Movies!!!

Hi!!! Firstly, what am I doing watching movies when I should be busy working on the upcoming Energy Challenge Fair which has lots to do and settle, I don't know. Maybe it's precisely that stress which is driving me to relieve some of it in the big screen! And relieve it it did!!

I watched Robin Hood on a whim last Wed, and it turned out to be a totally enjoyable, immersive experience! I totally enjoyed this movie from start to finish. I am not a fan of Russell Crowe, but I am now! Although he is not what I would call good-looking at all, he just seems to command so much on-screen presence, and portray that battle-weary, understated, yet morally good, fight-for-justice hero that you find yourself totally sympathising with and rooting for him. I found the take on the storyline refreshing, and the historical background on a king taxing the poor too much, peasant revolt and the war between England and France lends a nice realistic feel to the whole movie, not to mention the stunning natural scenery at that time (do we still have such beautiful, idyllic places on earth?), a detailed, beautiful portrayal of the simplicity of life back then, and not to mention the strong characters and understated chemistry between Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchette. I love it! The love that blossoms between a guarded, strong and curt, no-nonsense lady and an strong, capable, righteous and responsible fighter.

I thought the kings were poorly cast though, as was Mark Strong, who didn't look very much like the bad guy. I was thinking he could easily be a good guy! But the French princess was perfect. She couldn't look more nubile and wilful. Besides Marion, the story also had other cute characters like the bee-keeping friar, and wonderful lines. All in all, I liked the entire movie as it had something to offer of everything. Some social justice elements, a budding romance, a weak king, a traitor, a tense battle etc etc.

I also rewatched gladiator last night (stayed up until 130am!) after I watched robin hood, and it's seriously awesome! I loved the wounded, intense look that Russell Crowe has. Makes you completely root for him as a believeable hero, and he has the build and the walk of a soldier, and wields the sword very convincingly too.

Let's see, my favourite scenes in Robin Hood: His interactions with Marion are all pretty funny and tense, the tension and dialogue between the two keeps you sitting at the edge of your seats wondering how it will pan out.

The funny scene when he sees his friends the next morning, and he tells them he is Marion's husband, and one guy who is drinking soup looks up in awe and goes, "Well played!"

Gladiator: The scene right after the battle, when he enters the tent still in his battle armour, dirty, grimy, and goes to wash his hands of blood in the basin. He casts a look at the celebrations ongoing. You get the feeling of a great battle won, the victory is sure, and the hero, the leader, when you expect him to be euphoric, lapping up the attention, is however looking weary, relaxed, glad it is all over, and yet kinda alone. You just feel for him!

The scene when after the war, he walks around the soldiers' tents on the outside, and goes up to stroke the nose of a horse. Again, the leader who is out walking the fields, taking care of business, instead of schnoozing and enjoying himself with the higher-uppers.

Books I've Read

Hello!

I have finished reading 2 books - The Time Travellor's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis. These were books I borrowed recently from the Tampines Library. My verdict is: Time Travellor's Wife was a pointless book. I shouldn't have wasted my time on it, except for the fact that a well-respected friend of mine highly recommended it, together with his wife. Both said they cried at the end, and this friend of mine was a guy's guy. In the end, the book was so repetitive, the plot was so thin, and the characters so unmemorable and so myopically into each other and noone else (yuck), that I do not empathise at all with the characters and wonder how this book ever made it to the bestseller's list. The only redeeming point was that the 2 characters ended up waiting for each other their whole lives, even though one died. So, it's kinda touching, although as i said, I can't see what they see in each other. Both characters are very one-dimensional. THe only trait I can tell is their inloved-ness in each other. Bleah...

The other book, Till We Have Faces, is so much more promising. The plot is a Greek classical story, and has elements of the Arthurian age - sword fights, wars, sacrifices of pretty women to the gods to alleviate bad weather, falling in love with someone who is noble and true and honest, but the really interesting twist to this whole story is that it explores the fate of someone who is an ugly girl. In fact, the whole story is narrated from the point of view of this girl, who is sister to 2 really pretty sisters. It is an interesting situation, and how she is treated by all the men, even her own father. And how her love for her sister eventually drives her to do a crazy thing, and how she buried all these hurts and tormented doubts deep in her heart, but learnt a lot of skills and eventually became a ruler of the country, and how she is loveless all her life. It is bittersweet.