Film- Tran Anh Hung

Director of several films, including one of my favorites - Vertical Ray of the Sun (Mua he chieu thang dung). I'll talk about that later. Right now I'm excited because I learned that Tran has two new films in the works. One in post-production and the other in production now.

Most of you know, I'm a sucker for foreign films. My family probably thinks I'd prefer anything with subtitles over anything American. To some extent, I suppose that's true. I know that part of it is the hidden George Bailey in me. You know. The guy that wants to travel but cant because responsibilities at home keep him stuck in a hum-drum, small town life with little hope for escape. There's a little bit of that in me. I wouldnt trade my life, but I would like to see other parts of the world. Films like VRotS are a way of doing that.

It was precisely that film that vaulted Tran Anh Hung onto my favorites list. After seeing it, I had to watch "Scent of Green Papaya" and "Cyclo", the only other films available by this director. All were masterfully made, but "Vertical Ray of the Sun" is stunningly beautiful.

The first of his new films is titled "I Come with Rain". Plot synopsis says it's about an ex-cop who travels to Hong Kong in search of a criminal. The hook: Will Kline once again need to lose his mind to find his latest quarry?

You have to admit, it's catchy.

The second is an adaptation of Murakami Haruki's "Norwegian Wood". The book was first released in Japan in 1987, where it evidently enjoyed great success. In both the Japanese and British printings, the story is divided exactly in half, mid-chapter, and presented as two volumes in a small box. The American release is, of course, a single volume paperback. I have not read the story, but will pick it up soon and share it with you.

Tran's first three films were showered with praise and awards. You can understand why I cant wait for the new ones to be released.

Here's a scene from Vertical Ray