“Alias Grace.” “Song of the Bandits.”

“Alias Grace” (Netflix) historical miniseries, based on Margaret Atwood's 1996 novel of the same name, which was based on real Oct 1843 murders in Canada.

       The real story: The 1843 murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in Canada West. Two servants of the Kinnear household, Grace Marks and James McDermott, were convicted of the crime. McDermott was hanged and Marks was sentenced to life imprisonment.

       In Ms Atwood's fiction, a doctor, Simon Jordan, who researches the case is added as a main character. While Jordan conducts research into Marks’ criminal behavior, he slowly becomes personally involved. 

       The fiction exploration of the crime doesn't make Grace less guilty. But it does “humanized” her with the provision of life’ back story, which could be fiction as well. But that's what a novel is all about. Navigation of past to present that we don't get to read in police blotter or true crime reportage. 

       Sarah Gadon as Grace is both vulnerable innocence, tortured soul, and fierce conviction. Contradictions that Ms Gadon was able to effortlessly channel with a restraint acting delivery. Her eyes speak crisscrossing truths as they half-opened door to a wounded mystery.

       Although the project was delivered by two known torch beaters of women grace and grit, director Mary Harron and writer Sarah Polley, the series didn't preach, advocate or sermonize. They simply presented an insight that deserved lengthier discussion. 📺🎥📺

“Song of the Bandits” (Netflix) South Korean historical action drama. The backdrop is compelling. Set in 1920s, during the turbulent period of Japanese occupation, following the disbanding of the Korean military and police and other depressions.

       These events followed the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905. Many people of Joseon fled across the Tumen River to Gando, a part of China or Qing at that time. The story centers on the people's fight for independence for Korea. Or a prelude to the Gando massacre. And so on end so forth. You may google the rest.

       Kickass historical backgrounder but that's all there is to it. Action is fine, that is if the Martial Arts sequences are handled the way Akira Kurosawa or Zhang Yimou would. Instead, what we are handed are Hong Kong-styled kung fu calisthenics. Not that I wasn't enthralled with Lee Ho-jung, as the mercenary amazon Eon Nyeon. She's amazing!

       But the leads Kim Nam-gil (as “hero” Lee Yoon), Seohyun (as independence activist Nam Hee-shin), and Lee Hyun-wook (as villainous Lee Gwang-il, a major in the Japanese army are all telenovela stereotypes. Or maybe this series is actually a K-drama? 📺🎥📺