I was initially happy to know that Chinese New Year (18-20 Feb) fell on a Sunday, which meant a really long weekend.
So i was horrified/disgusted/anguished to learn that the week of 17-25 Feb is the weeklong midterm break, which effectively cheats us out of our CNY holiday. And to add insult to injury, there is a Public Law Assignment to be completed during that period (due 26 Feb).
Ranked in order of awesomeness:
It currently stands at 94% on metacritic.
“The end product of all these splendid parts is a sci-fi series you can appreciate and enjoy even if space operas aren’t normally your first viewing choice. “Battlestar Galactica'’ is provocative television that transcends its genre.”- McCollum
“And why should you watch the Peabody Award-winning “Galactica”? Despite its name and pedigree, this is not some kiddie sci-fi show full of humanoid aliens created by gluing prosthetics to actors’ faces. And it’s not a lighthearted romp through the galaxy, a la “Stargate.” Rather, “Battlestar Galactica” is one of the most politically relevant and necessarily bleak series on television today.”- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“I find myself proselytizing more for “Battlestar Galactica” than any other show, with good reason.”- Boston Globe
PS: Start with BSG miniseries, then continue with Season 1. Jumping in on Season 3 will likely leave you confused.
The Road to Guantanamo (2006) 8/10
Based on a true story, Michael Winterbottom’s quasi-documentary film is probably the most socially relevant film of 2006, and one of the best. Intercutting interviews with three people who were wrongly detained at Guantanamo with fictional reenactment, the film is both harrowing and wrenching, a powerful and searing indictment of American foreign policy. Even the most strident defender of Guantanamo will find it hard to defend the continual existence of the base. Its only flaw may well be that it is too one-sided in its tone, but the story is so riveting that it demands to be seen.
“It is nonetheless a wrenching and dismaying account of cruelty and bureaucratic indifference, a graphic tour of a place many citizens of Western democracies would prefer not to think about.”- NY Times
“For that, however, it remains an effective polemic, and if its argument is flawed, then at least it’s an argument worth making.” - Vaux
You Are My Sunshine (2005) 6/10
First half is the usual rom-com exposition, while the second half goes into melodrama overdrive. There are singularly strong scenes including a powerfully acted finale and generally strong performances by the cast. But the film is so cliched in its premise that it more or less uses every trick of the trade, with the result being a totally predictable film. Overall an uneven offering with occasional flourishes.
The Holiday (2006) 6/10
The script is derivative and predictable, but the film manages to coast along breezily in true rom-com fashion. Kate Winslet is excellent as usual but Cameron Diaz overacts. Jude Law is bland while Jack Black is totally miscast. The supporting cast fare well, although its usually a worrying sign when kids steal the thunder from Cameron Diaz and Jude Law. Luckily, Jack Black has mercifully little screen time in the Winslet plotline, and Eli Wallach manages to shine in his supporting role as an old screenwriter who befriends Winslet’s character. While the film piles on too much sentimentality at times, the final product is still a fairly enjoyable albeit lightweight piece.
Little Children (2006) 8/10
American Beauty meets Desperate Housewives in Todd Field’s nuanced and tautly crafted tale of isolation in suburbia. Magnetic performances by Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson lift the mundane script into a solid and mesmerizing film experience. Winslet has already garnered a Golden Globe Best Actress Nom, while this is Wilson’s second notable film of 2006, after Hard Candy.
Deftly directed by Todd Field, Little Children is a poignant tale of the flaws of men and the grimness of the human heart.
“One of the very best movies of the year, Little Children is a gripping romantic tragedy.”- Rhodes
“Little Children is the first American masterpiece of 2006. We’ll be chewing on this one for a long time to come.”- Poland
“Ultimately, “Little Children” builds a world in which neighborly judgment keeps the rest of this envious, repressed community from exploding with further incivility. Secrets and lies maintain the social order, the guilty are damned, and adulterous fantasies keep the ache of reality at bay. If everybody in this town took as long a look in the mirror as Sarah and Brad, can you imagine the hell that would break loose?”- Morris
Death Note (2006) 7/10
Not bad for a comic book adaptation.
The Host (2006) 6/10
Reasonably entertaining monster flick, but considering the pedigree of director Bong Joon-ho, who directed the excellent Memories of Murder, The Host feels like a step down from a director clearly capable of better works.
Hart’s War (2002) 7/10
It is about American soldiers in a Nazi concentration camp dealing with the murder of a white soldier by a black solider. Sounds like plot overload? The logic is often tenuous- like why must a Nazi guard trade with the prisoner when he can just grab it, but a little suspension of disbelief goes a long way in enjoying the film. Fairly enjoyable once you get past the logical inconsistencies.
Battle of Wits (2006) 7/10
First half good, second half above average. Reasonably enjoyable.
House of Flying Daggers (2004) 7/10
Up till the much derided finale, the film is a tautly crafted flick with stunning visuals.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) 8/10
There are 2 sides to director Guillermo Del Toro- there is the more famous side where he is known as the director of Hellboy and Blade 2. Not surprisingly, his Hollywood efforts are mediocre offerings. But when he directs Spanish films, and is given full reign to use his imagination, he is capable of brilliance like his 1999 masterpiece The Devil’s Backbone. Pan’s Labyrinth, his newest work, falls into the latter category and it is a breathtaking yet dark piece fantasy film-making that is worlds ahead of mediocre fantasy flicks like Eragon or Narnia.
Playing out like Alice In Wonderland, he takes a familiar premise of a child who stumbles into a magical land and weaves movie magic from it. Absolutely breathtaking characters and vivid visuals makes this film a feast for the eyes. Not only that, the film in dark in terms of themes and not afraid to use violence- an thinking version of fantasy films that does not insult your intelligence. With a stirring soundtrack and well crafted characters, Pan’s Labyrinth is a joy to watch.
Just like the director, there are essentially 2 elements in the film- the fantasy element and the real world plotline involving a rebellion. The fantasy plotline is impeccable and completely riveting. Too bad there isn’t enough of these fantasy elements for my liking because the other half of the film is about a group of rebels trying to attack a base. The non-fantasy part of the film is decent but not really engaging, and is the reason why the film is not a perfect 10. As one reviewer has noted, Pan’s Labyrinth feels like 2 movies cobbled into one, with the real world storyline feeling significantly weaker. But that does not mean that it is superfluous. The interaction between reality and fantasy is one of the themes of the film, and the injection of Fascist ideology is another. One scene in the ‘real’ world has a doctor asking rhetorically what is the point of obeying for the sake of obeying, which mirrors a similar situation in a fantasy world later on.
Nevertheless, even if Pan’s Labyrinth is brilliant half of the time, its still much better than 95% of the fantasy films churned out. Its better than the entire series of Harry Potter whilst using maybe a fraction of its CGI budget. In terms of imagery and visuals, Pan’s Labyrinth has no peer and is currently my vote for the most visually beautiful film of 2006 (bearing in mind that I’ve not seen the Fountain yet.)
“Dark, dreamlike and dangerous, Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth is a fairytale every bit as scary and moving as they were always meant to be.”- BBC
“This is Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece to date and easily one of the films of the year. Unmissable.”- Turner
“The moment “Pan’s Labyrinth” ended, I wanted to start it over again.”- Emerson
Official website here.
Volver (2006) 8/10
The way i see it, this year’s Best Actress Oscar is essentially a two horse race between Helen Mirren (The Queen) and Penelope Cruz (Volver) for best actress. The rest of the people are just there to make up the numbers. And as much as i think Mirren was fantastic, i must say that after watching Volver, i think that Cruz deserves to win.
Pedro Almodovar isn’t one of my favourite directors. I never did particularly like his previous films like Bad Education or Talk To Her. In a sense, i never quite ‘got’ Almodovar’s films. But Volver see Almodovar in his element and he weaves a compelling and brilliant drama whilst bringing out top notch performances from the entire cast. Virtually every single member of the cast, gives a stirring performance, and its easy to see why the entire female ensemble cast got the Best Actress Award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Since i just riffed Curse of the Golden Flower for terrible color scheme, Volver provides the perfect counterexample of how to use colors right, and the visual aesthetics of this film is top notch.
A smart, witty script with unexpected turns and brilliant dialogue, Volver may well be melodrama, but its Oscar calibre melodrama. It works simply because it has well defined characters played by good actresses in an engaging script. The film simply works. It is one of the best films of the year, with both Almodovar and Cruz at the top of their game.
‘ “Volver,” full of surprises and reversals, unfolds with breathtaking ease and self-confidence.’ - NY Times
“Almodóvar is still one of the few directors worth watching just for how he uses color on the screen. But the pleasures have always run much deeper, and now they run deeper still.”- Onion
‘The Cannes Film Festival recognized the group effort by awarding the ensemble the Best Actress Award, and that was an inspired decision. Individually, they are excellent. Collectively, they are transcendent.’- Reel.com
Curse of The Golden Flower (2006) 7/10
Having done wonders with visuals in his previous period films, its a surprise that Curse of The Golden Flower, Zhang Yimou’s newest film, happens to be uncharacteristically weak in the aesthetics department. The poster alone gives a hint of how the colors gold and yellow dominate the film, and although it is Zhang’s deliberate choice to paint the in bold gold colors, the effect is gaudy and probably distracting. This is especially noticeable in the indoor scenes, where the mise en scenes of the palace are decorated in psychedelic hues. The overall effect is garish and ugly, and detracts from the overall film.
Based loosely on Cao Yu’s Thunderstorm, the film has elements of Shakespearean tragedy and the plot has similarities with The Banquet, another Chinese blockbuster that also talks of the betrayal and subterfuge in the royal family. The difference is that Curse is helmed by Zhang Yimou and stars Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li. That should be enough to make the film worth watching. The plot itself isn’t really spectacular. If you have watched The Banquet, you may just get a distinct sense of deja vu because of the similarities of both film. As i’ve said before, the color scheme in the film is terrible, and the very first scene that Chow Yun Fat appears clad in gold armor, he looked really ridiculous. Even by ceremonial armor standards, it was really kitschy. But luckily, its Chow Yun Fat, and he quickly gives the role of the Emperor a regal, even imposing stature notwithstanding the ridiculous costume. Similarly, Gong Li gives a sterling performance as the ailing Empress who subtly opposes the Emperor. With more backstabbing and twists than even the most dysfunctional family, the stage is set for the classic greek tragedy as the forces of the Empress and Emperor collide.
The strongest scenes of the film are the character interactions, especially between Gong Li and Chow. Easily priceless, their subtle power struggle and how Chow makes Gong drink the medicine with clockwork precision is chilling and riveting. Liu Ye is also suitably spineless as the Crown Prince and the cast generally acquits itself well. Jay Chou is probably the male equivalent of the flower vase role, and does a decent albeit uninspiring performance, although his mere presence will probably sell more tickets. Visually, the outdoor scenes are well done, especially the field of chrysanthemum. Although the gold color scheme is more a drawback than a merit, there are occasional sequences when it does work, such as one brilliant battle scene where hordes of golden clad warriors march through the field of chrysanthemum. The symmetry and beauty of that scene is one of the film’s highlights.
There is a certain bleakness and even nihilism within the film, and the main leads Chow and Gong Li carry the dark undertones well. The focus here is more on the drama and character interactions and those looking for action or battle sequences will be disappointed. There are a few fight scenes including the final climatic battle, but even then, it is the drama rather than the action that is important. One other point to nitpick is that Zhang really needs to avoid logic defying scenes like having a hail of arrows blanket an army and let Jay Chou be the only one alive.
Overall, Curse of the Golden Flower is an enjoyable film worth watching because of the excellent characterizations by Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat. Deftly blending treachery, deceit and the inner power struggle into a solid greek tragedy, Zhang Yimou crafts a solid film. However, those looking for great aesthetics and fight scenes may want to lower their expectations.
Marie Antoinette (2006) 5/10
While there is no doubt that Sofia Coppola has a good eye for visuals, Coppola hasn’t got the knack of telling stories. Just like the (in my opinion) vastly overrated Lost In Translation, Coppola is able to recreate mood and invoke imagery with great skill. However, this does not hide the fact that there is virtually no plot and for much of the running time of the film, nothing much happens.
Granted, Kirsten Dunst is a talented actress and a fine choice, but when given such a flower vase role, there really isn’t much she can do. With the overuse of music that makes it feel like an MTV-esque version of history, Marie Antoinette’s greatest strength is in the excellent cinematography and top notch costumes. But beyond that, the film lacks the gravitas and reduces its lead character to a simplistic, one-dimensional display. In the end, Marie Antoinette the person mirrors Marie Antoinette the movie- nice to look at but hollow in the inside.
Keane (2004) 6/10
Keane starts of with a powerful, intoxicating performance by Damien Lewis that is riveting and compelling. Director Lodge Kerrigan chooses to use a documentary style camera angle and keeps Lewis in nearly every single frame of the movie. The result, is a brilliant yet suffocating performance.
Lewis puts in a Oscar calibre performance, and given that he is onscreen 99% of the time, anything less would make the film unworkable. Playing the role of William Keane, a man who supposedly lost his daughter, Keane is a character that is clearly plagued by schizophrenia. Even the existence of the daughter is suspect- we do not know if it is true or if it is the result of Keane’s fevered delusions. There are times when he is lucid, and times where he is on the verge of loosing it. Lewis plays Keane with a hypnotic intensity that is gripping and yet at times too distant. This is probably a key flaw in the film. After a strong opening, much of the first half of the film simply involves Keane acting miserable and lost. The mundaneness of the first half makes the film move at a glacial pace, notwithstanding Lewis’s good performance.
It is only when Keane meets a struggling mother and her daughter Kira(Abigail Breslin), that some semblance of a plot begins to take hold and the film starts being interesting again. There is tension between Keane and Kira’s interaction, and we wonder if Keane is a nice friend or a schizo. Especially when he goes from creepy to almost dangerous by breaking into the room of the mother and daughter.
Ultimately, while Keane is a very well made film with a searing and gritty performance by Lewis, i can’t say i enjoyed it because the monotonous and perpetual focus on Keane’s character as well as the lack of a coherent plot makes the film slow and very plodding for much of the film. Keane is a good film that is not very enjoyable to watch.
Babel (2006) 8/10
2006 Cannes Film Festival:
Best Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Alejandro González Iñárritu
Technical Grand Prize Stephen Mirrione (Editing)
With virtuoso direction by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel weaves a compelling tale spanning 3 continents with an excellent ensemble cast. Easily one of the year’s best, Babel has already garnered 7 Golden Globe nominations , and looks set to make a splash come Oscar season- and deservedly so. The title, Babel refers to the biblical story of how God confused the languages of people, and Babel explores the interconnectedness of this world as well as how people cannot communicate.
A rifle triggers off a chain of events that would affect the lives of people in 3 different continents, and Inarritu handles the triptych of interweaving tales like a master storyteller. Like his previous films, Amores Perros and 21 Grams, the scenes in Babel may not necessarily occur in straight chronological order, and Inarritu brings out excellent performances from an international cast. The most recognizable faces is obviously the Cate Blanchett- Brad Pitt plotline, but the strongest plotline is undoubtedly the Japanese one. Rinko Kikuchi has already been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the Golden Globes for her portrayal of a deaf-mute girl in Babel, and I’m going to say that she absolutely deserves to win. The weakest plotline is probably the Mexico plotline, featuring Gael Garcia. Its not weak per se, but it just gives me the feeling that it was tagged on and isn’t really that interesting compared to the others.
With beautiful cinematography—the neon-lit urban jungle of Japan provides a stark juxtaposition to Morocco and Mexico, Babel is a beautiful and bleak tale about how the chorus of voices are meaningless when we cannot communicate. The closing shot of Kikuchi with her father atop their Tokyo highrise, is a metaphorical allusion to the tower of Babel, and probably the only scene where the father finally begins to understand his daughter.
Deftly weaving a triptych of tales across three continents, Babel is a haunting, powerful and thought provoking piece of film-making with an excellent ensemble cast from around the globe. It’s the kind of film you owe it to yourself to watch.
“This is cathartic, thought-provoking, emotionally solid movie-making. It’s the kind of cinema I hope to see whenever I sit down in a theater to view a drama. Whether viewed amidst a flood of pictures in the middle of a film festival or on its own in a local multiplex, Babel stands out from the crowd. Its complex (yet not mystifying) storytelling, forceful character development, and superb cinematography make this a candidate for one of 2006’s best offerings.”- Berardinelli
“Challenging, consistently surprising, and etched in heartfelt sorrow, Inarritu’s third and reportedly final collaboration with screenwriter/novelist Guillermo Arriaga is a spellbinding and superbly acted nonlinear, multi-layered narrative that gradually reveals the mysterious connection linking strangers in Morocco, Tokyo, Southern California, and Mexico.”- KNIGHT
“Babel swept me up, up, up and carried me away.” - Strauss
Divergence(2005) 6/10
There is one very, very good chase scene in Divergence. But beyond that, Divergence is poorly scripted and the end result is more disappointing than exciting. Aaron Kwok won his first Best Actor in Divergence, and one wonders if the judging committee is blind. Seriously, Kwok’s performance here, especially when he tries to go all emotional is more cringe-worthy than good. The direction and intercutting between 3 main characters is competently done, but the end product is mediocre
Heavenly Mission(2006) 5/10
The film tries (or at least I think it tries) to make a statement about the duality of good and evil, black and white. Unfortunately, the result is a muddled and fairly predictable genre film that falls far short of what the director hopes to achieve. Ekin Cheng plays a top traid boss who gets jailed for some years in Thailand before returning to HK. Ekin goes saintly and renounces his past ways, doing all kinds of good stuff. Or does he? The police don’t think so, and a task force is set up to monitor his activities. Meanwhile, Ekin’s previous triad associates are disgruntled by the supposed new ‘saintly’ Ekin, with Stephen Fung playing a young gangster stirring up trouble with Ekin.
The problem with heavenly mission is that it plays out in a predictable, even amateurish fashion. Ekin Cheng isn’t the guy to go to for dramatic roles and here his performance is underwhelming while Stephen Fung is a one-note character. Even Ti Lung, who is usually great, is relegated to a small supporting role. What a waste of talent! Ultimately, Heavenly Mission is an exercise in mediocrity.
Friends with Money(2006) 6/10
Imagine Desperate Housewives on the big screen. Above Average.
The Ant Bully(2006) 7/10
Another animation that was much better than I expected.
Borat (2006) 6/10
Totally tasteless, completely crass and yet uproariously funny, Borat is both good and bad at the same time. If you have never seen Sacha Baron Cohen don his Borat persona, lets just say that it is a total riot. Misogynistic, racist and absolutely politically incorrect, Borat’s portrayal as a traveling Kazakh journalist is one of the most refreshingly original takes on the comedy genre in a long time. But beyond the slapstick jokes and the racist dialogue, Borat also serves as social commentary, because the people he interacts with may well be a more searing indictment of America than any recent film. One priceless scene: Borat enters an evangelical Christian church with absolutely hilarious and even downright disturbing outcome. However, Borat is also very uneven a movie. The first half is very strong, but once the novelty wears off, the film starts going downhill. Not all the jokes work, and some like wrestling scene felt unnecessary and was a total downer for me. Its also clear that that the film is too long. It might have better been suited for a 1 hr sitcom slot than a full length movie, and the result is that the second half is significantly less funny and feels forced at times, especially with the Baywatch subplot. Ultimately, as long as you are not the kind of person who easily takes offence, Borat is a funny albeit uneven film. I won’t consider great comedy yet- Monty Python does comedy with far greater finesse, but when Borat is good, its really funny. Too bad there are just as many hits as there are misses.
Flushed Away (2006) 8/10
I was surprised by how good this film was. I was expecting a solid, but above average film, but Flushed Away delivers a knockout, and is my vote for best animated film of the year. Blending CGI with claymation, Flushed Away’s plot is nothing remarkable, and largely predictable. But it scores because of its snarky humor, british wit and copious references to other films. Spoofing James Bond, Jaws, Finding Nemo and Spiderman among others, it’s great fun picking out the homages and references in Flushed Away. It also helps to have a snazzy soundtrack, although I felt that there were abit too many musical scenes. Overall, a solid effort. Flushed Away is one animation which I enjoyed immensely.
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