Saturday, April 26, 2003
TRAILER OF THE WEEK
The Italian Job, May 30 Just what the world needs: another heist flick, and another remake. I just want to see Ed Norton and Jason Statham.
Hero (2002) This was China's representative among the nominations for Best Foreign Film this year. It didn't win, but it's a dad-gum gorgeous movie. You may be wondering how I got my hands on a film that isn't set for a stateside theatrical release until November. Well, I'll tell you. My kung fu buddy Richard ordered the DVD straight from Hong Kong. It was a little tricky finding the English subtitles as all the menus were in Chinese.
Its about a nameless swordsman (played by Jet Li) as he tells the king how he defeated the king's three most wanted assassins. It's got a little bit of Rashomon to keep you on your toes. It's going to draw a lot of comparisons to Crouching Tiger for the action. The music is very similar, too. But I don't think western audiences and critics are going to find it quite as accessible. I, personally, liked it better. I tell you what, though, those Chinese aren't ones for clean, happy endings.
What I can't get out of my head is the sumptuous cinematography. Color explodes out of every frame and each one is a gorgeous picture by itself. This movie is just a beautiful work of art. Just a film of beauty.
Thursday, April 24, 2003
TRAILER OF THE WEEK
I've been slacking. No excuses.
Pirates of the Caribbean July 9. Legolas goes a'swashbuckin' a la Douglas Fairbanks. But it is directed by Gore Verbinski (The Mexican) and produced by Jerry "Let's Blow Stuff Up" Bruckheimer.
Gandhi (1982)
Phenomenal. In the genre of biopics, find me a better one. Among important films of the 80s, perhaps only E.T. can be mentioned in the same breath. I mean, just scroll through the other Oscar winners of its time. Gandhi was well deserving of all 9 of its Oscars, including Best Picture (it beat E.T.), Director for Richard Attenborough (remember the grandpa in Jurassic Park?) and Actor for Ben Kingsley, who simply amazes as the Indian saint of humanity in the 20th century. I'm not well versed in the life of the historical Gandhi, and I'm sure there's as much myth as fact to his life, so I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of the movie, but it certainly stands alone as a film very well. Entertaining. Educational. Even inspirational.