Halfway Home

Halfway Home from FREIGHT on Vimeo.

fell in love with this

CS225: Sneak Peak

Credit: Munz

Taken during filming for our final project. Not sure if we'll be uploading it soon though, the end result was a disappointment :'(

CS225: Moving House

An amazing film that my schoolmates did. It affected me on such a profound level and I can't even explain why

CS225 TV AD

What You Are, She'll Be from EM on Vimeo.

An anti-smoking ad that we did for Health Promotion Board (HPB)

Some behind-the-scenes!

The directors Jayne and Luna

All of these films made me ache, but in different ways


Promote 升级 from magicboi888 on Vimeo.


Fragments of Iceland from Lea et Nicolas Features on Vimeo.



Coldplay - 'Paradise' by Shynola from Shynola on Vimeo.

inspiration

Everywhere I look there is so much beauty to be found, I'm so inspired to create something like this:


I need one dollar (New York City) from Gioacchino Petronicce on Vimeo.




BALI, JE T'AIME! from artisland on Vimeo.

 By jessechan, go check out his work here 


i especially love this quirky film about the class divide in spore (also by jessechan)

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

It's 3.01 a.m now. Just finished watching the film. I can't remember the last time I've cried this much. Perhaps when it was when I first read the book three years back.  I'm struggling to write about what I feel, but as the clock keeps on ticking, I realize, there are no words for this

In the Land of Blood and Honey

Wartime drama In the Land of Blood and Honey is a brave and and unexpected choice for Angelina Jolie's directorial debut.

Set during the 1990s Bosnian War, the film tells of a love story that blossoms between a Bosnian Serb forces captain Danijel (Goran Kostic) and a Bosnian Muslim artist Ajla (Zana Marjanovic). The two meet in secret, as she is a prisoner at a camp that he runs. But as the ethnic conflict drags on, the two find each other on different sides.

To ensure authenticity, Jolie chose a cast of relatively unknown, local actors who had lived through the war. This move has rewarded Jolie handsomely. With so much emotional depth brought to their roles, it is difficult to find fault with their acting.

Danijel is portrayed as a man torn between conflicting desires. A pacifist at heart, he is sickened by the senseless killing of civilians. Yet his father, a prominent Serbian general Nebojsa (Rade Serbedzija), has taught him to view Muslim Bosniaks with contempt. Kostic handles the challenging role convincingly. At times, he displays an moving tenderness towards Ajla, which transforms into a seething rage when angered. Veering between cynicism and idealism, peace and violence, loyalty and suspicion, Danijel is a fascinating, richly complex character of much pathos.

Like Danijel, Ajla has an equally demanding role, and she struggles with the guilt of having consorted with the enemy. However, Ajla's characterization is often constrained by the script. Yet, with what little dialogue she is given, Marjanovic is a captivating actress. In one scene, she asks, her large eyes expressive, a slight tremor in her voice, “Are we so terrible that we should be exterminated?”

The somewhat perverse and masochistic love story between captor and prisoner that emerges is deeply engrossing. In comparison, the rest of the film sags, as other characters like Ajla's sister, Lejla (Vanesa Glodjo), are severely under-drawn. Though Serbedzija gives a quietly chilling performance as a self-righteous general obsessed with ethnic cleansing, he is given too little screen-time. Given a more nuanced portrayal of these characters, it might have have added an additional layer to the film. To Jolie's credit, she strives to avoid the usual villain stereotype, and instead attempts to explain the Serbs' motives for prolonging the war.

There is no easy way to convey such a grim subject matter. Spanning five years, the war takes place in stark, wintry landscapes littered with the remnants of bombed buildings, debris and corpses. The lovers' clandestine meetings are lengthy, with heavy overtones, and are punctuated with swift acts of violence, both physical and psychological. Women are systematically raped in excruciatingly graphic detail, bombs are dropped indiscriminately, and mass executions are carried out in military precision. The initial effect is jarring, but becomes this pattern becomes a tad repetitive later on.

Jolie has skillfully dramatized the atrocities and suffering of the Bosnian war. No one is spared from the monstrous acts, which are presented in unflinching detail. For instance, rape is used as a tool for the Serb solidiers to assert their superiority. It is distressing, to say the least. Women are presented as powerless and voiceless, and there are shocking images of the women's bloodied thighs and lifeless eyes.

Jolie also makes her criticism of the UN's lack of intervention clearly felt. In one telling example, at the museum, where Ajla points out the empty spaces in a painting, saying, “It's the choice not to do something.”

No one can doubt Jolie's ability to push her political message about the evils of war. But this is where she falls short. Unlike Roman Polanski's similarly genocide-themed The Pianist (2002), she fails to weave together a truly powerful and convincing story.

Nevertheless, her efforts are laudable. She has demonstrated great care in crafting each scene, and in bringing out the best in each actor. Already, it has earned her a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Film. With a more sensitive touch to the plot and consistent characterization, Jolie could have told a more haunting and poignant story. 

This is one of the reasons why I love WKW so much. My schoolmates are so amazingly talented. Here are my favourite videos from my COM206 module. so blown away

Vampire Weekend - "Run" from Yufeng on Vimeo.

CS2006: A Hard Day's Night

This is Kite Production's end product- after 3 days of shooting, 5 days of video editing, 5 days of report writing, 32 GB worth of footage and a 6000 word report. Never been prouder of my group :)

Hard Day's Night from Mun on Vimeo.

Mysterious Skin

One of the most profoundly disturbing films I have ever watched

War Horse

What comes to mind when watching War Horse is the story of Black Beauty, albeit a tougher, grittier version of the children's classic.

DreamWorks' picture War Horse is inspired by the Tony award-winning stage adaptation, and the original novel by Michael Morpurgo.

Set in the small town of Devon, England, the film begins with a remarkable friendship that develops between a boy Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) and his horse Joey. They are forced to part because of the war.

The film trots on leisurely at first, but picks up considerably as the film traces Joey's tumultuous odyssey during World War 1. Through the eyes of Joey, we encounter different people; from the British calvary, German soldiers, to a French farmer and his granddaughter. The episodic-like transition from owner to owner provides welcome relief to the otherwise weighty narrative.

Meanwhile, Albert enlists in the army in search of his equine friend. This gesture evokes his words, trembling with emotion, in the earlier farewell scene, “Wherever you are, I will find you.”

It is as much a tale about the extraordinary bond between man and beast as it is an epic narration about the universal suffering during the Great War, made apparent in the stark image of hundreds of corpses of men and horses strewn about the battlefield. Yet amid the carnage, hope and tenacity still prevails.

The climatic scene of a distraught Joey ensnared in barbed wire is quietly chilling. Diffusing the tension somewhat is the droll exchange between the British and German soldier when they help free Joey. It is at once darkly humorous and sobering, speaking volumes about the pointlessness of war. The usual finger-pointing is largely absent in the film. Instead, it focuses on the shared humanity of both sides. Thankfully the film does not wallow in over-sentimentality/ stoop to shameless emotional manipulation.

Never mind that Joey's quest to be reunited with his owner seems a tad incredible, but who cares really, when you've got such a lovingly-crafted tale.

Once again, director Steven Spielburg has taken the reins to weave a powerfully moving story reminiscent of past films like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. Together with long-time collaborators Janusz Kamiński ( Director of Photography) and John Williams ( Music composer), the master storyteller has created an old-fashioned classic that will resonate with both the old and young. A word of warning, however, the two and a half hour epic might leave some restless.

War Horse is easily one of the most gorgeously cinematic films Spielburg has done, no mean feat considering that most of the film was shot without CGI effects. Expect to see sweeping, dramatic landscapes of the Dartmoor countryside. Even the most hardened of cynics will be teary-eyed at the breathtaking and poignant ending scene.

Already, War Horse is a contender for the next year's Golden Globe Award for Best Picture of the Year, and has 7 Critics' Choice Award nominations.

Notable performances include doggedly stubborn Ted Narracott (Peter Mullan) and his formidable wife Rosie ( Emily Watson). Newcomer Jeremy Irvine's unflagging belief in his 'miracle horse' may strike as absurd, but his youthful optimism is still wonderfully compelling. The appearances of the precocious Emilie ( Celine Buckens) and her stoic, doting grandfather (Niels Arestrup) lend a breath of fresh air to the sombre tale. The Reader's Michael Gross gets a small but memorable role as German soldier Gunther who escapes to protect his brother at the risk of being caught and killed.

“A promise', he explains.

If anything, the film is about a solemn promise between boy and horse, between men and brothers alike. It's one dark horse, for sure. 

It's Thursday, 10th November and I thought of you from Ivan Tan on Vimeo.


(A film made by one of my wkw seniors, ivan tan, whose other works can be found here )


Because once in a while, something rare comes along. His work takes something from you, yet it gives you something in return too. It touches something raw and you're at a loss for words, unable to explain to yourself, or anyone else for that matter, why you're left feeling this way.

again and again, I find myself so completely blown away

Tim Burton's first ever stop motion video. Brilliance

Amelie

                                 I have fallen completely head over heels in love with this film

Heathers(1989)

The Birdsong Trilogy

A film by the talented Royston Tan.

Yesterday I found myself watching ' The Birdsong Trilogy' alone at Sinema Old School.

Passion

Betrayal

Forgiveness

Sandcastle

Watched this a few days ago.

Flipped

 I've lost count of how many mindless, bland movies Hollywood has been churning out, in the hope that the audience will be so distracted by the action and special effects and fail to notice the weak plot and lacklustre acting. You don't need big budget movies to win people over. Sometimes even the simplest of movies can be the most sincere , as proven by the film Flipped.

 While the theme of first love centres as part of main plot,  Rob Reiner (also director of The Bucket List) deftly tackled other issues with aplomb-  typically weighty like honesty, courage, coming of age, prejudice, familial  relationships. In less capable hands, it would have easily come across as  tired, and   the audience would have steered well clear of such cliches.  But with Reiner's skillful execution, coupled with the authentic acting and gorgeous cinematography, it translated into a film that was poignant and irresistibly heartwarming. Of course it helped that there was a great soundtrack, which paid tribute to the era of oldies like The Chiffons and The Everly Brothers, against the backdrop of 1960s  American suburbia. 

Anchoring the film were the commendable performances of the two young actors who played Julianna Baker (Madeline Carroll) and Bryce Loski(Callan McAuliffe). Truly, they were a joy to watch. I particularly liked the portrayal of Juli. Carroll took the character and made it her own, managing to strike a delicate balance between wide-eyed innocence and yet displaying a maturity beyond her years.

The supporting cast and vivid characterization strengthened the story further, injecting candor and giving depth and providing substance to the film. For all his snide comments and condescending attitude, Bryce's father( played by Anthony Edwards) still came across as someone the audience could relate to. Likewise, the family confrontation scenes were emotionally charged and it left me almost in tears. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Flipped is a film worth watching.