Some Movies.

I've watched a number of films recently and here's my conclusive review for them:

"OPEN SEASON"
Crappy. Nonsensical. Ugly.
Was the first few impression-words I have for the animated feature before I went into the theatre, based on the poster and trailer.

Ugly.
was what remained of my impression for the film after watching the film and the other two words have been graciously subsituted by Funny & well... Funny...

Not much of a plot in there, an repetitive, constantly reoccuring story nowadays; a loser, a fellow who's just lost his bright and comfortable future came together and forged a most unlikely friendship and together, they show the world (or at least their world) that they're not THE LOSER TEAM afterall by saving the world (or at least their world) from the horrible, bastardly (not forgetting UGLY) and dumb evil-planner. Ohh well, the animation is in what most animators will say, a display of basic animation skills, of good squash & stretch, amazing movement portrayal... But U-G-L-Y. Okay.. at least they got lovable, dispensible bunnies and skunks with attitude. But on the whole, "Open Season" should remain closed after it is down from the chart.



"CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, 满城尽待黄金甲”
Jay Chou caught my attention in here... too much of our attention I would say... But it might be good in some ways for let's see... the feature is a grand and amazing display of what Zhang Yi-Mou is really good at, Colours Display. Awesome Gold and passionate Reds threw into a dazzling array of Greens and Blues... the whole tone of the show is O.O B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Visually stunning, however, this film has little more to offer besides the grand cast and setting and Chow Yan-Fat's show-saving performance... the film is one without much depth and a sad-case for storyline.

One would expect more out of a grand, million-budget film... but no... it is a just a film with story revolving around 5 mad members of the royal family. Each of the events that occurs came with loopholes and questionable happenings. I believed that a good writer's been sacrificed for Zhang's grand plan for prettiness.



"HAPPY FEET"
Fun. Funky. Beautiful.
All in all, an extremely good animation that turned out much better than what the trailer had promised. I was pleasantly surprised by its storyline, nice and heartwarming, at the same time, funkaliciously cool. The music is amazing and taps into the hearts of the audiences as good music should. The animation is beautiful and convincing (though perhaps not for traditional animators where exaggerated movements gave way to realistically rendered and articulated ones) a good treat to the eyes... The setting is... mind you... A-W-E-S-O-M-E. If you're a skeptic thinking "puhh-leasee... how can snow and water and ice-bergs and penguins be in any way... exciting?" Then I'll recommend you this movie to put yourself out of your miserably narrow mind. Go ahead, sing your heart song out. =)



"SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY"
Interesting and insightful look into the works of world-renowed architect Frank Gehry (Architect for the famously, or should i say infamously 'warped and twisted' Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain). Although the hand-held and often seemingly unplanned shots were not for the faint or easily tired people... The film offers a rather good and intimate exchange with the architect himself, sort of like a biography with moving pictures, one cannot help but be awed by his amazing works and humourous self. But do no expect overly in-depth accounts like a anatomy textbook in his works, for it is a film of light-heartedness and often barely glazed over the surfaces of certain works which some audience or critics might find disappointing. If you do not know Frank Gehry at all or love/hate him beyond all reasoning... then this show is for you.



"THE ANT BULLY"
Haha... sorry, was lagging when it comes to watching this animation. First off, Plot and story: hmmm.. alrighty, nothing really beats the 1994, 2D animation blockbuster Lion King after all... Lots of subtle adaptation from the mega sequel Lord Of The Rings.. But it doesn't help much in the plot. Fun to watch though.

But the true show-off in this particular animation (like what any other respectable animations should also have) is in its rendering. For it is awesome stuff. Really, one can take a single segment of water tumbling down the wretched ants' hill and win Oscars with it, beautiful, convincing and mind-boggling. Character design wise is icky, not much development in there, but certain subtle movements and actions have been put in there to make the ants look endearing and the boy, not so unpleasant... and in fact, it is a cool animation to watch with twists and turns in emotional tunnels and word-play... The Ant Bully attempts, and not failing to teach and show certain learnable qualities and virtues.



"NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM"
What is a show with lots of laughter, a dash of tears and a heap of cool CG effects all dumped in, stirred and double boiled, served pipping hot with a glass of cool ice wine by its side?

A show starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Robbin Williams and lots more good-time comedians (I wonder where did Will Ferrel and Adam Sandler went?), a show which promises laughter and gave much more. It is a four-star comedy, the fifth was sacrificed for its rather draggy beginning. But ohh well... everything else goes...

It is a movie with expertly insinuated effects that alternate between "HAA!!! I bet you didn't notice that!" and "Look at me! I'm so fake!" with a good deal of reasoning behind each provocative. Haha... Yup, like the T-Rex Bone thing.. and the fake animals and the life animals... this movie gave us so much to laugh and look at that loopholes were either ignored or forgiven, the basic plot accepted. It is one good family movie tht is touching but not to the limit of being soppy and sappy... funny without being lame... serious without being boring. Go watch it with a love one and it will bring smiles to both of your faces today.



"DEATH NOTE 2 - THE LAST NAME"
Pardon me Death Note fans, but I do believe that the comic itself has more of an exciting end even if it's 12/13 books long and a lot more 2D than the show. Yup... this movie is in my opinion, too much talk, too little action. It's a live-action movie for god's sake! Where did the action life and action go??? And L eats weird stuff. Okay... tht's random but it spoiled my mood. >.<

The arguement is that this film has got a much less expected ending and also we have been saved the trouble of being introduced to a lot off not-so-much-anticipated ppl. *points to the letter between M and O*. Still the movie plays too much like a manga, the camera shots were much too predictable and exaggeration is sometimes too much for the eye. Also the ending drags and drag it did till it's beyond a certain level of comprehension, till "putt off" came to my mind.

BUT I must say that it is a rather commendable compressed version of the story for some of the none-DeathNote readers and others who just like the Manga portrayal. But still my heart is with the first movie, and for those of you who agree with me... We shall sit in silence, for this show put a full-stop to the supposedly 3 part sequel we were expecting, underlined the period, cancelled it and re-dot it in bold red-ink.



"BATTLE OF WITS, 墨攻"
A smart and witty film. It's been a really great experience for me to watch this film with my friends. We caught the movie after a tiring and trying 3 day rush for a certain competition and even then, all of us were captivated by the brains of the story, the dialogue were applaudable, not casual and mindlessly strewn in like many Chinese features these days. The acting was really good and like always, Andy Lau held the audience's gaze and mind alike. He as the charismatic Ge Li, who came from the Muk clan with a promise to aid any who's being victimized, the story flows like water through a creek, it is clear where it is headed, yet the way to the end is filled with unexpected obstacles and happenings. A truely good film with the enstrangled hero of today, being torn between the Right of past teachings and the Right in the society and the Right in the particular situation.

The horrible CG effects were pardoned by the well-woven storyline and all else does not matter. It is a film respectable in its own rights like the teachings that it attempts to show. A film worth watching many times over.



"LAN YU, 藍宇"
It is not a show encouraged by the government in this part of the country or the country where the main cast came from, it is not in fact, encouraged by the world, the society. Still it managed to grab the Golden Horse Awards in 2001 for Best Actor (Liu Ye), Best Director (Stanley Kwan), Best Editing (William Chang) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Jimmy Ngai) and bagged many others like chocolate puddings into the bags of little boys. The show is about the love story between a man (CHAN HANDONG), rich and influential, and a fresh-faced Uni student (LAN YU) who was prostituting himself for school fees. The love blossomed between the two of them and when Handong finally realised that Lan Yu is the one true love in his life and begins to settle himself to love and live with Lan Yu, the latter dies in an unfortunate accident at work.

The story has a familiar ringing to other films about romance and enstrangled love. And I personally think that the ending Suck. "Why do all gay films end with one of them (sometimes, horrifically both of them) dying??? Why can't there be a happily everafter??" My friend's haunting question ringing in my head. Ohh wells... Still... it is a really good film with strongly captured camera angles, emotions and tones were beautifully set in those well-planned shots and the chemistry between the two main actors was amazing, thus making the love between them totally convincing and truely sad when it should end.

When I compared Brokeback Mountain to this, Ang Lee couldn't even come close. Really... he had spoilt a perfectly good chance at directing a much more lyrical and strong film but gratefully Stanley Kwan didn't. Applause for this film for those who can appreciate it... and for those who are put off by the theme of homosexuality, watch it with an open mind, watch it as a film between two persons very much in love and you perhaps will surprise yourself.

Wow... okay.. tht's a lot of movies... good ones bad ones.. I say.. u decide. Till then~!