gekyhls Reviews

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005)

A ride with Zhang Yimou

[8/10 · 27 May 2006]

It has been a long time since Zhang last pull an intimate angle on his film. It feels good to watch a simple story that filled our emotions right to the brim.

If i'm not wrong. this is the first time Zhang focus on MAN's emotion. His protagonist have always been females. (The 2 most famous actress from china - gongli and zhang ziyi is a result of his great foresight.) Zhang Yimou possess a good eye for casting. Both old man and little boy exudes certain stunning charisma that i find them look alike to each other. Both possess a ruggard face that reads hardship and strength. Ironically these man and boy of rock are hit by the softness of kinship. whatever it is, they stand tall in the face of sad history. watching the heart map of a solid MAN like takakura is one of the most touching thing for me. i was moved by the story.

it was so rare to watch the male characters to be dissect by Zhang. When that happens, they are much pale (quiet & reserved) in comparison to the other female characters in zhang's previous film. for me, that is novelty. kudos to zhang for reinventing himself!

Invisible Waves (2006)

Visible Vengeance Against Invisible Waves

[6/10 · 5 May 2006]

I can't help but react to the only 2 reviews posted on this site.

Surprisingly, they are both from Singapore (like me) and both hate the film with a vengeance. To correct myself, Dick hates it, Peter dislikes it. What is most interesting is a display of how a film explode an audience.

Why is there so much frustration when one cannot comprehend a work of art? I'm not saying that the inability to understand is a reflection of one's level of intelligence. i'm simply asking the big EMOTIONALLY question. why do people get so frustrated over something they have problem comprehending? Have you ever dream a dream that you do not understand? Have you ever dream of signs, symbols, incidents, characters, animals, locations that doesn't make sense at all? how do you come to terms with those unfulfilling surrealist images?

Honestly, i may not get the film myself. It wasn't one of the most engaging film i have watched. it was certainly much weaker than Last Life of the Universe. But i see it as a surrealist film. The constant hollow sound through out the film may have dropped a hint. It is simply a dream about a man who is confronted by betrayal of people close to him and maybe even himself. The faint bizarre incidents creates many space for observations with the characters and the environment.

Todate, there are only postings from Singapore audience on IMDb. This shows that we are one of the earliest privilege film buffs in the world who get a chance to preview the film. It shows a great deal of confidence from the filmmaker in Singapore audience. I do not agree that it is a bad decision to bring in such art-house film. the idea about art-house often equivalent to no formula and therefore equivalent to no traditional benchmarks. there is always a different appetite needed by a different audience. i embrace picture house effort and i hope they continue to brave obscure titles with huge risk at box office for that is the spirit of art-house.

when i walk into a theatre to watch an art film, i'm expecting to be challenge as an audience.

My purpose of this writeup is merely to provide a different viewpoint. no offense.

I'm a mortal, i get angry with many things and people around me. For example, I always get angry with my dad cos i do not understand most of his behaviours and ideas. Therefore i can understand a frustrated audience as well.

Next Door (2005)

Perspective's Perspective

[8/10 · 15 April 2006]

why do people like to watch psychotic films? do they enjoy the gore? the warpness? the twisted behavior? or entering into the world of dementia? for me, its always about the dimensions. another dimension with another perspective. a quote from the film says it all "different strokes for different folks"

indeed. the film show us a mind space that was all cluttered and confused. all shoved and jammed. all corners that comes to no end. it was fascinatingly corrupted. brilliant, skillful filmmakers of course. a good culmination of great acting, directing, camera, art direction, sound, editing. kudos to the whole team!

a definite must watch. but should keep it away from those who are really warp.

The Double Life of Véronique (1991)

memory lane of veronika

[7/10 · 2 April 2006]

just like another reviewer from HK, i saw this movie about 10 years ago. alone, in a cinema, with a bunch of other film buffs as it is a screening of singapore film society. how absurd... there is another person in another space watching the same movie and mirroring similar emotions.

i remembered myself being pulled into a magical world of cinema. the dream. the face of irene jacob. the lovemaking scene. the puppet. they leave a deep mark.

however, unlike 10 years ago when i revisit the film few minutes earlier, some magic powder has rubbed off. it seems more beautiful 10years ago. some dust has been collected in the mist of memory.

nevertheless, krzystof kieslowski remains one of my all time favourite director. he makes cinema cinematic.