Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageKitchen (1997)
Director: Yim Ho
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Banana Yoshimoto's fey novella about a psychologically damaged girl falling in with a nice young man and his transsexual father-turned-mother was first filmed - wretchedly - by Yoshimitsu Morita in 1989. Yim Ho sensibly rethinks the book, transposing the setting to Hong Kong and focusing on the boy rather than the girl. He also opts to shoot much of it in underlit close-ups, paving the way for a real visual coup in the final scene. But he can't do anything about the fundamental lack of energy in the characters and story; elegant languor inexorably slides towards torpor. Jordan Chan is excellent as the terminally tongue-tied 'hero', but has to cope with one of the worst haircuts in screen history.Author: TR
Cast & crew
Director: Yim Ho
Producer: Yim Ho, Akira Morishige
Cast: Jordan Chan, Yasuko Tomita, Law Kar-Ying, Karen Mok, Lau Siu-Ming full cast
Duration: 124 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now