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demank
All movies I voted from 2-10, means there is something in them I like or I can relate to and probably will watch them again (& again).
My vote 2 means the movie is a 6 of imdb standard voting system, my 3 means 6,5
4 = 7
5 = 7,5
6 = 8
7 = 8,5
8 = 9
9= 9,5
10 = 10
I don't vote for every movies I have seen, and I don't vote movies I think that is not worth my attention or created no resonance after the viewing.
However, I do reserve 1 as a vote to those movies I have seen and would like to make a point that I dislike them strongly.
So my 1 means a 1, I don't vote for movies I think that is from 2-5.
Reviews
Jiang Ziya (2020)
not for everyone, but some will love it dearly like me.
This is not a story driven movie, so for those who go to the cinema expecting a complex and well crafted plot, they might be disappointed. In fact, the story is rather simple for such a deep lore and grand setting. But this is a character driven movie, and there is only one character that matters here, the title character: all the rest are there as devices to emphasis his arc. Some will argue it's a bad choice to make a movie in such way, and indeed, maybe commercially it might be. But for those like me who enjoys slower paced movie with a strong focus, this movie managed to grab my attention every second. I feel for the main character, I feel his emotions, I understand his motivations. Well done over all, not to mention It's masterfully and magnificently animated!
Tron: Legacy (2010)
This is only a beginning of a legacy.
Well well, complaint is always easy to make, and even fun to do. How easy it is to pick on & on about the plot while indeed there aren't much else to complain about this film.
Yes the plot is somehow simpler than what we "spoiled" viewers these days would expect from a movie with such a marvelous production. And indeed, the world of TRON, consistent yet multi-layered, chic yet dark, straight-forward yet inter-laced, does deserve one if not many "MORE" epic stories. But simple isn't bad, epic can be boring. Let's don't forget, this is just A movie, which is just a window that its MAKER* opened so we can peak into this vast & beautiful masterful of imaginary.
The plot is simply a story of FATHER & SON, of their worlds apart yet a journey together, a dream realized yet torn apart. A father loves his son, and a son misses his father. Any other sub-plots on top of this isn't necessary.
Yes, one can argue, there is so much in the plot to be developed, or to be explained, or to be completed. Like: - What is happening or will happen in the real world? - Some characters, systems or events can benefit from more consolidated development. - And what the world of TRON has as impact to religious, philosophical, political, economical dimensions our life (we do have glimpse of all these details in this movie). - And yes, yes, it misses some 'Kiss' or 'Sex' to spice up a bit here and there (and no we don't need that in the story.)
But, let's ask ourselves, honestly, - Do we, really want to, have all these to be squeezed into 2 hours of film time and believe it can be made understandable & enjoyable? - Do we, really want to, sit there at the end of the film, sighing, omg, this is another "cannot-stand-alone" films with open, unnecessary suspense for the next in line of a monstrous Omega-logy of complicated names and over developed plot that can not even self-sustaining itself without external materials. - Do we, really want to wait painful for the next and the next next movies, because we were made to do so, & only to become more and more confused with what's going on?
So, thank you, actually, "the MAKER" of Tron, to present us a rather simply but NOT at all boring story. It's a story of FATHER / SON love, and it's heart warming, breath catching and eye popping. After all we are humans, we have emotion as love/hate, which differ us from programs. Emotion, it's our weakness and our strength. Emotion can overwrite reasoning, logic, and all the rest. It's our imperfection, it is a movie of imperfection.
So thank you again "the MAKER", for Tron Legacy is made with class and perspective. It has laid a very important milestone to the development of the world of TRON. It has bring this world ALIVE. And now it is up to our own imagination and creativity to fill this world with the depth of our own mind, and stories of our own inspiration.
Cheers, for this is only a BEGINNING.
PS. Needless to say the stunning visual effect alone is worth seeing it in the cinema. Worth seeing even if just regard it as a music video.
PS. PS. Viewing of the original movie is not required but recommended because it will serve as enrichment of this "Trontastic**" world and will make a lot of events/objects more understandable or more enjoyable. (Although a simple fast forward of the original will do, that's is, if you are not, a cult fan. Hehe )
* A tribute to both Tron movies. ** Gladly quoted from a fellow reviewer. ☺
Alexander (2004)
Alexander as one of us.
(I am here talking about the movie, not history.)
In Babylon, Hephaestion asked Alexander:"Sometimes I wondered if you are just running away from your mother?"
I find this one of the many interesting issues this movie has to offer us.
In the movie, Alexander was far-most a dreamer chaser. He was in a dream nobody can understand. (I am not sure even Hephaestion did.) Great or not, it is left for the history and time to judge or mis-judge.
Alexander's family didn't offer him a lot of comforts. His father was not particularly loving and his mother ever so manipulative and demanding. So I understand very well that the life of reality for Alexander at home had little meaning, so he set out to chase his dreams. Alexander loved his father greatly and so did he love his mother. But this puts him into such great conflict that finally, when his father was murdered and his mother seemingly involved in the crime, he collapsed. So he left, for his conquest of the known world and shut himself into his own dream. What is this dream: to Conquer the world, to bring freedom to people, or just to be away as far as he could from home. We do not and can not understand his dream because we are not him. But in the movie, it is strongly portrayed that he was a man devoted to his dream and he was a lonely man. A sad lonely man that nobody understood. Hephaestion was probably catching a bit understanding of Alexander's dream but by far sharing it. Yet Hephaestion was by far more understanding than all the rest. So it is normal for Alexander to feel for Hephaestion. Imagine ourselves, when we are lonely and weary, what will we feel for the friend who comes to us and comforts us. It is love, it is friendship and they are the same thing. (Sorry, no sex involved here and that's why again it shows how great Mr. Stone did the job by showing the strong bond in between Alexander and Hephaestion, but emphasizing no sex involved, just purity.) Alexander did feel for his wife as well, but was it a mere reflection of his mother, we will never know. Yet again, this possibility is implied in the movie. Great job. Who doesn't have a little dream of certain kind within the deepest heart of each and every of us. But Alexander was great because he can bring his dream chasing to such an extreme. No matter how much land he conquered, no matter how many people he killed, he did it at no cost to chase his dream.
That's what I think, in a deep level, Mr. Stone wants to imply in his movie. The movie is not Alexander the Great (or the Wars of Alexander), but Alexander, as a person, but a unique person. He was strong and was weak, he was divine and he made mistakes. And that's why I like the movie. The movie left a lot of thoughts after watching, on a lot of levels and aspects. In exploration of the world, Alexander was exploring himself. In chasing the phantom of perfection in his way, Alexander conquered the world and the history.
I am very grateful that Mr. Stone offered us a different angle to view a well celebrated historical Hero (or not, up to you). An angle that was not expected and anticipated by the waiting audience, that's why it flopped. But it is an excellent movie for me. Every bits and pieces has a reason to be there. (It is up to us to interpret.) It is by far not a boring movie. Mr. Stone delivered so many messages and there are so many things to pick up. I would have found it boring if it just repeats what these biographic writing does and no way a movie can match books in terms of biography. The is a story of Alexander told by Oliver Stone, and it is told with great beauty, visually and emotionally. I hope by time, people will realize the value in this movie than just great battle scenes or heroic speeches (and aren't these battles and speeches enough by now in cinema).
After all let's be more moderate to a movie as an audience. After all, we sit comfortably and watch while hundreds worked very hard to deliver us movies. There is never a really bad movie if the crew has been devoted to the making. The pre-requisite of art is devotion (then comes talent and skills). One audience like ourselves can only say, Yes I like it, No I don't. It is the least one can say that Mr. Stone and all his actors and crews have been very devoted to the movie. And for me, I really enjoyed every minute of Alexander.
PS. Yesterday I watched again, and I actually heard some people applause at the end and I happily joined them.