The Tourist (December 25, 2010)

The much awaited, much anticipated double slam A-listers; only Jolie and Depp can pull off a movie as watchable as The Tourist.

Failed attempt on my part to watch Anthony Zimmer (yes, the movie was adapted from this Frenchy!) from start to finish on SBS because the pace was lacking but more so were my energy levels. I can't and won't compare the two because I know I will be bias, which is atypical of me to be prejudiced towards an American remake. Usually the original score gets the thumbs up (e.g. Let The Right One In)

What can I say... alone in Perth on a 40 degree Celcius day, I can't ask any less than to celebrate with the ever so charming Johnny Depp and the beguiling, sexy Angelina Jolie in a paparazzi swamped location like Venice. So what if it's cliche, over the top, predictable... there's a lot of class, a lot of ravishing (ravenous) hotties, and a lot of location shoots in my dream city. I am amazed how high pitched Angie can sound when she speaks French. It's nice to see her out of the tough love role and into the elegant, well mannered, all encompassing woman. As for Johnny Depp, I loved that he didn't have to repeat the quirks of Willy Wonka, Mad Hatter and Captain John Sparrow and just play the predictable lead male who gets the girl and everything else in the end. Perhaps I'm so used to seeing him with eyeliner now that I found his face being somewhat naked without them.

Pretty good escapism for a solo Christmas. I look foward to more movies like this.. with actors like that.

And Angie you're right.. it was hilarious that you got the Golden Globe nomination for Musical and Comedy category!

King's Speech (December 2010)

Splendid. Definitely oscar worthy for Firth and Rush.

It's hard watching HBC in such an unquirky role. She was very supportive though. Nice, but not fantastic. Her clothes were yuck.

Colin Firth really embraced the role with a lot of grace, charm and the princely role was so befitting for him.

I loved how Lionel insisted on having his sessions with his 'special patient' conducted in his own terms and stood his ground when Bertie digressed or was on the verge of giving up. Geoffrey Rush performed beautifully.

The premise of the movie is the King's curse of the stammer but it delves into a lot of personal issues surrounding family, sacrifice, fear, love and friendship. Typical of many movies you might think.. but the King's speech is very touching and classy.

==>> N A P O LEON DYNA M I T E (2004) <<==

So now I know where Guy Sebastian's fro came from.

*Joking!*

This is perhaps one of the best free rental I've pinched from the Library

(Note: I have been hunting down books and dvds from the library these days as part of the find-a-cheap-hobby project)

The movie may appear dull and unappealing but there's just so much humour behind the indie style. I loved the innocence surrounding Pedro, Napoleon and Tina.

My god, the dancing scene was such a jaw dropping moment.

Not "OMG this bucked teeth, ginger haired skinny white boy CAN DANCE?!?" but more like:

"OMG this guy has no fear, no shame and no second thoughts.. just went out there, did his gig and got his mate Pedro a gong for school President.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, WHERE DID THE GEEK LEARN TO GET MOVES LIKE THAT, TRY HARDER SUMMER, SO YOU THINK NAPOLEON CAN'T DANCE? WELL BOO ON YOU!"

check out Napoleon's dance

I'm still recovering from the joy of the dance.

It's the same soundtrack in Centre Stage, right? whoooaaa.. I reckon Napoleon's dance should be the official ambassador for this song!

This is the kind of movie that instills hope in everyone. Guys, girls and latin americans running for presidency.

If only there is a bit of Napoleon Dynamite in everyone.

The world will be a better place for all the Pedros'.

trivia: according to IMDB, Jon Heder received $1,000 for this role..??

Henry's Crime (Toronto International Film Festival: September 2010)

Will it show in Australia?

If yes, WHEN?

if no, WHY?

I've already been deprived of The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.

Please don't take Henry's Crime away from me!

Key facts:

Principal cast: Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, James Caan

Director: Malcolm Venville

Screenwriter: Sacha Gervasi, David White

Genre: Comedy, Crime.

check out Keanu's cute french message to Anvil from his trailer during the filming of Henry's Crime.

Viva Keanu!!

*Update on The Social Network* (BOO)

On Saturday I borrowed 'The Accidental Billionaires' (by Ben Mezrich) from the local library
Finished it on Monday.
I never finished a book in 3 days. I think my average is 2 months.

As you may have already known, The Social Network is adapted from this fantastic book

Yes, I knew about it when I saw the movie but I was blinded by Fincher's direction and creativity and swayed by the greatness of it all that I didn't think the author played a big part, maybe just an introduction to the idea of a Harvard dude developing facebook.

So I take back what I said about Sorchin. He's not brilliant. Ben Mezrich is the legend behind the success of the movie. He did so much of the research and work, all Sorchin had to do was to dialog the whole thing.
Sorchinism my ass.
The Facemash incident didn't happen that way.
The twins did not approach Mark that way.
Sean Parker had nothing to do with the phrase 'I'm CEO, bitch'
Kelly didn't just burn her present (which wasn't even a scarf), she burnt down the whole damn place.
... and what about the Fuck Truck?

At least be true to the book. I don't mind the added character (Erica). But I am not pleased with what you did, Sorchin. Twisting the story.
I am not happy that Ben Mezrich was not credited well enough.
IF this movie scored an award of some sort (yes, the Oscars are approaching) and no mention is made about Ben Mezrich I am going to be pissed as.

I think, regardless, I already am.

Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)

It was a hot sunny day and lazy day a dark, cold, quaint cinema seemed like a good way to use up my Sunday.

I didn't even feel that the movie is one of my must haves.

I just felt like hearing french.

The european quirkiness was apparent so that was one part of the movie that i appreciated. The comedic-schizo, childhood fantasy (see that pix of the long nose, big eared guy?) blended well with the plotless movie. For some reason I kept trying to compare Gainsbourg to Nine (for which I wouldn't have bothered if Cotillard wasn't in it!) and I guess the only mild similarity is the guy gets lots of girls.

Because I had no high expectations, I just allowed the dull biography lead me on from one minute to the next. I mean, it's not an interesting story.. but made interesting (slightly) by the imaginary long nose, edward scissorhand fingers, gigantic ears freak who seemed like his lifelong comrade. The songs were ok, not overly dramatic. The promiscuity and the affairs are typical french. And like a lot of french movies, you shouldn't try to make sense of it. Just let the artwork and direction take you on an aimless journey with no destination.

I thought his real name Lucien sounded more classy than Serge.

And I just realised Charlotte Gainsbourg is his daughter. She's yuck.

I will not recommend it if you paid full price and are in a mood for a pow wow movie like The Matrix or Fight Club.

Unless you have a craving for light, un-overpowering, pointless french entertainment then Gainsbourg may tick some boxes.

New York: I don't love you

what is it with the yanks and the obsession with foreign film remakes?

laziness. that's all I can think of.

lazy production. lazy arses. easy lazy money.

because this movie starts off with zero originality, I struggle to appreciate the themes, the inter connection and how it all blends together because of the american factor. Everything feels stolen and unbelonged. It's a very packed ensemble but the mild suttle undramatic anthology did not spoil the soup, so that's the only plus I can reluctantly blog about. Is this better than a Katherine Heigl type rom-com? Maybe. Is this something I'd pay to watch in the cinema? Nah-uh.

I don't even like Maggie Q or Shu Qi. I'm glad one of them was a hooker. But the manny did a contemporary dance that was tres bien.

I don't understand why Yvan Attal succumbed to the american temptation.

So now I have this urge to watch le originale and wash away the american toxin from my system. Paris Je T'aime, j'arrive!!

Position moi c'est neutral. Hate not, love not. If you are a fan of the Big Apple or interested in the yanks attempt to do their version of frenchy, rent the dvd.

I did it again (The Social Network)

not enough
had to have more.

... and more was good.

So why did I need round two.

In the first sitting my brain didn't work through Eisenberg's lightning speed vocal execution so I'm glad that I could get more out of this time around. How I was slow to register the hoodie f*ck me flip-flops part, the fish metaphor and the China talk. I still missed bits
about China and though that was such a brilliant opener.. i could live without fully comprehending it.

and perhaps on a more personal note, I wanted to observe how Mark Zuckerberg wittingly disgraced the people who vilified and mocked him.. and how they ended up being the sad clowns instead. Actually I wanted to intravenously feed all of Zuckerberg's lines into my system. Can I be that verbally astute one day?! It definitely takes a person like Jesse Eisenberg to pull that off with class and intimidation.

Congratulations TSN, the only movie I've watched twice in the cinema was Speed. It is an honour to crown The Social Network second place on my Reel of Fame.

ok folks, I'll make sure I watch a new movie the next week. happy reeling!

Lets Begin: The Social Network (October, 2010)

2 months to the next decade.

I've waited long enough this year for the birth of a great movie.

I am not a facebook junkie.
I hated how political, infringing and intrusive it can become.
I hate how people start collecting friends as a symbol of supreme recognition.


So why did I give a damn for a movie like The Social Network?

Well.
What's great:
Damn David Fincher for keeping the film dark, interwoven and slick. You're a genious for making a dialogue driven movie soo engaging.
Damn Aaron Sorchin for those scripts. Brilliant is an understatement. (damn my vocab!)
Damn Eisenberg for being the geek meets John Nash Gen Y genius behaving socially inept introvert who doesn't give a shit about anything other than facebook domination ... (exhales breathlessly~~) .. top grade performance

What's un-great:
Damn Andrew Garfield for not using his hot charming brit accent. okay okay!! he sounds great for an American.. still... (off tangent from the subject matter, but you are much hotter than Rob Pat)
Damn JT for ... grrr.. I don't know.. being so JT like. prickish and slappable.

I should elaborate more.

The Social Network would have done well without the element of facebook. The movie was intended to be fictional anyway, as there wasn't a responsibility to have an accurate representation of the real people in terms of having to feature what really happened because no one would truthfully know what really happened. I do however appreciate that the actors had a huge artistic commitment to perfect their roles which they did so well under the guidance of David Fincher. Yes, of course, the facebook factor was imperative to the success of the movie especially when the networking tool is so widely used among all generations and how easy it was to relate and identify with this cyber drug. This breeding global internet phenomenon makes it a magnet for the wondering minds who are intrigued by the founders of facebook so please just let The Social Network wow you on a journey that is absolutely mind blowing!

Jesse Eisenberg's performance was exceptional. Dude, where have you been all this while? I loved how you nailed the interpersonal characteristics of an aloof, morally defective whiz kid. You managed to breathe some life into the role with your display of vulnerability when Erika gave the emotional and verbal slaps. I loved that obnoxious looks you gave along with the countless streaks of intelligent insults for the big guns at Harvard and the twins. How unperturbed and distant you looked during the legal proceeding scenes. How ungrateful you made the character become and how friendship and loyalty is nothing but a hitchhike from one destination to the next. How you managed to not make me, as a viewer, despise you is beyond belief. There was so much to hate about yet you proved to be unhateable.

And Sorkin.. I loved the last part. "You are not an asshole, Mark. You just try so hard to be"

Conclusion
I was on such a high during the weekend and I think I still am. Went home and started researching all the characters and the actors' upcoming movies (except JT's). You name it, I did it: google, youtube, wiki, the lot. I was so intrigued by Zuckerberg, Eisenberg and Garfield. I am determined to watch this movie over and over again. At least 3x.

My opinions on facebook remain unchanged and I don't think movie was intended to alter my perception.

But geez. I cannot express how profoundly grateful I am to be a witness of an exceptional work of art.

My 2010 is now complete.