69 Sixty Nine, Lee Sang-il′s third feature following Blue Chong and Border Lines is based on the novel by Ryu Murakami. The film′s opening sequence, filled with 60s′ rock music and American pop culture-style animation, summarizes the film′s atmosphere. In the 60s, when the world is being swept by the winds of change, Japanese high school boys Ken and Adama who ignore Shakespeare and admire Che Guevara, Mao, and the music of Bob Dylan. Around 11 o clock one night, Ken′s gang breaks into the school. 69 Sixty Nine is brimming with cinematic gimmicks, such as multiple split screen, jump-cuts, switch-panning, slow and fast motion, freeze frame and playful editing, making its rage not melancholy, and its violence not fatalistic. The rage they have is a bit embarrassing to address as a revolution; it is more like some kind of performance or pleasure-seeking. But that′s the film′s strategy: The wise resistance against the teachers who hit you and the police who catch you by the collar is to live happier than them. Director Lee seems to completely agree with Murakami′s opinion: the sound of my laughter echoing in the ears of the enemy will put them into nervous fatigue. The conclusion is that the unnecessarily serious one will lose. 69 Sixty Nine is a refreshing film to people in low spirits living in this time. (Kang So-won)