This week's Movie review......

[Ang Mo]

This week I watched the multiple Oscar nominated film MILLION DOLLAR BABY

All I can say is that the first 3/4 of the film was enjoyable. However, the last quarter was depressing, terrible, and pretty dark. What started out as the usual girl from the wrong side of the tracks overcoming the odds and living happily ever after turned into a movie about the issue of assisted suicide.
It seems like all the movies today like to gear up for that all for one, one for all, ultra depressing ending.
With endings like this, the movie theatres will have to sell anti-depressants along with the popcorn.

Had to cheer myself up by looking at some Peranakan Architecture. This house is cool looking:

<a href='http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.tcl?site_id=1015' target='_blank'>Peranakan House - Architecture</a>

Notice the absence of the Giant Garage Door with a 60 foot long SUV or Monster Truck behind it with an average mpg of 7 miles to the gallon. You certainly won't find many houses like this in the USA, but it would be cool if some creative developer would give it a try.

[Lynchy]

You should, if you haven't already, watch 'The Shawshank Redemption'. That kind of works in the opposite way. It's really dark, broody and frustrating throughout (with the occasional funny/uplifting moment), but has a really positive ending.

It's my fav film of all time, mainly because it's so profound, almost philisophical, and I saw it as a metaphor for what I felt at the time I saw it. Oh and by the way, the God that is Morgan Freeman is in that too!

"Fear can keep you prisoner, hope can set you free."

Rockin'. B)

I'm not sure about Million Dollar Baby. It feels like a Girlfight clone to me. It's been done before. Suddenly it wins lots of awards and critical acclaim because of its cast and director. That's Hollywood for ya.

I'm getting into Asian horror at the moment. It's great stuff, and usually diarea-inducingly scary. Shame they tend to make not so good remakes of them...

[Ang Mo]

I have watched "The Shawshank Redemption" and I think it is a good movie also.

As for Asian horror films, the one I found entertaining was one called "The Eye". Sort of like an Asian "Sixth Sense". I read that Tom Cruise wanted to remake this one in the states. Brad Pitt is making a remake of Infernal Affairs. It won't be any good if he's in it. Tong Leung was great in that, unfortunately he gets killed. Another downer ending to a movie that was great up until the depressing ending. Tony Leung will be in a new Wong Kar Wai movie where he portrays Bruce Lee's Karate Master. I look forward to watching it.

[ben]

Shawshank Redemption, ah yeah. Great movie, one of my favorites too. That movie actually made Freeman one of my favorite actors. But do you know that it's also a clone of some sort (like how Lynchy felt about Million Dollar Baby)? Yup, watch Clint Eastwood's Escape From Alcatraz and you'll know what I mean. But given the choice between the two, I'll take SR anytime.

Asian Horror or Hollywood Horror... for the lights of me, I still can't figure why someone would want to pay for tickets just to get the living daylights scared out of them.

[shawn]

Brad Pitt is making a remake of Infernal Affairs. It won't be any good if he's in it. Tong Leung was great in that, unfortunately he gets killed. Another downer ending to a movie that was great up until the depressing ending.

But if Brad Pitt plays the Tony Leung role, that'll give you something to cheer for at the end, right?

[Ang Mo]

Thanks Shawn for making a silver lining out of such a dark cloud.


"Lost in Time" is a very good Chinese movie and it has a very happy ending.

[Ang Mo]

Just finished watching Motorcycle Diaries. I highly recommend this one. It is a very interesting story and the scenery is absolutely tremendous. Makes you want to visit South America, at least parts of it.

[Ang Mo]

Accidentally double posted. Sorry.

[Ghines]

Oh i loved Million Dollar Baby! yeah i agree its totally depressing, but in a way i think movies that really touch you are so effective..... dunno about 'shawshank redemption', but im pretty into asian horror films... but ive only seen the American version of 'The Grudge' tho, is the japanese one any good?

G

[Ang Mo]

Watched Purple Butterfly with Zhang Ziyi as a member of a Japanese resistance group in Shanghai during the early stages of World War II. The irony in the film is she has to assassinate her own lover who is Japanese. It portrays 1930's era Shanghai as crowded, dirty, and dangerous. The film is very good. There is actual footage at the end showing some of the atrocities committed by the Japanese during their invasion of Nanking. Very gruesome and graphic images.

[The_Man_in_Blue]

I finally got a chance to see the winner of the Best Documentary Academy Award. “Born into Brothels” follows the efforts of photographer Zana Briski who first went to the red light district of Calcutta to document the lives of the prostitutes, but was soon captivated by the children of the prostitutes. She befriends them by giving them inexpensive cameras and basic lessons in photography. The documentary captures the children’s lives thru their own photos. Here is a link to some of the remarkably good photos taken by the children. <a href='http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/' target='_blank'>http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/</a>
The resilience of the children will inspire and the poverty and living conditions they face will break your heart. The film concludes with Zana’s partially successful efforts to help the children escape from a bleak future.
Paul

[Ang Mo]

Watched "The Last Train across Canada". It is an older PBS documentary on the final run of the Canadian railway route that traversed the entire length of Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Extremely interesting on how the railroad shaped Canada. 95 percent of the Canadian population is found built up along that railway. There was interesting economic and political segments on how the French in Quebec wanted to become their own nation. They consider Quebec as their country, not Canada. They have so much animosity towards the English they passed a law stating all signs on buildings etc have to be in French. The name Kentucky Fried Chicken sounds and looks so incredibly beautiful in French On the economic side it showed how terrible the economy was for the people of Newfoundland and how they had to migrate to Toronto for employment and how much they hated having to live in Toronto. A train ride looks like it could be a grand adventure.

[Lynchy]

I rented 'Hero' yesterday so I'll watch that tonight. From what I've seen from various clips, it should be amazing.

Has anyone seen any versions of The Grudge? I made the mistake of seeing one of the Japanese versions (there are three of them apparantly) before seeing the remake. The Japanese version is incredible. The US version is... okayish. It isn't awful, but it didn't really work. I think, however, if I'd seen that before seeing the original, or having no other knowledge of it, I would have appriciated it a lot more. Sarah Michelle Geller just annoyed the hell out of me though. She still hasn't quite shaken off the Buffy shadow yet, so I was expecting her to kick the crap out of the ghosts rather than be scared of them.

There is apparantly going to be a remake of Korean horror flick 'Tale of Two Sisters', which will be a disaster. I dare everyone to see the original. It's terrifying, but most of its power resides in the fact that it's Korean. Just like most Asian horror, half the fear factor comes from the fact it takes place in an entirely different culture. It gives you (or me at least) the feeling that anything could happen.

There are some good films coming up this summer. The new Star Wars (hopefully with a better script than the other two), Rock School and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. That should be awesome.

God I'm such a geek.

[Ang Mo]

I had written and submitted my first screenplay back in December. I have found out that I did not win the competition. I was a good sport and hold no bitterness about it and I sent each judge a package containing Anthrax..................not the biological chemical, just the horrible music of a terrible heavy metal rock band. By the way, all heavy metal music stinks...................

[Lynchy]

Oi! Metal does not stink! Tori Amos was/still is heavily influenced by metal. Plus Tool are one of the best bands on the planet. Plus I'm in a metal band! *sulks*