Chi-hwa-seon (Painted Fire)

Even those with no background appreciation for the sensuous, inky brushstrokes of Asian painting will be enthralled by this majestic and reflective biography of Jang Seung-up, considered Korea's greatest artist. Some aspects will be familiar to fans of artist biopics--the drinking, the philandering, the general debauchery--but director Im Kwon-taek and star Choi Min-sik employ these only as the basis for exploring another universal in the artistic temperament: the search for self. Jang, who named himself “Ohwon,” was unquestionably a product of late-19th century Seoul intellectual culture, which made household names of artists and imbued them with an almost rock star-like aura...and yet this adoration haunted Jang, who deemed himself unworthy, having begun life as an untutored peasant whose raw talent was recognized by a wealthy patron. Whether he's creating erotic sketches for forbidden pornography or magnificent commissions for the royal court, it's the art--always, the art--that captivates, along with the energy that Choi brings to the painting onscreen. Shot with an epic grandeur on little seen Korean landscapes, this is an elegant, painterly masterwork from Im (named Best Director at Cannes in 2002). Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a slide show of some of Jang's original work. Bottom line: a lite extras package for a solid foreign film.] (M. Johanson)