helenli71 Reviews

The Legend of Zorro (2005)

between husband and wife

[7/10 · 5 December 2005]

The audience in the cinema walked out of the cinema, satisfied. "Good film," claimed the men. "Her waist is still so slim", claimed the 30-some women. It's a good action film, good visual entertainment; predictable, but exciting.

Banderas's face is a bit loose and not as shining as before. Zeta-Jones, still radiant, yet, we know she is already a mother. So, instead of romantic love, this film is themed more like 'family' love, or husband and wife love. They quarrel because Zorro doesn't give enough time and care to his family and son. Family or career? Contemporary men have to choose and balance them. Zeta-Jones, having been a traditional wife and mother, is becoming a career woman, although her reason is still partly for her husband. Is this something new for this type of period film? And the clergyman in the movie: he is a good guy and he is quite secularized. However, somehow, he reminds me of those clergymen who committed 'sexual sins', who abused children.

The actions were kind of old-fashioned, but still attractive, because the quality is still there.

And I love Zeta-Jones' earrings. I'm thinking to have my ears pierced:) She is a great actress.

Perhaps Love (2005)

I like it but it could have been better

[7/10 · 5 December 2005]

I like the actors and actress, the set design, the costumes, the songs and dancing. The frames are beautiful. I like the photography, the angles were special. I feel the characters are like communicating with the viewers directly, in a good way - it's the point of view I guess. The dancing segments are wonderful. I particularly like the dancing in the lanes of old Shanghai (the Shanghai Studio Backlots), those street girls, and the wondering Kaneshiro... It's fantastic. A first-class musical scene and performance and design.

However, I don't think it's a real musical. Maybe it's not good to judge a film from genres, but it would have felt much better if there were more dancing and singing scenes. The story is perfect for a musical, I mean, simple, melancholy, dramatic. There are simply not enough musical scenes. And it seems to me the girl should dominate the singing, and also Takeshi Kaneshiro. But it seems to me Jacky Cheung is the one who really sings and sings the most - he is a superb singer, but...

And the story - I don't think it's organized as a commercial film, but this is obviously a 'commercial-style' of a film. I imagine it would be more enjoyable if the story were told in a clearer way, especially at the beginning, and were told more like a musical with more dancing and singing. So when the viewers walk out of the cinema, their mind still enjoys the visual beauty of the stage and dance, the lingering music and songs, and then feel a bit melancholy of the story - the enjoyment of cinema..

Still, I like the film. I've never seen a better Chinese musical.