Oldboy or Bringing Out the Dead?

UPDATED: Ambulance beats hammer. I must say that I put off seeing Oldboy for a long time because I can't stand self-serious, dour Asian action movies that deliver formulaic violence with a grimace. So I was delighted to find out that Oldboy isn't that at all - it's witty, philosophical, and visually stunning, and the violence is both believably awkward and kinetic.

That said, I'd have to go with Bringing Out the Dead as well. The combination of Scorsese, Schrader, and driving led to the film being stupidly identified as a retread of Taxi Driver. It's actually a profound, meditative and humane story about nothing less than life and death. It also boasts one of those all-too-rare terrific Nicolas Cage performances, blood-red cinematography by all-time best DP Robert Richardson, a perfect supporting cast, the always-adorable Patricia Arquette (easily the best Arquette), and an amazing soundtrack (the use of "Bell Boy" gives me chills). I think it will eventually be widely recognized as the masterpiece that it is, but until then, remember: the first step is love, the second is mercy.

The last match of Round 1 goes up soon, and it's a doozy.