不是影評的伽俐略

日本文化從來不是我的心頭好，尤其音樂/劇集/電影等等一切會讓我聽到日文的東西，聽到就頭痛，即使兌換率有天從「8.3」回落到「5」也不改厭惡。

至於當年仍是小學生時，同學最愛的推理小說---金田一漫畫，也看過不少。

不論故事編排、構思，以至整體文化氛圍，都是本地難得一見的精彩。

最近一股推理風由小說蔓延至電視再轉移到電影，師奶殺手福山雅治飾演的湯川教授，那伽俐略式單手托頭signature pose，連我媽也迷倒。

電影《神探伽俐略》的物理天才與數學天才對決，第一回合尚未開始，兩人於斗室中把酒言歡，單是印象湯川已經贏九條街。

二人同樣才情橫溢，但命運竟迥然不同。

數學家堤真一老態畢露，身穿從救世軍二手店買回來的西裝外套及夜冷店大減價兩元一條的頸巾，天才落難潦倒半生，淪為九流中學教師。 

而物理學家湯川教授呢？灰色孖襟大衣配黑色頸巾，微曲的烏髮，深邃的眼神，還有灌下一公升防腐劑的俊臉… …  

相信湯川教授也會認同，色不迷人人自迷不是信口開河，而是有實證的科學。 

既然智商過人，堤真一沒可能不知道賣相一流的人的路有多易走，天才反而每多波折。 

倘若他當年走堂跑到Marketing或Fashion Design的教室做旁聽生，結局或許從此不一樣。

The Tale of Despereaux

A Flawed, But Refreshing Animated Movie.

These days most animated fairy tales tend to be parodies of the archetypal Disney movies of old. These movies, clever at first, now seem artificial and far more hackneyed than the fantasies they spoof. Fortunately, Tale of Despereaux is many ways the antidote to these cynical new cartoons. If not for the far superior Wall-E, I would say Despereaux is the only film of the year that captures the old-school magic and wonder that makes cartoons great.

The animation is good, maintains a nice, distinctive storybook look while maintaining liveliness and detail. The rats do look a little like those from Ratatouille, though, and Boticelli, despite being a rat himself, looks almost exactly like Anton Ego.

The voice acting is good too, although I have a problem with unnecessarily casting easily recognized voice actors in cartoons when their voices are not distinctive enough. It always struck me as a lazy way to get attention for a cartoon, and I prefer that they use professional voice actors (who specialize in it) and character actors who fit the role. Matthew Broderick delivers on the emotions, but his thirty-year-old voice may not be the best fit for a teenage character. Sigourney Weaver does well, even though she is an example of fruitless A-list casting. Dustin Hoffman was OK, as well, but his voice isn't as good here as in was in Kung Fu Panda. Emma Watson is too recognizable as Hermione Granger. The best voice in it was Tony Hale, who does a wonderful job as Despereaux's neurotic brother. The other voices I liked were William H. Macy (Despereux's father), and Richard Jenkins (Mouse Principal), and Christopher Lloyd (Threadmaster) 

One of the criticisms this movie has endured was that it wasn't funny enough. True, there really aren't many laughs, but that wasn't the point of this movie. It was a serious attempt at an imaginative fairy tale, and seriously, do *all* cartoons have to be comedies? The very few jokes this movie does have are well executed and character driven. As little jokes as there were in this movie, I have to say that I laughed at it more than I laughed at Bolt, which was actually trying to be funny. One of the most refreshing parts of this movie was the complete lack of the sophomoric toilet humor, artificially random dialogue, and cheap referential jokes that plague many cartoons nowadays. 

Also, the movie's music is good, and at no point does anyone seem to break into a bad pop song. 

*Potential Spoilers* The story overall is original and enjoyable enough, but it has some flaws. Unlike Wall-E, whose story was smoothly handled throughout it's entire running time, Despereaux does seem to be a bit rushed. The 90-minutes does not seem to perfectly handle the story and its sublplots. Like many movies that could have been longer, the finale could have been more climactic, but was not because it did not have sufficient buildup. Also, there was a subplot involving a hackneyed estranged parenthood plot device which the movie really could have done without. It revolved around a character for whom I initially had hopes of being a good "unlikely hero" character. 

The movie does seem to use the outsider plot device that many cartoons use, though it is amusing to see the other mice react to Despereux's bravery. Despereaux is a good role model and character for kids, However, he lacks even the most minor character flaws, and adults might prefer to watch a character with at least some personal quirks they could relate to. Roscuro, though, was an example of moral ambiguity.

Despite its flaws, Tale of Despereaux is a solid family movie, and consider what else you could take your kid to see this Christmas, you could much worse. I never respected movie critics but I simply cannot understand how this movie's reviews were not as good as those given to Bolt, which was mediocre, and Madagascar 2, which I'm not even going to bother seeing.

Twilight

(My personal comment)
This is just one person's opinion. No need to get angry, in fact I'd like you to convince me I'm wrong.

The movie is missing the magic. Edward appeared on screen and I swooned. He opened his mouth and I cringed. Edward is strong and confident. He wasn't a whiney, smitten child. In love yes, but brooding and in pain. Bella was delicate, not just dry and indifferent. This Bella lacked emotion maybe even a soul-who is she? She didn't feel like the yearning, thoughtful Bella I had imagined. I wished she needed to be protected. This version can take care of her own business--and I'm not sure how bad she wants to be with Edward, or why for that matter. Maybe if she narrated her emotions would have been more pronounced. Don't get me wrong, the actors' chemistry is very evident, they should get married and have melodramatic children. But was the film from Bella's perspective or not? The changing pov was off-putting. This film proves that Meyer's pages and pages are what bring this story and Edward and Bella's love to life.

The TONE was completely lost in the book to script to screen translation. The story is supposed to be a song that takes you to another world, one where vampires and werewolves exist. The story is an intoxicating melody. Here we're presented with a boy-band pop song sung by kids who think of themselves as classically trained Opera singers. PICK ONE. Be a chart-topping, America's Top 40 or be the haunting, dangerous lullaby I think a lot of fans were looking for.

Speaking of boy band...the screen version of Jacob Black is one "Bye Bye Bye" from being the lead singer in Over-Produced-Axe-Wearing-Guy-Group 2008. Jacob, in my mind, is earthy. He's a guy's guy and gets his hands dirty fixing cars and building stuff. Jacob always left me feeling like he was wise beyond his years, a smitten kitten of course, but I always felt that he was more dynamic than this cute little wig-wearing version. I always felt this sense of history and quiet power. This version wears Abercrombie (and randomly appears from behind trees apparently...you'll see).

The cast was quite OK for me. I did feel bad watching them try to deliver the lines they were given. I get that this is a vampire-romance movie, but honestly. The script is dripping in gooey, sticky, melted, mixed cheeses. OK, so it's fantastical, but to slap me in the face with Gouda and Brie every other frame is just insulting. 

Cheese aside, Charlie was great. His timing was spot on. Carlisle played the part, but the caked-on white makeup so completely distracting. Esme-- I wanted to crawl up onto her lap and have her tell me bedtime stories. Love it. Alice... that's her on that screen. A little bouncier and she's perfect. Jasper-- freakishly creepy and pained, loved it. When he comes out of his shell and plays more than the wide-eyed silent sidekick, I'm all over it. Those who doubted Reed need to reconsider. Rosalie is freaking hot and one sassy vamp. Emmett...holy crap, on the money (call me). Jessica is the best casting job in life...Mike, however...really?

I know that this is just a movie. Film is a different medium than books. We get to create the world from a book but people get to interpret for us on screen, I know. I just wish it wasn't so far off base for me. I wanted nothing more than to enjoy it. I think I'm going to remember the series the way I imagined it and set this version aside. My oil canvas painting to their Polaroid. 

Who's melodramatic now? This girl.

Here's hopping they make a choice for the next one: teen scene or dark love story so audiences know what they're getting into. Teenie Boppers are quite loyal, perhaps bubblegum will beef up their box office.

(Pardon my bad English)

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

(My personal comment)
The original Madagascar was a break from the typical mold in family animated entertainment; it was fearless, didn't slow down to teach a lesson, and was not afraid of entertaining solely on physical humor. The content was light, but it was so satisfying that it wound up being Dreamwork's second best animated movie of them all—behind Shrek. The zany cast of characters easily exceeds the number of memorable characters in Shrek, and contained more humor and creativity than all of the other Dreamworks animated flicks before and ever since.

In the second installment, you see the writers trying to give the franchise a dosage of heart and sentimentality, which is what made Shrek the instant classic it became. A bit of heart can definitely propel an animated movie into masterpiece status (see Toy Story and Finding Nemo) however this is not the franchise to do it. Madagascar is about the cast and how they interact with each other and the conflict that is presented onto them. While the laughs are definitely here, the attempt for emotion constantly makes this film slows down and keeps it from being a superior installment when placed against the original. That being said, it's still a fun, entertaining, and unpredictable movie that continues the zaniness that made the original a personal guilty pleasure of mine.

In Escape 2 Africa, we follow the New York zoo animals, the psychotic penguins, the monkeys, and the lemur leaders as they unexpectedly are stranded in the middle of Africa. While at first the main four (Marty, Alex, Melman, Gloria) are rather happy at their new environment, they quickly realize that it's not all that it seems, and that their new temporary home is splitting the four apart. In the meantime, the penguins attempt to repair the plane that they accidentally destroyed. The writers did a good job in presenting all sorts of new gags and yet again refrain from referencing pop culture too much (although the Twilight Zone nod was hilarious). But, they couldn't deliver the emotional impact because of one main reason: this franchise wasn't meant to ever slow down in terms of pacing. Like a roller coaster, this movie moves sometimes extremely fast, and then can grind into a halt in the next scene. Lastly the main four don't interact much with each other, but more with the environment. There literally are at least 8 plots happening at once—some of them are good, some of them aren't.

The voice acting remains decent, but there are fewer lines by the original cast, and more from supporting characters and new characters. Bernie Mac, rest in peace, but his performance was rather bland and could have been done by anyone else. Alec Baldwin didn't have much of a chance to lend his comedic skills either. Yet again, the penguins and Sacha Baron Cohen steal every scene they are in, no matter how mediocre the previous scene was. Cohen (as Julien) has an obvious knack for comedy, and delivers every line perfectly for two movies in a row; not bad at all. Ben Stiller had fewer chances at being funny, as they had to handle all the major slower moments. Chris Rock's role was surprisingly limited, especially for someone who did so well in the original.

The one major improvement from the original was the animation, which was crisp, fluid, and flowed better. Surely it's undeniably no Wall-E (Or even 2007's Ratatouille), but it's still respectably an improvement over previous work. The jokes themselves are hit-and-miss like the original; the only difference is this one has more misses. Plus it's the recurring jokes that are missing; the hula girl, feisty tourist, repetitive herd, and lion-dancing bits all didn't elicit much laughter from the audience, nor from me. We just needed much more Julien, and much more penguin-action. Maybe in the future the focus will shift; in the meantime they are just grabbing all the spotlight and attention.

Bottom Line: Exactly what Scrat did to Ice Age: The Meltdown years ago, we have minor/supporting characters becoming the main hit and running the show. While the original four characters take a backseat and add emotion to a franchise that's too fast-paced for this sort of stuff, we have the penguins and Julien taking over the movie and keeping it from being another totally disappointing animated sequel like every straight-to-video Disney sequel, the ugly Shrek sequels, or Ice Age 2. The entertainment level is still magnificent the second time around, but it won't age as well as the first Madagascar did. Leave the heart to Pixar, because those folks have nailed it perfectly for years. Dreamworks can serve as the escapist cinema in terms of animation, but if they continue imitating and try to outdo Pixar, it will just dampen the quality of all their movies. Madagascar 2 is the prime example of this: purely fun and entertaining until it tries to distribute family values. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is also proof that those hilarious penguins need their own movie, pretty much immediately.

Yes, right now.

(Pardon my bad English)

Burn After Reading

There's a point in this movie that George Clooney's character, Harry Pfarrer shows Frances McDormand's character Linda Litzke something that we've seen him working on for about half the movie. It was so surprising when I first saw it, that at first, I didn't even know what it was.

Once again, the Coens have created wonderful characters, including Clooney, who is a womanizer and paranoid that people are following him, and McDormand, who just wants plastic surgery in order to look better. Also, there's John Malkovich as Osbourne Cox, who "doesn't have a drinking problem," and maybe the best in the movie, Brad Pitt as Chad, a clueless gym employee who is pushed along by McDormand.

The only character that isn't up to par with the rest is Tilda Swinton's character of Katie Cox, Osbourne's wife. She doesn't get as many laughs as the rest, and it seems like the Coens just needed her as a plot device rather than an actual character. However, she may not be funny, but she does play the character well.

The writing is brilliant and the Coens weave the story in such a way that it reminds me of their previous movie, The Big Lebowski. In the end, as J.K. Simmons character sums it up himself, nothing really happens, but while watching it all unfold, you can't help but laugh at the absurdity.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

(My personal comment)

The epic science fiction blockbuster is slowly but surely becoming a dying form of cinematic entertainment. Not since the days of cold war paranoia and the initial splurge of CGI technology back in the nineties has the genre seen much love either from its core enthusiasts or those looking for something big but different. Yet there are numerous obvious reasons for its decline in demand, most of which are unavoidably apparent in this, the latest and arguably first of its kind for over a year now, The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Based upon a movie from the genre's heyday, director Scott Derrickson's version lacks the same sense of awe, conviction and relevancy to our current social climate. Bombarded with underdeveloped themes, an incoherent plot and extremely rough characterisation, the movie suffers not just from a lack of significance in its arrival, but also in its implementation. Most disappointing of all however is that in spite of the many technical flaws present, the biggest let down is that the movie simply doesn't convince; the effects are impressive and the story can be gripping through its thick layer of foreboding atmosphere from time to time, but an overall lack of substance hurts the film's ability to truly draw you in and take off. It's a routinely enjoyable experience sure enough, but an over reliance on this safe-play structure stops the feature from excelling beyond mere light entertainment.

Telling a first contact story that involves rather heavy handed themes of a doomsday like prophecy, like most good science fiction movies big to small, The Day the Earth Stood Still retains a sense of wonder and mystique to its tale, particularly early on. During these initial moments of exposition which come to an eventual climax of contact with an alien presence visiting Earth for unknown reasons, the movie achieves its only real piece of coherent and engaging drama; the way in which it unfolds is magnificent and capitalises on the movie's big effects budget in ways that feel impressive and yet substantially eerie at the same time- there are moments when this big shot sci-fi movie actually feels like a genuine product of imagination and heart.

Disappointingly however, this does not last very long. From here on in the feature slowly but surely declines in both mystique and interest, culminating in a third act which is about as convincing as it is exciting; which believe it or not, isn't much at all. It's around this point that things take a drastic turn from intelligent and insightful science-fiction to big dumb blockbuster action movie; the themes that are brought up during the movie's initial stages are belittled to a deux ex machina that never quite seems justified, and the climax –if you can call it that- feels stunted and perfunctory for the sake of giving a clean feeling of catharsis. It's perhaps the biggest reason why most major productions based on sci-fi scripts never seem to work; the balancing act between catering to the mass public and those wanting intelligent drama is a hard one to pull off, and nobody here seems quite sure how to do such a thing.

If there is one thing that I can praise the movie for, outside of its opening act that is, it would simply be within its excellent aesthetic design. From the dynamic score penned by Tyler Bates to the often endlessly interesting photography of David Tattersall, The Day the Earth Stood Still gets most of its outer shell right, even if everything that lies underneath is a less than inspiring mess. One also has to draw attention to lead star Keanu Reeves who plays Klaatu, the alien/human hybrid visitor and mediator who is welcomed to Earth with a less than hospitable, but terribly human introduction. Reeves is an actor known for his alien-like, wooden style- which is why he is so often found in these kinds of films- and it suits his character adequately enough here. Co-star Jennifer Connelly holds her own too, and while she isn't given much to work with throughout, she does a fine job in playing as Keanu's contrived human sociology lesson.

When the credits roll however, despite the movie's impressive effects, imaginative premise and somewhat entertaining moments, The Day the Earth Stood Still simply feels like an empty experience. As science fiction, the movie conjures up some intelligent questions and yet David Scarpa never seems quite up to the task of taking them any further; and as popcorn fodder, the movie simply doesn't do enough rule-breaking to come off as anything but standard fare. This awkward need to balance both crowds irrevocably results in a feature that indeed avoids polarising, but only to the point where mostly everyone will leave feeling under-stimulated. It has its fair share of compelling and visionary moments, but a distinct lack of development, coherency and substance stops The Day the Earth Stood Still from being one worth remembering. Light sci-fi with a dash of social intrigue that mildly entertains, but never reaches its potential.

(Pardon my bad English)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

(My personal comment)

This film may cause dizziness, nausea, and interrupted sleep. The trailer for Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua should disclose potential side effects, the way prescription drug commercials do.

In the trailer, a character named Papi (voice by George Lopez) tells the audience about his heritage; he comes from an ancient line of warriors, which allows him to move within the inner circles of the world's most powerful people. But he's a Chihuahua! A troupe of singing and dancing dogs dance on Aztec-like ruins.

To describe this scene as painful is an understatement. The dogs sing "chihuahua" multiple times while Papi raps like Vanilla Ice, in a style that mimics mainstream Hip Hop from the 1990s. Even though the trailer and the poster indicate that Papi is the central character of the film and that the hordes of dogs will be prevalent throughout the picture, this is not the case.

The real "plot" centers on a pampered dog named Chloe (voice by Drew Barrymore). If Paris Hilton's dog got her own life story, this would be it. Chloe is the privileged plaything of fashion designer Vivian (Jamie Lee Curtis). When Vivian has to go abroad for business, she leaves Chloe in the care of her niece Rachel (Piper Perabo). Rachel brings Chloe along on a trip to Mexico, and wouldn't you know it, she gets snatched up off the streets. Now, Chloe must find her way back home, and Rachel must find Chloe before ol' Viv comes back.

The story is really about Chloe discovering what is important in the world and how much she takes for granted. A lot of this personality transformation comes as a result of her new friendship with a loner German Shepherd named Delgado (voice by Andy Garcia). He's a former police dog who lost his sense of smell thanks to the film's villainous dog, El Diablo. He teaches Chloe many lessons but also learns some things too. And Papi? He pines for Chloe, despite constant rejection, and he joins the quest to bring her home.

Let's go back to the horde of Chihuahuas that populate the trailer and poster. They're in the movie for not more than 10 minutes, and their entire presence is ridiculously contrived. Before we meet them, Chloe and Delgado are cornered in the desert by 3 ferocious mountain lions. How will they get out of this, you wonder? At that moment, a swirl of dust looms on the horizon. What could it be? A vehicle? A dust storm? An outtake from The Mummy? Nope, it's a scurrying horde of little dogs. Even for a children's film, this is beyond idiotic.

The voicework is the film's only saving grace. Barrymore is charming as Chloe, striking a good balance in being haughty without coming off as annoying. Papi's undying affection for Chloe is a little sickening, but Lopez is nothing but endearing in the role. Strong supporting voicework also comes from Luis Guzman, Cheech Marin, and Paul Rodriquez.

As good as the voices are, the actual human acting is poor. Piper Perabo sleepwalks through her part, and Sam Cortez does little other than being hot. Jamie Lee Curtis, who made the Freaky Friday remake tolerable, does what she can in a limited role. But even she looks miserable when talking to her dog in arfs and barks over the phone.

A common response to criticisms of movies like Beverly Hills Chihuahua is that they're just kids' movies, so why bother picking them apart? It's true that children are generally less discerning in these matters, but that's no excuse. This year alone, films like WALL-E and Kung Fu Panda have proved that children's entertainment can be simultaneously entertaining and high-quality. We shouldn't have to tolerate inane movies like Beverly Hills Chihuahua just because the age of their target audience is in the single-digits.

(Pardon my bad English)

SAW III

Surprise! There is a horror series that holds up well, even on the second sequel.

It's difficult to explain the plot in any detail without ruining the storyline, so instead, I give you small chunks. A doctor must keep Jigsaw alive. If he dies, so does she. A grieving father must decided what he will do when confronted with the people that changed his life for the worse. Saying anything else about the story line is just criminal.

Like the 2 movies before it, difficult decisions and some nasty secrets become a part of a much larger plan. It manages to explain events in Saw 1 and 2 that may have been considered plot holes. It spins the whole concept of the Jigsaw character and what he represents, and the message he is trying to say. By carefully placing events from the past in a certain order, and by introducing important sequences of the character's lives, Saw 3 manages to become a pivotal point to the series. It's not perfect, though. Constant flashbacks to memories becomes a bit tiresome. Some of the dialog could be a combination of dry, repetitive, or dumb, or all of the above. And oh yes, there will be the improbable & illogical. Big critics will focus on this, and consider the movie a waste of time.

Of course, you can toss out the psychological-babble, tell the critics to go back to their coke snorting, and just have fun watching the movie as pure horror. Of the three, this is ultimately the most bloodiest. Those of low tolerance of gore, medical procedures and general dismemberment beware: the movie theater I went to here in Winter Springs had one movie-goer faint and fall to the floor. They had to temporarily stop the movie and take her outside, an ambulance came, and took her away. Even with this interruption, the movie kept everyone awake, wanting to see more. By the end of the movie, the audience clapped. We liked what we had seen. "What has the world come to?", you say? Geez. You are in the wrong place. I'm sure there will be some Disney movie to your liking.

The traps were clever, original, and far, far deadlier this time around. To me, it beats out any psycho with a knife/ax/chainsaw crap movie that has been pumped out too many times. It's a shame that Saw producer Gregg Hoffman passed away before this movie was produced.

Quantum of Solace

(My personal comment)

Firstly I wasn't disappointed with Daniel Craig's performance in Quantum of Solace but was disappointed with the Director Marc Forster's efforts.

The film starts with a fast moving car chase, which is cut so fast you can't keep up with the action and this happens throughout the film on other fast moving scenes. You would think considering the amount of planning thrown at this film the producers would make sure they hired a director that specialised in getting action sequences shot and edited so viewers can keep pace visually with a chase or any action sequence. It doesn't work throwing shots together so fast you can't follow the action.

There is a scene at the beginning involving Bond, M, Mr White and Mitchell. A shot is fired but the scene is cut so quickly you're left wondering who was shot! To make matters worse, the scene is inter cut with a medieval horse race – why? It didn't work - it just made the fast cutting even more confusing! And why go to all the expense and trouble of getting permission to shoot this race – it wasn't worth the money or effort.

The producers and crew talk about all of the wonderful locations, re-plumbing a town, relocating 500 people - again why did they go to that expense? It wasn't worth it and didn't add to the movie. I got the feeling they had a good time making the movie but this isn't reflected in the finished film. The film jumps from one country to another leaving a trail of unanswered questions.

Gemma Arterton the attractive actress who plays Fields didn't give a convincing performance and shouldn't have been given the job.

Barbara Broccoli and Martin G Wilson, if you read this please take note. Casino Royale was a success for me and I believe the general public because of the following:

Daniel Craig played the part of Bond with true grit – I believed in him. Most importantly it was directed by Martin Campbell, a well established director experienced in action scenes.

I don't want to see invisible cars; I want to see clever gadgets that could work and stunts that are real and don't require CGI or at least limit the use. Never underestimate the viewing public. We are more impressed with live and simple action than expensive special effects that look impressive but also look too far fetched.

Keep it as real as possible.

(Pardon my bad English)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

(My personal comment)

The thing about the High School Musical franchise is that you either love it or hate it. Ever since the first movie, it has always been like that. I, for one, will now be standing in the middle because I will review this film unbiasedly. I've to say, the movie was fun to watch. It has a very simple storyline, which was made complicated later on in the movie. The characters whom are now in their senior years has to choose where they have to go after they finished high school. This is the story about their hope and fears and choices they have to make. Simple enough...

What amazes me is the dance numbers which had me completely blown away. It was choreographed so sophisticatedly and so beautifully that it will leave the audience enthralled. From a simple waltz during the rooftop scene to a very complicated-sorta-breakdance in the junkyard scene. I give my applause to the choreographers and the dancers. Well done!

The songs, I've to say, are good and most are very catchy and fun to listen to. The lyrics have matured. They are mostly better than the songs from High School Musical and its sequel High School Musical 2. The lead singer of each songs sings the song greatly. My compliment to Efron for his rough and edgy voice and Grabeel for some nice and melodic pitch. Although I'm not quite fond with Hudgen's nasal high-pitch voice.

One thing that I'm not happy with this movie is the fact that most of the musical numbers and songs are performance scene. Whether they're rehearsing the play or the play itself. In a true musical the dancing and singing are the way the characters express their feeling or just a way they talk. It is apart of the story, the dialogue. But in HSM, some of it are performance scene. For example, the prom scene is actually the rehearsal of the actual play. This slightly takes away the musical feel to it.

A bit of a warning though. This movie is made FOR THE FANS ONLY. If you're not a fan, you might want to start with the first HSM and work it up or just stay away from the franchise. Because, if you're not a fan, you might find some of the scenes quite cheesy. From some of the dialogues, to the ending where the camera focuses on the characters' faces before the big red curtain closed, even the last song (entitled "High School Musical") during the graduation is slightly cheesy.

Other than that, I'd say it is a great movie for all ages, especially the young ones. And it is a great family movie if you want some times to relax from the rough actions and romance or even politics of Hollywood.

The songs and the dance moves will keep you glued to the screen.

****************************************************************************

Ashley Tisdale,I love your dressing in High School Musical very very much.

*******************************************************************************

My favorite song in High school Musical 3

Lyrics to Scream :
The day door is closed,
The echo's fill your soul.
They wont say which way to go,
Just trust your heart.

To find what you're here for,
Open another door.
I'm not sure anymore.
It's just so hard.

The voices in my head,
Tell me they know best!
Got me on the edge,
they're pushin', pushin',
they're pushin'

I know they got a plan,
While the balls in my hands!
This time its man-to-man,
I'm droppin', fightin', its time too.

Whole worlds upside down,
What do I do now? Cause I choke!

I don't know, where to go, what's the right team?
I want my own thing. So bad I'm gonna Scream!
I can't choose, so confused! What's it all mean?
I want my own dream. So bad I'm gonna Scream!

I'm kickin' down the walls.
I gotta make 'em fall!
Just break through them all!
I'm pushin', crashin', I'm gonna
Fight to find myself,
Me and no one else!
Which way I get down, pushin',
Searchin', can't find a
Road that I should take,
I should, tomorrow left us!
Like nothing works without you!

I don't know, where to go, what's the right team?
I want my own thing. So bad I'm gonna Scream!
I can't choose, so confused! What's it all mean?
I want my own dream. So bad I'm gonna Scream!

Yeah we're cooks, running down,
hear the crowd gettin' loud!
I'm consumed by the sound!
Is it hurt? Is it love?
Has it ever been enough?
Gotta work it out, gotta work it out!
You can do it, you can do it!

I don't know, where to go, what's the right team?
I want my own thing. So bad I'm gonna Scream!
I can't choose, so confused! What's it all mean?
I want my own dream. So bad I'm gonna Scream!

I don't know, where to go, what's the right team?
I want my own thing. I want my own thing!
I can't choose, so confused! What's it all mean?
I want my own dream. So bad I'm gonna Scream!

Ohh! Ahh!!!! 

 

(Pardon my bad English)  

Too young to die, but too old to survive.

Too young to die, but too old to survive.
                             ---The Divine Comedy "Too Young to Die"

電影《英女皇》獲提名奧斯卡最佳導演,飾演英女皇伊利沙伯二世的海倫美蘭也得了最佳女主角獎,我說應該得一個「最佳中心思想表現獎」.此片描寫古老的東西(皇室體制)面對新派作風(傳媒)的衝擊,如何一步再一步作出妥協---老舊思想應否被新作風取代,緊守老規矩是否多此一舉?

戴安娜於車禍中喪生,由於與查理斯王子離婚了,以皇室慣例,她已非正式的皇室成員,英女皇認為並不應該以皇室成員離世的方法去哀悼.她不站出來致哀,不回應傳媒,去度假,躲在皇官高牆後.人民指責她對戴安娜的死冷漠無情,首相貝理雅多番致電勸說,望她「與現代社會接軌」.

旗幟的爭辯

電影中有一段關於旗幟的描寫精彩非常:白金漢宮的貝理雅提議下半旗致哀ㄧ這面旗絕不能亂下,女皇在家就升旗,女皇不在就降旗,此乃多年奉行的皇室規矩,不會為任何人而改變.查理斯王子卻說:「有人認為那是皇室規矩,有人認為只是一面旗而己!」此時他的外婆道:「這規矩四百年來從沒變過,就算有一天你的母親(英女皇)死了,旗也不會辦此而下.」

好了,你站在哪一邊?你認為做人該靈活變通,還是該緊守傳統?你認為那面旗象徵了皇室的尊嚴,抑或只是一面旗而已?

英女皇與黑社會

上一輩看着新時代來了,看着年輕一輩視舊守則如無物,只剩下無奈,無力感和空虛感.杜琪峰在«黑社會»裏也研究了這命題;時代不同了,上一代黑社會頭目不知如何管這群年輕人了,叫他們對住燈火講自己沒做過,這一代偏徧夠膽對住燈火,做過都說沒做過.

賈章柯的«三峽好人»,講述鄉下佬走到城巿尋找失散十多年的妻子.在不停拆樓,重建,掘地的地區裏,有人聽到鄉下佬的電話鈴聲是一老歌,慨嘆「我們己不適合這個社會了,因為我們太懷舊啦」 .

對於「捍衛傳統vs.爭取改革」,我很想給你一個本人的明確偏向,但我不能,因為我的年齡很尷尬,所以心情也很尷尬.對於捍衛傳統,我是太年輕去靠邊了;對於爭取改革,我又好像太年老去義無反顧了.我很驚訝自己意對以上同一命題的三齣電影有感,我一直以為,十多歲的人,該義無反顧爭取改革,但當我遇上比我更年輕的人,實情變得面紅耳赤,忽然覺得自己原來是老派人了.(由其遇到昨晚的事,真覺得自己已被這個現實的社會所淘汰,是他人的思想開放,還是我的思想保守?)

拿起一張CD的正確方法

CD,唱片.世上沒有一「隻」CD的,只有一「張」CD,正如乜沒有一「隻」歌,只有一「首」歌.話說上個月去朋友家,友人拿着一張唱片,正確點說是用手指夾着一張唱片,他的姆指在唱片上面,食指,中指,無名指與尾指緊貼唱片底部,就像你拿着一張紙一樣.他的手指模全都印到唱片底ㄧ閱讀面ㄧ來了,我嚇死,急教他標準拿CD的方法:食指穿過/鈎着唱片中心的圓洞,拇指是凌空的,不會有任何一隻手指觸摸到唱片底部.我很驚訝他連拿唱片也不懂得;他很愕然我竟然會長篇大論.

兩天之後,我刻意邀請他到我家,並叫他給我播Jack Johnson的新碟,偷看之下發現他拿CD的方法,又回到從前了.我跟另一位朋友說,或許是我多餘吧,其實CD底印了手指模,並不會令CD直接跳線的,然後想到......C乜鬼D吖,人哋用開iPod......我忽然覺得自己所謂手持光磔的標準方法,很像皇室堅持不降的那面旗;你老人家在堅持,他人暗笑你傻瓜.以前讓外公看到我把手指模印到光碟上,實死冇生的.

唉,我又來多招想當年,我是老了.時代變得太快(單是我這年齡,己經經歷了卡式錄音帶>CD>MD>MP3>MP4>iPod nano>iPod>iPod touch,一旦停留在某一個年代,老是認為某一個時代的東西最最好的,就會覺得自己是老派人了.或許有天你會鍾情於iPod classic多過iPod xxx.(就好像現在我較喜歡iPod classic一樣.)

其實呢,無論你幾多歲,都有權覺得自己老.老,只是一種感覺,或是一種情懷.

後記

對於電影«英女皇»,真正的英女皇伊利沙伯二世怎樣看呢?得知海倫美蘭角逐奥斯卡最佳女主角後,白金宮的發言人說:「這是英國電影工業非常自豪的一天,我們替所有被提名奥斯卡的英國感驕傲.」當被問到女皇有沒有看過此片,發言人回應:「我們從不公開女皇陛下的個人喜好或者她看過什麼和讀過什麼.」

女皇,始終是女皇.

睇睇睇

情不可分勝負
愛不可分對錯
思念令人瘋狂
故事令人感動
呢套戲　好抵睇
千辛萬苦拍畀你睇
睇完記得再叫人睇