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Reviews
Third Man Out (2005)
A gay detective story .
I didn't know that the time has come for a gay take on a detective story that has been a traditional straight domain. And it turned out good. Its about a self-styled investigative reporter (Wetherall from QAF) who outs high profile, closeted but practicing gays who use their positions to stifle gay rights. Naturally Wetherall attracted powerful enemies. When his life is on the line, Allen reluctantly took on his case despite the fact that he abhors Wetherall. My likes: the normalcy of the gay setting; the way the plot twists are paced so that you never expect the final turn (this being a book adaptation); Allen performing like a seasoned PI who has been there and done that but with a hint of a checkered past that hopefully will surface in the next installment (there are plans for a series). And the sexy song in the middle of the movie when Allen took his partner for a slow dance. Cant wait for the next one.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
About a human who evolved into a part robot but gave us robotic acting throughout instead. We have been taken for a ride thru the stars.
First thing first, Lucas wanted to tell us a story. Its a good story but Lucas is not a good story teller. (Now my suspicion is confirmed that Star Wars and Empire are the exceptions rather than the norm. 2 out of 6 is bad right?) Consistently wooden acting (except for Portman) and appalling script! But wait, what about the special effects? For the life of me I still don't understand why movies want to compete with computer games. Or CGI should overwhelm the tale. Like the mechanical critters that repair Obi's (or is it Anakin's? I don't care) spaceship. Many of the creatures/androids or other non humans that require no acting ability are redundant. Lucas should learn to rely less on special effects and start to rely on people with story telling abilities, starting from the script and the director. It amazes me that fans complain how bad the prequels are YET still subject themselves to the franchise. I dread the day when movies have so much action but so little acting.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
A love story that starts without love and ends without one.
So many people have said so many things about this film. What I want to say is that Jack & Ennis have gone down from the mountain but, alas, I am stuck at Brokeback! Why? because of the silences that speak louder than words; the sparse musical score that rings in your ears long after; the economical script that conveys more than the actual dialog; the precise acting that could have easily degenerated into melodrama under insensitive directing; the vast expanse of the mountainside (their love nest) vs the constricting dusty towns (their hornets' nest); the stock character fleshed out by Ledger that will be a reference for many actors for years to come; and last but not least the heart felt tears shed by ALL the main characters (including the babies!) And mine.
Km. 0 (2000)
A light hearted comedy suitable
This delightful comedy follows the 14 characters whose plans to meet on an unbearably hot afternoon at KM 0 in Madrid become unraveled by midnight. There is the film student thinking he is meeting a cousin for lodging; a lady scheduling to meet a younger john; a flamenco dancer who thought he is seeing an internet date; a nerd planning for a first time tryst with a hooker; a girl shopping for a wedding to an unexcited boyfriend and a desperate actress hoping to land a part in a musical. Come midnight and the long awaited rain, all their expectations were met unexpectedly. Acting is low brow but very believable. Some spot on emotions (and funny) like when bride-to-be had an empty pistol shot at her head and the highly-charged nerd cum when touched by a gigolo. I thought the whole movie is more about the happenings in the Diner (where they all meet) owned by the reluctant groom rather than KM 0 itself but hey, you will smile and laugh along the way.
Maurice (1987)
a gay love story that feels like comfort food.
When I first came across this movie last year I was hesitant to view it because I thought it would be fluff due to Hugh Grant (yep, i've yet to see a James-Ivory production) but after seeing it, I was enchanted by the serene treatment which is so unlike Hollywood. And for the better. It tells the story of a young snobbish gentleman Maurice (James Wilby) who falls in love with a fellow Cambridge undergrad, Clive (Hugh Grant) who acknowledges Maurice's feelings, but not truly returning the affection or love. Maurice realized he is fully capable of a passionate love affair with his own sex that he hangs on to the calcified Clive. Even after Clive married, he accepts Clive's invitation to stay in Clive's estate in the desperate hope of a requited love. This predictably increased his sufferings when Clive showed up very little and even ignored Maurice's birthday. He tried to be like Clive by consulting a doctor and a hypnotist in order to 'cure' his homosexuality. As it turned out, Clive's game keeper Scudder (Rupert Graves) has been observing and been trying to cozy up to him. Maurice of course never noticed this because Scudder is his social inferior. In a most memorable scene (one reviewer here wrote it as a gay man's dream) Scudder climbed up to Maurice's room and entered through the window to realize Maurice's pent up yearnings. Due to class difference, Maurice tried to ignore Scudder subsequently but realized that Scudder's love is true when the latter intentionally missed his boat to Argentina where a job and a 'normal' life awaits him. And now its up to Maurice to accept a 'friend to last his life time' as he had long dreamed, even if he is of a lower class. This movie reminds me of a beautiful stream that flows its course slowly. The performance is great and although Graves appeared only in the last half of the film, his presence provides the sexual energy that was implied in the first half. The lovemaking scenes are unabashed but not self gratifying. The final scene of Maurice in his undergrad days at Cambridge beckoning to Clive is heart breaking. And the music feeds the mental image of the film after the credit ends. Definitely one of my favorite films that warrants repeated watching.