正在上演的两个电影:
Tell No One —— An old style thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat. Threads are tightly woven with plenty of suspense. An overall fun and satisfying film.
Vicky Christina Barcelona —— by Woody Allen but not with him, do I need to say more? :) Right, not to mention those stellar spaniards, and the lovely and slightly wacky Scarlett Johansson.
Just to whet your appetite (ZT from NYT):
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Excerpts From the Spanish Diary
By WOODY ALLEN
JAN. 2
RECEIVED offer to write and direct film in Barcelona. Must be cautious. Spain is sunny, and I freckle. Money not great either, but agent did manage to get me a 10th of 1 percent of anything the picture does over $400 million after break even.
Have no idea for Barcelona unless the story of the two Hackensack Jews who start a mail-order embalming firm could be switched.
MARCH 5
Met with Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. She’s ravishing and more sexual than I had imagined. During interview my pants caught fire. Bardem is one of those brooding geniuses who clearly will need a firm hand from me.
APRIL 2
Offered role to Scarlett Johansson. Said before she could accept, script must be approved by her agent, then by her mother, with whom she’s close. Following that it must be approved by her agent’s mother. In middle of negotiation she changed agents — then changed mothers. She’s gifted but can be a handful.
JUNE 1
Arrived Barcelona. Accommodations first class. Hotel has been promised half star next year provided they install running water.
JUNE 5
Shooting got off to a shaky start. Rebecca Hall, though young and in her first major role, is a bit more temperamental than I thought and had me barred from the set. I explained the director must be present to direct the film. Try as I may, I could not convince her and had to disguise as man delivering lunch to sneak back on the set.
JUNE 15
Work finally under way. Shot a torrid love scene today between Scarlett and Javier. If this were a scant few years ago, I would have played Javier’s part. When I mentioned that to Scarlett, she said, “Uh-huh,” with an enigmatic intonation. Scarlett came late to the set. I lectured her rather sternly, explaining I do not tolerate tardiness from my cast. She listened respectfully, although as I spoke I thought I noticed her turning up her iPod.
JUNE 20
Barcelona is a marvelous city. Crowds turn out in the streets to watch us work. Mercifully they realize I’ve no time to give autographs, and so they ask only the cast members. Later I handed out some 8-by-10 photos of myself shaking hands with Spiro Agnew and offered to sign them, but by then the crowd had dispersed.
JUNE 26
Filmed at La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s masterpiece. Was thinking I have much in common with the great Spanish architect. We both defy convention, he with his breathtaking designs and me by wearing a lobster bib in the shower.
JUNE 30
Dailies are looking good, and while Javier’s idea to add a massive Martian invasion scene complete with a thousand costumed extras and elaborate flying saucers is not a very good one, I will shoot it to make him happy and cut it in the editing room.
JULY 3
Scarlett came to me today with one of those questions actors ask, “What’s my motivation?” I shot back, “Your salary.” She said fine but that she needed a lot more motivation to continue. About triple. Otherwise she threatened to walk. I called her bluff and walked first. Then she walked. Now we were rather far apart and had to yell to be heard. Then she threatened to hop. I hopped too, and soon we were at an impasse. At the impasse I ran into friends, and we all drank, and of course I got stuck with the check.
JULY 15
Once again I had to help Javier with the lovemaking scenes. The sequence requires him to grab Penélope Cruz, tear off her clothes and ravish her in the bedroom. Oscar winner that he is, the man still needs me to show him how to play passion. I grabbed Penélope and with one motion tore her clothes off. As fate would have it she had not yet changed into costume, so it was her own expensive dress I mutilated. Undaunted I flung her down before the fireplace and dove on top of her. Minx that she is, she rolled away a split second before I landed causing me to fracture certain key teeth on the tile floor. Fine day’s work, and I should be able to eat solids by August.
JULY 30
Dailies looking rather brilliant. Probably too early to start planning Academy campaign. Still, a few notes for an acceptance speech might just save me some time later.
AUG. 3
I suppose it comes with the territory. As director one is part teacher, part shrink, part father figure, guru. Is it any wonder then that as the weeks have passed, Scarlett and Penélope have both developed crushes on me? The fragile female heart. I notice poor Javier looking on enviously as the actresses bed me with their eyes, but I’ve explained to the boy that unbridled feminine desire for a cinema icon, particularly one who wears a sneer of cold command, is to be expected. Meanwhile when I approach the set each morning bathed and freshly scented, between Scarlett and Penélope there is a virtual feeding frenzy. I never like mixing business with pleasure, but I may have to slake the lust of each one in turn to get the film completed. Perhaps I can give Penélope Wednesdays and Fridays, satisfying Scarlett Tuesdays and Thursdays. Like alternate-side parking. That would leave Monday free for Rebecca, whom I stopped just in time from tattooing my name on her thigh. I’ll have a drink with the ladies in the cast after filming and set some ground rules. Maybe the old system of ration coupons could work.
AUG. 10
Directed Javier in emotional scene today. Had to give him line readings. As long as he imitates me he’s fine. The minute he tries his own acting choices he’s lost. Then he weeps and wonders how he’ll survive when I’m no longer his director. I explained politely but firmly that he must do the best he can without me and to try to remember the tips I’ve given him. I know he was cheered because when I left his trailer, he and his friends were howling with laughter.
AUG. 20
Made love with Scarlett and Penélope simultaneously in an effort to keep them happy. Ménage gave me great idea for the climax of the movie. Rebecca kept pounding on the door, and I finally let her in, but those Spanish beds are too small to handle four, and when she joined, I kept getting bounced to the floor.
AUG. 25
End production today. Wrap party as usual a little sad. Slow danced with Scarlett. Broke her toe. Not my fault. When she dipped me back, I stepped on it.
Penélope and Javier anxious to work with me again. Said if I ever come up with another screenplay to try and find them. Goodbye drink with Rebecca. Sentimental moment. Everyone in cast and crew chipped in and bought me a ballpoint pen. Have decided to call film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” Studio heads have seen all the dailies. Apparently they love every frame, and there is talk of opening it at a leper colony. It’s lonely at the top.
- Re: 周末电影推荐 IIposted on 09/13/2008
今天刚看完新电影<读后烧毁>Burn after Reading,讽刺美国上上下下的一群傻瓜。笑煞! - Re: 周末电影推荐 IIposted on 09/13/2008
恩,Coen兄弟的电影错不了,看了preview就很期待了。
《WALL-E》—— A sci-fi animation. Very well done, sweet and funny. Both kids and adults will love it. - Re: 周末电影推荐 IIposted on 09/13/2008
WALL-E当然好了,一个多月前看的,是我看过的最有情的机器人动画片。
浮生 wrote:
恩,Coen兄弟的电影错不了,看了preview就很期待了。
《WALL-E》—— A sci-fi animation. Very well done, sweet and funny. Both kids and adults will love it. - posted on 09/15/2008
The Women (2008) PG-13
Shocked by the discovery that their pal Mary's (Meg Ryan) husband is having an affair with a beautiful young shop girl (Eva Mendes), a tight-knit circle of New York socialites comes up with a devious plan to help Mary win back her man. This remake of George Cukor's classic 1939 film boasts an all-star ensemble cast, including Annette Bening, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Bette Midler and Candice Bergen.
relaxing yet something to think about
girls' marching on!
La Ceremonie
(1996) UR
A Judgement in Stone
The Lelievres, a wealthy French family, have everything they could ever want, with the exception of a capable maid. Into their lives comes Sophie (Sandrine Bonnaire), a shy girl whose peculiar nature is overlooked by the Madame (Jacqueline Bisset) because of her stellar work ethic. When the reserved Sophie befriends a local woman named Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert), the two begin to plot against the unapproachable family.
French, in English subtitle
sickening
Kolya (1996) PG-13
A renowned cellist in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, middle-aged bachelor Frantisek Louka (Zdenek Sverak) is reduced to playing funerals at the city crematorium. Strapped for cash, Louka indulges himself by having sex with other men's wives. On the eve of the 1989 "Velvet Revolution," Louka has no idea that more than political turmoil is imminent; the personal revolution he's about to experience is just as unpredictable. …
Czech, in english subtitle
Liked it! well grounded.
- posted on 09/21/2008
刚看了"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"。看这个老 Woody 的电影多年了,虽然还是他老掉牙的话题,love, 可那是他的拿手好戏,看家本事,每次他讲的故事都照样新鲜,但他从来不让我失望。现在他自己不演了,可在他导演下的这些演员好像都继承了他的风格,神经质的唠里唠叨的,让人觉得 ridiculously funny! 强力推荐。
影片里的一句至理名言:"Only unfulfilled love can be romantic", 大概就是残缺美的意思吧。
老 Woody 真显老啦,但他的才思不减。希望他再多拍几个好电影。 - Re: 周末电影推荐 IIposted on 12/14/2008
再推荐一个,Slumdog Millionaire。印度极端的贫穷,黑帮,还有爱情,象是黑暗中的一点希望之光。残酷而戏剧性的情节很能抓住观众的心,
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