“When you’re gone, all that is left behind are the memories you created in other people’s lives or just a couple of items on a bill.”
Director Wong Kar-Wai’s MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS (2007) screens Thursday May 11th at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:30pm.
Elizabeth (Norah Jones) sets out on a journey across America, leaving behind a life of memories, a dream and a soulful new friend; a cafe owner–all while in search of something to mend her broken heart. Waitressing her way through the country, Elizabeth befriends others whose yearnings are greater than hers, including a troubled cop and his estranged wife and a down-on-her luck gambler with a score to settle. Through these individuals, Elizabeth witnesses the true depths of loneliness and emptiness, and begins to understand that her own journey is part of a greater exploration within herself. The film co-stars Jude Law (as Jeremy) and Natalie Portman (as Leslie).
The critics in 2007 sure were impressed with MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS:
Paul Byrnes of The Sydney Morning Herald said:
“That’s another thing about Wong: even when you’re not quite sure what he’s trying to say, or if he actually has anything to say, you get your money back in the beauty with which he says it.”
Sean Axmaker at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer claimed:
” MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS captures the overwhelming and uncontrollable emotional assault of loving and living through captured moments and sensuous images.”
and Jeffrey M. Anderson at Combustible Celluloid declared:
“Wong’s beautiful frames, filled with windows, lights and colors and a dazzling array of sounds (from distant thunder to tinkling bracelets) establish his all-important mood”
Admission is:
$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 for Webster University staff and faculty
Free for Webster students with proper I.D.
Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.
The Webster University Film Series site can be found HERE
“Whenever someone asked why I left 2046, I always gave them some vague answer. It was easier.”
A 35mm print of director Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 (2004) screens Thursday May 4th at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:00pm.
Picking up where after In the Mood for Love left off, 2046 follows Chow Mo Wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), a serial womanizer. Wan moves from being a gambler to a pulp fiction writer experiencing liaisons with several beautiful women. 2046 is a visually stunning journey through memory and regret. In Cantonese, Japanese, and Mandarin with English subtitles.
The critics in 2004 loved 2046:
Andrew Sarris at The New York Observer said:
“…Quite simply an incomparably sublime work of art, a triumph of lyricism over narrative in the cinema, and the most exquisite homage to the beauty of women it has ever been my privilege to witness on the screen.”
Dan Jardine at Apollo Guide gushed:
“….Seductive and luscious, a cinematic smorgasbord of sensuous delight.”
Bill Muller at The Arizona Republic observed:
“….Wong offers an artful meditation on the nature of love, making effective use of color schemes (yellows, greens and reds), placid shotmaking and diverse music to deliver a sultry portrait of postwar Hong Kong.”
Admission is:
$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 for Webster University staff and faculty
Free for Webster students with proper I.D.
Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.
The Webster University Film Series site can be found HERE
Is fashion art? That question is raised in the documentary THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY. Actually, director Andrew Rossi’s documentary focuses less on that philosophical debate that on the preparations for Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2015 art exhibition “China: Through the Looking Glass” and the gala party that opened would mark its debut. The exhibit, curated by Andrew Bolton, represented a first-time collaboration between the New York museum’s Chinese art collection and gallery, in the museum’s main upper level and part of its mainstream fine art holdings, and the museum’s Costume Institute, considered by traditionalists as decorative arts rather than fine art, and housed in the museum’s lower level. The exhibit was the Costume Institute’s annual event, but the first time it had teamed with any fine art section and moved into the main level. It will also be the Costume Institute’s largest ever exhibit, three times larger than previously, honoring the influence of Chinese art on Western fashions.
“China: Through the Looking Glass” was the Costume Institute’s best-attended exhibits, featuring the work of both iconic Western and contemporary Chinese designers, all Chinese-inspired designs.
Rossi also directed PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, and has a nice touch for this kind of behind the scenes documentary, giving the viewer a feeling of being part of the process. The documentary’s title refers to the date of the gala party that debuts the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit, a major fund-raising event that takes place on the first Monday in May. The star-studded event, filled with celebrities from film, music as well as fashion, is a fashion extravaganza organized by Anna Wintour, the iconic editor-in-chief of Vogue and long-time chair of the gala. The beautiful and famous invited include George Clooney, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lawrence, Gong Li, Lady Gaga, and Michael Bloomberg, as well as fashion’s biggest names. Since the event is about fashion, the celebrities attend in lavish attire inspired by the exhibit’s theme – giving a red carpet experience to top the Oscars. The annual gala is a sought-after ticket for a night of dining, art and entertainment, which raises large sums to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The film follows both Wintour and Bolton over eight months as they prepare their portions of the exhibit’s opening – the party and the exhibit. Both are fascinating processes, moving independently towards the same opening date in May.
The film opens with the discussion of whether fashion can be considered art. Certainly costume design is part of the art of theater and film – costumes are part of the “art direction” of a film – and the beauty of such works can be undeniable. But the film focuses primarily on the world of hate couture, fashions to be worn, on the runway if not always on the street. It is a different kind of theater but is it fine art? The film explores the definition of “art,” from the 19th century, or traditional, definition of fine art as painting, drawing and sculpture, while forms like furniture and fashion are considered decorative or practical arts. That definition began to shift in the 20th century but as the film makes clear even some of the biggest names of fashion still do not consider their work fine art. Curator Bolton sees it differently and worked hard for the collaboration with the Chinese art exhibit.
As the time of the exhibit grows close, the documentary shifts from the philosophical discussion to focus on more practical matters, although cultural clashes still loom. One challenge of the exhibit is finding balance between the Chinese art already in the gallery, and Chinese-inspired fashions to be displayed. The organizers must find a pathway to showing off the clothes without reducing the Chinese art to “wallpaper” backdrop. Another challenge is cultural sensitivity, as many of the Western designs were influenced by Hollywood’s depiction of China and its culture rather than directly by Chinese art and culture itself, a lens that can raise questions of racism or colonialism. Bolton wisely brought in Chinese director Wong Kar-wai as a consultant and participant. The director’s films. like “In The Mood For Love.” exhibit a strong visual style and use of costumes that have directly inspired some designers/ A visit to China is included in Bolton’s research but Wong’s Chinese perspective and cultural insights surely helped more.
The documentary follows all these strong personalities and all the moving parts on the two tracks of preparing for the party and for the installation itself. There is a ticking-clock urgency and it builds to a crescendo as time runs short, with lighting technicians and builders hurrying to finish hours before the opening and party. Along the way, we get behind-the-scenes views of the brilliant, colorful, fantastical fashions, the art works, and the details of how it all comes together.
THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY is an intriguing, entertaining documentary about how this big event came together, whether one is interested in art, Chinese culture, fashion or celebrities.
THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY OPENS FRIDAY, APRIL 22nd AT LANDMARK’S PLAZA FRONTENAC CINEMA
The Chinese action epic THE GRANDMASTER was nominated this year for two Academy Awards – Best Costume and Best Cinematography. It didn’t win either but now you can own the DVD of THE GRANDMASTER and see what all the fuss is about. THE GRANDMASTER is the story of Ip Man, the Wing Chun martial-arts legend who trained Bruce Lee, and it was directed by the acclaimed Wong Kar-wai. Read Jim Batt’s review of the film HERE and my review of the Blu-ray HERE.
We Are Movie Geeks has, courtesy of Anchor Bay, three copies of the DVD to give away to lucky readers. All you have to do is leave a comment here and tell me your favorite movie with the either the word ‘grand’ or the word ‘master’ in the title (mine would be MASTER OF THE WORLD because it stars Vincent Price and Charles Bronson).
If you watched the Oscars Sunday night, you may have wondered what that movie was, nominated in two categories – Best Costume, and Best Cinematography – that you hadn’t heard of..…THE GRANDMASTER. It won neither award but you’ll have the chance to catch up with this Chinese martial arts epic when it gets a Blu-ray release March 4th.
THE GRANDMASTER is the story of Ip Man, the Wing Chun martial-arts legend who trained Bruce Lee, and it was directed by the acclaimed Wong Kar-wai. There has never been a more visually stunning kung fu movie than THE GRANDMASTER. It’s a true feast for the eyes with its rigorously choreographed fight scenes captured in slow motion and bathed in golden light, in silvery curtains of rain, and snow-swept landscapes. The porcelain-like faces of the women, palatial brothels, bustling saloons, forests and shoreline are rendered like paintings. Then there are the martial arts. The fight scenes — choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping — have two speeds: slow-motion or quicksilver blur, but both are equally athletic and balletic.
Now THE GRANDMASTER has been released on Blu-ray and the MPEG-4 AVC 1080p transfer in its 2.35:1 aspect ratio boasts bold colors, razor sharp details, and a healthy sheen of grain across the image that gives it the kind of filmic look that can only be found in quality Blu-ray discs. The audio is just as good, razor sharp with crisp dialogue and potent background and effects sound. The THE GRANDMASTER score also sounds beautiful from the first frames of the opening credits. Anchor Bay offers the original Cantonese in a DTS-HD 5.1 track, as well as Mandarin DTS-HD and English DTS-HD tracks. I only sampled the Cantonese track, but it sounded awesome.
Completists may be disappointed that this is not the original 130 Chinese cut of THE GRANDMASTER but the version released by The Weinstein Company that runs at 108 minutes. But Anchor bay has made up for it with a healthy batch of extras:
A Conversation with Shannon Lee, Daughter of Bruce Lee runs 7 minutes
The Grandmaster According to RZA runs 6 minutes. RZA is apparently a rapper with a band called Wu-Tang Clan who likes martial arts films. I think I heard him do a commentary on another Kung Fu movie once and wasn’t impressed then either.
The Grandmaster: From Ip Man to Bruce Lee runs 23 minutes. The cast, the crew, martial artists, actors, and critics all offer their insight into the film and discuss the fight choreography and filmmaking techniques.
The Grandmaster Behind the Scenes runs 50 minutes and is Chinese with English subtitles. It goes into detail about Wong Kar-wai’s decade-long adventure bringing this story to the big screen and there are interviews with stars Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi who discuss their characters and their martial arts training.
THE GRANDMASTER Blu-ray kicks into retail March 4th and has a suggested retail price of $29.99 (it’s well worth it but I’ll bet you can find it cheaper) – Stay tuned here at We Are Movie Geeks for a GRANDMASTER DVD giveaway later this week.
Above is the cover for for two big new “modern” masterpieces being given the fabulous Criterion Collection treatment. ‘Chungking Express’ is a mesmerizing and beautiful film by Wong Kar–Wai and ‘Bottle Rockets’ is the smart, subtly humorous feature film debut from filmmaker Wes Anderson.
Singer Norah Jones makes a marvelous transition from the sultry vocalist with the smoky, sexy voice to an admirably understated but stellar debut acting performance as Elizabeth in Wong Kar-wai’s new film My Blueberry Nights. I can honestly say that Norah Jones is the heart and soul of this film, overshadowing Natalie Portman. [Sorry, Scott…]
In My Blueberry Nights, Kar-wai’s first English-language film, Elizabeth is a heart-broken young woman in New York City who finds solace and friendship in a small cafe run by Jeremy (Jude Law) after discovering her boyfriend has left her for another woman. Through her many late nights with Jeremy, she finds her peace and sets out on a journey cross-country to begin anew. Along the way, Elizabeth encounters some kindred spirits in unlikely places.
She spends time in Memphis and meets Arnie (David Strathairn), an alcoholic cop who can’t get over the wife who’s left him. Rachel Weisz offers an intense performance, despite the short screen time, as Arnie’s wife Sue Lynne. Elizabeth later spends time in Nevada where she encounters Leslie (Natalie Portman), a card player who’s having a rough night of gambling. Elizabeth is a waitress where Leslie is playing and ends up making a deal with Leslie, so she can re-enter the poker game. The two set out on a trip back to Las Vegas. In the end, the story comes full circle in a very satisfying way without feeling like some mushy, formulaic Hollywood happy ending.
As for the film itself, My Blueberry Nights is like a visual jazz explosion, laden with the rich color palette and grainy cinema-verite’ photography that is trademark for Wong Kar-wai’s films. Norah Jones lends her voice to the film’s soundtrack which is also scored by the legendary Ry Cooder. Beginning to end, this film is a poetic treat for those willing to step out of their mainstream habits and get a little adventurous.
(5 out of 5)
Zac:
Wong Kar Wai makes his American debut with this sweet and very good little picture about love, finding it, losing it, and fighting it.
Elizabeth (Norah Jones) is down on her luck, her lover is with someone else, and worse she finds this out third party from a diner owner, Jeremy (Jude Law), that over saw them at his restaurant. Elizabeth informs her lover that her keys to his place are at Jeremy’s diner and that he can pick them up whenever he wishes. Jeremy adds them to a jar of other unclaimed keys and when Elizabeth comes back to see if the keys have been picked up or not yet, the two begin to bond over the stories of the keys and unwanted blueberry pie. The two form a sweet friendship before Elizabeth decides to hit the road as she tries to find herself.
In Memphis, she is stuck working two jobs as she tries to save up to buy a car for her travels and she befriends a local cop/drunk, Arnie (David Strathairn), who spends his lunches at the diner she works and drinking the night away at the bar she closes down. Arnie is in love with his wife, Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz), unfortunately she has moved on as he empties his sorrows in the bottle.
Moving on to the third act in Nevada, Elizabeth is working at a casino, still shy of her car when she befriends Leslie (Natalie Portman) who has just busted out of a high stakes poker game. Leslie offers up a deal to Elizabeth, if she stakes her all of the savings she has, Leslie will split the winnings 33/66, if she loses, Elizabeth gets Leslie’s car.
The story is broken into 3 distinctive acts, and I summarized them here, but that is all I will share from this story. The acting is pretty solid across the board. Jude Law is charming and incredibly like able as Jeremy who slowly falls for Elizabeth. Natalie Portman is also a fireball as Leslie and plays against type of what we usually see her as in a film. You have seen people like her and you can really buy into her philosophies on life. Rachel Weisz is solid, but she could have used a bit more work on her southern draw, chills my spine thinking about it. Norah Jones does a pretty decent job most of the time as well, but pales next to the Oscar nominees and winners that surround her. The real standout is David Strathairn as Arnie, who is just a heartbreaking and real character, and one that is sadly prevalent as that guy in just about every small town I imagine.
The film itself moves along at a fine pace and never drags. We almost feel like we didn’t get as good a look into these peoples lives that we would have liked, but we are bound by Elizabeth’s experiences and only see what she can see or was a part of; and in a way that is kind of nice. Wong Kar Wai’s style is interesting and fun to watch where he places the camera and he crafted a beautiful little film on a fairly shoestring budget, relatively.
In the end, My Blueberry Nights is a good little independent picture that is almost best viewed as three short films connected by Elizabeth’s presences and the lessons she learns. The acting is great and the director makes a nice little splash in his first American effort. Wong Kar Wai is able to take the simple parts of life and make it compelling, and while this film isn’t the most original or groundbreaking, it is definitely one of the finer independent features in a while.
