The Painted Veil

The Painted Veil is a complex, overwhelming story about love set in the background of a cholera epidemic, political upheaval, and the exotic 1920’s China. I felt so much for the characters that leaves me wanting, begging for a different closure.

Naomi Watts delivered a superb acting, convincing in every detail as remarkably as she is. Her character, Kitty, is married to a bacteriologist named Walter Fane—who’s played equally brilliant by Edward Norton—by a mistake she later acts on. By Walter’s job demand, he brings her to Shanghai where she has an affair with a married man. When Walter finds out, he whisks her off to Mai-tan-fu, a small town deep inside China infected severely by cholera. The couple lives together but engages in a distant relationship while he helps the town folks rid of the deadly disease, and she joining an orphanage run by Catholic nuns. At the same time, Nationalists were up protesting against the British influence in the country, and the presence of new foreigners was a good excuse to cause enough turmoil.

Because Chinese production was involved in the making of this movie, the political angle was suppressed to a mere thematic degree. This was completely fine, because within 125 minutes of it, the story would be focused more on the husband/wife relationship and their gradual shift from mistrust and aloofness to love and devotion. You’d expect it, and you’d call for it. Still, it’s enchanting and captivating to see love rediscovered and flourish.

Everything about this movie is terrific and if you ask me, worthy of Oscar. The breathtaking setting, the first-rate acting supported by native Chinese, the poignant portrayal of superstitious society to gruesome scenes of the dead by cholera. The music was beyond outstanding, thanks to Alexandre Desplat and his Golden Globe winning score. Already I’m planning on reading the book by W. Somerset Maugham.

4.5/5.

Dreamgirls

I read a review sometime ago stating that when Jennifer Hudson sang “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”, she inscribed her name on an Oscar. I got curious, so I listened to the song. Other than a woman singing a heartbreaking tune zealously, it didn’t make a lasting impression. Until I saw Dreamgirls today, then I got it.

Let’s just say that hairs on my nape uncontrollably stood up during her moving act.

4/5.

300

Reasons to watch 300:
1. You think Sin City is awesome.
2. The thought of splattering bloods and decapitated heads is a feast for your eyes.
3. You dig CGIs. But not so much about complex plot.
4. You didn’t miss any of Hollywood’s venture on B.C.-era war epics, such as Gladiator, King Arthur, Troy, or Alexander.
5. You’d like to see various forms of R-rated display of entertainment in a package, from ghastly blade-armed creature chopping off people’s head to exotic dancers performing gyration moves.
6. Any story about “honor”, “freedom”, and “democracy”, especially those regarding battlefields, sounds exciting to you.
7. You’re gay.

All of the above-mentioned reasons should sum up pretty much what I think 300 represents. Except #6. You’ve got to be joking if you think I’m serious.

I’d heard a lot of things about 300 before I watched it, so I went to see it out of curiosity. One of the things I heard was months ago, when somebody mentioned that 300 was going to be bigger than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Reeeaaally.

I went to see it after all, with a slight feeling of eagerness, after reading that it made a new record of biggest March opening weekend ever. There’s got to be something surprising about this movie, right? Well, something did surprise me, the gayness of the movie. 300 of half-naked soldiers with fine washboard abs annihilating thousands upon thousands of Persian army lead by a very glitzy, gay God-king?

No wonder Iran went berserk.

2/5.

Music and Lyrics

Ignore those opinions that scoff at any movie labeled romantic comedy where Hugh Grant starred in. I, for one, was going to scoff at Music and Lyrics without going to see it firsthand. It all changed as soon as I saw the hysterical opening act of PoP’s 80 hit song, Pop! Goes My Heart. It represents the absolute horror of 80s pop as we remember, so damn silly it’s refreshing.

Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher, a washed up songwriter from an 80s band, who no longer attracts fans other than women above 35 in theme parks and county fairs. A new teen singer, Cora, dubbed “bigger than Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera”, loves PoP and wants Alex Fletcher to write a new song for her specifically titled “A Way Back Into Love”, and it has to be done in very short time. Drew Barrymore plays Sophie Fisher who sits his plants and writes lyrics for him.

Of course, romance inevitably grows between these two characters, but romance is not the main issue that makes this movie so nice. I’m not very keen on Hugh Grant and most of his “been there, done that” characters, but in here, he is actually funny and witty with an extra dose of silly dance moves. Drew Barrymore is as adorable as her default performance in her typical genre, so what is there left to complain? Throw in some catchy tunes and tight pants and 80s hairdos. Not so bad.

Plot is stale and unbelievable, but I was charmed throughout the movie, thanks to the comedy part of the “romantic comedy” label, with exceptions at the performance of a Paris Hilton lookalike. There are displays of “religious” pop culture which may or may not be insulting to some people, which I took as a foolhardy attempt to accentuate stereotypes, though the intention is to mock the music industry. Well, it is a comedy after all.

3.5/5.

Now, here’s the clip of Pop! Goes My Heart: