Woman on the Beach in San Francisco.

"Woman on the Beach isn't as formally rigorous as Hong [Sang-soo]'s previous films, and it spells out matters that might have been implicit in an earlier work," writes Jonathan L Knapp in the San Francisco Bay Guardian. "But this should only matter to hardcore Hong-heads. The biting observations remain, and they've never been funnier."

"Hong's films are full of come-hither gestures followed by bodies retreating once the fleeting desire is consummated, yet this consummation never brings satiation," writes Adam Hartzell in an overview of the oeuvre at SF360. "Hong's characters always wander away, as if slightly fearful or disgusted following attainment of what they thought they wanted. Those of us who appreciate Hong's films know not to expect resolution."

"Hong, who has made seven films in 12 years and has become respected around the world, has never had a film released in the United States before now," notes G Allen Johnson in the San Franciso Chronicle. "It is booked at the Kabuki for a week as part of the new partnership between the San Francisco Film Society and the Sundance Cinemas to play a festival favorite or other type of film that has not received conventional distribution. A film like this - unconventional, adventurous and by an important director - is the type that can benefit from such an arrangement."

Posted by dwhudson at June 20, 2008 6:05 AM