Fradam

Wednesday morning began quietly, as most tense films begin. After an excellent Moroccan lamb (thanks Adrian) the night before, I was exceedingly keen about both lunch and a visit to the bank later that day (oh, and work ofcourse.. *cough*).
In hindsight, much like the films, the innocuous nature of a certain chain of events in the morning did not illuminate their disastrous nature until they were crystallised in an untimely demise later on.

It started with some paperwork for the bank - I have a file folder, and had the option of placing my notes inside the plastic sleeve. Decided not to, as I figured between the tight nature of the file folder and my work bag, there wasn’t much worry. Then there was transporting my lunch using my usual plastic takeway style containers. No different to normal, except I had neglected to cook any rice to go with it, so was carrying a full container of Moroccan lamb in to work. I was feeling particularly environmentally conscious, and figured it wouldn’t be neccessary to double bag the container, especially as I’d be wrapping the bag tightly around the container and wedging it in my bag against the file folder and a few other things in there.

The pieces were now in place.

Upon arrival at work, the transportation process of lunch from bag to fridge began. Icky. The inside of my bag was covered in the gravy from the Moroccan lamb. The top of the plastic had snapped, and pierced right through the tight-fitting plastic bag, allowing it to seep out whilst I was getting to work. Due to the tightly packed nature of the bag, nothing really escaped attention. The file folder in particular, was inundated with it… and somewhat more worrying were the files within which had gained some new framing. Excavating the container from the bag resulted in the bag tipping - from chair to ground, and spilling contents on the floor too.

Concluding that the microwave was destined to explode if I heated the remaining contents up later… I had a yoghurt for lunch. Tasty, healthy, and less chance of disaster.

A shopping trip with Kellie and Woody the other day netted another eagerly anticipated cinematic experience: the third installment in the Shrek franchise. Perhaps I should elaborate a little.

I still remember not being able to stop laughing through the first Shrek. Its rewatchability was amazing; and it was not long before the entire film could be recited .. in fact, I did actually once do a Shrek performance for a family that had not seen it before

The second movie to me was a little bit of a letdown. The classic tale of moviemakers wanting to squeeze every extra dollar out of what was already a crowd winner seemed to strike a resonant chord within me, as every scene seemed like it was choreographed to a superfluous nature. Having said that, the new characters were both interesting and adorable — Prince Charming’s appearance and general demeanour was a nice counterpoint to the way he would normally have been expected. Of course Puss in Boots was a great hit too. But it could never compare to the first (as sequels never can).

It was against this backdrop that Shrek the Third entered… and I believe it performed quite well too! Overall, better than the second one, but still not quite at the level of the first. In terms of overall story, I found this much more enjoyable than the second movie — the concept of a journey that Shrek and Donkey (well, and Puss in Boots) have to take, searching for someone… it was a bit reminiscent of the first one actually.

The ever-expanding vocal cast gained a few more notables — there was a mini-Python reunion with Eric Idle joining as Merlin (the dying King Harold was voiced by John Cleese) and one of the opening scenes showing a coconut-shell-driven-horse — Justin Timberlake servicing as the youthful ever-dramatic soon-to-be-King Artie. I’ve always been impressed with Charming’s casting — to me, Rupert Everett has an excellent voice for a villain (first noticed this in Inspector Gadget, and he did not disappoint, even when lamenting over a stage-wide humiliation.

Getting back to where it really excelled, there were a few poignant issues to tackle about identity, and who you really were. As always, highly applicable to anyone’s life.. except maybe the bits about becoming a Dad :p Baby ogre was cute though! With a scene set in a high school, a few issues that affect teenagers were for a change directly addressed by playing them out, rather than in the usual Shrek fashion (acting out a broader analogy).

My favourite quote:

Prince Charming: You! You can’t lie! Where is Shrek?
Pinocchio: Well, uh, I don’t know where he’s not.
Prince Charming: You’re telling me you don’t know where Shrek is?
Pinocchio: Well, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to assume that I couldn’t exactly not say that there he’s is almost partially incorrect.
Prince Charming: So you do know where he is!
Pinocchio: Oh, on the contrary. I’m possibly more or less not definitely rejecting the idea that I undeniably…
Prince Charming: Stop it!
Pinocchio: …do or do not know where he shouldn’t probably be. If that indeed wasn’t where he isn’t!

… for reasons that should be obvious! Love the wordplay

With Shrek 4 slated for 2010, once again the question of “what will they think of next?” rises. Once again, the challenge of being labelled as just another movie cashcow will be taken up. Once again, people will find their memories of fairytales brought to the forefront. Personally, this most recent one has given me potentially a new ambition in life — apparently, Eddie Murphy was reportedly paid $10 million for a few days work. Hmmm… not bad

So, the day of reckoning finally arrived, and the third, but possibly not final installment of Pirates. In case it wasn’t clear, these tickets were obtained as a result of winning a Mix106.5 competition, and resulted in Kellie and I seeing Pirates 3 quite early! Seeing the movie before most people saw it has its advantages — nobody else can ruin the story for you. But, writing about it becomes problematic as nobody else has seen it! ;o

For that reason, I have opted for a no spoilers policy. Except ofcourse, to say that Neo died. The general premise of the film is established by the cliffhanger finish of the second film — apparently Jack Sparrow, sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow, is retrievable from whence he lies. A great deal of the film is simply following through on that plot line, whilst attempting to develop, or undevelop, the myriad of other interwoven plot lines. In fact, at one point, it was decidely unclear just who was on what side, and for what purpose. With nearly 3 hours to play with, they certainly kept it in the air

Needless to say, a question asked in the film - “Is it planned or does he make it up as he goes along?”, seems well applied to the film itself, so convuluted it can be at times. Eventually, many threads do get resolved (well, more than a season of Lost anyways), albeit, in a generally good humoured way. On that note, the comedy at times did seem a bit belaboured, almost contrived, not dissimilar to the way it was in the second film, but still elicited many laughs from the audience… I know I was laughing a lot! With all the plot and comedy, there was certainly less action in this film, but to be honest, I did not even realise until now and I’m reflecting upon what I witnessed.

The casting was well-received, with familliar faces returning in old roles. Keith Richards, a cameo appearance as Sparrow’s father, was a natural. Watching him move, it was clear where Johnny Depp had drawn some inspiration for his portrayal of Jack Sparrow. Oh! Another major pro for this film: there is an excessive amount of Johnny Depp in some scenes — more than you can normally believe. Perhaps that is a noteworthy observation: in a similar vein to the second film, the concept of ‘excess’ is void. There is no boundary that cannot be crossed, no limitation that cannot be ignored. The indulgence in this practice is perhaps what garners some of the ‘wonder’ of Pirates… this belief that almost anything is possible.

What allowed this was at times the technology. The CGI in this film was top-notch - the effects were almost surreal, and drew the audience right into it. I know I was believing what I was seeing! Some of the scenery that was generated (or even, some of the on-location shots), were just magnificent, and set a vividly rich backdrop for the film to proceed with.

So, is it worth it? I definitely believe so. Anyone who enjoyed what the second film had to offer, and want answers, will agree. Be warned, with quite a lengthy, plot-driven film as this, you’ll need your wits about you — this is not a movie to watch when you’re half-asleep. Having said that, Pirates 3 delivers plenty of laughs, intensely life-like effects, heart-throbbing romance and ofcourse, some swordplay and explosions.

Mr Bean, a name I grew up with, is almost synonymous with disaster. His unerring ineptitude provided me with many laughs… how someone could traverse the earth with such incompetence was beyond me. As a child, I could appreciate it, since much of Bean’s humour was without words — in fact, I daresay many children have a better command and use of the English language than did Bean.

I noticed when I last visited Malaysia that my youngest cousin, only about 8, was enthralled by the antics of Bean; the continual struggle to solve the mundane problems of life elicited much laughter from most of the family actually. You almost cringe seeing the situations he ends up in, especially as you can feel them building up. Ofcourse, with only 14 30minute episodes made, there wasn’t ever going to be a huge build up.

Until they made a movie. I honestly wasn’t that impressed. Americanising the English sense of humour has been on the todo list for the US for a while now, and this movie simply highlighted they hadn’t quite got it yet. Whilst I won’t go into all the problems of that film, one of the key things that was problematic was that Bean’s legendary communication skills were glossed over; he was happily talking all over the place! What was once one of the cornerstones of this humour, was now null and void.

The latest Bean movie, sought to right the wrongs of the past. 10 years on, and once again, simply not being able to communicate was a predicament faced by Bean. All in all, it turned out to be an enjoyable film, and as the final time Rowan Atkinson performs as Bean, definitely a good way to end it. An interesting part of the movie was a movie within the movie.. but alas, that turned out to be a ploy at self-indulgence for William Dafoe’s character. Luckily, Bean saved the day! The only real downpoint to his victory was the lack of Teddy.

As much as it is easy to distance yourself from Bean, and laugh at his sillyness, at times I felt that he was addressing very common problems we all face… it’s just a lot funnier seeing it compacted into the one individual’s life… and with some rather bizarre solutions.

Wild Hogs was very much the same thing; problems that ordinary people face, and some very bizarre solutions. OK, so I suppose to some people, a road trip across the country isn’t very bizarre, but it is to me! The people represented though, and the problems they reflected were ones that were easy to identify with. Between the stagnating low-risk dentist, the once-wealthy-now-bankrupt businessman, the software programmer who can’t find a girl, and the plumber who was clearly not wearing the pants in the relationship… well, I’ll let you decide which one I thought I was most akin too.

Surprisingly though, the movie was full of laughs. It wasn’t all cheese/bad puns.. but there was the token gay police officer. There was an element of self-discovery in each of them, which naturally I soaked up, and love to see. Whilst not every character ended up on top, they all at least seemed filled with hope, which is a good position nonetheless. The best bit was seeing Peter Fonda randomly appearing toward the end of the film — whilst it was no Easy Rider, it was nice to see a bit of a classical genuflection.

300, on the other hand, was anything but classical. I know … almost nobody who agreed with me about this movie, but really, I didn’t think it was that wonderful. Being a progeny of Frank Miller told me to expect that there would be elements of gore, and it would not hold back for the sake of being gentle. It met those expectations. However, as for the rest of it…

Most of the action scenes were like any other film which involved hand to hand combat — only difference here, was someone continually pressing fast-forward, and then pause, and then playing it slowly… and then fast forward again. Repeat, rinse and lather. To its credit, actually seeing a phalanx formation, working in unison, in the manner real soldiers would have executed it (or so we are led to believe), was certainly an amazing thing.

The acting was… yes. The key role of King Leonidas was allegedly cast because he had the loudest voice of those who auditioned. David Wenham was a nice little boon for Australia, but nothing terribly special there. In general, the only real plus of the casting (or perhaps, this was more about the 6 months training), was that every single body was incredibly fit. And considering 90% of the film was spent with a group of 12-pack males running around in loincloths, there was certainly ample opportunity to observe just how fit many of these characters were. Dumdedum… anyways.

As for plot?! It struggled. Big time. They would have been better off making it a pure hack and slash movie, rather than attempting to do political intrigue and doing it badly. The problem with all movies of this nature, is that they are invariably compared to the likes of Gladiator/Braveheart — movies that characterised a genre and time period, and did it well. To any aspiring film maker who happens to be reading this, I say two things:
1. What are you doing here!?
2. Learn from others’ movies!

Anyhow, that is it for me for recent movies watched…so for upcoming movies…

Spiderman 3 — We’re nearly there!

Pirates 3 — I cannot wait .. ! Thanks to Kellie for the following link — just to wet your appetite a bit!

My new movie — Okay, I can’t talk about this too much, but Will has put together a trailer for it… enjoy!

I saw Pursuit of Happyness last night, a movie which has interested me and bugged me at the same time. Interested as the pursuit (and attainment) of being happy is one greatly aligned with my life. Bugged because that spelling is a bit jarring.

So, witnessing Will Smith’s character, Chris Gardner, taking the time to point out the bad spelling within the first few minutes of the film was definitely a great way to begin it. Witnessing the hardships of Chris as he struggled to make ends meet and find a place for his son to lay his head at night, was not as easy. In some ways, it was shocking to see an individual placed in a position he could not control, and to contemplate that life could deal anyone a similar hand. However in other ways, it was also inspiring to see that struggle resolved in a positive fashion, one that does brand hope in my eyes.

Sure — it is Hollywood — some of these events took place across a period of time etc. But the biggest part of it, the parts that were real — the implacable determination to be there for his son, the indomitable will to succeed and an almost inexorable passion for doing what he wanted and not being held back. Perhaps it is this fiery intensity that at times scared me the most about Will’s portrayal of Chris, to see what an individual would do to see his dream realised.

How many people have that kind of fervor for their goals? I’d say many people at times, have that passion… just often, those times don’t align with times they can act upon them. But how many people have the gifts he had — the fine-tuned mind for numbers and his speedsolving with a Rubix cube garnered attention from the people who had the power to grant him what he wanted. Call me crazy, but I think everyone’s got a talent somewhere. It might not make a movie, but it’s there, whether we call it that or not.

I thought Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (above) was awesome. Adorable, yet, such an amazing performance. He may well challenge Bindi for the “8 year old entertainer’s awards” with his portrayal of Chris’ son.

It was great that the real Chris Gardner had a cameo in the film; a bit reminiscent of the recent Starsky and Hutch remake, when the older and newer duos met.

All in all, a good film it was, with a fresh bite of what reality can be like at times. It’s not really a tear-jerker, but can be a little shocking in some parts. There are inspirational moments, but perhaps the fact that most of these events really happened to someone, is what hits home the most.

If there’s one thing to take away from the film, it should be this:

You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.

Go watch it

After much bated breath I witnessed Happy Feet, and came out quite excited by the prospect that I could be the next tap dog/penguin. This film definitely lived up to the amount of hype that I had been exposed to, and may well have extended it.

Being part of the animated generation, I witnessed CGI take off with Woody and Buzz, Shrek and Fiona, and now into this dancing musical about emperor penguins. Yet, in all this animation wizardry, we only learnt so much:

- Ogres are like parfait and onions
- The mouth of a pelican is a safe place if you’re worried about seagulls

How many of these movies not only gave us a laugh, but also taught us something real about the world? Something really real. The media, being a method by which we procure information, is always in a powerful position: it can show us the truth or hide it. Certainly music stars exercise their power, and try to change the world from the stage. But what about a movie? Does a kids film have any social or moral obligation? If not before, they do now. To be fair, Ice Age 2 made inferences towards the problem of global warming, but it would easily be missed by many.

Happy Feet is eager to educate its viewers upon the plight of a species that depends upon fish to survive, and what happens when we as humans interfere in the natural balance of the world… and does so in a way that an 8 year old can understand it. I almost felt like that as the penguins tried to communicate to humans in an interpretative dance, that the film makers were speaking to us as the penguins; hoping, praying, wish that somehow, we’d understand and pick up on it. I suppose the people watching the film will be the decision makers of the next generation; which is a reasonably good sign for the cause.

I hope that this at least sends the signal to other animated film makers, that you can do a great fun movie, full of singing and dancing, and still send a serious message home too. What is the phrase? With great power, comes great responsibility, and with great responsibility, comes great amounts of chocalata!

After much poking, prodding, bugging and otherwise incessant badgering from numerous people to go see Casino Royale, I finally did it, and saw it without thinking about all the things the media have been saying about it for ages.

Overall, I have to say I am impressed.

I am one of the many who was getting a little tired of the over-slicked and over-gadgetised Bond of recent years, which had become an exercise in sheer technological indulgence for the people behind it. We’ve seen everything from disappearing cars and X-ray glass to the most unrealistic of them all, a jetpack! It was honestly getting a bit much. I don’t think Bond was ever meant to get suave — a trend which I guess began with Roger Moore. The classics with Sean Connery were smooth at times, but also a bit brutish in some respects.

Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Bond is indeed a throwback to those times, with his character being placed in his novitiate as far as ‘00′ status is concerned, and thus, is fully qualified with being ‘rough around the edges’:

James Bond: Vodka-martini.
Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
James Bond: Does it look like I give a damn?

Watching this younger, brash Bond, was reminiscent of watching Sean Connery on old Friday night Channel 10 Bond reruns. A British gentleman who knew what he wanted and how to get it.

I found most of the commentary on Craig to be quite interesting — reviewers “were forced to eat their words over doubts about Daniel Craig’s ability to play agent 007“. Many fans however, yelled loudly against him — and why? He is blonde and blue eyes… yes, I am dead serious. Of course, that didn’t stop him somehow being voted World’s Sexiest Man, which I heartily disagree with.. it definitely should have Johnny on top!

The part of the film I find the most curious surrounds the concept of time. This is apparently the first Bond film (in terms of his career), since it deals with his promotion to ‘00′ status, yet, they are quite happy to note that it is indeed the year 2006, and things like SMS are freely available. If we consider there to be no timeline of Bond outside of a start and then a middle, then this makes sense — except that M is still a woman (no longer grey though), as she is in the last few movies, but not in any prior. A bit of a muddled mess!

All in all though, it has done well at the box office, becoming the highest ever earning Bond film of all time, and I would recommend those unsure about the movie to go ahead and check it out!