Movie Reviews, Wong Kar-Wai

Closer

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Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, and Jude Law in Closer
Watching the movie Closer tonight seemed to tie together a lot of thoughts I’ve been having about various things lately. Allow me to elaborate (in a bit).

First, I’ll say that I loved the movie. I wasn’t sure whether I would, given that the movie had some non-hype hype… that is, although I guess it wasn’t a huge mainstream success, it seemed to do pretty well in the theatres (i.e. it wasn’t a total indie art film). Though, after seeing that this is the director that did Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (which, yes, I really love), now I understand why the movie was so good.

As for the acting, after seeing Revenge of the Sith the other day, it was nice to be reminded that Natalie Portman (Alice) can act (which, I know, is probably the #1 cliché written by critics reviewing both Closer and Garden State, but whatever) and I forgot how much I love Julia Roberts’ (Anna) voice. Oh, and I loved Natalie Portman’s hair and how it changed so often.

I can’t/won’t say much about Clive Owen (Larry) and Jude Law (Dan). I guess their performances were okay (though Clive Owen was nominated for his role, so others must have been impressed). I didn’t like their characters at all, and I thought it was bizarre that both of the male characters were British, but oh well.

In regard to the two themes that this movie touched on that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately:

Love as a Coincidence/Temporal Anomaly

I think 2046 really got me started on this whole thought process, but Closer really reassured me that maybe all love is is timing. All of the times that the four characters meet one-on-one are all a matter of chance — Dan seeing Alice get hit by a car, Dan meeting Anna at a photo shoot, Dan tricking Larry into meeting Anna, and Larry finding Alice at a strip club. Nobody had a lot in common with each other. Love was just something that happened to them.

When Dan in Closer and Chow in 2046 try to “outsmart” love, or don’t really accept the reality of it, they end up getting burned. Dan is a hypocrite in Closer for cheating on Alice with Anna and then getting angry at Anna for sleeping with Larry again. Then after ruining his relationship with Alice only to ruin the subsequence relationship with Anna, he assumes that Alice will always love him and that he can return to her. In the end, however, he’s left alone and rather pathetic. I wouldn’t say that Chow is necessarily pathetic, but the fact he never gets over Su Lizhen from In the Mood for Love and doesn’t realize the temporality of the relationship leaves him, in the end, alone.

Jude Law as Dan and Natalie Portman as Alice

Wanting All the Details After Being Cheated On

When I re-watched Short Cuts the other week, the scene in which Julianne Moore’s character’s (Marian) husband Ralph questions her about a time years ago when she got with some artist named Mitchell Andrews reminded me of something that has bothered me about men for a long time: whenever they are cheated on, they want all the details, as explicitly as possible along with a comparison of “was he better than me?”

After seeing Short Cuts, I actually started a post and saved it in draft so I could work on a larger post about this idea, but Closer totally broke it into the open.

When Anna first cheats on Larry, he wants all the details (“Did he make you cum?”, “How many times?”, “Was he better than me?”, etc.) when she decides to tell him that her and Dan had been seeing each other for a year. Likewise, when, at the end, Alice tells Dan that she slept with Larry, Dan demands details about their encounter.

In both movies, the men seem to want to know everything. Also, in both movies, the women don’t want to reveal what happened. They believe that either the details don’t matter or don’t want the men they are with to know in the first place. But, as seen in Closer via the actions of Larry and Dan, when they don’t know the details it drives them nuts, and then when they do get the details, it drives them more nuts.

I know there are tons more movies where this happens (sorta in Lost Highway when Peter demands that Alice tells him about how she met Mr. Eddy), and I am also sure there are cases where the women want to know everything from their men. If anyone has more examples, that would be awesome.

From a critical theory standpoint, I would situate this phenomenon into my one of my favorite topics: the presence of an absence. The absence, in this case, is the knowledge about the hookup. The men know that it exists, but they don’t know anything about it. Instead of being filled with concrete details, the absence remains an empty shell into which they can project whatever they want. And the fact that it remains in such a state, means that they can project the most extraordinary and bizarre details into the situation. I’m sure that the men, castrated by the presence of the unknown, imagine the sex to be mind-blowingly good. Even when they women assure them that they regret the hookup or that it was only sex, the men are not satisfied. They hope that, somehow, by gaining knowledge, they will be able to face the unknown and turn the absence into something they can understand and reject and be angry about.

From a non-critical common-sense standpoint, I would situate this phenomenon into one of my least-favorite topics: competition/jealousy. I’m sure this is a more easily understandable concept, so if my presence of an absence description is whack, just realize it’s a fancy way of saying jealousy.

Overall, Closer was a great movie. I’m not sure about all these reviews commenting on it’s explicit and “brutally honest” portrayal of sex (compared to other films I’ve watched, it was tame), but whatever. The acting was great, the directing (I imagine) was also superb, and the writing was “write”-on. I would love to see the stage version of Closer if ever given the chance. I also love that the film helped me go deeper into some things I’ve been thinking a lot about lately — it got me closer to coming up with some more solid conclusions and more thought-out studies.

Food, Star Wars

The Dark Side (of chocolate)

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M&M guy
What is the deal with these supposed dark chocolate M&M candies that were supposed to come out to coincide with the release of Revenge of the Sith?? I can find the stupid Flash-heavy promotional site (click on “Choose the Dark Side” on the left for more information), but I can’t find the chocolates anywhere in the stores!

I love dark chocolate and M&Ms (for a while I was “addicted” — or really really loved) those crispy ones (in the blue bag) and the almond ones (in the beige bag) have always really good, too.

But please, where are the dark ones! I’ve looked at QFC, Bartell, and various vending machines. Maybe target? I just don’t know.

On the site, there is a Shop M&Ms section where you can special order M&Ms in various colors (I like “Hoth Snow” and “Death Star Silver” and “Emperor Red”) and even add little messages, but, alas, there is a note: “Sorry, custom M&Ms are not available in dark chocolate.” What is the point!

Point of the story: If anyone can let me know where they have seen or purchased dark chocolate M&Ms, I will be very happy.

Star Wars

Revenge of the Sith

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Okay, I won’t do a full-fledged review since it’s almost 3 a.m., but let it be said that: yes, I saw Revenge of the Sith at midnight; and no, I didn’t love it.

In fact, I was rather surprised that the initial reviews were so good. There was some dialoge that was just too cheesy for words, and the Emperor/Darth Sidius acted just plain silly quite a few times.

I was also disappointed that there weren’t any major revelations. Some of the reviews I read said that we were going to learn a few really surprising things that would make us want to re-watch the original trilogy again. I’m not quite sure what those big things are… maybe I just read too many spoilers? I dunno.

All that said, however, I’m still glad I saw it. I may do a more in-depth review sometime soon. I do intend on seeing it again next week.

Playlists

Troy March 2005 / Songs

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(this is a mix CD that I made for my friend Troy a couple of months ago)

Because this mix CD needs a Philosophical Introduction

  1. “Come Into My World” (Fischerspooner remix) by Kylie Minogue from Fever

    This song serves two purposes: 1. the phrase “come into my world” can represent the fact that by listening to these songs you are entering my world; 2. I love Kylie Minogue and I love Fischerspooner and this remix is totally awesome.

Emotional (i.e. sad) Songs

  1. “All we Have is Now” by the Flaming Lips from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
    I think that this song is the pinnacle of my recently-created “Songs about Time Travel” play list. I love the idea of a person coming from the future to tell you that a relationship (or something) won’t work out, but to cherish the experience anyway — even if, in the end, it isn’t meant to be. It sorts connects to existential philosophy in that way— it is the journey, not the destination, that matters.
  2. “Avalyn I” by Slowdive from the Slowdive EP
    Even though this song has no lyrics, you can just tell from the way it sounds that it was written to convey sadness and beauty. I first heard this song in the opening of he movie Nowhere, which seems to be inspired by Bret Easton Ellis’ Less Than Zero.
  3. “Wild Horses” by the Sundays from Blind
    When this song plays during the prom episode of Buffy, I cannot help but cry. The Rolling Stones did the original version.
  4. “Sexy Boy” by Air from Moon Safari
    The video for this song inspired my buddy icon. Sexy Boy is a gorilla who travels to the moon.
  5. Bachelorette by Bjork from Homogenic
    I’m not sure why, but this song just seems really bitter yet loving and it has amazingly surreal lyrics (“I’m a tree that grows hearts / one for each that you take”). It’s probably one of my all-time top 10 songs. And the video, directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine and Human Behavior) is out of this world.

The Song You Need to Hear by the “Best Band Ever”

  1. “Nothing Better” by the Postal Service from Give Up
    The Postal Service is basically considered to be one of the best bands around today. They are even played on the O.C. One of the members is from Bellingham (and also a member of the band Death Cab for Cutie), so people in Washington especially love them.

The Song from Lost in Translation

  1. “Fuck the Pain Away” by the Peaches from The Teaches of Peaches
    It’s a fun song. If you ever feel sad just listen to this or fuck the pain away yourself.

The song that started the Club/Dance music scene (in Manchester, England, at least)

  1. “Hallelujah” by the Happy Mondays from Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches
    According to the movie 24 Hour Party People this song started the whole dance music movement which apparently originated in Manchester, England. While this claim may be slightly dubious, it’s a fun song anyway and I like to pretend it started techno music.

Because You Are Gay

  1. “4 My People” by Missy Elliott from …So Addictive
    Someday I might write a paper/essay about how Missy’s album …So Addictive is her gay album. Every gay boy I know who likes Missy loves this album. This is less hip-hop and more electronic/dance, so it makes sense. The album itself follows themes of ecstasy and dancing and clubs and sex — pretty gay, yah?
  2. “You Spin me Round (Like A Record)” by Dead or Alive from Nukleopatra
    Apparently if you have this mp3 shared on your computer the Recording Industry Association of American might come and sue you — this is one of the most frequently shared songs so they figure if you are sharing it you have tons of mp3s and deserve to get sued.
  3. “Break 4 Love” by Peter Rauhofer + The Pet Shop Boys = Collaboration from the Break 4 Love single
    Okay, so Peter Rauhofer is a really well-known DJ among gays. Okay, so the Pet Shop Boys are a really well-known group among gays. Okay, so The Collaboration between the two is like the gayest thing over. But it’s a good song. And I heard it on Queer as Folk.
  4. “Save A Prayer” by 56k from the Save A Prayer single
    Originally this song was done by the group Duran Duran, but I think this dancey version is awesome. I used the lyric “But fear is in your soul… / Some people call it a one night stand / But we can call it paradise / Don’t say a prayer for me now, save it the morning after” at the top of my paper about AIDS, abjection, and gay bodies.
  5. “Raspberry swirl” by Tori Amos from From the Choirgirl Hotel
    Although a “raspberry swirl” may refer to a lesbian sex-act, it’s still a groovy song and what gay boy doesn’t love Tori Amos? (I’ve seen her twice in concert).

Because I Also Want to Expand Your Horizons

  1. “Debaser” by the Pixies from Doolittle
    The Pixies are the true alternative rock group. They inspired Nirvana. They are also my all-time favorite band. This song is about the movie Un Chien Andalou (trans. The Andalusian Dog) by Salvador Bali and Luis Bunnel.
  2. “Some Velvet Morning” by Primal Scream from Evil Heat
    The original version was sung by Nancy Sinatra. This version is sung by Kate Moss. Can you get any better than that?
  3. “Hurdy Gurdy Man” by Donovan
    It’s an old song from the 1960s that I love. It’s also used in the movie (and the trailer— where it is even more amazing) L.I.E.
  4. “U Don’t Know” by Jay-Z from The Blueprint
    This is my favorite Jay-Z song. And it’s a good introduction to hip-hop music, I guess. That sample of “You don’t know what you’re doing” is actually from an old R&B song and sung by a guy. The producer, Kanye West, is known for taking old samples and speeding them up to give them a higher, more female-like sound. Also, the album The Blueprint is Jay-Z’s best album.
Pervert in the Pulpit

The Po-Mo Puritan

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Lynch follows themes found throughout American fiction, especially that with a Puritanical background:

He follows an intrinsically American moralistic obsession with the ideas of innate depravity (13).

Lynch’s villains… are drawn from the same archetypes that populate American fiction (13).

… effigies of anomie, incubi of chaos, are particularly American demons (14).

American national identity: that of the individual battling not only the wilderness — nature itself — but the sundry demonic and heathen creatures as well (14).

Two American dream myths:

  1. Old Testament: paradise lost
  2. New Testament: new American paradise

In other words, American writers and critics seem inherently preoccupied with guilt, sin, and redemption (15).

Is it Americans or Western (i.e. Christian) writers/critics?

… All of these themes place Lynch into the American Gothic lineage of artists. Johnson notes that John Alexander, in The Films of David Lynch, makes the same conclusion.

Regarding the ideas of cynicism and irony in Lynch’s films:

nostalgia is never ironic for Lynch (15).

The trouble is, Lynch believes in the cliché. His irony, in practice, seems more like self-defense (17).

Puritanism:

equated the growth of the nation with the realization of a virtuous national character (16).

a view to improving the moral character of the individual, and to reflecting thereby a virtuous nation protected, if not by God, then by sound moral reasoning and self-righteousness (16).

establishing a normative value against which a convenient “other” could be constructed (17).

identifying “good” as “not that” (17).

On religion and the good/evil split:

evil was not a feature of reality, but a lack of goodness. The more good a thing has, the more real it is. God being all good, was most real (18).

John Calvin, whose concept of Christianity relied on the inherent depravity of man (18).

Calvin also taught that worldly success was a sign of God’s approval, poverty a sign of God’s disfavor (18).

On the American Romantics (aka American Gothics)

embrace a darker vision of man’s relationship with himself and the world (18).

[The authors are] men seeking truth in the dark crevices between the material world and the imagination (19).

In Lynch’s movies:

[Lynch’s characters] are forced to rely on their intuition more than their reason, frequently surrendering themselves to inexplicable forces beyond their conscious control (19).

guilt results from their imagination acting to remove them from the immediacy of perception (20).

Lynch deliberately blurs the binary distinction between dreams and reality, hesitating to separate too distinctly the conscious and unconscious minds (21).

He subverts expectations, allowing dream logic to leak seamlessly into the surface story. Narrative information — the string of events and images that shape the storyline — often ends up performing the theme instead of representing it. His films, in this sense, do not stand for another meaning but become the meaning: the narrative sequence does not transcend itself (21).

Movies

Building an Empire

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Harry Dean Stanton, Jeremy Irons, Laura Dern, Justin Theroux
After seeing Mulholland Drive, I honestly figured that it would be David Lynch’s final film. It basically synthesized aspects of all of his previous movies into one very bizzare film. I assumed that with the completion of that film, Lynch would spend most of his time and energy on his davidlynch.com website.

Well, I was wrong.

As reported today on Dugpa.com, Lynch has begun work on a new film called Inland Empire. Variety has more information in Lynch invades an ‘Empire’: Digital pic details a mystery, including cast information (mostly previous Lynch collaborators) and technical details (the film will be shot on digital).

The cast includes Harry Dean Stanton (from Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and The Straight Story), Jeremy Irons (a first-time Lynch actor), Laura Dern (from Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart), and Justin Theroux (from Mulholland Drive).

It’ll be interesting to see how this film pans out. Apparently Lynch’s studio wants the film ready for Cannes next year.

To be honest, I’m skeptical that this film will be as good as his other’s. Like I said, I really think that for Mulholland Drive Lynch basically exhausted his creativity, but I could be wrong. We’ll see. I’m excited either way.

Books

Pervert in the Coffin

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FYI — I finished reading Perfevert in the Pulpit. I’ve concluded that I’m horribly lazy when it comes to this idea of “blogging the book,” as I’ve only managed to do notes on the first chapter of the book. Oh well. I do intend to get notes about the rest, it just may take a while.

Now that I’m done with that book, and since the last few books I’ve read (two volumes of the History of Sexuality) were theory/philosophy-based, and since my friend Brook read The Handmaid’s Tale based on my recommendation and now I owe reading a book she recommends, I’m going to be starting an infinite journey reading Infinite Jest: A Novel. This book is a massive 1088 pages and, I’m guessing, will take me a few months to read if I maintain my normal reading schedule.

That said, I will not be “blogging” this book. Wish me luck.

Gayness, Politics

Bad for the Gays?

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What bothers me and worries me most (well, beside the obvious ethical implications) about this Jim West (mayor of Spokane, Washington; made some homophobic remarks; was caught in a pretty intense gay sex scandal [offering jobs to gay men via online chat, hounding those men for dates, etc.]) is that I’m guessing after this all blows over, it will ultimately look worse for gays than for the hypocritcal republicans who pretend to be straight and then do really sketchy sexual things on the side. It’s like the priest thing — while the Catholic church has suffered some loss of face for letting the sexual abuse occur, I think in the end these types of things reinforce the idea that gay men are pedophiles and sexual predators who cannot be trusted. It seems that whenever there is a gay man in a postion of power (priest, politics, etc.), all we hear about is when he comes out of the closet after doing something really bad. The “openly gay” politicians are pretty benign so we don’t hear much about them doing good things.

I wish I knew what the solution would be. I don’t think, this time, that the problem necessarily rests on the media. I think it has more to do with oppressive organizations (e.g. Catholic church, republican party) forcing their members to adopt a lifestyle (i.e. straight) that isn’t them. The psyhcic torture of pretending to be someone else (Jim West: living “this double life has been hell”) causes these men to do really bad and inappropriate things.

The internalized homophobia and self-hate casues destructive behavior that causes these closeted gay men to make bad decisions. It isn’t a problem with being gay, per say, but homophobia.

Politics

Post(it) Notes

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Arianna Huffington
I want to be the 1,000th blogger to direct everyone to The Huffington Post, the new web site/blog/news site created by Arianna Huffington. She’s totally great. She used to be really conservative and right-wing, then her rich husband came out of the closet and she got tons of money… then she became a super progressive. She also writes columns for Salon.com and ran for the governor of California in the recall race (until she dropped out and endorsed Gray Davis). She rocks!!

Seattle, Wong Kar-Wai

1224-1225

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2046 movie poster
SIFF has this year’s schedule up, so everyone in Seattle should go see Wong Kar-Wai‘s 2046.

I’m not sure which version this will be. The one that played at Cannes last year has apparently been edited a bit to make it make more sense. The version I got from Netflix lists the running time at 129 min, which is the same running time posted on the SIFF web site. So maybe it’s the version I’ve seen before, maybe not?

One thing I will say is that before seeing it again, I am going to re-watch In the Mood For Love. Not that it is a prerequisite, but I think it would be awesome seeing them back-to-back. (Hey, some people do it with Lord of the Rings, others with Star Wars… I do it with… well, both of those, plus these WKW ones.)

You might always want to checkout my first review of 2046 for my overall (spoiler-free) impressions and then if you are ambitious, check the follow-up review of 2046 for more thematic types of thoughts.