There is a tenderness to Ang Lee’s direction in his latest film- the sort of tenderness you felt in Lust, Caution but leaning toward the Brokeback Mountain sort of tenderness. Yuh it’s all tender in ‘69 alright.

Elliot, a closeted Jewish interior designer decides to help out with his parents’ failing motel by calling up the producers of the Woodstock music festival in hopes of reinvigorating business. And that’s basically all you need to know about Taking Woodstock.

Despite my lack of knowledge for anything about this movie, I enjoyed Taking Woodstock immensely (seeing Liev Schreiber in drag wasn’t half bad either haha). It’s the kind of movie I wish that wouldn’t end; which falls into whole new movie category I can say that I encounter only once in every five years.

Taking Woodstock had all the potential of being laden with teen angst and rebellion but Lee was clever enough to tread these matters lightly while keeping the mood essentially vibrant. He plays it somber when called for, and does it with class. There is a scene between Elliot, the lead character and his father in which he asks him “How do you do it? How can you stay married to mom (an amazing Imelda Staunton, btw) for 40 years?” In the same uninterrupted take and in the same neutral-looking long shot (without any unecessary close-ups and lingering dramatic silences) he turns around and says “I love her,” and walks out the door leaving Elliot in the dark.

Right then and there you’ll know that ‘Taking Woodstock’ isn’t about the concert- hell, it isn’t even about the music. I won’t say what it’s about but I will tell you this- go see it for that necessary dose of film nourishment.

Peeeenissssssssss!

It’s an avalanche of cuteness set to the hipster-est backdrop of today’s generation with scenes that may speak the painful truth about love to some, but also gives off the feel of a contrived relationship to many. Apart from drawing us into a world where Deschanel’s big blue eyes are the centre of the universe, Marc Webb’s (500) Days of Summer takes your breath away, keeps you laughing in your seat (but I have no idea why I found humour in the scenes that were unintentionally funny), and most importantly keeps you entertained. It’s a bunch of cute people doing their cute thing, and the end result is just well, cute.

Of course we need to be musically inclined, darling

Paper Heart is a cutesy quirky piece of moviemaking with that Charlyne Yi girl who I’m sure no one would’ve given a second glance if it weren’t for this ongoing hipster movement. Since geekery is now cool and being out is now in, maybe the charm and cuteness of this movie is supposed to portray the opposite? How deep was Paper Heart intended to be? Possibly not at all, despite tackling the topic of love in an almost scholar-like approach in some of the scenes. One thing I’m glad to note about Paper Heart is that the handheld treatment didn’t go overboard for forced realism. Yup I guess that’s it. Oh but I do have just one question- why does Charlyne Yi always act like she’s on dope?

Funny people are people, too

I watch movies to enjoy them, not to walk out of them. Nearly 140 minutes of my life have been stolen from me so I need to let this out. Team Apatow has done it again… beating a dead and already massacred horse, that is.

Like most of Apatow’s work which is seemingly crafted for the fickle-minded, we are always quick to forget the downward spiralling trend he follows- the staggering second act that not even a few funny people and funny dialogue can save. He indulges too much of his background in stand-up comedy that it screams autobiographical at times. A family affair within the same Apatow universe he has built, one can only take so much inside joking and horsing around that it gets tiring. It really, really does. What’s more excruciating about this movie other than its insane running time were the several attempts to resurrect the candor with even more bland comedy and sometimes slapstick humour causing it to fall flat on its face really, really bad (maybe they were thinking there was safety in toilet humour and crudeness?).

I learned one thing from all this, though: Hilarity ends when it tries to tread on. Sure the comedy was there, but its purpose was to blindside everyone and distract them of a story that never unfolded. Pretty soon you’ll realise the whole movie was a joke. The punch line was there, but I guess no one can point it out.

This is a movie that’s been on my ‘must watch’ list for years and years and years (ever since it came out in 2001, I think). and I should’ve listened to my gut instinct to give it a couple of more years. After two consecutive nights of ending the day with bad movies, I can safely say that there are indeed lotsa things you have to learn the hard way. For instance, if you’re Adrien Brody, it’s picking the right roles and ditching the snakeskin jacket. For Claire, it’s learning to learn about life and love – the hard way. Geez that was corny. But with lines like “I don’t deserve your tears,” it isn’t so much of a drama anymore when that cheese turn into tackiness- and not even the good kind of tacky,. as in it’s not even fun

Last na

Claire: You’ve been lying to me from the start haven’t you?
Jack: Look I just wanted to fuck you, that’s all it was.
Claire: When you said you loved me was that a lie too? Nothing was true. Just lies, just fucking lies.
Jack: Look I don’t love anyone Claire, and you’re hurt cause the love story that you made up for yourself fell apart, and it’s all in your mind.
Claire: I’m dead.
Jack: Don’t be so dramatic.

Wake up. Laugh-laugh. Not the time to sleep. It’s an epic movie production that seems to reiterate “Budget? What budget?” as The Fall was shot in 15+ countries all on real locations (so claims the Indian director who calls himself Tarsem). This extremely expensive fantasy movie unfolds to a story pattern similar to that of The Princess Bride except in this case, the setting is in a California hospital in the ’20s and the narrator is an paralyzed movie stuntman who tells the story to a 5-year-old with broken english and a broken arm. Watch this movie with an open mind and open eyes please. Wake up. Laugh-laugh. Not the time to sleep. A lot of film critics may have labeled The Fall as staggeringly beautiful albeit lacking content- if you look too deep into the movie you might realise just that. But in this crazy cinematic world, no one seems to appreciate what’s on the surface anymore, and that’s the bulk of what really matters.

I guess it’s the same reason people are drawn to egotism; with a movie seemingly so absorbed in itself, it’s hard not to fall in love with it. But taking this movie apart, assessing and reassessing every technique used is now futile and irrelevant as it is far less important than seeing it whole. A Tenenbaum-esque frame of mind has come over me, with hints of Margot, a subtle Chas rage, and a whole lotta Richie to top it all off.

No, I don’t associate with the dysfunction- it’s just that movies like this make me feel glad that movies exist (haha, still Kael’s essay). In the darkness at the movies, nothing is asked of us and we are left alone, it’s the liberation from duty. And that’s one comforting thought I can live with. So let’s shag ass!

I read this essay on film where the author talks about the fun of movies, particularly the trashy ones. She says that trash doesnt belong to the academic tradition and that’s part of the fun of trash- that you know (or should know) that you don’t have to take it seriously; that it was never meant to be any more than frivolous and trifling and entertaining.

A mindless, yet mind-blowing adventure, Watchmen achieved just that and a whole lot more. It bothered me alright .,and I was glad

In the same vein as the hipster-est movie of 2007
comes the equally quirky and quippy high school fantasy for indie rock aficionados- Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Armed with zero chemistry between the titular characters and sprouting zero charisma, ‘Nick & Norah’ had all the potential of idealized cuteness in a movie with its upbeat High Fidelity-esque appeal, but sadly fell flat on its face as a rendition of ‘Before Sunrise’ for today’s tween demographic. It celebrates awkardness quite awkwardly – which, if you think about it makes it sorta appropriate- and rejoices the fumbling first gestures of new romance through (sometimes) carefully sequenced songs. The journey is irrelevant as well as these teenagers’ complete disregard for the law, their conscience, and their parents; and as the movie reaches its penultimate event – a performance by the fictional band Where’s Fluffy – you’ll start to wonder how one can stay this drunk and silly for such a long time, vis-a-vis, how one can actually sit through this movie. Irrelevance irrelevance irrelevance!

Dya reckon the same guys who made the newest movie poster for Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li had tips from the people who made the poster for How She Move (I feel very uneasy saying that out loud) ?

Again, just sayin’ …