beach magical strand of the West Los Angeles Pacific coastline, there’s an electric, “happening”, almost upbeat feeling to the story, which is told in sweetly framed and segued subchapters -- all despite the fact that no one seems to be actually getting the object of his or her affection, -- not to mention, lust. The end result is a film that will make you mist-up knowingly and cathartically if you’ve recently lived through the experience, and smile wistfully, if you’ve had time to heal, but still recall those “head-over-heals” past days when you were miserable, but oh-so alive. “CUPID’S MISTAKE” opens Sept. 15/16 at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 (8000 Sunset Bl., W. Hollywood). Program information/Times: (323)848-3500
By Joseph Sirota
New York Post
nypost.com
CUPID'S MISTAKE
August 24, 2001
KOREAN-American director-writer-producer Young Man Kang's comedy, shot on video for just $980 (yes, $980), is no mistake. The California-set tale of a love quadrangle isn't perfect. For one thing, it goes on too long. But it looks good, the cast is perky (especially Toya Cho, as a model who can't decide between two suitors), and Kang shows lots of talent. It will be interesting to see what he can do with a real budget. Running time: 70 minutes. Not rated. At the Two Boots Den of Cin, Avenue A and Third Street.
by V.A. Musetto
New York Times
nytimes.com
Stammering Through Generic Moments of Rejection
August 24, 2001
Cupid's Mistake" begins with a character issuing a voice-over advisory: "This is a story of relationships, and how caring for someone doesn't mean that person cares for you. You know what I'm talking about." So we do, which is probably why most of us will not feel a compelling need to experience generic moments of painful personal rejection as played out by a group of young Southern Californians with limited verbal skills. One character is compelled to finish every statement she makes with "or something"; another giggles hysterically through most of her speeches and at one point, describing the beaches of her youth, says, "I so remember it would be like mud and sand and stuff." With such alluring patter, it's hard to believe that anyone could be lonely in Los Angeles, but apparently a few people still are. For example, there is Gil (Everado Gil), an aspiring filmmaker whose work ? nice if you can get it ? seems to consist of photographing pretty girls as they frolic on Venice Beach. Gil is in love with Toya (Toya Cho), a chattering Korean-American model, but Toya is in love with Ken (Ken Yasuda), a Japanese-American bodybuilder. Closing the circle in this no-sex "La Ronde" is Susan (Susan Petry), a German-born model who is in love with the oblivious Gil. In this land of perfect bodies, all Gil has going for him is some Johnny Depp-ish facial hair, which may be why he became an artist. He becomes the emotional center of the piece, though his emotions are limited to self-pity and anger. He begins stalking Toya, following her in his car and peeping through her windows. The film finds such behavior adorable. Film, actually, is a misstatement, because "Cupid's Mistake" was shot on video, and not video of the highest quality. Mostly, the picture looks and sounds like a public-access soap opera, with flat lighting, tinny dialogue and a loopy synthesizer score. The Korean-born writer and director has a terrific marquee name, Young Man Kang, but his natural gifts seem to stop there. Like Gil, the would-be filmmaker, Mr. Kang has discovered the effects button on his camcorder, and he relies upon it to provide what style his work has: a pixilated movement here, a fade to monochrome there. At 70 minutes, "Cupid's Mistake" is short, but then, so is our time on this planet.
by Dave Kehr
The Village Voice
villagevoice.com
Circle Jerk
August 22, 2001
Made with $980 and about as many brain cells, Cupid's Mistake is more cute than clever. A tale of titillation and rejection, Young Man Kang's debut feature follows four unfulfilled twentysomethings in the City of Angels. Susan, the anguished actress, loves Gil. Gil, the tormented filmmaker who makes videos of frolicking women on the beach subtitled with Hallmark sentiments, longs for Toya. Toya is the model whose heart is lifted by bodybuilder Ken, her personal trainer. The star of Ken's romantic drama is, you guessed it, Susan the thespian; the sexy circle is complete. Cupid's Mistake Written and directed by Young Man Kang Pioneer Opens August 24 The dialogue, which was wholly improvised, includes the "like"s, "uh"s, and general feeling of contrived spontaneity native to The Real World. The we're-friends-but-I-love-you scenes are either drenched with provocative sunlight or packed with candles; these techniques seem to be borrowed from the tamer selections of late-night Cinemax.
by Sasha Statman
New York Metro Magazine
newyorkmetro.com
Cupid's Mistake
Guerrilla filmmaker Young Man Kang's improvisational love story, which was shot in Los Angeles and cost $980 to produce. (1 hr. 10 mins.; NR) Opens August 24
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment