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Before I sit down and type an update about everything that's actually going on in my life, which is a lot, a few reviews.
Deerskin (Robin McKinley): In the preface, the author says she started with the perhaps little-known story "Donkey Skin" and wrote from there. A good read and not very long, though it took me longer than it should have to read, because it did deal with some rather nasty stuff -- if you know "Donkey Skin", you can imagine what it is. If you don't, then get your hands on a copy of Peau d'âne with Catherine Deneuve (now on DVD!), if only to see her dresses couleur du temps, couleur de lune and couleur de soleil. Also, it's a joyful and kid-friendly version of what is essentially a fairly disturbing tale of a father-daughter relationship. Also, it has a witch spitting frogs! The movie, that is, not the book Deerskin, though you should check it out too if you come across it. Hurray for a happy ending with a not-super-handsome-but-kind-and-smart prince!
The Cup: I'd seen this a long time ago and bought the DVD because it's such a sweet little movie, it seemed like a good thing to have around.
Infernal Affairs: Another one I'd seen before. Tight, great story, Tony Leung and Andy Lau are perfectly matched and it's anxiety-inducing to watch them try to outwit each other. On the second viewing I found the music a bit intrusive in places, but I don't recall it bothering me the first time. Love the envelope plot-point.
As an aside, I only recently realised that The Departed (which I haven't seen) is "the american remake with Leonardo DiCaprio" of this film. Everyone's saying The Departed is excellent, so I'm not ruling out seeing it, but honestly? It doesn't have Tony Leung. There's just something about that man's face, his eyes, that I love.
A Good Woman: I'd never heard of this movie (featuring Helen Hunt and Scarlett Johansson) until I bought the DVD, on sale for $8.99. I bought it because I figured that it would at least have some nifty 1930's outfits, but it turned out to be a nice little movie, and SHORT. I mean, I wasn't aware they even made movies that run under an hour and a half! Gorgeous clothes, lovely leading ladies, Amalfi coast, total eye-candy. And there's a story, too!
Peter Pan: I must confess that I never particularly cared for the story of Peter Pan. I remember seeing the Disney version when I was about nine years old or so and being less excited about the movie than about the fact that we'd seen it at the cinema! Give me a break, we'd recently moved Down South and had little money; it was only the fourth or fifth time I'd been to an actual movie theatre. Maybe I instinctively felt that the Disney version was too happy, that at its heart Peter Pan is rather dark. Growing up is a scary business. At any rate, in this film version I found the undertones I knew were there, in the way Wendy relates to and affects the men and boys around her. My mother thought it disturbing ("Peter and Wendy are looking at each other like adults, not the way kids do!") but I thought it captured what I remember it feels like to be twelve and discovering yourself in other people's eyes.
Constantine: I like. To me, this is how a comic book should be made into a movie. The cinematography, the colours, that visuals were all wonderful. And Tilda Swinton? I didn't really like her White Witch, but I LOVED her Gabriel. The only thing I'm not too keen on in movie is Lucifer, but that's only because I like Neil Gaiman's version of him so much.
Deerskin (Robin McKinley): In the preface, the author says she started with the perhaps little-known story "Donkey Skin" and wrote from there. A good read and not very long, though it took me longer than it should have to read, because it did deal with some rather nasty stuff -- if you know "Donkey Skin", you can imagine what it is. If you don't, then get your hands on a copy of Peau d'âne with Catherine Deneuve (now on DVD!), if only to see her dresses couleur du temps, couleur de lune and couleur de soleil. Also, it's a joyful and kid-friendly version of what is essentially a fairly disturbing tale of a father-daughter relationship. Also, it has a witch spitting frogs! The movie, that is, not the book Deerskin, though you should check it out too if you come across it. Hurray for a happy ending with a not-super-handsome-but-kind-and-smart prince!
The Cup: I'd seen this a long time ago and bought the DVD because it's such a sweet little movie, it seemed like a good thing to have around.
Infernal Affairs: Another one I'd seen before. Tight, great story, Tony Leung and Andy Lau are perfectly matched and it's anxiety-inducing to watch them try to outwit each other. On the second viewing I found the music a bit intrusive in places, but I don't recall it bothering me the first time. Love the envelope plot-point.
As an aside, I only recently realised that The Departed (which I haven't seen) is "the american remake with Leonardo DiCaprio" of this film. Everyone's saying The Departed is excellent, so I'm not ruling out seeing it, but honestly? It doesn't have Tony Leung. There's just something about that man's face, his eyes, that I love.
A Good Woman: I'd never heard of this movie (featuring Helen Hunt and Scarlett Johansson) until I bought the DVD, on sale for $8.99. I bought it because I figured that it would at least have some nifty 1930's outfits, but it turned out to be a nice little movie, and SHORT. I mean, I wasn't aware they even made movies that run under an hour and a half! Gorgeous clothes, lovely leading ladies, Amalfi coast, total eye-candy. And there's a story, too!
Peter Pan: I must confess that I never particularly cared for the story of Peter Pan. I remember seeing the Disney version when I was about nine years old or so and being less excited about the movie than about the fact that we'd seen it at the cinema! Give me a break, we'd recently moved Down South and had little money; it was only the fourth or fifth time I'd been to an actual movie theatre. Maybe I instinctively felt that the Disney version was too happy, that at its heart Peter Pan is rather dark. Growing up is a scary business. At any rate, in this film version I found the undertones I knew were there, in the way Wendy relates to and affects the men and boys around her. My mother thought it disturbing ("Peter and Wendy are looking at each other like adults, not the way kids do!") but I thought it captured what I remember it feels like to be twelve and discovering yourself in other people's eyes.
Constantine: I like. To me, this is how a comic book should be made into a movie. The cinematography, the colours, that visuals were all wonderful. And Tilda Swinton? I didn't really like her White Witch, but I LOVED her Gabriel. The only thing I'm not too keen on in movie is Lucifer, but that's only because I like Neil Gaiman's version of him so much.
