DREAM, AND CHOICES OF LIFE

 

รีบบันทึกความฝันเมื่อคืนไว้ก่อน ก่อนจะลืม นี่เป็นความฝันที่เป็นผลจากการดู EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE 55555 คือเมื่อคืนเราฝันว่าเราไปเข้าห้องน้ำ แล้วก็พบว่าแทนที่ในห้องน้ำจะเป็นโถส้วมให้เรานั่งดี ๆ มันกลับเป็นส้วมหลุมยุคโบราณแบบที่เราต้องนั่งยอง ๆ เราก็เลยรู้ได้ในทันทีว่ามันมีอะไรผิดปกติแน่ ๆ เราต้องกำลังฝันอยู่แน่เลย เราก็เลยหลับตาแล้วลืมตาใหม่ เราก็เห็น “โถส้วม” แบบปกติอยู่ตรงหน้าเรา แต่ถ้าหากเราหยีตามอง เราจะเห็นภาพตรงหน้าเป็น split screen คล้ายภาพบนกระจกที่แตกเป็นเสี่ยง ๆ เสี้ยวด้านซ้ายของภาพเป็นโถส้วม ส่วนเสี้ยวด้านขวาของภาพเป็นส้วมแบบนั่งยอง ๆ เราก็เลยพบว่า ถ้าหากเราหยีตา เราจะมองเห็นอีกเอกภพนึงได้ คือในอีกเอกภพนึง ห้องน้ำของเราเป็นส้วมแบบนั่งยอง ๆ ไม่ใช่โถส้วมแบบนั่งสบาย ๆ 55555

 

เราก็เลยถือโอกาสว่า เออ ไหน ๆ เราก็มองเห็นอีกเอกภพนึงในฝันได้แล้ว เราขอสำรวจดูหน่อยว่าในอีกเอกภพนึงชีวิตของเราเป็นอย่างไรบ้าง เราก็เลยหยีตามองสำรวจสิ่งต่าง ๆ ไปเรื่อย ๆ แล้วเราก็พบว่าเมื่อเราหยีตามองตรงหน้าห้องน้ำ เราจะพบว่าซีกซ้ายของภาพที่เราเห็นไม่มีอะไรอยู่หน้าห้องน้ำ แต่ซีกขวาของภาพที่เราเห็นมีเศษกระดาษสีน้ำตาลวางกองอยู่ เราก็เลยพยายามหยิบเศษกระดาษสีน้ำตาลจากอีกเอกภพนึงขึ้นมาดู มันมีตัวเลขอะไรบางอย่างระบุไว้ แล้วเราก็เหมือนรู้ขึ้นมาเองว่า มันคือเลขวันที่ที่จะเป็นวันตายของเรา เราก็เลยพยายามจำเลขนั้นไว้ แต่พอเราตื่นนอนขึ้นมา เรากลับจำเลขนั้นได้ไม่หมด เหมือนมันขึ้นต้นด้วย 2608 แต่เราจำเลขตอนท้ายไม่ได้ คือเหมือนเราจะต้องตายในวันที่ 26 ส.ค. แต่พอเราตื่นนอนขึ้นมา เราจำไม่ได้ว่าปีที่เราจะตายคือปีอะไร จบ

 

POLL: ถ้าหากคุณมีชีวิตเหมือนตัวละครในหนังเหล่านี้ คุณจะตัดสินใจแบบเดียวกับตัวละครตัวใด

 

พอเราได้ดู EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022, Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, A+30) กับ IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE (2021, Yoji Yamada, Japan, A+30) แล้วเราก็พบว่า เราชอบหนังสองเรื่องนี้อย่างสุด ๆ แต่หนังสองเรื่องนี้ทำให้เราชอบ FAST AND FEEL LOVE มากยิ่งขึ้นกว่าเดิม แต่ไม่ได้หมายถึงเราชอบ FAST AND FEEL LOVE มากที่สุดในบรรดาหนัง 3 เรื่องนี้นะ เพียงแต่ว่า EEAAO กับ IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE มันไปขับเน้นจุดที่เราชอบสุด ๆ ใน FAST AND FEEL LOVE ให้เด่นชัดมากยิ่งขึ้นไปอีก นั่นก็คือการตัดสินใจของตัวละครหญิง

 

ก็เลยอยากสอบถามเพื่อน ๆ ว่า ถ้าหากเพื่อนๆ มีชีวิตเหมือนตัวละครนางเอกในหนังเหล่านี้ เพื่อน ๆ คิดว่าตัวละครนางเอกในหนังเรื่องใด “ตัดสินใจ” ในแบบเดียวกับที่เพื่อน ๆ จะตัดสินใจ ตอบได้มากกว่าหนึ่งคำตอบ 55555

 

1. FAST AND FEEL LOVE

 

2.THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (2021, Joachim Trier, Norway)

 

3. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE ในจักรวาลที่เลือกทีจะมีผัว

 

4. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE ในจักรวาลที่เลือกที่จะไม่มีผัว แต่ได้เป็นดาราดัง

 

5.IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE อยู่กับผัว ถึงแม้ผัวจะติดเหล้า ติดการพนัน แล้วก็มีหนี้สินรุงรัง ถูกเจ้าหนี้นอกระบบตามรังควานอย่างรุนแรง

 

6. THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1977, Peter Handke, West Germany) ทิ้งผัวโดยไม่ต้องมีสาเหตุใด ๆ ทั้งสิ้น

 

คือเราชอบ EEAAO กับ IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE อย่างสุด ๆ ก็จริง แต่มันไม่ทำให้เรา identify ตัวเองกับการตัดสินใจของนางเอกแบบเดียวกับที่เรารู้สึกใน FAST AND FEEL LOVE น่ะ โดยเฉพาะนางเอกของ IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE กับ FAST AND FEEL LOVE นี่คือขั้วตรงข้ามกันเลย คือเหมือนนางเอกในหนังทั้งสองเรื่องนี้ได้ผัวนิสัยไม่ดีทั้งคู่ แต่คนนึงเลือกที่จะทนทุกข์กับผัว แต่อีกคนตัดสินใจทิ้งผัวไป เราก็เลยชอบ IT’S A FLICKERING LIFE มาก ๆ ในแง่หนังที่ทำให้เราเข้าใจ “ผู้อื่น” แต่เราชอบ FAST AND FEEL LOVE มาก ๆ ในแง่ที่ตัวละครในหนังตัดสินใจแบบเดียวกับเรา

 

แต่ยังไงก็ชอบ THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN มากที่สุดในกลุ่มนี้นะ 55555

 

 

SOME Y FILMS

 

POLL 2

 

ชอบที่คุณชาญชนะเขียนถึง SEOBOK (2021, Lee Yong-joo) ในแง่ "หนังวายที่พล็อตหลักไม่ได้เป็นหนังรัก" มาก ๆ อ่านที่คุณชาญชนะเขียนได้ที่นี่

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=6085136781512228&set=a.5569116589780919

 

 

 ทำให้นึกถึงหนังที่เราชอบสุด ๆ เป็นการส่วนตัว ซึ่งก็คือ TIME RAIDERS (2016, Daniel Lee, China) ที่หน้าหนังก็เป็นหนังแฟนตาซีผจญภัย แต่สิ่งที่ทำให้เราลุ้นตลอดทั้งเรื่องไม่ใช่ประเด็นที่ว่า พระเอกทั้งสองจะไขปริศนาเมืองโบราณได้หรือไม่ แต่เป็นประเด็นที่ว่าพระเอกทั้งสองจะเย็ดกันหรือไม่ 555

 

ชอบ Jing Boran ใน TIME RAIDERS มาก ๆ เขาดูตรงสเปคเรามากที่สุดในหนังเรื่องนี้

 

จริง ๆ แล้วอินเดียก็มีหนัง "กึ่งวาย" นะ เรื่อง STUDENT OF THE YEAR (2012, Karan Johar) ที่นำแสดงโดย Sidharth Malhotra กับ Varun Dhawan ที่หล่อสุด ๆ ทั้งคู่ คือถึงแม้ตัวละครนำชายทั้งสองจะเป็น straight แต่หนังมีการสร้างเคมีความสัมพันธ์บางอย่างที่ตลบอบอวลมาก ๆ

 

 

หนังอีกเรื่องที่ไม่ได้ตั้งใจให้เป็นหนังวาย แต่คนดูจิ้นกันอย่างรุนแรง ก็คือ X: FIRST CLASS (2011, Matthew Vaughn)

 

ชอบเรื่องไหนมากที่สุดคะ ในระหว่าง TIME RAIDERS, STUDENT OF THE YEAR กับ X: FIRST CLASS

BODYGUARD

 

ชอบหนังเรื่องไหนมากที่สุดคะ

 

1. SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME (1987, Ridley Scott)

 

2. THE BODYGUARD (1992, Mick Jackson)

 

3. SEOBOK (2021, Lee Yong-joo, South Korea)

 

ห้ามตอบ MY BEST BODYGUARD (2010, Sirippakorn Wongchariyawat) 555

Sorry for Poll 84: FILMS ABOUT POLITICIANS

Sorry for Poll 84: FILMS ABOUT POLITICIANS

I made Poll 84: FILMS ABOUT POLITICIANS in June 2010, but I got busy after that with the Marathon Film Festival, so I just left the poll there without counting the votes, and the record for the votes was deleted by the blog company at the end of the year 2010, and I don’t remember which films have how many votes.

http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/06/poll-84-politicians.html

I have left the poll there at the right hand side of the blog for the past six years, and now I have time to delete it. I’m a total failure at managing my own time.

POLL 84: FILMS ABOUT POLITICIANS

My poll 84 is inspired by THE GHOST WRITER (2010, Roman Polanski), which is about politics and politicians. I like this film very much because it reminds me that some politicians are just "representatives" of some greater power behind them. I also like the veteran soldier in this film very much. He is someone who suffers a lot, but no one is willing to listen to him. Then, one day, his suffering explodes.

THESE FILMS DEAL (PARTLY) WITH POLITICIANS. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.UN ABOLITIONNISTE (2001, Joël Calmettes, France)

2.À DROITE TOUTE (2008, Marcel Bluwal, France, 208 min)

3.L'AFFAIRE SALENGRO (2009, Yves Boisset, France)

4.THE CAIMAN (2006, Nanni Moretti, Italy)

5.CITIZEN HAVEL (2008, Miroslav Janek + Pavel Koutecky, Czech)

6.CITIZEN JULING (2008, Ing K + Kraisak Choonhavan + Manit Sriwanichpoom, Thailand)

7.CORN IN PARLIAMENT: LE GÉNIE HELVÉTIQUE (2003, Jean-Stéphane Bron, Switzerland)

8.DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT (ไม่มีอะไรให้ดู) (2006, Suchart Sawasdsri, Thailand)

9.UN HOMME D'HONNEUR (2009, Laurent Heynemann, France)

10.IL DIVO (2008, Paolo Sorrentino, Italy)

11.DOUCE FRANCE (2009, Stéphane Giusti, France, 180 min)

12.THE GHOST WRITER (2010, Roman Polanski, UK)

13.LA MAÎTRESSE DU PRÉSIDENT (2009, Jean-Pierre Sinapi, France)

14.MILK (2008, Gus Van Sant, USA)

15.THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale, USA)

16.OUR PEOPLE (2000, Montri Toemsombat + Jacques Charrier, Thailand)

17.PACHITO REX: I'M LEAVING BUT NOT FOR GOOD (2001, Fabián Hofman, Mexico)


18.POO TAN NOK SAPA (ผู้แทนนอกสภา) (1983, Surasee Phatham, Thailand)

19.SHORT WORKING DAY (1981, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Poland)

20.THE STAR OF PREFECTURE GOVERNMENT (2006, Hiroshi Nishitani, Japan)

You can cast multiple votes.

BAD COMPANY, LA CÉRÉMONIE, AND MONSTER ARE THE WINNERS

My poll 83 ended with five votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:


I THINK THE ANTIHEROINES IN THESE FILMS/TV SERIES/PLAY ARE VERY INTERESTING. WHICH FILMS/TV SERIES/PLAY DO YOU LIKE?


1.BAD COMPANY (1995, Damian Harris, USA)
+LA CÉRÉMONIE (1995, Claude Chabrol, France)
+MONSTER (2003, Patty Jenkins, USA)

Each of these films got 2 votes, or 40 %.


4.BREMEN FREEDOM (1972, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany)
+CONSCIENCE (1994, Hong Kong TV series)
+HAPPINESS DWELLS IN CRIMES (2009, Denis Malleval, France)
+THE HEADLESS WOMAN (2008, Lucrecia Martel, Argentina)
+MASTER OF THE GAME (1984, Kevin Connor + Harvey Hart, American miniseries)
+MUANG NAI MORK (เมืองในหมอก) (1978, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)
+PLEARNG PAI (1990, Thai TV series)
+PRAYING MANTIS (1982, Jack Gold, UK)
+QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002, Michael Rymer, USA)
+TO DIE FOR (1995, Gus Van Sant, USA)

Each of these films got 1 vote, or 20 %.


14.DIVINE (1998, Arturo Ripstein, Mexico)
+KON REUNG MUANG (คนเริงเมือง) (1988, Rearngsiri Limaksorn, Thai TV series)
+MELROSE PLACE (1992-1999, American TV series)
+MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN (1961, Peter Palitzsch + Manfred Wekwerth, East Germany)
+PLEARNG PRANANG (1996, Adul Boonboot, Thai TV series)
+TONG PRAGAI SAD (ทองประกายแสด) (1988, Chana Kraprayoon, Thailand)
+THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (2010, Ninart Boonpothong, stage play)

Each of these films got 0 vote.



Other antiheroines I like:

21. IT'S A FREE WORLD (2007, Ken Loach, UK)

22. JERICHOW (2008, Christian Petzold, Germany)

23. Pauline Lafont in COP AU VIN (1985, Claude Chabrol, France)

24. Parichart Borisuthi in CITY OF BEGGARS, RINGWORM ON CONCRETE (1978, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)

25.ANGEL (2007, François Ozon, France)

26.L'APPARTEMENT (1996, Gilles Mimouni, France)
I think what Alice (Rohmane Bohringer) does in this film is very wrong.

27.Raffaëla Anderson and Karen Bach in BAISE-MOI (2000, Virginie Despentes + Coralie Trinh Thi, France)

28.BASIC INSTINCT (Paul Verhoeven, USA)

29.BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967, Arthur Penn, USA)

30.LES BICHES (Claude Chabrol, France)

31.ÇA BRÛLE (2006, Claire Simon, France)

32. CHLOE (Atom Egoyan, Canada)

33.DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988, Stephen Frears, USA)

34.DEMENTIA (1955, John Parker, USA)

35.ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (1957, Louis Malle, France)

36.FALLEN ANGELS (1995, Wong Kar-wai, Hong Kong)

37.FOREVER YOURS (CHUA FAR DIN SALAI) (1955, Tawee Na Bangchang, Thailand)

38.THE FOURTH MAN (Paul Verhoeven, Netherlands)

39.HI TERESKA (2001, Robert Glinski, Poland)

40.THE HUNGARIAN SERVANT (2004, Giorgio Molteni + Massimo Piesco, Italy)

41.IMELDA (2003, Ramona S. Diaz, Philippines)

42. THE INSECT WOMAN (1963, Shohei Imamura, Japan)

43.IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES (Nagisa Oshima, Japan)

44.JAO NANG (1994, Thai TV series)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQIXebZrn2w

45.THE LAST SEDUCTION (1993, John Dahl, USA)

46.LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008, Tomas Alfredson, Sweden)

47.LIGHTS IN THE DUSK (Aki Kaurismaki, Finland)

48.LOVELY RITA (Jessica Hausner, Austria)

49.LOVERS (1991, Vicente Aranda, Spain)

50.THE LOVERS (1958, Louis Malle, France)

51.MESSIDOR (Alain Tanner, Switzerland)

52.MISERY (1990, Rob Reiner, USA)

53.DIE NIBELUNGEN (1924, Fritz Lang, Germany)

54.OFFICE KILLER (1997, Cindy Sherman, USA)
http://elusivelucidity.blogspot.com/2010/05/office-killer-for-constant-consumer.html
http://cinemasparagus.blogspot.com/2008/11/office-killer.html

55.Pisamai Wilaisuk in OH MADA (1977, Chana Kraprayoon, Thailand)

56.THE OTHERS (2001, Alejandro Amenábar, Spain)

57.THE PAGE TURNER (2006, Denis Dercourt, France)

58.PERFECT STRANGER (2007, James Foley, USA)

59.THE PIANO TEACHER (Michael Haneke, Austria)

60.Pisamai Wilaisuk in RAI SANAYHA (CHARMLESS) (1978, Chana Kraprayoon, Thailand)

61.THE RAPTURE (1991, Michael Tolkin, USA)

62.RIGHT NOW (Benoit Jacquot, France)

63.SIN SISTERS (2002, Sukij Narin, Thailand)

64.SPARROW (2008, Johnnie To)

65.THE STENDAHL SYNDROME (1996, Dario Argento, Italy)

66.STRONG SHOULDERS (Ursula Meier, Switzerland)

67.TAYART ASOON (THE DEVIL'S HEIRESS) (1992, Thai TV series)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYaeUp0tMlM&translated=1

68.VANITY FAIR (2004, Mira Nair, UK)

69.VERTIGO (Alfred Hitchcock)

70.WHO ARE YOU (2010, Pakphum Wongjinda, Thailand)

and many heroines in Thai short films
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/08/inspiring-female-characters-in-thai.html

In many cases, I love the antiheroines much more than the films they are in, especially in the cases of PLEARNG PAI, PERFECT STRANGER, and VANITY FAIR. I think these films/TV series haven't used the full potential of these antiheroines.

I'm not sure if the character The Invincible East in SWORDSMAN II should be called an antiheroine, an antihero, a villainess, or a villain.

POLL 83: ANTIHEROINES

My poll 83 is inspired by HAPPINESS DWELLS IN CRIMES. I think the vicious heroine, or the antiheroine, in this film is very interesting.


I THINK THE ANTIHEROINES IN THESE FILMS/TV SERIES/PLAY ARE VERY INTERESTING. WHICH FILMS/TV SERIES/PLAY DO YOU LIKE?


1.BAD COMPANY (1995, Damian Harris, USA)
I like the character Margaret Wells (Ellen Barkin).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4695921917_81bcf7f11a_b.jpg

2.BREMEN FREEDOM (1972, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany)
I like the character Geesche (Margit Carstensen). I wrote about this film here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068314/usercomments


3.LA CÉRÉMONIE (1995, Claude Chabrol, France)
I like the characters Sophie (Sandrinne Bonnaire) and Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4695921911_7ddbb209da_b.jpg


4.CONSCIENCE (1994, Hong Kong TV series)
I like Maggie Siu in this TV series. It is her best role.

5.DIVINE (1998, Arturo Ripstein, Mexico)
I like the character Tomasa (Flor Eduarda Gurrola).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4695921907_d7b1e2ee67_o.jpg

6.HAPPINESS DWELLS IN CRIMES (2009, Denis Malleval, France)
I like the character Claire Stassin (Marie Kremer).

This is a photo of Marie Kremer from I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SAINT.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4695921883_e7d0253bb7_o.jpg


7.THE HEADLESS WOMAN (2008, Lucrecia Martel, Argentina)
I like the character Verónica (María Onetto).

8.KON REUNG MUANG (คนเริงเมือง) (1988, Rearngsiri Limaksorn, Thai TV series)
I like the character E Pring (Mai Charoenpura).

9.MASTER OF THE GAME (1984, Kevin Connor + Harvey Hart, American miniseries)
I like the characters Katherine Blackwell (Dyan Cannon) and Eve (Liane Langland).

10.MELROSE PLACE (1992-1999, American TV series)
I like the character Amanda Woodward (Heather Locklear).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4695921839_44cd12b971_o.jpg

11.MONSTER (2003, Patty Jenkins, USA)
I like the character Aileen (Charlize Theron).

12.MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN (1961, Peter Palitzsch + Manfred Wekwerth, East Germany)
I like the character Mother Courage (Helene Weigel).
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1274/4695921831_1159d76e59_b.jpg

13.MUANG NAI MORK (เมืองในหมอก) (1978, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)
I like Benjawan Boonyagard in this film.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3033/3100586004_a6c4b02c1c_o.jpg

14.PLEARNG PAI (1990, Thai TV series)
I like the character Welulee (Nisa Wongwat).

15.PLEARNG PRANANG (1996, Adul Boonboot, Thai TV series)
I like the character Queen Anantip (Chamaiporn Jaturapush).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaqZ8bjGHbY
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/3095724024_bafa2c999c_o.jpg

16.PRAYING MANTIS (1982, Jack Gold, UK)
I like the characters Beatrice Manceau (Cherie Lunghi) and Vera Canova (Carmen du Sautoy).
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1274/4695915027_5ecdc59fe8_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4695915035_38c51467cf_o.jpg

17.QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002, Michael Rymer, USA)
I like the character Queen Akasha (Aaliyah).
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/4695915023_31bc2dd769_b.jpg

18.TO DIE FOR (1995, Gus Van Sant, USA)
I like the character Suzanne Stone Maretto (Nicole Kidman).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4695915019_09d9183503_o.jpg

19.TONG PRAGAI SAD (ทองประกายแสด) (1988, Chana Kraprayoon, Thailand)
I like the character Tongdee (Chudapa Juntakate).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4695915011_3a8ca50956_o.jpg

20.THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (2010, Ninart Boonpothong, stage play)
I like the character Lady Macbeth (Nuttaya Nakawech).

This is an image of Lady Macbeth found on the internet.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1294/4695915001_af52eced50_b.jpg


You can cast multiple votes.

You can read more about my favorite female characters in the book FILMVIRUS 3, which is available at Kinokuniya, Paragon.

This poll is related to:

POLL 5: HYSTERICAL HEROINES
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-fifth-poll-hysterical-heroines.html

POLL 10: FEMALE PERSONALITIES
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/01/tenth-poll-female-personalities.html

POLL 23: YOUNG GIRLS
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/06/poll-23-young-girls.html

POLL 49: WOMEN WITH DESIRE
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2009/03/poll-49-women-with-desire.html

DANTON, LUDWIG AND QUEEN MARGOT ARE THE WINNERS

My poll 82 ended with four votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:


I LIKE THESE PERIOD FILMS WHICH MAY HAVE SOME POLITICAL ASPECTS IN THEM. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?

1.DANTON (1982, Andrzej Wajda, Poland)
+LUDWIG – REQUIEM FOR A VIRGIN KING (1972, Hans Jürgen Syberberg, West Germany)
+QUEEN MARGOT (1994, Patrice Chéreau, France)

Each of them got 2 votes, or 50 %.


4.ANDREI RUBLEV (1966, Andrei Tarkovsky, Soviet Union)
+DEATH OF A TEA MASTER (1989, Kei Kumai, Japan)
+GOYA'S GHOSTS (2006, Milos Forman, USA)
+INTERVIEW WITH LADY SRISUDACHAN (2000, Wasanta Samrong, Thailand)
+LITTLE BIG SOLDIER (2010, Sheng Ding, China)
+MATHIAS KNEISSL (1970, Reinhard Hauff, West Germany)
+THE NIKLASHAUSEN JOURNEY (1970, Rainer Werner Fassbinder + Michael Fengler , West Germany)
+¡QUE VIVA MEXICO! (1931, Sergei M. Eisenstein, Soviet Union)
+ROBIN HOOD (2010, Ridley Scott, UK)
+MULLEYA MULLEYA (SPINNING WHEEL) (1984, Lee Doo-yong, South Korea)
+VICTOR SCHOELCHER, L'ABOLITION (1998, Paul Vecchiali, France)

Each of them got 1 vote, or 25 %.


15.EDWARD II (1991, Derek Jarman, UK)
+JODHAA AKBAR (2008, Ashutosh Gowariker, India)
+THE LIBERTINE (2004, Laurence Dunmore, UK)
+POPE JOAN (2009, Sönke Wortmann, Germany)
+SARRAOUNIA (1986, Med Hondo, Burkina Faso)
+UTU (1983, Geoff Murphy, New Zealand)

Each of them got 0 vote.

Some images:

HOSPITALITY OF ABRAHAM by Andrei Rublev
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4687840387_6f08878b3c_b.jpg

DANTON
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4687840389_1e2b762cc7_o.jpg

SEN RIKYU, THE TEA MASTER
http://dawan-chawan-chassabal.blogspot.com/2010/04/death-of-sen-rikyu-and-birth-of-teabowl.html
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4687840391_bb8380f4b0_o.jpg

EDWARD II
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4687840397_f8f5c44e6b_b.jpg

THE THIRD OF MAY (1814, Francisco de Goya)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4687840401_49c8ae958a_b.jpg

Ludwig II
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4687840403_d90c5e262f_b.jpg

JODHAA AKBAR
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4695043964_04e828d8c6_b.jpg

Matthias Kneissl (1875-1902)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4695043978_424dcd9f45_o.jpg

King Charles II, a character in THE LIBERTINE
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4695043966_dce1a8d7a7_o.jpg

Hans Böhm, the Niklashausen drummer
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4695043976_39f90c5634_b.jpg

POPE JOAN
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4694435411_7b595a74f6_o.jpg

QUEEN MARGOT
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4694435427_083ef3cb76_o.jpg

QUE VIVA MEXICO
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4694435429_3a8789e5df_b.jpg

Richard the Lionheart, a character in ROBIN HOOD
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4694435423_b6c2f8ddd3_o.jpg

SARRAOUNIA
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4694435413_471b4d00cb_b.jpg

SPINNING WHEEL (MULLEYA MULLEYA)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4694435417_c6d7de68af_o.jpg

UTU
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1289/4695074382_486e6ecf1d_b.jpg

Victor Schoelcher
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4695074386_c835be70dd_b.jpg

POLL 82: PERIOD FILMS WHICH MAY HAVE SOME POLITICAL ASPECTS IN THEM

My poll 82 is inspired by ROBIN HOOD (2010, Ridley Scott). I like what Tom Huddleston wrote about this film in TIME OUT FILM GUIDE very much:
http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/88208/robin-hood.html

"Best of all, the film just feels huge: genuinely epic in a way few movies have since ‘Lord of the Rings’. The endless plot twists may be perplexing, but they work to make the movie feel eventful and involving: after 140 minutes, audiences will feel like they’ve been somewhere, lived through something. And so, while this ‘Robin Hood’ is a long way from perfect, it remains a satisfyingly immense and old fashioned grand-canvas experience."

Another old fashioned grand-canvas experience I have is when I saw AUSTRALIA (2008, Baz Luhrmann, A+).



I LIKE THESE PERIOD FILMS WHICH MAY HAVE SOME POLITICAL ASPECTS IN THEM. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?


1.ANDREI RUBLEV (1966, Andrei Tarkovsky, Soviet Union)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Rublev_(film)
" The film is about the essence of art and the importance of faith and shows an artist who tries to find the appropriate response to the tragedies of his time. The film is also about artistic freedom and the possibility and necessity of making art for, and in the face of, a repressive authority and its hypocrisy, technology and empiricism, by which knowledge is acquired on one's own without reliance on authority, and the role of the individual, community, and government in the making of both spiritual and epic art."

2.DANTON (1982, Andrzej Wajda, Poland)
http://filmsdefrance.com/FDF_Danton_rev.html

" November 1793. The one-time national hero and leading light of the French Revolution, Georges Danton, returns to Paris after a self-imposed exile in the country. He is vociferously opposed to the reign of terror that Robespierre and the Committee for Public Safety have initiated in an attempt to quash any opposition to the new Republic. But whilst Danton’s outspoken criticism of Robespierre and his stooges strikes a chord with the unwashed masses, he makes himself very unpopular with the state officials. Accused of inciting anti-republican activities, Danton and his supporters are rounded up and set before a tribunal, who have no intention of sparing their lives…

The focus of the film is the intense political struggle between the idealists who forged the Revolution and the Nation State that claims to represent the good of the people but which has become completely corrupt and tyrannical in its attempt to justify itself. The film achieves this sense of conflict through the spoken word, not through physical violence – with the final showdown being the frenzied verbal joust between Danton and the state prosecutors."


3.DEATH OF A TEA MASTER (1989, Kei Kumai, Japan)

4.EDWARD II (1991, Derek Jarman, UK)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_II_(film)

" Once installed as king, Edward II summons his friend and lover, Piers Gaveston, to his side and showers him with gifts, titles and abiding love. Their relationship is fiery and passionate, but it is the cause of hate from everybody else. Upon his return, Gaveston takes revenge on the Bishop of Winchester who had been responsible for his banishment from England during the previous reign, he personally tortures him. Kent, Edwards’s brother, is the first to protest Gaveston return. Many others feel the same way including the Bishop of Winchester and Lord Mortimer, who is in charge of the army forces of the kingdom. However Edward II defends his lover from his mounting enemies"

5.GOYA'S GHOSTS (2006, Milos Forman, USA)

6.INTERVIEW WITH LADY SRISUDACHAN (2000, Wasanta Samrong, Thailand)

7.JODHAA AKBAR (2008, Ashutosh Gowariker, India)

I like the peace-loving attitude of this film.

8.LITTLE BIG SOLDIER (2010, Sheng Ding, China)

I like the peace-loving attitude of this film.

9.LUDWIG – REQUIEM FOR A VIRGIN KING (1972, Hans Jürgen Syberberg, West Germany)

From Bilge Ebiri's article:
http://www.movingimagesource.us/articles/visions-of-ludwig-20090604

" In a sense, Syberberg turns Ludwig himself, this famously inept and disastrous monarch, into one of Wagner’s mythical heroes, and thereby the crucial bridge between German Romanticism and later German fanaticism. As Fredric Jameson argues, in “In the Destructive Element Immerse,” his essay on Syberberg:The modernist aesthetic demands an organic community which it cannot, however, bring into being by itself but can only express. Ludwig II is, then, the name for that fleeting mirage, that optical illusion of a concrete historical possibility. He is the philosopher-king who, by virtue of a political power that resulted from a unique and unstable social and political situation, holds out, for a moment, the promise of an organic community. Later, Nazism will make this same promise."

10.MATHIAS KNEISSL (1970, Reinhard Hauff, West Germany)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067407/

" Kneissl is the Robin Hood or Butch Cassidy of Germany. Also Ringsgwandl made a song on him. Kneissl is a true anti-establishment figure a film can artfully reflect on. One of the main characters of German anarchy. The movie is also for those who like to see Bayrhammer, Schygulla, Mattes, Schlöndorff during their younger years. Kneissl was a robber who was executed after a brutal manhunt in rural bavaria. As a folk hero he was supported by the local farmers, which made it difficult for the 100+ policemen to get on him. There is a certain history of 18th century anarchy and weird characters in southern Germany, which are legends and always were admired by many young people. "

11.THE LIBERTINE (2004, Laurence Dunmore, UK)

12.THE NIKLASHAUSEN JOURNEY (1970, Rainer Werner Fassbinder + Michael Fengler , West Germany)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066150/usercomments

" In the 15th Century, Hans Böhm, a shepherd, claimed to have been visited by the Virgin Mary. He began preaching and gathered around him thousands of disciples who believed him to be the New Messiah. He was arrested and burned at the stake by the church. Fassbinder uses this true story to reflect the sexual and political upheaval in Germany, showing how and why revolution fails.

The movie draws very clear parallels between religion and revolution, questions both the means and ends of revolutionary violence, suggests similarities between this uprising and the one led by Hitler several decades earlier - and it completely dismisses the ruling class as worthless, absurd fools quick to devastation when their enemies are involved. It works on the viewer in unexpected ways, building on our empathy with the revolutionary cause, while nearly condemning the whole movement, to make us truly care about enacting change "

13.POPE JOAN (2009, Sönke Wortmann, Germany)

14.QUEEN MARGOT (1994, Patrice Chéreau, France)

15.¡QUE VIVA MEXICO! (1931, Sergei M. Eisenstein, Soviet Union)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079020/usercomments

" The movie has six episodes: a prologue (Tisse moving slowly the camera over pyramids, Aztec sculptures, motionless people along carved deities, a country that's extremely diverse, where all ages of history coexist, timelessly and motionlessly) - a wedding (in a place where the society is still living in matriarchate) - a religious procession (superb images again: three youngsters carrying the cross, toward three priests like Aztec masks, facing three skulls) - a corrida - a story with three young peasants killed by a landlord and buried alive (Tisse gave here a very shocking image, while one of the most powerful cinematic scenes I have ever seen) - the epilogue (a joyful festival for the All Souls Day, a fabulous celebration of the Dead). A seventh episode was no more shot, Soldaderas, Eisenstein had in mind to focus it on women, the female Revolution soldiers."

16.ROBIN HOOD (2010, Ridley Scott, UK)

17.SARRAOUNIA (1986, Med Hondo, Burkina Faso)

18.MULLEYA MULLEYA (SPINNING WHEEL) (1984, Lee Doo-yong, South Korea)
http://eng.buddhapia.com/_Service/_ContentView/ETC_CONTENT_2.ASP?pk=0000593856&sub_pk=&clss_cd=0002160290&top_menu_cd=0000000409&menu_cd=0000005092&menu_code=

" Ostensibly concerned with the tragic life of a woman named Gil-Rye, Lee Doo-Yong's Mulleya Mulleya is really a commentary on the dogmatic narrowness of Korean society in its historical definition of male-female roles, as well as an indictment of the nobility in its role as defender of an oppressive status quo."

19.UTU (1983, Geoff Murphy, New Zealand)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086497/plotsummary

" In New Zealand in the 1860s the native Maori people fought the British colonials to keep the land guaranteed to them by treaty. The warrior Te Wheke fights for the British until betrayal leads him to seek utu (revenge). The settler Williamson in turn seeks revenge after Te Wheke attacks his homestead. Meanwhile Wiremu, an officer for the British, seems to think that resistance is futile."

20.VICTOR SCHOELCHER, L'ABOLITION (1998, Paul Vecchiali, France)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Schoelcher

" Victor Schoelcher (22 July 1804, Paris - 25 December 1893, Houilles) was a French abolitionist writer in the 1800s and the main spokesman for a group from Paris who worked for the abolition of slavery, and formed an abolition society in 1834. He worked especially hard for the abolition of slavery on the Caribbean islands."


You can cast multiple votes.


I'm not sure if DEATH OF A TEA MASTER and THE LIBERTINE have some political aspects in the films or not, but I want to include those films in this list, because these two films deal with the difficult lives of people who were associated with the royal courts in historical times, like ROBIN HOOD.


This poll is related to:

POLL 12: POLITICS WILL TEAR US APART
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/twelfth-poll-politics-will-tear-us.html

POLL 14: THE COLONIAL ERA
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/03/fourteenth-poll-colonial-era.html

POLL 81: FILMS ABOUT SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/05/poll-81-films-about-socialpolitical.html

RESULTS OF POLL 81

My poll 81 ended with two votes. Thanks very much to the person who voted in it. Here is the result:

I LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN THESE FILMS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.eXistenZ (1999, David Cronenberg, Canada)
+GAS ATTACK (2001, Kenneth Glenaan, UK)
+THE GOD OF BANGPOON VILLAGE (1980, Pagorn Promwituck, Thailand)
+GULABI TALKIES (2008, Girish Kasaravalli, India)
+THE HANGMAN (1964, Les Goldman + Paul Julian, USA)
+THE IMPRINT (1975, Jacques Cardon, France)
+THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)
+OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Iran)
+POUR L'AMOUR DE DIEU (2006, Ahmed Bouchaala + Zakia Tahiri, France)
+THE SWIMMER (1981, Irakli Kvirikadze, Soviet Union)
+THE THREE INVENTORS (1980, Michel Ocelot, France)

Each of these films got 1 vote, or 50 %.


12.AGORA (2009, Alejandro Amenábar, Spain)
+THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (2008, Uli Edel, Germany)
+CROSSING OVER (2009, Wayne Kramer, USA)
+DOGVILLE (2003, Lars von Trier)
+THE FEVER (2004, Carlo Gabriel Nero, UK)
+FIGHT FOR US (1989, Lino Brocka, Philippines)
+KUHLE WAMPE, OR TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? (1932, Slatan Dudow, Germany)
+MUEN AND RID (อำแดงเหมือนกับนายริด) (1994, Cherd Songsri, Thailand)
+LA PASSANTE DU SANS-SOUCI (1982, Jacques Rouffio, France)

Each of these films got 0 vote.

POLL 81: FILMS ABOUT SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS

POLL 81: FILMS ABOUT SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS

My poll 81 is inspired by THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, A+++++), which deals with the bias of people and the kind of problems which can be found in societies worldwide.

I LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN THESE FILMS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.AGORA (2009, Alejandro Amenábar, Spain)
I like that this film deals with the catastrophe caused by intolerance.

2.THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (2008, Uli Edel, Germany)
I like that the film shows us that sometimes good intentions can lead to very, very bad things.

3.CROSSING OVER (2009, Wayne Kramer, USA)
I gave this film "A-" after I just had seen it, because I thought the film is lamely directed. But now I think I may give this film "A+", because I like the story about the fifteen-year-old girl who is the victim of prejudices in this film very much.

4.DOGVILLE (2003, Lars von Trier)

5.eXistenZ (1999, David Cronenberg, Canada)

6.THE FEVER (2004, Carlo Gabriel Nero, UK)
I like the review on this film by Josh Begley:
http://movies.insidepulse.com/2007/12/19/72504/
"This is what happens to Vanessa Redgrave’s character, Woman. While attending an art gallery, a friend begins talking about class differences and the uselessness of the rich. Like a virus, this simple rant changes the way that Redgrave feels about her life, her world, and her soul. Based on the play by Wallace Shawn (quick movie trivia: Shawn played Vizzini in The Princess Bride along with many other roles), The Fever centers on Redgrave’s newfound and rather late awareness of class and her inability to reconcile her guilt over being one of the “haves” while still trying to think of herself as a good person. The film begins and ends with her in a rundown hotel room in a nameless small country in the middle of a civil war,"

7.FIGHT FOR US (1989, Lino Brocka, Philippines)

8.GAS ATTACK (2001, Kenneth Glenaan, UK)
I like that this film deals with the social tension, the bureaucratic problems, and the widespread fear of terrorism.

9.THE GOD OF BANGPOON VILLAGE (1980, Pagorn Promwituck, Thailand)

10.GULABI TALKIES (2008, Girish Kasaravalli, India)

11.THE HANGMAN (1964, Les Goldman + Paul Julian, USA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSS3yxpnFU

12.THE IMPRINT (1975, Jacques Cardon, France)

13.THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)

14.KUHLE WAMPE, OR TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? (1932, Slatan Dudow, Germany)

15.MUEN AND RID (อำแดงเหมือนกับนายริด) (1994, Cherd Songsri, Thailand)
I think this film should be screened together with IRON JAWED ANGELS (2004, Katja von Garnier, A+).

16.OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Iran)

17.LA PASSANTE DU SANS-SOUCI (1982, Jacques Rouffio, France)
The suppression of press freedom during the Nazi era is very frightening.

18.POUR L'AMOUR DE DIEU (2006, Ahmed Bouchaala + Zakia Tahiri, France)
I think this film should be screened together with OSAMA (2003, Siddiq Barmak, A+).

19.THE SWIMMER (1981, Irakli Kvirikadze, Soviet Union)
The second part of this film makes me feel very afraid of dictatorship and Stalinism.

20.THE THREE INVENTORS (1980, Michel Ocelot, France)

You can cast multiple votes.


This poll is related to POLL 12: POLITICS WILL TEAR US APART
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/twelfth-poll-politics-will-tear-us.html

The theme song for this poll is NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED by Dusty Springfield:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZip7Y_IDqQ

KICK-ASS IS THE WINNER

My poll 80 ended with 7 votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)

This film got 4 votes, or 57 %.


2.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
+OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)

Each of these films got 3 votes, or 42 %.


4. RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
+20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
+WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)

Each of these films got 2 votes, or 28 %.


7.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)
+CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)
+DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
+G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)
+HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)
+THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)
+MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)
+32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)

Each of these films got 1 vote, or 14 %.


15.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)
+HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)
+MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)
+THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
+TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)
+WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)

Each of these films got 0 vote.

This is the photo of Lee Byung-hun, who stars in G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA:

POLL 80: ENTERTAINMENT

POLL 80: ENTERTAINMENT

My poll 80 is inspired by KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn), which is one of the most entertaining Hollywood films I have ever seen.

Noel Vera wrote about KICK-ASS here:
http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2010/05/iron-man-2-jon-favreau-kick-ass-matthew.html

THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)

2.CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)

3.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)

4.DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)

5.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090219/rough-cut-2009

6.G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)

7.HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)

8.HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)

9.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)

10.THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)

11.MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)

12.MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)

13.OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)

14.RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20080509/red-queen-kills-seven-times-emilio-miraglia-1972

15.32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)

16.THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
Anuj wrote about this film here:
http://www.indianauteur.com/?p=893

17.TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)

18.20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
Peter Nellhaus wrote about the first part of this trilogy here:
http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/2009/03/philadelphia_fi.html

19.WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)

20.WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)

You can cast multiple votes.

RESULTS OF POLL 79

My poll 79 ended with four votes. Thanks to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
+THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
+LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)
+VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)

Each of these films got 2 votes, or 50 %.

5.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
+AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)
+BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
+KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)
+LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)
+THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)
+THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
+TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)

Each of these films got 1 vote, or 25 %.


13.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
+CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)
+DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)
+HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
+THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
+THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
+THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)
+SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)

Each of these films got 0 vote.

POLL 79: LLORANDO

POLL 79: LLORANDO

My poll 79 is inspired by TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson, A+++++++++++++++), which makes me cry because the pain of the heroine touches my heart and my soul very deeply.

THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
http://screenville.blogspot.com/2007/09/afternoon-times-2005boonsinsukh.html

I cried for the scene in which the heroine is packing up things in her restaurant, knowing that she will never find the guy she likes again.

2.AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)

After watching this film, I locked myself up in a toilet in a department store and cried for half an hour. The lives of the people in this film are very sad.

3.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
I cried at the ending of this film.

4.BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
Two months after I had seen this film, I woke up and cried uncontrollably thinking about it. It is strange that this film didn't make me cry instantly after I had seen it. The pain of the characters in this film seemed to be locked up in my subconscious and one day it broke open into my dream and my consciousness.

5.CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)

6.DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)

7.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
This is the film that makes me cry the most in my life, and I'm not sure why.

8.HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
I never expected that I would worship or cry for a film like this. But the scene in which Joan Allen finds out that Hachiko has been waiting for the return of her husband for more than ten years makes me cry. I think it is because what Hachiko does in this film is like what some human beings do—doing something unreasonably, doing something though it is utterly hopeless, doing something which you know you will not succeed but still you can't stop yourself from doing it. You know you shouldn't do it, but you still do it because your heart compels you to do it. It's like a mother who knows her son is dead but still finds it hard to accept the truth. It's like person A who still keeps on loving person B though A knows that B will never love A back.

HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY should really be screened together with ROZA (1999, Ramon Swaab, Netherlands, A+++++). In ROZA, we saw an old man in present time sits in a train station, waiting for someone. In the end we know that this man has been waiting for Roza for more than 60 years. The last time he saw Roza is when this girl was deported in a train during WWII, because she was a Jew. This old man must know that it is useless to wait here, because Roza was likely to be killed in a gas chamber 60 years ago. But he still waits here. He does what his heart wants to do, not what his brain tells him to do. He does what is beyond reason or understanding, like Hachiko.

9.THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
The ending of this film is tremendously touching for three reasons:

9.1 It's what Tilda Swinton says at the end of the film

9.2 It's the contrast between the image we saw at the ending of this film and the image we saw at the ending of CYCLING THE FRAME (1988, Cynthia Beatt, A+)

9.3 It's the text at the end of this film. This short text turns a film which has "a very happy ending" into a film with arguably sad ending. At the end of this film, we feel very glad to see the freedom of German people. We see the beauty of this freedom, which is the opposite of what we see in CYCLING THE FRAME. We may think, "Oh, what a wonderful world! Goodness has triumphed over evil. Bad things have been destroyed. There are still hopes in life." And then the text says, "For Palestinian people." This short text suddenly and powerfully reminds us of the misery which continues until now. This short text reminds us that happiness like in THE INVISIBLE FRAME is still being denied in some places in the world. THE INVISIBLE FRAME doesn't show us directly the misery of Palestinian people, but because it shows us what a free country looks like, it makes us feel very sad and angry that some people who should be able to live in a free and undivided country like that are still unable to do it.

10.KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)

11.THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
The ending of this film makes me cry. It makes me feel that Marker still likes Aleksandr Medvedkin very much, and Marker doesn't care at all if other people like Medvedkin or not.

12.LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)

13.LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)

14.THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)

15.THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
One scene that makes me cry in this miniseries is the scene in which a politician who tries to uncover the truth about the murder of Mary Phagan despite the protest of the villagers tells his young assistant something like this:

"If you want to succeed in politics, never do what I have done."

And his assistant replies, "Now I don't want to succeed in politics any more."

It is very touching for me to see that this young assistant who used to be ambitious has learned that what is more important to him now is not success, fame, or being worshipped and loved by the voting people. What is important to him now is "truth", "justice", and "helping innocent people", though choosing truth and justice might make the voting people hate him.

16.THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
I cried for the scene in which someone drives a long way to meet this Iraqi artist and offer him some support. And it is utterly surprising and touching for me that the person who seems to understand the most about the pain of this Iraqi artist is a US marine.

17.THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)

18.SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)
I like it very much that the hero does not intend to make the heroine love him forever. Instead, he seems to intend to make the heroine find a new love after him.

19.TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)

20.VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)
There are many things in this film which make me cry. One scene which makes me cry is the scene in which Valerie meets a woman who used to love Valerie's husband.

The woman says, "You won. I lost," and smiles. She seems to accept the truth that it is Valerie who won the heart of this guy.

"No, you won, I lost," Valerie replies, knowing fully well that happiness doesn't last forever. Things which give you happiness will not last forever. People who give you happiness will not last forever. And things which you used to hold dear might cause you unhappiness in the future.

You can cast multiple votes.

The soundtrack for this poll is LLORANDO by Rebekah del Rio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIpkMg9sh6Q

THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND GONE BABY GONE ARE THE WINNERS

My poll 78 ended with four votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:

I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
+GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)

Each of them got 3 votes, or 75 %.


3.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
+THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
+CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
+LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
+MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
+PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
+PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
+LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)

Each of them got 2 votes, or 50 %.


11.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
+THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
+THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
+THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
+ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
+SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
+WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)

Each of them got 1 vote, or 25 %.


18.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)
+BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
+THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)

Each of them got 0 vote.

You can read Tasanatas's review on BANG RAJAN 2 in Bioscope Magazine, Issue 102, May 2010.

POLL 78: DILEMMAS

POLL 78: DILEMMAS

My Poll 78 is inspired by BANG RAJAN 2, in which the main characters face a dilemma or a difficult choice. These characters are Thai villagers during a war. Food is very difficult to find at that time. And there are many other Thai people who try to flee from the war and want to go to live in this village. The villagers must decide whether they will accept these newcomers or not. If the villagers accept these newcomers, the food might not be enough and they will starve. If the villagers drive away these newcomers, these newcomers might die. I think this is a very difficult choice. I'm just glad I don't have to make a decision like the characters in BANG RAJAN 2. If I were in their situation, I'm not sure what my decision will be.

The dilemma in BANG RAJAN 2 reminds me of the fact that there are many occasions in our lives in which we have to make a very difficult decision, especially the decision between two evil choices. I wish my life is full of "difficult decisions" like—Should I choose Maurice Ronet or Jean Sorel as my boyfriend? Or should I choose Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Yûzô Kayama, Tatsuya Nakadai, or Ryo Ikebe as my husband? But in my life this kind of difficult choices never come by. The difficult choices that often occur in my life is the kind that some eastern European people faced in World War II—Should we choose to support Hitler or Stalin? This dilemma is found in the film ENIGMA (2001, Michael Apted).

I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?

1.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
If you were the hero, would you deny your heart to be with your family or would you follow your heart?

2.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)

3.BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
If you were the protagonist, what would you choose to do at the end of the film?

4.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
If you were the hero, would you kill a guy to save the lives of your family members?

5.THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
Would you push the button when you are not sure if your actions would cause the deaths of other people or not?

6.THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to abandon your family to be with your lover?

7.CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to be gratitude to the man who saved your life by participating in the rape and murder of an innocent girl to satisfy him or would you choose to be ingratitude to that man by exposing his horrendous crime?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MMYPZEMEL._SS500_.jpg

8.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
If you were the protagonist, would you do your job as a lawyer by helping evil clients or decline to do your job?

9.THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
If you were Bertolt Brecht's wife, would you choose to betray your friends to save your family from Eastern Germany police?

10.GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)
If you were the protagonist, would you expose one crime of a man who has done many good things in the past? If a man has done many good things in the past, does it mean he can be allowed to commit a crime?

11.THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)
If you were the mother, would you choose to save your good nephew or your evil son?

12.LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
If you were the heroine, would you help the one you love even though he is evil?

13.MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to help your evil father or to
expose his crimes?

14.PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
What would you do at the end of the film? Does standing up against tyranny justify killing innocent people?

15.PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to denounce your friend to save yourself or to possibly ruin your life by standing up for the right thing?

16.LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)
If you were the protagonist, would you help your evil father or help the victim of your father?

17.THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
If you were the protagonist, would you help overthrowing the tyrannical government if it involves killing innocent children?

18.ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
If you were in Rocco's family, would you help covering the crime of your family member or expose it?

19.SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
If you were Sophie, who would you choose to save, your son or your daughter?

20.WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)
Would you choose to do like Rorschach or Night Owl II at the end of the film? Would you choose to expose the truth or think the truth is not important? Do you think that peace which is based on lies can last long?

You can cast multiple votes.