While back in the U.S. for Christmas, I saw Jim Carrey’s Yes Man. Classic Jim Carrey humor, and the twist is that Carrey’s deadbeat character Carl Allen promises to say yes to every request, every opportunity that comes his way in order to change his life. By doing this, he meets Allison and falls in love. Everything goes smoothly until Allison discovers Carl’s “Yes” regime.
After watching the movie, you feel like you want to say Yes to everything too. The message, a positive outlook to life helps you to take on challenges and risk, is a good one. However, not being a Jim Carrey fan, I wouldn’t watch this twice — once was enjoyable and enough.
Recently most of my movie-watching seems to be on the airplane. Here’s one formulaic romantic comedy (anti-social guy falls for pretty girl with emotional baggage, add twist of lemon–the ghosts) that managed to be enjoyably simple, witty, and charming. Great movie for a date or night at home with your bf/gf. Great music!
Watching the trailer though, seems like I saw a slightly edited version on the airplane…
Official Website: ghosttownmovie.com
Phew. I just finished seeing the new batman movie “The Dark Knight” so a few quick thoughts.
It was long, but surprisingly deep, a movie that makes you think about human psychology. The villians were, unlike previous versions, less comic-like and more realistic…yet without changing the character of their comic book counterparts. Realistic therefore quite scary.
The movie also explored the good and evil inherent in all of us. You find yourself rooting not only for the “hero” but also for the ordinary citizens, hoping that they will do the right thing.
Based on Matsumoto Taihei’s short manga and directed by Toyoda Toshiaki (”Pornostar”), this is a “seishun” (adolescence) drama of violent unrest at a high school.
In his graduation year, Kujo (Matsuda Ryuhei) becomes the defacto boss or “okujo” of a high school society ruled by violent gangs. While his lieutenant and childhood friend Aoki (Hirofumi Arai) basks in the newfound power, Kujo disdains all of this miniature society’s rules and conventions creating a power vacuum that turns the school on its head as various factions fight for the right to be called “okujo”.
“Okujo” is, of course, “rooftop” and powerful dual use of a motif commonly found Japanese fiction and film. As an urban space physically separated from mainstream social spaces, it allows the high school students to defy authority and form their own society. And yet, it retains its neutrality as a space representing escape, or rather, Kujo’s desire to escape from the very society which he has claimed.
I just came across this poignant and wonderful short film about a young girl dealing with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. The young actress playing Lisa is amazing!
