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The Orphanage

// May 20th, 2008 // movie talk

hollywood.com
Since The Others, none of the horror movies released in these last few years that can bring the same experience. Until….The Orphanage.
Just like The Others, the movie produced by Guillermo del Toro has the same atmosphere that I always after from horror movies. Less slashing and bloody disgusting scene but more into psychologically way. In other words, the kind of terror or scariness that you can’t escape just by looking away from the screen. This one will still terrify you even after you’ve done watching.
The other reason why it is so effective probably the fact I was watching it in the middle of the night with the headphone, so imagine what the sound effect can do.
The Orphanage begin with the scene of bunch of kids playing Hide and Seek. We noticed that only one kid that looked normal, the others were handicapped. This is probably why, the “normal” kid Laura, was the only one who got adopted.
The scene then moved to present time. Laura has grown up and with her husband and her only son, Simon, they bought the house that used to be The Orphanage, the same where Laura came from. We soon learned that Laura planning to taking care some children with down syndrome. She also hoped with the arrival of those children, Simon would finally making “real” friends and soon forgetting all his imaginary friends.
Things, however, didn’t happen according plan. Simon discovered that his parents were hiding secrets about him. He found out that he was only adopted and dying of AIDS. Some events led him to lock his mother inside the bathroom. Then after that, Simon seemed to just disappear like that.
Haunted by the guilty feelings, Laura wiling to believe and taking chance in everything with a hope that she could find her son again. The thought that his imaginary friend somehow involved with the disappearance of her son came to mind. When few months has passed and her husband, Carlos, choose to accept that their son has gone forever, Laura hasn’t given up yet. She started to believe that her past somehow connect to what happened to his son and she must find out how no matter what.
The story about the mother losing a kid and decide to never give up has became one of the favorite theme to put on screen. What makes this one different that none has ever been this scary. Unfortunately I couldn’t share some of my favorite moment in this movie without spoiling it, and I don’t want to do that because this is the kind of movie that I like to recommend to everyone, especially the one who is just so tired with how unsatisfying the movie with the same genre lately.
The center character Laura was played by Belén Rueda. I don’t recall ever seen her in anything but as a mother who lost her son and decide to never give up, Rueda gives a heartbreaking but award worthy performance.
Since the movie was produced by Del Toro, I thought that it’s gonna be similar to Pan’s Labyrinth’s, which is a good movie but I won’t really say that it’s a horror movie. It’s more like fantasy movie like Harry Potter with violence on it. This time is purely horror and now I am looking forward to see more from the director Juan Antonio Bayona in the future.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

hollywood.com
When the first scene started, I thought I was in the wrong theater. It looked so dark and it’s hard for me to believe that this is actually the scene from a movie that should be magical. In fact it reminds me of Robin Hood kind of movie in the 80-90’s. At least that’s the impression I got on how the Telemarine dress like.
Not until I saw the face of Ben Barnes who played Prince Caspian then I confident that I was watching the right movie.
The scene than take the audience to London, where the Pevensie kids lived. It has been a year since they left Narnia and now they’re about to abroad a train to their school. However, instead of heading there, they were sucked up back to Narnia. Unfortunately, the scene that I was hoping to be amazing looking wasn’t as I expected. I started to wonder if probably they don’t have enough budget this time?
I still didn’t lose hope. I expect that when they arrive in Narnia then things will looked more magical, instead the Narnia looked more like Hawaii. I know everyone can argue that because the old Narnia has gone and the kingdom basically abandoned. Still, since it wasn’t really our world, can they at least make it looked different?
Fortunately, the story still had the magic and I am still entertaining by it, especially with the youngest Pevensie, Lucy (Georgie Henley). To make the story short they’ve brought back to Narnia after Prince Caspian blow the magic horn that used to belong to Susan (the oldest Pevensie). It was their destiny that they have to help Prince Caspian and getting the Narnia back from the evil King Miraz.
However with the lack of magic on the whole movie, the last battle was fun to watch. I started to assumed that probably all their budget was focusing to create the creature that came out from the water, which I don’t remember the name. It was one of the great things I’ve ever seen and this is my favorite scene for the whole movie.
So, even though I wasn’t really a fan for the poor cinematography (in magic/fantasy) level, but this is still the movie that shouldn’t be missed. I do hope the DVD version will looked better.

Lust, Caution

The reason I watched this movie basically because of the controversy surrounding it. If you don’t know, then let me tell you that this movie has one of the most graphic sex scene you’ve ever seen on movies (just don’t include the porn or some b-movies of course).
Because of that, the Chinese goverment has decided to ban the lead actress Wei Tang from being in any movies even commercial. Only her though, not Ang Lee the director, or the other main actor that share the same graphic sex scene as much as her. Sexist? or because their government just plain crazy and stupid. I am not saying that they should ban the director, actor and all the crew but I think it’s so unfair that she became the only target.
Anyway, the setting of the movie is during WWII when the Japanese taking over Shang Hai. The group of students made a plan to assassinate Yee, who is an important official while they were in Hong Kong. Yee, played by Tony Leung is known to be hard to spot. His involvement with Japanese made his life at risk so he knew that he has to be careful. He never trusted anyone. The students thought that the only way to make his guard down by sending a beautiful woman to seduce him. Wong Chia Chi who is so convincing at some play they have was chosen to be that woman. Chia Chi now became Mak Tai Tai befriend with Yee’s wife, played by Joan Chen.
However the closest time they got to kill Yee is when Chia Chi brought Yee to the house where she share temporarily with the other students. Yee, who seemed always cautious decided not to enter the house. Not longer after that they heard that Yee was moving to Shang Hai along with his family meaning their mission is failed and they went separate way.
Chia Chi also moved to Shang Hai and went back to school. She felt empty inside especially that her dream to live with her father and brother in England seemed too far too reach. Until her old friend from Hong Kong approached her again. They needed her again to continue the mission that hasn’t been accomplished yet. To kill Yee.
When watching Asian movies I find the character usually pretty flat, but this one different. Both the main star Tony Leung and Wei Tang gave one of the most powerful performance I’ve ever seen in Asian movies. The credit mostly goes to Wei Tang since this is her first movie ever. The other important key is the story itself. It so intriguing and just so interesting to follow. The cinematography, the setting, the directing and basically all the main aspect of this movie are perfect. The only “weakness” is when the student failed to kill Yee for the first time. From the angle and the setting of the movie, they actually CAN do that at that time. I wish the scene was more convincing. Other than that, I think this is the best Ang Lee’s movie that I’ve ever seen (*)