Change Your Image
jeasto1966
Reviews
Ye ban ge sheng (1935)
Worth the Effort
The most immediate drawback to this film is the dialogue. At times it's extremely stiff and stilted, or at least the translation is. But it's still a rather remarkable film for for it's time. Try to get past the whole "Phantom of the Opera in Chinese" thing. If you can get beyond that, and watch the film for what it is in its own right, I think it's far more enjoyable. The interplay between light and shadow in the setting is really interesting, and probably more interesting than the plot itself. It's also amazing how Westernized this is for a Chinese film, from the music in the score to the wardrobe, and really to the action scenes at the end of the movie.
Skyfall (2012)
The Changing Face of Bond
One of the most noticeable changes of the newest installment of the Bond franchise is a lot less sex. James has only a couple passing romantic flings in Skyfall, and neither occupies too much of the plot. Obviously this goes along with the new direction of the franchise for a more gritty, less plastic Bond. The fact that there are less gadgets feeds into this as well. While the fan of the traditional Bond may see this as a failing, the truth is that the Bond-girls aren't less sexy...it's just that James has a job to do.
Everyone in this film were superb in their roles, including Albert Finney who is perfect for the part of games keeper of the Vond family estate. (The fact that we have now given Bond a family backstory is one of the few flaws in the film, as I see it. Part of Bond's appeal was his anonymity.) Javier Bardem apparently has a knack for villains....first No Country for Old Men, and now Skyfall. The villains in the last two films I felt we're rather weak, but Bardem resuscitates a long tradition of great bad guys.
All in all a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.