Castaway On The Moon: Best Movies You Probably Haven't Seen

In this column I've covered a few films from other countries, but I hadn't really crossed the line into a true foreign film. You know, the kind that have those words on the bottom because you have no clue what they're saying otherwise? Now you catch my drift. Today's entry is from South Korea. Let the subtitles roll.


Now Showing:

Castaway on the Moon (2009)
Kimssi pyoryugi (original title)

Written & Directed By: Hae-Jun Lee

Starring:

Min-heui Hong, So-yeon Jang and Jae-yeong Jeong

(Note: I'm not even going to pretend like I know Korean cinema well enough to tell you what else they've been in)

The Gist:

Castaway on the Moon tells the story of a man whose life is falling apart. His girlfriend has left him, he's in debt and a failure at business. Feeling that there's no way out he decides to kill himself by jumping off a bridge near the city. Instead of drowning though he ends up on a tiny island underneath the bridge. Unable to swim he finds himself stranded on the island. At the same time, a second story unfolds, about a young woman who's afraid to go outside, who discovers the man on the island and watches him through her camera from her apartment.

Why You Should Watch It:

While I won't deny there are some minor gross moments in the film, overall it's one of the sweetest and kookiest movies ever. It's a story of finding hope where there seems like there isn't any. And it's also extremely funny in places. Plus it's supposedly going to be remade here in the states by the same tool that did the Freaky Friday remake. Do yourself a favor and see this beautiful picture before any hint of an American remake can alter your view.

Why You Probably Haven't Seen It:

Do you watch a lot of Korean cinema? If you have, maybe you've seen it. I've watched some but never really connected with a Korean film like I have with this one.

Scene To Savor:

Um, the whole movie? No, that won't work, there are some short spots I don't care for, though generally the disgusting bits setup for more laughs later. I guess I would have to say the golf scene. It's just a great image.

Comments:

This one really caught me by surprise as I was told one thing about it and was expecting a completely different film than it was. It's hard really to even pin it down in a way as there are so many different facets at play. In addition to the great acting, the humor, the emotion, it's also beautifully shot. It's a film that quietly demands to be seen. If not for those few moments that are, kind of gross (though probably won't bother people who like Bear Grylls nearly as much) I would probably give it a perfect rating. 

Overall on a scale of missed gems: 4.5 out of 5


Netflix: Streaming