September 2006 Round-Up

After all the round-ups will come the Best of 2006. I promise. Not that anyone cares.


Monster House
This was a wonderful surprise - a kids' movie that's completely uncondescending, and hence enjoyable to adults as well. It's a wild ride, entertaining as hell, and scores additional points for being probably the only mainstream animated movie to feature a character whose voice is breaking from the onset of puberty. The dialogue is naturalistic and sounds exactly like what actual kids would say. The only weak point would probably be the actual look of the animation, as the human characters are a little, well, artificial-looking (although it's a great improvement from The Polar Express). The animation of everything else is superb though, so I guess I'm just quibbling.

Snakes on a Plane
I wanted this to be so utterly bad it was good. Ultimately, that didn't happen. What did take place were sporadic bursts of ludicrousness, but it seemed that things weren't pushed far enough into the realm of implausibility and ridiculousness, such that most of it was really just blah. Still, I did laugh in parts, and also got very pissed off at a fellow audience member who shushed me for doing so. Seriously, the sheer stupidity of Singapore audiences never fail to amaze me - you actually came into Snakes on a Plane thinking it was a serious, straight-up action movie? Wow. You have no sense of humor, and I feel pity for you. How can a bunch of people falling down a staircase and getting impaled (on what, I still have no fucking clue) not be funny?

The Break-Up
I have friends who tell me that this movie depicts the truth about how relationships dissolve, and while I'd argue this might not necessarily be the case, considering the ridiculous lengths that the protagonists go to, and their unhealthy obsession over an apartment, it isn't sugar-coated like the typical romantic-comedy. Actually, it's not even a romantic comedy, is it? I doubt it even qualifies as comedy. Dramedy? A dissolution of a relationship with some unfunny laughs thrown in in an attmept to balance things out? Anyhow, Aniston and Vaughn are to be commended for their commitment, and the pain felt is palpable in some scenes. A valiant, if ultimately failed attempt.

Akeelah and the Bee
This paint-by-numbers fictional version of Spellbound isn't half as exciting as the former, and you can see every plot "twist" (if you can even call them that) coming a mile away. Predictable is fine only if you've got an amazing interpretation, but this is standard TV movie of the week fare. The slow pacing and overabundance of subplots don't help matters either, and neither does watching it when one is bloody sleepy after reservist training. Skip this big yawn and rent Spellbound instead; you'll be glad you did.

夜宴 (The Banquet)
Shakespeare in ancient China! I'd sat through two thirds of the film when I suddenly remembered that this was an adaptation of Hamlet, and suddenly everything clicked into place and made sense. Things like the theatricality of the lines, the often larger-than-life performances and the bizarre dynamic of the characters. The weakest link is probably Zhang Ziyi (I refuse to say Ziyi Zhang) as the Gertrude character, who lacks the presence and deep emotional reserves necessary for the role. One can only imagine what Gong Li might've done with it, and bemoan the fact that this was not so. Zhou Xun acquits herself well as the Ophelia character, whose role has been expanded and included in the finale instead of dying off in the middle. Strangely enough, Hamlet's role has been reduced, and this is probably better for the movie, since you have Daniel Wu, not especially known for his thespian abilities, in the role. Ge You is delicious as the Claudius character, though. All in all, a highly watchable Shakespearean adaptation.

美滿人生 (Singapore Dreaming)
It's a quiet, unassuming little movie about the lives of ordinary Singaporeans. Some might find the plot a little hackneyed, but the pain and desperation of each individual character rings true and brings it back down to earth. Some performances are over-the-top (*ahem* Dick Su *ahem*) and sometimes issues are a little too on-the-nose for my liking, but hey, it's miles ahead of what Jack Neo is capable of. If you're Singaporean, it's likely you'll find this film affecting in some way.

トニー滝谷 (Tony Takitani)
I'm a fan of Murakami's writing, and while I think this adaptation of one of his short stories replicates the mood and tone of his work remarkably well, I have to admit that I was incredibly bored. Perhaps his work just doesn't translate that well to the filmic medium, or I was just feeling tired. Or perhaps it would've been better as a short film. As it was, the barely 75-minute film felt like twice its running length to me. All I can say is, perhaps I'll like it better the next time I see it. But for now, apart from the captivating visuals, it did nothing for me.

Lemming
A taut psychological thriller that appears to take a twist into the supernatural (or was that my misinterpretation?), this is good, gripping stuff all the way. Much of the credit must go to Charlotte Rampling playing Psychotic Bitch with relentless intensity, and it's amazing how she inspires a creeping dread to crawl over you in every scene she appears in. The ending is a little of a let-down, but hey, the ride was well worth the ticket price.

괴물 (The Host)
Honestly, I don't get what all the hoopla about this movie is about. It's been said that it's a monster movie unlike every other monster movie that's gone before. On this point I agree, but it's not necessarily a good thing. In his attempt to go beyond the confines of the genre, the director seems to throw every conceivable genre into the mix, including over-the-top physical comedy that seems out of place in a scene ostensibly about a family's grief. The individual scenes work great, and there are some genuine thrills to be had, but the whole is considerably lesser than the sum of its parts. The lacklustre finale is, especially, a let-down.

Friends with Money
Jennifer Aniston earns herself more street cred as one-fourth of a group of actresses comprising some of the most talented in Hollywood. To her credit, she acquits herself well, especially when you consider that she's going up against the likes of Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand and Joan Cusack. This fine character piece doesn't have melodramatic ups and downs; instead we're invited to observe these people as they go about their lives, and gain insight into them from their behavior and actions. It's a tender, witty and sometimes sad portrait of middle-aged women, but it's not weepy chick-flick material at all. It's real and human, and more than that, humane in every way.

Imagine Me & You
Nice Girl falls in love with Nice Guy, and they get married. However, at the wedding, Nice Girl sees Someone Else and is intrigued. She realizes she might have made a mistake by marrying Nice Guy, and slowly gets involved with Someone Else. Finally Nice Guy finds out and is devastated, but because he loves Nice Girl too much, he knows he has to step aside and the Nice Girl and Someone Else be together, because they're in a romantic comedy and he's obliged to do that. Either that, or die in a horrible accident so the star-crossed lovers can finally be together. Sounds like the plot of a typical romcom? You're right, except that the Someone Else is another Nice Girl, making this a lesbian romcom. Apart from this, everything else is standard, lightweight fluff, with no distinguishing characteristics.

P.S.
A middle-aged admissions director, played wonderfully by Laura Linney, has a fling with a promising young student because he is the spitting image of her deceased ex-boyfriend, and coincidentally enough, shares the same name as well (and let's not forget the mid-life crisis that usually comes into play). There could have been tons of sleaze that arose from this, but amazingly enough, the script and actors display such a rawness of emotional vulnerability that touches you instead. Topher Grace as the student holds his own against Laura Linney, not an easy feat at all. The supporting characters are also richly-drawn and it all adds up to a captivating journey through the emotional landmines of such an unlikely relationship.