1. Curse of the Golden Flower
2. History Boys
3. The Painted Veil
4. Miss Potter
5. A Note on a Scandal
The Curse of the Golden Flower
I first saw the preview for this movie during Thanksgiving break. I wanted to see it because it's been a while since a good kung-fu/martial arts movie had been released in the U.S.. The preview was tantalizing too. The colors looked digital enhanced, it's really sharp, clear and bright. The icing on this preview was the costumes and the set, which made me reexamined my concept of China.
So this is the first new movie I saw so far. I was a wee bit disappointed because it wasn't an all out king-fu/martial arts Crouching Tiger type of movie. But nonetheless, the story was still good (I got the genre wrong). The movie did incorporate martial arts but this wasn't the driving force. It was the drama and decadence of a flamboyant Imperial family during the Tang Dynasty which steered the movie's direction.
History Boys
I didn't know what this movie was about, I just watched it because of key phrases that caught my attention: tony-award winning, hilarious, witty, dead poet's society [esque], preparation for entrance examination, question schooling (learning for knowledge or to have an "edge"). The descriptions were right on target.
Coming from an American schooling system, the British system in this movie seemed fantastical, and ideal for scholars (it's like an honor's program that's efficient and have results). I've actually have some classes that were run similar to the movie. The classes were designed very quirkily and liberally (well rounded) for example- lots of impromptu, singing and piano playing in the beginning of class, acting, recitation, foreign language, discussion, essays, poetry reading, lots of talking (sometimes rhetorical, hypothetical)- most of the students in this movie didn't care they just wanted to get the degree, they have the potential and capabilities, they took it seriously enough to attend and learn the 'strategies' BUT there was one student from this class who took everything and integrated with his education and his being, became part of his values and outlook on life, he took the lessons to his heart, he actually believed in them...
The Painted Veil
This movie is based on a book, I haven't read it. I wasn't going to watch this movie because I thought it was going to be another love story that have affairs.
It has affairs and all the who-haha por supuesto, but it is also a decade movie set in the 1920s (I think) flappers, women with a bob, Foreign land (China) and CHOLERA. If you haven't read the book, (and totally clueless about what's going to happen), the main intriguing question: is the protagonist couple going to make it? Will their love survive the CHOLERA?
the movie explored women's rights and issues- independence, marrying for convinience, taboo of being single etc.
Basically, Edward Norton's character marries a spoiled 'free'-thinking woman Naomi Watts. He falls for her, he's a geeky bacteriologist, she's a vixen whose younger sister got married before her. Watts wants to control her own destiny but she's still bound by society's morass. She has an affair, got caught by the husband- threaten to divorce her (taboo) if she doesn't accompany him to Cholera-infested China- out of sheer madness and broken heart and anger- he volunteered to contain and prevent the spreading of Cholera in the province country-side of China, Watts tried to use her woman'y charms by saying that Norton was cruel and that she should divorce him quietyly instead of him divorcing her- Norton fights back by saying that she has no reason to divorce him (she's the adulterous one).
Through hardship, they learn to love each other, and in the end the audience is reminded that in this romantic background, CHOLERA lurks around.
I like the way the movie was shot, the scenes were magnificent. (I think I saw a classmate from high school in the movie theater).
Miss Potter
This is a charming movie. When I saw the poster for this movie, I thought it was going to be another nanny movie. I changed my mind when I saw a trailer for it. This movie is about Beatrix Potter's ( children's author and illustrator) life- it explored her inspiration, how she first got published, her first love, personal tragedy and her legacy (giving land to the british people, preserving farm lands and other beautiful lands from developments and her literature and art)...
Miss Potter is a quirky character, she talks to her drawings and she calls them her friends. The movie has a bit of animation, once in a while the audience see from Potter's point of view- wiggling ducks and moving animals. The British landscape was awesome too. Beofre falling in love, Ms. Potter vowed not to get married for convenience/money/property etc.
She wasn't my hero before but now she is (she made the Diezmos Inspirational People list). Renee Zellwigger (wrong spelling) did an okay job as Miss Potter (she's cast a lot ot play British people). I notice that most of her projects tend to depict real people (I think this is the hollywood trend right now). She's the type of actress that's willing to gain pounds to play a fat character, to wear realistic make-up to take away the glamour. In this movie she's very sanguine.
Ewan McGregor played her love interest, and Emily Watts is also part of the cast. McGregor's character here reminded of his Moulin Rouge character- hopelessly romantic young man/poet.
Potter's courage is admirable- she stuck to her beliefs and her interest. Nature was her muse and she used this as the base for her work. She achieved her dreams and more because of her perseverance.
I'm can't wait to start taking water colors next semester and paint like Potter!
A Note on a Scandal
Scandal is the word that'll attract attention. This movie (starring Kate Blanch, Judi Dench) reminded me of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice. It explored the themes of youth, old age, and obsession. The movie is not as lyrical and poignant as the book. The movie is a bit more twisted, specially the ending cycle repeats, never broken.
In this movie, there was a lot of laughter from the audience because of Dench's character's sarcasm and dry humor. I didn't catch most of it while watching the movie but reflecting back I realized that the audience laughed not in disrespect but because of the wit and also Dench's good acting and awesome timing and delivery.
The plot- Dench's character, Barbara "Covett", a teacher who's about to retire, obsessed about Sheba (Blanch), a middle age art teacher. Sheba in turn has an affair with her 15 year old male student. Sheba is facing a midlife crisis, her marriage to an older guy is stale. Covett finds out about Sheba, and uses this information to strenthen her 'friendship' with Sheba. So a lot of obsession.
The one scene that directly reminded me of Mann's story is when Sheba put on make-up that made her look like she was in the 80s. In Mann's novel, Aschenbach put make up to hide his wrinkles- the similarities are strinking especially in their ridiculousness- looking both like clowns and achronistic.
Posted by Michael Diezmos at January 9, 2007 6:39 PM