Videodrome - Season Two
Previously from the first season, here are some of the memorable movies.
Grave of Fireflies, Gattaca, Educating Rita, Osmosis Jones, The Poseidon Adventure, Good Morning Vietnam, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Serendipity, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, The Bridge on River Kwai, The Kingdom and the Beauty, The House of 72 Tenants, The Perfect Storm, Superman, Liar Liar, Agnes of God, Peking Opera Blues, The Planet of the Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Vertical Limit, Dumbo and A Better Tomorrow.
Now, the sequel.
Screening on Wednesday, October 06, 2004
100 Comments:
BRING IT ON (2000)
viewed on 6/10/04 (Wed)
I like high school chick flicks. Correction. Bitch flick, like MEAN GIRLS, SUGAR & SPICE etc. The bitch talk is such a turn-on for me. That is solely the reason why I borrow this title.
It is very entertaining. That kind of movies you will sit back and enjoy the bitch fight. Then of course for sports movies like this, there will a big showdown at some tournament. I can kind of expect things like it-is-more-than-just-a-game coming-of-age subplots, team spirit, integrity, dignity, honour blah blah blah you know the clichés .
The 'sports' chosen (cheerleading) does not prepare me for something more enlightening. You see the sports itself is not really taken seriously. Just cheer and act cute.
Wrong. This movie tells you it is more than that. In fact there are cases the cheerleading squad is more well-known than the team they are cheering for. There are very nice touches on the it-is-more-than-just-a-game coming of age, team spirit, integrity, dignity, honour blah blah blah you know the clichés .
I like movies like this. It looks dumb but in fact it has a big heart and maybe an equally big brain too. Just like I like smart pretty girls. What a major major turn-on!
Rating: A-
Wednesday, October 13, 2004 12:47:00 AM
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Wednesday, October 13, 2004 11:11:00 PM
BEDAZZLED (2000)
viewed on 9/10/04 (Sat)
Thank goodness I checked out the trivia link of this movie at imdb.com. There is a hidden chapter among special features. If you roll your mouse over Liz Hurley's shoulder, a devil icon will appear. Click on it and it will lead to an extended deleted scene that is very disturbing. Brenda Fraser becomes this rock star who swears and takes drugs on and off the stage. I wonder it was shot with the intention of including it in this otherwise 'harmless' crowd pleaser or just for fun.
I do not like the movie at all. Too simplistic. It will definitely go straight to video stores if not for the star appeal for the two coming leads.
Frances O'Connor and Brendan Fraser put up brilliant performances. I just grin sillily, seeing them having so much fun playing so many stereotyped characters.
It is rare that while the comedy sinks, the comedians shine. Even Ms Hurley is fun to watch.
Reating: B
Wednesday, October 13, 2004 11:18:00 PM
TORA! TORA! TORA! (1970)
viewed on 10/10/04 (Sun)
Those who have seen this before PEARL HARBOUR will laugh at the Michael Bay's movie. How he has reduced "the day of infamy" into a mindless love story.
To know all about the attack, this is the definitive movie. It offers insights not only from the Americans but also the Japanese. The Japanese 'section' is directed by a Jap and the American 'section' by Richard Fleischer. A very touching collaboration. Two countries at war in WWII come together to tell their stories.
It is a minute-by-minute account. Right from the suggestion of the wild idea of a surprise attack to the actual thing. There is no room for personal drama. The characters exist as merely tools in telling history. The characters are not made up to dramatize things. There are no heroes and certain no romance with a nurse. It is in fact a docudrama. It is more interested in giving us a full picture. I am surprised that the attack comes only after two hours and the sequences are comparable to the ones in PEARL HARBOUR.
I fully respect this movie. It is definitely not another piece of entertainment. It is what we can show to the History students and not afraid that there are facts not accurately presented. Truly based on a true story.
Rating: A
Thursday, October 14, 2004 11:42:00 PM
KIDS RETURN (1996)
viewed on 12/10/04 (Tues)
This is the very first feature from the director of ZAITOCHI. Well known for his violence, KIDS RETURN surprisingly has very little of that.
It is a story of two delinquents who go to a boxing school after being beaten up by a boxer. One turns out to have a flair in boxing and aspires to be boxing champion while the other joins a gang and strives to be a boss someday.
Their dreams do not work out and the closing scene has them back as delinquents with no clear goals in mind. I like the last dialogue. One asks is it the end of them but the other answers no, it is only the beginning. Then the credits roll.
It hints at a sequel but I don't think so. It is a nice closure to the story, signifying the kids' fighting spirit and of couse it gives more meaning to the title.
Oh, one thing I like alot about the movie is its music by Joe Hisaishi. Very uplifting yet a bit surreal. Very much like new age music.
Rating: B-
Thursday, October 14, 2004 11:54:00 PM
THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (1985)
viewed on 16/10/04
This is Woody Allen's favourite movie. For me ... I don't have any. Come to think about it. I like all his movies but there isn't one that I like most.
This movie was mentioned when FOREVER FEVER was reviewed. There is a male lead who walks literally out of the movie and falls in love with a female fan. Sounds stupid? There’s more. The fan meets the real actor himself and he falls for her too. Nicely put by the female fan, two people of the same person falls in love with her. Somehow, this very far-fetched romance reminds of KATE & LEOPOLD. I will see if I can borrow that next time.
The story is nothing but to entertain with endless delights. The usual smart and witty dialogue, the tongue-in-cheek comparison of reel life and real life, and that soundtrack of all that jazz.
By the way, before DUMB & DUMBER, Jeff Daniels is very good actor. A great comedian. He even got a Golden Globe nomination for playing the two male leads.
Rating: B+
Saturday, October 16, 2004 8:46:00 AM
DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD (2002)
viewed on 16/10/04 (Sat)
Ashley Judd will one day be crowned Oscar's Best Actress. She reminds me of Julianne Moore. There is something in their performances that is undeniable Oscar-worthy. Could it be DE-LOVELY for Ashley this year? Please let it happen. Throw her a long-deserved nomination at least.
I don't fathom why this movie is not well-liked. It is well-acted. Ellen Burstyn is wonderful as the loud and critical mother. I am surprised how so soft-spoken she is when they interview her for the movie. Sandra Bullock is trying hard to be a serious actress and she is almost there. Then there are Maggie Smith, Shirley Knight and Fionnula Flanagan who are the rest of the Ya-yas.
I always expect this to be a comedy, judging from the trailer. Turns out it has a very heartbreaking story. The scene when Ashley Judd belting her children in the rain can break hearts.
Now, then I ask myself this and many would too. What takes the ya-yas so long to blurt out the truth? Their main motive is to let Sandra Bullock know this so that she can forgive her mum. Instead, Sandra Bullock, like us, has to follow through so many flashbacks to get to that. They should have an explanation for this. There are also some scenes and lines which are very typical of Hollywood tearjerkers. The reconcilation last scene. The birthday party. The over-the-top melodrama. Yes melodrama is what they don't like avout this movie.
I am not really complaining. I do not cry over this but I like this movie. For Ashley and the scene when Sandra Bullock recalls one happy memory she had with her mother. You see, she was told to remember the good times with her mother and stop dwelling on the bad ones. She sees a plane in the sky and recalls a time how her mother goes all the way out to give her have a plane ride.
If the belting scene is the saddest moment in the movie, then this one is the most heartwarming. And I will cry for the latter.
I guess it has to be this way. Instead of living in the bad memories and make yourself so bitter, we should instead keep reminding ourselves of the happier times, forgive and then move on.
Rating: B+
Sunday, October 17, 2004 6:38:00 AM
ANATOMY OF A MURDER (1959)
viewed on 21/10/04 (Thurs)
A multiple Oscar nominee, including Best Picture of the year. I like the title of this classic.
Watching this movie is like watching CRIMEWATCH on TV. There is hardly any development on the human drama and stays very focused on the court case. This is not a mystery as whether the accused is guilty or not. Well kind of a bit but it sure doesn't let you know you are watching a whodunit. Of course it is also not interested in the relationships between the characters and how the case will change their lives.
The courtroom scene is very engaging. The interrogations are akin to swordplay at the arena. There is even a scene showing a pair of panties as an exhibit. This is considered a 'breakthrough' back then.
The verdict is announced but somehow I am neither convinced nor satisfied. It doesn't clearly state whether what the jury believes in is true.
Rating: C
Sunday, October 24, 2004 11:25:00 PM
QUEST FOR CAMELOT (1998)
viewed on 24/10/04 (Sun)
It has all the success formula for a cartoon. Girl power, romance, funny sidekicks, nice songs, based on a famous story and tongue-in-cheek references to other movies. Still this cartoon fails to deliver in all departments. The muscial numbers feel so tagged on that if you cut them out, the movie can still stand on its own. The only consolation is two very nice songs written by David Foster - Looking Through Your Eyes and Oscar-nominated The Prayer.
The story? Uninspired. The humor? Unfunny. The movie? Forgettable.
Rating: D+
Sunday, October 24, 2004 11:38:00 PM
THE FISHER KING
viewed on 27/10/04 (Wed)
For most who have doubts that Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams can act, watch this one. By the way, I am surprised to realise that the DVD is so hot. It has been on loan for a long time.
Terry Gilliam is a master of visual shocks. He can use unconventional camera angles and lighting to transform a slum, a porn video store, back alleys, the Grand Central Station etc into a surreal realm of existence. I have to admire his adroitness in this aspect.
The style fits the purpose of the story. Jeff and Robin play characters who seem mad but in fact victims of their own very shocking tragedy. Jeff's remarks on the radio prompted a mad man to fire at will in a pub and Robin's wife is killed right before his eyes, her brains spattered all over his face.
It is a redemption tale with all the lead characters eccentric, neurotic and running amok. Besides Jeff and Robin, there is a very quirky office worker played by Amanda Plummer. I wonder why she is not nominated for her touching performance. There is a fourth character played by Oscar-winner Mercedes Ruehl. She is not abnormal but her love for an unappreciative Jeff drives her crazy, literally.
This is definitely one of those life-affirming feel-good movies, only told in a very neurotic way. It is akin to listening to stories told by a mad man. There are elements of creepiness, nonsense, weird sense of humour but it takes a fool not to realise its sincerity and humanity in the story.
Rating: A-
Saturday, October 30, 2004 8:55:00 AM
THE WINSLOW BOY
viewed on 28/10/04 (Thurs)
There is a very strange scene. A reporter walks into the Winslow family to interview the father of the titular accused. While the father is discussing the case, the reporter commented on the curtains in the living room. She wonders what they are made of. The mother walks in and the reporter asks her where she gets the curtains. The mother writes down the address and passes it to her. The reporter thanks the parents for taking time off to allow her to interview them and exits.
What with the curtains in the middle of the interview? This scene is important. It tells us how the family has made news on the streets by challening the legal system over a small case of injustice.
Then more distractions. There is romance going on between the elder sister and the lawyer. Yes, there is pressure from outside factors which force the family to drop the case before they become outcasts and a laughing stock. But they look undisturbed and quite apparently enjoy thinking they are actors on the stage, so eager to pose and utter lines with an air of aristocracy.
My goodness. There is not even a scene from the courtroom. We only hear bits and pieces of the process from the family. What is this? Then the verdict is out. The boy in question is innocent. The boy makes a brief appearance and in fact being the main character, the movie never seems to realise that he has so little screen time. Then the elder sister and the lawyer meet again, both with relief written over their faces. But I guess there is something they are more eager to get on with, to really fall into bed with each other.
This being directed by David Mamet can be easily one of his worst films. He is so good at helming suspenseful stories like HEIST and THE SPANISH PRISONER but fails terribly in this supposedly uplifting family drama.
Rating: F
Saturday, October 30, 2004 9:14:00 AM
ANNA AND THE KING (1999)
viewed on 30/10/04 (Sat)
There are basically two reasons why I didn't catch this movie when it was screened in the cinemas. A remake of the beloved THE KING AND I with no numbers? Directed by Andy Tennant who directed EVER AFTER which I did not like? Pass. Yup, heard the movie is not bad at all but still I was not interested.
Wow. I am not prepared at all by the epic proportions of this movie. I have seen THE KING AND I many years ago and love the musical numbers. This one is better.
It explores more in-depth the unspoken love of the two main titular characters and the clash of the values from two cultures. It is also very ambitious in the production. The epic proportions of it really sweeps me off my feet. I did not expect it to be such an Oscar-worthy epic. The costumes, the script, the art direction, the cinematography and the acting are all top-notch.
There are a few subplots which are not necessary and should end up on the floor of the editing room. The one with the death of the king's princess, the love story of the Bai Ling's concubine, the redemption of a slave etc. In fact, in the extra features, there are more scenes deleted, including one when Anna grows very old in her English countryhouse.
I do not mind. It is a movie which is serious and sincere in all aspects. I will believe that alot of people do not like this movie. Some will still prefer the original THE KING AND I which should not be remade in the first place. Some will think the movie is made for Oscars. For me, I think it deserves more recognition at the Oscars, definitely more than what most epics deserve.
Rating: B+
Saturday, October 30, 2004 11:57:00 PM
THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975)
viewed on 31/10/04 (Sun)
This title is practically constantly loaned out ever since the remake came to town. Until recently only did I manage to lay my hands on this.
As I despise remakes and the remake with Nicole Kidman receives rather bad reviews, I refuse to watch it. I compared notes with a colleague who caught the remake.
Apparently, in the remake, the tone is lighter and comical. The original apparently is darker and cynical. But there are a few things pleasing to the eyes. First of all, the lead, Katherine Ross, a Diane Keaton lookalike, is stunning. Plus she is always in those very nice-looking clothes. In fact, I think the movie is made to showcase the latest apparel from that era.
As I am watching this, I somehow feel guilty. Like the husbands, I also prefer my wife to stay at home and do housework, especially when you have kids. The messy home is what I dread most after a hard day's work. But to the husbands in the movie, they have a more selfish ulterior motive to turn their wives into housekeeping robots. They fear the growing aggressiveness of feminism. They simply are frightened by their wives who talk back and have ideals of their own. The movie is a feminist flick and back in the 70s when women were burning bras, it means something. I wonder how the remake addresses such an outdated topic.
The origianl ends with a very sad tone. The lead is killed by her robotic replica and replaced by it. The whole story is far-fetched and definitely pure science fiction. It is an enjoyable sci-fi movie. There is suspense and some food for thought. I like movies with undertones addressing social phenomenon.
Rating: B+
Monday, November 01, 2004 12:03:00 PM
A WALK TO REMEMBER (2002)
viewed on 2/11/04 (Tues)
I wanted to watch this after I was so touched by THE NOTEBOOK. This teen romance is based on a book by Nicholas Sparks. I am going to remember that name. THE NOTEBOOK is based on his book too and so is MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE.
Ok, first thing first. I don't like romance, let alone teen romance. I always blame them for making love seems so simple and childish when in fact it is all about making sacrifices and unconditional compromises. Can the teens do that? I don't think so but I strongly recommend this romance to them. If they understand the message behind the movie, then they are qualified to be lovers. Just kidding.
I wonder why I am so touched by THE NOTEBOOK. Now after watching this, I know why. The lines! They are so sweet and cute and ever so meaningful. The acting can wait and the rest too, but with all respect, the script make hell lot of difference.
Look at the main plot. A bad boy falls in love with a sweet girl and changes his life forever. Corny? Wait till you hear that she has cancer and she is going to die soon. He marries her nonetheless. If I am reading this without watching the movie first, I will laugh out loud. Recycled trash? Hell no! Given the right script, it can move the audience and even the actors. Who knows? Mandy Moore and Shane West are so good. Shame on Britney Spears and Mariah Carey.
Did I cry? Several times, almost. If I am going to elaborate, this posting will be very long.
Let's put it this way, being skeptical for so long, I have to agree that Hollywood can make really very good romances. Not really a forte of the Koreans only but I mean they are still kind of the best. I am digressing. I don't think I have time for another Nicholas Sparks' novel but I am dead sure that I want to see MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE now. Even though it has Kevin Costner in it.
Rating: B+
Tuesday, November 02, 2004 12:39:00 AM
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976)
viewed on 5/11/04 (Fri)
It is impossible to follow the film, without having prior knowledge to the most infamous chapter in the American political history. Even by following the subtitles, I was lost in the labyrinth of names and desingations! To cut the story short and in 'ah beng' terminology: Richard Nixon used his members of the Republican party, FBI, CIA and Justice Department and the whole intelligence community to bug and follow the Democratic Party so that Nixon can win the re-election.
The incidents chronicle in this movie follow the story like telling a mystery, digging into deeper and darker secrets. A conspiracy on such a big scale and with methods stooping so low. It is eventually investigated and confirmed correct and Nixon becomes the first US president to resign. Now this outcome is only made known to the audience in the end notes, before the end credits. Well again to many US audience, they only serve as a reminder and let the story come to full close.
I can imagine if the movie is made with the world audience in mind, it will be a disaster. First of all, the movie will be very long. Running at around 140 min, the ending is not really the ending. Accusations still cannot be confirmed, one important witness denies his words, or in a way, etc. Now, I am not complaining that the movie ends abruptly but literally what happens next is history. Two journalists, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, scratch the surface of the conspiracy and bring it to light. It leads to resignation of Nixon and dozen of people plead guilty.
Now, I think the two journalists , whose accounts published in a novel which the movie is based on, are patriotic. They may seem to dig into dirty politics so that their newspapers will sell but they have a much noble mission - to tell the truth to the US citizens.
In a very typical movie, there will be subplots involving their family. In fact, one of the journalists, Carl Bernstein, is married to Nora Ephorn, director of YOU'VE GOT MAIL and many more. Not in this movie, they stay very very focused on telling the main story. The filmmakers even mention that they are just telling the story straight from the book, as they all know that they are making a very important movie. The conspiracy itself should be the one and only main star.
I respect this movie and the guts to make it. They are truly crusaders for truth and patriotism.
Rating: A-
Friday, November 05, 2004 9:58:00 AM
BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE (2000)
viewed on 5/11/04 (Fri)
Why is it called BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE? House? There is nothing much about the house. Well. I am fine with it because it is a likeable comedy.
I expected myself to dislike it. Slapstick lah. Nonsensical story lah. Actually not bad after all. Martin Lawrence is really funny and I like his Southern talk. This is most likely my first Martin Lawrence movie. Some comedians are not funny but think they are funny, like that Chris Tucker in that Luc Besson's movie. Martin is not one of them. There are a few parts I really burst out laughing. If the comedian is irritating, I will sneer.
Nonsensical plot? Not really, though there are loopholes here and there, like how can Big Momma's neighbours not recognise the disguise? They have been living with her for so long.
But this is a comedy so I think I cannot be too particular about such things. Good light-hearted entertainment with a proper storyline make my day already.
Rating: B
Saturday, November 06, 2004 1:03:00 AM
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
viewed on 8/11/04 (Mon)
Because I know there is an original version, I refuse to watch the one starring Denzel Washington. Remakes do not really have a good word of mouth.
This one is made with alot of controversies. First of all, the subject matter of dirty politicking and badmouthing communism is still a taboo back then. Then came the assasination of JFK in 1963 which was rumoured to result in the film being pulled out from circulation.
In the interview of Frank Sinatra, the director John Frankenheimer and producer-cum-writer George Axelrod, there are more inside news. The incestuous relationship of the mother and the son is implied when Angela Lansbury kisses Laurence Harvey on the lips. By the way, when Mdm Lansbury played the mother, she was only 3 years older than Laurence Harvey. Her good performance as a big mean mother earner her an Oscar nom, a far cry from the kind smiling lady in Murder She Wrote. Frank Sinatra also says he broke his small finger when he accidentally chop a chip off the table in the kungfu fighting sequence. It was not pre-planned and he shows us his badly twisted finger!
I have not seen the remake and I think it should not be a bad movie. The reviews are positive. The original is a fairly well made thriller, even by today's standards. It is gripping and the twisty plot is made easy to follow. There is a twist in the end and some shocking revelations. Still, with all respect, there is room for improvement. Some of the story developments are simply left to coincidences and the role of Janet Leigh (the one played by Kimberly Elsie in the remake) is largely left unexplained. I think if the remake can better job in these aspects, it may not necessarily be worse than the original.
Rating: B
Monday, November 08, 2004 6:27:00 PM
DAYLIGHT (1996)
viewed on 1/11/04 (Mon)
This disaster popcorn movie must be made with some of the great disaster movies in mind. I can see the movie is ambitious just from that awe-inspiring sequence of the toxic waste blast in the tunnel.
I am glad that the movie doesn't portray Stallone as a Rambo-like action hero. He is more like a relunctant hero. He is courageous because of the lives in his hand. He has the knowledge to save them and there are times he simply doesn't know what to do next. I have to say Stallone's acting and the script do quite a credible job in showcasing heroism in ordinary people. Those who will rise to the occasion simply because they care a great deal for the victims.
The fold of event and crisis are also credible. They do not happen just to boast special effects. The explanations for the series of crisis make sense although one trivia from us.imdb says something wrong about hiding in metal cars in thunderstorms because it has rubber tires.
I am also happy to see that the 'love interest' doesn't exist to develop any romance. The movie sidesteps the possibility that they will fall in love along the way and most probably get married after the disaster. Nope. She is there to do her part in helping the victims. Yes. Her coming-of-age episode is marred by the actress' rather bad acting.
Some more gripes. The extras seem to be really 'extra'. They do not do much except to contradict decisions, act really scared and look really helpless. I hope there will be some solid developments to their stories too. Yes, some attempts here and there but still half-hearted.
Is this a classic? Not quite yet. I like it? Yup. It is very gripping from start to end. Definitely more than just a passable porncorn flick.
Rating: B
Thursday, November 11, 2004 2:20:00 AM
SUPERMAN II (1980)
viewed on 11/11/04 (Thurs)
The biggest behind-the-scene hoo-ha will be the replacement of the director Richard Donner with Richard Lester. Richard Donner was shooting Superman I and II simultaneously but he was behind the schedule so he was forced by the studio to concentrate on the post-production of Superman I and he was replaced by Richard Lester to complete Superman II.
In fact, many many scenes were shot while shooting Superman I. In fact, Gene Hackman did not return to shoot Superman II and almost of his scenes were shot while they made Superman I. In fact, in a 2004 interview, Margot Kidder claimed that Richard Donner had shot enough scenes to have his own version of Superman II. It was hidden somewhere and fans wanted the studio to release this cut. I would love to see this one.
Ok, not that I am complaining about the sequel. Yes. It is not the same director but maybe most of the parts were shot by the same director, the sequel is serves as a complement to part 1.
I mean the special effects in part 1 are amazing given that it was made like in the 70s. The special effects are also incredible, if not more ambitious, in part 2. The battle of the villians and Superman at the heart of the city is a classic to remember. Sadly, this is also the scene when the logic doesn't apply. While the villians attack the civilians with a gust of strong wind, a man in a collapsed telephone booth is still talking on the phone laughing away. Ok, ok. I am not going to appear to be picking on small details like that. The comic relief in part 2 is better. At least more wit and some of the lines are really cheeky and funny.
I also like that Superman in this sequel seems to be smarter. For example, he lured the villians to his crystal palace and set a trap to absorb all their powers. It is better than that incredible sequence of spinning the globe backwards to turn back the time. That is kind of lame and totally illogical. Not to mention very very misleading. Ok ok, I am not going to pick on small details like that in Superman I too.
The romance subplot! Almost forgot about it. I don't like the part that Superman is willingly to give up his powers in the name of love. Hullo, learn from Spiderman. You have the duty to protect the Earth people. Didn't your father say so too? If I want to pick on part 2, this is it. But ... still quite fine afterall. If not the scene when we thought Superman lost his powers will not work.
Superman I and II are like twins. It is impossible to watch either one of them only. Both made wonderful popcorn entertainment. The original is impressive and the sequel reinforces it. Before the credits roll, we see the words, Coming Soon: Superman III. Well. No thank you. There will be 5 minutes of Lois in part 3 and also nobody talks about part 3.
Rating: A
Thursday, November 11, 2004 10:14:00 PM
SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER (1993)
viewed on 12/11/04 (Fri)
It is impossible to hate the movie because of the child actor called Max Pomeranc. He is such a naturally adorable kid in front of the camera. Come to think about it, he resembles quite alot of Toby Maguire. That I-care-less attitude and that sparkle in his eyes. It is easy to guess that this is his film debut. He doesn't have that kind of rehearsed cutesy antics like most Hollywood child actors. When he has to show disappointment, anger, surprise or happiness, he just somehow purses his lips, widenes his eyes and then viola I, and I am sure many too, will just fall in love with him. He still fidgets like most boys who cannot even sit still but look at his expressions carefully, he can show a series of emotions with so much subtleness and yet so expressive. He doesn't need alot of dialogue or cutesy lines. It is all in his eyes.
How does he give such a profound performance at such a young age? It is Oscar-worthy. Two possibilites - trained by a very very very good drama teacher who teaches him to show more sometimes is to show less or he is an acting prodigy. He may not be the chess prodigy that he plays but I can say that his performance proves that no doubt he is a God-sent gift to Hollywood. Ok, a bit of exaggeration there. Did he make alot of movies? Sadly no. He made only four appearnaces until 1995 and then like Bobby Fischer, he has disappeared since then.
Gosh, I can go and go about Max Pomeranc. Back to the movie. Max's performance could be the reason to make this movie a must-see but the movie is equally wonderful. Chess is more than just a game, it is a sports and when physical combat doesn't exist, it is a quiet battle of wits. To win the game, you need to read your opponent's mind from his moves, anticipates his next move and react to his moves before he even moves that chesspiece. There is a very cute scene when Max's character, Josh, plays chess with his father. He will make a move and his father, who knows how to play chess probably he was born, has to think for a long time to make his. This allows Josh to talk on the phone, play with his sister and even soak in the bathtub. In his bathtub, he directs his father to make his move on his behalf and he beats his own father!
See. I am going back to Max. This is crazy. In short, the movie is not run of the mill. It is uplifting and very touching. The success story of the chess prodigy not only brings out the best of humanity in himself but also his father, his mother, his victory-obsessed chess teacher and his unorthodox black chess teacher. I know the story of Bobby Fischer, US first world chess champion, is true. I was hoping the story of a chess prodigy as good as Bobby Fischer is also true but somehow I think not. As it turns out, it is! The movie is based on a book written by Josh's real life father.
For a good story and for a wonderous peformance by Max Pomeranc...
Rating: A
Friday, November 12, 2004 9:27:00 PM
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Friday, November 19, 2004 1:29:00 AM
ERASER (1996)
viewed on 19/11/04 (Fri)
Watching such heavily action-packed flicks is akin to masturbation. You enjoy the rush of adrenalin but hate the empy feeling after that. ERASER is one such movie. I never felt bored during the show but I will most probably walk out of the cinema not discussing the movie with my friends. There are no clever lines. The SFX is standard stuff. The story is very familiar. The list goes on but one thing for sure, it has 'unoriginal' stamped all over it.
I think if I am the producer of the movie, I will ask for more fun elements. This movie takes itself a tad too seriously. Make it shorter too.
Rating: C
Saturday, November 20, 2004 12:18:00 AM
THE MOSQUITO COAST (1986)
viewed on 21/11/04 (Sun)
I have a very vague impression that I saw the trailer many years ago when it was screened at the then-Capitol theatre. I remembered it as a dark drama starring a Harrison Ford looking weird with glasses. Oh and that terrible storm and something like a shipwreck.
Loaned it out of curiosity. Anyway it is directed by Peter Weir who so far has not disappointed many and stars the late River Phoenix.
I wasn't really hopeful about this movie because this is the one of the least talked-about movies by Mr Weir.
It is part LORD OF THE FLIES, part THE BEACH, part The Swiss Family Robinson and part THE VILLAGE (spoiler!). It is very profound and very thought-provoking. It is a slightly far-fetched bizzare tale of a father who dreams of a new civilisation, freed of city crap and forces his family to follow his dream. However, it is screaming out that the story's insinuations are more important.
Is it about a man trying to play God and create his own civilisation? Is it about communism and how its followers turn their initial admiration into utter disgust?
I would think it is a bit of both. Definitely the story wants to convey a big message, much like in the one behind THE TRUMAN SHOW.
There are a couple of scenes which I like alot. For example, the part Harrison Ford's Allie Fox comments that only when living with the bare necessities that we realise that we eat when we are not hungry, drink when not thirsty, buy things we don't need etc. How true.
There is also a subplot when the tranquility of Allie Fox's Utopia is threatened by three gun-carrying desperados and he has to kill them. His son, played by River Phoenix, is shocked to hear his father's murderous intentions. Allie slaps on a mosquito, shows it to his son and explains that it is not the blood of the mosquito but his own blood.
The plan goes awry and the paradise is destroyed. That is when Allie's madness starts. He insistes on not going back to civilisation and not seeking any help. He wants to build another Utopia, at any cost, including threatening the lives of his family.
Before Allie dies from a gunshot wound, being as complaining, he laments that the design of the human body is bad. Too little hair, no claws or fangs, standing upright left the heart exposed. Humans should make to go on fours to better protect themselves. Even at the point of dying, he still believes he is smarter than God.
Rating: A
Sunday, November 21, 2004 10:51:00 PM
THE APARTMENT (1960)
viewed on 23/11/04 (Tues)
How young Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine look back then. Jack Lemmon looked like Chris O'Donnell and Shirley MacLaine, with her pretty small eyes, looked like a little girl. They were a cute match and definitely talented young actors from the start, both were running for Oscars in that year.
The plot outline is nothing too great. A sweet love story of the underdogs lost and lonely in the bustling NYC. But an Oscar winner for Best Film? Surprisingly, the Best Film nominees were not really memorable, leaving out other nominated films which stood the test of times, like BUTTERFIELD 8, SPARTACUS and PYSCHO.
It is no doubt a very very charming romance. The titular property belongs to a lonely and submissive employee in an insurance tower. (Yes, the whole building of about 27 storeys belongs to an insurance firm) He climbs up fast on the corporate ladder because his 5 influential employers will use his apartment to bring lovers back for a fling. Apparently, it was a social problem among the white collar working class.
The employee has nothing to complain about his life until he falls for an elevator girl played by Shirley MacLaine. He has always been in love with her and knows everything about her but he has no courage to tell her that since he is just a poor miserable bachelor.
At a party, the employee discovers that her dream girl turns out to be a lover of one of his bosses and they will be going to his apartment for a fling. The elevator girl also hears news a few minutes ago that her boss-cum-lover is a playboy who has flirted with many girls. Two people broken-hearted at the same time.
Now, why am I telling you all these? Well. I just find that for such a predictable love story, the screenwriter, director and the actors did a marvellous job in turning it into a smart, witty, bittersweet love comedy. The lines are wonderful and there is a pattern in them - the puns on the things said between the characters, much like the ones in SEX AND THE CITY.
I am charmed by the movie. Nowadays, they don't make anymore romance story which can effortlessly charm your socks off. But... I still think it is unfair to give a Best Picture oscar to a small movie like this. Now, ask around who remembers this movie.
Rating: B
Tuesday, November 23, 2004 6:00:00 PM
LIBERTY HEIGHTS (1999)
viewed on 27/11/2004 (Saturday)
Barry Levinson has four movies they call his Baltimore films - DINDER, AVALON, TIN MEN and this one. They are all set in his hometown Baltimore.
The opening already suggests the movie is more or less about the environment Barry Levinson grew up in. A walk down memory lane, a coming-of-age bittersweet story, you know already it sounds vaguely familiar to some other movies.
But what sets this movie apart from many is it has the guts to raise some of the very controversial issues. A Jewish boy falling in love with a black girl and they make their parents hopping mad when they kiss infront of them. When the boy says black girls are attractive, his mother chides him. Once the black girl touches the Jewish boy on his thigh and he has a premature ejaculation. His brother befriends a rich girl who confesses she has such high demands in sex that even her hunky boyfriend cannot catch up. The two boys are always the butt of their schoolmates' jokes because they are Jews. The patriach of the Jewish family runs a strip joint and the mother is always saying if something is not Jewish and then it must be the other kind.
Sadly, the movie does not reach out to me and I do not think it is my fault or the movie's. I am sure the movie is very personal to people who live in America in that era, especially the Balitmore.
Rating: B+
Wednesday, December 01, 2004 2:45:00 PM
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961)
viewed on 28/11/04 (Sun)
Both the leading couple, Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, had passed on. George looks like Gary Barlow while young Audrey looks like a cross between Julia Roberts and Jennifer Love Hewitt but many may argue with me. I think true beauties are simply unique in their very own way. I find that I can always find a contemporary lookalike for the male leads but I can do the same for the female leads.
Anyway, this romantic comedy is basically a love story and their freewheeling lifestyle of a female escort and a kept writer. Shocking? I am. I am not surprised to know that PRETTY WOMAN is inspired by BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S.
By the way, the movie really opens with a breakfast at the jewellery store. Audrey Hepburn's Holly alights from a cab, munches on her breakfast as she window-shops at Tiffany's. The Holly character is supposed to go to Marilyn Monroe but her agent thinks the role of an escort is bad for her image. Ha!
Another surprise for me is that after hearing so many versions of Moon River, the song actually comes from this movie. It was supposed to be taken out at the post-production but Audrey Hepburn protested. It is composed by Henry Mancini who also composed that famous Pink Panther theme tune. The director also directed THE PINK PANTHER two years later but to me that comedy is an unfunny disaster.
I like BREAKFAST. It is so free-spirited and romantic that it will mesmerise many couples for generations watching in bed at late nights.
Rating: B+
Thursday, December 02, 2004 11:06:00 AM
THE ANIMAL (2001)
viewed on 30/11/04 (Tues)
While I laugh out loud watching WHITE CHICK and DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO, I am put off by this Rob Schneider's movie.
I don't blame him. I think he is a good comedian. Is just that the script is so childish. I mean I am touched by certain moments in the WHITE CHICKS and DEUCE BIGALOW but here I find none.
I am not asking for some mushy coming of age moments. I like BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE. It has also a plot with many loopholes but it is heartwarming and funny. THE ANIMAL's plot is confusing and does not bother make sense. In short, made for toddlers who don't follow the story and only laugh at very silly antics.
Well, one saving grace is Collen Haskell who belongs to chubby cute actresses' family like Drew Barrymore and Kate Hudson. I think she can carry her own movie one day. What a cute babe doing in SURVIVOR?
Rating: D
Thursday, December 02, 2004 12:02:00 PM
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (1999)
viewed on 30/11/04 (Tues)
I watch this because it is based on Nicholas Sparks' romance novel. I simply fall in love in THE NOTEBOOK and A WALK TO REMEMBER which are also based on his novels.
Unfortunately, this earliest adaptation of his novel doesn't move me much. I think it is poor representation of the novel. I mean there are many good lines in THE NOTEBOOK and A WALK but there are not many in MESSAGE. There are some lines which are obviously ripped off the book because they stick out in this rather forgettable run-of-the-mill romantic flick.
I don't like Kevin Costner and in this movie I don't like him and his character. If you really love your dead wife so much, explain how you fall in love so easily with a stranger?
You know it is rather easy to make a love story work. Throw in a love that spans over many years, an incurable illness and a death. Here in MESSAGE, Kevin Costner's character dies in a storm. It works again and I feel my heart ache a little. For that I am willing to give it a high rating but I must not forget that I yawned alot for most parts of the movie.
Rating: C
Thursday, December 02, 2004 12:20:00 PM
ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980)
viewed on 1/12/04 (Wed)
I wonder why Timothy Hutton was running for an Oscar in the supporting actor category when the movie is mostly about his character. He is the youngest winner in that category in Oscar history. At a tender age of 20, Timothy Hutton plays a very challenging role of a grieving neglected son with depression and his performance truly breaks hearts.
Equally good is Mary Tyler Moore as Timothy's harshly cold and biased mother. She is famous in her self-titled TV comedy show but here she is an evil mother with a smiling face. Look at her subtle signs of her hatred for her own son.
ORDINARY PEOPLE is about a family which talks around issues, pretends to stay like a family but ready to kill each other at anytime. There are many moments of unspoken feelings in the movie. It takes more than one viewing to really understand what the characters are thinking or what they really mean.
I can't really figure out the ending. I cannot say it is a sloppy ending. I think if I watch it again, I should get it. By the way, it is directed by Hollywood's pretty-looking Robert Redford! I know he is talented but I am just amazed that he handles such a complex and profound study of a dysfunctional family with so much sensitivity.
Rating: A-
Thursday, December 02, 2004 1:09:00 PM
AN AUTUMN'S TALE (1987)
viewed on 2/12/04 (Thurs)
Hong Kong doesn't make date movies like that anymore. The magic and innocence seem lost forever. Chow Yun Fat has moved on international stage now and he is no longer the boyish slim youth. Cherie Cheung has retired from show biz altogether and Danny Chan died many years ago.
The movie has a very simple plot. Cherie's character finds comfort and encouragement in Chow's boorish but kind-hearted tramp. The friendship blossoms into love when they have each other to hold on to to ride through rough times in a foreign land.
The chemistry between the leads works very well. There are hardly any mushy parts that want us to go,"Oh... so sweet... so romantic...Oh" There is some sort of calmness in the development of the story. There are many cute moments too, like Chow refers women as teapot (Cantonese pun for trouble), the car with a door that cannot close, the clay figures, the restuarant facing the sea etc.
Again, I don't think Hong Kong is capable of producing such sweet and warm date movies anymore. Nevermind, it shall remains an exemplary classic like A BETTER TOMORROW.
Rating: B+
Thursday, December 02, 2004 11:39:00 PM
A CRY IN THE DARK (1988)
viewed on 3/12/04 (Fri)
This movie reminds of IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER and AGNES OF GOD but that doesn't mean it is a copycat. It is based on true events and I believe most parts of the movie actually took place. I think it is because the narration is very unassuming and it has none of the over-the-top Hollywood treatment.
To say Meryl Streep is a very good actress is an understatement. I think really good acting is like this. She doesn't make you realise she is an American playing an Aussie. She is famous of mastering any accent and in this movie, her Australian accent is flawless. You cannot really catch when she slips. She just doesn't. It is not all about her accent but her acting. She is so damn natural that you really think she is an Aussie playing an Aussie.
I must go on to talk about the story. The directing style is not to go overboard. The true story itself is already very absorbing. A mother lost her baby child when a dingo dragged her out of the tent. What can be worse when the whole country, instead of sympathsizing with you, accuses you killing the baby for a cult sacrificial ritual? What is wrong with these people? There are many 'loopholes' in her story, like a dingo has never before attacks a baby, the baby clothes are found unbuttoned and neatly folded etc. At one point, even I believe the mother is not telling the truth.
She is eventually jailed for murdering her own baby and her appeals are never answered. 8 years later, a crucial evidence is found to support the mother's story and she is released.
There are more the movie is trying to say, like the apathetic rumours and ruthless accusations of the commoners, inaccurate reporting by the media, the absurdity of the whole trial etc.
I watched this past midnight but even as I was feeling tired, I wanted to finish the movie. It is that absorbing. I just want to know how this bizzare affair is going to end.
Rating: A
Friday, December 03, 2004 10:42:00 PM
THE WAY WE WERE (1973)
viewed on 5/12/04 (Sun)
One of the greatest romantic films of all time. Carrie mentions that in an episode of SEX AND THE CITY and I am not at all surprised it is Sarah Jessica Parker's favourite film because Carrie talks and gesticulates like Barbra Streisand. That made me want to watch THE WAY WE WERE and also when I saw the use of the song for comic effect in the trailer of MEET THE FROCKERS.
I can see why the love story is memorable. There are a couple of things rather unconventional. Robert Redford's character is a more passive partner while Barbra's is the aggressive one. It is like a reversal of the roles of the guy and gal in a relationship. The background of the story is set most of the times against politics hence their exchange of words is always smart and political. There are also a couple of classic moments like Barbra running her fingers through Robert's fringe and of course that beautiful beautiful tune.
The opening credits roll hand in hand with the song, so wonderfully and sensually performed by Barbra who allegedly has the greatest voice of all times. In the making-of documentary, the composer Marvin Hamlisch reveals that Barbra actually made some changes to the original tune and lyrics. The song actually started with the word 'daydreams' and not 'memories'.
Director Sydney Pollack also reveals that when the movie was first screened at a preview, the audience thought it would be a bomb but it became a hit on the following preview night when he deleted much of the political talk between the two leads, unfortunately ended up on the editing floor was also a crucial scene that explains the breakup is caused by mainly their very different political views. Barbra Streisands is upset about the cuts though but I agree that it will somehow make the love story less romantic.
For me, I think the movie is a tad overrated and most of its charm actually comes from the Oscar-winning song and score. Gee, many are going to hate me for saying that.
Rating: B
Sunday, December 05, 2004 1:19:00 AM
GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND (1993)
viewed on 5/12/04 (Sun)
Saw the last bit on channel i the other day. Looks promising. Star-studded too; Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Matt Damon and Jason Patric.
Too bad it is a just a so-so movie. Not as inspiring as I hope. More like it is made for TV only. The characters are one-dimensional and their emotions much stifled. It sure doesn't do justice to the legendary Apache Indian who was the last one to surrender to US government.
I hate to say this but DANCES WITH WOLVES is much moving.
Rating: C+
Monday, December 06, 2004 11:05:00 PM
THE FOG (1980)
viewed on 7/12/04 (Tues)
THE FOG has a very weak story which I believe makers of SCARY MOVIEs will be very happy to make a spoof out of it. SCARY FOG?
I purposely watch it near midnight so that I can really soak in the fear. After a while, I was tossing restlessly on the sofa. I loaned this because my friend Alan said it was very scary. Well if it is from him, it must be damn scary. But why then I am not scared? I even smiled at how some parts can become very funny spoofs.
I know why. When I watched the making-of documentary, they show some scenes from the movie ... with the 'grainy' video quality intact. The scenes are very scary. Somehow, with the DVD quality and the movie appears 'brighter', it just takes away much of the horror. I strongly believe I will be really terrified if I watch it on a videotape recorded with bad TV reception. Strange.
The documentary also shows a clip of HALLOWEEN which looks scary to me already.
The music is very John Carpenter. I have to say his music helps alot in making the movie scarier than it can be. The story may be very weak but John Carpenter is obviously more interested in using lighting and of course all that fogging to create a quiet frightening mood. I think he knows his audience will be fans of B-grade horror flicks and he delivers just that. I have not seen many horror movies, let alone B-grade horror movies, but THE FOG has cult written all over it. It is hard to explain but it just has that X-factor?
Rating: B
Tuesday, December 07, 2004 2:09:00 AM
A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1980)
viewed on 8/12/04 (Wed)
Recorded this movie when it was shown on TV many years ago but did not have the time to watch it. Caught a glimpse though and my impression was a very beautifully shot art movie. It is really indeed, even more so on DVD.
This is cinematic maestro David Lean's last work. His movie always has crossed cultures and this one is also the same. It takes place in India, as the title already suggests, and it explores British imperialism in India when a young British woman accuses a young Indian doctor of rape during a hiking expedition. I like movies like this, something like MYSTIC RIVER and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, examining social issues with a whodunit.
Though the cinematography is great and the story is intriguing, it leaves alot more questions unanswered. Upon surfing the net, I find many viewers have the same gripe and some even raise more questions than I have in mind.
Oh well, it may not be the best work from David Lean but for an ardent film lover, it is still a must-see.
Rating: B-
Wednesday, December 08, 2004 10:03:00 PM
VERTIGO (1958)
viewed on 9/12/04 (Thurs)
Always have this idea that 'vertigo' is a synonym for 'acrophobia'. The former means dizziness and the latter means fear of heights. A condition James Stewart's character has and is exploited to cover up a murder. The murder is not the heart of the story. The first half is like solving a mystery of a beauiful married woman, played by a Sharon Stone-looking Kim Novak, who is believed to be possessed by a ghost and the second half is about James' obsession with this woman who later jumps off a bell tower.
The movie is what I would say very dark and complex. Some parts of the dialogue are very confusing like when Kim Novak's remembering her dreams and illusions. Well it has a good explanation for that and that is a spoiler if I tell you. I like the story? No, sorry. Somehow the movie is disturbing to watch and I hate stories who do not explain many things properly. Alfred's daughter said in an interview that these parts are meant for the audiences to slowly come to realise. Sorry, I'm not so keen to go for a repeat viewing.
I think the trivia from the movie is more interesting than the movie itself. For example Kim Novak was not the original choice to play the leading lady and she has to play two roles, which she did quite a good job.
In the making-of documentary, they show a picture of Edith Head, the costume designer, who is really used as a model for Edna Mode in THE INCREDIBLES.
This is also one of the many films which were nearly lost forever because the original prints were so badly damaged. Universal studios spent two years restoring this film and some other classics too.
I prefer STRANGERS ON THE TRAIN, PYSCHO, THE BIRDS and REAR WINDOW to VERTIGO. Strangely, while the film now is hailed as a Hitchcock's best film, it was badly received by critics when it was first released. The good reputation grows over the years. Maybe I know why they do not like it so much back then and who knows I may like it eventually after watching it again. But seriously, I would like to move on to the other Hitchcock's classics like DIAL M FOR MURDER, REBECCA, NORTH BY NORTHWEST etc.
Rating: C+
Thursday, December 09, 2004 11:28:00 PM
HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) & 13 GHOSTS (1060)
viewed on 9/12/04 (Thurs) & 10/12/04 (Fri) respecively
Both received remakes in recent years and making me think that they are horror classics. Well, always wanted a 'fright night' and I rented these two titles to scare myself silly watching them in the pitch black living room past midnight.
Well I have a faint heart but yet I find myself tossing and turning and yawning alot on the couch.
HOUSE has a really good setting. How far can a butch of money-grabbing people go living in a supposedly haunted house for one night? Among them is a psychiatrist who believes more in science than ghosts, a journalist who wants to do a write-up, a brave pilot, an ex-owner of the house who really believe it is haunted, a timid employee, her boss who hosts the challenge and his sexy sassy wife. Who will be the one to live through the night alive and get the reward? Or is it all a hoax? Well, to tell you is going to give away a spoiler and it will give you the impression that the movie is somewhat clever. It is not. Let's just put in this way. It becomes dumber and dumber, leaving behind so many loopholes that only a scared silly old lady will not detect.
A year later, the same director, William Castle (is that his real name?) came up with a similar film. He also invented this Illusion-O glasses (something like 3D glasses) to allow the audience to 'see' the ghosts. When the film changes colour and there are words to ask the audience to put on the glasses. Well the DVD has two sides, one side you need the glasses and the other side you do not need. A clever gimmick but the ghostly images are so silly and clumsy that they look funny instead of scary. What is scarier is the story which could be written by a dimwit. The things do not connect. What are these ghosts? Why 12 of them? Oh, how could I miss. Right, 13 is the unlucky number so the other 12 are just there to make up the number. Lame, lame and lame.
Well you can say ghost stories are most of the times lame but hey if it ain't scary but look dumb instead, how may I supposed to call it a horror movie?
Will I fail these two movies? Nah, I fail movies only when they tell a story that goes nowhere. Furthermore, I should at least respect the dead ancestors of the horror flicks. Maybe back then, William Castle was their Wes Craven.
Rating: D+ and D- respectively
Sunday, December 12, 2004 1:55:00 AM
FULL METAL JACKET (1987)
viewed on 11/12/04 (Sat)
This is a movie that was banned in Singapore. With the recent relaxation on censorship, previously banned movies like THE GODFATHER, TITANIC, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN etc are allowed here eventually, FULL METAL JACKET is one of them. The DVD is not sold here yet but waycentral.com has it already. Ya, this DVD, for the record, is not from library@esplanade but from this online DVD rental service.
The movie is directed Stanley Kubrick who is hailed as one of the greatest in movie history but I can say this is easily one of his weakest work.
It is another war movie about the Vietnam in the line of HEAVEN & EARTH, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, APOCALYPSE NOW etc. The mood is unsettling and haunting, the usual trademark of Stanley Kubrick.
There are basically two parts. The second part is about the war and the first part is about the training of the soldiers under an instructor from hell. It is this part that leaves a deeper impression. R. Lee Ermy is very frightening as the very violent and vulgar instructor. He reminds me so much of my sergeant. Vincent D'Onofrio puts on a very sad performance as a 'blur' recruit who is terrorised by the instructor and bullied by his platoon mates. After a sabotage, he becomes an outcast and driven to madness, he shoots dead his instructor and then himself.
I would really like to see more of this first part. That is something not every other war movies have. The destruction of a soldier could have begun in his hellish training before going into the war zone.
Rating: C
Sunday, December 12, 2004 5:02:00 PM
THE GRADUATE (1967)
viewed on 11/12/04 (Sat)
It is interesting to note that Uncle Roger Ebert gave this movie two different ratings in 1967 and 1997. He gave four stars, praising it as the funniest movie, when he first reviewed and just three stars when he reviewed it again 30 years later. Haaa... he even blamed himself for being so easily impressed back then.
It is my first time watching it. Even by today's standard, it is very funny and controversial. It talks mostly about an illict romance that is going on between a fresh graduate and his older seductress, the infamous Mrs. Robinson. Anne Bancroft is absolutely wonderful and stunning. Ironically, she was not considered as the first choice. In fact, all three leads were not their first choice.
This is Dustin Hoffman in his film debut. In his interview, it was precisely his nervousness during the audition that helped him nab the part. Mike Nichols also liked him alot and laughed alot on his improverised comic antics, including one scene of him grabbing Anne Bancroft's breast. Behind the camera, Mike Nichols was laughing so loudly by the improverisation that Dustin Hoffman had to suppress his own laughter, turned around and banged his head on the wall. It was later used in the final cut. Dustin Hoffman also mentioned that he pinched Katherine Ross's behind and he was immediately disliked by her. By the way, Katherine Ross is a Diane Keaton lookalike who was also in the original THE STEPFORD WIVES.
The story is nothing to shout out loud but some of the creative cameraworks must have impressed the Oscars so much to give him a Best Director award.
Oh, one more thing. The songs by Simon and Garfunkel are haunting, like 'The Sounds of Silence', 'Scarborough Fair' and 'Mrs Robinson'. The songs don't really match the comedy but the album is a Grammy award winner.
There are many things in the movie that will go a long road in movie history. Dustin and his goofy graduate. Mrs Robinson and her seething sex appeal. Their scene of the seduction. The Simon and Garfunkel songs. These will be good enough to make the movie an icon in American culture.
Rating: B+
Monday, December 13, 2004 2:32:00 AM
PROJECT A (1983)
viewed on 12/12/04 (Sun)
The term 'action superstar' is invented for Jackie Chan. No stunts can be called death-defying if they are not in Jackie Chan's movies. Exaggeration? Not a bit. In this classic Jacie Chan movie, he falls from a clock tower and lands on the ground, without safety or whatsoever and of course no special effects. Under the end credits you will see that he actually once landed hard on his head, and not the back, and almost killed himself. How grateful we have to be. This guy could have died in any of those stunts, all just to make a movie for us to enjoy!
Not only his stunts will make your jaw drop, the stunt sequences are also so well orchestrated and so realistic that I bet no one in the world can come close to the standard. Some other memorable sequences are the chase in the labyrinth of back alleys and the fight in the clockwork compartment of the clock tower.
Now, for an action movie, the script is considered properly written. There is a proper plotline and the good old moral of putting aside our differences to defeat crime and evil.
This is the pride of Hong Kong cinema and action movies are re-defined by Jackie Chan singlehandedly.
Rating: A
Monday, December 13, 2004 11:55:00 PM
TRIUMPH DES WILLENS (TRUIMPH OF WILL) (1934)
viewed on 13/12/04 (Mon)
This is a very very disturbing movie and surely the most controversial documentary ever made. Really! I am not exaggerating!
Ok for those who have not heard of this documentary, brace yourself!
This is a propagada film, documenting the Nazi party week in 1934. In this movie, you will see the most evil man being portrayed as a god. He is Adolf Hilter. This film is made with the intention of making Adolf Hilter larger than life, just like god. You see seas and seas of German commoners and soldiers being swayed by Hilter in his very very powerful speeches to embrace National Socialism as their only 'religion'. He is also protrayed as Germany's messiah and that is implicated in the open sequence of Hilter arriving in a plane from the sky.
Initially, I watched this without the commentary and I was feeling bored until I switched it on halfway through the film. I was totally captivated by the commentary provided by a certain historian called Dr. Anthony R. Santoro. He is akin to a teacher sitting next to you giving you a history lesson. His commentary is a must for all and this is the only time I need the audio commentary to really understand the film. He tells you everything about the Nazi party, including the little know fact that Hilter was actually born in Austria and his German was not considered 'pure', the gossips of some of the important people in the party, their history and the sentences to their war crimes and how they died eventually, the symbols we see and their signifances, the background knowledge of the party, the intentions of certain arrangements in the parades and ceremonies etc.
There is a sequence which is a series of the party's leaders addressing the crowd. The commentary will tell you their personalities, their crimes and how they died in the end. Some did not live to see the end of the war, some committed suicide before the trial etc.
This is made before the World War II and we all know that shortly after in 1938 the war broke out. Whatever so glorious and grand as seen in the film will go down in history as the biggest evil machination ever and Adolf Hilter will be damned for centuries to come. He is never never the godlike figure at all and hence this documentary in favour of him can be considered as the most 'sinister' film ever made!
Rating: A+
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 12:41:00 AM
50 FIRST DATES (2004)
viewed on 15/12/04 (Wed)
The story is very similar to GROUNDHOG DAY. Stealing ideas, tsk tsk tsk, I thought. Well, to say the story is not inspired by that comedy is rubbish but ... it builds on the idea to come up with a very heartwarming, adorable and (surprise, surprise) meaningful romantic comedy.
What if the girl you love forgets all about you the next day? All the hard work to make her fall in love with you the day before is wasted? Not to mention she will forget all the wonderful intimate moments you had with her. Not to mention she may even hurt you with a racket when you love her so much. What about your own life? You are stuck together with her if you really want to be her. You want to have a family with her but what if she even forgets how she gets pregnant and who you are? The bottomline is you can leave the nut case and move on or you have to do the impossible task of reminding her each and every single day that you love her and she loved you yesterday.
This loss of short term memory is given a name called Goldfield Syndrome but it is all bluff. It is only an excuse to pose a scenario of how painful to have your girlfriend who keeps forgetting about you and stops loving you. The movie really makes good use of the scenario and for that I prefer this movie to GROUNDHOG DAY. There are several really touching moments and of course I laugh most of the times.
Besides the adorable couple played by Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, there is a penguin which can chuckle, a big lovable walrus, a gender-confusing assistant Alexa (who is an actress playing a transversite, how ingenious), a muscleman wannabe, a man with a ten-second memory etc. There are so many funny and lovable characters that spinning a sitcom off it should not be too hard.
Of course, how can we forget about Ula, played by possibly the funniest man in Hollywood, Rob Schneider. Nope, you are wrong, Jim Carrey has to be more subtle. Rob is almost unrecognisable as the one-eyed Hawaiian man with his clan of five cheeky kids and a very plump wife. The accent is perfect. From the trivia, I come to know that his character is based on a living person. I like his HOT CHICK (apologies for stating WHITE CHICK in my review of THE ANIMAL), MALE GIGOLO and this one. I am coming to respect the comedian.
I watched this movie on a lazy afternoon in a very sleepy mood. I thought it would be just another normal romantic comedy and I will fall asleep soon. On the other hand, it touches me and makes me smile alot. It is THE WEDDING SINGER set in the beautiful Hawaii. It is hard to make a romantic comedy without coming off as being called 'acting cute'. 50 FIRST DATES does not need to act to be cute.
Rating: A-
Wednesday, December 15, 2004 1:39:00 AM
DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954)
viewed on 15/12/04 (Wed)
This should be a very classic example of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The wall-to-wall twists of an investigation of an attempted murder are so gripping that I did not even realise that close to 90% of the movie takes place in the living room of an apartment until I was told in the making-of documentary.
It is a very meticulously plotted suspense thriller. The pace is very tight and the twists keep coming at you. I believe upon many repeat viewings, we can spot one or two loopholes but at the point of viewing, it is a wonderful perfect murder suspense thriller. Ironically, the movie wants to imply that a perfect murder doesn't exist in real life because life itself is unexpected. True, the culprit is caught because he overlooks a tiny tiny detail. Ok, a clue for you, it is a latch key.
I like the way the mastermind is nabbed. If he can open the front door with a particular key and walks into the living room, he will be it. When that happens, the police investigator is there waiting for him and without saying anything, he calls the police and then leisurely combs his moustache.
Rating: A
Thursday, December 16, 2004 12:01:00 AM
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966)
viewed on 15/12/04 (Wed)
I waited for so long wanting to borrow this from library@esplanade and when I finally got it, the disc was so badly scratched that I could only watch the first half an hour. When I realised that hollywoodclicks.com has this title, I borrowed it immediately.
What a mistake. I should have guessed that, from what I had seen, the movie is a bore. Yes, it is a highly acclaimed movie starring highly acclaimed star and based on a highly acclaimed play. 13 Oscar nominations? My, oh, my. Besides being a showcase of good acting, the movie is embarrassing!
Yes, the actors each have a big juicy role to play and for that, they turn in such powerhouse performances that all four main actors were nominated for an Oscar. Liz Taylor, who put on tons of pounds to play an ugly loud wife, finally got her Oscar.
This is one rare movie in which the actors are evidently competent but the script fail them all. What utterly confusing rubbish they utter! They talked so much about their so-called dark secrets but the dots just do not join up at all. They might as well had been sprouting lines impromptu without a script. And all that yelling, brawling, screaming, fighting going on for more than 2 hours! I wish they have a gun and shoot one another dead.
Rating: D
Thursday, December 16, 2004 12:02:00 AM
8 1/2 (1963)
viewed on 16/12/04 (Thurs)
Watching VIRGINIA WOOLF and 8 1/2 back to back is very demoralising for me. Both are classics which I loathe so much.
Am I too dumb to understand? Maybe...
Thank goodness I am not a film student or a film critic. How am I supposed to write anything good about this arty-farty trash? It is afterall one of the greatest films ever from one of the legendary Federico Fellini.
Surprisingly, the movie is about a director who doesn't know what to do with his movie.
May Lord have mercy on me, ...
Rating: F
Thursday, December 16, 2004 8:43:00 PM
DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)
viewed on 18/12/04 (Sat)
Peter Sellers play three roles, supposedly four until he injured himself playing the fourth role, and got an Oscar nomination for it. He is Dr. Strangelove, a British military aide and the President of USA.
Talking about playing the President, the film's release coincided with the assaination of JFK so out of respect, they delayed the screening of the film.
Peter Sellers is also said to be Stanley Kubrick's favourite actor because not only he is a good comedy actor, he is very good at improvising, for example in a telephone mologue in the film.
George C. Scott's performance is also said to be his own personal favourite. Stanley Kubrick, a very good chess payer, has to win his respect by playing chess with him while filming.
Stanley Kubrick also intended to have a custard pie fight on the gigantic set of the war room but he cut it out in the end. I think it could be a truly hilarious moment in the film, which ... by today's standard is an unfunny dark comedy. More like a dull satire. Guess Mr Kubrick is not good at directing comedies.
It is regarded as one of the more important films about the Cold War. I agree with its intentions to imagine the possibility of a doomsday if one day USA wants to strike Russia. But, stop telling us it is a comedy. Sell it as political satire instead, please.
Rating: C-
Saturday, December 18, 2004 7:41:00 PM
INTO THE MIRROR (2004)
viewed on 18/12/04 (Sat)
Among the Asian horror fares, this could easily be one of the smartest. The motif of mirrors and reflections is so cleverly used so many times to great effect.
I am always amazed how movies can make common things in our daily lives appear to be so sinister, like the phone, the TV, water etc. But for INTO THE MIRROR, the one thing you cannot trust is your own reflection. Now, how scary can that be.
I watched the trailer and I was just so pleasantly surprised that an idea like that can be conceived. I have always wanted to watch this movie and I finally did when I rented it from hollywoodclicks.com .
Well the premise of the story is rather familiar. A ex-cop with a troubled past. A ghost on a revenge rampage. A cop who doesn't believe in ghosts. The deaths are connected. The ghost is directing you to find out the truth and avenge her death. Sounds run-of-the-mill? Wait till you see the film, the surprises are endless.
To say that it is a horror flick is underestimating it. It is more like a clever whodunit. A mystery that challenges your concentration and the tension is built up to the very last minute.
Now, here lies the 'problem'. The movie has a little surprise in the final reel that is Sixth Sense-esque. I do not want to spoil your fun by telling you more. Let's put it this way. I have not figured that out yet. I have an idea in mind but it sounds dumb to me. I just hope it is just my imagination, if not, it blemishes a very very smart horror movie.
Rating: B+
Sunday, December 19, 2004 11:19:00 PM
This was what I wrote in my review of "Into The Mirror".
"...this South Korean chiller is the country’s best genre film to date. From its insidious prologue to that shocker of a twist ending, director Kim Sung-ho’s minimalistic and stylish approach to horror delivers on most levels; only some dubiety, which only arises after the movie ends, bugs. Much of the scares and suspense is confined to movie’s first third. Makes one think twice before looking into a mirror again."
Monday, December 20, 2004 9:41:00 PM
THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)
viewed on 19/12/04 (Sun)
Bought the VCD some years back but as the quality of the film and sound was bad, I sold it away.
library@esplanade has a copy of the movie but only the videotape. I borrowed this title from hollywoodclicks.com instead.
This and THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE will go down the history as two greatest disaster movies of all time. Now, I would say DAYLIGHT tried to emulate classic disaster movies like this one and did a rather good job. Other than that, I cannot really recall other contemporary movies paying such a tribute. And I do not mean THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW or GODZILLA. They belong in another genre, strictly speaking.
Though running at 2 hours and 40 minutes, it just doesn't feel long at all. It is packed with action and tension from the moment the fire started. The actors do not even have to act much although this one has at least five actors who had either nominated for or won an Oscar.
Besides giving us the oohh-noooos and arrgghhs, the movie also serves as a cautionary tale to people obsessed with building the tallest building, forsaking basic essentials like fire safety. It is still relevant to this day.
Not surprisingly that it is the basis of two novels drawing inspiration from an imagination of a fire breaking out at World Trade Center towers. The title of the movie is a combination of the titles of the two novels and the movie has main characters from both novels.
I watched this with Mum and during several nail-biting life-threatening scenes, she could not bear to watch, even though she hardly could understand a word spoken. Now, isn't that amazing?
Rating: A
Monday, December 20, 2004 9:44:00 PM
THE LONG, HOT SUMMER (1958)
viewed on 20/12/04 (Mon)
It reminds me alot of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and GONE WITH THE WIND. The story revolves around a rich Southern family living in a big house with bigger problems.
The big bad mean father is played by Orson Welles who was said to be equally mean while filming. Even soft-spoken Joanne Woodward and Angela Lansbury, in their interviews, say they could not stand him. By the way, Orson Welles is the one who directed CITIZEN KANE who was voted by AFI as the best film of all time.
Back then, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were up-and-coming actors. They fell in love on the set and got married later till today. Both were very competent actors already. Angela, however, is less convincing as sultry mistress of Orson Welles.
The sexual tension was considered very daring back then and the trailer uses that as a selling point. Well by today's standard, girls talking about meeting boys and kissing them passionately are nothing.
The story is good material for daytime soap operas. The acting is moderately over-the-top because the story calls for it. It even comes with a feel-good ending. Now that doesn't mean it is bad. It is just a very well-acted and entertaining melodrama.
Rating: B+
Monday, December 20, 2004 10:13:00 PM
DUMB AND DUMBER (1994)
viewed on 20/12/04 (Mon)
After SHALLOW HAL, OSMOSIS JONES, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and LIAR LIAR, I have faith in the Farrelly brothers and Jim Carrey in making good funny comedies.
After knowing the modi operandi of the brothers and Jim Carrey, I will not say the movie is dumb but unfunny. Cannot blame them, it is the Farrelly brothers' first movie and all the while, I taught it was KINGPIN. A very risky title too. Can you imagine the critics jumping on it, saying for once a movie is what it is called?
Jeff Daniels pales in comparison with Jim Carrey, but then again, few can upstage him.
The truly hilarious moment is the ending! It had me laughing out so loudly after almost dosing off on my couch. If only the rest of the movie has more of such moment like that one. Sigh...
Rating: C
Monday, December 20, 2004 10:32:00 PM
SUZHOU RIVER (2000)
viewed on 21/12/04 (Tues)
I have seen Zhou Xun in BEIJING BICYCLES, HOLLYWOOD HONG-KONG and BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS. While her perfomances in them are less than memorable, she is should be remembered for her performance in SUZHOU RIVER, playing two characters, Peony and Meimei. Both wild and yet angelic, sexy and yet sad-eyed, but you can tell them apart. Zhou Xun plays Peony as a playful sweet-natured girl and plays Meimei, a sexy hardbitten girl.
The shooting style is much inspired by Wong Kar Wai, including the handheld camera technique and the monotonous voiceover. Given a bad story, it will be grating but not in this case.
SUZHOU RIVER tells two intertwining love stories with a Hitchcockian twist. Peony falls in love with a delivery man called Ma Da who kidnaps her one day while his accomplies ask for a ransom from her father. Betrayed by love, she jumps into the river but her body is never found. So, Ma Da, believing Peony is still alive, spends many years looking for her.
Ma Da runs into a girl, who looks alot like Peony, called Meimei. Meimei doesn't recognise Ma Da but he is very certain, and so will the viewers, that Meimei is actually Peony and maybe she is too upset with him. There is even a scene of Meimei looking forlornly at Ma Da after their second encounter and for once, it seems that our suspicion is correct.
So is Meimei actually Peony? If she is, how long she is going to pretend she is not infront of Ma Da. i just hope she is because before this, I see Ma Da desperately looking for her. His love story deserves a good ending.
Now I tell you, the love story of Ma Da comes in much later actually. The movie begins first with the narrator who is the boyfriend of Meimei. We never see his face and we see things from his point of view, that is, the camera is his eyes, so to speak. He also knows Ma Da and at one point he is losing Meimei to him because Ma Da's story touches her.
Wait, so Meimei may not be Peony?
The story has a satisfying conclusion, one that comes with a happy ending, even though there are two deaths. Ok, the ending actually goes a bit longer and the movie ends with a sad tone. But seriously, that should not demolish my good feelings for the movie. The rating will be lower though.
Rating: B
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 9:41:00 PM
GROSSE POINTE BLANK (1997)
viewed on 22/12/04 (Wed)
Always wonder what the title means? Sounds very indie to me. Gross Pointe refers to a place and Blank is the first name of the main character played by John Cusack.
A comedy about a hitman going to, after an absence of ten years, his school reunion to accomplish a task, i.e. to kill the father of his sweetheart played by Minnie Driver.
Right. That is a spoiler. Trust me, by the time you reach that part of this lacklustre comedy, you will care less. A bit of physical comedy, a bit inspired by PULP FICION, a bit of romance, a bit of character study and a bit of satire but all the time missing the target.
What an awful waste of talents. John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd and Hank Azaria.
It should have gone straight to the shelf of a video store.
Rating: C
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 6:14:00 PM
BARBERSHOP (2002)
viewed on 22/12/04 (Wed)
This movie was not screened in Singapore but it occupied the No. 1 spot for a few weeks at the US box office.
I suspect the movie is banned. Why? The racist remarks. Not that the all-black (well, almost) cast hates the whites but they make fun of the political figures from their very own race, namely Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King. In fact, when the movie was released, the former two wanted to delete the 'defamatory' scenes from the DVD but ... you know the verdict. I won't be talking about the scenes if they entertain the requests.
Of course, there are other things which are controversial about the movie. The talk can be very vulgar (you know, MF, nigger etc) and the stereotyping of black and white people.
However, it takes more than controversy to make the film so popular. The characters are easy to like and the chemistry between the players is very affecting. There are many scenes of them just hanging around and talk. Like what Uncle Roger Ebert says, "the movie's so good to listen to, it would even work as an audio book."
Back to the characters. I would love to introduce them to you. The barbershop is owned by this family man who hates to inherit the rundown shop and his name is Calvin, played by Ice Cube. He has a longtime employee called Eddie who is wonderfully played by the talented Cedric the Entertainer and he is the one with all the raciest lines. There is a college boy who is earning extra bucks by cutting hair but he thinks highly of himself at times for being the most educated. There is also a punk who wants to turn over a new leaf but we suspect that he is involved in the latest crime in the neighbourhood. He is carrying a gun to work so did he or did he not do it and let everyone down? There is a female barber called Terri, played by Eve, who is hurt in love but manages to be strong and fight back. Oh, she is also the one who wants to find out who has been drinking her apple juice. Well the movie does not tell but in the special features of the DVD, the culprit is revealed. There is also an African barber, Dinka, who is sweet, plump and secretly in love with Terri. Lastly, the oddest member of the shop will be a white man called Issac, who is in many ways a black man. Oh yes, there is a 'lobang king' who will come into the shop to sell all kinds of funny stuff.
I must not also forget the comical slow-witted duo, JD (Anthony Anderson who is first to be casted) and Billy, who steals a ATM and has a series of misadventures trying to break open it. Some reviews say the subplot is not necessary but it is so funny that it does more good than harm.
I am not at all surpised to see these characters in a sitcom spinoff. I would love to see what are the things they are up next.
The story is heartwarming and has important values, like standing by a family business, community spirit, comradeship etc. Sure there are misunderstandings, conflicts and a big tragedy looming but all their problems will be solved before the film ends. Somehow, it doesn't feel like a movie but a pilot episode of a sitcom. Now that doesn't mean a bad thing.
I know the sequel was shot shortly after the first movie. It has a few additions to the cast, including Queen Latifah who owns a beauty salon next to the barbershop.
I say stop making the sequels and start off a sitcom. I bet the idea will work.
Rating: A-
Saturday, December 25, 2004 1:24:00 AM
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Saturday, December 25, 2004 1:38:00 AM
ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974)
viewed on 22/12/04 (Wed)
This is directed by Martin Scorsese but it doesn't have any of his trademarks.
It is a simple tale of a housewife, with a hyperactive son, who wants to get her life together after an untimely death of her abusive husbands and an short fling with a worse man, played by a very young Harvey Keitel.
It is told in a very straightforward fashion and it is all about femininsm. So un-Martin Scorsese. Hardly any violence and no blood. In fact, there are some witty lines which made me laugh out loud. I don't remember laughing so much watching a Martin Scorsese movie.
For a pro-feminism role like this, it is not difficult for Ellen Burstyn to be recognised by Oscars. Think Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich, Sally Field for Norma Rae, Jodie Foster for The Silence of the Lambs etc. I am not saying Ellen Burstyn is not a good actress but just that the meaty role is an Oscar bait.
A younger-looking Diane Ladd was also nominated and she looked so much like her daughter, Laura Dern.
This is a good movie but a very odd one in Martin Scorsese's resume. It is not really that memorable and besides it can come from any director.
Rating: B
Saturday, December 25, 2004 1:48:00 AM
INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE (1999)
viewed on 24/12/04 (Fri)
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, a first black woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for CARMEN JONES. She is played by Halle Berry who is the first black actress to win a Best Actress Oscar in 2002.
If Halle Berry was big back in 1999, I would say the role was tailor-made for her but she was not as big a star. This HBO movie provides a golden opportunity to showcase her acting talents. It works for she bagged the Golden Globe that year.
Halle Berry is the perfect choice for Dorothy Dandrige. Not only, they look alike, they both have a great film career but luckless love relationships. Both were once married to a physically abusive husband. I sure hope they will not end up in the same tragic death.
Dorothy Dandrige was found dead and many said she died of an OD and some said she died because some bone fragments entered her blood vessels after she had a terrible fall. The film did not answer the mystery just like no one can be certain of how Marilyn Monroe died. By the way, the actress was briefly mentioned in the movie.
The whole movie isn't all about her troubled love lives and her death. It lets us know that Dorothy Dandrige had to fight off many problems related to her skin colour. Though she was recognised as a talented singer and actress, she was not allowed to use the backstage toilet (and had to pee in a cup instead), not allowed to enter from the front entrance but only the rear entrance, not even allowed to swim in the hotel pool. There was one occasion she wilfully touched the pool water and that night she saw her black brothers scrubbing the drained pool. She felt absolutely shocked and guilty but fought back her tears.
The movie also revealed some shocking facts which were not normally found in her biography. She was once sexually abused by her mother's friend and feared to have sex with men. She was also a mistress of Otto Preminger who shot CARMEN JONES and PORGY AND BESS, both were successes. She had a retared daughter from her first marriage.
As you can see, it is very easy to make the biographical movie a successful melodrama. Dorothy Dandridge indeed had a very eventful tragic life.
Halle Berry played Dorothy Dandrige with alot of affection and pride. I can see that she personally felt deeply for Dorothy Dandrige and tried her very best to play her. She not only acted well but sang very well and danced very well. Even without the Oscar win, Halle Berry will forever change many opinions that she is just a pretty face with a sexy body.
The movie is 'decently' made but it is no denial it belongs entirely to Halle Berry.
Rating: B+
Sunday, December 26, 2004 12:00:00 AM
...AND GOD CREATED WOMAN (1956)
viewed on 25/12/04 (Sat)
And as the tagline aptly put, "...but the devil invented Brigitte Bardot!" Her sizzling hot onscreen eroticism rendered the film notoreity. If she is to make the film now, I am sure we will see her bare body and the movie will most likely be a sellout at cinemas like Yangtze and Golden cinemas.
Why? The story is also as senseless as those softporn skin flicks.
When I was checking out more details about Brigitte Bardot online. I came across this trivia. On May 6, 2004, she was charged with inciting racial hatred in her best-selling book "un cri dans le silence" ("A cry in silence") in which she expressed worries about the "infiltration" of France by Islamic extremists. She could face a maximum prison term of one year but is expected only to be fined if convicted. No wonder I find her name rather familiar.
I was thinking of failing this movie, (that will go on to show how much I hate French movies) but if Brigitte Bardot's sexy performance is considered as erotic and hot even by today's standards, it deserves some credit. Besides, the scenic setting (St. Tropez) is an eye candy too.
Rating: D
Sunday, December 26, 2004 12:23:00 AM
ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1995)
viewed on 26/12/04 (Sunday)
Heard about this film when they reviewed FAR FROM HEAVEN. It is said that FAR is paying a tribute to Douglas Sirk's melodramas. I rented this out of curiosity.
I would say FAR is paying tribute to all classic melodramas too. The fade-ins and the theatrical acting. But one thing apparently belongs to Douglas Sirk which FAR tries to follow. The dramatic use of colours, lighting and shades to match the emotions of the scenes. I figure FAR brings it out a tad better than Douglas Sirk.
The story is so similar to FAR. I would not say it is an imitation but a re-imagination of ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. I think if Douglas Sirk is to be alive this day and what is taboo back then is no longer a taboo now, he would make a bolder ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.
In this film, a rich and respectable widow falls in love with her younger gardener. In FAR, Julianne Moore is secretly in love with her black (and probably younger) gardener.
The May-December romance faces alot of objection from the widow's social circle and her two grown-up children. Succumbing to the pressure, she breaks up with the gardener only to know that her sacrifice gives her approval but not happiness. Just when she goes to look for the gardener, he meets with an accident. While FAR has a sad ending, ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS ends happily.
One more interesting finding. The actor who plays the gardener is Rock Hudson who contracted AIDS and his homosexuality was made public. In FAR, Julianne Moore's husband is a gay.
Come to think about it, the title FAR FROM HEAVEN also seems inspired by ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.
Do I like the story? Well, by today's standard, it is more like a daytime soap opera drama but the impressive cinematography should be a good case study to aspiring cinematographers.
Rating: B
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 10:01:00 PM
MADADAYO (1993)
viewed on 27/12/04 (Mon)
Movies like this one made me glad that I am not a professional film critic. This is the last work by the great Akira Kurosawa but I think it is a film made by a self-indulgent senile old man. Dear, is he rolling in his grave?
The old actor who plays the professor is an alter ego of Akira. The professor has many students who admire and respect him alot, so much so that they nod thier heads continuously at his slighest wiser words and laugh heartily at his slightest wit. Damn, this old man seems to enjoy all the attention.
The very long movie doesn't explain why the professor is given such high regard but we see that he cries alot when his cat is missing and alot of merry-making by his students at his birthday feasts. There is one stupid subplot in which his student claims that he has nothing to say to his teacher so he will say out all the names of the train stations. This goes on for like 15 minutes in the background!
'Madadayo' means 'not yet'. The word appears again in a game of hide-and-seek in the professor's beautiful dream in the last few minutes. For me, it is an end of my agony. Throughout, I ask myself,"Is the film going to be over yet?" Madadayo...
Rating: D
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 10:19:00 PM
CARMEN JONES (1954)
viewed on 28/12/04 (Tues)
I rented this after watching INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIGE. This is the movie which made Dorothy Dandrige the first black actress to be nominated for a Best Actress oscar. Its all-Black cast is considered a revolutionary back then.
Again, I must say Halle Berry is born to play Dorothy Dandrige. Both look almost the same and both can carry a role of a sultry temptress so well. Above all, both are apparently hardworking competent actresses.
I do not normally like muscials but the songs here are memorable like "Stan' Up an' Fight" and "Dat's Love".
The role of Carmen Jones is a role of a lifetime. Very controversial, wild, sexy and attention-grabbing. No wonder Dorothy Dandridge fought so hard for the lead as it is a star-turning opportunity.
CARMEN JONES is actually based on by a Spanish opera and that explains the operatic singing. It is about this free-spirited and wilful damsel who can love passionately a man and dumps him when she gets bored. She dies eventually in the hands of a man who is obsessed by her.
Do I like the movie? I like the songs more. Dorothy Dandridge's performance is praise-worthy but still much controlled. It could be the tremendous pressure she was facing back then. Still, as a musical, it is really good.
Rating: B
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 10:44:00 PM
THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1988)
viewed on 30/12/04 (Thurs)
Directed by Terry Gilliam, the visuals are splendid but alas the story is Monty Python-esque laughably ridiculous. Well, Terry wrote and directed a few Monty Python movies after this one. I like his THE FISHER KING best.
Stars a very young Uma Thurman as Venus and even a younger Sarah Polley.
Rating: D+
Saturday, January 01, 2005 7:37:00 PM
ROGER & ME (1989)
viewed on 31/12/04 (Fri)
This is Michael Moore's first documentary. It is a personal project to him. His hometown Flint, Michigan, was badly hit by the huge retrenchment by General Motors, which practically ditched the whole town for more profitable ventures.
Now, making business cannot always put humanity at its top priority but the effects of retrenching almost the whole town can have some interesting and sad effects. Furthermore, this town is your hometown.
Already, I can connect to Michael Moore. He shows us a few absurd half-hearted measures to help the town. A parade with a clueless Miss Michigan who was more interested in clinching the Miss USA than helphing her folks. There were road shows to spread false hopes. They even tried to make Flint into a tourism hub by building a Hyatt hotel, a theme park called Autoworld etc but all of them had to close down eventually due to poor turnout. Flint was even named as the worst town to live in USA by a magazine and the town folks were so angry they assembled to burn the magazines.
On a sadder note. The town was practically abandoned by people who had to seek jobs elsewhere. It became rat-infested. Michael Moore even followed a man who went around evicting people who could not pay the rent, including some of his friends. One woman has to sell rabbits as pets and meat for a living. There is one horrible scene of her being interviewed while she shows us how she skins a rabbit to prepare the meat for sale.
While all these were happening, Michael Moore went around to look for the very elusive Roger Smith, CEO of General Motors, so that he could 'invite' him to his hometown to witness the devastation he had created.
Before BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and FAHRENHEIT 9/11, a younger beard-less Michael Moore was already a documentary filmmaker with great potential to make it big. From the start, he is able to show his highly entertaining backlash on more powerful but less humane higher authority. His future films will be SICKO, criticizing America's healthcare system and FAHRENHEIT 9/11 1/2, presumingly examine the after-effect of 9/11.
There are criticisms that Michael Moore always mispresents facts and he is nothing more than an entertainer. I have respect for this maverick documentary maker and I hope he will never disappoint his legion of fans, myself included.
Rating: B+
Saturday, January 01, 2005 8:12:00 PM
OCEAN'S ELEVEN (1960)
viewed on 1/1/05 (Sat)
There are basically two kinds of film I will try to avoid, sequels and remakes. Only a minority of them is really worth making in the first place. The remakes of THE PLANET OF THE APES and PYSCHO are classic examples.
Sadly, I cannot say for the origianl OCEAN'S ELEVEN. Steven Soderbergh gave the original movie what it rightly deserves. The cast, for one, is what we will call 'cool'. The orginial cast, headed by Frank Sinatra, tries hard to be suave and funny. I have a bad impression of the Rat Pack already. The new cast, with Brad Pitt and George Clooney, is much much more competent.
The original OCEAN'S 11 wants to be entertaining but there are many slow moments with characters having long conversations much about nothing but to show how cool they are trying so hard to be. The heist scheme is absolutely impossible to believe. It is so simple that it is insulting the viewers' intelligence. The new OCEAN'S 11 has a much clever plot, not to mention its sleek execution.
I think the arrangement of the ending subplot is still rather refreshing. None of them gets any of the loot. Still, it cannot save the whole movie.
Rating: C-
Saturday, January 01, 2005 8:30:00 PM
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Monday, January 03, 2005 8:34:00 PM
THIRTEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING (2001)
viewed on 1/1/05 (Sat)
Maybe there are exactly 13 characters or else I do not know why it is named this way. That "one thing" is vaguely happiness. *Yawn*. The series of short stories about a few main characters gaining insights through their interwining encounters? Let's put it this way. MAGNOLIA accomplishes the task better. This movie just has to be clearer in what it wants to say. Do I hate it entirely? Nope. Scored some good impression with good acting and sincerity.
Rating: C
Monday, January 03, 2005 8:35:00 PM
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (1996)
viewed on 1/1/05 (Sat)
I have not read a single book by Roald Dahl (although as an English teacher, it is my duty to recommend his books). But if this movie is a direct adaptation of his book, I will advise my kids to read something better. It is made for toddlers who will be scared by ugly mean sisters (basically over-the-top acting) and marvel at a giant peach floating in a sky with uninteresting one-dimensional insects.
Cannot blame the old man. He wrote this like donkey years ago, way before toddlers are now even 'mature' enough to understand TOY STORY and FINDING NEMO. I think this film will find itself only somewhere near the baby's crib.
What a pity for the makers who took one day to play with the plasticine, all for a few seconds on film.
Rating: D
Monday, January 03, 2005 8:44:00 PM
MOBY DICK (1956)
viewed on 1/1/05 (Sat)
I have not read the classic but at least I can tell people I've seen the film adaptation. Hee
Being a classic does not really mean it is long-winded and boring. The story is about an angry bitter captain on his vengeneance trip to kill the titular white mammal because it disfigured and maimed him. His sidekick warns him that to kill such a legendary creature is as good as blasphemy. Furthermore, the captain is doing this even on the expense of sacrificing his crew, ship and a good harvest of whales.
Is this selfish foolhardiness or admirable courage to pursue an impossible killing?
The captain dies in the end, presumably with the white whale too. The whole ship was destroyed by the whale and all the crew died, save for the narrator who is not drowned by ironically holding on to a coffin.
I almost forgot. The hunting scene is surprisingly very realistic. Imagine given the time when SFX was unheard of and models were largely used instead. Kudos to these directors. They are truly great. By the way, the movie is directed by John Huston, father of Angelica Huston.
I read from somewhere that it is a good thing the film devotes more time to telling the killing of the whale. In the book, it is only about 10%. So the story named after a whale is more interested in the characters hunting it. Interesting to know.
Rating: B
Monday, January 03, 2005 9:07:00 PM
DICK TRACY (1990)
viewed on 4/1/2005 (Tues)
It received 7 Oscar noms, mainly in the non-acting departments. But this is not an Oscar-calibre picture at all.
The sets are luminous. The villians 100 times more interesting than Dick Tracy, Prunceface really has a prune face, Flat-top Jones really has a flat-top haircut, 88 keys is the name of a pianist, a really faceless mysterious man called The Blank.
Still, alot of things are flat and stifled. Warren Beatty and Madonna deserve Razzies! Such pretentious performances.
I seriously think this comic strip-based movie will be given the just treatment if it is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer!
Some movies just deserve to be big entertainment pieces. Warren Beatty just cannot make it.
Rating: C
Sunday, January 09, 2005 5:28:00 PM
THE PRODUCERS (1968)
viewed on 5/1/05 (Wed)
Knew this movie when it was named as one of the all-time 100 best movies in the last century. It has quite a high spot on the list.
I cannot find this in the esplanade DVD library so when I know hollyclicks.com has this title, I am more than thrilled.
The trailer looks like BLAZING SADDLES, another comedy by Mel Brooks which I am not impressed with. I got a feeling I will be disappointed.
Not a chance.
The plot is promisingly hilarious already. Two producers hitch a plan to pocket a fortune for making a sure-fire flop. The plan is to raise more than what they need for a broadway play and then make sure it is so bad that it has to be closed right after the opening night.
So they have to find a worst script ever written. They find one entitled "Springtime for Hitler" and it is written by an ardent supporter of the evil tyrant. They next need to find the worst director. He is a cross-dresser with an assistant who is a queer with a big beard. Next, they have to find the worst actor to play Hilter. They find one that is in all a nitwit. With all the worst elements put together, you can imagine the laughs that keep rolling in.
This is not to mention that one of the producers have to play loverboy to very very old ladies for their money.
So the play goes on well? They hope so and in fact they are dead on making sure it will push all the wrong buttons.
The opening dancing sequence serenading Hilter is totally funny. The audience gasp in disbelief and they start walking out. The producers are celebrating already. Well, this is not until the audience are very much indeed amused by the stupid lines and antics. In fact, they walk back into their seats and their laughter brings down the house.
This spells trouble for the producers. One thing leads to another and they end up in jail. With the right wrong formula, they are back in action again, producing a play with the inmates and start their money-making plans again.
I understand why this movie may be banned. It makes fun of Hilter and gays. Still, it is a top-notch comedy. It is a hit about a making a flop. Cute.
Rating: A-
Saturday, January 15, 2005 11:37:00 PM
ALONG CAME POLLY (2004)
viewed on 8/1/05 (Sat)
It is strange. This is my third attempt to write a review for this comedy. Why? Somehow in some way, I seriously think it is smarter than a usual comedy. It says some of the things which I like very much. Well, it could be just me. Now, you get some idea why I have some problems writing this review? Haaa...
Ok for a start. Let me talk about Ben Stiller's character. He is a risk analyst meaning he can calculate risks using a program. Is there such a dumb program? Maybe not. He chooses the path most will take and that is live like a yuppie, doing very well at work and climbing up the corporate ladder, have a pretty little trophy wife. At the wedding dinner, he says he is happy to have all these. He is not really grateful to life. He is proud to finally join the ranks of the so-called successful people.
Actually, he is as square as anything can be. He doesn't take risks because he feels so insecure so easily. He is a coward. In fact, he can never cope if his life screws up a little.
Now, I have many people who are just like him. They set superficial goals. They want to be the head of certain department or division by certain age so they will suck it up to anyone whom they think will pave their way to the top. They will all want to get married as young as possible. It is like a race. Whoever marries first is the winner. Preferrably before 30. I doubt they truly have a happy marriage life. Do not get me wrong. I am not jealous. I mean I don't usually see them as loving after the marriage. In fact, alot of things they will do out of duty, including a compulsory weekend dinner, a compulsory visit to the in-laws once a week and it is compulsory to have a baby very soon. So far, I am yet to see a truly happily married young couple. Everyone doesn't want to be left out and be seen as pervert who is not married after 30. It is like telling the whole world you are absolutely not desirable at all to anyone from the opposite sex. Ridiculous.
Well, am I drifting away? Ok allow me to link back to ALONG CAME POLLY. Ben Stiller's character is on the way to be like the rest of the 'successful' people. But alas, his trophy wife has a impromptu ra-ra shag with French hunk during their honeymoon!
His life is off the tangent! He is going to fall apart. He will be forced to jaunt out of his comfort zone and deal with the harsh reality. No matter how good you are at calculating risks, it is all so meaningless now.
His marriage falls apart. Words get around at work and this is surely going to spoil his chances of promotion. He is the laughing stock. The man who thinks he has it all and everything under control. Ha!
Yes, along came Polly! She is going to teach Ben Stiller's charcter, Reuben, how to live a life without fear. Life is unpredictable and there is no way to calculate your risks. There is no way to tell whether a relationship will work and for how long. There is no way to say a man who likes extreme sports will die sooner than someone who, say, crosses a street carelessly. There is no way to tell you will get sick from eating nuts from bowls in clubs. Things just happen so live life a little easier on yourself.
Does Reuben really like Polly? Maybe but it is certain that he dates her, right after the mishappening, out of being afraid of being called a loser. He wants to show the whole world that he is dumped fast but he can get a girl equally fast. An ego thingy. But in the end, Reuben gets more than what he wants. Polly has given him more than just 'face' but a lesson to be really free. Free from the norm. Free from the rat race.
I think this is not really a review of the movie. Well, I like it this way better.
I do not have the time to go on to Philip Seymour Hoffman's Sandy and the mini-speech made by Reuben's quiet father. There is also an array of really funny and interesting characters which I will love to talk more about.
Go watch it. Well even if what I said earlier do not make much sense to you, at least it is funny. Much along the line of THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.
Rating: A-
Saturday, January 22, 2005 9:51:00 AM
CALIFORNIA SUITE (1978)
viewed on 9/1/05 (Sun)
Maggie Smith wins an Oscar for playing an Oscar loser. Interesting.
That trivia itself is more worthy talking about the whole comedy.
Watching this is like listening, for 100 mins, to a person who thinks he is funny and very witty. You just want to gun that person down. Refreshing initially but if EVERY line is written tediously to show off some wit and funny sarcasm, it is way too much! It doesn't help some talk leads to nowhere. So disjointed. What a waste of a great ensemble. Based on Neil Simon's play? I do not him well. It is either a bad adaptation of his play or he is just ... bad.
The comedy tries so hard to make us cry, make us laugh but all it does is getting on my nerves. By the way, simply hate people who are full of themselves and talk non-stop.
Rating: D
Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:00:00 AM
THE STING (1973)
viewed on 10/1/05 (Mon)
Best Picture in '74. A rather uncommon choice, knowing Oscars love epics. This is a rather small but very entertaining piece of work.
Looking at the nominated films, it is not hard to see why it won. There was the small indie darling AMERICAN GRAFFITI, the cult favourite horror flick THE EXORCIST and the other two are unheard of.
Like the suave good-looking male leads, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, the film has this cool-cat charisma. The whole story revolves around a gang of good people who vow to con a baddie big time, making him lose alot of money at betting horses. The plot is so ingeniously elaborated. The story makes more thrilling with cops hot on their heels. There are a few little surprises in the final minutes to bring it to a climax.
It is entertaining all the way. It makes you want to stand up and cheer after watching it. The kind of movie that wants to entertain you and make you feel great seeing justice done.
Oh yes, I must mention also the very famous recurring theme tune. Once you hear it, you will go, "Oh, I heard that before somewhere a long time ago." Much like the whistle in THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI.
Rating: B+
Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:14:00 AM
CON AIR (1997)
viewed on 15/1/05 (Sat)
If there is such a thing called chick flick, CON AIR is the absolute male counterpart. It is made for the hot-blooded males. That kind of movie, if screened in an army mess, will bring the house down.
I enjoy the movie. There is never a dull second. There are times when the action flick smuggles in some 'girly' supposedly touching moments but it will take off immediately before crashing into mush-ville.
It is very easy to gun down a hot-blooded actioner like this but I think there are many things which are handled well in this one. The acting is good, especially John Malkovich's performance. I think I have a better impression of him. The aerial action sequences are great. The tension is maintained taunt from start to end. The logic may not really go very well but I buy the plot. Hee... for a fleeting moment, I am even aspired to be an ultra-cool criminal.
Rating: B+
Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:32:00 AM
MOUSE HUNT (1997)
viewed on 16/1/05 (Sun)
I want to rent this because I want to have a few cheap laughs. I always see this as a stupid comedy of errors, like Laurel and Hardy.
Not bad. It is really funny and very cute. It doesn't come close to being a stupid comedy. More like a sweet comedy which is full of wholesome fun.
The star of the movie is the mouse but it does not necessarily upstage the human characters. Nathan Lane is the mean selfish older brother but he is not really this obnoxious baddie. Lee Evans is the sweet-natured younger brother. Christopher Walken is the funniest, even in his short screen time as a very serious mouse exterminator who also cannot escape the ill fate of being played out by the rodent.
There are some sequences which are outrageous, like flooding the house to explosion, flying off the chimney etc. Some will say they are dumb but in the context, it is just good old cartoon amusement.
I love the ending. The brothers and the mouse start on this chesse ball business. The mouse has a home and the brothers are not broke anymore.
A great companion for little kids. Just make sure they will not ask for a mouse as a pet after watching this.
Rating: B+
Saturday, January 22, 2005 10:46:00 AM
THE NUTTY PROFESSOR: THE KLUMPS (2000)
viewed on 21/1/05 (Fri)
Eddie Murphy deserves an Oscar for his mutliple roles in this very funny comedy. He plays the entire clan of the family! Not counting that little fat brother, of course. It is already a feat playing 7 characters: Sherman Klump, his evil gene Buddy Love, Sherman's father, his younger version, Sherman's mother, Sherman's brother and Sherman's sex-crazy grandmother. The end credits cheekily saves a frame to put Eddie Murphy's name all along the list of the characters. There is Eddie Murphy kissing Eddie Murphy on the cheek. There is Eddie Murphy dancing with Eddie Murphy. There is Eddie Murphy and Eddie Murphy sharing a very wet kiss.
You will never know all these characters are played by the same actor if you walk into the cinema clueless. Eddie is that good! There is some serious acting too, mind you. Just watch out for the scenes of Papa and Mama Klump who try to rekindle their fledging (pun intended) marriage life.
It takes a very committed comedian to do all that. Not to mention spending most of times talking to himself infront of the camera and sitting still on the makeup chair for hours.
There are some parts in the plot which are plain ludicrous . Drinking a gene from a fountain? Removing a gene at a click of a button? Making a person younger by drinking a potion? A person can reverse his age so much that he will eventually be reduced to a pulp?
But! I think the comedy knows they are crazy. However, they are here to tell a sweet story of a very insecure fat man who believes his girlfriend will leave him if she knows he has this Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thingy going on in him. But Denise, played by the sweet-faced Janet Jackson, is only attracted to Sherman because he is sweet and kind. There is a part which I really laugh out loud. Sherman and Denise in the lecture room. He says something hardly funny but Denise laughs along with him. It is flirting in front of those students looking clueless and unamused. Denise and Sherman realise what they have done and cease laughing embarrassingly.
There are some gripes I have about this movie. I don't mean the fart jokes, the toilet humour, the bold jokes about sex, elderly people, fat people and black people. I mean that sequence in outer space. It doesn't fit in. Also why the episode of the giant hamster and his unusual 'mate'? Done in rather poor taste.
Overall, I enjoy the movie very much and Janet Jackson should venture into this movie business.
Rating: B
Saturday, January 22, 2005 11:26:00 AM
THE SOONG SISTERS (1997)
viewed on 29/1/05 (Sat)
Heard my two male colleagues praising this movie sky-high. One said how accurate history is depicted and the other remembered fondly the use of the song "Home on the Range".
I heard from time to time, this movie is not bad at all. Why didn't I watch it when it was first released? I got very disappointed by Asian fares, especiall those from Hong Kong.
THE SOONG SISTERS is indeed not bad at all. It is sincere and there are a few touching moments. I do not know the history very well so I cannot comment on that. One thing for sure, together with other history idiots, I cannot follow the history lesson. The film is made, assuming we know the history well. I have no qualms about that but somehow I think the narrative lacks clarification.
I am disappointed, no doubt. It is just that the movie has so much potential to become an important epic. One thing the acting is competent. All the actresses did their homework well. It is refreshing to see Michelle Yeoh play a snobbish tai-tai.
I think if the movie is directed by a slightly more able director, like Ang Lee, it will truly be an epic.
Rating: B-
Sunday, January 30, 2005 12:18:00 AM
AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)
viewed on 22/1/05 (Sat)
Before STAR WARS, George Lucas made this small little-unknown movie which is very close to his heart. It is about making decisions to leave a small town to see the world, car-cruising, puppy love and sexual awakening.
The actors are so young yet so natural already. In fact some of them are big stars now, like Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (credited as Ronnie Howard), Oscar nominee Kathleen Quinlan (who will many years later appear in Ron Howard's APOLLO 13) and pre-Han Solo Harrison Ford.
The story happens in one night when the protagonists go on their own adventures after their prom and before meeting again for a send-off farewell.
It is a hard labour of love. The storytelling is sincere and bittersweet. Like the fresh youthful faces, somehow the movie possesses the same aura.
The making-of documentary is easily one of the longest. At about 1 hr and 15 min. Watching this will make you realise great pains George Lucas took to see this film project through. First of all, George Lucas had to hard-sell the script which he co-written with two other people, for some years before a studio agreed because Francis Ford Coppola decided to be the producer. Next the budget was so tight that there were no chairs provided and actors had to sleep in the backseat of the car when they film the frontseat. George Lucas believe so much in his specially handpicked songs that he was willingly to spend a big part of the budget acquiring their copyrights and he had no money even for the conventional soundtrack. He had to resort to sound effects to fill in moments when there should be some music.
However, one thing was very important to George Lucas and this was brought up consistently throughout the interviews. George Lucas wanted a documentary feel for this movie. He would take shots after shots, each always politely ended with an OK sign and "great!". This puzzled the actors alot until they realised that George Lucas could be secretly waiting for some kind of mistakes so that he would include that in the final cut. In short, he wanted mistakes to give the movie an imperfect look and thus a 'real' movie. One actress obviously fumbled over her line but it was included. One actor obviously lost control of his scooter and rammed it into something and in another scene he almost dropped a bottle.
I knew about this movie a long time ago when I checked up the Oscar history. Mind you, it was even nominated for Best Picture. However, I did not think highly of George Lucas and his STAR WARS movies. I always see him as a person who likes to cash on past success. Yes, STAR WARS was revolutionary but to spin like 5 more sequels (ok ok, prequels or sequels or whatever) is a tad too self-indulgent.
I like this sweet-natured indie-looking AMERICAN GRAFFITI. And thanks goodness to this movie, I have new-found respect for George Lucas. I hope one day when he got over his STAR WARS thingy, he would move on to do something like AMERICAN GRAFFITI.
Rating: A-
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 12:17:00 AM
I NOT STUPID (2002)
viewed on 1/2/05 (Tues)
I don't think highly of Jack Neo. I do not find him funny and I find him always generating buzz around himself. He complains alot about our government, in the suspiciously good name of thinking aloud and the courage to face up to the 'unreasonable' policies. Am I being too harsh on Jack Neo whom many may even see him as our national treasure? Well, like what Jack Neo promotes, we are entitled to freedom of speech. Right not?
Ok, back to the movie. I like it. Surprised? Me too.
Frankly speaking, I have to admit Jack Neo, given more opportunities, will become a successful director churning out movies which are sincere and close to all of our hearts. For a local movie, it has the trappings of a very entertaining mainstream crowdpleaser.
The narrative alone earns my respect for Jack Neo. The intercutting of the stories to bring out different 'morals' is rather dexterous.
The child actors are marvellous. All are so cute and professional. My favourite is actually the chubby narrator. I think he has more range than Joshua Ang. I can imagine Joshua Ang being groomed into another Huang Wenyong and Shawn Lee a Li Nanxing.
As a teacher, what Jack Neo brought up strike a chord with the EM3 students but still presents a rather shallow representation of the education system here. Kind of like out-dated.
I can say there is one big flaw in this movie. Jack Neo wants to say too much in one movie. So much so the focus is lost along the way.
The twist in the ending is rather touching but the mushy please-help-us scene gives me the goose-pimples.
Give Jack Neo some more time, he will be even a bigger and better director than those ang-moh movie directors, like Eric Khoo and Glen Goei. Or maybe he has already? I would really like to see HOMERUN and BEST BET. I have not even seen MONEY NO ENOUGH. Maybe can start with that too.
Rating: B-
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 12:41:00 AM
WHITE CHICKS (2004)
viewed 30/1/05 (Sun)
MRS. DOUBTFIRE and BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE are better movies about guys putting on outrageous disguise to play a woman. WHITE CHICKS pushes the envelope a bit more. Black guys playing white girls.
There is a scene rather similar to one in MRS. DOUBTFIRE. Somebody is knocking at the front door and the protagonists are not in their disguise. If they do not answer the door soon they will be exposed. MRS. DOUBTFIRE has a clever way to save the situation but the two guys in WHITE CHICKS put everything up within a matter of like a few minutes. It is impossible! Right, you will ask me to cool down and tell me it is afterall a madcap comedy. Still, it tries to treat the audience like small kids with no sense of reason.
Ok ok, maybe that is a bit too far-fetched. Still the movie cannot run away from the sin of having that mushy ending and some really really over-the-top antics. The dinner scene bitting the toenail. Really bad taste.
Some of the lines are really really funny. I hope the Wayans brothers will one day have a comedy that will rely less on makeup but more on their clever funny lines. By the way, the makeup deserves an Oscar! An unimaginable feat indeed.
Rating: C
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 1:01:00 AM
Joshua Ang is the one who looks like Li Nanxing; Shawn Lee actually resembles Huang Wenyong.
I didn't like "I Not Stupid", although I preferred it to "Money No Enough". "The Be$t Bet" is better, and of course "Homerun" was one of the year's best films - at least in my book :-)
For a better and funnier Wayans brothers movie, check out "Scary Movie 1".
Wednesday, February 02, 2005 10:57:00 PM
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Saturday, February 12, 2005 12:17:00 AM
LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE AND BLONDE (2003)
viewed on 30/1/05 (Sun)
Love the first installment. Finally a comedy about a blonde, after all those hilarious blonde jokes. Personally, my personal favourite category of jokes.
Like I said many times, I may like part 1 alot but I loathe sequels. Still, for old time's sake and dying for a good laugh, I grabbed this and ran for the loaning counter already.
What's wrong with me? I cried watching it. At the court scene when Elle Woods narrates how a man at a panel had a dog as his childhood companion when he had no friends. I am a dog lover and I can totally relate to that.
I secretly like this sequel more than part one. I mean part one is more like Elle Woods want to prove she is not dumb but part two shows her she has more than just mere luck and sheer determination. Here, she shows that she has compassion for animals and people around her. In short, Elle Woods really kick ass in this sequel.
I would love to see more of Elle Woods in action. Somebody must have read my mind. They are going to have a TV spin-off, directed by the same director and starring Jennifer Hall (who?). I sincerely hope the sitcom will be as funny and as heartwarming as the movies.
Rating: A-
Saturday, February 12, 2005 12:18:00 AM
JUSTICE, MY FOOT (1992)
viewed on 9/2/05 (Wed)
With my new-found respect for Stephen Chow, I am watching this, this being one of his better movies, at least that is what they say.
Indeed, I like it! For some parts, I even cried or found myself controlling my tears of joy. For some other parts, I want to stand up and cheer. It is just so sad to see innocent kind people get bullied for helping unfortunate folks.
It is funny, with quite a couple of dirty jokes. Maybe it belongs to the Wong Jing era. Well it has a good script and lovable characters, I do not really mind and even laugh along.
I am not surprised that JUSTICE, MY FOOT influenced KUNG FU HUSTLE. The elements are almost the same. At times heartwarming, at times touching and at times funny. It may look senseless from the outside but it has a clear goal - to make you laugh with good humour and make you cry without being too serious and mushy.
Ok ok, anyone would like to recommend similarly good movies by Stephen Chow from his yesteryear? KING OF BEGGARS? HAIL THE JUDGE? GOD OF COOKERY? THE KING OF COMEDY?
Rating: A-
Saturday, February 12, 2005 12:50:00 AM
"King Of Beggars". It's one of Stephen Chow's absolutely *best* movies to date. I loved it when I first saw it on the big screen in 1993 and loved it still when they re-ran the show umpteen times on TV. The effects remain top-notch for a movie made during that time.
"God Of Cookery" is lame but it marks the beginning of a new era for Chow. The direction is slick and the narrative style forever inspires his subsequent movies "King Of Comedy" and "Shaolin Soccer".
Saturday, February 12, 2005 8:57:00 PM
THE CANDIDATE (1972)
viewed on 11/2/05 (Fri)
Like PRIMARY COLOURS and WAG THE DOG, THE CANDIDATE examines the irony and laughable absurdities of politics and elections. It is all like show business or worse, manipulating the masses and selling feel-good images and ideas.
Bill McKay played by the charismatic Robert Redford is running for the senator from California. He is up against what supposed to be an unbeatable all-time popular incumbent opponent. There is an earlier scene when even Bill is impressed by his opponent's moving speech.
Bill McKay is not keen to join in the race but once his campaigners promise him that he can say anything, absolutely anything, he agrees. He is even told that the only thing he has to do is to lose. The campaigners have nothing to be afraid of because Bill is never going to beat this old-timer. Or so they think.
By speaking his mind at free will, Bill gradually presents a threat. His popularity grows steadily and his campaigners begin to think Bill McKay may win afterall. They start to tell him what to say and what to do and Bill McKay loses himself.
One day, on national TV, a commentor compares the old and new Bill McKay and how he enters the arena with a very good impression because he speaks his mind with truth and sincerity. Bill McKay comes to his senses and play along in the whole game, following only his heart and head.
I like the ending. Bill McKay sits in his room awaiting the result of the election. He walks out to receive the news and then the fade-out.
Did he win? Did he lose? It doesn't matter. Bill McKay's story wants us to never lose sight of what we believe in when we lead. There should be only one way to run for any election and that is your sincerity to serve and help.
Rating: A
Sunday, February 13, 2005 12:45:00 AM
EMPIRE RECORDS (1995)
viewed on 13/2/05 (Sun)
EMPIRE RECORDS has a young talented ensemble. They have the X-factor to play what I will say 'cool'. They make working at record stores so cool and happening. No wonder sometimes staff at HMV, Gramophone and Borders carry themselves with an attitude of a rock punk star.
Liv Tyler was already an endearing darling back then, with her sweet sexiness. Renee Zellweger was brilliant too as a sweet-faced man-eater. The rest of cast has remained as unknowns since then but that doesn't mean they are not good. Bad luck in their career I guess.
Bad luck too that the corny script does not do justice to the cast. The last half hour or so sees the story goes deeper and deeper into corny-ville to the point of no return. For a better film of the genre, watch BARBERSHOP.
Rating: D+
Sunday, February 13, 2005 12:58:00 AM
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS MOVIE (2002)
viewed on 26/2/05 (Sat)
When the movie was released, some said it was a quite a revolutionary cartoon movie. Powerpuff Girls? I planned to catch but ... powerpuff girls? How good can it really be? I shelved the idea eventually.
When I saw this title, I borrowed it twice and returned it twice, without watching. Again ... powerpuff girls? How good can it be?
Well, I am wrong. One thing, the visuals are really avant-garde. The soundtrack with a mix of conventional orchestral music and techno is rather creative.
I did not also expect a good story from this movie too. There are some dark moments in the movie which are good to show non-Powerpuff girls fans they are not just some stupid bug-eyed girls who know nothing but act cute.
One powerpuff girl says "kick your butt". There is one part the girls turn ugly and have a catfight and another even suggests one of them commits her first murder. Not to mention also a dark sequence in which the girls are seduced by the evil Mojo Jojo (such a cute name for a villian) to join his forces to rid of a town who hates them.
You see, all the girls want is to have some fun and be liked by others. They just do not understand a game of tag that goes a bit too far actually brings so much trouble. They want to make amends to the town but instead brings more distress to them. Their professor dad even refuses to believe that they are good girls. Ohh... poor thing. I feel for them already.
I also like the other evil monkeys and the way they introduce themselves. Dark and a bit dumb but very funny.
I cannot imagine seeing myself watching Powerpuff Girls in the middle of the night in my room and, at the end of it, want to embrace it.
Let me see if I can remember their names. Blossom is the one with long hair, Buttercup is the one with the husky voice and Bubbles is the cry-baby?
Rating: A-
Saturday, February 26, 2005 1:03:00 AM
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Saturday, March 05, 2005 10:49:00 PM
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Saturday, March 05, 2005 11:10:00 PM
GET OVER IT (2001)
viewed on 26/2/05 (Sat)
I like GET OVER IT like many other teenage high-school comedies like ORANGE COUNTY, BRING IT ON, MEAN GIRLS etc.
GOI is a rank lower than the two but nonetheless it is a movie you cannot really complain about.
The story is properly written. It is hilarious and the young aspiring actors are really watchable.
This is not that kind of movies they make just to lure teenagers into the theatres. I think they can be the most critical audience and the hardest to please. You jolly well make something really what they define as cool and funny. If not, you will lose your only sole audience lot.
I like Martin Short's character and the hint at his homosexuality. Or is it too obvious? Oh. And the soundtrack! It contains many updates of the oldies which are absolutely so radio-friendly. I am buying the soundtrack.
The story? Hmm.... nothing much. Boy loses childhood girlfriend to an arrogant school hunk. He is devastated and wants her back badly. Hence the title. Alas, he keeps running into the wall and his best friend's sister. We all know she will be the right one for him except himself. The ending is ... they fall in love lah.
No. I do not imply the movie is boring. It has an ordinary story but it is never too dull to watch. It makes a great date movie and a weekend comedy. You will leave the cinema smiling and have a good time. And won't feel stupid for watching it.
Rating: B+
Saturday, March 05, 2005 11:11:00 PM
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Thursday, March 10, 2005 10:08:00 PM
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Thursday, March 10, 2005 10:10:00 PM
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Thursday, March 10, 2005 10:10:00 PM
DUPLEX (2003)
viewed on 7/3/05 (Mon)
DUPLEX is a series of sight gags. It has some really hilarious sequences but they do not add up to nothing more than just to milk some laughs.
The most hilarious one is Ben Stiller’s character trying to catch a cold virus from a sick passenger on the train. However I think the credit should go to Ben Stiller solely.
It also has a plotline that is suspiciously similar to MOUSEHUNT. Only that MOUSEHUNT is better than DUPLEX.
Sorry but the old lady is really irritating. I feel bad for saying that. I sympathize more with the mouse in MOUSEHUNT.
While MOUSEHUNT has a satisfying end, DUPLEX chooses a twist which is not really convincing. Are the series of unfortunate events planned or just the couple’s sheer bad luck? And do we need the shock element?
Rating: C
Thursday, March 10, 2005 10:15:00 PM
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Friday, March 11, 2005 11:28:00 PM
THE WEDDING PLANNER (2001) and MAID IN MANHATTAN (2002)
viewed on 11/3/05 (Fri)
Uncle Roger likes J. Lo in any movie even though the movie is bad. So I was told by someone.
I have a similar feeling. Is she really that pretty? Well, yes but also I think in the movies, she can easily become this ordinary Everyday gal with an assuming elegance and quiet determination.
Oh, I think also J. Lo has such contrasting styles and images in movies and her music, we tend to be taken aback that she can so be tamed on the screen and ultra wild and sexy in those hot hot hot MTVs at the same time. Everyone loves a chameleon-like thespian.
In both movies, J. Lo is the winning formula. When she cries and says the most touchy lines, I melt a little.
Interestingly, in both movies, J.Lo plays a working girl who is successful in her career until loves come knocking. Yes, in both movies, her career is jeopardized by the invasion of love. In both movies, she will conquer all odds and win the leading men. In both movies, they have very mediocre storylines and guilty of providing a very unreal romantic escapade. These two movies are carbon copies of one another, made back to back. A coincidence or a marketing strategy or simply copycating?
I like MAID IN MANHATTAN slightly more. There is a homely feeling in MIM because J.Lo plays a maid who works in a hotel with a posse of very lovely encouraging staff. It can even be called an ensemble comedy. Also the low points (read mushy moments) in MIM are not as many as WEDDING PLANNER. MIM is predictable in storyline but WEDDING PLANNER has a slight twist. Both stories ends in Cinderella fashion but I like MIM's clever use of cover magazines to tell the lives of the characters hereafter.
WEDDING PLANNER has Matthew McConaughey and MIM has Ralph Finnes. The former is more appealing. Ralph Finnes fades into the background so easily.
WEDDING PLANNER's supporting cast is forgettable but I like the one in MIM. Ralph Finnes' nanny-like campaign aide, J.Lo's cutesy gifted son, J.Lo's fierce-looking superior with a kind heart, her trio of encouraging colleagues and the rich prima donna who stays in the hotel suite.
I am very curious to see how an early J.Lo perform in SELENA. Put that on my movie queue on hollywoodsclick.com already.
Both movies provide okay-only entertainment. Precisely the reason why I will not buy tickets to watch them in a theatre but do not mind renting it at a lower price.
Rating: C+ (THE WEDDING PLANNER) and B- (MAID IN MANHATTAN)
Friday, March 11, 2005 11:30:00 PM
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Saturday, March 12, 2005 12:48:00 PM
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Monday, March 14, 2005 5:02:00 PM
SEX IN A COLD CLIMATE (1998)
viewed on 12/3/05 (Sat)
Some years back, I saw THE MAGDALENE SISTERS and I am not at all surprised that the movie is actually based on this documentary which was made a few years before the movie.
I am not at all offended. This is not a case of copycat. They cmplement each other. Both the movie and the documentary cover 4 girls who suffered for years under the rule of the Magdalene nuns and were there for the typical reasons.
One had a baby out of wedlock and was sent there. She fell in love with a soldier and gave in to his persistent request to have sex with him. When she gave birth, she was separated cruelly from her baby boy. She wrote many letters to the soldier but all were not sent out by the nuns. Missing her baby boy so much, she escaped. She did it successfully but it was only many many years later before she died, she was finally united with her son.
One was sexually assaulted while working at a farm and when she told someone, she was sent away immediately. She was only redeemed by a cousin many years later but swore never to have a relationship or commitment with anyone. She said she would not want anyone to have any power or control over her ever again. She remained unmarried.
One was not really at the Magdalene asylum but kept in the attached orphanage and she could belong to one of the girls kept there. She had a devastating punishment when she was caught trying to help one of the Madgalenes to see her child. She was sent to a shed. There she was shaved bald by the Reverend Mother and beaten up badly. At the end of the ordeal, she was asked to look at herself in the mirror and was told she would never be pretty again. She was only a child then.
The other was there because she was told she was as pretty as a picture. It was only out of caution that she would 'fall away' (be led astray) that she was sent to the asylum. She was told to be pretty, to keep long hair and to look at your own body are all acts of a sinner. However, she was molested by the priest and one even masturbated and ejaculated on her dress. It is also added on that the priest once even exposed himself in the confession booth. She was so disgusted by the Catholic church and everything associated with it that she did not believe in God anymore. She said if there is a God, He would not let her suffer like this. She stopped going to church and stopped praying. She did not believe in the religion and she did not force her children to believe in it too.
All 4 suffered alot under the rule of the nuns who are dead vicious. They stripped the girls naked and laughed at them. She beat them with a leather belt for trivial mistakes. They forced the girls to seek forgiveness when a mistake is made and the nuns would forgive them "graciously" as they were God themselves. They all use violence to force the girls to follow every order to the letter. Nothing but a bunch of bullies, so say one of the interviewees.
The 4 girls left the asylum eventually but the scars remain forever. All of them cannot go on to live their lives properly. One even says she cannot consummate her marriage as she is too afraid to let a man touch her. One yearns for babies but could not even have sex. Her husband was a very patient husband but he too had to give up and leave her in the end.
All the girls told their stories in a kind of very quiet angry and calm manner. They told the facts but left out largely their anger. Maybe they are afraid that by expressing it in words, they will have a breakdown. Maybe by talking too much about it will only bring back the haunting past. But no matter how strong they wanted to appear infront of the camera, they all couldn't control their tears eventually.
SEX IN A COLD CLIMATE (I still think the title is very inappropriate) is a very powerful documentary. It is very simply told and it has a very short running length of 50 minutes. It is also a very little seen documentary. I am just very glad that I see this. I have to say it has affected how I look at Catholicism, not in a better way I have to say.
Rating: A
Monday, March 14, 2005 9:59:00 PM
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