Writing about Films for the End of the Summer

This post was supposed to be in Chinese, but I’m lazy.

In exactly four days’ time, I’ll be carrying my satchel and hitting school. Before the end of a long hot summer vacay, and before work is thrown at me in all the advanced Stats courses I’ll be taking this year, let’s talk about something that make me happy – films! Films that I have seen and have not seen.

I hate big budget movies. I don’t really watch them but I just don’t like them. The only great thing about the end of school vacations is the films playing at the cinema. Fewer soulless big budgets, and more room at almost empty houses for me!

Intouchables



I don’t think I’m pretentious, but I like pretentious things. French cinema being one of them. The French have a way with making visually elegant and emotionally delicate (?) films. I mean Hollywood has done this topic (handicapped people/carers relationship and the like) to death. But Intouchables is especially touching, and frankly, just different.

It did not try to guilt you by showing the viewers the accident happened to Philippe, the rich man, nor did it try to emphasis on the class difference between Philippe and Driss (perhaps they did through imagery, but unlike in Hollywood films where the characters have arguments on class difference over and over). All it did was exhibit their truthfully wonderful friendship.

I was so nervous throughout. I was scared that something would come up and ruin the beautiful portrayal of their relationship. Intouchables is not a peak-valley-peak-valley-peak oscillating wave. It is a prolonged calm journey (like complete destructive interference!). With incredible acting and music, along with occasional but perfectly-timed humour, you taste the richness of the emotions in your mouth. Who cares about an exciting storyline? The emotions you feel are magical enough!

What more can I say, apart from je suis touché? I want to give all the people I love a massive cuddly hug. I cannot recommend Intouchables enough. It’s a film to be savoured alone, with your loved ones on your mind.


Seeking A Friend for the End of the World

The title – what a mouthful! The Chinese title isn’t that much better either (I hate 食字 a lot). But since I love, like L O V E, names that I have a hard time pronouncing, I choose to reference this film in the post title.

Now, back to the film itself.

I believe it’s hard to make a good movie about the apocalypse, as again, this topic has been done to death. But the filmmakers of Seeking A Friend for the End of the World choose to focus on the other side of the story. It’s a film about ordinary people, not some world-saving space-travelling superheroes.
With an end-of-world theme, it’s very easy to fall into cliché traps. **SPOILERS ALERT** The only major cliché it has fallen into is that the two main characters fall in love, real suddenly too... This isn’t your usual action-packed apocalypse blockbusters, Seeking A Friend for the End of the World begs to differ. It doesn’t try to make you cry, it makes you think. What would you do if you have exactly 21 days left to live? Would you do something that you would not do otherwise? Does doomsday give you an excuse to confess your love and your feelings? The film gets darker and darker as it gets closer to the doomsday. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears flooded out at the very last scene.

The Eason Chan 陳奕迅 song 人來人往 kept playing in my head. 閉起雙眼我最掛念誰，眼睛張開身邊竟是誰。如果距離世界末日二十一日，你身邊的誰會是你最掛念的誰嗎？

Ranting time:

1. I can’t stand Keira Knightley. I’ve had enough of that chin and that squeezed face since A Dangerous Method. As usual Steve Carell’s annoying, but great performance from him.
2. It is an excellent film. I would prefer this over an action flick any day. But perhaps I would enjoy it more if the lady five seats away from me would shut up. The most I could endure is artificial laughter sound effect they have in horribly unfunny talk shows. I really didn’t need her over-reacting 哎呀s and her narration/explanation for everything that I understood. I respect the elderly, but senior citizens like her make morning screenings unbearable.

Liberal Arts


I don’t want to like Elizabeth Olsen, for no particular reasons really. But I agree she shines in Martha Marcy May Marlene (what an annoying character though). Liberal Arts looks really good and I’m a sucker for movies about college. It just looks really good.


Ruby Sparks

I haven’t even seen the trailer for this… but it had me at its Chinese title – 書中字有夢女神. I like books and I have a 女神… in order to NOT let the poison guy in me gets the better of me, we’ll stop here.


Upside Down

When I saw the title and Kirsten Dunst, I was uncertain, by “uncertain” I mean “uninterested”. Then I was “forced” into watching the trailer (pre-movie advertising)… though it reminds me too much of The Adjustment Bureau (which is truly a bad thing), it looks pleasing. At least it involves Physics (a bit Spiderman-y?)… and forbidden love.


Ted

Pretty much self-explanatory. Who isn’t looking forward to Ted?


Thanks for reading.


Summary:

1. Watch Intouchables NOW.
2. If you can stand Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, and **SPOILERS ALERT** they as a couple, watch Seeking A Friend for the End of the World.
3. I’m looking forward to Liberal Arts, Ruby Sparks, Upside Down and Ted.