let's do quickie!

a quick round-up of film reviews before i ... well ... oh, here goes!



A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005)



Comment:
Indeed, the film works like a lesson to learn as we trace how a state of being violent comes up and grows within unexpected circumstances. Throughout the learning process, the story will grip and hold us tight, forcing us to digest the overblown gory scenes that actually ring true to the nature of violence itself: merciless, yet forgiving and compromising towards the kind gestures. Like any medicine, the film might be painful to swallow, yet the effect is relieving.



LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004) – German



Comment:
It could have been more engaging had the director chosen his poetic point of view from Daniel Bruhl’s character. Alas, the breathtaking cinematography is more than enough to redeem the almost unbearable pace in seeing youngster of 1920s play around with their boredom.



OLIVER TWIST (2005)



Comment:
Surprisingly easy to follow, the film marvels in its straight-narrative story telling, which makes the film may look conventional, and in pale comparison to Polanski’s other previous works. I still resist to categorize the film as having ‘a faithful adaptation’ since the meaning might vary among different audience, yet the film still barely manages to escape the standard Hallmark’s fare.



THE EDUKATORS (2004) – German



Comment:
The film’s social commentary might be the main highlight of the film, and actually, there’s nothing much to offer apart from that. However, the film has a compelling way to play around with the youth’s naughtiness that in turn, makes the film a compelling to watch as well.



PERHAPS LOVE (2005) – China/HK



Comment:
The musical scenes are amazing, if not tribute to Hollywood’s majestic beauty of the genre, so much so that even tribute to musical-tribute “Moulin Rouge” is obvious enough in one of Jacky Cheung’s numbers. Yet, it proves to be the major highlight of the film, since only Cheung who seems to be at utmost ease in conveying his role. Life imitates art, I suppose, as how the story goes, and as what is seen on the big screen.