Monday, 31 January 2011
Au-délà by Clint Eastwood, Green Hornet by Michel Gondry
Green Hornet **
A comic book story shot in moving images in 3D. The problem with comic book transferred to moving images are many. As in this case, for one, when we read comic books, we fill in the frames between the drawings ourselves in our head whereas in a film, all those inbetween frames are jammed up with more unimaginative images. Thats why it really doesnt have the same charm as the paper comic book. If we see Kato on paper making coffee at one point and building cars at another point; we have filled in our mind that Kato must do a lot of other things. In the movie, both characters Kato and the Green Hornet are paper figures. Cameron Diaz as the pretty secretary does well, just as a side figure could be quickly sketched out without any other details. Her role is not the central focus.
Rather worst, this Kato in the movie is not quite Bruce Lee, he is not at all convincing as a lithe martial arts expert - his body movements and shapes are heavy and slow - we could almost see the erased wires. His finesse in coffee making is no more than a serveur at a McDo café - the making of a milk foam leaf as a sign of expertise in a superb cup of coffee! Give me a break. And these cars w super power everything somehow didnt work. However, I find the rows of bales of papers in the printing room kind of interesting as scenario.
In fact, Kato was played by a youthful mega pop star from HK - but somehow it is stilted, the role is not suitable for him. The film also didnt use his strength which is mainly musical. No song by super pop song artist! Thats like having Marilyn Monroe and not have her do sexy moves - but playing a straight faced maid to a bumbling lady. A lot of 3D effect opportunities wasted. As a result the 3D glasses are a bother to wear.
This movie is a follow up from Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman, but the story line is very weak.
Dont waste your movie viewing time on this, there are much better things to do.
Au-délà by Clint Eastwood ***
A melo film by a master. London scenes are v London and French scenes v French. Not the iconic French nor iconic London but with more attention to the little guys. A tiny bit of nudity - we see Cecile de France in hotel in black undies putting on her outfit to go to the book fair simultaneously a dialogue (voice over) relating the book being presented at a bookfair (understood as accepted and published) - v quick paced time saving device.
What i like most about this film is the melow multilinear realism - each setting seem sober, correct and treated w much care; and that alast that this life is this life, the dead is dead, and the dead has other things to do even if they did bother to come back to chat to you, and that love could only happen if you have common experiences to share; thats quite a few parallel themes all running at the same time - unlike for example The Green Hornet which is a comic book stretched out lazily into a movie without filling in anything in between the action frames, so we get key frames from one scene to the next with nothing much in between, with pauverty in the story line so fatal that no amount of shallow 3D could save it.
A comic book story shot in moving images in 3D. The problem with comic book transferred to moving images are many. As in this case, for one, when we read comic books, we fill in the frames between the drawings ourselves in our head whereas in a film, all those inbetween frames are jammed up with more unimaginative images. Thats why it really doesnt have the same charm as the paper comic book. If we see Kato on paper making coffee at one point and building cars at another point; we have filled in our mind that Kato must do a lot of other things. In the movie, both characters Kato and the Green Hornet are paper figures. Cameron Diaz as the pretty secretary does well, just as a side figure could be quickly sketched out without any other details. Her role is not the central focus.
Rather worst, this Kato in the movie is not quite Bruce Lee, he is not at all convincing as a lithe martial arts expert - his body movements and shapes are heavy and slow - we could almost see the erased wires. His finesse in coffee making is no more than a serveur at a McDo café - the making of a milk foam leaf as a sign of expertise in a superb cup of coffee! Give me a break. And these cars w super power everything somehow didnt work. However, I find the rows of bales of papers in the printing room kind of interesting as scenario.
In fact, Kato was played by a youthful mega pop star from HK - but somehow it is stilted, the role is not suitable for him. The film also didnt use his strength which is mainly musical. No song by super pop song artist! Thats like having Marilyn Monroe and not have her do sexy moves - but playing a straight faced maid to a bumbling lady. A lot of 3D effect opportunities wasted. As a result the 3D glasses are a bother to wear.
This movie is a follow up from Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman, but the story line is very weak.
Dont waste your movie viewing time on this, there are much better things to do.
Au-délà by Clint Eastwood ***
A melo film by a master. London scenes are v London and French scenes v French. Not the iconic French nor iconic London but with more attention to the little guys. A tiny bit of nudity - we see Cecile de France in hotel in black undies putting on her outfit to go to the book fair simultaneously a dialogue (voice over) relating the book being presented at a bookfair (understood as accepted and published) - v quick paced time saving device.
What i like most about this film is the melow multilinear realism - each setting seem sober, correct and treated w much care; and that alast that this life is this life, the dead is dead, and the dead has other things to do even if they did bother to come back to chat to you, and that love could only happen if you have common experiences to share; thats quite a few parallel themes all running at the same time - unlike for example The Green Hornet which is a comic book stretched out lazily into a movie without filling in anything in between the action frames, so we get key frames from one scene to the next with nothing much in between, with pauverty in the story line so fatal that no amount of shallow 3D could save it.
Friday, 28 January 2011
Burlesque, Le Filmeur
Burlesque, **
A show for Christina Aquillera and Cher. Lots of nudity with hiddened strategic spots, story line is v thin, every scene is used as a carry on to the next number. Not much "acting" as such. Singing is good though. Editing seems v fast and I would have liked to see up close some of the costumes etc. This movie is similar to Chicago and Moulin Rouge, big song and dance numbers; even without the problem of a flimsy story line, there simply is no time for us to look at the details.
Le Filmeur, Alain Cavaliers 10 yr long video diary ** and a short film by Prisoners **
Alain Cavaliers video diary is intimiste, lots of narrations. Without the narrations its much less poetic as visually there is not much readable actions. The Prisoners images are v powerful and sound track enhances the various images. For example there was a scene with snow and wind/noise/screaming howling sound track. The viewers commented that the sound track was v powerful + windy snow storm showing the intention etc; but the workshop teacher replied that it was random footage that they shot and decided to add to the film. So often, diary filming could be like collage - you find things and make it work. Not necessarily scripted. Its our intention that makes the work happen. Another teacher told me that the most un-exciting students are the ones in design because their focus is always on "does it look good?" without a strong story, simply shooting for looking good is often not enough.
A show for Christina Aquillera and Cher. Lots of nudity with hiddened strategic spots, story line is v thin, every scene is used as a carry on to the next number. Not much "acting" as such. Singing is good though. Editing seems v fast and I would have liked to see up close some of the costumes etc. This movie is similar to Chicago and Moulin Rouge, big song and dance numbers; even without the problem of a flimsy story line, there simply is no time for us to look at the details.
Le Filmeur, Alain Cavaliers 10 yr long video diary ** and a short film by Prisoners **
Alain Cavaliers video diary is intimiste, lots of narrations. Without the narrations its much less poetic as visually there is not much readable actions. The Prisoners images are v powerful and sound track enhances the various images. For example there was a scene with snow and wind/noise/screaming howling sound track. The viewers commented that the sound track was v powerful + windy snow storm showing the intention etc; but the workshop teacher replied that it was random footage that they shot and decided to add to the film. So often, diary filming could be like collage - you find things and make it work. Not necessarily scripted. Its our intention that makes the work happen. Another teacher told me that the most un-exciting students are the ones in design because their focus is always on "does it look good?" without a strong story, simply shooting for looking good is often not enough.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Friday, 14 January 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
We are Alive! Yau Ching
I think none of the girls or boys look like bad kids - very surprising - their wishes and dreams are like any kids!
Video is such a gd medium, kids are free to use it as a "diary" - the girl who sang without filming herself was v moving. Her singing voice is very moving.
We are Alive! Director: Yau Ching 2010***
Documentary auto-filmed by youths in detention centers; their wishes and dreams in Macau, HK, Japan
The film is very courageous - it must have not been easy to get permission to film in detention centers.
Its also interesting to see the interactions between kids and the audience (self murmurs to be seen by people sent as message in a bottle) organised by workshop leader Yau Ching.
It would be such a gd general education for parents, showing inner voices of youths - their dreams and wishes are no different from youths outside. Why are they put in detention centers? We dont know from the film, but the images we see are ordinary kind looking youths.
I think Chinese families are not used to talking - unlike say, a lot of French people.
It would be a very nice additon to be in the film archive collection as part of history of hk - especially it draws parallels w other Asian groups like Japanese. We catch glimpses of the inner lives of young people - at the end Yau Ching herself is dressed in a school uniform sitting in a corner - it insinuates that she was also once herself similar to these rebellious vibrant youths?
A precious part of the film are the references to old iconic HK films, made by television on youths of correctional institutes, these compare with the main context of the story. Many footage of pop film makers Stephan Chow, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was merged with one of the character Bruise Lee. She was v gd too, interesting character. Since this was a documentary film using auto filming footages, the characters are by context limited otherwise, these young guys and gals are far more livelier than a lot of the "good kids" we see everyday. The boredom and emptiness of their pre-institution existence and post institution existence points to a lack of social outlets for expression. But then what about all the others who arent "inside" - why are they "inside" and the others equally bored by society are able to stay in line?
The question is; how much beyond "the line" could we be to not be forced "outside" of the ring? And if we did try, what to do after the punishment? One of the kids talked about his future, that he might be in prison or another correctional institute - that will be part of his vision of possibilities of the future.
We were all rebellious at one time or another, Yau Ching said on RTHK radio, but we have forgotten that we have been trained to wean out the "bad" and only retain the conformed versions of good.
I remember in one of Jodie Foster's interview that she said, she had no moment in her youth to be rebellious because her family depended on her. So she was always the adult ever since she could remember.
Having the freedom to live moments of "rebellion" is actually something precious.
The fact is, not everyone has the opportunity to have a go at it.
Could we have the cake and eat it too?
In the end, who are the lucky ones?
Video is such a gd medium, kids are free to use it as a "diary" - the girl who sang without filming herself was v moving. Her singing voice is very moving.
We are Alive! Director: Yau Ching 2010***
Documentary auto-filmed by youths in detention centers; their wishes and dreams in Macau, HK, Japan
The film is very courageous - it must have not been easy to get permission to film in detention centers.
Its also interesting to see the interactions between kids and the audience (self murmurs to be seen by people sent as message in a bottle) organised by workshop leader Yau Ching.
It would be such a gd general education for parents, showing inner voices of youths - their dreams and wishes are no different from youths outside. Why are they put in detention centers? We dont know from the film, but the images we see are ordinary kind looking youths.
I think Chinese families are not used to talking - unlike say, a lot of French people.
It would be a very nice additon to be in the film archive collection as part of history of hk - especially it draws parallels w other Asian groups like Japanese. We catch glimpses of the inner lives of young people - at the end Yau Ching herself is dressed in a school uniform sitting in a corner - it insinuates that she was also once herself similar to these rebellious vibrant youths?
A precious part of the film are the references to old iconic HK films, made by television on youths of correctional institutes, these compare with the main context of the story. Many footage of pop film makers Stephan Chow, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was merged with one of the character Bruise Lee. She was v gd too, interesting character. Since this was a documentary film using auto filming footages, the characters are by context limited otherwise, these young guys and gals are far more livelier than a lot of the "good kids" we see everyday. The boredom and emptiness of their pre-institution existence and post institution existence points to a lack of social outlets for expression. But then what about all the others who arent "inside" - why are they "inside" and the others equally bored by society are able to stay in line?
The question is; how much beyond "the line" could we be to not be forced "outside" of the ring? And if we did try, what to do after the punishment? One of the kids talked about his future, that he might be in prison or another correctional institute - that will be part of his vision of possibilities of the future.
We were all rebellious at one time or another, Yau Ching said on RTHK radio, but we have forgotten that we have been trained to wean out the "bad" and only retain the conformed versions of good.
I remember in one of Jodie Foster's interview that she said, she had no moment in her youth to be rebellious because her family depended on her. So she was always the adult ever since she could remember.
Having the freedom to live moments of "rebellion" is actually something precious.
The fact is, not everyone has the opportunity to have a go at it.
Could we have the cake and eat it too?
In the end, who are the lucky ones?
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Saturday, 8 January 2011
machinima as video art, HK film criticism, Martin Booth
http://artpulsemagazine.com/video-art-now-real-virtual-and-machinima/
machinima news
http://www.filmcritics.org.hk/taxonomy/term/4/9
hk film criticism
Martin Booth visited Kowloon city
review of Martin Booths book
machinima news
http://www.filmcritics.org.hk/taxonomy/term/4/9
hk film criticism
Martin Booth visited Kowloon city
review of Martin Booths book
Monday, 3 January 2011
Interview with Berardo Carboni, director of VolaVola
On set of VolaVola, Evo's office w Berardo Carboni, sl finally Outlander
Office of Evo
Visiting HuaHui MobileMusic with Berardo : sl+rl, mashup, mixed reality, future of Virtual World realities etc etc
Sunday, 2 January 2011
top ten machinima from nwn
top ten machinima
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/12/top-second-life-machinima-2010.html#more
List of sims to visit
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/05/why-second-life-matters.html
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/12/top-second-life-machinima-2010.html#more
List of sims to visit
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/05/why-second-life-matters.html
Saturday, 1 January 2011
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