Dec 2005
Neil Simon Theatre
December 30, 2005
December 26, 2005
Bon Voyage (2004)
France
Director: Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, Virginie Ledoyen,
Yvan Attal, Grégori Derangère
Femme Fatal! Love Triangle! Spy! France!
I got to admit it is a pleasant film to watch. Plot is nothing new, all about coincideace, about common people’s life entangle with the time and the history. But the story chooses to end with only one clear explanation- right boy gets the right girl. And for the history, it just the background, the film doesn’t bother to explain too much; unfortunately it make the film looks like it desperately wants to end with boy kissing girl and forget the rest of the world. But like I said in the beginning, it is still fun to watch- thanks to Grégori Derangère.
Director: Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, Virginie Ledoyen,
Yvan Attal, Grégori Derangère
Femme Fatal! Love Triangle! Spy! France!
I got to admit it is a pleasant film to watch. Plot is nothing new, all about coincideace, about common people’s life entangle with the time and the history. But the story chooses to end with only one clear explanation- right boy gets the right girl. And for the history, it just the background, the film doesn’t bother to explain too much; unfortunately it make the film looks like it desperately wants to end with boy kissing girl and forget the rest of the world. But like I said in the beginning, it is still fun to watch- thanks to Grégori Derangère.
February 20, 2005
A Very Long Engagement (2004)
Un long dimanche de fiançailles
France / US
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel
France / US
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel
February 18, 2005
Mr. 3000 (2004)
US
Director: Charles Stone III
Cast: Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Brian J. White, Michael Rispoli
I got to write something, it's a baseball movie.
Basically it's pleasant to watch. Please, it talks about baseball. And all baseball movies should be touching, inspiring, and having happy endings. This one is included.
But it won't be in the top list of my favorite baseball films. Major flaw is the abrupt transformation of the two characters: T-Rex Pennebaker suddenly changes from the clubhouse cancer to a natural leader, and Stan Ross changes to his old selfish self after he is invited to the Jay Leno show. Due to the essence of baseball, these movies like to add some sentimental speeches about how great it is to be a major league player. It could be touching, but it could be fake, too. Unfortunately, the speech isn't very convincing in this one. The most touching part is the Manager, Ross' former teammate stands up and argues with the first base umpire over a very close play. They should really elongate this scene a little bit, let the audience to drench in this moment more.
Surprisingly the female journalist Mo Simmons is not bad written. This girl knows what she wants, and balances very well between her professional career and love life. She never seems lost, and sees things, and people, clearly.
As for the ending bunt, it's not surprising at all, Major League uses this trick before. But it still ends great, although Ross can only becomes Mr. 2999, its worthy because even he lost probably the most important hit in his life, he earns friendship, relationship to the woman he love, and of course the Hall of the Fame.
I'll fail this one if it's not talking about baseball, but as a baseball fan, it did give me some good time.
Director: Charles Stone III
Cast: Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Brian J. White, Michael Rispoli
I got to write something, it's a baseball movie.
Basically it's pleasant to watch. Please, it talks about baseball. And all baseball movies should be touching, inspiring, and having happy endings. This one is included.
But it won't be in the top list of my favorite baseball films. Major flaw is the abrupt transformation of the two characters: T-Rex Pennebaker suddenly changes from the clubhouse cancer to a natural leader, and Stan Ross changes to his old selfish self after he is invited to the Jay Leno show. Due to the essence of baseball, these movies like to add some sentimental speeches about how great it is to be a major league player. It could be touching, but it could be fake, too. Unfortunately, the speech isn't very convincing in this one. The most touching part is the Manager, Ross' former teammate stands up and argues with the first base umpire over a very close play. They should really elongate this scene a little bit, let the audience to drench in this moment more.
Surprisingly the female journalist Mo Simmons is not bad written. This girl knows what she wants, and balances very well between her professional career and love life. She never seems lost, and sees things, and people, clearly.
As for the ending bunt, it's not surprising at all, Major League uses this trick before. But it still ends great, although Ross can only becomes Mr. 2999, its worthy because even he lost probably the most important hit in his life, he earns friendship, relationship to the woman he love, and of course the Hall of the Fame.
I'll fail this one if it's not talking about baseball, but as a baseball fan, it did give me some good time.
February 17, 2005
Walk on Water (2003)
Israel
Director: Eytan Fox
Cast: Lior Louie Ashkenazi (Eyal), Knut Berger (Axel)
即使有《男人的心中只有男人》這樣的片名，同志電影卻不該是最優先的分類。
納粹／猶太、以色列／阿拉伯、異性戀／同志，仇恨、偏見與了解、和解才是貫穿全片的主題。故事其實頗有好萊塢色彩。一德國青年人到以色列看他離家的姊姊。因為他的家世特殊，以色列當局懷疑他與恐怖行動有所關連，便派一個情報員臥底當他的導遊，藉此進行調查。不過這絕不是什麼諜對諜的情報片，而是經由 Eyal 試探性的問題中帶出不少種族衝突與價值觀辯證的公路電影。而 Axel 的同志身份也為一絕。片子也不免以Axel 的同志身份尚未曝光時兩人之間的互動做為影片趣味的來源。一起沖澡、依偎取暖，這些本來對 Eyal 來說只不過他在軍中時稀鬆平常的的事，因為 Axel 的同志身份而顯的曖昧不已。尤其是 Axel 與阿拉伯男孩間的關係，Eyal 不知是不安或是嫉妒的表現，也是值得玩味。
英語、德語、希伯來文交雜，加上為數眾多，歌詞意有所指的歌曲，在聽覺上是十分豐富且令人愉快的。
Director: Eytan Fox
Cast: Lior Louie Ashkenazi (Eyal), Knut Berger (Axel)
即使有《男人的心中只有男人》這樣的片名，同志電影卻不該是最優先的分類。
納粹／猶太、以色列／阿拉伯、異性戀／同志，仇恨、偏見與了解、和解才是貫穿全片的主題。故事其實頗有好萊塢色彩。一德國青年人到以色列看他離家的姊姊。因為他的家世特殊，以色列當局懷疑他與恐怖行動有所關連，便派一個情報員臥底當他的導遊，藉此進行調查。不過這絕不是什麼諜對諜的情報片，而是經由 Eyal 試探性的問題中帶出不少種族衝突與價值觀辯證的公路電影。而 Axel 的同志身份也為一絕。片子也不免以Axel 的同志身份尚未曝光時兩人之間的互動做為影片趣味的來源。一起沖澡、依偎取暖，這些本來對 Eyal 來說只不過他在軍中時稀鬆平常的的事，因為 Axel 的同志身份而顯的曖昧不已。尤其是 Axel 與阿拉伯男孩間的關係，Eyal 不知是不安或是嫉妒的表現，也是值得玩味。
英語、德語、希伯來文交雜，加上為數眾多，歌詞意有所指的歌曲，在聽覺上是十分豐富且令人愉快的。
January 24, 2005
Heaven (2002)
USA/Germany
Director: Tom Tykwer (The Princess and the Warrior)
Screenwriter: Krzysztof Kieslowski / Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi
這真的不能怪我。因為 Kiewslowski 的名字掛在上面，我不停的從 Tykwer 的電影中尋找 Kiewslowski 的影子，結果終究是徒勞無功。Tykwer 只想拍屬於兩個人的世界，屬於兩個人的愛情故事，即使故事的開端Philippa 為了自己伸張正義而誤傷了無辜的人，似乎有道德辯證的意味，但不久後這只是為了開啟兩人浪漫逃亡旅程的藉口罷了。即使是要把它當成愛情影片拍，Filippo 這個角色的塑造也遠不及 A Short Film About Love 裡面的男孩。
只剩偶而流出的悲傷音樂，還有像 Blind Chance 一樣呼應開頭的結局讓我想起Kieslowski。除非說我看到原劇本 Kiewsloski 要講的真的只有這樣，不然我永遠不會滿意的。
Director: Tom Tykwer (The Princess and the Warrior)
Screenwriter: Krzysztof Kieslowski / Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi
這真的不能怪我。因為 Kiewslowski 的名字掛在上面，我不停的從 Tykwer 的電影中尋找 Kiewslowski 的影子，結果終究是徒勞無功。Tykwer 只想拍屬於兩個人的世界，屬於兩個人的愛情故事，即使故事的開端Philippa 為了自己伸張正義而誤傷了無辜的人，似乎有道德辯證的意味，但不久後這只是為了開啟兩人浪漫逃亡旅程的藉口罷了。即使是要把它當成愛情影片拍，Filippo 這個角色的塑造也遠不及 A Short Film About Love 裡面的男孩。
只剩偶而流出的悲傷音樂，還有像 Blind Chance 一樣呼應開頭的結局讓我想起Kieslowski。除非說我看到原劇本 Kiewsloski 要講的真的只有這樣，不然我永遠不會滿意的。
January 23, 2005
Too Much Flesh (2000)
France
Director / Producer / Screenwriter: Jean-Marc Barr
Cast: Jean-Marc Barr, Rosanna Arquette, Élodie Bouchez
Director / Producer / Screenwriter: Jean-Marc Barr
Cast: Jean-Marc Barr, Rosanna Arquette, Élodie Bouchez
January 20, 2005
26th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
11/25 ~ 12/5, 2004
The Flower of Evil (惡之華),
Claude Chabrol, France, 2003
Roads to Koktebel (消失在地圖上的名字),
Boris Khlebnikov/Aleksei Popogerbsky, Russian, 2003
Five Obstructions (五道電影難題),
Jorgen Leth/Lars von Trier, Denmark, 2003
Tropical Malady (熱帶幻夢),
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2004
Whisky (微笑威士忌),
Juan Pablo Rebella/Pablo Stoll, Uruguay, 2003
9 Songs (性愛搖滾樂),
Michael Winterbottom, England, 2004
Not on the Lips (嚴禁嘴對嘴),
Alain Resnais, France, 2004
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Episode3: Antwerp,
Peter Greenaway, England, 2003
The Tulse Luper Suitcases Ⅱ, 2004
April (兩個四月),
Nanni Moretti, Italy, 1998
The Motorcycle Diaries (摩托車日記),
Walter Salles, Brazail, 2004
Ma Mere (母親，愛情的限度),
Christophe Honore, France, 2003
The Flower of Evil (惡之華),
Claude Chabrol, France, 2003
Roads to Koktebel (消失在地圖上的名字),
Boris Khlebnikov/Aleksei Popogerbsky, Russian, 2003
Five Obstructions (五道電影難題),
Jorgen Leth/Lars von Trier, Denmark, 2003
Tropical Malady (熱帶幻夢),
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2004
Whisky (微笑威士忌),
Juan Pablo Rebella/Pablo Stoll, Uruguay, 2003
9 Songs (性愛搖滾樂),
Michael Winterbottom, England, 2004
Not on the Lips (嚴禁嘴對嘴),
Alain Resnais, France, 2004
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Episode3: Antwerp,
Peter Greenaway, England, 2003
The Tulse Luper Suitcases Ⅱ, 2004
April (兩個四月),
Nanni Moretti, Italy, 1998
The Motorcycle Diaries (摩托車日記),
Walter Salles, Brazail, 2004
Ma Mere (母親，愛情的限度),
Christophe Honore, France, 2003
13 Going On 30 (2004)
USA
Director: Gary Winick
Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo
Not that bad as I imagined. The story itself is nothig to suprise, but Jennifer's smile is amazing.
Director: Gary Winick
Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo
Not that bad as I imagined. The story itself is nothig to suprise, but Jennifer's smile is amazing.
January 18, 2005
Collateral
2004, USA
Director/Producer: Michael Mann
Screen writer: Stuart Beattie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jamie Fox
The photography just amazing. It's the LA I haven't seem before. The night view is glamorous but has a chill, lonely atmosphere exudes in the whole film.
But Tom Cruise fell the story, or the story fell itself in the killer part. It want to depict the hit man as a cold blood murderer and a human being as the same time.
Director/Producer: Michael Mann
Screen writer: Stuart Beattie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jamie Fox
The photography just amazing. It's the LA I haven't seem before. The night view is glamorous but has a chill, lonely atmosphere exudes in the whole film.
But Tom Cruise fell the story, or the story fell itself in the killer part. It want to depict the hit man as a cold blood murderer and a human being as the same time.
January 08, 2005
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
UK
Director/Screenwriter: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Casts: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield
Cute, very very cute, with Coldplay inside the movie.
Director/Screenwriter: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Casts: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield
Cute, very very cute, with Coldplay inside the movie.
Ondskan (Evil, 2003)
Denmark/Sweden
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Casts: Andreas Wilson
I think originally the film has the intension to tell a story that a man do something bad to others, and that bad thing comes right back to him some day. But the film fell to develop this part very well.
The protagonist, Erik Ponti, become (or try to become)a different person after he goes to the boarding school. He used to bully others, now he is bullied by the seniors. The principal in the former school he attained called him "evil." The following story shows us that Erik is abused by his step father, and it might be the reason he develop such a twisted behavior. But at the time it tells us Erik's "evil" comes from some reasons, not that he is born with it, the film have two seniors bully him just because they want to show their supremacy. Now Erik is a victim, a sympathized character who looses his only friend and his secret lover just because he won't give in. Suddenly he is a total innocent man, and all his "evil" transfers to others: the seniors, his step father, and the mother and school teachers who pretend to see nothing also included.
Pure evil should exist only in fantasy stories, like Sauron in the Lord of the Rings. I just can't bare that a story shows me someone behaves like a prick without explaining why.
And please don't use the cliche that a boy made a girl pregnant in their first intercourse again!
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Casts: Andreas Wilson
I think originally the film has the intension to tell a story that a man do something bad to others, and that bad thing comes right back to him some day. But the film fell to develop this part very well.
The protagonist, Erik Ponti, become (or try to become)a different person after he goes to the boarding school. He used to bully others, now he is bullied by the seniors. The principal in the former school he attained called him "evil." The following story shows us that Erik is abused by his step father, and it might be the reason he develop such a twisted behavior. But at the time it tells us Erik's "evil" comes from some reasons, not that he is born with it, the film have two seniors bully him just because they want to show their supremacy. Now Erik is a victim, a sympathized character who looses his only friend and his secret lover just because he won't give in. Suddenly he is a total innocent man, and all his "evil" transfers to others: the seniors, his step father, and the mother and school teachers who pretend to see nothing also included.
Pure evil should exist only in fantasy stories, like Sauron in the Lord of the Rings. I just can't bare that a story shows me someone behaves like a prick without explaining why.
And please don't use the cliche that a boy made a girl pregnant in their first intercourse again!
January 04, 2005
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