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( quick-fire movie reviews behind cut )
This entry was originally posted at http://opengoal.dreamwidth.org/79521.htm
Turns out this movie is not as bad as the reviews had made me believe. Of course you've got to suspend your disbelief quite a bit (esp. with how the clothes can magically survived so much fire) but it's quite an entertaining movie once you get past that - and it's rare for me to say but it's not that hard to put aside your logic when watching this movie because there's too much kick-ass action and bleak dystopia for your mind to wander.
And it doesn't hurt that Anton Yelchin is really cute and adorable~
This entry was originally posted at http://opengoal.dreamwidth.org/79025.htm
There were many things that boggle the mind, like how incredible the boy king could have enough control of the court to actually start keeping a harem of boys (picked for their beauty) at such an early age, how gay it was that there were purple and pink and frilly collars despite the setting being historical Korea, how Hong Lim always seemed to be in more expensive clothing than the King when they are alone with each other, how there was no bodyguards sticking to the King's side in the first assassination scene (yet another proof that the bodyguards are not chosen for their ability to protect the king), how the security of the palace in the final scene is like Lex's security in Smallville (and Hong Lim was so uncannily Clark that he actually had the nerve to act righteously indignant when the King had been nothing but generous and loving towards him)...
But everything could be forgiven for all the prettiness and the heartbreakingly all-encompassing love the King had for Hong Lim. I can't quite imagine one person loving another so much and forgiving him/her so easily for treading on his/her heart repeatedly, except perhaps Lex (for Clark) in Smallville or Dean (for Sam) in Supernatural. It's so impossibly romantic that it fills my heart with warmth and ache at the same time and I just can't help loving it despite all the lapses in logic which would usually bug me.
This entry was originally posted at http://opengoal.dreamwidth.org/76420.htm
The movie is a bit too gory at times and there are some real duds in the dialogues but it's an entertaining action-packed movie that's worth going to the cinema to see. Ewan McGregor is fit (he totally rocks the priest robe!), Nikolaj Lie Kaas looks dead cool as the assassin and Italy looks gorgeous in this film (even though I know much of the churches must be set or CG). And as a bonus, the Schwyzerduetsch brought me back some fond memories~~
Still, the songs are the best thing about this movie. But the songs are really good and there are plenty of them in the movie (weirdly enough).
This entry was originally posted at http://opengoal.dreamwidth.org/76189.htm
South Korea didn't have a very good track record of gay movies but it seems they've moved forward in leaps and bounds these couple of years, what with "Antique" and this film "A Frozen Flower":
So far I've heard nothing bad about it. I'm SO looking forward to watching it this weekend!
I feel compelled to just point out only the good bits about it, like the beautiful cinematography (no doubt thanks to Herman Yau) and the stunning scenery that's worthy of films with much bigger budget, the easy willingness of the leads to lose their clothes for the film, and the concept of a relationship between a gay man and a straight man (that really hasn't been done well anywhere - but well actually this film doesn't do it well either, not by a long way).
The whole time at the cinema, I feel embarrassed for everyone involved in this film just because of the badness of it, but I also realise that I feel embarrassed for them because there's so much potential in the story it's easy to see that the concept would've been so much better executed and the gender politics so much better handled if it were in the hands of a better filmmaker. Instead I was there cringing and thinking how many Fry/Laurie fics or even how Eternal Summer has dealt with it better.
( Full list behind cut )
Still 6 films to go, I have high hopes that the 2 Indian films Chandni Chowk to China and Ghajini will be entertaining, and the rest... I don't know, I'll just wait and see. After all, I don't remember what they're about anyway.
In between waiting for the next screenings, I finished translating a couple of short fics at the Starbucks. Now I'll just have to wait for the permissions so that I can post them. Fingers crossed they'll come soon.
I really love the opening. "Unforgettable" is just so apt for it. Now I just have to re-read the graphic novel to see if the schmoopiness is too much. I love the opening credits, which I've already watched a dozen times before going to the cinema. Before Watchmen, I'd only known about the JFK assassination. I wonder if the others in the cinema knew the other scenes were real/refer to real events too.
And I love the clown joke, which I'd been afraid may not make it into the movie, and which is one of the most emotionally effective scenes here. But the pacing of many other scenes were either too rushed (too much/compressed info-dump - Veidt suffers from this especially) or too dragged out (everything after the TV shows the whole world unites against Dr Manhattan) to have the emotional impact the story deserves. The compression of the psychologist's scenes is a real waste. If only the movie had kept the killing of Rorschah short and sharp, ended right there and given the screen time to flesh out the middle part instead.
Went to see Slumdog Millionaire at the cinema last night. It's quite different watching it on the big screen. I kept noticing how every shot was done beautifully and how the music was so perfect for the film, especially since I've already got the story when I first watched it on my computer.
Just downloaded Law and Order: UK out of curiosity. I didn't know Ben Daniels is in it. Does that mean now I have one more show to download?
With the news coming in about what shows are renewed and what shows are cancelled, I can't help but wonder what shows ABC will be left with next season. I'm still bitter they cancelled Pushing Daisies. And I don't understand why CW hasn't renewed Reaper. I may have to join in the sock campaign after all.
Finally watched My Blood Valentine (3-D)! It's my first 3-D movie so it's worth every dollar of the ticket :) It's amazing how distracting the stones on the road, the trees in the woods, and even the pillars of the bridge or the rooms can be just because it's 3-D~ Human faces or bodies just don't stand out as much unless it's a big close-up (oh, merely Jensen's pretty face in close-up is already worth the price for 3-D~) or if the person's got beautiful long, wavy hair.
The 10-year-ago part is rather crap. Actually, the dialogues from there right up to the diner scene really were unbearably crap, and I just couldn't stop laughing at the dark bra under the white tee. But I really like what came later. I like that the naked girl in the motel has nice real tits and I like that she has a strong personality even though it's probably only used as a ontrived reason for her prolonged nakedness. I agree that main story (the identity of the killer) is rather weak but I don't really care when there's a chance to see Jensen tall (which was esp. highlighted by the mine tunnels), handsome and badass!
- Mood:ecstatic
Thanks AfterElton for alerting me to this film! Now I have one more film to look forward to this year.
*back to squeeing inside*
- Mood:
ecstatic
Rant mode off. BTW, hope this post doesn't get filtered out because of the title...
ETA. OMG he was that guy in Splendor?! How could I not notice?
I've also forgotten I'd watched No Night Is Too Long. But at least I've got a better reason to hunt down this movie - I want to see what Marc Warren was like in this film. Both he and Lee Williams got this rather unhuman quality to them that they really add to their roles. And their scenes together really worked.
It's no accident that Justin Kerrigan didn't make it. There are plenty of good bits and potential in this film but it's easy to see how much more the film could be without some of the heavy-handedness and a bit more work on the characters to make them more engaging. They don't have to be likeable but they got to be able to keep my attention at least.
I don't normally like violence. This film is so bloody I had to look away a few times but I still love this film. The directing and the music is marvellous. The acting is spot on, not just Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy, but everyone in it (except maybe the girlfriend and the cheating best friend who are rather cardboard cutouts). And then of course, there's the cuteness of James McAvoy. He's so adorable in his meekness and politeness, and his innocent sweetness when Angelina Jolie kissed him just killed me~! I never expected I would say this but I absolutely love this film.
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