Film critiques & Movie reviews Corner
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i picked a sunday night to watch yet another mel gibson directed hollywood film. costed me $9, excluding the $6 pop corn which i didnt had the stomach to finish. and i thought passion of christ was graphic. wait till you guys watch apocalypto.
plot: 3/5 stars
(no spoilers, dont worry)
aptly named due to the drastic nature of the story, apocalypto is about the journey of a tribal family man named jaguar paw in the aztec (possibly) era before the portugese colonised south america from the hunted to the hunter.
very linear storyline, not much hiccups. but watch out as it tends to get boring droning on and on about the chase scene.
cinematography: 3/5 stars
some of the forest shots were very beautiful, especially the waterfall scene. the lighting in the lush greens provided the audience an authentic feel of a south american kinda jungle, tarzan-ish feel. the city shots werent much to talk about but it portrayed the aztec civilisation to be bustling non-stop with life.
only setback is the poor use of cgi during which our hero leaps off the waterfall.
production design: 4/5 stars
a story about tribal men will not be complete without that rugged tribal costumes, bodyart and accessories (omfg, their earrings own). i love their funky hairdo too. the sets of tribe village and the traps used for hunting a giant tapir looks fantastic too. not the tapir itself or the jaguar though, they look like bloody soft toys. dammit.
filming the entire thing in their native tongue also gave a genuine feel to the story, makes the audience more attached to it. the only thing is that some folks might not be used to reading subtitles all the time as per watching japanese anime (im an anime freak, so i like grew up reading subtitles haha). and im not quite sure if it's the real aztec language used... oh yes, there's blood everywhere, well, nuff said.
overall: 3.3/5 stars
mel gibson makes a good director, having all the expressions and action scenes well executed and all, but his love for gore and controversy (read: passion of christ) has a limit somewhere. and i think that somewhere is about to reach saturation point.
verdict: watch it if you have the time. no regrets even if you miss it on the big screen. wait for dvd loh.
ps: sorry if you found this review kinda... losoh.
plot: 3/5 stars
(no spoilers, dont worry)
aptly named due to the drastic nature of the story, apocalypto is about the journey of a tribal family man named jaguar paw in the aztec (possibly) era before the portugese colonised south america from the hunted to the hunter.
very linear storyline, not much hiccups. but watch out as it tends to get boring droning on and on about the chase scene.
cinematography: 3/5 stars
some of the forest shots were very beautiful, especially the waterfall scene. the lighting in the lush greens provided the audience an authentic feel of a south american kinda jungle, tarzan-ish feel. the city shots werent much to talk about but it portrayed the aztec civilisation to be bustling non-stop with life.
only setback is the poor use of cgi during which our hero leaps off the waterfall.
production design: 4/5 stars
a story about tribal men will not be complete without that rugged tribal costumes, bodyart and accessories (omfg, their earrings own). i love their funky hairdo too. the sets of tribe village and the traps used for hunting a giant tapir looks fantastic too. not the tapir itself or the jaguar though, they look like bloody soft toys. dammit.
filming the entire thing in their native tongue also gave a genuine feel to the story, makes the audience more attached to it. the only thing is that some folks might not be used to reading subtitles all the time as per watching japanese anime (im an anime freak, so i like grew up reading subtitles haha). and im not quite sure if it's the real aztec language used... oh yes, there's blood everywhere, well, nuff said.
overall: 3.3/5 stars
mel gibson makes a good director, having all the expressions and action scenes well executed and all, but his love for gore and controversy (read: passion of christ) has a limit somewhere. and i think that somewhere is about to reach saturation point.
verdict: watch it if you have the time. no regrets even if you miss it on the big screen. wait for dvd loh.
ps: sorry if you found this review kinda... losoh.
Good honest review. Good on you, mate. Keep it up.
You forgot to add that's it's just your opinion. LOL
That's why I decided never to stop into the cinema in Singapore (more than 10 years ago unless it's your shout), too expensive a lesson if it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I wait for people like you to see it or friends who are suckered into going or other to give reviews. Then decide if it's worth to buy the DVD at $29.90 more or is it worth waiting another year when it gets to $9.90 then buy it.
Personally I rather watch the movie with all the comforts at home. Lastly, a good movie is always worth keeping anyway. LOL
You forgot to add that's it's just your opinion. LOL
That's why I decided never to stop into the cinema in Singapore (more than 10 years ago unless it's your shout), too expensive a lesson if it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I wait for people like you to see it or friends who are suckered into going or other to give reviews. Then decide if it's worth to buy the DVD at $29.90 more or is it worth waiting another year when it gets to $9.90 then buy it.
Personally I rather watch the movie with all the comforts at home. Lastly, a good movie is always worth keeping anyway. LOL
i feel used by you. *sobs*
haha. nonetheless, i never fail to enjoy the experience of cinema-going. sometimes, it's not the movie, rather, it's the company and the kind of discussion i get fresh right out from the theatre after the show.
blame it on the fact that im the kind of big screen lover and new movies never fail to attract me like a magnet. home entertainment can never beat being in the cinema dude (unless of cos you're like rich and can afford the right stuff in your living room lah, including the pop corn maker and whatnot. heh).
cheers!
haha. nonetheless, i never fail to enjoy the experience of cinema-going. sometimes, it's not the movie, rather, it's the company and the kind of discussion i get fresh right out from the theatre after the show.
blame it on the fact that im the kind of big screen lover and new movies never fail to attract me like a magnet. home entertainment can never beat being in the cinema dude (unless of cos you're like rich and can afford the right stuff in your living room lah, including the pop corn maker and whatnot. heh).
cheers!
today is monday. as we all know, mondays mean cheaper movies at the cinemas. so i decided to catch perfume this time round. by the way, it's r21 and it tells you so much about my age. >.<
director: tom tykwer (run lola run)
plot: 3/5 stars
(no spoilers)
there was a man (some french name i didnt catch) in 18th century paris, born with an exceptional (and i mean real godlike exceptional) sense of smell. he sees his world in terms of smells and becomes obsessed with the art of collecting fragrances after he stumbles upon the scent of a beautiful woman. he journeys to learn the art of a perfumer but only to find a grisly end.
as usual, another linear story. the pace is slow but the purpose is there. gets quite absurd at parts and really an eyeful near the end but enjoyable nonetheless.
i like how the story inflicts black humour upon certain characters but overdoing is a minus point.
cinematography: 4/5 stars
smells linked with visuals linked with smells linked with visuals and so on. very impressive close ups shots filled with intimacy between the nose and the objects/subjects in question. great use of crane shots for that dramatic, shakespeare-ish effect.
loved the scenery and the night shots in the city. coupled with the play of shadows and light, a feeling of mystery engages the audience.
production design: 3.5/5 stars
in 18th century france, the cities were still pretty primitive compared to the modern age; the streets in the marketplaces were muddy and dirty, the roads to another city carves into the beautiful wilderness and the disparity between the lavish and the poor was clear and blatant. wonderful.
women wore corsets and men, wigs. very befitting of that age. nothing impressive here due to the fact that the male lead was mostly half naked. bah.
and like apocalypto, it would had been a nice touch to shoot the thing in french. authenticity is the in thing these days.
overall: 3.5/5 stars
it's the kinda film that makes you wonder. it has deep philosophical meanings and lets you think about certain metaphysical logics that could possibly behold a person. common traits of a murderer can be seen here; obsession, possible psychosis and utter remorselessness of irreversible actions, but hey, that's what makes this movie dark and quite compelling.
verdict: worth a watch. tom tykwer manages to play the poker face male lead slowly in developing the psychotic feel within the audiences' mind so it made his expressionless face even more sinister. and no, not just for the myriad of boobies but for the sake of art and philosophy behind the message that is "to love and be loved".
ps: another losoh review. and yes, it's purely my own opinion and critique! thanks for reading!
director: tom tykwer (run lola run)
plot: 3/5 stars
(no spoilers)
there was a man (some french name i didnt catch) in 18th century paris, born with an exceptional (and i mean real godlike exceptional) sense of smell. he sees his world in terms of smells and becomes obsessed with the art of collecting fragrances after he stumbles upon the scent of a beautiful woman. he journeys to learn the art of a perfumer but only to find a grisly end.
as usual, another linear story. the pace is slow but the purpose is there. gets quite absurd at parts and really an eyeful near the end but enjoyable nonetheless.
i like how the story inflicts black humour upon certain characters but overdoing is a minus point.
cinematography: 4/5 stars
smells linked with visuals linked with smells linked with visuals and so on. very impressive close ups shots filled with intimacy between the nose and the objects/subjects in question. great use of crane shots for that dramatic, shakespeare-ish effect.
loved the scenery and the night shots in the city. coupled with the play of shadows and light, a feeling of mystery engages the audience.
production design: 3.5/5 stars
in 18th century france, the cities were still pretty primitive compared to the modern age; the streets in the marketplaces were muddy and dirty, the roads to another city carves into the beautiful wilderness and the disparity between the lavish and the poor was clear and blatant. wonderful.
women wore corsets and men, wigs. very befitting of that age. nothing impressive here due to the fact that the male lead was mostly half naked. bah.
and like apocalypto, it would had been a nice touch to shoot the thing in french. authenticity is the in thing these days.
overall: 3.5/5 stars
it's the kinda film that makes you wonder. it has deep philosophical meanings and lets you think about certain metaphysical logics that could possibly behold a person. common traits of a murderer can be seen here; obsession, possible psychosis and utter remorselessness of irreversible actions, but hey, that's what makes this movie dark and quite compelling.
verdict: worth a watch. tom tykwer manages to play the poker face male lead slowly in developing the psychotic feel within the audiences' mind so it made his expressionless face even more sinister. and no, not just for the myriad of boobies but for the sake of art and philosophy behind the message that is "to love and be loved".
ps: another losoh review. and yes, it's purely my own opinion and critique! thanks for reading!
i share the same sentiment with u.. i cant remember when the last time i stepped into a cinema. i prefer watching movie laying on my bed ;p pause and go pee if too exicted! but tat make my wife complain :dunno:
JRC, think u have an typo error for your website.. shd be www.sgfilmmaking.com rite?..
Oh...you're right. i think will not want to continue www.sgfilmmaking.com after first year.
since can come clubsnap.
Congrats on your new cafe. Will drop by one day.
Review - Apocalypto
just watched the show, here's a quick review ...
Story
The 'Love' theme is almost always present in every film made in modern days, it is also well
expressed in the film by the feelings between Jaguar Paw and his family (father, wife,
children) , the Mayan general and his son (who is killed by Jaguar Paw) and a couple of other
couples. What strikes distinctly as the definitive theme of the story is, however, the idea of
'Conquest.'
Conquering of people
The central plot of the story opens with the passing of a village through the forest, who are
conquered by the Mayan kingdom, and ends with the coming of Spanish conqeuror. The film
do not demonstrate clear beginnings and endings of Mayan Kingdom's campaign to conquer
the tribes and Spanish campaign to conquer Mexico, as if telling the viewer that such
conquests occur continuously even till present day.
Conquering of land
The film shows a Mayan Kingdom plagued by poor harvest despite aggressive rule. It
demonstrates the effects of the lack of respect for the land, especially well demonstrated in
the pursuit, where mighty Mayan fighters get themselves into trouble in the jungle they
seem unfamiliar with.
Conquering of Sex
This theme probably needs little explanation.
Conquering of Mind
Ripping through living slaves to pull out beating hearts, dedicating them to the mighty gods,
the Mayan Priest captures the people's imagination, winning cheers of agreement. Through
violence and fear, the mind is conquered, people fall into states of trance, all courage the
slaves possess crumble into the heaps of corpses. The final conquering of mind occurs when
Jaguar Paw remembers his father's words, to not fear, for in the forest he hunts he needs no
fear. The Spanish ships too struck awe in the Mayan fighters, who instantaneously forgot
about the pursuit which costs the lives of their companions.
Mise-en-scene
Attention to details of Mayan culture, from hairstyle to architecture made this film a
delightful reinterpretation and reconstruction of the long lost Mayan civilization. (though
most archaeologists and historians would have condemned the inaccuracies of the architecture
and ornamentation) The repeated trap and death motifs through tools of killing shows the
2 sides to anything, something that kills can take your life, but can also bring you food and
save your life. The Maya Blue paint, in historical records which is being used on murals, statues
and ceramics (and tools of worship) is cleverly deployed to show the forcing upon of Mayan
Kingdom ideology on the lesser tribes, but also shows the superficial effect of forceful conquer
when Jaguar Paw is washed clean of the paint after going through a life-and-death jump off the
waterfall.
Cinematography
The bird-eye shot of the hot pursuit, upside down view of the Mayan King, and the constant
play of spatial depth between opposing parties (Priest vs crowd at the pyramid, Jaguar Paw
vs Mayan general at waterfall, Mayan fighter vs Spanish at the beach etc.) are well
composed to convey the difference in status and ideology between the parties.
Editing
The fast cut is well sequenced in the pursuit, ocassionally with panning shots inserted to
give the viewer breaks for breath. Panning is particularly well used for scenes where Jaguar
Paw sensed danger, instead of more common techniques like shot reverse shot, this is to be
read against a predominantly fast paced film. Long shots are also well used to illustrate the
walk to Mayan Kingdom.
in other reviews, it has been mentioned that the human sacrifice is indicative of America's Iraq campaign, it did not come across that strongly for me, as i was enjoying the meaningful conversation and the more fundamental messages Mel Gibson might have inserted into the film. :cheers: oh yes, a very generous 4.5/5 from me, good films are not easy to come by :bsmilie:
just watched the show, here's a quick review ...
Story
The 'Love' theme is almost always present in every film made in modern days, it is also well
expressed in the film by the feelings between Jaguar Paw and his family (father, wife,
children) , the Mayan general and his son (who is killed by Jaguar Paw) and a couple of other
couples. What strikes distinctly as the definitive theme of the story is, however, the idea of
'Conquest.'
Conquering of people
The central plot of the story opens with the passing of a village through the forest, who are
conquered by the Mayan kingdom, and ends with the coming of Spanish conqeuror. The film
do not demonstrate clear beginnings and endings of Mayan Kingdom's campaign to conquer
the tribes and Spanish campaign to conquer Mexico, as if telling the viewer that such
conquests occur continuously even till present day.
Conquering of land
The film shows a Mayan Kingdom plagued by poor harvest despite aggressive rule. It
demonstrates the effects of the lack of respect for the land, especially well demonstrated in
the pursuit, where mighty Mayan fighters get themselves into trouble in the jungle they
seem unfamiliar with.
Conquering of Sex
This theme probably needs little explanation.
Conquering of Mind
Ripping through living slaves to pull out beating hearts, dedicating them to the mighty gods,
the Mayan Priest captures the people's imagination, winning cheers of agreement. Through
violence and fear, the mind is conquered, people fall into states of trance, all courage the
slaves possess crumble into the heaps of corpses. The final conquering of mind occurs when
Jaguar Paw remembers his father's words, to not fear, for in the forest he hunts he needs no
fear. The Spanish ships too struck awe in the Mayan fighters, who instantaneously forgot
about the pursuit which costs the lives of their companions.
Mise-en-scene
Attention to details of Mayan culture, from hairstyle to architecture made this film a
delightful reinterpretation and reconstruction of the long lost Mayan civilization. (though
most archaeologists and historians would have condemned the inaccuracies of the architecture
and ornamentation) The repeated trap and death motifs through tools of killing shows the
2 sides to anything, something that kills can take your life, but can also bring you food and
save your life. The Maya Blue paint, in historical records which is being used on murals, statues
and ceramics (and tools of worship) is cleverly deployed to show the forcing upon of Mayan
Kingdom ideology on the lesser tribes, but also shows the superficial effect of forceful conquer
when Jaguar Paw is washed clean of the paint after going through a life-and-death jump off the
waterfall.
Cinematography
The bird-eye shot of the hot pursuit, upside down view of the Mayan King, and the constant
play of spatial depth between opposing parties (Priest vs crowd at the pyramid, Jaguar Paw
vs Mayan general at waterfall, Mayan fighter vs Spanish at the beach etc.) are well
composed to convey the difference in status and ideology between the parties.
Editing
The fast cut is well sequenced in the pursuit, ocassionally with panning shots inserted to
give the viewer breaks for breath. Panning is particularly well used for scenes where Jaguar
Paw sensed danger, instead of more common techniques like shot reverse shot, this is to be
read against a predominantly fast paced film. Long shots are also well used to illustrate the
walk to Mayan Kingdom.
in other reviews, it has been mentioned that the human sacrifice is indicative of America's Iraq campaign, it did not come across that strongly for me, as i was enjoying the meaningful conversation and the more fundamental messages Mel Gibson might have inserted into the film. :cheers: oh yes, a very generous 4.5/5 from me, good films are not easy to come by :bsmilie:
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