nan | 楠木

昨天晚上在央视的佳片有约看了韩片《汉江怪物》。这部影片前两年刚出来的时候便听说过，那时似乎在韩国着实火了一把。

这部片子集结了几个不同的要素。情节的主线是一个对抗怪兽的恐怖故事；同时，不时的插科打诨体现了典型的韩式喜剧风格；再者，许多场景和情节带有讽喻意味。因此可以说，这是一部颇有些野心的商业电影。

从执行来看，恐怖与喜剧的结合有些生硬，或者说，在许多时候我都需要揣摩，这里到底是严肃还是搞笑呢？这里面可能涉及一些文化背景的差异，也可能是因为配音的缘故（lost in translation），但电影的结构与处理须承担部分责任。主人公苦苦寻找被怪物所夺的女儿的情节，是以非常严肃的口吻描述的，在这一的前提下的戏说难免突兀。

相较而言，讽刺时事的细节就和影片主题配合的非常好。开场在一个美军基地中，实验室的美国军官命令韩国下属将有害化学品直接导入水池的情节，是有其社会原型的，而此后的情节中政府欺骗民众、学生上街抗议，看起来也是有所指。影片的一个核心“包袱”，即一个莫大的子虚乌有，甩得非常精彩。这里也秉承了“怪兽片”一贯的隐喻传统，那就是怪物虽恐怖变态，但人类社会更加变态。

《汉江怪物》并不是如何上乘的作品，执行上有上述颇多问题，但是它是一部思路非常清晰的商业电影，导演想要追求的效果一目了然。反观中国电影这几年的商业作品，似乎很难找到能达到这种基本要求的电影，往往都是没有主旨、言之无物而片面追求一些形式上的东西。造成这种现象的原因值得深究，其中一个必然的因素是电影产业的体制问题。无需多言。

7/10

The Verdict, directed by Syndey Lumet and starring Paul Newman, is a top notch courtroom drama, which despite not breaking much new ground in terms of the genre, offers a fascinating story and one very memorable performance.

You’ve heard the story. The odds are impossibly stacked against our protagonist, who’s a lawyer long past his prime and struggling to stay sober. He’s representing a clear case, but he’s up against a powerful defense that will use every means to sabotage his trial. His star expert witness disappears. The judge doesn’t like him. The woman he loves betrays him.

For most of the film, the story seems incredibly bleak. The legal system and its gaping holes are exposed. While we are sympathetic with our protagonist, there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance for him – and we’re even angry with him, for not settling the case outside of course and therefore blowing the chance for his client to get compensation.

But the glimmers of hope, and his stubbornness to see things to the end, all culminate in the final verdict. Yes, it’s a happy ending, and to some extent one can challenge whether it should be the logical ending – he won the court of opinion, but in the court of justice, could he have truly won?

Such flaws certainly hamper the film’s impact. Regardless, the film is extremely successful in building a defining character. Paul Newman, who has won one Oscar in addition to seven nominations, is needless to say one of the finest actors of the twentieth century, and here he delivers a mesmerizing performance (for which he gets his last fruitless best actor nomination before finally breaking the curse with The Color of Money). His jaded appearance, his worn speech, his crystal blue eyes which stare hauntingly as he is transfixed in deep thought – here is a character that is truly struggling to fight the injustices of life, falling along the way but always picking himself up. He is tired, frustrated, battered, but he delivers his last appeal in defiance. And for this defiant spirit alone, this time-tested film is well worth watching.

8/10

有一些想法在脑子里绕了很久了，一直没有成形。

这两年奔波于亚洲诸国，看到了很多不同的生态。当时对于中国形成了这样几点对比：

• 中国的基建，在东部沿海已经非常先进了，并且效率非常高。可以对比中国的机场和印度、印尼的机场
• 中国的社会，虽然深层次存在很多问题，但总体治安等等尚好，至少在东部重点城市是这样的，而在我所去过的几个国家，社会问题都是非常尖锐的直接摆在你的面前的——赤贫，腐败，治安问题，都是作为一个外国人很容易就观察到的

对于后一点，这并不是说我们有多少值得自豪的地方。虽然中国没有人敢大胆到直接在机场海关公然索贿，但这并不说明我们的腐败问题不严重。中国人比较含蓄一些，讲求“意思意思”，而不会像我们的亚洲邻居们那样直接，但中国的贪官们的行径也是颇惊天地、泣鬼神的。这可参见时常能在各种论坛看到的另类“感动中国”贪官榜单。

中国的治安还比较好，根基在于长期的经济高速发展，形成的城市“中等收入群体”（中国不存在阶级，更不消说中产阶级）的政治稳定性。被隐藏的是农民，这个中国最大的社会群体，长期被经济发展所忽视，成为了发展的牺牲品与廉价劳动力与地产资源的提供者。但近来“群体性事件”愈演愈烈，加之全球经济局势的急转直下，我想城市中等收入者也不能再期许可独善其身。

现在我们正处在一个非常微妙的时期。中等收入者关注的是自己的饭碗，年底还有没奖金，是不是没地方跳槽加薪了。但其实更值得我们密切关注的是，今年500多万、明年600万大学生的就业问题，大批中、小企业倒闭带来的民工失业问题，地产泡沫对我们的金融系统的冲击问题。一切归结到一个问题：经济增速回落以后，我们怎样应对长期一直没有解决的体制问题、社会矛盾？

愈是在这种时候，听到的各种社会矛盾的报道变愈显得尖锐。近来连锁的出租车司机罢运事件。昨天某知名博客人物被警方告知因国安理由不得离境。今年某个轰动社会的大案审判的主角的母亲神秘失踪数月。某首富被“协助调查”。甘肃某地的群体事件。关于四川灾后重建的种种不和谐或不乐观的声音。

我并不知道对策。很多东西都是路人皆知的事情了，困难在于执行上的阻力，即既得利益者的干预。地方跟中央唱反调不是一天两天的事情了，而在食品安全的诸多事件后政府的公信力再度遭到重创。人们对政府的信任不若对网上论坛的信任，这是个对当事各方都非常可悲的事情。

Most directors have a specialty, the talent that distinguishes them from the rest of the pack, and which gives their films a trademark quality. Spielberg knows how to bring childhood fantasies to life, be it dinosaurs or aliens. Scorsese knows New York like the back of his hand. James Cameron knows how to tell an epic, especially in a sci-fi setting. Guillermo Del Toro, it seems, has a way with telling adult fairytales full of demons and other creatures.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the sequel to 2004’s original Hellboy. The franchise features one of the weirder comic heroes around, in the form of Hellboy, devilishly portrayed by Ron Perlman, who seems to be the son of Satan but thankfully is raised by humans and fighting on our side. The universe of Hellboy is somewhat similar to X-Men, in that humans are unknowingly coexisting with a hoard of otherworldly creatures with unique powers. Hellboy is part of a special team of such creatures, whose mission is to protect and serve mankind.

While the previous film distinguished itself by its unique protagonist and its mixture of dark drama and comedy (at least that’s what my memory tells me…), the sequel has taken a decidedly more light-hearted approach. There’s a lot of hilarious dialogues going on among Hellboy (the muscles of the operation), his amphibian best buddy Abe (the brains), Hellboy’s love interest Liz (fire support when necessary), their paper-pushing chief Manning (the only human, and responsible for cleaning up the mess), and a new character who’s literally just a bit of gas and speaks with a German accent (and considers himself in charge).

But of course, when you have such a interesting group of oddball characters, you can’t just have them sit around all day. (Or sing along to Barry Manilow – one of the more memorable scenes of the film.) Del Toro borrows elements from his own excellent Pan’s Labyrinth as well as The Lord of the Rings, and lays out a plot involving a truce between man and elf since before time as well as a mythical invincible golden army. The plot certainly holds a lot of stuff, but is really just an elaborate setup to allow the characters to be immersed in various exotic settings – all a layer beneath your usual New York sights. The charm of the underworld is decidedly one attraction of the film.

Like most superhero films, humans are extremely vulnerable, and suffice to say, quite expendable when things start to heat up. In one early scene, human buddies, whom Hellboy and co. call by name, are easily devoured by a swarm of “tooth fairies” and there’s not much the protagonists can do or seem willing to do. That minor complaint aside, the action is on par with major Hollywood productions, and while we’ve gotten used to seeing gigantic monsters roaming around our cities, there is still some novelty when that monster is a giant… tree (Greenpeace at work?).

Hellboy II is a worthy film, though perhaps somewhat constrained by the limitations of its characters – after all, it’s a bit hard to root for the son of Satan who’s a heavy red beast with a disproportionately big fist. It has a limited range of appeal, but for those who do fall into the film’s target demographics, it is a solid production.

7/10

In Bruges is a frustrating film. It has many good things going for it, but never cumulates into a coherent story. Instead, the end result is a confusing film that’s too slow to be a thriller and too serious to be a dark comedy.

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play two contract killers (Ray and Ken, respectively) who are in Bruges to wait out the fallout of a hit gone wrong. The city’s sights and deep history have an obvious appeal to Ken, but Ray is bored and suffering from a guilty conscience of having killed a boy. He tries to divert his attention by hooking up with some very eccentric characters, including a girl selling drugs which he falls for and a “midget” involved in a film production. Meanwhile, Ken receives orders to whack Ray (isn’t that always the case with mob films). Instead of doing as he’s told, Ken lets Ray go, which obviously does not go well with his boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes), who takes matters into his own hands. And so on and so forth.

The plot itself is mildly interesting, but more or less standard mob genre material. But that’s beside the point really, as this film is supposed to be a character study and a witty comedy full of black humor. The character study centralizes on Ray, who is tormented by his guilt, and Colin Farrell does give a credible and at times impressive performance. Brendan Gleeson has the role of the experienced and jaded professional reflecting upon his career and making moral choices. Ralph Fiennes clearly had fun with his character, a temperamental hit-man who talks about honor and conduct.

The humor, in perhaps a typically British style, fits quite well with the characters, but not so well with the overall story. The film has some particularly disturbing / gloomy moments (especially towards the climax), and to make the tone consistent, the humor is very subdued and only rarely takes center stage. And then there are a few really odd scenes, which seems to be screaming at the audience as proof of this film’s indie roots, but doesn’t contribute to the plot development – in short, they are out of place. Perhaps the director is trying too hard – the end result is a film that has a few fine points but on the whole is not satisfying enough.

6/10

Every now and then you come across a film that is truly magical. It’s often difficult to define what that magic is, but you know you’ve been deeply moved by the genuine emotions and vivid imaginations. Wall-E is one such film.

I’m quite sure whatever praise I sing for this film will still do it injustice, such is the power of any beauty which goes beyond the ordinary and cannot be easily decomposed and analyzed. That said, I’ll be boring and try to comment on a few points which especially struck me.

For one thing, this is one of those rare films which perfectly blends science fiction and romance. Indeed, I can hardly give a better example where these two genres have co-existed so well in one film (A.I. might be an example where a sci-fi tackles the issue of love). Wall-E is able to do so because its premise is so simple – love between two robots who discover the concept for the first time. Wall-E and EVE’s relationship bears nothing of the typical strains of human love, such as jealousy and lust, but it touches upon the most profound extremes of life – that of love and death. Indeed, through its simplicity it perfectly illustrates the eternal struggle man has had with those two topics, and our sincere belief that the deepest love goes beyond life and death.

At the same time, the science fiction – and the social message it carries – stands among the greatest of the genre. Wall-E pays homage to classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey in ways more than one (a computer hauntingly resembles HAL 9000, and in one pivotal scene Also sprach Zarathustra is used as the score), and its depiction of Earth turned into one giant garbage dump and abandoned by man is strikingly thought-provoking. And the myriad details, from man’s biological devolution (thanks to technology) to consumerism in the future, all provide additional material for the audience to ponder and digest.

Wall-E once again goes to show that the best films can perfectly blend art and entertainment and is suitable for audiences of all ages and culture. Disney is aggressively promoting Wall-E for an Oscar in Best Picture – I sincerely hope they can achieve this feat since this film is certainly deserving of that distinction.

10/10

My mood seems to be at a recent low. Encountering some struggles at work, or witnessed / witnessing some struggles of others. The chilly weather certainly doesn’t help at all.

The finanical crisis that is turning into a broad recession is having its impact felt. Although I’ve not been directly affected yet, the psychological and emotional pressure is building up. Perhaps at the core is the feeling of uncertainty, and the fear that disseminates from this.

I was already at a crossroads, and the environmental changes have just amplified the stakes of every choice. The mind is burdened, weighing the myriad inputs. The extended period of anxiety and pressure strains me…

Though from experience, these trying times are usually beneficial. In the long run.

对《海角7号》我有两个冲突的看法。

从理性来说，技术上这是一部我比较反感的电影。影片的叙事拖沓且章法混乱，本来一个100分钟就可以讲完的事情罗罗嗦嗦了120分钟。另外大量的歌曲和旁白的应用让电影看起来非常像mv，尤其影片最后的20分钟，演唱会固然是情节的高潮，但是给人的感觉实在太像一个乐队的live DVD而非电影。很多角色的塑造也是非常平面的。可以说，从技术层面有很多不合我胃口的地方。

从感性来说，我倒是很欣赏影片所自然流露出的淳朴。台湾南部岛民的阳光与纯真跃然荧幕之上。影片里的现代爱情故事没有太多亮点，但是置于恒春的社会文化背景之中显得动人许多。至于那段难以忘怀的历史恋情，固然没有新意但给整个剧情添加了一抹淡淡的悲伤。电影所展现出的台湾社会风貌，台湾南部人民的幽默与质朴是其最大的看点。

7/10

Quantum of Solace, the 22nd Bond film, picks up immediately where Casino Royale left off. Bond is pissed, and wants to get to the bottom of the conspiracy that caused the death of the woman he loved.

This hunt for vengeance provides the emotional strength of the whole film. Daniel Craig’s Bond is driven, at moments hurt inside, but always ferociously determined to hunt down the antagonists. He leaves a bloody trail of destruction behind, and in turn runs the risk of being considered a rogue agent. His strenuous relationship with M (Judi Dench) is a focal point of the film, however it is not one that is developed further beyond the usual serious facial expressions of Judi Dench.

In many ways, Quantum of Solace is an extension of Casino Royale, rather than an independent film. Without the shadow of Vesper Lynd, the female protagonist from the last film, Quantum Of Solace would be devoid of any real emotions. The film’s rollercoaster assembly of furious action scenes keep you occupied, but during the few moments of eerie calm – provided to give you a breather – you would be reminded how little the plot has progressed. There is a plot, but it is not one that is hugely engaging or relevant, were it not for the fact that the conspirators are the same as the last film.

The film seems heavily influenced by a few sources. Casino Royale obviously provides the character and the mood, and this flick is definitely one of the more humorless entries into the 007 canon. There’s homage to the tried and tested 007 formula of exotic locales, and this film, unlike its predecessor where much of the action took place in Monte Carlo, takes Bond on a around the world tour. While its nothing remotely new, it does remind one of the glorious days of the early Bond films and the adventurous, romantic Bond spirit that has charmed audiences for decades. And finally, it wouldn’t be surprising if you mistook the intense action sequences with something from The Bourne Ultimatum, because they do really look alike. Indeed, not only the way the action is presented, but also the structure of the film quite resemble the Bourne formula of continuous tension.

Veteran Bond fans will probably miss traditional elements such as Q’s introduction to gadgets. The film is devoid of over the top fancy stuff, besides a few Sony-Ericsson phones and some Microsoft Surface like multi-touch interfaces. Perhaps the sci-fi element doesn’t exactly fit with the film’s dark tone.

All in all, Quantum of Solace provides a solid viewing experience, but judged independently lacks enough material to keep viewers engaged. It feels like the bridge piece of a trilogy, and the audience is left wanting more meaty content.

7/10

Amid all the major news of late, I somehow missed the piece on Michael Crichton passing away due to cancer.

I am a big fan of his books. While his works were never literary masterpieces, his vision and the arguments he constructed have consistently shaped my worldview over the years.

I first heard of his name in 1993. That year I was 10 years old, and the movie adaptation of Jurassic Park had just been released. Of course, everybody knew how successful that film was.

The first Crichton thriller I read was Congo, back around 1996. I went on to read Jurassic Park, Disclosure, Rising Sun, Sphere, Timeline, Next, State of Fear. His books weren’t always consistent in quality – sometimes his imagination went to far and the plot went amok – but he never failed to build an impressive argument which made me ponder. His arguments spanned a wide range of topics – whether it was the morality of cloning, the hazards of unregulated biotech, sexual harassment, geopolitics, or the controversy over environmentalism – and you felt compelled to take him seriously due to the elaborate construction.

Perhaps mostly because of him, I remain a skeptic over global warming and the related public policy movement. That’s his personal legacy to me. I know I’ll miss the feeling of waiting for the next Crichton novel. Farewell, Michael.