Da Vinci Code On Air...(20/5)

Despite poor critics and commentary about the opening film of this Cannes Festival, I went to see Da Vinci Code (DVC) this morning after accompanying two of my friends to visit Musee du Louvre...It's like an animated simulation between reality and fiction, or in-out of the cinema. Places appeared in the film like Le Louvre, Eglise Saint Suplice, panorama view of Paris city etc are actually metres away from the cinema at Odeon. Sometimes, critics with poor comments can be a catalyst to an appreciation of a film, like this, for example. I tried not to read any commentary before seeing the film, but rather better manage my expectation to the movie. My friend is correct that turning a successful novel into a good film is difficult, and so for readers of Dan Brown's DVC, there is hardly any way to visualise the story in front of their own imagination and interpretation. The posters of the film with a collection of the main characters in the film are actually satisfactorily designed.
Ron Howard, the director of the film, needs not be a fans of Indiana Jones. His treatment of the story appears to be catchy all along the story board of Dan Brown, but when the sequences are grouped together, DVC readers like me feel like lacking a passion and energy where the book has been successfully written. The development in the film is flat and it misses a clue of dynamism which does not necessarily transform into speed and action but there should be moments of atmospheric evolution. You will see from the beginning of the film that the story goes fast and efficient, but you don't feel much the feeling of the characters or the suspense the story is proud of. This is tiny thing but this is crucial.
Silas is the best character I like most in the story, and Paul Bettany acts shiny in the film too. A tragic character, but is the one who possesses the full sentiments and characters in the film. Some critics say that the actors in the film are poor, well, yes, but at the same time, this is the problem of the screenplay and editing.

Affiche de Festival de Cannes...(7/5)

The festival makes use of a shot of 'In The Mood for Love' of Wong Kar Wai as the official poster in 2006...This appears to be a bit outdated in a sense that the film has already been released for years and that the Cultural Year of China in France was over last year. It is only that Wong Kar Wai has assumed the role as the president of the jury panel that his poster might as a result been on for the festival. The image the organiser selected is a silhouette of Maggie Cheung on a cherish staircase in the film. The mood would be an art form of the films from Hong Kong (or better China?!) which the French people adore according to my understanding. This is equally symbolic when compared with the red lanterns or the harvesting red sorghum of Zhang Yi Mou. Actually the poster also recalls me the colour when Monica Bellucci walked in the subway in the film 'Irreversible'. When I was going back to work today, I saw the red light of the elevator staring at me with a mood for love, and I see this same beauty that the colour simply brings mania to the Western world with passion of where the Dragon is awaking.

Three Times...(26/11)

The higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Chosen as the selection of the Cannes Festival last May, the film is on screen in France at the moment...The film, as stated in its name, compiles love story three times in different timeline, 1911, 1965 and 2005. Every fifty years represents a change of the sense of value for the Chinese, and the perception to love, according to Hou, is not the same. Starting from the dream of love in 1965, it's a plain and unimpactful love pursue. Not having a mood of love, the story is as clear as water without a rational taste. The 1911 story is, on the other hand, a showcase of the home decoration of the era. It talks about the dream of liberty, and again, it does not leave a revolving bounce after watching. All the credits go to the special use of mime film technique of putting all the dialogues on screen instead of having any vocal. Interesting. 2005 is a modern story, but it is a superficial translation of the modern love affair. Three times disappointment, and that's all. To a certain extent, Hou falls into the trap of the success formula of Wong Kar Wai...in terms of filming and shots with non-stop smoking act. Something very unique for the filming character of Hou is the close up of the character while blurring the background at a longer distance. Very dreamy and artistic though...(C+)
see trailer at http://www.ocean-films.com/threetimes/videos.htm

Last Days...(28/5)

The new film by Gus Van Sant showcased at the Cannes Festival - Last Days plays a tribute to the legend of Grunge in the 90's. Inspired by the suicide incidence of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, the story takes a look of the last days of a rock n roll star before he ends his life due to the enormous pressure of fame and success... Blake in the film when answering the question of the Yellow Page salesman, has already indicated what a success is behind...it's always difficult to transform a legend onto the cinema screen, and this is not any exception. Though as clearly stated at the end of the film that the story is just inspired by Kurt, it is not possible for an audience to escape from the trap of symbolising the screenplay from the last moment of Kurt. "It's better to burn out than to fade away", a famous last word of Kurt quoted from Neil Young, the film lacks a sense of the frustration and disappointment of the top star. Michael Pitt tried to act in the film but his visage appears to me that this is yet a face for the end days of a star...on the other hand, he has written quite some songs for the films, of which the mood is exceptionally good. The scene of guitar solo and the wide angle from the outside of the house window to the character's addiction to his only music world is destructively beautiful. This is always a kind of film that wakes me up...the appearance of Kim Gordon is a credit to the film...as Sonic Youth was one of the most influential bands to Nirvana during its early days. Thurston Moore handles the music arrangement for the film, and from the ending song of the films or the surrounding sound effects during the film, you can tell that Sonic Youth is such an avant garde music group now...cool!