Kiki’s Delivery Service
This movie never fails to inspire me. It might have been written for children but it’s great to watch whenever one is in doubt of oneself, as I have been lately. Like all Miyazaki movies, it has a lesson to be learned, and I think it’s this:
There is something in all of us that we are good at. Sometimes, you will lose confidence or the ability to do those thing. Remember that there are those who are grateful for your work ethic. Find your inspiration, take a break if necessary and help those in need whenever you can. Through courage and selflessness, you will be able to achieve great things.
Ran, 1985 (dir. Akira Kurosawa)
By jackspearing
Kurosawa + Shakespeare (King Lear) + Samurai = genius
Sick Week Movies
Last week, I was sick with a cold. Bored at home, I decided to make use of the $9 service I was paying Netflix for and watch movies that I’ve heard/read about but haven’t had the time to watch.
Farewell My Concubine
Long, historical drama about the life of two Chinese opera singers. Dieyi lives and breathes the melodrama he performs in the female role while Xiaolou lives by his own convictions. In between them is Juxian, played by the beautiful Gong Li, who wants to better her life at any cost.
I’ve seen her already in To Live and Judou, where she also plays women caught in China’s 20th century upheaval. Her characters are always complex and forced to make difficult choices, although in this one, her role is more villainous. Leslie Cheung is really effective as Dieyi, a primadonna whose dedication to Xiaolou and to his art make his betrayal and downfall very heartbreaking. History and politics permeate through the abuse China takes from its abusive elders, Japanese conquerors and upstart Communist children.
The Kids Are Alright
Appreciative depiction of an alternative family headed by 2 lesbian mothers (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore) that gets turned upside down when their children seek out their biological father (Mark Ruffalo), who is not who they expected to be.
I thought the sentiment of the movie, that all families share specific dynamics that should be respected, is very well discussed, although through somewhat conventional plot means (lots of sex, coming of age). Annette Bening’s character is great as always as the mother who shows the most resistance to Mark Ruffalo’s charms and Julianne Moore is also great, although her role involved more sex than I was comfortable with. The kids (Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson) do a good job depicting the normalcy of growing up with two moms that annoy them but love them dearly.
The Piano
Quiet but alarming story about a mute Scottish woman Ada (Holly Hunter) and her daughter (Anna Paquin) who move to New Zealand to marry a man she’s never met (Sam Neill, when he isn’t being chased by dinosaurs). She brings her treasured piano along the way, through which she expresses herself. However, she enters an adulterous affair with another settler who holds the piano hostage but better appreciates her musical gift.
The depiction of New Zealand during the 19th century was somewhat of a surprise to me, as was its broad use of sign language and music. The romance Ada enters is somewhat perverse (the guy promises to give her the piano in exchange for “favors” like touching her and standing naked). In the end, all the adults are creepy to me, although they’re trapped by the conventions of their time and place. The climax is quite surprising and I really admire Holly Hunter for taking on a role with no words in it, where’s she’s trapped speechless in a world of men. Too bad the Maori’s depiction wasn’t less 2 dimensional (watching Whale Rider might cure that).
Between the Folds
Documentary about the art of origami, its artistic innovations and potential as a serious medium for science and mathematics, recommended to me by Tommy. The art itself is quite beautiful as it explores origami not just as a static representation of reality but of abstraction, movement and ultimately as a model for biology, engineering and math. I also didn’t know its recent Japanese roots or its international appeal While it didn’t make me want to fold paper, I appreciated its message on how art and science aren’t necessarily so separate and how seemingly pointless pursuits like origami have practical applications if one pursues them thoroughly and often.
Watched The Graduate today. Not a very comfortable movie to watch with your parents (who have seen it already) but worth seeing if you just graduated from college. My dad jokingly asks, “Have you thought about grad school?” and my mom already asks about where I go in the evening.
I also understand the ending more and why (500) Days of Summer featured it so prominently. The thrill of their romance attained is gone. Consequences and their uncertain future carries them forward.
Saw Littlerock today. It was like Lost In Translation but in reverse, where visiting a foreign place isn’t just passing through but immersing yourself in the local eccentricities. I was somewhat surprised at the end that the reason why Atsuko and Rintaro came to California was related to internment. It gave some (late) insight into why Atsuko decides to stay in Littlerock; to understand a place that treated her family like a foreigner and subsequently treats her as one with a more curious welcomeness.
Overall, the use of Japanese/English dialogue was effective and the lack of understanding among the actors was sincere. It gave some good humor in scenes and kept the viewer’s focus on Atsuko rather than her more easily understood American counterparts. Some of the acting was a little passive/awkward and it meandered at parts but it kept my interest through its quiet shots of rural, decaying California through Atsuko’s attentive eyes. A quiet independent film for those wanting to observe America through a foreigner’s eyes.
Hoping to see this movie on Sunday at the Royal T in Culver City. It’s called “LiTTLEROCK” and it’s about two Japanese siblings and their vacation in rural America. The trailer is quiet but intriguing as they get more disillusioned with their surroundings. I’ll write a review about it if I manage to see it.
Just watched Bright Star. It makes me want to appreciate poetry again (all those Odes and what not), without all the tedious analyzing. The movie itself was quiet, a little difficult to understand through the accents, and well shot, contrasting the British seasons with historical costumes. The romance is tangible, innocent and the acting is understated, even through its tragic end. I definitely appreciate Keats more now as a person as well as an poet.
PS: Thanks to the intro/credits, I now have Mozart’s “Serenade No. 10 for Winds in B flat major, K. 361 - III. Adagio” stuck in my head.
(Source: whitneyjustesen)
Before Sunrise
I think this movie, Before Sunrise, is what I pictured falling in love to be like when I was younger. It would start with meeting a total stranger, talking on some caffeine-buzzed exchange of ideas, and being honest, witty and cheerful. In that fantasy, I wouldn’t be necessarily myself but I would be a variation of myself, aware of my flaws so I could temper them in an attempt to seem impressive. Details and slight attractions would arise within a short period of time into an engulfing feeling. I would never think about the long term about where this would lead to or what another person outside of that situation would think of our time. In that fantasy, I’d just be focused on the moment and I like that in this movie, they attempt to keep it within a moment, an evening, because it keeps true to that contingency and its nature.
Postscript: I feel like I’m ranting and all my embracing of romantic conventions is giving me cognitive dissonance. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that attempts at maturity makes things more complicated than they need to be. I guess I should just rent the sequel now.
moviesinframes: Volver, 2006 (Pedro Almodóvar) Submitted by jcleto
Just finished this movie. It’s quite beautiful, saturated in color, Spanish culture and life. The plot twists are great and Penelope Cruz is stunning to watch. Even my mother stayed awake through the whole thing, which is rare when she watches movies. I’ll have to watch more Pedro Almodovar films now.
Casper’s Lullaby by James Horner with Jordan Hill (from Casper:The Motion Picture OST - 1995)
This song instrumental reminds me of fall and Halloween. I think it’s the sad piano melody that gets me. The idea of lost childhood and the inevitable change of seasons. I should watch the movie again for the sake of nostalgia. I admit that I had a crush on pre-teen Christina Ricci when I was younger :X.
movied-out weekend
All About Eve was impeccably acted by all but Bette Davis really stole the show. Ikiru was slow, bored my parents but quite existential on Japanese bureaucracy. Days of Being Wild lacked focus but the color saturation was great (I’m not sure why Tony Leung was in the end). Departures (Okuribito) was sentimental (and shot) like a J-drama and it made my mom cry. The Princess and the Frog had a thin storyline and no memorable songs but it was a decent comeback for Disney musicals.
rosemary’s baby and chinatown
Before this weekend, I’ve only seen one movie by Roman Polanski (The Pianist), which he won Best Director for. I was curious about his work given all the media frenzy around his escape from the United States over charges in the 1970s over raping a 13-year old girl and the senseless death of his wife, Sharon Tate, during the Manson family murders. So, I tried to see his past work to understand why people still respect him as an artist, before his personal tragedies and crimes overshadowed all that.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968) was really creepy, but not in an in-your-face gory way that most horror films are nowadays. The horror is based in its premise and the manipulation of Mia Farrow’s innocence. Plot-wise, it’s about a young couple who move into an apartment in New York with unusually nosy neighbors. The wife gets pregnant and starts to suspect that her unborn baby and her neighbors have demonic ties. The cinematography is restrained and claustrophobic, since it mostly takes place in the apartment. There’s a strong sense of 1960s fashion shown in Mia Farrow’s multiple costume changes and iconic page-boy haircut. She really grounds the film with her innocence and genuine fear as she’s manipulated towards the cliffhanger ending.
Chinatown (1974) takes place in 1920s Los Angeles when the city is on the verge of expanding into the San Fernando Valley. In the process, it takes on a film-noir type of plot that investigates the murder of the head of the Department of Water and Power. I like movies that contextualize California’s history (There Will Be Blood and Sunset Boulevard to name a few) and this movie taught me just how shady Los Angeles’ origins have been, especially regarding its water supply. Faye Dunaway is really good as the femme fatale with a disturbing secret and Jack Nickelson as the detective trying to do right. In the end, the idea of a “Chinatown” is less of a racialized place but more of a state of mind, where no one is immune from corruption and no one can escape from it.
