6 March 2005, late afternoon
I watched Napoleon Dynamite with two of Krishna’s friends. The film is strange. It reminds me of a series of deleted scenes from a movie. The movie focuses on the life of Napoleon Dynamite, a strange boy living in an equally strange town. There isn’t much in the way of plot to speak of. The movie is a series of strange events strung together. I think the movie is worth watching, you probably won’t see another film like it any time soon.
5 March 2005, terribly early in the morning
I had planned to see Magneta Lane tonight at the Horseshoe, but instead opted for a quiet evening back in Scarborough. I met up with Carvill, Mez, and Dave, and the four of us went off to Blockbuster to rent some films. We decided on Maria Full of Grace, which I have been meaning to watch for a long time. The movie follows a young Columbian girl, who travels to New York city while working as a drug mule. The movie is quite gritty, which is to be expected I suppose. It was depressing, but not nearly as depressing as it could have been. The girl who played Maria did an excellent job. I enjoyed the movie, and would recommend it. I really liked the very last shot in the film.
2 March 2005, the wee hours
The first time I watched Days of Being Wild was probably 6 years ago at my friend Shawn’s place. I think I may have seen 3-4 of Wong Kar Wai’s other films by that point. I remember enjoying it, but not thinking much of it compared to his other films. I suppose at that time I was thoroughly obsessed with Chungking Express (I suppose I still am); I certainly didn’t remember Days of Being Wild being as good as I feel it is now, after watching it again tonight. The movie is depressing. There are several characters, their lives are all intertwined, and none of their relationships work out. Leslie Cheung is the lead in the film, a womanizer and tortured soul. All the actors in the film do an amazing job. The cast of this film consists of most of the top actors in Hong Kong (in my opinion). Christopher Doyle shot this film as well, and the cinematography is gorgeous. The soundtrack is also good. Wong Kar Wai is fucking awesome. This is the first film of his I have had the pleasure to watch on the big screen. It was a really nice experience.
The Days of Being Wild trailer at Apple. (The review I originally linked to revealed way too much of the plot.)
25 February 2005, lunch time
I finally watched The Motor Cycle Diaries last night. The movie chronicles a trip Che Guevara took with a friend in which they travelled through much of South America. The trip opened Guevara’s eyes to the poverty and injustice prevalent throughout South America. I imagine the movie aims to inspire similar feelings in its viewers. I thought the film was great; it’s definitely worth watching. The scenery is incredible. Some of the shots in the film are absolutely breathtaking. I think the film will definitely leave you with an urge to travel.
19 February 2005, early evening
Yesterday night my friends and I went out to watch Constantine, Keanu Reeves latest film. The movie is an adaptation of the popular comic Hellblazer. Keanu plays John Constantine, an exorcist who sees demons, hangs out with other supernatural types, and is for the most part a bit of jerk. The movie has received some prety mediocre reviews, but I actually thought it was quite entertaining. It’s definetly one of the better comic book movies I’ve seen—I’m not sure if that is saying much. I think the movie is worth checking out.
15 February 2005, the wee hours
I watched Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason with Shima this past weekend. The movie takes place a few months after the first one, and follows Bridget Jones as she adjusts (or fails to adjust) to being in a steady relationship with a nice young man. The movie seems a lot more forced and contrived then the first one. I didn’t think the film was particularly good. That is not to say the film is without it’s moments. There is a scene with Colin Firth chasing Hugh Grant that is quite hilarious. However, for the most part I thought the film was a bit lacking.
13 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
Stephen Harper, leader of Canada’s opposition party, in a clever bid to win seats in Toronto, decided he would place ads in the community newspapers of various ethnic groups within the city. My father saw them in the Tamil and Indian papers that he reads. What was in these ads? Something about how Harper wants to protect traditional marriage.
Ah yes, traditional marriage. You know, where women are property and interracial couples can’t tie the knot. I long for those simpler times as well. They sure were simple, weren’t they? I’m glad Harper is rallying behind this cause; I’m sure he’ll do great in the next election. Everyone loves a bigot, especially the ethnic community. But will my fellow Tamils see it like that? I’d like to think so, but sometimes I have my doubts.
I watched Tying the Knot tonight. It’s a documentary about the problems faced by homosexuals when they are denied their right to get married. The documentary was quite good, and really brings to light the injustice that comes about from denying gays the right to marry. The movie is powerful because it puts a human face on this issue; the two main stories the director focuses on are quite sad. Gina once wrote that 1,049 federal rights in America depend on marriage, which I read at the time and thought was interesting, but didn’t really reflect on in any great detail. I used of this issue as a simple matter of equality, but there is more to it than that, it’s really a matter of dignity. A widow should not have to prove to anyone else, especially the state: that she deserves her spouses pension, that her spouse loved her, and that she would have wanted her to have it; It’s insulting.
By the summer, it should be legal on a federal level for homosexual couples to marry in Canada. Provincially, this is already the case in many parts of the country. This makes me happy; I’m glad I live in a country where the rights of minorities are upheld.
In matters of conscience, the Law of Majority has no place.—Mahatma Gandhi , 4th August 1920
6 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
I don’t remember where I saw the trailer for Intermission, but I remember wanting to see the movie. I saw the film on the shelves at Blockbuster and convinced my friends to rent it. The opening of Intermission is brilliant, you know you’re about to watch a great film. The movie is set somewhere in Ireland, and follows the lives of a group of loosely related people; their lives all collide by the end of the film. The cast of characters includes: a young man who can no longer pleasure himself, a (sexually) aggressive woman recently separated from her husband, an angry bus driver, a local hoodlum, a little kid with a fondness for throwing big stones at cars, and one hard-boiled cop (probably the most entertaining character in the film). There are plenty of famous faces who you’ll recognize as soon as you them. Intermission was very entertaining, a great little story with plenty of twists and turns and characters that will make you laugh.
6 February 2005, terribly early in the morning
I enjoyed the retro-chic of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, the story itself may have been a bit of a let down. The movie is about a diabolic robot menace threatening the world, the only one who can stop them is none other then Sky Captain. I think the film is probably aimed for children, but with an attention to detail adults will enjoy. I thought they did an amazing job giving the film it’s old school look. Most of my friends were disappointed with the movie. I think it is worth seeing if only to see the special effects and the way it was filmed.
28 January 2005, terribly early in the morning
After going to Jane Bond with Shima, the both of us headed to the new Princess Cinema to watch House of Flying Daggers. The movie is set in ancient China, and follows how two cops use a rebel girl they have captured as bait in a trap to ensnare the group she works for, the group the movie is named after. House of Flying Daggers features plenty of exciting martial arts sequences, and is in many ways a pretty typical martial arts film. What makes it better then most is the superb cinematography. Unfortunately, the film just can’t compete with its predecessor Hero. Hero was an exceptional film. House of Flying Daggers was good. I can’t fault House of Flying Daggers for not being as good as Hero, plenty of films aren’t. However, with the cast and director this film had, I was expecting much more. The movie is still worth watching; it is much more entertaining then a lot of the stuff Hollywood churns out.
26 January 2005, the wee hours
I watched Manhattan tonight with Steph. The film follows an older New Yorker, Isaac, and his relationships with women. The movie is quite funny; the story is quite engaging. The characters in the film are all interesting to watch, but are for the most part all bad people (with one notable exception). Diane Keaton’s character in particular is so annoying. I don’t know if the fact the characters are so aggravating is part of the appeal of the movie. You can decide if you watch the film yourself. The film is shot in black and white and looks great. The film’s score is classic. The movie almost makes me want to go to New York—almost but not quite.
25 January 2005, the wee hours
Bad Education has been getting a lot of praise amongst critics. I had high expectations going in to watch this film, and was for the most part impressed with the movie. The film is billed as yet another priest-molests-children movie; this film is much more than that. There are basically a few periods of time that are examined in the film, some real, some fictional, all focused on the character Ignacio, a boy who was molested by his catholic school teacher. You don’t end up with a clear image of the true nature of the events in the film till the very end. Gael García Bernal does an amazing job playing the lead in the film. He is quite convincing as a drag queen. This film was definitely interesting, and could probably be the source for a lot of good conversation.
24 January 2005, lunch time
Wong Kar Wai is infamous for shooting and re-shooting movies. When I had first heard of the 2046, the film was supposed to be a look at Hong Kong in 2046, 50 years after it had gone back to the Chinese. I can tell you that the film is really nothing like that at all. I won’t say anything else about the plot; I think watching this movie knowing nothing about it will make it more enjoyable.
Like all of Wong Kar Wai’s film, the major themes in 2046 seem to be those of lost or unrequited love, and the loneliness that comes from that. The film focuses on Tony Leung, and the relationships he has with a few women. This film has a stellar cast; in addition to Tony Leung, the film features: Gong Li, Carina Lau, Zhang Ziyi, and my favourite signer, Faye Wong. The acting is all first class. The film is very similar to In the Mood for Love in terms of its overall style. It can be seen as a sort of unofficial sequel to the film, much like how Fallen Angels can be seen as an unofficial sequel to Chungking Express. I don’t think you need to watch In the Mood for Love to appreciate 2046, but I think 2046 is a bit more rich if you have done so. Christopher Doyle is the cinematographer of the film, and has once again done a great job with the visual side of the movie. Doyle has filmed most, if not all, of Wong Kar Wai’s films, and is probably the one of the best cinematographers in Hong Kong. Each shot in the film is exquisite.
I’m a very big Wong Kar Wai fan, so this review is probably quite biased. I think the film is worth checking out, but I won’t pretend his movies are for everyone. This film is slow, light on plot, confusing at times, and fairly depressing; just my sort of film.
17 January 2005, lunch time
I read on metafilter today that someone has made a documentary about Japan’s very notorious photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki. I’ve always thought of Araki as an avant-garde pornographer, but people do consider him to be an excellent photographer. There is definitely a distinct style to his photos. I think the way he lights shots and poses his women is interesting. One thing is for certain, the man does have a real fondness for the pussy; no doubt about that.
Update: I received an email from a fellow involved with this film earlier today:
I was searching around and found that you had posted about Arakimentari, the documentary on Nobuyoshi Araki. I’m working on the film, and wanted to let you know that it’s New York release will be January 21st-February 4th at the Imaginasian Theater.
Apparently it has taken quite some time for the movie to finally make it out to the cinemas. I originally posted this link February 17th 2004. That’s almost a year ago. The movie business is apparently more complicated then I thought. I’m hoping they’ll show the movie up here in Canada. It looks quite interesting.
16 January 2005, the wee hours
I went to watch A Very Long Engagement with Shima, Jeff and Liz. I hadn’t been to the Princess in ages; it was nice seeing a movie there again. A Very Long Engagement was amazing. The film is set during the First World War, and follows Audrey Tautou’s character as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her fiancé’s death, a death she refuses to accept. The story is quite compelling, and the visuals are breath taking. The movie really takes you back to that period of time. It’s quite impressive to see. I highly recommend you check this movie out.
16 January 2005, the wee hours
My Sassy Girl is one of the few Korean films I have seen. It may in fact be the only Korean film I’ve seen. That isn’t important I suppose. The movie is a romantic comedy. I won’t divulge any of the plot. Suffice it to say the leading lady is a very demanding women. The characters in the movie are both very charming. The film is enjoyable to watch, albeit sappy at times. If you are looking for a quirky film to check out, this one is definitely worth watching.
9 January 2005, early afternoon
I watched Garden State and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again yesterday. I’ve started watching a lot more movies recently. My friends and I decided to watch Chronicles of Riddick last night. I had seen bits and pieces of the film last time I was at Shima’s house, and wanted to watch it properly. Chronicles of Riddick struck me in many ways as a modern day Star Wars of sorts. The film was probably better then the two recent Star Wars films. The movie is about how the character Riddick from Pitch Black has to fight this sort of half-dead army trying to destroy the universe. You learn a tiny bit more about Riddick’s past through the course of the film, and it is quite clear they intend to make another. I thought as science-fiction films go, it was pretty good—not brilliant, but not bad. They need to work on naming the planets though. Here are two examples: Cemetoria, the planet that sets on fire at sunrise, and Furia, where Riddick is from, where people are furious.
8 January 2005, terribly early in the morning
Mezan convinced Carvill and I to watch Spartan tonight. The film is about a secret service agent trying to find the president’s daughter. Well, there is a lot more depth to the plot then that, but that depth is harder to articulate. The dialog is bizarre; it is very minimalist and Hemingway-esque. The film has some interesting twists, and some stand-out scenes. There is also plenty of violence if you are into that. The movie was quite entertaining, and worth checking out.
You can read a real review of Spartan at Rotten Tomatoes
3 January 2005, the wee hours
I usually make it a point to make up my own mind up about movies. So I ignored Rishi’s reservations and mixed reviews at rotten tomatoes to watch Touch of Pink with Carvill today. Sometimes this doesn’t work out well. Today it did. Carvill and I both enjoyed the film. Touch of Pink is about an Indian boy living in London who is hiding his homosexuality from his mother who lives in Toronto. His mother comes to visit him at the start of the film and hilarity ensues. Also, the boy has an imaginary friend who is Carrey Grant. The movie was funny and at times quite touching. The actress who played the mother in the film is great. She did a great job at being your typical demanding and neurotic Indian mother. The Carrey Grant character was hilarious. This movie also featured a kick ass soundtrack. I recommend the film, it was quite good.
2 January 2005, early evening
Elf was an enjoyable film. The movie is ridiculous, and worth watching in that regard. Will Farrel is a funny guy, and it is fun watching him act like a little kid. The fact that he is this huge 6 feet tall dude adds to the absurdity of the film. The movie is about a human, who was raised by elves, who returns to New York to meet his father, a grouch of a man. The movie is better then your average Christmas movie, though hardly exceptional.
2 January 2005, mid-afternoon
Woman on Top is a charming comedy about voodoo, food, and romance. The film stars Penelope Cruz as a ravishing young lady who can cook like no other, but suffers from some serious motion sickness. The only way she can overcome her motion sickness is to be the one in the drivers seat at all times—hence the title of the film. Her husband cheats on her at the start of the movie, sick of never being on top, so she runs off to San Fransico which is where the film really begins. The movie has an amazing soundtrack. If you like bossa nova music you should definitely check this film out. The movie moves a bit slow, but is enjoyable to watch.
28 December 2004, early afternoon
I’m a really big Wes Anderson fan. Thankfully he did not disappoint with his latest film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The movie is about an aging Jacque Cousteau type figure who is trying to make one last film about the ocean before retiring—a film about the Jaguar Shark that supposedly ate his best friend. Like all of Anderson’s movies, this film is quite surreal; probably the most surreal of his four movies so far. His last three films, the ones I have seen, all feature estranged fathers and sons, estranged husbands and wives, and plenty of widows. Personal loss and tragedy seem to be a subject that Anderson is very interested in. There is a sort of subtle tragedy that permeates all his movies. None of his movies are sad per say, but there is definitely a sadness to them. I think this may be why I enjoy all his comedies so much. Like the rest of his films, this movie has a strong cast. Bill Murray is really a joy to watch, as are Kate Blanchett and Owen Wilson. Anderson frames and composes each shot so well. The scenes are really a pleasure to watch. Enough gushing from me, go watch the film and tell me what you think.
27 December 2004, terribly early in the morning
After a reasonably long day of boxing day shopping my friends and I returned to Scarborough to watch a movie. We ended up watching Shaun of the Dead. Despite plenty of DVD player mishaps, we managed to make it through the movie. As an aside, old PS2s suck at playing DVDs. Shaun of the Dead isn’t your typical zombie film. The movie is about a slacker who has to rise to the occasion and defend his friends and family from rampaging zombies. The movie is quite funny; the gore is quite gory; the acting is top notch. All in all this is a very solid film.
9 December 2004, late evening
Closer was amazing. I had high expectations for the film, and it really delivered. This film is basically about infidelity. There are four stars in the movie, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, Jude Law and Julia Roberts. The film follows their relationships. Clive Owen is absolutely brilliant in this film. Natalie Portman is also amazing; this is a role I could never imagine her playing. Rather then present how the relationships develop in a neat linear fashion, the director has opted to show the audience bits and pieces here and there. The audience is never told how much time has passed between scenes explicity, which I thought was really neat. Some scenes are separated by years, and others by minutes or days. The movie is very cynical. The characters use love and sex like weapons throughout the film as a means to hurt one another. I don’t want to go into any details, so I won’t. Watch the film; as I said, it’s amazing.
7 December 2004, late evening
Rishi and Mezan claimed for quite some time I watched An Honest Dealer with them; I’m sure I would have remember a movie this good. The story basically unfolds through flashbacks, the bulk of the movie occurring during a interrogation. The film is about a drug dealer who is basically brilliant at taking control of interrogations. He never slips up or looses his cool. The movie is really well done, and definitely worth checking out.
Normally I would link to more information on the movie, but I couldn’t find any. You can grab the film at Blockbuster; that is where we got it.
