Reviews

Yesterday, I just said I'm sick of stylish lonely film, but Wonderland forced me to reject my words. I love Wonderland in the same way with Lost in Translation. They may not a good film but their artistic styles touched my visibility and sensibility (accurately, I should write my SENSITIVITY). The cinematographic approaches (such as hi-speed, slow-motion and hand-held) were similar to Wong Kar-Wai's works. Many scenes in Wonderland can created a beautiful sight of London as well as an exotic look of Hong Kong in Wong's. (And also Tokyo's mysterious look in Stratosphere Girl.) The most fascinated element in this movie was its score composed by Michael Nyman. (He also wrote music for The Piano.) Every single piece of them can take my heart away. I like Nyman's bright idea to give each song as a theme song of one character. (Therefore, all track lists are character's names such as Debbie, Molly, etc.) Compare to Philip Glass (Who composed score in The Hours); I think both of them have something in common. They are clearly a minimalist musician, using few notes and play them in a loop. But their music are so powerful, I can listen to them repeatedly for a hundred times. Anyway, I have to give a big thank to my lovely sister, Vespertine, who introduced me to Wonderland's score.

My favorite scenes in Wonderland

1. Eddie (John Simm) stood on the bridge; he spoke the words he wanted to tell his wife to the air. It's like a rehearsal of tragedy stage play. He mentioned all horrible circumstances which may happen to his marriage life in the future. He will be a drunken, a jobless person. And he will imprison his wife and kids in the house, shoot them with a gun, and finally kill himself. (A story like this just happens to my high school friend, she is the only survivor.) It's unbearable if you know the bad things will explode, you want to cease them, but you can't. The only thing waiting for you is an irreversible disaster. (Anyway, I may too pessimistic for this scene because in the end Eddie and Molly can get along well.)

2. The scene Nadia (Gina McKee) went back home after she had sex with Tim (Stuart Townsend). She was on the bus, leaned on the windows, made a face that I can't describe, and then her tears poured from those sad eyes. I like Gina Mckee's face in this movie very much. It's like she always smiles but there's an obscure sadness on her face in the same time.

3. Jack (the boy) watched the firework alone and I think the music played in this scene was a climax for me.

In World Film Festival 2005, Alain Resnais's Not On The Lips (2003, B) gave me a good sleep, on the contrary, Honore's Love Song is such the film which I thoroughly enjoy. Consciously, I accept the nature of musical film (many friends of mine can't resist when the character suddenly sings a song), but the hardest part is the classical style of music (or an old-fashioned one). Fortunately, this film used the modern pop-rock music which is really my type.

Love Songs is like a sequel for Inside Paris (2006, A+), still portrayed about Parisian people in intellectual way (mostly presented via the dialogs). The film always gave me a surprise, but the most interesting one is the third part that motioned about gay issue. From my experience, there are a lot of gay movies but I rarely see a gay musical film. The ending also made a sexual ideology of the film daringly explicit. But I can feel that many audiences can't accept the conclusion of Love Songs. But I desirably love it, very suitable of the title "Love Songs", because Love is the universal language.

Things I can observe from Love Songs (It may be my wrong understanding) 1) The scenes that all three main characters sleeping on the same bed was possibly inspired from Scene from the Marriage (1973, Ingmar Bergman) 2) There was a "Nobody Knows" poster in the gay character's room. (I'm not sure about its purpose.)

This film is so intellectual, charming and sentimental. I was in the right place and in the right time when I've seen it. 2 Days in Paris projected my current relationship situation on the screen. It's like a vicious cycle that we fall in love, we have a fight, and then we break up, but we return to in love again in a short period, and so forth. This is a permanent stupidity of mankind. (Anyway, I still hunger to watch Scenes from a Marriage (1973, Ingmar Bergman))

There were two scenes almost break my heart. First, the couples argued about "Can someone be friend with his or her ex?" Double conflicts suddenly emerged in my mind because I always think like Marion (She usually befriended with her ex) but what I have really done is like Jack (He can't do this to his ex.) Another heart-breaking scene is in the edge of the film, Marion and Jack have a big fight and they're nearly climbing to "break-up point". The voice-over (Marion's) in this scene is like those words which run through my head in every thought, every moment for the whole week. Finally, I cried but I don't know anymore, which one I cry for…Marion? Jack? or me?

I feel like the ending made a little flaw to the film, but it's still acceptable for me.