Miscellaneous Movie Musings

Alex · 12-06-2008, 08:52 AM

Lust, Caution - Ang Lee's story of espionage in Japan-occupied China during World War II, mostly famous for its acrobatic sex scenes. First, I was very much intrigued by the overall story. We don't get to see many portrayals of the portions of WWII that played out away from Western eyes as the Japanese invasion and occupation of mainland Asia mostly did, and when we do it is through the filter of the rare western observer (such as Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun or John Wayne's mercenary fighter pilot in Flying Tigers).

Unfortunately, while the surroundings are attractive (visually and intellectually) the central story of the connection between resistance spy Wong Chia Chi and traitor/collaborator Mr. Yee just doesn't make sense to me. Well, it makes sense if Wong Chia Chi is simply a sexual masochist and submissive, but that is also boring. Ultimately I felt like Ang Lee was using the cheat so common in movies of using sex (quite explicitly presented in this case) as an easy stand-in for emotion and it results in me just not believing her final action. Or I missed something, which is certainly possible.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke commit a crime of desparation and it all goes wrong. First, if Sidney Lumet is making movies like this in his 80s, I can't wait to see what he's doing in 20 years (is there another director who has made quality films 50 years apart?). Also, Marisa Tomei is looking pretty hot at 44 (not a surprise except by Hollywood standards) and puts it on display repeatedly.

The one thing I loved about the movie at first blush is that it deceived me without cheating.

Spoiler:

So I was completely thrown off from teh real ending of the movie and it was successfully experienced in the moment rather than being approached with foreknowledge.

12-06-2008, 08:52 AM	#11
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Lust, Caution - Ang Lee's story of espionage in Japan-occupied China during World War II, mostly famous for its acrobatic sex scenes. First, I was very much intrigued by the overall story. We don't get to see many portrayals of the portions of WWII that played out away from Western eyes as the Japanese invasion and occupation of mainland Asia mostly did, and when we do it is through the filter of the rare western observer (such as Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun or John Wayne's mercenary fighter pilot in Flying Tigers). Unfortunately, while the surroundings are attractive (visually and intellectually) the central story of the connection between resistance spy Wong Chia Chi and traitor/collaborator Mr. Yee just doesn't make sense to me. Well, it makes sense if Wong Chia Chi is simply a sexual masochist and submissive, but that is also boring. Ultimately I felt like Ang Lee was using the cheat so common in movies of using sex (quite explicitly presented in this case) as an easy stand-in for emotion and it results in me just not believing her final action. Or I missed something, which is certainly possible. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke commit a crime of desparation and it all goes wrong. First, if Sidney Lumet is making movies like this in his 80s, I can't wait to see what he's doing in 20 years (is there another director who has made quality films 50 years apart?). Also, Marisa Tomei is looking pretty hot at 44 (not a surprise except by Hollywood standards) and puts it on display repeatedly. The one thing I loved about the movie at first blush is that it deceived me without cheating. Spoiler: The first scene (I assume this was intentional but maybe it is just me) mocks the overused trick of showing the end first and then explaining how everybody got there. But it didn't lie to me, the first scene is really the first scene, I just jumped to a conclusion because of the way it went to the second scene. So I was completely thrown off from teh real ending of the movie and it was successfully experienced in the moment rather than being approached with foreknowledge.
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