A Pigment of My Imagination

…and so, Kenneth Branagh, atop his feisty white steed, leads his troops and his audiences into the first battle of the film! This version of William Shakespeare’s immortal “Henry V” is not the first incarnation the story has seen on film (I really wanna see the Laurence Olivier version), but it is one of the strongest. Released in 1989, this was Branagh’s directorial debut, and what a glorious achievement it is!! A stunning and fierce piece of craftsmanship.

This was a film that I grew up watching. Well, maybe not grew up, but it’s one that my family would rent every few years from the local video store and enjoy.  I remember not being able to follow lots of the dialogue (it still is an aquired skill), but was always impressed with it, and greatly enjoyed it. It’s also one of the few war movies that my mom enjoys watching, which is quite a back-handed compliment. I was lucky enought to receive the DVD for my recent birthday, and watched the film last night. It had been several years since I’d last seen it. It’s interesting watching movies that you watched as a kid, seeing them now that you’re older, especially after some film classes, and seeing how it compares to your previous memories and impressions. In this case, the film passes with flying colors, and although I found a lot of it slow, I also greatly appreciated the film in many new (and hopefully more intelligent) ways.

The film is based on historical events. I don’t know exactly how accurate the account is, but I do know that the most amazing parts (like the David/Goliath-esque victory at Agincourt) are well documented (it’s the British and French here, after all…). The film has no screenwriter listed, only crediting The Bard himself. I am no expert on Shake’s original works and words, unfortunately, but I assume that the film is pretty much word-for-word to the original. That being said, I’m sure Branagh worked carefully to abridge and edit the words to fit the film’s length (can any Shakespeare experts help me out here?). I can only imagine that it is quite a daunting task to turn the Bard’s words into a film. There have been many attempts, and it seems all have their own spin: some stick too close, others wander too far. It must be a hard balance to honor the original work, but adapt it successfuly to a very different medium. Branagh himself has experimented with this quite a bit himself, and is probably single-handedly the man to bring Shakespeare to our current generation of film-goers in a powerful new way, and that is no small thing!

The beginning of the film does feel very experimental, and a bit too theatrical, people just seem to stand and talk at each other. It seems a bit tied to the characters’ streams of monologues. It isn’t till the plot progresses onto new locations and the war begins to brew that the film really picks up steam and seems to truly breathe with a life of its own. Actually, as I was watching the film this time, I was indeed struck by just how slow and stagey it feels at first. Also, its remarkable how few scenes there actually are in a 2+ hour movie. However, what is there, is very well inhabited. The whole film seems to build up until the climactic Battle of St. Crispins Day/Agincourt, and what a payoff! Still though, a very oddly paced film: how many war films end with a 10-minute comedic romance scene that somehow manages to fit?

Acting: Solid all around. Kenneth Branagh is on fire here, and his passion lights up the screen! Some people have described him as being a little full of himself, and I dare not comment there, all I know is that as the young King Harry, he is simply breath-taking! Although barely a young man, his character is filled with courage and honor and fervor. He inspires those around him with his loving heart and bold words. Branagh truly becomes this character, body and spirit, and his acting will bring tears. His speeches are delivered perfectly (his pre-battle speech steals the thunder right out of Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart” one). His Henry V is charming and admirable, friendly yet terrifying, humble yet royal.

The supporting cast is equally splendid: Emma Thompson (hilarious and heart-warming), Derek Jacobi (terrific as the interesting role of the “Chorus” guiding the film along), Judi Dench, Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Paul Scofield, and Christian Bale himself (a very young performance, yet studly as ever).

Music: Perfect! Patrick Doyle strikes again, except actually, this was his first ever film score, and it is absolutely brilliant. His music in the Branagh films always plays a big role, often very upfront, and this is probably the strongest example. His music is gorgeously orchestrated and performed with much gusto. The music is like a dragon, it is passionate and fiery, snaking its way through the film. Indeed, it serves as both the backbone and soul of the film. Doyle develops over half a dozen themes and motifs, all beautiful melodies which really serve to underscore the performances on screen, serving as our glimpse into the minds of the characters. Sometimes the dialog seems to continue slightly monotonously, but its the music that gives the scene its pace and urgency, and adds a much larger scope to the emotional impact of the story. The music for the speech and battle of Agincourt is perfectly triumphant and tragic at the same time (and is a very frequently quoted piece of music, especially for movie trailers). Doyle also uses one of the noblest musical themes of the film, and turns it into the post-battle anthem: “Non Nobis Domine”, sung as the victorious British troops wander the battlefield, collecting their dead (Doyle himself frequently makes cameos in Branagh’s films, here as the young bearded soldier who starts off the singing!). This is a beautiful piece of music, and has even entered popular culture as a sort of icon. Even Steve Green has performed it in his concerts as if it were a hymn. Absolute stunning work from Patrick Doyle, clearly a young composer’s dream project!

Cinematography: Solid work from Kenneth MacMillan. In many ways, this is a very visually sparing film. It sometimes feels like a student film on steroids. In studying the scenes, it’s remarkable to see just how little is shown, but how much is implied (a good skill to have). You have many and relatively limited close-ups, with very selective use of wider establishing shots. This is a brilliant example of making an epic period piece on a budget, you feel there is a lot more than is ever actually there. The scenes are also cleverly lit, seemingly with a lot of natural moon and candle light for the dark scenes, which gives them a haunting glow. The shot of Henry’s entrance is stunning and already a sort of icon in visual film history. But the film looks best outside, facing the elements: rain, fog, mud, blood, etc. This is a very gritty film, and the battle sequences are very grim and dirty and often quite graphic, showing the brutal reality and despair of warfare. Harry’s walk through the camp the night before the battle is amazing to behold, a hooded figure among the misty forest. And the gigantic tracking single-shot over the battlefield, following the troops, has not been rivalled, even today. The DVD transfer is not perfect, but picks up on much richer contrasts, and the color palette of the film: bright reds and blues, against a somber background of grays/browns/greens.

Well, wow, what a gargantuan review. I still feel I’ve barely scratched the surface. Watch it. Truly a terrific directorial debut from Branagh, very passionately told story. I have really enjoyed most of the work he has done. He is currently listed as the director for the new “Thor” movie in the works (after Matthew Vaughn got booted), and if that is true, I am very excited to see what he does with that, it has EPIC written all over it!!

…

[Addressing the troops]
King Henry V: And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by from this day until the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, Be he ne’er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition, and gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves acursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks, that fought with us upon St. Crispin’s day!

“Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”

Great tag line for a great film. It was interesting reading about the history of this movie, apparently it didn’t receive too much attention in its original theatrical run, get 7 Oscar nominations, but it wasn’t till years later thanks to TV viewings and video sales that it developed a cult audience, and has since gone on to become a modern-day classic.

I apparently missed out on most of this history, and only saw the movie for a first time maybe about 4 or 5 years ago. I really enjoyed it. But unfortunately, in the years since then, had forgotten many details.  Thus when making online wishlists, I saw this one, in a brand-spanking new DVD 2-Disc 10th Anniversary Special Edition, and knew this was the real deal: several excellent new documentaries, interviews, commentary, a spoof, new digital remastered transfer, and gorgeous new cover artwork by the very god of film poster art (Drew Struzan himself!)! I knew I had to get it for myself… well, even better–it was bought for me!

So last night, I sat down with my family to watch this film for my second time, and boy oh boy! Frank Darabont, thanks for your gift to the world! Seriously, I don’t even know how to begin to describe this film, such a monumental achievement, a timeless work of art, a very intelligent and honest film, dark yet hopeful, intimate yet epic.

A nearly perfect cast. Apparently, in Stephen King’s original short story the character of Red is Irish, and yet Darabont wanted Morgan Freeman (this is cleverly joked at in the film). Freeman wanted to work with Tim Robbins and voila! — a match made in heaven! These two actors are spot on, the entire film, they give such virbrant and honest performances, yet very humble and restrained. Everyone else in the film though is terrific as well, every minor character is fully fleshed out and well acted. The world of the film feels extremely realistic and grounded. These are real people, with real lives, emotions, fears and dreams.

Roger Deakins work is always stunning. Although in this film, most of the film isn’t meant to stun, or to be beautiful. A lot of the film is shot relatively simply, grays and blues dominate the cold world of the prison. It on purposely establishes a sort of visual monotony, just like the prisoner’s lives. And yet, what that monotony is broken, it is all that more beautiful because of the hard-earned contrast. The terrific helicopter shot, the aerial views as Mozart plays through the speakers, the occasional views of “outside”, and then finally, Andy’s escape is literally a breath of fresh air, and he runs under the rain–free! The scenes once Red is free, out in the fields, by the large tree, and later on the Zihuatanejo beach are simply stunning. In another movie, those kind of shots, while pretty, might just be cliche, but in this movie, they are absolutely earned, and they are even more dramatic because of it. You really feel the strong breeze of freedom and just what it means for these characters who have lived in hell for so long.

Indeed, this film does not shy way from showing hell. The film is full of violence, swearing, murder, rape, beatings, despair, suicide, etc. The story is not one for the weak, and you need a strong stomach to swallow it, yet it does not sensationalize any of it, or attempt to use it just as typical Hollywood emotional attention-getters. This movie shows life and truth, the brutal honest truth, of what life was like for these men. Yet through it all, and this is probably what makes the film so moving, the darkness is never all-consuming. For such a torturous setting, this film is filled hope! And this hope is ever-present. It is a light always peeking out from the darkness. The film shows the very delicate balance that hope and despair play in real life, they can come and go in a blink of an eye. It shows how these men survive even the bleakest of circumstances and yet manage to find humor and joy and frienship in the world they are forced to live in. The film is a true testament to the human spirit to survive and to rise above its circumstances. The film wrestles with the unfairness of life: the innocent are blamed, people are lied to, cheated, and betrayed, etc. Yet despite this, the film ends on a positive note–friendship can overcome the power of the world to bring us down! The film is a testament of Red and Andy’s courage, friendship, honor, and search for truth, and is a great example for my own life. As Red says, “get busy living, or get busy dying”.

Wow, ok, so so much more to say, I feel very giddy and excited and feel I could write for hours about this film. Hats off to Mr. Frank Darabont, such a stupendous effort, and especially for a debut film!! I also love “The Green Mile”. It’s amazing that this man has not made more movies, yet I guess this helps him to come up with masterpieces when he does. I want to see “The Mist” another effort with Stephen King, although I’ve heard mixed reviews about it. Also, he is listed as writing/directing “Fahrenheit 451″ which is one of my favorite books, so I am very eagerly awaiting news on that!!

In the meantime, live life to the fullest, and never give up hope!

I remember seeing the first teaser trailer for this movie several months back and being absolutely intrigued. Great cast, some artsy looking shots, a clever premise, beautifully haunting piano theme from “Days of Heaven”, and what? a David Fincher movie not having to do with grisly death and despair?!?!

Well, after a long wait filled with anticipation, I have finally seen it! I read (well, skimmed, so as not to ruin it all) a few reviews before seeing it which were very flattering, and so I went in with high hopes. And I must say, I am not at all disappointed, in fact, I really loved this movie!

I believe it is one of the best new movies I have seen recently, probably one of the strong, most original films to come out of Hollywood in a while. I won’t waste too much time describing the story, you can either find it online, or even better, just go watch it yourself. After all, movies are meant to be watched, not described!

Anyways, congratulations to Fincher for making a solid film, bold and visionary like most of his previous work, yet entirely different from anything else that I’ve seen by him before, both in terms of style, genre and emotional material. Visually, the film is absolutely stunning. Cinematographer Claudio Miranda (who I will keep an eye on from now on) treats this film with painterly beauty, leading the audience through the story’s world with one gorgeous shot to another. The film is rich in color, bathed in golden splendor, yet given a dark, aged and fantastic feel. It is a true treat to behold: striking sets, open seas, moody nights, beaches, striking sunsets, giant clocks, brilliant stars (I love the use of red for Daisy’s character)… and all captured marvelously.

Alexandre Desplat’s score is very orchestrally complex and beautiful, but is very mysterious and restrained, not a typical Hollywood score with big crescendos telling you “ok, its supposed to be romantic right now”, and supports the film brilliantly, while not stealing too much attention, or taking away from the actor’s job to carry the film.

Acting-wise, this film is excellent. Terrific casting all around. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett might be Hollywood’s pretty faces, and the movie certainly plays off that fact (although in very clever, and often humbling ways), yet it also displays their true work as actors. I know Brad Pitt gets a lot of slack, but personally, I think he is a terrific actor, when put in the right role, and with the right director (clearly, Fincher + Pitt = good). If you don’t expect him to play a Greek semi-god (*cough* Troy, which granted, I still liked), then you’re fine. As Benjamin Button, he is both captivating and endearing, and it is truly captivating to see him wrestly with his character, and having to balance his physical age with his mental age.

Cate Blanchett was, as always, breath-takingly spectacular. I was at first very turned off by Daisy’s earlier scenes of immorality, but she earned my respect later on, and ends up a very admirable and sympathetic character, despite her flaws. All the minor characters are strongly fleshed out as well. A terrific performance for the Queenie character, and great supporting work from Tilda Swinton and Jason Flemyng and Julia Ormond.

Thematically, the film raises a lot of questions, and I’m not quite sure I have grasped exactly what it was going for, or what Fincher was trying to say. Granted, I believe films are meant to raise questions, and not to preach, nevertheless, I did feel the film was vert ambiguous about some of its moral statements. However, this is a film that tackles serious subjects: the importance of life, true love, fear of death and aging, the battle between the physical and emotional worlds, etc — and for that I applaud it. I have read some reviews which state the film is kept at an arm’s length from the audience. I agree partially, I think the film was sometimes a bit cold. But I admire Fincher for being able to do that, instead of just making it a cliche, sappy Hollywood romance (a la “Australia”). The film doesn’t tell you what to feel, but does its best to present the truth of the story as is, and let you as an audience make up your own mind what you believe is wrong and right, and who you feel for.

Overall, a far from perfect film, but a very bold and beautiful made film, a clever and absolutely intriguing story, fascinating characters, quirky comedy, passionate romance, and more. It is a very intelligent film, one that makes you think and question the cliche reality that we come to accept. It is also a film with great heart. My respect and thanks to the whole team, and I hope the Oscars agree.

It all began twenty-one years ago, on a cold winter’s day… by “it”, I mean, me.

Indeed, it is that time of year in which people collectively celebrate the ultimate Darwinian principle–survival. Birthdays have always been very bizarre and awkward for me. It seems strange to celebrate someone’s survival rate. At any rate, I suppose I’m racking up all sorts of points so far.

Anyhow, a quick glance at what I received today:

- “Shawshank Redemption: 2-disc Special Edition” DVD

- “Henry V” DVD

- “Making Movies” by SidneyLumet

- watching “Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in the theaters

…

sense a pattern? Only a Film Major! Obsessive? - maybe. Worth it? - Absolutely!!

Between watching movies, reading about movies, dreaming about movies, attempting to write movies, discussing movies, etc, somehow, I manage to fill my days. There is so much to learn, and while there are many things in my life outside of movies that I would like to do, I wouldn’t give up a minute of what I have devoted it. This is just the beginning!

Much to comment on, many films to review. I also intend to post some previous essays and papers I have written for classes in the past (film, writing, etc), as these are examples of some of my past work and research and interests in life.

In the meanwhile, many blessings!

One of the many benefits of Christmas break is A) finally having some free time to catch up on movies you’ve wanted to see for a while, and B) getting new movies to add to the list!

One movie that I requested was Pixar’s latest masterpiece, “Wall-E.” I first saw the movie this summer on its theatrical release, and then again a few months ago at a dollar theater rerun. The first time seeing the movie, I was sitting in the theater, and within about five minutes I said to myself “I think this is one of my new favorite films!”, followed rather shortly by “I’ve gotta get this DVD when it comes out…” Both were rather to my surprise, as I’m normally very skeptical of blessing anything with the word “favorite”.

In this case, I believe it is very well deserved, with Wall-E, I believe writer/director Andrew Stanton and the brilliant Pixar crew have made what I believe is one of their best films (“Finding Nemo” being my previous favorite from the team (also Stanton’s work)). This movie grabbed me right way, caught my mind and heart. I have always found film so powerful because it’s such a visual medium, and as such, always trusted that a solid story can be told with little dialogue. Wall-E proved this without a doubt. The whole movie uses practically no dialogue, at least not from its main heroes. In fact, I can’t remember a movie that has done such a solid job of characterizing a main hero so fast and cleverly as here, and our hero is a hunk of metal!

In fact, the movie plays on this theme: these robots are more human than humans themselves. This is sad, but beautifully portrayed in the film. We see our hero, and his lover EVE, taking on some of the best aspects of human nature: curiosity, love, fun, heroism, courage, etc. In watching the film, I felt totally connected to these metallic characters, I could understand their pain, and in doing so, it helped me understand my own human quest. I love Wall-E’s home, filled with his collected trinkets, showing his love of the unique and the beautiful, even when his ideas are very different than our own (more interested in the hinges of the ring box than that diamond ring inside…). He sees beauty in the gray world he lives in, and cherishes these things. Even when thrust into the brave new world of outer space, and later, the Axiom, he never looses his passion for adventure. He sacrifices his own life for the sake of the “directive” and life.
Technically, the movie is flawless. Every shot is absolutely breathtaking: vibrant colors, powerful composition, extremely cinematic, and is jaw-dropping on the big screen. The story flows very smoothly, and never really lets up. Thomas Newman’s score is both fast-paced and magical.

I hear this is one of the six stories that Pixar wanted to make when they first started their company. This is a story that Stanton, a Christian, has wanted to make for a very long time, and it is clear he put his heart and soul into this film. Although he said he didn’t mean for it to be a “message movie”, this movie nevertheless has much to say about our society today, and where our culture is headed. Unfortunately almost none of it is positive. Except in the life-affirming message that there is always hope and change is possible, and the film honors that positive side of humanity that stares adversity in the face and rises to the challenge, bringing love and joy to those around us.

Oh, and “Presto” wasn’t bad either, hehe.
So much to say, so little time….
If you haven’t seen it – go right now and rent it, even better, buy it (crazy eco-friendly packaging and everything)!

Ok, so as an addendum to the previous introductory post.

I forgot to actually clarify what this blog will be about. And seeing as how this is an introduction of sorts to a new venture, clarifications might be of order.

This blog is categorized under “Entertainment” and “Movies”, and my intention is to serve both of these. I love films, I have since childhood. As a college student, studying Film, I feel I have some insight into the topic. However, my years in school have only proved to me how little I know about the art of moviemaking, or rather, how much I still have yet to learn. I have always been pretty focused and single-mindled (not narrow) in my interests, and as such, I had practically decided that I wanted to pursue filmmaking both in college and as a career by the age of 10. Now, over a decade later, this has stopped being merely a dream and actually a life plan, a course of action. As a student in my early 20’s, studying in California, just a few miles from Hollywood, the Mecca of films, I am blessed to be near the hotbed of the industry, and hopefully have a unique take on things. 

This blog will contain a variety of formats and topics. One of the best part of being a Film major is that you get to watch movies not only for fun, but for homework! Thus, I have been blessed to see a variety of great films, and so I hope to regularly post my own film reviews. (thus far, my Christmas break has consisted of some great movie-watching as well).

Some of my other passions in life include art, music, drama, literature, and my own views on religion, philosophy, etc. I make no claims to being an expert in these topics, but they might crop up among these posts.

I hope to make these enjoyable to a wide audience (fingers crossed). So enjoy,

and Merry Christmas!

A Blog? written by me? I sit here, hopeful, expectant, nervous… my first real experience with a blog, this is something I’ve both wished for and dreaded for a while–and here it is at last!

There are many things that I hope to accomplish with this page, many things I want to say, things to explore, to discuss, no doubt plenty of thoughts to share. The trick will be to control my creative ADD side long enough to sit down regularly and actually keep this beast updated and engaging.

The purpose of this blog might be multi-faceted, life is full of beauty, of mysteries, of adventure, of stories, surprises, pain, wonder… and finding something to talk about should not be difficult. Finding the best way to put it into words and share those with a large audience, however, might. But I take on the challenge. I choose to boldly go where (many) have gone before, hopefully with my own unique twist.

“to live would be an awfully big adventure…”

(a taste of the beauty near me…)