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Reviews
The Lady (2011)
Spine-tingling joy to watch this movie!
Ang Sang Suu Kyi is one of my most favorite political figures (I'm probably not alone on it), I hesitated whether I should go and see this movie, fearing it may not match my impression of Daw Ang Sang gathered from previous news footages and biography.
It was amazing to see Michelle Yeoh as Ang Sang Suu Kyi, the act was elegantly presented, the way how Michelle put her hand on the waist while walking gracefully, reminded me so much of the Lady, everything comes natural, nothing pretentious, it's a joy to see such a great act with simple body language, it even sent me a sort of spine-tingling joy when she walked on the stage to give her first public speech at Shwe Dagon People Forum.
I think Michelle did not disappoint the Lady and the people of Myanmar.
The storyline may be oversimplified but I would still rate this movie with 9, it's hard to present the whole struggle of Daw Ang Sang in a short time, but I guess most people who go and watch this movie should already have some background of what happened in real life.
I've seen the Lady in Hong Kong and found it one of the best movies of its kind.
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Clearly and brilliantly directed
Butterfly Effect from the past, change one thing and your life would be totally different, positive or negative.
The movie keeps me wondering what my life would be if something really bad didn't happen, or something fantastic missed out from my life. Sometimes we just wanted everything to be "good" in our lives, we forgot how the goods would be emerged from the bads, perhaps it is exactly what makes life so beautiful.
The movie is cleverly directed, though lots of jumping through times, the story is still clearly and brilliantly told. It reminded me of another movie Groundhog Day, a similar story about changing the past, accompanied with some unexpected future, but Butterfly Effect is more outstanding as it tells the story in a more philosophical overtone.
Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
A faith of hope
I don't have the knowledge to question the authenticity of this documentary and I definitely disagree what the US government did around the world in the name of the so-called "liberation" and "anti-terrorism".
But at least the making of this movie gives me a faith of hope, that this country is still one of the best, simply because the government would have no authority to stop people from making this sort of movies, to disclose the dark side of the government, to expose the hypocrisy of the military presence, to criticize the whole policy of anti-terrorism.
The US government may not be perfect, but at least the people should have a faith of hope, and this is what make them proud.
Bu Neng Shuo De. Mi Mi (2007)
Putting too much effort to deliberately creating a sense of sadness
The acting of both Jay Chou and Lunmei Kwai were naturally conceived and considering this is the first movie directed by Jay Chou, a talented singer and songwriter, I must say this is not a bad movie.
The angles of shooting were also thoughtful, making it quite a pleasant viewing experience.
But the plot was full of strange twists and the sense of sadness was created too deliberately, somehow not quite seamlessly fitted in the movie.
Call me picky and I'm sure this was not Contact and Jay not Carl Sagan, but I still felt somehow bewildered by the storyline, the time traveling, the prolonged asthma of Hsiao Yu (Rain), the destruction of the school building, the music score of Secret, the magical power of the old piano, even the poem was a pretension to elegance.
I hope I don't offend the fans of this movie, but I think this movie fits perfectly into the mainstream movie by giving you all the elements of sadness, fantasy, beautiful actress, handsome actor, good music and of course, romance. But with its obvious flaws, it is never a classic.
Rak haeng Siam (2007)
Emotional shock with a long-lasting effect
I give it a rating of ten because I believe this is a movie on this rare topic (teenage love, gay love, family love etc) which you won't find in a decade, that the emotional shock and storyline have a long-lasting effect, the director/writer left you a huge space for further imagination.
The story of Tong and Mew was well written, showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile, while reflecting quite truly of the Thai society and the rather open attitude towards homosexuality in Thailand.
No "coming out of closet" scene for Mew and Tong, the affair between the straight-acted Tong and Mew was a gossip between nosy friends only but not simply rejection or opposition, nobody expects some friends of Tong would give any trouble to warn Mew to stay away. Comparing Get Real (1998), another coming-of-age movie based on a similar story in Britain, Steven was bullied by John's friends, gossips were more dangerous for the future of both the British boys, but only a funny topic for the Thai counterparts.
Pressure from Tong's mother, urging Mew to stay away from Tong for the sake of his future, shows another common attitudes towards homosexuality amongst Thais, Thais are traditional and tend to think it's others business to choose who to love, but better not happening in the family.
Family plot, while a bit distracting from the main plot, was still attractively written. The relationships between Tong's parents, the effects on the family on the loss of the sister, the conversations inside the family, were subtly expressed and cleverly written.
The director/writer left a great space for the audience to think about the plot, to create a long-lasting climax.
Tong's alcoholic father was saddened to see his wife eating cold rice while serving him hot dishes, realizing how much she loved him, perhaps that's the end of their deadlock? June suddenly recited some detailed description of a photo taken in Chiang Mai, leaving many to wonder if June and Tang are the same person? Tong was afraid to upset his mom when decorating the Christmas tree and was then told to choose whatever he thinks be correct, (then Tong chose the boy doll). Is it like a consent from his mother to continue the relationship with Mew? Tong told Mew that they could not be lovers (impossible happy ending) and said "But it doesn't mean that I don't love you" A possible happy ending? Take whatever answers you like to hear, I think these are some of the core elements of this movie, letting the audience to think about the plot, with lots of possible outcomes.
In the DVD version, there was a non-subtitled part with narration from the director, he said he was asked so many times if June and Tang were the same person, he refused to answer and hoped the audience to think whatever they like.
Talking about the many open endings, perhaps it's only my imagination, but I do think Tang and June are the same person. Here's a possible plot:
Tang had an accident in Chiang Mai, she lost her memory and was adopted by some local farmers. The farmer parents didn't tell Tang the truth and called her June instead, June decided to move to Bangkok for better future (Chiang Mai's Amphoe Muang is quite a big city with lots of chances indeed, most people living in the urban area don't feel the need to go to Bangkok for a better future, except those from the rural areas). She met Tong's family in Bangkok, regaining some of her childhood memories, but was afraid to admit that the Chiang Mai late parents she loved and stayed with most of her live, weren't her blood parents. When Tong's father asked her why Tong's eyes were bruised in the photos taken in Chiang Mai, June could answer with such details that Tong was hit in a football match before coming to Chiang Mai (it was a lie made up by Tong and Mew, they actually had a fight with other kids), I think the director deliberately gives such details to leave a better room for the audience to further their imagination.
And about the ending of Tong and Mew.
While Tong said that he couldn't be lovers with Mew, "but it didn't mean that he didn't love Mew", giving another open-end to the storyline. Considering the okay signal from Tong's mother ("Choose whatever you think it's correct", said Tong's mother while decorating the Xmas tree), the rather open attitudes among friends and the deep love between Tong and Mew, it's only a matter of time for the sparks to explode again, indeed it was never diminished.
The movie ends with Tong giving Mew a Xmas gift, a missing piece of nose of the wooden doll, which Tong gave Mew as a present when they were still children.
Mew bid farewell to Tong and went back to his room alone, putting the wooden nose back to the doll, saying "thank you", crying quietly.
I think this is the climax of the whole movie, it is as if Mew finding back his long-lost love since her granny passing away. Mew once mentioned to Tong that in the past 5 years, he felt "so lonely, so terribly lonely, that he still couldn't stop missing his granny", he said "he understood this as a part of life, but he wondered if he could stand it anymore to separate with somebody he loved most".
Tong gave him an answer by giving him the missing wooden nose. Separating or going together, their love is not diminished. Kind of contradicting, but it's very touching.
The Man from Earth (2007)
A typical Hollywood movie shouldn't be like this... that's why I love it.
I suppose a typical Hollywood movie should be like this: an old-man who tried to recall his old ages, interlacing with lots of CG of volcanoes erupted, Ice Age, comet hitting Earth, big sound effects, but this movie offers none.
What's so clever was the simplicity but somehow very well and thoughtful scripts, I haven't seen a simpler movie scripted with this level of impact, I must say, thank you very much, it brings a lot of imagination not only to the simple audience, perhaps other directors and people in the film industry should learn why people love it rather than other big invested movies.
PS: Okay, it's not really a Hollywood movie...
Hancock (2008)
Pointless, humourless, emotionless movie
I don't know what happened but I don't feel any parts of the movie particularly touching or meaningful, even with Will Smith's serious look or Charlize Theron's eye-redness.
Peter Berg (director) may try to sell this movie as a different-than-your-usual-superhero-typed story, but it was tattered with too much random thinking and imagination.
It's hard for the audience to feel any loneliness of Hancock's being the only superman. The reciting of the impressions by Mary Embrey of Queen Elizabeth I, the Huns or JFK, or even the 80-year-old cinema tickets of Frankenstein and chewing gums, looked simply pointless.
The whole story was simply a brainless movie. I gave it 6 points because of the special effects used for the massive destruction, it wasn't good, but at least it gave the audience the only reason to enjoy this movie.
American Psycho (2000)
Hilarious sketch of an obsessive neat-freak banking executive
A hilarious sketch of an obsessive neat-freak banking executive (vice president of a bank?) who also loves killing.
The chanting of lots of fashion technicalities was difficult to follow but so comical, you just see this kind of people everywhere. When they said how much they enjoyed the meals, musics or movies, it was simply soulless and heartless.
I think it made a better choice to choose Christian Bale instead of Leonard DiCaprio as Patrick Bateman. Both actors are handsome, Leonardo DiCaprio could probably still made those fashion remarks with enough affectation and act elegantly, but Bale was somehow darker and more sinister, perhaps a real reflection of his life?
Das Leben der Anderen (2006)
A very optimistic movie on human faith.
The beginning was captivating by telling the theory of interrogation. A student in the East Germany era suggested that the questioning method might be inhumane, Agent Wieseler (also the teacher) immediately made a special mark next to his name.
Later in the move, the house search by the secret service, the rape of Christa-Maria Sieland by the supposedly righteous minister, the joke in the canteen about Erich Honecker (East German's head of state) etc, all caused a surge of adrenaline among the audience.
The wiretapping looked primitive, no flashy screens, no shrieking sounds from the radio signals, no special effects (not even gunshots), but the tension accumulated gradually by the authoritarian regime created a thriller-like play.
The ending was not bad also, indeed the best happiest ending possible in this story. Agent Wiesler's sacrifice was revealed to Georg Dreyman. Instead of thanking Wiesler for hiding his little secrets, Dreyman thanked "HGW XX/7" in his new book named Sonata for the Good Men.
While some critics said the movie was over-optimistic in human faith or naive in terms of the historical background, but please be reminded that it was a movie with a story based on history, not history itself.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
No better action thriller, so far.
I haven't read the book and I saw the Bourne Series as an independent story, no sophisticated technologies, no eye-catching special effects, no sex scenes, the director was simply so realistic in handling all the focuses of the cat and mouse catches, and it's hard to tell who is really in charge.
All the stunts of Jason Bourne were cleverly staged and laid, Bourne's escape from the CIA's chasing with the aid of his knowledge of the city layouts, insider's comprehension of the operation of the secret service and photographic memory, show an amazing planning which easily captivated the audience.
With the Bourne series here in mind, the Bond, the Die Hard or other similar action thrillers seem like Disney's production.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The very definitive 3-dimensional portrait of every character!
Suddenly Batman got a new definition from the Nolans, it had a past, present and future, it's not only a fictional character as defined in the comics. The "scientific backgrounds", however naive to the scientists' minds, gave a lively support for the Batman's sophistication.
The Nolans were simply gifted, every character got a new story to tell: Joker, Two-Face both had new meanings. They were no longer simple, hilarious, funny or stupid characters. And indeed I think Heath Ledger did his role better than Jack Nicholson.
It was enjoyable to see this movie, it is definitely the very definitive guide to the future Batman movies.
Por see yee (2007)
Funny but superficial stories
A mix of seven short stories by some of the most popular stars from Hong Kong, namely Eason Chan (top singer in Hong Kong), Edison Chen (pop icon before the photo scandal), Yung Cheng (famous singer), Gillian Chung (famous singer before the photo scandal in 2008), Jan Lamb (top DJ), Kenny Kwan (famous singer), etc. It was obvious that the director must be quite influential in HK for organizing such a big cast.
While Mr Ho-Cheung Pang, the director, wanted to show to the audience that love, sex and death were trivial matters, the stories themselves were however superficial in nature. The director dug into some sensitive topics in Hong Kong standard, like the details of making love, how to perform oral sex, prostitution, etc, but they were mostly hilarious or non-relevant like those other funny movies from the 1990s of Hong Kong.
The director said he wanted the audience thinking more about their lives. The ambition was simply too great to be endured. If you treat this movie as trivial matter, you won't be disappointed.
The Kite Runner (2007)
Great scenes with dynamic music.
I had read the book before I watched this movie, naturally I expect the adaptation faithful to the original story, the director did it quite well, but it lacked some deeper description of the psychological and mental background of the Afghan people.
The movie did not mention the honors the kids would be awarded by running for the kite, it was important because it would highlight the sacrifice done by Hassan and thus contrasting the selfishness (and later guilty) of Amir.
It also neglected the desperation of Baba when Hassan and Ali were to leave Wazir Akbar Khan. In the novel, the description of this scene left a stronger impression, "He (Baba) cried. It scared me (Amir) a little, seeing a grown man sob. Fathers weren't supposed to cry. 'Please,' Baba was saying, but Ali had already turned to the door, Hassan trailing him. I'll never forget the way Baba said that, the pain in his plea, the fear." (quoted from the book, chapter 9).
Generally Kite Runner is still a great movie, the kite fighting scene in Kabul was breathtaking, the usage of subjective shot of the kites was simply clever. The set of the Kabul of the 1970s were attractive and lovely. And the drum music of the opening was exciting, not quite sure if it was Afghan music.
I would not hesitate to watch this move again.
Batman Begins (2005)
Once is enough
While I'm not a big Batman fan and I see this movie as an independent story, it wasn't bad in formulating the beginning of Batman and the psychological development of this character.
The rather dark and sinister mental qualities of Christian Bale (Batman/Bruce Wayne) as portrayed in "American Psycho" and "El Maquinista" (The Machinist") helped merging the fear of Bruce from childhood into the the mature form of Batman.
Michael Caine (Butler Alfred) did the role so great that you would expect a character like Batman would not exist if without being accompanied by the helpful but very discerning and critic Alfred. Actually I watched The Prestige before Batman Begins, and I think Michael Caine was very gifted in performing a noble and serious characters.
Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) should be better, it may not his fault, but he wasn't given many chances to be shown in the movie.
Generally, it's a good movie, but I'm good watching it only once.
Lo kong ching chuen (2007)
Superficial portrait of a leftist
The movie tried to portrait the life of a simple, kind and helpful Hong Kong leftist, Ah Kong ("Kong" used the same Chinese character in Hong Kong), who worked in a cinema throughout his life, time frame spanning from the liberation of China in 1949 to the anti-British riot in 1967, stock market crash in 1973, China reform during the 1990s, handover of Hong Kong in 1997, outbreak of SARS of 2003 and even the Olympics in 2008.
The ambition was strong, but the character Ah Kong was so unreal and superficial that it was difficult to find any resonance in the audience, the patriotism shown by Ah Kong was so manipulated that it was simply unreal. While it's easy to find some nice people around in Hong Kong, the selflessness of Ah Kong was definitely fallacious to a point that it was easy to imagine it existed in the imagination of the director only.
The director also downplayed or just ignored some other very important events for Hong Kong leftists in the last century, namely the notorious Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976 and the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989. Both events were absolutely important and shaped many leftists' hearts and psychology, no leftists' stories can be told without mentioning these two events.
This story is unfortunately amateurish when compared to the movies directed by Fruit Chan in terms of Hong Kong historical background.
Chop Shop (2007)
Silent, slow pace but stunning
A friend brought me this movie and at first I was hesitating, the pace in the movie was so slow that it was admittedly boring at the beginning. But the life scenes were attractive, it's like observing than watching.
It turned out to be simply stunning throughout the film, the way how the director handled the life scenes to reflect the reality was confounding but somehow also overwhelming. It's like understanding the real life of a lively person than watching a movie.
Mr Alejandro Polanco and Miss Isamar Gonzales did their roles so well that it's more like telling us their own stories. Indeed they used their real names in the movie.