Films
You jump, I jump remember? ( Jack in Titanic)
It's not on the one, it's not the mambo. It's a feeling; a heart beat. ( Johnny in Dirty Dancing)
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The Shawshank Redemption |
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| My brief take: A tale about the power of hope and the indomitable human spirit. Beauty lies in yourself and what you do, not on the things that have happened/are happening to you. |
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| Review by others: Why do I want to write the 234th comment on The Shawshank Redemption? I am not sure - almost everything that could be possibly said about it has been said. But like so many other people who wrote comments, I was and am profoundly moved by this simple and eloquent depiction of hope and friendship and redemption. The only other movie I have ever seen that effects me as strongly is To Kill a Mockingbird. Both movies leave me feeling cleaner for having watched them. I didn't intend to see this movie at all: I do not like prison movies and I don't normally watch them. I work at a branch library and one day as I was checking The Shawshank Redemption out to one of our older patrons, she said to me, "Whenever I feel down or depressed, I check out this movie and watch it and it always makes me feel better." At the time, I thought that was very strange. One day there was nothing on TV except things I absolutely would not watch under any circumstance or things that I had seen too many times already. I remembered what she said, so I watched it. I have watched it many many times since then and it gets better with every showing. No action, no special effects - just men in prison uniforms talking to each other. The Shawshank Redemption and To Kill a Mockingbird) are the best movies I have ever seen. I do not judge it by it's technical merits - I don't really care about that. I have read that Citizen Kane or The Godfather or this or that movie is the best movie ever made. They may have the best technique or be the most influential motion pictures ever made, but not the best. The best movies are ones that touch the soul. It takes a movie like The Shawshank Redemption to touch the soul. by carflo |
Memorable Quote: [Andy after Warden Norton refuse to appeal his case]Andy Dufresne: It's my life. Don't you understand? IT'S MY LIFE! |
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Hero (Ying Xiong) |
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| My brief take: A visual masterpiece with a smart conversation sequence combined with artfully crafted emotionally charged scenes. |
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| Review by others: Rarely have I been so astounded by such a magnificent, awe-inspiring film. If you have not yet placed your eyes on this masterpiece of Chinese cinema then I cannot recommend this film highly enough. 'Hero' is by far the best Chinese film I have ever seen, and already a firm favourite of all time. The imagery is unparallelled, simply draw-droppingly near perfect scenes, with bold and vibrant use of colour, symbolism and scenery. The fluent flow of the storyline, the delicate direction of the sword slicing action, the Chinese cultural concepts and the emotionally charged scenes between characters combine to produce a simply remarkable achievement. This film has a few elements from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but is far, far superior in every way. The sleek direction from Yimou Zhang is so perfectly done, just imagine two martial arts experts ensuing in battle against each other, defying the laws of physics as we know it, and yet following them in 360 degrees in slow motion as one deflects a droplet of rain from one sword to the other, at the same time spinning and leaping over water... simply beautiful. The attack sequences are also superbly set, with hundreds of thousands of the King's warriors in formation, simultaneously firing enough arrows into the city which literally cover the sky, in addition to the viewer being able to watch the journey of a single arrowhead aimed during this event. The build up to the attack along with the unnerving tune of a Chinese stringed instrument help you, as the audience, to become firmly engrossed in your seat. The individual martial arts is also second to none, for myself particularly to see the distant shots of the whole battle sequence showing the true skills involved with fighting, such as footwork, perfect timing,aggression, counter attacks and defence. Jet Li shows he is truly the grand daddy of martial arts. I cannot stress enough how much you need this film in your life. The colourful imagery imposed by the director will take your breath away with luscious, vivid, bright, wind-blown,draped backgrounds as the setting for the important progression of the story. Even the story itself is brought to the audience in such a way which ensures your undivided attention, as there are twists in the tales and hidden plots which do not develop until the end of the film.Even short individual scenes are memorable due to their sheer awesome display of skill and speed. This film even holds a political message which is relevant to all times, especially in today's American-lead world dominance. This film has absolutely everything - including an extremely sexy young Ziyi Zhang who simply is the biggest hype to come out of china since SARS. This film was released in 2002, but this is certainly one of my all time favourites and will probably be the best film I see all year. I have never been more enthusiastic to pursue films in this genre in my life. For more action type enthusiasts who like more gore and violence check out 'Ong Bak', but for people who appreciate a fuller, visionary piece of martial arts filming, this will leave you speechless. by rcropperUK |
Memorable Quote: Nameless: [voiceover] I was orphaned at a young age and was never given a name. People simply called me Nameless. With no family name to live up to, I devoted myself to the sword. I spent ten years perfecting unique skills as a swordsman. The King of Qin has summoned me to court, for what I have accomplished has astonished the kingdom. |
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The English Patient |
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| My brief take: A great love story set against the backdrop of war and spectacular landscapes. Love maybe felt more dearly when it is tragic and had fallen beyond one's grasp. |
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| Review by others: 'The English Patient' can rightly be compared to the films of David Lean, whose sweeping epics such as 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Bridge on the River Kwai' must have inspired the director Anthony Minghella. The film is beautifully photographed, and like 'Lawrence', is set in Northern Africa, but during the second world war. The story is complex, but it boils down to a forbidden love between an opinionated and often difficult archeologist played by Ralph Fiennes and a married woman played by Kristin Scott Thomas. The story, based on a novel by Michael Ondaatje, is told in flashbacks by Fiennes' Count Laszlo de Almasy - the titular character. The fact that his name does not sound like he's English plays a key role in what unfolds. He has been badly burned in a plane crash, occurring just as the film opens, and is being cared for back in Europe by Hana, an army nurse played by Juliette Binoche. What makes this story epic is the vast sweep across place and time, and the development of characters beyond that of the two ill-fated lovers. The film makes clear that true love and passion, even with dreaded consequences, can make life worth living, or worth dying for. If you're a romantic at heart, and can appreciate a film without the standard happy endings and simple moral codes, you may find that 'The English Patient' speaks directly to you. by mattymatt30 |
Memorable Quote: Almásy: I just wanted you to know: I'm not missing you yet.Katharine Clifton: You will. |
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Together (he ni zai yi qi) |
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| My brief take: A touching story about a father's love for his son and how his son came to realise his own deep love for his father. Do not miss the ending, one of the most heartfelt i have ever seen. Music is but something which you use to express the feelings you have in life. |
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| Review by others: I didn't have many expectations for this film having long since lost my patience for subtitles and slow-moving foreign films. This film was a very pleasant surprise. A beautifully rendered story about the sacrifices we make for art, the sacrifices parents make for children, and the sacrifices teachers make for their students. I found myself thinking about the larger questions in life as I watched Han ni zai yiki--the struggles of the young protagonist to become a man, the heart-breaking dilemma that allows his father to become one as well, and the ways in which we lose our ways in life, and luckily how the entry of a new love (in its platonic sense) can get us back on the path. At its center, Han ni zai yiki is the story of a father and his son. Never have I seen this relationship told with such honesty and impact. Instead of a perfect father giving pearls of wisdom to a son eager for his approval, we see an imperfect man doing the best he can for a son who is not necessarily appreciative. It is sentimental, but that doesn't stop it from being thought-provoking, or from teaching the viewer something he or she is likely to have forgotten in this age of kung-fu special effect sequences and digitized actors. In the U.S. at least, we've been saturated with ever-dumber plot lines, plasticized breasts, and explosions to emphasize every character realization. It's unusual to go to the cinema to be treated to a real story with complex and realistic characters in difficult situations that actually have some bearing on our lives. Together was a breath of fresh air. I hope that the negative opinions expressed earlier don't stop anyone from seeing this film. Although I'd waited four years to see the sequel to the Matrix, I'd have to say, without a doubt, Han ni zai yiki is the best film I've seen all year. by thedivagirl |
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The Godfather |
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| My brief take: The best thing about this film is that it gets better as i watch it more. It may feel slightly slow pace initally, but thats because the director has taken the time to allow the individual characters to develop fully. And i think this has made the whole film feel so seamless. Observe Marlon Brandon as he gave some of the most subtle and natural of performances. |
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| Review by others: This is a masterpiece. A timeless masterpiece. Initially, I didn't like this film all that much - I found it rather over-hyped and boring. This was until the advent of DVD, which gave me the feature I needed for this sort of film: subtitles. Once I switched them on and heard (read) every last word of Brando's ramblings and other characters ramblings, I grew a true appreciation for this epic. To make a true epic, you need all of three following ingredients working in near perfect harmony. For screenwriters who come across this, take the following pointers on board: 1) Contrasting Characters: Good films have some character distinction, but most fall rather flat because the core of each character is the same. Of course, there are exceptions to rule (ie... where you want mono-tonal characters... aka matrix; or where you want outlandish contrasts... aka The Fifth Element), but ultimately, this is what makes films deep, meaningful and grand. Consider the contrasts between the Don's children. Michael is rather cool, rational and collected, whereas Sonny is more hot-headed, spontaneous and simple minded. But simply having these contrasts is not nearly enough. What you really need to do is to develop these characters - place them in situations - and then dwell on how their character impacts on the situation they're put in. The Godfather is a terrific example of how to pull this off. While many try to do this in screenplays, most lose the plot and create character obscurities that stretch credibility. 2) Transformation: The central character(s) must undergo a transformation, resulting in them being almost unrecognizable by the end of the film. By putting them into situations, the character's character must not only influence the outcome of the situation; it must also have a lasting impact on the character. Consider Michael at the wedding and compare that to the Michael we see at the end of the film. Again, many films try, but most fail because they come up with unreal (literally, not praisingly) or simply moronic transformations (eg, Wall Street). 3) Patience: Men in Black 2 was an astounding film for one simple reason - it was an entire film squashed into about 70 minutes. It was not much longer than an episode of ER or Buffy. I certainly hope the new goal of Hollywood isn't to make films as short as possible. All the great ones spend time - time developing characters, family life, growth, patience with the story telling in general. This is the key (provided that the story isn't mind-numbingly boring). Dances with Wolves, Heat.. and so on are very patient but top-class films. While studios may be lukewarm on the idea of longer films, they are worth it if you have a ripper story to base it on. I feel that this film has not dated all that much and has tremendous re-watch-ability. by mattroachman |
Memorable Quotes: 1. [to Rocco who has killed Paulie in the car] Peter Clemenza: Leave the gun. Take the cannoli. 2. |
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The End of the Affair |
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| My brief take: Of being torn between a woman's piety and her longing for the man she loves. Of a passionate man's obesssion and how it transforms to hate when the obssession cannot be satisfied. Of the anger and pain of losing something beautiful when you have just received it. |
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| Review by others: One of the great joys in movie watching lies in stumbling across films that, by their very nature, should be nothing more than clichéd, hackneyed versions of stories we have seen a thousand times before yet, somehow, through the insightfulness of their creators, manage to illuminate those tales in ways that are wholly new and unexpected. Such is the case with Neil Jordan's `The End of the Affair,' a film that in its bare boned outlining would promise to be nothing more than a conventional, three-handkerchief weepie centered around the hoary issue of romantic infidelity, but which emerges, instead, as a beautiful and moving meditation on the overwhelming force jealousy, love, commitment and passion can exert on our lives. Ralph Fiennes stars as Maurice Bendrix, a British writer living in 1940's London, who has an affair with Sarah Miles (Julianne Moore), the wife of Maurice's friend, Henry (Stephen Rea). Based on a Graham Greene novel, the film achieves far greater intellectual and emotional depth than this skeletal outline would indicate. Part of the success rests in the fact that both the original author and the adapter, writer/director Neil Jordan, have devised a multi-level scenario that utilizes a number of narrative techniques as the means of revealing crucial information to the audience regarding both the plot and the characters. For instance, the film travels fluidly back and forth in time, spanning the decade of the 1940's, from the initial meeting between Bendrix and Sarah in 1939, through the horrendous bombings of London during World War II to the `present' time of the post-war British world. This allows the authors to reveal the details of the affair slowly, enhanced by the even more striking technique of having the events viewed from the entirely different viewpoints of the two main characters involved. `Rashomon' – like, we first see the affair through the prism of Bendrix's limited perspective, only to discover, after he has confiscated Sarah's diary, that he (and consequently we) have been utterly mistaken as to the personal attributes and moral quality of Sarah all along. Thus, as an added irony, Bendrix discovers that he has been obsessing over a woman he `loves' but, in reality, knows little about. The authors also enhance the depth of the story through their examination of TWO men struggling with their overwhelming jealousy for the same woman and the complex inter-relationships that are set up as a result. In fact, the chief distinction of this film is the way it manages to lay bare the souls of all three of these fascinating characters, making them complex, enigmatic and three-dimensional human beings with which, in their universality, we can all identify. Bendrix struggles with his raging romantic passions, his obsessive jealousy for the woman he can't possess and his lack of belief in God, the last of which faces its ultimate challenge at the end. Sarah struggles with the lack of passion she finds in the man she has married but cannot love as more than a friend, juxtaposed to the intense love she feels for this man she knows she can never fully have. In addition, she finds herself strangely faithful, if not to the two men in her life, at least to two crucial commitments (one to her wedding vows and one to God) yet unable to fully understand why. Henry struggles with his inadequacies as a lover and the strange possessiveness that nevertheless holds sway over him. Even the minor characters are fascinating. Particularly intriguing is the private investigator who becomes strangely enmeshed in the entire business as both Bendrix and Henry set him out to record Sarah's activities and whereabouts, a man full of compassion for the people whom he is, by the nature of his profession, supposed to view from a position of coldhearted objectivity. (One plot flaw does, however, show up here: why would this man, whose job it is to spy on unsuspecting people for his clients, employ a boy to help him who sports a very distinctive birthmark on one side of his face?). `The End of the Affair' would not be the noteworthy triumph it is without the stellar, subtly nuanced performances of its three main stars. In addition, as director, Jordan, especially in the second half, achieves a lyricism rare in modern filmmaking. Through a fluidly gliding camera and a mesmerizing musical score, Jordan lifts the film almost to the level of cinematic poetry as we sit transfixed by the emotional richness and romantic purity of the experience. `The End of the Affair' takes its place alongside `Brief Encounter' and `Two For the Road' as one of the very best studies of a romantic relationship ever put on film. by Roland E Zwick |
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The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring |
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| My brief take: When i first saw this film with a bunch of friends when i was young, i was stunned. I have never seen anything in a fantasy movie that can be recreated with such beauty and have the story weaved so perfectly into the world created by the film. Despite being a fantastic world, the viewer really does feel the doom and gloom of the story and the compelling struggles of the characters and what they are up against. I learnt in this film that fantasies need not be superfical and that deeper meanings can be gained from great story telling. |
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| Review by others: think it is important to remember that Peter Jackson took up this film not in order just to make a film of `The Lord of the Rings' but because he wanted to make a 'fantasy just like the `The Lord of the Rings'" as he himself put it. After repeating that phrase on a number of occasions the question popped into his mind: "Well, why not the `The Lord of the Rings' itself?". In doing this he, of course, set himself an enormous challenge: he had to make a really good `fantasy' film, one which would stand on its own and be true to what he had originally wanted to do but he would also, and here the task he had set himself was enormous, be true to the original book and to make a film which the legions of people who have loved this book would feel happy with. In the latter task he was certainly not helped by the author or the book: Tolkein, it would seem, hated cinema. The book itself is `HUGE': this was not going to be the kind of task that the James Ivory team set themselves, or Scorsese nor the kind of task facing Branagh with Hamlet; nor was it going to be like the puny task that faced Columbus with `Harry Potter' who had the bigger budget ($130 million for one film as compared with Peter Jackson with $300m for three). I have just seen the first `volume' and can say without hesitation that he has succeeded in both his goals. It is not the book but a reading of the book which is inventive and fascinating. It is the kind of experience that makes you want to go back and reread the whole thing in the light of the emphases that Jackson has brought to the story. He focuses on the corrupting influence of the ring and, through this focus, the character of the chief protagonists of the story are revealed. Clearly those most tempted by it are mortal men (Boromir and even, in one moment, Aragorn), those who already have power (Elrond - `The ring cannot stay here'; Galadriel; Gandalf and Saruman), and, of course, those who would not normally desire it but who by accident become ring bearers - Gollum, Bilbo, Frodo. I can see why, in this reading, Jackson decided to leave out the Bombadil episode. Bombadil, like the Balrog, is beyond the ring but the latter is important to the unfolding of the story of the fates of all the characters, Bombadil isn't. It is a miracle of this reading of the first volume of the book that one can see where Jackson is going and one can get a feel of how the reading is going to unfold. In a sense, Jackson's real trial - as far as those who know the books are concerned - will come with the second film in the series. He has lived up to our expectation by creating even bigger ones: how can he handle the story of the chase andrescue of Merry and Pippin, the storming of Isengard etc - stories which don't really add much to the core theme that is emerging. Or is he now going to add the theme of the great contest of good versus evil to the unfolding reading? All of this points to the fact that the film, even though it is a feast of special effects, focuses on character. And this also explains why Jackson chose the actors he did for their roles: they are not `big' names - no `Sean Connery', no `Alan Rickman', no `Brad Pitt', no `Sam Neill'etc. He didn't want them getting in the way of the story of character. Ian McKellan's talents, in particular, are used to tell a large proportion of the story: an enormous amount is conveyed simply through his facial expressions and even by the language of his body. The other miracle in all of this is Elijah Wood. Like many others, when I first heard of Jackson's choice, I groaned: but Wood has been extraordinary. He brings, as one friend said, a strange kind of androgyny to the role and this is just perfect. McKellan has already been knighted: give Wood the Oscar. And then there is Middle Earth: this is, as someone put it, another character in the story and the New Zealand landscape, digitally enhanced on occasion, lives up to its role too. Enough. See this film! Greatest film ever made? How can one make a claim like that! Silly really; as silly as claiming that `The Lord of the Rings' is the greatest book ever written. Can't one simply love a story, enjoy reading it a number of times amd lose oneself in it. One CAN claim that it is the greatest work in its genre as is the film. by Yrneh 10/10 |
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The Professional |
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| My brief take: When a person becomes so good in his job, he/she becomes the job. This is the story of someone who is the best in what he does but yet is so disconnected from the things that makes us human. Someone (in the form of a young girl) came and touches his life, and changed all that. Stylish and graceful action sequences. Also one of the best characterisations of a villain in cinema. A convincing show of how someone is the personification of his art. |
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| Review by others: Leon is one of the most emotionally intense movies ever made. French director Luc Besson uses everything: actors, music, camera angles, lighting to create an unique experience - "It's not realism, it's not naturalism - it's heightened reality" as Gary Oldman very well put it. In "The making of The Professional" Besson says "If I imagine somebody in the street try to knock on my daughter, I kill the guy, in five seconds. I kill him, and I think "It's in me, I'm a beast!" On this part we can't forget that a part of us, the genetic things inside are much, much older than The Ten Commandments". He certainly uses visceral scenes to create very strong emotion in the movie - the blood running from Mathilda's nose or Stansfield's unforgettable "EVERYONE!" are just a couple of examples. The music and the sound are excellent and are used in a masterly fashion - you can hear Fatman's heart beating desperately or a low claustrophobic sound when Stansfield turns to look at Mathilda's father. However Leon does not work only on this primary level, it also has an intelligent story. It may seem to be almost a fairy-tale, but don't be fooled - just like his character Besson is serious. This movie has a message: without love we are dead, even if we don't see it. Only true love give meaning to our lives: "everything else reminds me a big yogurt: warm and rancid" as Mathilda says in the original script, which is available on the net under the name Leon Version 1. Is this true in "real life"? I don't know but this movie can make you wonder. Then of course there's the sensuality. It's hypocritical to deny it, the camera interacts with Mathilda in a mesmerising fashion. It's not sick and it's not degrading: it's art, subtle and beautiful. Leon is not perfect but it has so many great moments that all its flaws can be forgiven. It's a movie that really should not be missed, unless you are concerned with its amorality. And don't be - Leon is less violent than many action movies and the unusual relationship between the main characters is handled mostly with genuine feeling and tact. by Twinsen61 |
Memorable Quotes: Léon: The rifle is the first weapon you learn how to use, because it lets you keep your distance from the client. The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. |
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The Hours |
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| My brief take: Three women coming to terms to what they really feel about their lives. Do you do what is required of you or do you follow what your soul tells you in your heart? We see the torment and the struggles these characters faced as they live through the hours of their lives. The theme, to leave so that yourself or others can start to live again. |
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| Review by others: "The Hours" is about time - time we have left to make our lives enjoyable or to spend it in misery. It features the lives of three women, which might explain why half the film-goers (the males) might not want to see it and why it was left out of Ebert and Roeper's Top 10 films. If that perception is true, that would be a shame. "The Hours" is a wonderfully crafted film about universal themes of life and death, suppression and freedom, and unresolved love. That it is told from the viewpoint of three women should not diminish any of its appeal. Virginia Woolf must combat her life long mental affliction even as husband Leonard tries to manage her condition. Using the novel, 'Mrs Dalloway', the film conveys the heartache of isolation and forlorn lives in two other women who are directly connected to the book. In 1951, we meet Laura and Dan who, with their young son, would seem an ideal family. But Laura yearns for freedom, much as Mrs. Dalloway, and she must choose between giving up her family or dying. Move to 2001, and there is yet another Mrs. Dalloway in Claire and her dogged responsibility toward her former lover, Richard, now dying of AIDS. The themes of liberation, lesbianism, and dying enthrall all three women, and one does die in order that those around her might value even more the living. You cannot find three better actresses to portray these very complex individuals, in Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, and Nicole Kidman, any or all should be nominated for Oscars. An equally fine supporting cast of Ed Harris, John Reilly, Stephen Dillane, Claire Danes, and Allison Janey make "The Hours" one of the most interesting and intelligent melodramas to come along in a while. by lou-50 |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Virginia Woolf: Dear Leonard. To look life in the face, always, to look life in the face and to know it for what it is. At last to know it, to love it for what it is, and then, to put it away. Leonard, always the years between us, always the years. Always the love. Always the hours. 2. Clarissa Vaughn: When I'm with him I feel... Yes, I am living. And when I'm not with him... Yes, everything does seem sort of silly. 3. Laura Brown: It would be wonderful to say you regretted it. It would be easy. But what does it mean? What does it mean to regret when you have no choice? It's what you can bear. There it is. No one's going to forgive me. It was death. I chose life. 4. Virginia Woolf: A woman's whole life in a single day. Just one day. And in that day her whole life. |
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American History X |
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| My brief take: Some of the most intense scenes of violence i have ever seen on screen. I watched this movie when i was rather young and it left an indelible impression on me. It portrayed compellingly the kind of brutality and damage people who were brainwashed into extreme negative beliefs can do to others (even on rather trivial grounds). Equally amazing is the totally believeable transformation of that very same violent character into something totally opposite of who he was after a series of events. |
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| Review by others: Edward Norton plays Derek Vinyard, a violent but also intelligent neo-nazi. After killing two black people who tried to break his car, Derek is sent down for a couple of years. Meanwhile, his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) is busy following in his brother's footsteps. After certain incidents in prison gives him time to thing, Derek decides to reform on his way out. Once out, he realises how quickly in number his old gang of nazi thugs has grown and wonders if he can save his brother. This is a brilliant film. Perhaps what disturbs me the most is the way that Edward Norton looks so brutal, yet sounds so intellectual throughout the film. Although the film contains a constant strong theme of violence, it is always justified in portraying a picture of racial tension. Neither black nor white people are "judged" in the film, it's primary focus being to outline that it's peoples brutality that causes a racial divide, not either race in general. by vanillabeach |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Derek Vinyard: We're so hung up on this notion that we have some obligation to help the struggling black man, you know. Cut him some slack until he can overcome these historical injustices. It's crap. I mean, Christ, Lincoln freed the slaves, like, what? 130 years ago. How long does it take to get your act together? 2. Seth: Who do you hate, Danny? |
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Up |
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| My brief take: One of the best animations i have watched! Russell is especially adorable as the sometimes cheeky and entirely eager kid. But the most important part of this film is the heart felt desire of an old man to fultfil the wish of a loved one who has gone past. Equally touching is his realisation during the end the real wish of that person. It's cartoon, but an incredibly meaningful and emotional one! |
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| Review by others: If there's a list of great computer animation movies of all time, Pixar would dominate most of the top positions. Great story, great voice talent, great timing, great for all ages. It'd be hard to pick just one above another and perhaps another viewing of Up may be in order to figure out where I'd place it among so much stellar work. Up is by far the most emotional human drama of any Pixar movies thus far, very heavy, so much so if you're looking for pure fun with some jaw-dropping chase and/or thematic scenes and no downer moments, Up may not be for you. I saw it in a packed theatre of about a 65% adult, 35% adult split audience and it's the only time I can remember being in ANY animated movie where there was sniffles and watery eyes, and that was within the first 10 minutes of the movie. There's an undercurrent of life after losing a loved one in this movie, which I don't feel gives anything away. It's pretty heavy subject matter, Pixar handles it, like they do everything they touch, incredibly well, but it doesn't make it any less sad to have the material threaded throughout much of the movie you're reminded of it, but I suppose it's up to one's own interpretation of loss and how to place it in your life that perhaps will have an emotional effect on you. Story is what makes a great movie great. Without story, you don't really have anything, maybe some effects, some action, maybe some cute or clever sight gags, maybe some laughs, hopefully some emotion, where Pixar shines above all others in animation and over a good 99% of the movies out there is they can intertwine it all and do it seemingly effortless, which is an incredible feat. To do this in a few movies is one thing, but Pixar has pretty much nailed this now for their entire career of making movies, that's just simply unprecedented. I should note I saw the 3D version which, to be honest, didn't really take the movie to the next level. One of the more well known syndicated reviewers had said you're better off seeing the non-3D version on screen, and I actually agree. The 3D glasses added little to nothing to the movie except for an eye-strain headache later in the night. It didn't take away from Up mind you, it just didn't add to it either. Up is a great movie either way you slice it and it should be noted, the theatre I saw it in gave it a fairly loud round of applause at the end. It's pretty rare these days that an audience applauds after a movie, perhaps we as a society has become too jaded, or too just expecting of the goods or feeling we're entitled to the entertainment. It's nice when a movie hits on all cylinders and elicits such a range and emotional reaction people who don't know each other in a packed room all gasp, laugh, cry, and applaud together. Great movies however can do that and Up is truly a great movie. by Colin Nekritz |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Carl Fredricksen: You'd better get up, Russell. Or else, the tigers will come and eat you. 2. |
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Saw |
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| My brief take: Horror has a new champion! And this is it. Clever twists and an elaborate plot makes this a very gripping and a lot of times shocking experience. The horror lies not so much in the gore but that individuals are made to make very unpleasant and morally challenging decisions on themselves and others under time contraints. All these brings up the tensions of the moments and makes the fear even more identifiable and real. The twist at the end will definitely blow your mind. |
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| Review by others: Since "Nattevagten" I have not seen a thriller that has kept me on the edge of my seat as well as "Saw". Right from the beginning this original story sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the very end. Thrillers as gripping as this one have become extremely rare in times like these, where people have seen almost everything and can guess any twist during the first half of the movie. With "Saw" James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the creative heads behind this project, set new standards. Think you're hard-boiled? Think again and watch "Saw", a movie that will creep you out and surprise you beyond your expectations. "Saw" has been advertised as the new "Se7en" and while both movies are definitely in the same tradition, "Saw" does a much better job at actually being creepy. Jigsaw is the most gruesome killer the cinema has seen in a loooong time. Wan and Whannel really came up with a monster that has no peer. Where many movies drift into ridiculousness trying to establish the villain as an almost superhuman evil being, "Saw" does never get anywhere near that trap. Sure, the cops are depicted way too stupid and the killer is unrealistically smart, outshining each and every opponent with his perfect plans, but hey, "Se7en" and "Silence Of The Lambs" didn't care too much about realism, either, did they? "Saw" does have some flaws. Those sped-up tracking shots have just been used too many times by now, the structure of the script is weird and jumps from one period of time to another, some characters' lines are a bit clichéd. However, considering that this movie was made in only 18 days by two independent filmmakers with literally no budget at all, it's really inappropriate to be petty about technical subtleties, when Wan and Whannel came up with such an original and stirring movie. I can't remember the last time I've been surprised by a movie's final twist, but "Saw" has an ending that I didn't see coming at all. This thriller is the most original piece of independent film-making since "Cube". I'm really looking forward to seeing how Wan and Whannell's career develops after this fine sleeper. by Superunknown |
Memorable Quotes: John: Hello, Paul. You are a perfectly healthy, sane and middle-class male yet last month you ran a straight razor across your wrist. Did you cut yourself because you truly wanted to die or did you just want some attention? Tonight, you'll show me. The irony is that if you want to die you just have to stay where you are, but if you want to live, you'll have to cut yourself again. Find the path through the razor-wire to the door but hurry. At 3:00 that door will lock and then, this room becomes your tomb. How much blood will you shed to stay alive? |
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The Slumdog Millionaire |
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| My brief take: A story about the incredible journey of someone who has lived through the rough life of the slums and as a result being able to answer almost all of the questions on a game show that will make him rich just because of having lived through them. Of a love so faithful but yet driven apart by life circumstances. One of the few times when a sad subject matter is capable of being portrayed in such a beautiful manner. What is inspiring is the un-extinguished love between two young people despite the numerous odds befalling them. |
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| Review by others: I won't see a better, more exhilarating movie this year than Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire." If Academy voters have any sense, they will nominate this for Best Picture and Best Director and then vote overwhelmingly for it for both awards. Boyle has taken what is essentially a story about a young man on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" and transformed it into a gritty, realistic, powerful and, at times, gut-wrenching fairy tale. It's a Dickensian picture about a world rarely, if ever, seen in mainstream movies, a film that grabs us from the opening frame and doesn't let go until the credits roll at the end. This is why I love movies. Films like "Slumdog Millionaire" are rare. They are things of beauty, works of art that make me fall in love with movies all over again. Boyle has done it twice. First with "Millions" (2004), which also, coincidentally, was about a young boy and money; and now with "Slumdog Millionaire." This is Boyle's masterpiece - a stunningly original piece of film-making. Every once in a while there is a sleeper film, usually an independent movie, that comes along, takes everyone by surprise, then gets terrific word of mouth and becomes a huge success. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002), "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) - though I did not care much for it - and "Juno" (2007) are such films. But, frankly, those films can't hold a candle to "Slumdog Millionaire." What might surprise many viewers is that a third of the dialogue is in Hindi. (And Boyle's placement of subtitles on the screen makes such good sense!) Please do not let that dissuade you from seeing this marvelous film. Do not let the R rating prevent you, either. What was the MPAA thinking? Honestly! There are far more offensive, vulgar and violent movies that are rated PG-13. "Slumdog Millionaire" should never have received an R rating. (This film should be mandatory viewing for young people, especially those in industrialized nations.) Simon Beaufoy's script was originally entirely in English, but Boyle's decision to have the Indian kids speak in Hindi, instead, is the right call. Having the children speaking in their native tongue makes perfect sense, especially because Boyle and Beaufoy depicts the realism of the kids' lives. That's what incredible about this film. Boyle and Beaufoy do not shy away from showing the squalor of Bombay. These kids live in deplorable conditions amid the grime, sewers and trash dumps of the slums. And, yet, thanks of Boyle true ingenuity, he creates uplifting and even humorous moments in the slums. There is one moment - and I shan't spoil it for anyone, but you will know it when you see it - that very well might be my favorite film moment in the last five years. Boyle doesn't do a thing wrong here. From his choice of actors to the music to his choice of colors, Boyle works his magic. The performances are uniformly good. Irrfan Khan finds the right balance between a tormentor and a quasi-father figure as the police officer. There's young Dev Patel as Jamal, playing with confidence, bringing a wonderful swagger to his role, as well as a sense of fear that we completely understand. Freida Pinto as the love interest is superb. And, of course, there are the three young 'uns. Perfectly cast, they actually make the film work. Their performances as Jamal, Salim and Latika are so utterly convincing that they completely draw us into the picture and make the jobs of the older actors playing them much easier. "Slumdog Millionaire" is, I suppose, a dramatic comedy at heart. But it is also much more. It is a film about friendship, gratitude, love, betrayal, poverty and hope. It makes you laugh, weep and cheer as you can't help but marvel at Boyle's sheer genius. The film moves along at a breakneck pace, yet none of the cinematic flair - and there is plenty - seems superfluous. Everything Boyle does, including the Bollywood touches, makes sense. There's such a brilliantly kinetic energy to this film that it is impossible not to be enthralled by it. What Boyle has done is truly miraculous. He has turned a film about street life in Bombay into a visceral, genuine crowd-pleaser. And you will walk out of the movie theater feeling inspired and hopeful, knowing you've just seen something very special. "Slumdog Millionaire" is not to be missed. It is the best movie of the year. And it is, without any doubt, one of the ten best films of the decade. |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Jamal Malik: When somebody asks me a question, I tell them the answer. 2. Jamal Malik: I love you.
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Fight Club |
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| My brief take: Sometimes the only way to feel alive and that your living your own skin is when you feel the physicality of a fight. In a world where we live by the way of others and society, we lose the sense of our own instincts and purpose. The act of the physical fight is not for the sake of violence per say but to feel something real inside of you that has been desensitised by the materialistic world. |
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| Review by others: "Fight Club" an aggressive, confrontational, often brutal satire that is quite possibly a brilliant masterpiece. Taking the "Choose life," anti-consumerism rant at the beginning of "Trainspotting," and carrying it to its logical -- albeit extreme -- conclusion this is a big budget, mainstream film that takes a lot of risks by biting the hand that feeds it. The film's narrator (Edward Norton) is an insignificant cog in the drab, corporate machine, dutifully doing his job and what he's told without question. He's an insomniac slave to his IKEA possessions and only finds joy in going to as many self-help/dealing with terminal diseases sessions as he can. It provides him with an escape from his sleepless nights. That is, until Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), a trashy chain-smoking poser, enters his life and upsets his routine. The narrator also meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a charismatic soap salesman whose straightforward honesty, candor and sleazy lounge-lizard outfits are a breath of fresh air. One night, after the two men have bonded over beers, Tyler asks the narrator to hit him. At first, it seems like an absurd request but after they pound on each other for a bit, a strange feeling overcomes them. They feel a kind of release and satisfaction at inflicting pain on one another. In a world where people are desensitized to everything around them, the physical contact of fighting wakes them up and makes them feel truly alive. Others soon join in and pretty soon Fight Club becomes an underground sensation. However, it becomes readily apparent that Tyler has more elaborate plans than just organizing brawls at the local bar. David Fincher has taken the dark, pessimistic worldview of "Seven" and married it with the clever plot twists and turns of "The Game" and assembled his strongest effort to date. "Fight Club" is a $50+ million studio film that remains true to its anti-consumer, anti-society, anti-everything message -- right up to the last, sneaky subliminal frame. What makes "Fight Club" a subversive delight is not only its refreshing anti-corporate message but how it delivers said message. As Fincher has explained in interviews, you don't really watch the film but rather download it. Its structure is extremely playful as it messes around with linear time to an incredible degree. The narrative bounces back and forth all over the place like a novel, or surfing on the Internet -- even making a hilarious dead stop to draw attention to itself in a funny, interesting way that completely works. Yet Norton's deadpanned narration holds everything together and allows the viewer to get a handle on what's happening. This is the way films should be made. Why must we always have to go through the A+B+C formula? "Fight Club" openly rejects this tired, clearly outdated structure in favour of a stylized frenzy of jump cuts, freeze frames, slow motion and every other film technique in the book that only reinforces its anarchistic message. A film like this would have never been greenlighted by a major studio if Brad Pitt had not been attached to the project. Once you see the film, it becomes obvious that he was the only choice for Tyler Durden. Like he did with "Kalifornia" and "Twelve Monkeys", Pitt grunges himself down and disappears completely into his role to a frighteningly convincing degree. During many of the brutal fight scenes, he is transformed into a bloody, pulpy mess that'll surely have the "Legends of the Fall" fans running for the exits. It is an incredible performance -- probably his best -- for the simple fact that he becomes the character so completely. If Pitt has the flashy, gonzo role, Edward Norton is his perfect foil as the seemingly meek yet sardonic narrator. It's a deceptively understated performance as the last third of the film reveals but Norton nails it perfectly. He is clearly our surrogate, our introduction into this strange world and his wry observations on our consumer-obsessed culture are right on the money. They are the perfect setup for Tyler's introduction and his view on the world which is clearly a call to arms of sorts, a manifesto that rejects the notion that we are what we own. And ultimately, that is what "Fight Club" tries to do. The film is a cinematic punch to the head as it challenges the status quo and offers a wakeup call to people immersed in a materialistic world where those who have the most stuff, "win." I think that Fincher's film wants us to tear all that down, reject corporate monsters like Starbucks and Blockbuster, and try to figure out what we really want out of life. It's almost as if the film is suggesting salvation through self-destruction. And it is these thought-provoking ideas that makes "Fight Club" a dangerously brilliant film that entertains as well as enlightens. by J. D. Lafrance |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Tyler Durden: Welcome to Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: you DO NOT talk about Fight Club! Third rule of Fight Club: if someone yells "stop!", goes limp, or taps out, the fight is over. Fourth rule: only two guys to a fight. Fifth rule: one fight at a time, fellas. Sixth rule: the fights are bare knuckle. No shirt, no shoes, no weapons. Seventh rule: fights will go on as long as they have to. And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight. 2. Narrator: This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time. |
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The Sixth Sense |
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| My brief take: Rarely have i seen a film that really is horror, yet at times is still so moving. There are scenes that raised the hairs on the back of my neck, but there are also parts where i was touched by the things being said between the characters. It's about dead people, and sometimes their unfulfilled wishes towards their loved ones. Haley Joel Osment gave a brilliant performance as no other kid i have seen on a film would. This film also really sets the benchmark for what a clever 'twist' made to a story can do to how a film is finally experienced. |
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| Review by others: When I first saw The Sixth Sense, I didn't know what to expect. I guess I was looking forward to a good scary horror flick. I was very surprised. I found that the purpose for this movie was far greater than just trying to scare the audience. I found this movie was showing not only the emotions of fear, but also faith, commitment, sadness of loss, and love. The end was so surprising, I had to see it again. The second time I watched it, I did it from a totally different perspective (this is a very rare quality for any movie), and I enjoyed it just as much, or maybe even more. I also, as many viewers have, tried to detect fallacies in the story. I couldn't find one. In addition, for those that appreciate great soundtracks, the music only helps to heighten the experience of the movie. I believe that a great movie is one that helps the viewer perceive life and the world differently. The Sixth Sense is one of those extraordinary movies that does that to me. This movie reflects on some difficult subjects that will make the viewer walk away asking eternal questions. Questions about death, about letting go, about eternal love and commitment, about the love between parent and child, and between husband and wife. Maybe I read too much into this very wonderful film, but I believe it will be difficult to find a movie that has touched on these subjects so poignantly and so well for years to come. |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Cole Sear: I see dead people. 2. Cole Sear: [of his grandmother] She wanted me to tell you... |
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V for Vendetta |
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| My brief take: A powerful performance by Hugo Weaving delivering a powerful social-political message. Intelligent script and intense acting by the lead casts. You will be left in awe at the end. Some of the most powerful speeches delivered on a film, and with such eloquence. Also a sincerely touching ending in the midst of top notched action sequences. |
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| Review by others: I am speechless. I just came back from the theatre, where I watched 'V for Vendetta'. There are three main elements in the movie and it excels on all three of them. First off the dialogues and script. Intense, witty, honest but not patronising, intelligent but not pretentious. That's the first level at which the movie surprises you. You don't except such high level of script from an action movie. But it is slowly revealed to the audience that V for Vendetta is not just an action movie. The story is filled with current events and has a definite strong political sense. Secondly Hugo Weaving's performance. It is definitely what grabs you from the start. He delivers some of the hardest lines with incredible charisma. His performance shines throughout the movie and honestly he sounds as good as any of the best actors out there. He should be nominated for an academy award. Finally the visual part. Incredible, yet no "Matrix" effects used. Everything looks beautiful, dark yet vibrant. The cinematography is top notch. The final battle scene brought tears to my eyes. Do not miss 'V for Vendetta'. It's one of the best movies of all time, an eternal classic. by Tasos Tz |
Memorable Quotes: 1. V: [during his BTN broadcast] Today, however, is a day, sadly, no longer remembered. So, I thought we could mark this November the 5th by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. Of course, there are those who do not want us to speak. I suspect, even now, orders are being shouted into telephones and men with guns are racing to this station. But regardless of what weapons they try to use to effect silence, words will always retain their power. Words are the means to meaning, and for some, the annunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country. 2. V: I told you, only truth. For 20 years, I sought only this day. Nothing else existed... until I saw you. Then everything changed. I fell in love with you Evey. And to think I no longer believed I could. |
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In the Mood for Love |
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| My brief take: Two people united by their experience of being betrayed by their partners and develops a bond in the process. But their feelings are not consummated as a result of their sense of traditions and morals. Never has romance been cast in such a compelling fashion in the absence of any physical intimacy. The connections between the two leads feels very real and the unsatisfied longing between them heartbreaking yet such a beauty to behold. |
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| Review by others: It's easy to see why many people consider In the Mood for Love to be Wong Kar-Wai's best film. The toned down appeal of the film, centering on the studied view of a relationship put through an emotional ringer, is a retread into Happy Together territory but without the hyper-kinetic patchwork of jarring film stocks and hyper-saturated sequences that have become a trademark of Kar-Wai's films since Chungking Express. Like Soderbergh's The Limey, this is a different kind of curio for Kar-Wai; where dialogue and plot are forsaken by mood and composition in order to create a tale of two delicate lives in a seemingly confining emotional stasis. It's a testament to the genius of Kar-Wai that he is capable to making such a simple tale so resonating. Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) move in next-door to each other within the same apartment building. He's a journalist who dreams of publishing martial-arts novels and she is a secretary at a shipping company. Their eventual coupling is obvious from the beginning but the pleasure here is the way that Kar-Wai ambiguously paints such a journey with his grand masterstrokes. The key to the success of the film is Kar-Wai's use of the interior space, playing with foreground and background planes in ways that are similar to the works of Polanski. During the wooingly sensuous first half of the film, Kar-Wai isolates Leung and Cheung within shots in such a way that the second person in a conversation is never visible. Kar-Wai is concerned with environment and space here, creating a cramped emotional dynamic between his characters. It's also telling that Kar-Wai never chooses to focus on the physicality of Mo-Wan and Li-zhen's spouses. Their faceless partners are noticeably absent from the film, as they are tending to their own love affairs with each other. This is not to suggest that In the Mood for Love is a confining experience because Kar-Wai manages to inundate his film with broad splashes of hypnotic camera movement and sound. There is one shot where Cheung's slow, sensual rise up a metaphorical stairway turns into Leung's descent down the very same stairwell; their movements perfectly compliment each other, bookending the shot and creating a sense of erotic duality between the two figures. Their souls have connected but they have yet to physically unite. The erotic displacement of these scenes is both fascinating and frustrating, as two star-crossed lovers reject physical consummation due to their humble fidelity. Other scenes in the film are punctuated with brief slow-motion shots of Cheung erotically moving through her interior surroundings, set to Mike Galasso's hauntingly beautiful score. Cheung's dresses beautifully compliment her exterior space as she moves slowly through her surroundings. Her movements slowly build up to what seems to be an inevitable fusion between Li-szhen and her dream lover even though the seduction process seems to be entirely sub-conscious. If I make it seem that these two characters are more like two birds unleashing pheromones on each other, it probably isn't that far-fetched of a statement. The tight bond these two characters have with their internal spaces is almost as intense as their relationship to the exteriors. The film rarely moves into an exterior space and when the camera does it is usually to peak through oval windows and symbolic bars that always remind us that these characters are like confined animals. Kar-Wai continues to tease us even when the lovers get close enough to touch, shattering the couple's proximity to each other by shooting them through mirrors or through gaps within articles of clothing located inside of a closet. Mother Nature even seems to respond to their love lust, often unleashing a soft crest of rain over the characters after their bodies have glided near each other. Kar-Wai's hauntingly atmospheric shots of a waterfall allowed Leung's Lai Yu-Fai to experience a cathartic release in Happy Together, even if Leslie Cheung's Ho Po-wing was not there to enjoy it with him. By that film's end, love was so inextricably bound to the act of war that a third man's muted declarations of love signaled Yu-Fai's realization that his dreams of seeing a waterfall would bring him inner peace, even if it would not bring him back his lover. Mo-Wan's journey terminates within the confines of a crumbling temple. His own emotional depletion is paralleled nicely with the political climate of his country, and the absence of Li-szhen is only made tolerable by the fact that Kar-Wai allows Mo-Wan to experience a release of sorts. Mo-Wan caters to an ancient myth and his secretive release into a crack in the temple leaves him capable of living his days with the hope that all his loss and heartache somehow served a higher purpose. by Ed Gonzalez |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Chow Mo-wan: Feelings can creep up just like that. I thought I was in control. 2. Su Li-zhen Chan: Why did you call me at the office today? |
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No Country for Old Man |
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| My brief take: Thoroughly authentic portrayals of the lead characters and one of the most terrifying representation of a criminal psychopath on screen. Javier Bardem in one of his breathrough roles will leave you speechless with his controlled yet ulra-menacing presence. |
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| Review by others: No Country for Old Men is as exceptional a mix of two creative talents- the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, and author Cormac McCarthy (recent winner of the Pulitzer for The Road, his own masterpiece) as one could imagine, as they converge on a story that in lessor hands would be just a B movie. The story concerns an average Joe out hunting one day in Texas who comes across a bunch of dead bodies, heroin, and a satchel with 2 million in cash. He takes it, but without knowing that a true embodiment of a psychopath (Javier Bardem) is on his trail, and as he evades him it becomes more and more clear the fatalism that lies in store, as a weathered sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) is also on the trail with perpetulally sad eyes looking on from his stolid demeanor. More than this, it's also about as good a morality play as one could ask for, because it plays and tools and makes very serious questions about what is moral, or what isn't, or what is so ambiguous that it's all up to the toss of a coin or a chance ride out of town. There are a few interpretations to Bardem's character Anton that could be taken, but one thing is certain- he's less a symbol than a real presence, a "ghost" as Jones's sheriff calls him that can come around at the drop of a pin, usually in the dark, and strike the utmost fear (or confusion if you're a clerk) in the hearts of men and women. You'll never look at a coin toss the same way again. Or an air-gun. Or fixing a bullet wound in a leg. Or a hunt at a motel. Or even the aftermath of a car crash. But at the same time it's the purest time of cinema, recalling Hitchcock and Leone and Welles's Touch of Evil and the best of noir and westerns. There are so many exceptional shots and lighting, so much depth to the perception of the characters through the mis-en-scene, so much tension, that through this it's all up to the actors to make or break the near-perfection that is the McCarthy source. Bardem embodies Anton like no other could- you can't look at his eyes, often steel-cold and horrifically professional (to what professional who can say), which occasional tear- and it's obviously worthy of an Oscar. And Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones are also fantastic; we see Brolin often in the midst of an action scene, a moment of 'save-your-life' going on, and one can finally see an actor of his caliber completely breaking out in a role that doesn't require him to ever totally "emote". Jones, on the other hand, gives a compassionate turn in a film that's about the struggles of desperate men in a land without law and order. He's gone through so much that it comes out completely in his voice and eyes, sorrowful but holding back, and he reaches a level of connection with the character that makes the Fugitive look like simpleton TV. Kelly McDonald, who plays Lleland's wife, is also excellent when called upon, especially in a crucial scene later in the film. It's gut-wrenching, bleak, violent, super-tense (I clenched many a knuckle during some scenes), surprisingly funny in a darkly comic manner not seen by the Coens in many years, and artistically fashioned to a beat that is meditative (watch the opening moments with Jones's voice-over), simple, and doomed. It's beautiful and terribly tragic, for McCarthy fans it finally strikes at what is truest to his material- even if you haven't read the book itself the Road will give an indication of the mood and atmosphere at hand- and at the moment I can't think of any other film that would be the best pick of the year- maybe one of the best films I've ever seen. by doctorlightning |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Llewelyn Moss: If I don't come back, tell mother I love her. 2. Carla Jean Moss: I got a bad feeling, Llewelyn. 3. Anton Chigurh: And you know what's going to happen now. You should admit your situation. There would be more dignity in it. |
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There Will Be blood |
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| My brief take: Another superb character piece by Daniel Day Lewis, one of my favourite actors. This is a period drama set in the early days of oil prospecting. It goes to show how the talent and dedication of a single actor can really bring out a character, even of someone who belonged to a different time and world. One great individual performance can truly drive a film to its heights. |
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| Review by others: The year I was born was the same year Predator and Robocop came out. When I was finally old enough to appreciate films, Little Nicky was in theaters. I know, believe me, I know; rocky start. And often I would watch older films, or specials on older films, and be dazzled. You know the ones. Remember when they made Spartacus? Remember sitting in the movies and watching Gregory Peck play Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird? Remember the first time you heard "I could've been a contender" through theater speakers? Well I sure as hell don't. But I'll tell you what, now I feel somewhat caught up. Let's begin with the obvious. Daniel Day Lewis. No one's arguing about this. The man is a veritable God among ants on the screen. He takes his role by the reigns and I don't doubt him for a second. In fact, at times, I was downright afraid of the man. Lewis gives what is easily, EASILY the best performance of the past five years. But let's get serious about it. Lewis' Daniel Plainview is the most convincing, awe-inspiring, and downright mortifying character to take the big screen that I can remember. Here, perfectly in his element and at his best, Lewis could go toe to toe with Brando and Kinski, playing a part that oozes enough skill and pathos to earn him a place among Hollywood's, and perhaps the world's, greatest performances of all time. He gives those of us who missed out on the craft, depth of character, and technique of classic cinema a chance to admire a tour de force portrayal of a memorable, identifiable, and completely despicable character, and it's so damned refreshing that I can't stop singing the man's praises. Paul Dano has been taking a lot of fire for this whole thing. People continue to spout their disapproval of the film's casting, saying that Dano has no business rivaling the seasoned Lewis on the screen. Listen, lay down your swords a minute and consider the obvious. The guy was cast opposite the performance of the decade, he's not going to outshine Lewis and you'd be crazy to expect him to. In fact, I think that he and Lewis' back-and-forths are the films highlights, as we see the juxtaposition not only in the characters themselves, but also in their acting techniques. And the cinematography? Welcome to the old days of film. The glory days of Hollywood. Anderson gives us one of the most beautifully shot and directed films in recent memory, truly at the top of his craft on this one. Every moment feels more epic than the last, until the film becomes such a towering cinematic spectacle that the end leaves the viewer exhausted. It's truly an experience not to be missed. Yeah, we missed out on A Street Car Named Desire. And Casablanca isn't gonna be in theaters again any time soon. But in the meantime, There Will Be Blood is just about as good, and will likely haunt our generation as much as the Hollywood studio epics of the past... by DSampson612 |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Eli Sunday: You are a stupid man, Abel. You let some come in here and walk all over us. You let him in, and do his work here, and you are a stupid man for what we could have had. 2. Plainview: Ladies and gentlemen... I've traveled over half our state to be here tonight. I couldn't get away sooner because my new well was coming in at Coyote Hills and I had to see about it. That well is now flowing at two thousand barrels and it's paying me an income of five thousand dollars a week. I have two others drilling and I have sixteen producing at Antelope. So, ladies and gentlemen... if I say I'm an oil man you will agree. You have a great chance here, but bear in mind, you can lose it all if you're not careful. Out of all men that beg for a chance to drill your lots, maybe one in twenty will be oilmen; the rest will be speculators-that's men trying to get between you and the oilmen-to get some of the money that ought by rights come to you. Even if you find one that has money, and means to drill, he'll maybe know nothing about drilling and he'll have to hire out the job on contract, and then you're depending on a contractor that's trying to rush the job through so he can get another contract just as quick as he can. This is... the way that this works. |
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The Breakfast Club |
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| My brief take: A group of teenagers found themselves on a Saturday staying for detention at school and revealing that they are more complicated and real than the typecast people they have been made to be in public. As each person shares with one another the unique experience of their own world, somehow we become more connected with who they are and how they came to be. No longer are teenagers as shallow and souless as the adults think they are. I saw this film when i was a teen and it struck me in a way i couldn't really understand until now when i look back at it. |
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| Review by others: This movie is one of the best, if not THE best, 80's film there is. The fact is, every teen character in this movie can be related to someone we knew in high-school. As a child of the 80's, I can honestly say that this is a representative cross-section of every high school in North America. The geek, the jock, the outcast, the rich pretty-girl snob, and the future criminal. They all exist, to some degree or another, in the classrooms of every high school on the continent. What makes this film rise above the rest is the character development. Every character in this film is three-dimensional. They all change, in one way or another, by the end of the film. Whether or not things remain the way they are long after this film ends is unknown, and that adds to the rama. The most important scene in this film is when the characters, as a group, all open up to one-another and describe the hell that their daily school routines are in a personal fashion. Nobody likes the role they must inevitably portray in the high-school scene, but the fact is, it is often inescapable. This film gives the viewer some insight into how the other people around them might have felt during that particular time in their lives. Each of the main characters in this film shines, but Judd Nelson (John Bender) and Emilio Estevez (Andrew Clark) rise above the rest. Simply put, these two actors each put their heart and soul into their respective characters, and it shows. At the end of the film, the viewer is left to make their own conclusions as to how things will carry forth. And I'm sure that most people will do that. This is one movie that left me feeling both happy and sad for each of the characters, and it isn't easy to make me care about a film in that way. Even if you aren't a fan of the 80's genre, this isn't one you would want to miss. by PlainIce |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... 2. Andrew: I said, leave her alone. 3. [Claire is doing Allison's make-up] |
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Outrage |
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My take: "Brother" was the first Yakuza film I have seen and it so happens to be both directed and acted by the well known Takeshi Kitano. The thing about his films is its very characteristic directorial style and acting which i find to be very suitable for the genre Kitano is so used to, Japanese gangter films. What struck me most in these films are the very vivid and graphic portrayal of violence which i feel is a tad brutal and yet it is these extreme and often shocking acts that bring about the mood and feel of what it means to be a gangster in a Yakuza environment. The violent acts are not random or arbitrary per say but represented the emotions of the people involved in their situations and what their response would be given who they are. It is with this in mind that i went for the screening of "Outrage" recently. In a sense, the latter follow mostly in the tradition of Kitano's earlier works such as "Brother", with the same series of shocking scenes which are at times also comedic, but nevertheless possess the same potent feel of being in a violent filled environment. Kitano, despite being in the lead role, has not focused all the attention on his character but allowed it to be part of the overall machinations of the Yakuza organisation as it is masterminded and controlled by the head honcho of the extended crime family. Despite the violent scenes and the tense moments during face offs between different parties being the more obvious part of the film, there is still a sense of the puppetry work from the individuals at the top in manipulating the less powerful actors below in the quest for personal control and interests. In the end, the message seems to be that in an organisation run by crooks, regardless of its surface appearance of hierarchy and tradition, people will ultimately turn against one another regardless of their initial ties.
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Review by others: What comes to your mind when one mentions "Yakuza"? Is it something bleak and dark? That's apparently what's delivered through this Takeshi Kitano film. |
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Dead Man Walking |
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| My take: The thing that this film is genuinely trying to bring out is that of real redemption and deep awareness of what it really means to take a life. For a murderer, the way to do it would be to show how another person who despite knowing all the terrible things the former had done continues to treasure and fight for his. In this case, in the form of a nun who has a deep seated belief for the sanctity of life, trying to defend a killer against the death row and of being there for him till the very last regardless of whatever had happened. Ultimately, it's the compassion and the value others hold towards your life that shows the true loss and hurt one caused when you take away someone else's and from their loved ones. A difficult and subtle effect to achieve, but i think the director and the cast had managed it well here. |
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| Review by others: 'It's easy to kill a monster, but it's hard to kill a human being.' Set in St. Thomas Housing Project and Angola Prison in New Orleans, "Dead Man Walking" is the true story of Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon), a Louisiana nun Sister who befriended Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn), a murderer and a rapist bound for a lethal injection machine for killing a teenage couple… Sister Helen agrees to help the convict and to remain with him till the end—an act never before attempted by a woman… At their first meeting, Poncelet swears to the nun that his accomplice was the one who shot both of the kids and pleads her help for a new trial in order to convince the pardon board hearing to spare his life… The film challenges the audience to actually give some thought to the human consequences of the death penalty, but gives voice to angry bereaved parents whose kids were shot, stabbed, raped, and left in the woods to die alone… As Poncelet's execution looms closer and closer, his character is seen deceptively complex, harboring doubts about the rightness of what they were doing to him… In one moment, we hear him sensitive asking for a lie detector test to let his mother know that he is innocent, in another we see him furious playing the victim, blaming the government, drugs, blacks, the kids for being there… Poncelet never understood that he has robbed the Percys and the Delacroixs so much, giving them nothing but sorrow… They are never going to see their children again, never going to hold them, to love them, to laugh with them… In the scenes leading up to his execution, the death-row inmate drops his terrible facade and reveals his identity… Luckily both Sarandon and Penn are here exceptional—carrying out successfully an exquisite, tangible harmony of souls… When Sarandon was looking at Penn, she was projecting compassionate eyes brimming with tears… She asks him to visualize her as he dies— ''I want the last thing you see in this world to be the face of love''—in that moment, we truly believed that she'll be the face of love for him… by ironside |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Clyde Percy: How can you stand next to him? 2. Matthew Poncelet: I just wanna say I think killin' is wrong, no matter who does it, whether it's me or y'all or your government. 3. Helen's Mother: A mother's arms are strong when her child is in danger. |
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 |
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| My take: With this film, the makers of the long running series has upped the ante to deliver a truly serious and often at times gloomy take of the book by Rowling. The overall feel in the unfolding of events here is both dark and forboding although sprinkled accasionally with some light moments. The 3 main actors have definitely matured and evolved, and displayed the skills needed to bring forth the nuances of emotions required during parts of the film. There is more awareness of the deeper feelings involved in relationships between people and these are spelled more clearly and seemed so much more precious during times of great adversity. Previous viewings of Harry Potter films have been about delightful special effects and imaginative tricks of magic. This one is about things that are dear to us and what we really value when times do get really bad. A good performance notably by Emma Watson with a more sincere telling of a meaningful story. |
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| Review by others:
A sullen Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) sets the mood for this seventh and penultimate instalment of Harry Potter. "These are dark times, there's no denying," he intones gravely, pointing out the grim state of affairs facing the nation- murders, disappearances and raids- but reassuring the public, as any politician would, that his Ministry has it all under control. Of course, he is only bluffing, and it doesn't take long before the palpable sense of doom and despair convinces you otherwise. |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Ron Weasley: The deluminator. It doesn't just turn off lights. I don't know how it work but Christmas morning, I was sleeping in this little pub, keeping away from some Snatchers, and I heard it. A voice. Your voice, Hermione. You said my name. Just my name. Like a whisper. So I took it, clicked it and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew. It flew towards me, the ball of light, right through my chest and straight through me. Right here 2. Hermione Granger: Actually I'm highly logical which allows me to look past extraneous detail and perceive clearly that which others overlook. 3. Dobby the House Elf: What a beautiful place... to be with friends. |
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The Social Network |
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| My take: What do you get when you mix zeal with an ideal? A remarkable social phenomenon known as Facebook. This seems to be the story as told by the movie here. What i find impressive is the authentic portrayal of the lead character by Jesse Eisenberg as someone whose initial petty motivations behind an online social networking idea became a single minded pursuit of an ideal, and the determination to bring about the reality of it via holding on to what it should be as envisioned by the creator. Along the way people got hurt, but its with the end of building what ultimately facebook should be. Although there might be some ambiguity as to whether the apparent ruthlessness of the lead character towards those who might have deviated from his will has got to do with ensuring that any ensuing succcess is his own or the result of a genuine purge to avoid damaging what turns out to be one of the most successful online creations ever. Whatever it is, there is no denying the said innovation has brought about the change in the lives of many, and not just for an advantaged few. This is the story of that individual and the process it takes to bring about something that is truly phenomenal. |
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I just want to get this out there right away and put the cards on the table so to speak: When I first heard about it, I had very little faith in this project. I was stupefied, confused by the thought of what attracted all this talent to this seemingly trivial story to begin with? Why would David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin possibly be interested in the story of the founding of Facebook? Surely they could have found something more important, more meaningful to apply their efforts to. After seeing the film, though, I realized that, of course, Fincher and Sorkin knew what they were doing all along. And furthermore that labeling this as "The Facebook movie" is really an insult to what Sorkin and Fincher were trying to and have succeeded in achieving with this film. |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Gage: Mr. Zuckerberg, do I have your full attention? 2. Marylin Delpy: What are you doing? 3. Sean Parker: You think you know me, don't you? 4. Mark Zuckerberg: People wanna go online and check out their friends, so why not build a website that offers that. I'm talking about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online. |
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Inception |
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| My take: The is a film that is part intelligent and part emotional. It is a movie filled with scenes of a blockbuster but yet compelling enough for the non superficial viewer to appreciate the emotional aspects of the sub plots and the smartly developed concept of the main story. As one of my favorite actors, Leonardo Di Caprio continues to balanced his roles remarkably well. That of being a rugged action character while retaining his softer sensitivities to portray at the same time a man refusing to let go of a loved one which has passed. It is an intelligent movie with an emotional edge that will take the breath off the viewer at times. |
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| Review by others: Usually I try to be careful with over hyping a film, or setting the expectations too high, as film geeks all are guilty for, however for Christopher Nolan's Inception, this really is not possible. This is possibly one of the only perfect films I have ever seen. It is absolutely confident in every way, something which is extremely refreshing, even more so than Avatar. Christopher Nolan gets some slack for making great to look at but ultimately heartless affairs, which I for one do not agree with, however I do not think anyone can argue that here. The emotional aspect of this film not only ties it all together but is really the centre of this film, it is the focus. I do not want to over simplify the film, by simply calling it Kubrick doing Bond, or Gondry on a huge budget, because I am sure it will be called that but it is far more than that, it is something I do not think Kubrick could have ever made. It is pure Nolan, and pure greatness. I hate writing something which is pure fan-boy gushing, but its really difficult here. I did not find a thing I did not like about it, I am sure if maybe I saw it a second time, maybe I would find something about it I didn't like, but not the first time. The way it is cut, means that there is always action on screen, if not, then the visuals are interesting enough to keep your eyes glued. The final hour of the film, is possibly one of the most complicated action sequences put on film. You have to constantly be paying attention to remember all of the layers of what is happening. Without spoiling anything, all I have to say is that is what this film is about, that is what makes this film so great, layers. Once you have seen this you will now what I am talking about. All of the actors are fantastic too, Di Caprio is the stand out here. Yes, this is probably due to the fact he is the star and given all of the emotional weight, but he handles it perfectly, similarly to his performance in Shutter Island. Ellen Page, whom I usually hate, gives a great performance here. Tom Hardy gives a break out performance here, he is quite the bad ass. I hope audiences are ready for a film like this, a pure auteur driven film which does not sacrifice a single frame for the studio. I would hope this film will change Hollywood, as it is 100 percent the directors vision yet it is definitely a marketable film, much like District 9, yet I do not think it will. I cannot recommend this film anymore than I have, I just have to say everyone and anyone should see it. Sorry about all the gushing, it is just so hard not too. - technofunkie |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Cobb: [from trailer] Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange. 2. Mal: I'll tell you a riddle. You're waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don't know for sure. But it doesn't matter. How can it not matter to you where that train will take you? Cobb: Because you'll be together. 3. Cobb: I will split up my father's empire. Now this is obviously an idea that Robert Fischer will choose to reject - which is why we need to plant it deep in his subconscious. Subconscious is fueled by emotion, right? Not reason. We need a find a way to translate this into an emotional concept. |
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The Fighter |
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| My take: Some of the most exciting fight scenes i have seen on a film. The focus here is on the family that trains and manages the lead character, a boxer gunning for a shot at a boxing title. Christian Bale is marvelous as the drug addict brother, who was also an accomplished fighter in his hey days. The most memorable part of this movie comes during the title match when the family of the protagonists finally reunites behind him for support and when the perseverance and the faith in one's own kin gave the lead character the upperhand in the fight that ultimately lead to the latter winning the title. I found myself unconsciously cheering him aloud in the cinema when the breakthrough resulting in the turnaround of the fight happens. An utterly enjoyable fighting match in the cinema! |
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| Review by others: Wow, what a movie. It's an inspirational true story of a boxer finally getting his break. It's also a story of addiction, and how it can affect loved ones. And above all, it's about family. There are some great boxing scenes in THE FIGHTER, they feel authentic and brutal, but the true fight is really outside the ring. Which is not to say this is an overbearing melodrama, no, far from it. It handles the subject matter gracefully. It has a lot of heart and can be quite funny, and there are some humorously absurd moments, something director David O. Russell has proved to be very good at providing. Mark Wahlberg gives a great performance playing the lead character, Micky. This is Wahlberg's most reserved and complex role to date. Micky has an unbreakable devotion to his family, which both strengthens and cripples him. He never really speaks for himself, and would rather suffer than upset those around him. Through the course of the movie the character really grows, thanks to the help of a good woman by his side. Mark Wahlberg shows a side of himself we've never seen before, this isn't the over-the-top badass THE DEPARTED Wahlberg, which don't get me wrong, is awesome too, but he finds a different range here. Truly the guy has come a long way from The Funky Bunch. Christian Bale is absolutely phenomenal in his scene-stealing role as Micky's drug-addicted brother. This is such a great character that Bale really brings a lot of depth to. Dicky's easily angered, often detached and oblivious to how his affliction is affecting his life. He's also ashamed and vulnerable. He's not the most reliable guy in the world and he's in need of a serious wake-up call. But the thing is...you can completely understand why Micky would stand by him for so long. Underneath it all, he really is a great guy, full of energy and affection- somebody you'd really want in your corner. This is sure to go down as one of Bale's most remembered roles, and hopefully his enormous talent will finally be recognized by winning an Academy Award for it. Behind every great man is a great woman, and Amy Adams also delivers a fantastic performance as Micky's girlfriend, who really helps him develop some backbone and at the same time is able to find some clarity in her misguided life. She's great in her role, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't thoroughly enjoy the eye-candy she brings to the movie. She has her fair share of revealing outfits and in one scene is shown wearing a see-through bra. Now THAT'S great filmmaking! Also notable, just because it stood out to me, is that Conan O'Brien's sister, Kate, has a role in the movie, playing one of Micky's sisters. I sort of wish I wasn't privy to this information before seeing it because her resemblance to the goofy talk show host is uncanny...and a little disturbing. I don't know why a lot of the most involving sports movies happen to be about boxing, I guess there's just something so primal and against all logic about people that get the crap beaten out of them for a living. It's worth knowing what makes these people tick. Yes, this is based on a true story, but I'm sure it's been tailored to fit Hollywood needs. Events have likely been rearranged and certain moments probably fabricated or altered, but THE FIGHTER doesn't attempt to portray the family shown here in a completely positive light. Nobody is a saint here, and everyone has their faults. When it finally arrives at its conclusion it is relieving, satisfying, and yes, inspiring. This is ultimately a happy story well deserving to be told on film but the sad reality is that there are no doubt hundreds and hundreds of similar stories that didn't end up quite as well. I can't tell you what exactly makes the family depicted in this movie so special. Maybe they're stronger, and more willing to compromise, and just maybe a little lucky, too. But I was left recalling a scene from the movie THE STRAIGHT STORY, where Richard Farnsworth lays down some wisdom upon a teenage runaway: he told her how he would give each of his kids a stick and ask them to snap them, which was easy. Then he'd give them a whole bundle, which couldn't be broken. "That's family." - Derek237 |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Wolfie: Hey, we don't hate Cambodians. White people do this to other white people all the time. 2. Mickey Ward: [after seeing the size of his opponent] That guy did not just get off the f**kin' couch. If he did, I'm gonna get a couch like that.
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Black Swan |
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| My take: For a film that is about the noble art form of ballet, the story is surprisingly disturbing, both visually and psychologically but nevertheless ultimately leading to an end that is satisfying if not exactly a happy one. Natalie Portman is amazing here as the artist obessesed with the perfection of her art. And innocent and dedicated ballerina but being thrown into a role that is very much not what is in her nature. She descends into darkness and insanity to finally find what is required to bring out that which is needed to portray the sinful evil Black Swan. This slow descent into madness parallels the build up of the source of what is to be a climactic and bravura performance of the chararcter as she plays the part of the Black Swan on stage. Although dark is the subject of the Black Swan, there is an inherent beauty of art being able to express itself perfectly. That is probably the redeeming factor that Natalie Portman's character feel right at the end, and which every true artist will do anything to feel. |
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| Review by others: Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" makes ballet cool—and if that isn't a Herculean feat in itself, I don't know what is. It also happens to be one of the best films of the year, featuring one of the best performances of the year. Natalie Portman will be nominated for her devastating portrayal of petite perfectionist Nina the ballerina or I'll pull a Werner Herzog and eat my shoe. "Black Swan" is cut from the same cloth as Aronofsky's 2008 film "The Wrestler," if at the opposite end. Interestingly, before either project was realized, the director was reportedly mulling a drama about the relationship between a professional wrestler and a ballerina. Somewhere along the way, however, that concept was split down the middle—and thank God. "Black Swan" is brilliant, but it wouldn't necessarily play well with others. Like its predecessor, the film examines a physically demanding and widely unappreciated art, and though thematically similar, the two complement each other via mutually exclusive cinematic vernaculars. "The Wrestler" is ultimately a safer film. Its emotional experience is directly conveyed via plot and dialogue. What Aronofsky attempts with "Black Swan" is riskier: he plays genre Frankenstein, taking established themes and transplanting them into that which feels initially least appropriate—horror. Yet despite certain unmistakable cues, I'd hesitate to call "Black Swan" a horror film. Visually, maybe, but John Carpenter insists "The Thing" is a Western, and likewise there is more to "Black Swan" than is aesthetically obvious. It probably best fits the psychological thriller mold, but as Aronofsky suggests through his manipulation of mirrors, it is not a film that ever casts a clear reflection. For me, that dichotomy is what makes it so fascinating and rewarding. "Black Swan" strikes an immediate haunting note that seems to grow louder with reverberation rather than quieter. In the first half, the director lays track work; in the second, he runs right off it. Nina begins her journey receiving the coveted role of the Swan Queen in a modernist production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." Her practiced technique makes her ideal for the role of the goodly White Swan, but her lascivious director (Vincent Cassel) has reservations about her ability to portray her evil twin, the titular Black Swan—a character that embodies impulse and lust. Nina's process of unlearning takes her to increasingly dark, surreal depths. The final act of the film comprises the most riveting 40 minutes I've seen on screen all year, though "Black Swan" is never the mindf**k some have improperly labeled it. Aronofsky deliberately builds atmosphere and anticipation toward a Kubrickian climax that is at once obvious and stunning. Tchaikovsky's score falls like an aerial assault, and that inherent theatricality collides with Aronofsky's narrative as they come to a dual boil. Perhaps best of all, however, is that for all the audacity on display, the director knows when to dial it back as well. The casting of Mila Kunis ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "That 70's Show") was idyllic. She plays a comic relief of sorts, with a comely, down-to-earth veneer but viperous eyes. Her performance is fantastically calculated—she provides derisive, but much needed perspective on Nina's deteriorating sense of reality. "Black Swan" is a wholly effective work born from the shadowy underside of the mind, anchored by a career-defining turn by Portman. It is a quick, impulsive piece, but it explains artistic devotion and the consuming nature of obsession as well or better than any film I've ever seen. In hindsight, it feels more characteristic of the filmmaker responsible for "Pi" and "Requiem for a Dream" than "The Wrestler," though the parallels between it and "Black Swan" run deep. - Collin George |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Thomas Leroy: That was me seducing you. It needs to be the other way around. 2. Thomas Leroy: You could be brilliant, but you're a coward. |
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Let the Bullets Fly |
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| My take: I have not seen a chinese movie in theatre for a while and i think for a good reason. Lately the higher price of a film ticket does not really justify a viewing given the lesser quality of output coming from that part of the world. Nevertheless, i must say i have renewed interest in chinese cinema after watching this, abeit on DVD. I have no doubt that the cinematic experience were have been much greater if i had seen it on the big screen. It shows China still has the acting and directorial talent to deliver an authentic and solid piece of story telling complete with some good action sequences. What is remarkable here is the combination of several good factors all bringing about an impactful telling of the rivarly between 2 violent but contrasting characters, a later day robin hood of sorts and the traditional tyrannical mobster lord. The thing that stands out is the very strong portrayal of each lead character that brings about a very potent mix of interactions between them, performed through some very well scripted dialogue. Then there is the smart story line, a somewhat original delivery that is carried out with humorous effect. Jiang Wen is notable for bringing forth a thoroughly satisfying portrayal of a masculine character complete with aplomb and directing violent scenes that nonewithstanding offer some visual and emotional impact. Ge You's take of a scheming and timid side kick also adds an altogether interesting dimension to the trio of characters, contributing its share of funny dialague and exaggerated antics. All in all a must see for anyone interested in the increasingly rare art of chinese film making. |
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| Review by others: Comedy action film that is currently (rightly) devouring the Asian box office. I had a chance to see it in Chinese (which I don't understand)with no translation into English, but decided to give it ago since I had heard such great things about it. It's got Chow Yun Fat in a wickedly funny role as one of three gangsters who are playing games with each other. I couldn't follow the details I just know that it has some great action and the jokes are funny even when you don't understand Chinese because the cast sells it.For the most part it's not goofy humor, but you still laugh simple because the rhythms of the jokes is there. I watched the film glued to the screen for much of the first hour, but then I realized that as good as it was there was too much I didn't know and I found I was torn between sticking to the end or waiting until the film appears in English either on DVD or in the movies. This is a super film no matter how you slice it. See this movie if you get a chance. (I should mention that while there is plenty of action- and blood- the film isn't a nonstop shoot out as the title might suggest.) by Glen Cove |
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I've Long You So Long |
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| My take: I started watching this film knowing briefly what the story line was, that of a woman who had committed a crime but not of what that crime was. There are 2 critical points that made this a compelling movie to watch. That of the intial shock upon the revelation of what she did, and then the emotional angst of feeling at the moment of realisation of why she did what she did. The emotional twists experienced was at times everwhelming as the series of events unfolded in the film from first in anticipation of knowing what the terrible deed was and the sadness of it all when the extent of the tragedy was exposed. In the midst, the silence and reticence of Kristin Scott Thomas's character seems to amplified the emotional resonance of the whole story. An understated performance by a very capable actor that underscores the fact that the deepest pain is very often kept within and that real healing also starts from that same place. |
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| Review by others: While I've never been such a Philistine as to decline to see a film because it is in an unknown language and I'd have to read the subtitles, there is usually a sense of emotional distance when you have to read the words yourself. In the case of 'I've Loved You So Long', I felt no such distance. Indeed, this is the first time I've cried in a movie since... I don't know when. Sure, I am a callous bastard, but I often find myself moved by a film, only, rarely do I find myself as moved as I was by this one. 'I've Loved You So Long' focuses on the story of Juliette Fontaine coming from prison to live with her sister, who was a young adolescent when she was incarcerated. The tensions of living with an extended family are exacerbated by Juliette's personality, which it is accepted is altered by her time in gaol. Philippe Claudel's story is beautifully structured to release just as much information as is necessary to keep you interested, while retaining just enough mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat. I have never seen a French film that I haven't liked, but I have also never seen a French film of this calibre. It is an outstanding piece of storytelling, full of pathos and charm. by Trevar Chilver |
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The Next Three Days |
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| My take: A film that did not appear to have garnered as much attention as the usual Russell Crowe fare, but nevertheless did not fail to live up to to the latter's reputation as being one of the most compelling actors around. The directors of Crash has succeeded in delivering another piece of drama that shows why they are the masters of connecting events that bring about in comibination a smart and not unconvincing plot when viewed in its entirety. The marrying of the film's intelligent flow plus the intense performances by Russell Crowe makes this a very effective showcase of the story being told. That of a everyday decent living man, forced by circumstances to undertake heavy risks and decisive actions as a result of his devotion to his wife and family. Although gripping in pace, the feel is that the scenes are driven not for its own sake but by this underlying commitment and motivation of a man with a dogged determination of not letting events decide destiny for his family but of taking things into his own in shaping its outcome. The sub-plot of the highly involved and risky planning of the jail break just go to illustrate the single minded determination of such a man in securing his family's future. |
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| Review by others: Russell Crowe is a pretty reliable star, one who commands the screen with intelligence and enough bravado to get away with a film like this. Somehow, audiences and critics are getting more demanding and expect brainier and tighter story lines, but it's still plenty of fun to see a light, crazy ride like this... One where the hero is besieged by unfortunate circumstances and must one way or another succeed or die. With the help of Haggis' strong direction and a very good performance by Crow, we're treated to two hours of action, where one doesn't have to do a lot of thinking, just watching Crowe dodge bullet after bullet and cheer him along to the nail-biting end. The main reason the film works is Crowe gives it his best, scene after scene his eyes tells us his character is committed to his family, and he will stand by them no matter what. There is very little background given to us, except for an opening scene which serves the purpose of planting the seed of doubt in our minds, but this only helps fuel the sense of despair and sadness that threatens to destroy this family. Little by little, we follow Crowe's teacher, as he races against the clock to help his wife, and soon enough, he is dealing with the scum of society and an increasingly suspicious police force. Relationships with his family are tense at best, and any new relationships are threatened his wife's past. It's the attention to this intimate and personal moments that makes us care for him, even when he makes a couple of disturbing moves. One thing you won't be is bored, as the circle tightens, so that his quest might not get his desired results. Fine work is done by a cast that includes Brian Dennehy, Liam Nelson, and Jsson Beghe. This is what movies are made for. by aharmas |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Lara Brennan: Can you do me a favor? 2. John Brennan: So, the life in times of Don Quixote, what is it about?
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Biutiful |
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| My take: How do you portray a character and juggle the differing and sometimes contradictory qualities of someone who is a loving father, a criminal of sorts, a psyhic attune to the world of dead people and having to face one's own inpending mortality? You give the role to Javier Bardem. A story of a man whose world is slowly closing down around him in his quest to provide and safeguard his children and the fine line of morality that the latter treads in order to survive his predicament at the society's fringes. With news of his own imminent death, and with life's obstacles continuing to appear for someone of his circumstances, how does one eke out a future for his children? You take whatever that comes along and use it to your best advantage. Underneath all the struggles of the character, there appears to be an all important message. That of really knowing the people whom you loved, for it will be too late once they are gone. Somehow the character's own upcoming death and his experiences as a psychic with people whose closed ones had just died served to bring about that strong suggestion. Javier in this challenging and complex role, brings it to life as only someone of his acting sensitivities can. |
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| Review by others: First of all this wasn't Iñárritu's best movie so far, and frankly if it wasn't for Bardem this movie wouldn't have gotten the recognition and the ''buzz'' it acquired. It's a bleak film, uncompromising, unsentimental, but humane and real, which affirms that idea that redemption is possible for anyone. Every moment is thoughtful and compelling. There's no Hollywood glitz here, no whitewashing or wishful thinking. Despite the dark, depressed subject matter of the movie, it relayed important messages such as love of family, parental responsibilities, and forgiveness. The director had too many ideas but overall Bardem is the one who is carrying the movie on his shoulders and giving the performance of his career. |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Uxbal: Look in my eyes. Look at my face. Remember me, please. Don't forget me, Ana. Don't forget me, my love, please. |
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 |
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| My take: With this final instalment of the long Harry Potter series, the story has finally come full circle. And what a emotional turn at this finale when all the mysteries and secrets are finally revealed. The superb british cast alongside the three main young actors has brought forth their acting gravitas to the screen in bringing the story of Harry's true past to its high and of masterfully anchoring the grim tone of this film. Of chief mention is Alan Rickman, the usually irritating professor seen as always on the backs of Harry in past instalments, delivers a poignant tale that is the cornerstone of the whole story and in the process injecting that essential layer of emotional depth amidst all the usual wondrous special effects. Even here, the amazing visuals lends its hand towards the telling of the serious theme of an inpending fight, where the enemy is of evil itself. All in all, the best blend of story and effects in this long line of Harry Potter films. |
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| Review by others: .....Part II picks up right where the previous film left off- the dark Lord Voldemort smiles in evil triumph as he steals the most powerful wand in the world, i.e. the Elder Wand, from the tomb of beloved Hogwarts headmaster Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). The next shot is equally ominous- students are marched rank-and-file through a Hogwarts courtyard, watched closely by cloaked Dementors hovering over the school grounds. If there was any need of a reminder of the danger facing our three protagonists, these opening sequences should just about refresh one's memory of what is at stake. There is precious little time to waste, and the first we get to see Harry, Ron and Hermione, they are already hatching a plan to break into Gringotts to retrieve a Horcrux. Their break-in settles upon a plan of deception that allows for some rare moments of levity in the film, as Helena Bonham Carter gets to ham it up as a polyjuice-disguised Hermoine impersonating Bellatrix Lestrange. This being the first 'Harry Potter' movie in 3D, Yates caters for some distinctive thrills in the additional dimension with a roller-coaster ride through the vault, culminating in a daring escape on the back of a dragon. But as readers of the book will tell you, the last stand happens back at Hogwarts, and true enough, after this thrilling early set-piece at Gringotts, the trio head back to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to confront their foes. It is also where the last Horcruxes are supposed to be, and Harry's return to the once sunny and cheery grounds now besieged by darkness and doom becomes a true test of allegiance. Fans will be glad that Kloves gives room for otherwise supporting characters to step into the limelight- in particular, Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) emerges as one of the unlikeliest but also truest heroes on the side of good. The Hogwarts stalwarts also get a chance to show off their magic, and Yates gives each largely enough screen time for the heroic send-off they deserve. Yet he reserves the most emotional moment in the film for Severus Snape's (Alan Rickman) vindication, long thought to be the Judas Iscariot-equivalent in the Order and the one who pushed Dumbledore to his death. Yates delivers a truly poignant and deeply heartfelt revelation of Snape's true colours, and it is a farewell that even those who have read the book and can expect what is to come will be overwhelmed by its sheer emotional muscle. While Part II was always meant to be an action-packed spectacle, it is to Yates' credit that there is still as much heart as before in the storytelling. Though brief, this revelation also works brilliantly as a catalyst that propels Harry to come to terms with the sacrifice he has to make. Harry's realization of this leads up perfectly to the ultimate duel between him and Voldemort, one that is fierce, ferocious and- thanks to Yates' imagination- more exhilarating than reading it off the page. The outcome of that battle shouldn't be a secret by now, and when the 'happily-ever-after' coda in Rowling's book set 19 years later is also faithfully adapted here, you can't quite help but be moved by how it so properly gives the series closure. They are of course no longer kids here- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson now young adults who have through the film series grown up right under our eyes. While Part I had greater emphasis on Ron and Hermoine, the focus here is squarely on Harry and Radcliffe truly shines in this instalment- his usual understated performance allowing his audience to appreciate the enormities of the challenge before Harry...... by moviexclusive |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Harry Potter: You'll stay with me? 2. Harry Potter: Dumbledore trusted me to see this through. |
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Sarah's Keys |
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| My take: To what extent do the stories of our loved ones and those whom we come into contact with informed us of who we are? History has significance, not only in a certain time and place but as memories that lived on with lasting effects on the people related to it. This film is set in such a time and place where events occurred with such ferocity that the latter ensures its imprint in history. But what does it mean for individuals that experienced it in varied ways? The story here is told not as a series of historical facts but as a chain of events emotionally dear to the individual character in ways specific to their particular circumstances. A promise made to a loved one and broken is felt entirely differently to those between parties privy to a commercial agreement. Thus the personal context of the individual elevates the emotional intensity of a historical event by adding the subjective significance of the character from her unique interaction with the event. We then see the episode not via the eye of a historian but through the heart of a doting sister or an oblivious son. This film is a different, personal and ultimately moving take involving one of the worst periods in human history. |
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| Review by others: When a Jewish family get arrested by Hitler siding French police, young Sarah not understanding the magnitude of what is occurring locks her younger brother in a closet, expecting to come back and recover him shortly. Realizing quickly that the situation she is in is far more terrible than expected she is desperate to escape and set him free. Sick, her and her family are taken to a camp where parents are separated from the children and are never seen again. Recovered Sarah and another young girl find an escape and run through the countryside to safety. The other girl becomes sick and they are both taken in by a older French couple but as the girl worsens there is a risk of exposing the girls as Jews. Although the young girl doesn't make it, Sarah is hidden away till the Nazi's leave and Sarah pleads with them to take her to Paris to find her brother. The journey is fraught with danger and the end obvious to us. In modern day Paris, Julia and her family inspect an apartment of her in laws that her architect French husband will redo. Julia, am American, works as a journalist and wants to cover a story about the use of a velodrome where Parisian Jews where herded to and discovers the story of Sarah. An obsession grows as Julia is determined to find out what happened to the young girl and to find out how her husbands family came to own the flat. This is a very fine film that is equally a historical story as well as a mystery as Julia seeks out the truth with a fine performance by Kristen Scott Thomas as Julia. The film flit's between the too separate yet connected story lines. Scenes of confusion within the velodrome are horrid too watch as are the scenes of separation of parents and children in the camp. We as the audience can almost guess the outcome of Sarah's young brother left locked in a closet whose key Sarah clings to, yet the outcome is still gut wrenching and Sarah's scream is enough for us to understand what she finds without us having to have it confirmed visually. The obsession of Julia is a fascinating one; trying to work out first how the flat became someone elses, to searching for some sign of what became of the young girl takes her her far and wide and she encounters an array of people including Sarah's son, who is clueless to his Mother's past. Scott Thomas gives quite a wonderful yet almost subdued performance as she struggles with the horrors of the past and her families connection to events as well as dealing with her own personal torment. The film is extraordinarily moving in it's telling of Sarah with her experience resonating and shaping those that come after her. Yet because the film chooses to focus on two timelines, we are never entirely dragged into the horrors of the Holocaust and whilst we are never far from them, it never overbalances itself. It is a fine film that depicted another story of the many thousands that WWII has given us, one that for France is of shame and one that, as with so many others continues to be relevant and effect those generations after........... by ihrtfilms |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Julia Jarmond: And so I write this for you, My Sarah. With the hope that one day, when you're old enough, this story that lives with me, will live with you as well. When a story is told, it is not forgotten. It becomes something else, a memory of who we were; the hope of what we can become. |
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Sicario |
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| My take: In a world where extreme violence is a daily way of life, the deeds of people are still very much motivated by things that matters most to common folks; their family. The juxtaposition in this film of the brutal world of drug cartels, local policing, major international level security operations and the everyday family relationships of folks makes for an intense and surreal but gloomy presentation of the realities of life in the area around the US-Mexican border. One cannot help but feel an unflinching acceptance by the people living these streets of the ever-present significant possibility of one’s or one’s loved ones’ lives being extinguish anytime in this hyper violent environment. From the cool and casual approach to events by Josh Broslin’s character, to the heavy demeanour of Benicio Del Toro’s pained ‘Sicario’, onto Emily Blunt’s unseasoned and idealistic FBI agent, you get the sense of interplay between the behaviour dynamics of calculated practicality, impassioned vengeance and naive idealism represented by these 3 characters. This is ultimately the story of how one’s life carry on when the latter is continually being upended by terrible things happening around us and to us. |
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| Review by others: Sicario- A land of wolves The film by Denis Villeneuve comes to about one of the best films of 2015. Denis Villeneuve is a bit used to narrate the violence Since the war, the Oscar-nominated "Incendies", the psychological and physical "Prisoners" and "Enemy" (which won the Courmayeur Noir in Festival),his still short filmography is made of dense and extreme stories "Sicario" does not stray from the question, but it is by far his best feature. We are wishing we could write that in this story there is only violence, but it is not so. While dealing with the eternal war between Mexican drug cartels and the "good" Americans (read Don Winslow), viewed and reviewed in other films, this is one of the most worthy and powerful that you happen to intercept. Or you can open a newspaper at random, after, and understand that everything that happens in these two hours is even a small thing: surely there is only that gray is the color of war, white and black are outdated. The good is never immaculate: it mirrors often in the bad. Here is a transmitter of brutality, dark and mysterious, a powerful and talented Benicio del Toro, and a receiver, just and full of doubts that is a confused, convincing Emily Blunt. Among them and a hellish casino is Josh Brolin, the most disenchanted of the trio, but certainly not the least decided. Purely useless to narrate what happens: in Mexico it is now a massacre under the eyes of the whole world (if you want remind what happened a few months ago to 43 students). Suffice to say that it is right that some stories do not have a final. Masterfully photographed by Roger Deakins, poised between the blinding sun and gloom that hangs not only metaphorically around the characters, and shot with meticulous care, "Sicario" is authoritative, engaging, alienating. Add also silent. It may seem absurd, but the beautiful music of Jóhann Jóhannsson emphasizes only certain times of the scenes and is never, absolutely never invasive. Not everyone can do such a movie and should be acknowledged that Villeneuve never falls in the excess, while wanting to make us witness atrocities and psychological coercion harsh. It 's the difference between a great director and a craftsman. Believe, we are infested by the second category..... -by Jellaben |
Memorable Quotes: 1. Definition of 'Sicario': A skilled killer in pursuit of vengence? |
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