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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Great fun!
You all have heard about its eye-popping, thrilling, entertaining, and electrifying actions and adventures, and yes, they are all true. On top of all that, this has got to be one of the most carefully choreographed action films. Each scene - the composition, the body language, the movements (including camera), etc – is an exquisite design in impeccable coordination with the music score. When characters make eye contact you can literally see how their sight travels across the screen. If you plan to see this film again (like I do), watch how the visual is in perfect harmony with the sound. It's seriously a stunning musical in disguise.
One extra star for casting Cumberbatch. He out-performed Quinto.
The Iron Lady (2011)
Meryl Streep wasted
You will not gain much apart from witnessing Meryl Streep having multiple orgasms during her acting. Thatcher is portrayed as a hallucinated old lady who used to have some kind of dominant power. She could very well be Hogwarts headmaster and not much of the film needs to be altered for the plot to stand. Everything is assumed rather than delivered. Thatcher's upbringing, her political beliefs, her journey to the high power, her marriage, her relationships, her interactions with colleagues, family, and enemies, her dealings....... you get none of it! This film is like her memory: fragmented, fragile, and probably untrue. Apart from Streep, all other characters are mere passing shadows which leave no marks on the wall. And the built-up sentimental moment at the end is abrupt and unfounded. Confined by such a poor script, even Streep's performances are largely undermined.
Volver (2006)
A failed attempt
Cruz unnecessarily wears so much makeup and shows so much cleavage that it's disturbingly distracting. This film is not even "cute" although that's what it tries to achieve. If it's trying to tell a story about women's strength over men's, the film has presented a very weak argument. Women's social and physical burdens are significantly disregarded by murder, incest, rape, and death (not to mention the downplaying of each of these serious issues). The female bond among neighbours, friends, and families is also forced and unconvincing due to inconsistent (Cruz, the sister and the daughter), or lack of (everybody else), personality in the characters (for example, the sudden clinging of Cruz to her mother). Ultimately this film's problem it's not sure what its main point is and how the point should be presented (lightly or seriously or romantically?). It ends up dabbing from each side dish and leaving out the main meal.
Inconscientes (2004)
Not funny
I saw this film twice, and twice I don't get the fuss. Leonor Watling is so distractingly gorgeous as a pregnant woman there's no way one can pay attention to anything else. Luis Tosar is neither charming nor funny. Actually, that goes for all the characters. The suspense and pursuit of the truth seems such a boring drag. The story is divided into several chapters each unrelated to another and they all contribute to nothing but the obscenity in the hope of making it funny. Since when does one become Freudian simply by ridiculing sexuality, adultery and incest? There are at least 5 occasions when the penis size is the source of the so-called humour.... This is nothing but a Carry-On (which are immensely sillier and funnier) film in disguise.
RED (2010)
My son loved it!
It's really not that bad for an action comedy that targets audiences of age 10. It's what I call a "comfortable" film as you find yourself surrounded by familiar faces, characters, and story lines. You can sit back and enjoy it like you do with Bugs Bunny. There are exciting shootings and explosions (and importantly the heroes come up with blackened faces only). The funny moments in the trailer are still funny because it's the kind of joke that you forget as soon as it's over. One big major flaw is the romance between ancient Bruce Willis and a young girl - the concept is too disgusting for children. Really, where's the censorship.
Black Swan (2010)
Kindergarten filmmaking
Mix horror, thriller, childish "boo!" effect, lots of corny camera movements, simmer it with over-dramatic music and lighting, the result is an art fraud that'll fool audience and critics alike. That's Black Swan for you.
First of all, what acting? Portman has only one facial expression which was magnified by the endless, tiring, and meaningless close-ups. 10 minutes into the film one is already sick of her shifty eyes and short breaths.
Then there's the very shallow plot and lousy dialogue. There's no character development. The few talking parts are inconsistent and one-dimensional. Most people are mere blurry passing shadows. The crucial night out was totally incoherent. Things happen for no particular reason. The girl still shows no sign of desperation or desire. And it's supposed to lead to her "letting it out" and "living a little" by having red eyes and imagined feathers? wtf?
And the lack of continuity! You'd think someone flipped the negatives. So bad I was hoping it's deliberate; an effort to display the mirroring yet twisted hallucination. But it's too subtle - one thing this film is anything but!
The dichotomy of the white and black swans is symbolized literally (and solely!) by the white and black outfits. It's unforgivably lazy to convey a person's inner transformation by simply pulling a black singlet over a white one, and later covering all with a gray sweater - this is the filmmaking for the kindergarten!
Finally, this is perhaps the only film about an art form that doesn't portray any of the beauty and passion of that art. Ballet is brutally and shamefully dismissed. It's reduced down to no more than the wooden doll spinning on the toes. Such annihilation is a blasphemy. Why does the filmmaker pick a topic he has absolutely no interest in? Instead of the power of ballet itself the film opts for the CGI effect which adds neither visual pleasure nor emotional value. wtf?
Someone needs to wake up to the fact that female masturbation and lesbian sex don't make a film avant-garde. What happened to good scripts? Can nobody learn anything from the masterpiece "The Piano Teacher"? Yet "Black Swan" receives such undeserved rave reviews...... wtf?
Das wilde Leben (2007)
Nothing beyond nakedness
Full of noise with very little substance. On the background: with so much exciting material in the 60s and 70s this film only takes a meagre glimpse of the politics, history, youth, music, and media. On the foreground: our protagonist has no purposes or goals or beliefs beyond open sexual relationships (when they suit her, one might add). It also leaves no room for the supporting characters as they shy away next to the heroine's frequent and stunning nakedness.
Where the film fails miserably is that pieces of Uschi's memories do not invite audiences to be emotionally involved. They were mere events, things she had done, most of the time simply for spontaneous fun. There are a few failed attempts to portray her wildness, but they instead display her stupidity (e.g., she insists on smuggling drugs yet it's her partner who meets and wins the confrontation).
By the end of the film - of moving from one group to another, mingling with the "high society" of the rock 'n' roll, travelling in a caravan around half of the world, having a prince- like wedding in India, pregnancy, etc. - both the heroine and the audience are still none the wiser. The odd narratives only provides abrupt and surprising statements like when she muses about "the two men I loved most". Huh? Which two? Since when???
Her happiness is built on drugs and sexual pleasure. Her tears are shallow and unmoving. There seems to be no connection between her and any other characters except for the one she's currently sleeping with. (I don't even know what her best friend looks like as she speaks hardly 3 words.) Even then the connection is vague and confusing. Undeniably other characters display stronger personality at times, but it's largely undermined by their inconsistent and implausible behaviour.
The light is on but nobody's home - very much like our main character; perhaps in that sense this film isn't a total failure after all: it mirrors the character in itself.
Bunny and the Bull (2009)
A rare treat
What makes this film absolutely sublime is the lingering melancholy - faint yet stubbornly persistent - ubiquitous through all the quirky, surreal, and comical sequences. It's never self-indulgent or over-sentimental. All elements, be it emotions, performances, sets, character development, or animation, are well-controlled and contained as a proper English would have it; yet it's radical, outrageous, bold, and sometimes uncomfortably daring. Elegance rises through vulgarity, and (almost unbearable) sadness screams silently. This film is unique, delightful, touching, funny, and yes, wicked. It's not Boosh but fans or otherwise shall be pleasantly surprised.
Inception (2010)
A very sad case of Matrix-wannabe
Everyone knows no matter how absurd it is, a dream is as real as (sometimes more so than) reality. Instead of taking advantage of this (lack of creativity? too scared?), the film confines itself to mirroring reality in every way - be it time, space, surroundings, physicality, ideas, or behaviours. Under the incoherent, made-up-as-we-go logic, the film is but a low-grade action film in a sci-fi disguise. The story line is laughably childish, the music is over dramatic and there's zero character development. It's a shame to see Ellen Page and Michael Caine's talent abused in this dribble.
It's such a pity, really. In the right hand the same material could flourish and treat us to mind-blowing wonders and imaginations. Christopher Nolan has missed the point completely: dreams can be absolutely anything. Anything! We want to see rules bent and physics defied. But instead we were given the action sequence and plot from a 70s B movie.
Entertainment-wise it's not that bad a film (admittedly there are far worse action films around), probably 2.5 stars if you leave your brain outside the theatre. But given the current unjustified high rating, I have to give it a super low one to tip the balance.
Un prophète (2009)
Outstanding acting but shabby story
For a film of its reputation, the underlying story is surprisingly weak and unconvincing. It is easy to fall victim of the smoke screen of acting (which IS outstanding), suspense, violence (albeit very little in the schema of things), and a sense of expectation, but look beyond you'll find very little substance. The film spends a disproportionately long time on the boy's first job, which didn't seem to have much effect on him apart from the ghost who is more fatherly than haunting. The boy's ethnic and ethic standpoint has been close to none which largely weakens the effect of the twist at the end. The "tasks" assigned to him do not require any special quality to warrant his rising to the power. His leadership is also questionable - it's more assumed than demonstrated. The only one reference to the "prophet" is abrupt and meaningless, and it makes the film title (and the film) confusing. Moreover, supporting characters are of minimal weight - none is memorable or likable.
The film does have many merits: the casting, the acting (wow!), the camera work, the mood building, etc. It also has very nice touches such as the entire airplane trip, and the conversation with the imaginary ghost. But fundamentally it's a shabby story with a pretentious ending that's more wishful than truthful. This is definitely no Scarface.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
It's a worry!
Yet another one-sided, simple-minded, righteous, and racist American's definition of "war". The locals are portrayed as uncommunicative, ignorant, cunning, cowardice, pitiful, barbaric, and slightly scary if you find yourself alone in their community. Other times just keep pointing the guns and shouting then maybe they'll suddenly get English.
Undeniably the topic (the job) is interesting, but I fail to find the viewpoint and focus. There are very classic moments - like the first time we see our hero on duty, and like the desert scene. But there are also extremely dull and forced moments. The tension becomes a boring routine and by the last quarter of the film whoever dies will not surprise me at all. All characters are stereotypical - you see them in almost every war film. Even the little unnaturally conducted relationship with the local boy is stereotypical. The few confrontations and the last soul-to-soul chat make everyone uncomfortable, including the camera.
If this was not the film that just won the best motion picture, I probably would've been kinder. But a best film should possess better quality in script, in character development, in story, in acting, AND in continuity (it's a shocker!). Unfortunately this is a long film about 3 not-so-interesting people.
I wouldn't call this a war film. The only war is a guy fighting against his own passion for work. This film is not trying to say (and criticize) that this guy is just a piece of war machine not unlike the suicide bombers. No. It's saying that if that's the only thing you love (your own son included), then go for it and be a hero. And this film won so many awards, it's real a worry.
Finally, what's with the taxi driver?