The Duchess (2008)

It reminds me of Marie Antoinette, but the Duchess is a more political and inspirational film, and it ends more abruptly than M.A.... it makes me wonder... were all aristo women back in that time acting like that?

one thing I'm quite disappointed with this film is that Keira is being typecast as period drama heroines, although her ethereal beauty is cut out for those roles, but I'd be more happy to see her in modern films. 

The Duchess is not those girlish movies like M.A., it's about politics, love and marriage in a more grown up sense. The most intriguing thing that astonishes me is the menage a trois among Georgiana, her husband and her best friend. What is, seriously, the problem with this couple? Doesn't she has the power to drive away her friend from their house?! Georgiana has to take the blame for some reasons that she can't give up her friend for her marriage. what a sensible woman... 

Wife. Husband. Friend. Lover.

The Edge of Love (2008)

it's nothing like Atonement (Whoever says it looks like Atonement seriously needs to rewatch the whole thing) except for the fact that it's set in the war time, and it involves Keira Knightley and her speaking "come back". 

The theme is broad- platonic love, obsessive love, familial love, passionate love... Everything is in there. 

The story chronicles the life of Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet and the relationship between he and his wife, Caitlin (Sienna Miller), his childhood sweetheart Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley) and Vera's soldier husband William Killick (Cillian Murphy). 

It's a beautiful and moving bio pic about a group of people who are entangled in a relationship that is only clear to them, and the script is written perfectly. Although I still have to admit that I like Joe Wright's filming techniques and everything (The scenery is superb and the music as well!!!) John Maybury's film dazzles me when he doesn't go the way of filming a cliched war epic. It's heartbreaking but it's also bohemian-ish and playful, you can actually feel the female bond established by Sienna and Keira in the film. 

Cillian Murphy's role is a bit psychotic. He can't adapt to the environment that Dylan lives in after he comes back from the war, showcasing the mentality of soldiers back then who were traumatised by the war. 

and I never knew Keira can sing like that! I mean she has the style of a 40s cabaret singer. It reminds me of those songs sung by Edith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald, all cheeky and romantic and soft. 

Overall, I'd give the film a 8.5/10 rating for its script, cinematic grandeur, in-depth portrayal of characters' minds and its broad range of theme that everyone can respond to even in this day and age. From the film, I just get to know more about Dylan Thomas and how great a poet he is. 

One of my favourite quotes:

"First love's alright as far as it goes, but last love, that's what I'm interested in."

-William Killick

It's become something of a motto for me. Some people can't get over their first love like Vera Phillips, but come to think of it, when you have gone through the feverish period of having a first love, you'll always be on the search of someone that you can hold on to forever, no matter how many breakups you have gone through, and that's the essence of the line.  

The Dark Knight (2008)

TDK is not really my favourite Batman film in the franchise, but Nolan sure did recreate a cast of characters that is esentially dark and flawed.

Bruce Wayne is no longer the really just n' good guy in the previous films. you can also view him as a man tortured by the fact that he's trying to be an equal of Dent, the much loved DA in GC. Heath Ledger's Joker is more neurotic and much more of a psychopath, and he could send a chill down your spine when he laughs with that disturbing and eerie voice. Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent is seen as a destroyed and disillusioned man, one who fights for justice - the White Knight of Gotham City - but ended up tortured by fate. I was kind of destroyed too... when all the time I thought Batman would save Rachel Dawes - it's more of a symbolism in saving Dent, because by that it means Batman tries to restore justice and fairness in the world even to the extent of forgoing his own world.

Sometimes, the truth is better not to be known.
and the lines lead to a series of thoughts in my mind, questioning our existence in this mess of a world.

is chance the only fair way to decide in an unfair world?


"madness is like gravity. you only need a little push."

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

really wish there would be a trilogy. wanna see more of Two Face (Aaron Eckhart!!!) and there are rumors that Ewan McGregor is going to be the Riddler. Maybe Chris Nolan is really trying to re-establish a new image to each and every character in the franchise. but definitely not Catwoman and the Penguin, as it's heard that he would never do a remake of those two, Tim Burton still rules!!!

Jeux d'Enfants (2003)

saw it from Soir-de-fete's blog.
Guillaume Canet et Marion Cotillard.
are you still playing games from your childhood?
Julien and Sophie are. but theirs is not an easy game for the those who lack courage and flair.

Are you game?

Emma (1996)

"I rode through the rain! I'd - I'd ride through worse than that if I could just hear your voice telling me that I might, at least, have some chance to win you."
- Mr. Knightley

out of all the Jane Austen movies, Emma is perhaps my favourite, or it is a close second to Joe Wright's P&P (I chose it soley due to the fact that Joe Wright is directing it and Keira Knightley is in it) Emma as a much better plot and a heroine that I like and that I can sometimes identify with, and Mr. Knightley, shall I say he's one of the most charming men in Austen's novels, after Colonel Brandon and Edward Rochester (but he's a Bronte's character) nevermind that.

going to a theme party on this coming friday and everyone has to dress up as movie characters. I'm still thinking which one I should be (considering the troubling fact that I haven't got a costume and it's hard to find a nice one in HK) usually you hv to hv them custome made and I don't have much time. argh. I've been thinking of a few possibilities.
1. Alice in Alice in Wonderland
2. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz (just because I have a pair of red shoes)
3. Wednesday Addams (the plaits are easy to do compared to the blonde wig I need to get for Alice's character)
4. Helen of Troy in Troy
5. Olympia (Angelina Jolie's character in Alexander)
you see I'm going for the toga ones cuz I really want to have a toga party
6. Holly Golightly
7. Celia in Atonement
or just any flappers in the 20s

Notting Hill (1999)

one of my favourite films of all time.
watched it for over a dozen times and now I'm watching it again. It's the second most watched films in my list after Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant just shine in it.

and Richard Curtis. He's one of my favourite screen writers. I love all his films - Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and Notting Hill. but Notting Hill is perhaps the most hilarious and light hearted one with a "surreal but nice" romance.

Up at the Villa (2000)

adapted from Somerset Maugham's novel of the same name, this film is quite an intriguing period drama about how people change under different circumstances no matter how hard they try to stick to their own ideas of themselves.

the scenery is absolutely beautiful and Italy is always the place for a romantic encountering (apart from paris) and yet it is also the ideal venue for murder and suspence i think. the villa, the farmlands, the vineyards, everything just adds up so beautifully and they all seem idyllic and romantic and dangerous at the same time. Reminds me of the book I read some time ago - The Savage Garden by Mark Mills - it's about how a British guy who stays in Italy for the summer in the early 1940s discovers a truth about the family murder in his hostess' villa while the present is slowly mingled with the past, quite an intricate whodunnit novel.

just a change of tone here. watched Johnny English again last night after I saw the ad of Mr. Bean's Holiday in hbo. Steve Carrell's Get Smart is just repeating what Rowan Atkinson did in Johnny English I guess, but this time it's an American spy... but I always think that a British spy is way cooler than those CIA agents. the brit agents are just suave and sleek and everything, maybe that's an influence from my childhood cuz my dad is a James Bond fanatic. haha

the theme song for the film - a man for all seasons is soo hilarious when it's put in the film... the juxtaposition between bond n' english. lol