戀空

演員：新垣結衣、三浦春馬、小出恵介

Adopted from the cell phone novel in Japan.
I didn't intend to watch it but....watched anyway.
A more realistic story compared with those typical Japanese love story. However, it is still very boring. From the very beginning of the movie, you can predict exactly what will happen next and even the ending. It's just DULL. I just can't see why it can hit the box office in Japan.

Atonement (spoiler contained)

It 's really late to write something about it. Who cares, anyway?

Again attracted by the trailer and Keira Knightly.

Disappointed: Keira Kightly

Surprised: Saoirse Ronan (as Briony) and the story (I bought the book afterwards)

Um...I have no idea where to start. It is very hard to describe how I felt when I watched this one. The movie at first is a bit confusing. A little girl saw the very few parts of things and made her own interpretation. But then the couple did the same things again in their own view. It's FLASH BACK. And I didn't get that. Dumb.

When I understood what was actually happening, the story went on smoothly and greatly. I don't want to mention more about the story. What I can say is that the ending shocked me and I nearly cry. A very sad ending and I didn't expect an ending like this. It's a marvellous story.

The performance of Keira Knightly disappointed me ALOT. She didn't have any improvement in Atonement. Just like the same old Elizabeth in POTC and Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice. The acting of Saoirse Ronan was unexpectedly good. A very talented young actress. She was really eye-catching in the movie.

The Chinese title of Atonement just sucks. It is not the real meaning of atonement.

Juno [spoiler contained]

A 16-year old girl got pregnant unexpectedly and later on decided to give the baby to a couple. End.

The storyline is not unusual. What actually win my heart are the script and Ellen Page (Juno). The dialogue is clever and humorous. I can't hold my laughter throughout the movie. Picking Ellen Page as Juno is a smart choice. She totally acted as the independent, clever and charming Juno that it is impossible not to like her.

Hoping that it will grab the Best Writing in Oscar. Ellen Page's performance is 'good' in this movie but it becomes ' not bad' when compared to her strongest competitor in Oscar . (Honestly, I think Cate Blanchett will be the Best Actress this year.)


Score:4/5

Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street[spoiler contained]

Never Forget. Never Forgive.

Maybe I expected too much from this movie. (Anyway, it's the Johnny Depp and Tim Burton thing.) The storyline is extremely simple--revenge. Benjamin Barker(a.k.a Sweeney Todd) returns to London to find his wife dead and his daughter in the hands of the evil Judge Turpin. He opens a barber shop in the place he originally lives in before jail and cuts the victims' throat and ends their lives. Simple enough. It's not what I expect.

Except form the storyline, everything is just fine. It's like a musical rather than a movie. ( I do appreciate Depp's voice.) Several songs in the movie are from the Broadway musical itself like this one:

Alright! You, sir?/How about a shave?/Come and visit/Your good friend
Sweeney!/You sir! Too, sir/Welcome to the grave./I will have vengenance./I will
have salvation... /Who, sir? You sir!/No one's in the chair come on, come
on/Sweeney's waiting/I want you bleeders./ You sir? Anybody?/Gentlemen, now
don't be shy/Not one man/No, nor ten men/Nor a hundred can assuage me.

It makes me want to buy the soundtrack. I love the cinematography most, especially the contrast between the life of the foolish Mr. Barker and the evil Mr. T. Love the costumes as well. But all these can't cover up the emptiness of the story.

It is rated III in HK for the graphic bloody violence; somehow, I found it not that bloody (when you compare it with Battle Royale). But the scene when Mr. T kills Judge Turpin did shocked me.

(A side note: The beggar in the movie (Laura Michelle Kelly) acts as Galadriel in the Lord Of The Rings play in London.)

Love and Other Disaters

"Maybe true love is a decision, a decision to take a chance with somebody. To give to somebody without worrying whether they’ll give anything back or if they’re gonna hurt you or if they really are the one.Maybe love isn’t something that happens to you. Maybe it’s something you have to choose.We should find out that true love is an event, not a process."

My favorite line from the movie.

Watched this one a few months ago for a very naive reason---the 50-second Orlando Bloom scene at the end of the movie. (I did counted. Don't expect much, though.) But the whole thing turns out to be unexpectedly good. A romantic comedy that really makes a good laugh. Go for it if you like Notting Hill and Love Actually.

Oh...forgot to mention the leading actor--Santiago Cabrera is the one who acted Isaac Mendez (the painter) in TV series Heros.

Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd

The new work by Johnny Depp. Just love his voice.

Silk (WARNING: spoiler contained)

beautiful scenes

Keira Knightley as elegant as usual

The story line is quite attractive. (And that together with Keira actually made me went to watch this movie.) The scenes are beautiful as I have mentioned. However, the pace is a bit too slow, especially for those (like me) who haven't read the novel before. And choosing Michael Pitt as Herve is a totally mistake. I just bored by his murmurs.The ending did shocked me when Madame Blanche said the second letter is written by Helene. It just made me sad. How can a wife stand it and send out a letter like this just hoping her husband to forget this lady? *sign* The ending is heart-breaking as well. and there are so many questions waiting to be answered. And it would be better if English subtitle is added when those Japanese are chatting.

Overall, it is a movie with great storyline and scenes. It did leave space for us to think and feel. In the middle, some of the plot might feel nonsense but they are crucial for the story development. After you watch the whole movie and think it all over, you will really get something from it.