Posted on June 30, 2008 in Books, Movies
The two volume omnibus edition of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoirs and Bildungsroman of growing up in Iran. I actually did not know about the French edition until too late. As is the case sometimes, I regret not having found the original French version to read especially since I perpetually need to brush up my linguistic abilities. I did see the movie in French. Overall, I found this read immensely enjoyable and wonderful. I love it as much as I love The Complete Maus by Art Spielgman, another identity searching and family history memoirs of conflict. Persepolis was moving, tragic, beautifully drawn, funny, painful, and honest. It is beautiful memoirs of childhood and finding one’s own identity with change and upheaval. I liked all the characters; I could feel for them. I liked young Marji’s spirituality, faith, and religion, and while it was difficult to watch her go through her teen years, I could relate to her in a way I have not for a character in a long time. While I did not live through the political and violent times of war and revolutionnary torn Iran, we have similar family dynamics and other things such as the scene with Marji as waitress that hit home.
I often do not cry for movies or books which is quite odd since I can be so sensitive to things. I must admit that the scenes with Marji and her Uncle Anoosh left me verklempt. I read it twice and it affected me, and the film’s scene with it left me in tears. I cannot say why it particularly resonated with me more than some others things, but the scene moves me above so many others.
The film is wonderfully done as well, and while it is a condensed version, it still has the same simple yet affective black and white imagery. It has a couple of things the graphic novel does not, and it is nicely voice acted all around. It is harder to find a more truer to the novel adaptation than with Satrapi as the co-writer and co-director of the film. Both are recommended.
Posted on June 10, 2008 in Movies
This was very strange and different. I liked it. It was funny, entertaining, well written, directed, and acted. It is true that I am a Dylan fan, and you get a lot more from this by knowing the man’s works and history. I found the awkwardness and the alienation displayed by some of the Dylans very true since I sympathised with that anger displayed in Dylan’s memoirs Chronicles. Cate Blantchett is amazing in this. She is perfectly androgynous, twitchy, funny, in your face, beautiful, etc. I could go on. I love Christian Bale’s storyline too as he has that young political charisma. Julianne Moore as the Joan Baez character is very amusing; I loved them casting David Cross as Allan Ginsberg. This was the first time seeing any Heath Ledger film since it’s death; it made me very sad. He is so talented, and his story with Charlotte Gainsbourg was very true of young love. I thought this movie did a better overall job of showcasing the 60s than Across the Universe did; it felt more personal and detached at the same time. Though I was not born yet, this film’s capturing of the decade works for me. As for the other Dyland story lines, I liked Marcus Carl Franklin. The kid is a good actor and has a nice singing voice. Ben Whishaw was underused. Of all the Dylans, I cared for Richard Gere’s the least. Maybe it was the way he played it. I got the two-disc original soundtrack as well which has lots of covers and Dylan’s “I’m not there”. Good stuff overall. Definitely worth a rewatch or two.
Posted on June 6, 2008 in Books, Movies
This is the most violent graphic novel I have read yet and probably one of the most violent books I have read in a long time. I am curious about the upcoming movie adaptation, so I decided to read the graphic novel I never heard of. It was not worth it. It was violent, dark, depressing, and dystopic. Funnily enough, I do not think it was intended as nihilistic as other modern graphic novels tend to be, but that message is not clear. I think Millar intended it to be a hero’s journey for villains, and it has been described as “The Watchmen for villains.” I do not know if we are suppose to feel for the amoral protagonist Wesley. I considered him too immoral to actually care about. It was just too dark for me. I would not recommend this graphic novel.
Having said that, I am looking forward to the movie (it’s a good movie year I think). It is going to be a lot different from the movie in terms of plot. I will probably like the movie a lot more than the books. Fox in the comic books is modelled after Halle Berry (due to Fox’s similarity to Catwoman), but I’m glad it’s not Halle Berry because I like Angelina Jolie more. Similarly, Wesley was modelled after rapper Eminem, but a big part of the reason I want to watch this movie is for James McAvoy. I actually do not take issue with Eminem as much as some other people, but it was creepy reading the comics with him as Wesley. According to this behind the scenes featurette, the first 40 pages of the book are copied fairly accurately into the movie. The movie is going to be violent and R-rated. I am not into violent movies per se, but I am into humor/mindless action flicks once in awhile. I won’t mind the violence in the movie as much as the comics which always tend to be more violent than the movies. Actually, If they kept the plot of the comics as it is, I highly doubt anyone would want to see the film. This comics plot really does not have a wide appeal. So, this is one of those rare cases where I will probably like the film more the original and want them to change as much as they can from it.
Posted on June 3, 2008 in Movies, Musings
Adam’s Rib (01 05 08) – Isn’t it fun to watch onscreen couples knowing they are offscreen couples? The chemistry is marvelous. I love the pull and tug, and neither really right, but it’s such a nice little Hepburn/Tracy rom-com. Why aren’t there more rom-coms with married people like this anymore?
Penelope (05 05 08) – Produced by Reese Witherspoon, this is a cute, quirky flick with a very great cast. They shot it in the UK so there are quite a few brits, but only some of them kept their accents (Simon Woods, Lenny Henry, Russell Brand) while the others adopted American accents (James McAvoy, Burn Gorman, Nick Frost). The movie also stars Christina Ricci as the eponymous character, Catherine O’Hara, Richard E. Grant, and Reese herself. Sweet, short, and it has James McAvoy.
Hellboy (08 05 08) – I had the chance to watch this on a flight in 2004, but I dismissed it having heard mixed reviews. Since then, I’ve heard positive things about this film, and with the sequel imminent this fall, I decided to watch it. It’s my second chance at watching Guilerrmo del Toro after Pan’s Labyrinth. I can see his distinct dark fantastical style in both movies. Also, both films have fascists. I do think this film’s script is not the best comic book adaptation, but it really makes up for it with the characters. The romance is kinda sweet albeit rushed through the film. It’s fun and quirky too; I look forward to the sequel.
A World Without Thieves (09 05 08) – This is a Chinese movie starring Andy Lau; it’s okay. Lau’s wig is ugly, and all the females in Chinese movies are bone thin. They shot some of it in Eastern China, but it’s not exactly a strong script and some of the poignant, spiritual scenes are flat.
Message in a Bottle (11 05 08) – I refuse to read another Nicholas Sparks novel, but I actually like the casting in all the movie adaptations. I didn’t even recognize Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn) in this movie. Kevin Costner wasn’t that bad, but he is no Ryan Gosling. I love Paul Newman. That is all.
Cranford (4, 11-12 05 08) – What is it about Elizabeth Gaskell that makes her books so adaptable to screen? I have yet to see an adaptation of Gaskell’s novels I did not like or am indifferent too (same can not be said for the Brontes and Ms Austen). This is actually based on three Gaskell novels, and the creators have weaved the stories so effortlessly and beautifully. The acting is magnificent. There is a lot of humor, a lot of death, but a lot of warmth too. Wonderfully done.
Todo sobre mi madre (All About my Mother) (12 05 08) – None of the Almodóvar movies I’ve seen so far are all that realistic in plots, but the important thing is that they all have raw and real emotional, beautifully written, acted and shot. I like the ambiguity and the humanity of all his characters; nothing is clear cut, and there is love and feeling amidst it all. I can understand why many think this is still his most mature film to date. This one has so many layers and themes with All About Eve and A Streetcar Named Desire attached to it. Almodóvar is love.
The Forbidden Kingdom (17 05 08) – So you don’t watch these movies for plot consistencies, dialogue or even characters. It’s all about the action sequences and the cinematography in China is very well done. Still, I am not going to lie: I cringed at some of the plot turns. Why did Sparrow speak in third person?!
Lust, Caution (19 05 08) – REVIEW.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (30 05 08) – A supernatural romance where Gene Tierney (Mrs. Muir) and Rex Harrison (the ghost Captain Gregg) fall in love. It is rather sweet, and I found myself relating to Mrs. Muir’s solitary nature. I am pretty sure this was the first time I’ve seen a Tierney film, and like the third time I’ve seen Harrison. They have such nice chemistry too. I have not watched George Sanders in a lot things, but he does play assholes really well.
Total: 10.
Posted on May 22, 2008 in Books, Movies
Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie? – BTT
I believe there is a difference. I enjoy both mediums immensely, and for similar reasons actually. Both allow me to escape and be involved with characters and story. I watch many types of movies save for the ones that intend to scare me because I rather read scary stories than watch scary movies. Same with thrillers. I don’t read many thrillers either. Though, I am much more forgiving of popular films (blockbusters, action movies) than popular books (such as thrillers, and certain other top selling authors). In the times when I am not in the mood to read, I watch a film, usually a light one such as a comedy or an action movie. It really does require less thought, but I am still thoroughly entertained. Sometimes more so because I find I veer towards books that are literary or classics and educational. I still watch documentary and I love art house films which can be avant garde, foreign, and probing just as much as a book.
Posted on May 20, 2008 in Movies
I saw the uncensored NC-17 version. I have not seen the 17 min of cut sex scenes which is apparently circulating around the internet. First off, I adore Ang Lee’s work. He is awesome at setting up a shot, and I think he may be my favourite Asian director ever. as he is able to reunite the East meets West. I like Wong Kar Wai too, but Lee has the ability to still capture me with his shots and storytelling. The sex scenes did not disturb me as much as I thought they would. Watching the movie, you wonder why Wong (played by the beautiful Tang Wei) is so committed to this undercover. Another observant blogger noted the character’s desire for fiction and to feel. It is indeed true that she only seems to really let go emotionally when acting on stage or escaping to the movies. Maybe it was because I recently saw All About my Mother, but it really did make me think of All About Eve, and those actresses who play actresses. It is such a difficult role to play, and just as with Eve, you get some of the real her, but not all of it. The performances were excellent in the film. Tony Leung is talented. Even though for most of the scenes in the film, he reminds me of Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List. I still feel pathos for the screwed up traitor because it’s Tony Leung. Wong Kar Wai once said that TL was like Jimmy Stewart due to his honest and nice babyface. That comparison has always stuck with me because TL is like Stewart; I’ve even seen him in his comedic TV days. It’s unnerving to watch him play such an intense and disturbing character.
There are also so many themes in this film. The art design is impeccable making it feel very authentic, and there seem to be many themes of the historical and political tensions running at the time both Communist and Nationalist. I liked Lee’s use of mirrors and reflections, and the moments when Wong is in a shot as if on a stage. An interesting film, and I hope AL goes back to doing more Asian films.
Posted on May 2, 2008 in Movies
Juno (13 04 08) – As predicted, this movie is likable. Lots of Canadian actors too. I enjoyed all of the performances and the script did have a lot of heart. Sweet and enjoyable little flick.
I am Legend (13 04 08) – Slow stuff, but people watch this for Will Smith. This is actually my first Will Smith movie in a long time. It’s well shot, and I liked the dog as I usually do.
A Room with a View (13 04 08) – I’m fairly understanding of Andrew Davies’s scripts and his lack of subtext at times, but he does not do well with Forster. While it wasn’t all bad, it was boring and just not as good as the Merchant-Ivory version. The most annoying thing was he changed the ending to one that felt empty and just weird.
Dan in Real Life (14 04 08) – It feels like ages since I’ve seen a typical rom-com. This was such a cute one too. I actually did chuckle a few times, and I adored the Steve Carell/Julie Binoche pairing. I like how romantic tension is played, the setting, and just the simplicity of a nice adult romance. Underrated and sweet.
Lars and the real girl (15 04 08) – Well, this was fine. Nothing too extraordinary, but Ryan Gosling does make this movie. I’ve been watching RG since his TV days (so about 10+ years), and he has always had the screen charisma. Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer also did well in this. I hope EM gets more work; I warmed to her from Match Point on.
The Swan (15-6 04 08) – This is a 1956 film directed by Charles Vidor starring Grace Kelly, Alec Guiness, and Louis Jordan. It’s a bit slow moving, but the ending is a nice twist. There’s the right humor, and Grace Kelly plays a very convincing shy and awkward Princess. Harder to discern what AG was going for in his immature Prince character, but Louis Jordan is as gorgeous and romantic as always.
Becoming Jane (19 04 08) – I avoided watching this for the longest time because I had heard iffy reviews based on its fictionalization of Ms. Austen’s life. It had a trite Hollywood ending, but the best thing about this is James McAvoy. I am really glad his star is on the rise, and he is one of those actors that can make a movie so much more bearable. His acting and screen charisma is off the charts.
Hable con ella (Talk to her) (24-5 04 08) – REVIEW
Across the Universe (25 04 08) – I love the Beatles. I like interpretations of their songs, and the only good thing about this musical is that some of the numbers (Let it Be, I want you so bad) are well done. It is also well shot, but it is clear they wrote a story around the music. I felt absolutely nothing for the characters. You never get a sense of them at all, and my emotions rang from indifference to annoyance. The characters didn’t even seem to care about each other either, and there were some irksome plot holes. I’m not really keen on any of the actors either. It has no real humor like Moulin Rouge or warmth like Singin in the Rain or the Astaire/Rogers movies. This is how you should not do a musical. As a result, this movie was extremely slow even though I knew all the songs and sang along. It was trippy and well shot, but it was far more tedious.
Rewatched Films:
Moulin Rouge – I own this film; it was given to me by friends for a birthday years ago. It was my third DVD I think, and I’ve watched it a couple of times since. I’m not in the habit of rewatching or rereading many things, but I wanted to watch this again after Across the Universe which has nothing (except the Beatles song) on MR. If Baz Luhrmann decided to do a musical with solely Beatles songs, it would be funny, have some warmth, and a decent (albeit melodramatic) romance. It’s sad for me to admit this, but this truly seems to have been Nicole Kidman’s career height. Right after this movie, she went on to do The Hours (which I also loved), Dogville (I am never watching a Lars Von Trier, but she was good in it), The Others (great reviews; have not seen), Birth (same), but lately, her choices have not been great. I am cautiously optimistic of Australia coming out this November because it is Kidman reunited with Baz. I am only seeing it it because it is a Baz film. Back to MR, based off Dumas’s Camille (I only realized this until after seeing George Cuckor/Greta Garbo’s Camille), this is a fun movie. The songs have been on my playlists for years; I like all of the musical numbers and interpretations. Another thing that AtU lacked was charismatic acting. All the actors in MR seem to have fun and really get into it. Kidman is incredibly zany in the beginning, and I have rarely disliked Ewan Macgregor or Jim Broadbent in anything. Maybe I shouldn’t have rewatched this because now I’m more annoyed by AtU.
Posted on April 26, 2008 in Movies
My third Pedro Almodóvar film, and if I haven’t said it before: I really like this guy’s work. Auteurs are interesting and getting rarer. First off, the silent erotic movie scene is one of the weirdest things I have ever watched; it’s pretty great how he put that in the film. As usual, it’s well shot, well written, good soundtrack, and nice performances all around. Javier Cámara plays Beningo with such a soft intensity and even as creepy as he can be, it’s hard not feel sorry for the guy which the performance should take credit for. Now, a big reason I enjoyed the film is because I really adored the Marco character played by DarÃo Grandinetti. I’m not surprised he’s a Piscean like I am because he cries beautifully and convincingly on screen. He shed tears during so many scenes, and it was not cliched or old at any point. Maybe I just like a man who is can cry because of beauty or memories. I think I developed a small crush on Marco as a result and Grandinetti has this soft intensity about him. It’s too bad he hasn’t worked with Almodóvar again.
More and more, I appreciate Almodóvar’s writing and themes of relationship, women, love, desire, and his eclectic story telling. I really appreciate how slow yet well paced his movies. He takes time to elaborate on extras, secondary characters, and the little moments. For example, he does not cut directly from Marco going to see Beningo at a critical point in the movie, but there are various interactions with secondary characters, seemingly pointless, but wonderfully normal. I have liked all three of his movies I have seen so far, they are all different yet the same. His style is pervasive in them or at least the directorial, acting, and writing quality is high in all. Since I have unintentionally being going backwards in his filmography, my next Almodóvar should be All About my Mother followed by Live Flesh.
Posted on April 7, 2008 in Movies
1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times.
No such movie exists. I don’t rewatch movies all that much, and there are a few that I do, but more or less the same amount.
2. Name a movie that you’ve seen multiple times in the theater.
I saw Harry Potter and the Philsopher’s Stone twice because I went with different people. Wasn’t worth it; I don’t want to watch a movie in theatres multiple times again.
3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie.
There are many, but I still weigh it against the likihood of a bad or boring movie. For dead people, I’ll watch anything Audrey Hepburn. For current ones, I’m inclined to Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Ioan Gruffudd, Daniel Craig, basically half the British actors in the world, and a few others.
4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie.
Also many: Sienna Miller, Lindsay Lohan, Adam Sandler, Robin Williams (all his new stuff), Nicholas Cage, and to some degree, Keira Knightly though she is unavoidable and picks some good movies.
5. Name a movie that you can and do quote from.
A friend and I quote from Monty Python and the Holy Grail a bit. Otherwise, The Princess Bride.
6. Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs.
None. I know a lot of songs, but not all the lyrics to all the songs.
7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with.
Singin’ in the Rain, Sound of Music, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (well not really), Moulin Rouge (kinda)
8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see.
Any movie by Hayao Miyazaki.
9. Name a movie that you own.
Roman Holiday.
Posted on April 1, 2008 in Movies
The Dajreeling Limited (09 03 08) – Review
American Gangster (10 02 08) – The trailer and commercials made this look like a typically fast paced gangster/crime movie. It was actually much more of a character film. The acting of Denzel and Russell were both good. They actually seemed to like being there. It reminded me of The Departed (for obvious reasons) and Catch Me If You Can except that it was very slow and long at almost three hours in length. Neither of the main characters meet until the last few scenes, but the actors had a lot of chemistry. I like this better than Training Day and Denzel’s performance here is actually better. It was also well shot on location. The wonderfully talented Chiwetel Ejiofor is also in this movie.
Paris Je t’aime (14 03 08) – Love! I am a sappy romantic so this gets to me. A couple of the films were odd (in the good and bad ways), but many were just downright wonderful and really well done. I look forward to the New York version.
Sense and Sensibility (30 03 08) – 2008 BBC version. The first half was slow mostly, and I couldn’t get over how similar this Marianne looked like KW, this Elinor sounded so much like ET, and how miscast Willoughby was. Edward is too good looking, but that’s okay. The two female leads held there own in the end. The music and cinematography are nice, and as usual, Col. Brandon played by David Morrissey, is the best part. I love a good adaptation.
In the first three months of 2008, I have only seen 12 films. A year ago this time, I had seen 19. 23 in 2006, 24 in ’05, 41 (!) in ’04, and so on and so forth. Even more strange is that I have read more books in the first three months than movies. That hasn’t happened since 2001. Obviously the decline indicates how much my life has changed, but I just don’t spend as much time looking and thinking about movies as I did. Knitting sort of replaced it, but I can remedy that. I have a To Be Watched pile of movies that I procrastinate watching (which probably contributes to fewer movies watched). Though I will say that going through the books is more important at present. I need movie breaks too.
Posted on March 10, 2008 in Movies
Wes Anderson movies: hype, good content or shallow narratives of pretentious twits? All of the above. I have seen Rushmore, The Royal Tannenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited (in this order). The whiff coming of Life Aquatic sounded so bad that I didn’t even try it. I also don’t need to see Natalie Portman’s ass in Hotel Chevalier the short film that sets a prelude to this one. First off, the good stuff: nice acting (good casting of the periphery characters), gorgeous art direction and cinematography, apt music selection, and a couple of genuinely amusing/funny moments. All three brothers are suppose to be shallow assholes, and Owen Wilson plays that really well. Adrien Brody worked only because his character was callous to his wife, but it’s hard to stay mad at Brody. I still believe Rushmore is the best of Anderson’s work, and I sort of a soft spot for Jason Schwartzman as a result (though I have only ever seen him in Anderson stuff). Now the bad: Anderson’s postmodern narratives are fairly decent on the smaller levels, but bad in the overall themes. I did a get a sense that the brothers had united in the end, but the constant material symbolism that is infused felt flat to me. The use of the suitcases, Peter’s (Brody) obsession with their late father’s things, the perfume bottle, Francis’s belt, and so on. The women in Anderson’s movies are 2D or severely underdeveloped with the exception of the teacher in Rushmore (played by the beautiful Olivia Williams), but even though she seemed sidelined in the end. Rita (newcomer Amara Kara) is the object of desire in this film, but she too is pushed off early and becomes yet another object of desire and projection for one of the male lead’s (Schwartzman’s Jack). The hype that follows Anderson as a life changer auteur has always been a bit much, but maybe I’m not as invested in (or traumatised by) family dysfunction and wealth/materialism, two things that feature in most of his works. Often, I feel indifference for Anderson’s characters and plots, but appreciate the visuals, some of the comedy and music. TDL is worth watching for the Indian visuals and art direction.
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Posted on March 7, 2008 in Movies
Snow Cake (02 02 08) – REVIEW
Venus (06 02 08) – Oh, Peter O’Toole. Why must you go breaking my heart with your heartbreaking, pathos-filled portrayal of age, love, desire, and stark reality. Someone always be stealing Peter O’Toole’s Oscars.
La Vie En Rose (16 02 08) – I knew a bit that Edith Piaf had a rough childhood, but it was interesting to see how bad it was. I think the acting by Cotillard was fine, but sometimes, I really wanted to shake Edith Piaf and say, “Get it together, woman!” She was a smartass a lot, and I didn’t really warm up to the character. It was not a bad film, but I was not particularly enlightened or wowed by much.