Yi Yi (PG) 8.5

Yi Yi (2000): Each member of a family in Taipei asks hard questions about life's meaning as they live through everyday quandaries. (7.9)

Director: Edward Yang
Stars: Nien-Jen Wu, Elaine Jin and Issei Ogata
Languages: Mandarin, English (w/ English subtitles)

Good to see another contemporary Taiwanese movie. The story has lots of little quirks, a wedding, a dying mother/grandmother, teenage romances and heartbreaks, middle age rekindling of lost love, family dynamics of various people, etc. etc. Yet, it doesn't feel overwhelming. There's lots of room in most scenes for quiet reflection. I liked the way the story is told with many pauses, without dialog. Life is complicated. It is tangled; it is hard; it is no picnic. But, at the end, it is as complicated as we make it out to be. Loved this story with many holes, many loose ends, and many untold and unfinished stories. My Rating: 8.5

Delhi-6 (PG) 2.5

Delhi-6 (2009): A story about love, hope and self-discovery set in the walled city of Delhi (zip code 6) and its chaotic but touching life that forces us to ask questions about ourselves. (6.3)

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Stars: Waheeda Rehman, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor

Ugh! I've seen Indian "formula" movies, but this one takes the cake as the worst of the lot. Bad story, lousy acting, stereotypical "everything," unrealistic nonsense, etc. all rolled into one to make a great POS of a movie. And, one idiot on IMDB writes a thesis about it and gives 9.29/10; ha ha ha! Look, if the director/writers wanted to make a social commentary, they should have picked a single strand (we all know there are many to pick from in the Indian society) and come up with a solid story and made a firm stand on one thing. Instead, this movie is just a jumbled mess. My Rating: 2.5

Interstate 60 (R) 6.0

Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road (2002): A confused young man (Marsden) takes a journey on a road that doesn't exist on any map. (7.7)

Director: Bob Gale
Stars: James Marsden, Gary Oldman and Christopher Lloyd

Okay, so there's this young man trying to "find himself" and he's given all the choices. A red convertible beamer, sex, drugs, money, job at law firm, etc. etc. and he makes all the "right" choices. Really? Really?? Yeah, a feel-good movie while watching it, but there's not much to make you think afterwards because the thinking part is pre-chewed for your easy digestion. My Rating: 6.0

Home Room (R) 5.5

Home Room (I) (2002): A high school shooting has repercussions on the town and students. (7.1)

Director: Paul F. Ryan
Stars: Busy Philipps, Erika Christensen and Victor Garber

Lots of the scenes have the air of forced confrontations. The story, after the shooting, is unrealistic. No student body will abandon its only member to survive the shooting. (This breaks the story's premise that only the "strange" kid will visit the popular kid in the hospital. There goes your entire storyline!) A student who's had previous grief is more likely to break down. It is not to say that two unlikely, and unfriendly, students won't help each other after a traumatic experience, but this storyline is forced, sort of like trying to move a string by pushing it. Yes, it gets somewhere, but at the end, there's nothing there, IMHO. My Rating: 5.5

Emperor and the Assassin (PG) 7.5

The Emperor and the Assassin (Jing Ke ci Qin Wang (1998)): In pre-unified China, the King of Qin sends his concubine to a rival kingdom to produce an assassin for a political plot, but as the king's cruelty mounts she finds her loyalty faltering. (7.3)

Director: Kaige Chen
Stars: Li Gong, Fengyi Zhang and Zhou Sun
Language: Mandarin (w/ English Subtitles)

The story is about Ying Zheng becoming the King of Qin and the Emperor of China, but Li Gong as Lady Zhao steals the show. In this epic of a movie, Li Gong lives her character and delivers yet another commanding performance (as she does in "Farewell my Concubine"). While I do not understand Mandarin, her acting and the delivery of lines is powerful, it takes your breath away. My only qualm with the movie is the decision to use sepia tone to give the film the "old look." But, as shown in Mongol the full color works even for the period epic movies. Great set, acting, story, etc. (I picked out lots of words I'd heard from the song in the movie "Myth" :-)) My Rating: 7.5

Memories of Murder (R) 7.0

Memories of Murder (2003): In 1986, in the province of Gyunggi, in South Korea, two young and beautiful women are found dead. Local detectives are brutal and stupid, and without any real technique to investigate the murders. A detective from Seoul comes to the country to help the investigations and is convinced that a serial-killer is at work. (8.1)

Director: Joon-ho Bong
Stars: Kang-ho Song, Sang-kyung Kim and Roe-ha Kim
Language: Korean (w/ English Subtitles)

The DVD has an English soundtrack also, but that's just wrong. I flipped it to Korean and read the subtitles. Acting is good, yet a touch towards over-dramatization (as with most Chinese/Korean movies). There's lots of social commentary thrown in without being central to the storyline, which IMHO helped the movie become realistic. As with the real-life story on which it is based, the movie is open-ended. My Rating: 7.0

Father of My Children (PG-13) 6.0

Father of My Children (2009): A film producer struggles with suicidal despair. (6.9)

Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
Stars: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli and Alice de Lencquesaing
Language: French (w/ English Subtitles)

This movie is decidedly European; French! I know, that's probably a stereotypical assessment, but that's the feeling I got throughout. I think, it's a good thing that it isn't a Hollywood creation of what Paris is supposed to be. I've only been to Paris once, ~15 years ago during a harsh Winter, but I got the authentic feeling from all the movie scenes. The aftermath of the suicide could have been done a bit better. The highly visibly emotional scenes have been skipped, but a scene or two would have been better, IMHO. I would think that the family would have been more distraught and withdrawn in the following weeks/months, but apparently they were not. Cultural differences, perhaps? I guess, my personal observation about the theme of the movie is that while the person who commits suicide escapes the reality, those who are left behind are dealt a bigger mess to clean up. Hmmm... Overall, this could have been a bit better, a bit stronger in the emotional side. Realism depicted is nice. My Rating: 6.0

2046 (R) 8.0

2046 (2004): He was a writer. He thought he wrote about the future but it really was the past. In his novel, a mysterious train left for 2046 every once in a while. Everyone who went there had the same intention.....to recapture their lost memories. (7.5)

Director: Kar Wai Wong
Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Ziyi Zhang, Faye Wong and Li Gong
Languages: Mandarin, Japanese (w/ English Subtitles)

Until I read the Wikipedia entry about this movie, I didn't realize that it was the third installment of a series. No matter; for me, it was a complete movie. With Ziyi Zhang and Li Gong characters looking a bit alike, I was bit confused as to who was who. Then again, that's part of the director's intention. I loved the use of intense colors (reminded me of Dick Tracey movie), the unusual camera angles/positions. After seeing several old-style Chinese movies (w/ period costumes), this one with 60's Hong Kong night clubs and futuristic scenes was a welcome change. Ultimately, it is a movie about several broken hearts. Very emotional and intense. Several stories nicely interwoven and used to tell each other. While reading Netflix's description, I didn't think I'd like it much, but gave it a shot anyway. Loved it. My Rating: 8.0

American Violet (PG-13) 6.5

American Violet (2008): A single African-American mother struggles to clear her name after being wrongly accused and arrested for dealing drugs in an impoverished town in Texas. (6.7)

Director: Tim Disney
Stars: Nicole Beharie, Will Patton and Alfre Woodard

The people in the machinery are there because they enjoy the power and the authority. This is readily apparent even in the minor traffic courts, and goes all the way up to the US Supreme Court (just see Judge Clarence Thomas' 60-Minute interview). This movie depicts how the police, the DA, the various attorneys, the judges in courtrooms, etc. hold the lives of other people on palms of their hand. I found myself getting angry at various characters in the movie, so that must mean it was quite realistic and the acting was damn good. My Rating: 6.5

Final (R) 6.0

Final (2001): Bill wakes up from a coma in a hospital ward, raving about tissue regeneration experiments, final injections, organ transplants and having been cryogenically frozen. (6.1)

Director: Campbell Scott
Stars: Denis Leary, Hope Davis and J.C. MacKenzie

This is the first time I've seen Denis Leary in a dramatic role. And, he does a wonderful job of it. The movie goes very slowly in the beginning but in doing so keeps the viewer guessing as to what is actually happening. Not your action-packed, 30-cuts-a-second thriller. If you like a movie based on dialog and enjoy trying to figure out where the story is headed, then this is for you. (BTW, I watched this on an iPod Touch via Netflix ... I know, right?!) My Rating: 6.0

Lawrence of Arabia (PG) 8.0

Lawrence of Arabia (1962): Epic rumination on a flamboyant and controversial British military figure and his conflicted loyalties during wartime service. (8.5)

Director: David Lean
Writers: T.E. Lawrence (writings), Robert Bolt (screenplay)
Stars: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn

An epic movie. They don't, or rather can't, make movies like this any more. This is considered one of the defining movies and lots of info about it is widely available (ie: Wikipedia page). As with other movies of the era, hardly any dialog is presented in native languages even though it depicts a story in a place where English is not widely spoken. The cinematography is superb. I couldn't help but remember some of the scenes from the Star Wars saga at times, but we know what came first. Looks like T.E. Lawrence loved the desert so much that he may have forgotten that there might have been women in Arabia. My Rating: 8.0

Star Trek (PG-13) 7.0

Star Trek (2009): A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members. (8.1)

Director: J.J. Abrams
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg

I'm not a Trekkie, but I've seen a lot of the movies and the original series. The TNG, Voyager, etc spin-offs were not my cups of tea. So, I didn't think this new, improved and lemon scented version would hold my interest much longer. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the set, special effects, cinematography, etc have been quite improved compared to the original series, but, IMHO, the characters were quite true to form. And, I love time-travel stories, so that aspect of the story was an added bonus for me. I'm sure a true Trekkie would have seen quite a lot of parallels between this movie and the original series in the scenes and the dialogs, but even I could spot a few memorable lines. Nicely done, 'nuff said. And, Spock and Uhura ... who woulda thunk it? :-) My Rating: 7.0

5 Ppl You Meet in Heaven (PG) 6.0

The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004): On his 83rd birthday, Eddie, a war vet and a maintenance worker at the Ruby Pier amusement park, dies while trying to save a girl who is sitting under a falling ride. When he awakens in the afterlife, he encounters five people with ties to his corporeal existence who help him understand the meaning of his life. (7.2)

Director: Lloyd Kramer
Stars: Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn and Jeff Daniels

Another movie I've seen recently about how death is not really the end. Of course, it is a sentimental story about looking back at your life, tying up the loose ends, saying things you couldn't say when alive, looking up those whose lives you've touched, etc. The place really isn't the heaven, but implied you get to pick your own place. Then again, there's a basic flaw in the story in that those five had to wait for Eddie a long time ... was it "heaven" for them all that time? Kind of liked it, but then, it didn't really give me a "life lesson" I already didn't know. My Rating: 6.0

The Prestige (PG-13) 7.0

The Prestige (2006): The rivalry between two magicians is exacerbated when one of them performs the ultimate illusion. (8.4)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson

My inability to keep track of who's who comes a full circle in this movie because of the storyline, the use of disguises and also the similarity of faces. That wondering of who is this guy again takes away from the enjoyment of the moment in the story. Then the story is also told as a part of two diaries. That makes is even more complicated. At the beginning, we are told the three parts to a magic act. But, towards the end, we find out that one of the acts isn't really magic but sort of science fiction. That took away the whole 19th century travelling magician act. In that sense, I liked The Illusionist's ending better. But, for keeping the secret and keeping the suspense going, this movie did a far better job. Wonderful acting and the very well done period scenes and costumes. Michael Caine doesn't steal the thunder from his younger colleagues. The casting couldn't have been better. My Rating: 7.0

Passenger Side (R) 7.5

Passenger Side (2009): Two brothers spend the day driving around Los Angeles county looking for the meaning of their lives, or cheap street drugs, depending on who you happen to believe. (5.3)

Director: Matt Bissonnette
Stars: Adam Scott, Joel Bissonnette

Before watching the movie, my first impression: meh, lousy, why the hell did I get this? But, after watching it, this one is just for me. Most other folks won't like it, but half the movie is of shots of Los Angeles and scenes out the window of a car (going around in LA county), and the whole storyline ... I get it. The twist at the end is just so right (for me, at least) and gives a whole new meaning to the movie title. Value of a movie, I believe, has two parts: how much you like/enjoy it while watching; and how much you think about it afterwards. On both counts, this is a good one for me, probably not for many others, but just for me. My Rating: 7.5

The Godfather: Part III (R) 6.0

The Godfather: Part III (1990): In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don Michael Corleone seeks to vow for his sins while taking a young protégé under his wing. (7.6)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Andy Garcia

The storyline in this third installment has the feeling of "let's just do one more to see how far we can stretch this chewing gum." And, reading the Wikipedia page for this third part, I don't think, I'm far off. Losing the Tom Hagen character left a large hole, I think. The previous two parts were self contained and properly described the business of the family. This one was nice that it had Italy as the backdrop. Throughout the whole series, I had trouble remembering who's who or recognizing the identities of minor characters. My Rating: 6.0

Dr. Strangelove (PG) 7.5

Dr. Strangelove (1964): An insane general starts a process to nuclear holocaust that a war room of politicians and generals frantically try to stop. (8.6)

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Stars: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden

It is important to note that this movie was made during the cold war. Kubrick takes the subjects of nuclear deterrent and military superiority to show how absurdly our military men and politicians think. His genius is in taking a deadly serious issue of nuclear annihilation to make a comedy out of to show what the reality is. He could have made fun of the whole military industrial complex a little bit more. My Rating: 7.5

The Godfather: Part II (R) 8.0

The Godfather: Part II (1974): The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba. (9.0)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Mario Puzo
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall

I'd seen the first Godfather movie earlier (before starting this blog), but had been putting off watching the part II since it is quite long. I finally watched it in three "sittings." I didn't realize that this is actually a continuation of the first movie (ie: it is assumed that the viewer knows the characters and relationships), with earlier life of Vito interwoven into the current story. I had to go back and read the Wikipedia page about the movie to understand some parts of the story. It wasn't easy for me to keep track of minor characters coming in and out of the plot. These two Godfather movies are credited with the revival of the Mob Film genre in the '70s and this certainly shows the intricacies of the "family" business. I had seen clips and spoofs of the Godfather movies before. So, seeing the real thing as a single story gives you a different feeling to seeing something for the first time, sort of like "oh, that's how that fits in there." Kind of nice to see the actors who later became big names in their early careers. My Rating: 8.0