Films 2010 (Part 2)

Inception(2010)
I had high anticipation for this film and I tried not to read the reviews beforehand but it was not easy. Honestly, unlike the critics, I was quite disappointed with Christopher Nolan's new film. I think Nolan is a talented director because it must be hard to maintain creative freedom in Hollywood where studios have tight control over every aspect of the production. Over the years, Nolan has proved that big Hollywood blockbusters don't have to follow the same formula and that audiences are more open-minded than the studios think. However, this film is too long, over-complicated (unlike others, the ending didn't bother me much because I had already lost interest by then!) and self-indulgent. Was it really necessary to film in all those locations esp. the snowy one? By that point, it wasn't just the plot that was confusing but I couldn't even figure out who was who because they were all wearing the same gear and goggles! I admire Nolan's vision, creativity and bravery but I think this film is over-rated despite the excellent cast, cinematography and special effects. As a Hollywood blockbuster, this film is a cut above the rest, but it is merely a well-crafted piece of entertainment and nothing more. And regarding the film's ending? Honestly, I don't give a damn.

Un prophete (2009)
Finally I managed to see this award-winning film and it is a powerful film that deserved the raving reviews. Although the storyline is not very original, and the lead is not the typical ‘nice’ guy, in fact, he is a criminal who kills and gets involved in all kinds of crime. However, the film succeeds in making the audiences empathise with this character and we see his action as merely self-defence or a way of survival in a harsh and cruel environment. The acting is convincing and like La Haine and irreversible, this is a departure from the French cinema that we are used to.

The secrets in their eyes (2009)
I was sceptical about this Argentinean film before seeing it because I simply don’t trust the Oscars. After beating ‘Un prophere’ and ‘The white ribbon’, like everyone else, I was curious but quite cynical. I still think that ‘The White ribbon’ should have won, because it is original, powerful but perhaps too subtle for the American judges?! Having said that, this film is dark, artistic, elegant, and emotionally engaging, so it’s unfair to compare it with the other two films because they are very different.
In this film, the story concentrates on a crime/ murder that took place 25 years ago, then as the film unfolds, we learn that there’s also a love affair that never managed to blossom. The film is about love, friendship, injustice, suppressed emotions and regrets. I find the relationship between the 2 leads quite touching, perhaps it’s due to the subtle but excellent performances. However, the overall tone of the film is quite intense, grim and slightly predictable.

Vincere(2009)
I find it hard to pinpoint my feelings towards this Italian film. I think the concept is interesting but in terms of execution, the film is full of flaws. Giovanna Mezzogiorno is excellent as Ida Dalser, but I have reservations about Filippo Timi's Benito Mussolini. He lacks charisma, and even though I know he is playing a larger than life character, I still find his acting over dramtic and lacks depth. I think the film is too long and the style of direction inconsistent, though not a masterpiece, it is still worth seeing due to the unusual concept and high standard of production.

Il gattopardo/ The Leopard (1963, newly restored)
Being named as the most beautiful film ever made, this Luchino Visconti film does not disappoint even after 47 years! I saw this newly restored version at the Los Angeles film festival inside the beautiful Art deco Orpheum Theatre. A perfect setting for this vuluptuous film! And to my surprise, the place was completely packed despite being 3 hours long! The settings, costumes, art direction and cinematography are all superb and the detail is hard to fault esp. the famous ballroom scene. Burt Lancaster excelled as Prince Salina but it is equally fascinating to watch the young, handsome and energetic Alain Delon as his nephew, Tancredi. (I also overheard some guys describing Claudia Cardinale as a 'babe' after the screening!)
Surprisingly, there was laughter throughout the screening... mostly due to the seemingly humourous comments made by Prince Salina and Angelica Sedara.
This is no doubt a classic within the classics, (it has inspired countless of films like The Godfather and many Scorsese films) and it should be best appreciated in a cinema/ theatre setting so that you won't miss out on all the little detail in the background.

Les Herbes Folles/ Wild Grass (2009)
One of the weirdest films I have seen so far of this year! I saw L'année dernière à Marienbad for the first time last year, it took me quite a while to get into that dreamy state, but I also know that it is a film that requires second or even multiple viewings. Although I struggled a bit watching it, I cannot doubt its artistic value and originality. Hence watching the latest film by the 87 year old director, Alain Resnais, I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed and utterly confused! Perhaps the director is playing a joke on us because the film's plot is almost incomprehensable and as viewers, it's hard to differentiate what is reality and what is fantasy (in a way, it is similar to L'année dernière à Marienbad). The tone of the film is colourful and playful, which I think is the director's attempt to reinvent himself and challenge the viewers' preconceptions esp. those familiar with his older work. It probably requires a second viewing but I honestly don't think I can handle the frustration again. I think Resnais has once again proved that he is still a master of emotional manipulation (I don't mean it in a negative way) and it will be hard to find his replacement when he is no longer with us.

The Ghost/ Ghost writer (2010)
I have always enjoyed Roman Polanski's films, but I think his best films were made about 40 or 50 odd years ago! I watched 'Repulsion' on tv recently and I still find it very cool, creepy and disturbing! Polanski is a master of 'psychological drama/ thriller', but somehow, he has lost his ‘edge’ in the recent years. Despite the critics claiming this to be his best in years, I find it quite disappointing. Yes, the mood of the film is still dark but somehow it feels more mainstream (perhaps because of the all-star cast) and I just don’t think the storyline is that interesting. Will Polanski ever be able to make films like ‘The tenant’, ‘Rosemary’s baby’ and ‘Chinatown’ again? I have my doubts...

True stories (1986)
I saw this at the Barbican's Architecture on film event, but I never expected it to be so bizarre, quirky and funny. This is probably not one of those films that critics like because it is a bit clumsy in terms of direction and quite silly and pointless at times but it reminds me of John Waters' and Jim Jarmusch's films esp. during the same period. It is one of those films that you should watch with your heart and not your head. The most surprising thing about this film is that it is still refreshing to watch after almost 15 years, it is not merely a film but an 'observation essay' on the American culture. Being a David Byrne film, it's hardly surprising that music plays an important part, but Ed Lachman's cinematography is equally compelling. Its style and use of vivid colours are similar to photographs of Martin Parr and John Hinde. I think Byrne's nerdy and weird narrating character works well with other larger-than-life characters in the films. I also love the fact the most characters have no names, they are simply called 'the lying woman' and 'the cute woman' etc, it's so cool! The films touches on consumerism, fashion, architecture, religion, love and dysfunctional families... what more can you ask for in 90 mins?! Despite its obvious flaws, it is still one of its kind. Original and entertaining.

Eccentricities of a blonde-headed girl (2009)
I had no expectations before seeing this, a film directed by the 101-year old Portuguese director, Manoel de Oliveira; yet I was really quite pleasantly surprised by it! Based on a 18th century novel, this film is set in contemporary Lisbon, but the mood, setting and manner feel very ‘old-fashioned’ in a quirky kind of way. I love the cinematography, the nostalgic factor and the ‘odd’ approach. Yes, it’s a love story but it’s also about the reality of ‘love’, i.e. like Macário, we tend to project our ideals onto our those we ‘love’ and inevitably fall out of love when our ideals don’t match the reality. It’s hard to believe that this fun, bizarre and refreshing film was directed by the oldest working director in the industry today! Bravo!

Enter the void (2010)
I attended the screening of the original 160 minute version with Q & A session, although Gaspar Noé attended the event, the Q & A did not take place for some odd reason. A group of us went and apart from 2 who enjoyed it, most of us are not convinced.
In terms of visual or cinematopgraphy, it is very stimulating and original esp. with the typographic opening scene and the use of camera esp. shooting from above. However, the shaky handheld camera style at the beginning made me feel nausea, and I know I wasn't the only one experiencing this at the cinema! Although it eventually stopped, the continuous use of camera from various angles esp. from above becomes repetitive and tedious at the end.
The film is more like an experiment for the director, who uses visual (mostly provocative, sexual, bold and graphic images) and sound to stimulate and challenge the audiences' limits. While some may enjoy the trippy and dreamy experience, I think the film starts to go downhill after the initial 30 mins. And here are the problems:
1. Too long! I realised that there is probably a good reason why the film was cut down to 142 minutes! Honestly, it should have been cut down to 90 mins!
2. Shallow and poor storyline! If a film relies solely on the experience of the senses without a strong storyline or good actors to support, it is a film without substance. The cherry-picking style and implication of Freudism and Buddhism used in the film is quite laughable and totally predictable.
3. Bad acting. Paz de la Huerta 's bimbo (supposedly naive and vulnerable?) character is very annoying and it's hard to believe that she has been acting since a kid. She just can't act!!!
4. The constant use of provocative images i.e. the unnecessary abortion and car crash scenes, and (the almost amusing) virgina scene, is so embarrassingly tasteless that you kinda feel bad for the director! An effort to repackage porn as art has been done before, it's nothing new... but the director's exploitative and manipulative style has put me off his future films.
As a MTV, this is a stunning piece of work, but as a feature film, it is over-hyped, cliched, shallow and narcissistic. It should have been made before the recession and not after... rather pointless.

L’illusioniste (2010)
One of the most complex yet wonderful film released this year! This animation based on a script by Jacques Tati and is beautifully made, although there are some minor flaws, it's hard to not appreciate its sincerity and artistic merits. Instead of Prague, Edinburgh is chosen as the location, it's depicted as wet and gloomy but the details are shockingly realistic. There is hardly any dialogue (mostly in Gaelic anyway) but words are not necessary in this case. There are many humourous moments during the 30 mins of the film, but then the tone changes and it becomes rather heavy as it progresses. The film subtly illustrates the changes in social values and the demise of performance artists such as illusionists and mime puppet artists. However, the film's main focus is on the ambiguous relationship between the girl and the illusionist. Although it'supposed to represent Tati's real-life relationship with his daughter, it's hard to understand the motives behind the illusionist's generousity and tolerance towards the girl. It's also hard to be sympathetic towards the girl because of her emotional and materialistic neediness. Their relationship seems to reflect the reality of many dysfunctional/ narcisstistic relationships. A narcissistic taker who manipulates to get what she wants regardless of the other person's needs and a giver who avoids his own needs by constantly trying to please the taker until he is completly drained and the taker finds a new target. Although Tati learnt his lesson in the end, however, as a piece of animation, it is surprisingly dark and psychologically complex.
Despite all the doom and gloom, I still think it is an outstanding achievement by director, Sylvain Chomet, who has created an animation for adults over 30. You will appreciate it if you have experienced regrets, love, kindness and loneliness, it's sad but extremely realistic.


Documentaries:

The cove (2009)
It's almost impossible to watch this without getting angry and emotional. The cruelty of the Japanese fishermen towards the dolphins shown in this documentary is hard to justify. Some call this act as 'Japanese nationalism', because the Japanese don't like the West interfering with their internal affairs and so they choose to ignore the continuous outcry from West. If that is the case, then it is a very sad one because as we all know dolphins are very intelligent and get along esp. well with humans. Once again, the documentary reveals that humanity's worst enemy is us, human beings. If we carry on destroying our planet and upsetting the ecosystem, we are paving the path for self-destruction. What is the world going to be like in 10/20/50 years' time? I can't even imagine...

Just trial and error (2009)
Despite our advances in science and technology, we humans still don't know much about consciousness. This documentary invites Antony Gormley, two neuroscientists and an internet entrepreneur to explore the complex and mysterious world of consciousness. I attended a screening at the Barbican which included a Q & A session with director, Alex Gabbay, Twain Luu and Brian Butterworth. The subject is extremely fascinating and the film reveals many interesting facts about the consciousness of humans and even bees. However, due to the complexity of the topic, the documentary suffers from information overload... an hour is really not enough for audiences to fully digest the information presented. And this carried on during the Q & A, where speakers talked endlessly about their latest discovery but not fully engaging with the audiences. I feel that it is a missed opportunity to generate more public interests on the most perplexing and yet intriguing aspects of human beings.

Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine (2008)
Most people are familiar with Bourgeois' work esp. her giant spider (I have already seen it in London, Tokyo, Upstate New York and Seoul), but not many of us know what she is really like. This documentary reveals the 'real' Bourgeois: direct, eccentric, difficult and extremely sharp. We also learn about her past, inspirations and how she works. Just like her work, her personlity is a larger than life and it's utterly fascinating to watch her on screen. This documentary is a must for her fans and all art lovers!