Rough Groove

Movies watched: January 08, Part 3 of 3

January 2008 was a bit productive with around 22 full feature films and 3 shorts (under Eros) that have been watched either in theaters and, mostly, at home. 11 came from North America with two from Canada, the rest from the US. Four from Europe: UK, France, Italy and Spain. The last is set in Canada and acted Canadians but produced in Spain with a Spanish lady director. Asia is represented by 2 Japanese films (the second a sequel), Thai, my second film watched from Thailand (the first was in Bangkok which was Nang Nak). Of course, I had a marathon movie watching, all by one of my favorite directors: Wong Kar Wai.

I had my own mini film festival of Wong Kar Wai films! While I have already watched In the Mood for Love and 2046 many years ago, I watched the former again. I’m still looking for copies of 2046, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels and As Tears Go By. Eros, by the way, is three shorts, with the other two done by different directors. Of the three, WKW’s is the best.

Days of Being Wild - Wong Kar Wai, 1990 (Hongkong)
In the Mood for Love - Wong Kar Wai, (Hongkong)
Chunking Express - Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (Hongkong)
Chun gwong cha sit (Happy Together) - Wong Kar Wai, (Hongkong)
Eros - Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderberg, Michelangelo Antonioni, 2005 (Italy)

Movies watched: January 08, Part 2 of 3

January 2008 was a bit productive with around 22 full feature films and 3 shorts (under Eros) that have been watched either in theaters and, mostly, at home. 11 came from North America with two from Canada, the rest from the US. Four from Europe: UK, France, Italy and Spain. The last is set in Canada and acted Canadians but produced in Spain with a Spanish lady director. Asia is represented by 2 Japanese films (the second a sequel), Thai, my second film watched from Thailand (the first was in Bangkok which was Nang Nak). Of course, I had a marathon movie watching, all by one of my favorite directors: Wong Kar Wai.

American Gangster and Le Souffle au Coeur are just wonderful and beautiful movies! As for the two Death Notes, I’m just fascinated with terrific horror stories from the Land of the Rising Sun.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Milos Forman, 1975 (US)
Alien vs. Predator 2 - The Strausse Brothers, 2007 (US)
Dog Day Afternoon - Sidney Lumet, 1975 (US)
Le Souffle au Coeur (Murmurs of the Heart) - Louis Malle, 1971 (France)
American Gangster - Ridley Scott, 2007 (US)
Ong-Bak - Prachya Pinkaew, 2003 (Thailand)
Desu nôto (Death Note) - Shusuke Kaneko, 2006 (Japan)
Desu nôto 2 (Death Note: The Last Name) - Shusuke Kaneko, 2006 (Japan)

Movies watched: January 08, Part 1 of 3

January 2008 was a bit productive with around 22 full feature films and 3 shorts (under Eros) that have been watched either in theaters and, mostly, at home. 11 came from North America with two from Canada, the rest from the US. Four from Europe: UK, France, Italy and Spain. The last is set in Canada and acted Canadians but produced in Spain with a Spanish lady director. Asia is represented by 2 Japanese films (the second a sequel), Thai, my second film watched from Thailand (the first was in Bangkok which was Nang Nak). Of course, I had a marathon movie watching, all by one of my favorite directors: Wong Kar Wai.

A small note on the Korean but US produced D-War film: no amount of spectacular, as in really good computer generated effects, can save a shallow storyline with equally shallow acting. The plot has more holes than Swiss cheese.

As for the title, its nothing more than misleading. There was just a single dragon conveniently tucked in at the last scene. What you usually see for a good two thirds of the movie is a screaming serpent that’s just hard on the ears.

Ridley Scott’s 2007 release of Blade Runner is just spectacular! However, I need to see the first release, 1982, and watch again his 1997 director’s cut for better comparison.

Goodfellas - Martin Scorsese, 1990 (US)
Sweet Hereafter - Atom Egoyan, 1997 (Canada)
The Queen - Stephen Frears, 2006 (UK)
Blade Runner - The Final Cut - Ridley Scott, 2007 (US)
I Am Legend - Francis Lawrence, 2007 (US)
D-War (Dragon Wars) - Hyung-rae Shim, 2007 (US)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Tim Burton, 2007 (US)
My Life Without Me - Isabel Coixet, 2003 (Spain)
Veronica Guerin - Joel Schumacher, 2003 (US)
Mambo Italiano - Emile Gaudreault, 2003 (Canada)

Movies watched: December 07, Part 2 of 2

19 full feature movies and 1 short (Carpool - Jerrold Tarog, 2006) were watched in December 07, 2 more than last month, which isn’t bad. It kicked off with the Cinema One Originals 1 December and continued until the last few hours of 2007 which was capped by Lost in Translation and Thank You for Smoking.

Ten movies and a short are Philippne made, both mainstream and the better indies followed by those from the US, UK, China (contemporary) and a lone Mexican film which the Consulate of Mexico screened for free with the director in attendance.

Rekados (Special Ingredients) - Paolo Herras, 2006 (Philippines) (no poster available, only photo of the director)
Al otro lado (The Other Side) - Gustavo Loza, 2004 (Mexico)
Eastern Promises - David Cronenberg, 2007 (UK)
Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Shekhar Kapur, 2007 (UK)
Wu Qingyuan (The Go Master) - Tian Zhuangzhuang, 2007 (China)
Tu Ya De Hun Shi (Tuya’s Marriage) - Quanan Wang, 2006 (China)
Lost in Translation - Sofia Coppola, 2003 (US)
Thank You for Smoking - Jason Reitman, 2006 (US)

Movies watched: December 07, Part 1 of 2

19 full feature movies and 1 short (Carpool - Jerrold Tarog, 2006) were watched in December 07, 2 more than last month, which isn’t bad. It kicked off with the Cinema One Originals 1 December and continued until the last few hours of 2007 which was capped by Lost in Translation and Thank You for Smoking.

Ten movies and a short are Philippne made, both mainstream and the better indies followed by those from the US, UK, China (contemporary) and a lone Mexican film which the Consulate of Mexico screened for free with the director in attendance.

The Cinema One Originals 2007
Gone Baby Gone - Ben Affleck, 2007 (US)
Golden Compass - Chris Weitz, 2007 (US)
Batanes - Adolf Alix Jr & Dave Hukom, 2007 (Philippines)
Pasukob - Wenn V. Deramas, 2007 (Philippines)
Resiklo - Mark Reyes, 2007 (Philippines) (no poster available)
My Own Private Idaho - Gus van Sant, 1991 (US)