Put simply, Alexandre Desplat is my favourite film composer of all, followed by Dario Marianelli, Joe Hisaishi, Yann Tiersen and er, many others. But I know and love Desplat best; I’ve practically grown up with him. My first encounter with his music was in Girl with a Pearl Earring, the film adaptation of Tracy Chevalier’s novel starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth (two people with whom I was pretty infatuated at the time). The movie had my tick of approval, but it was the music in particular that struck out to me. I had never heard anything so exquisite, so heart-wrenchingly gorgeous to my ears; I scrambled to know who the composer was and where I could get the soundtrack. Back then I wasn’t so knowledgable about online avenues, but eventually while I was on a bookstore tour with the school librarian and other classmates, I found a CD in stock at Readings.

And so began my unequivocal relationship with Desplat’s music—and ...]]> I suppose it’s excellent timing to post this, as the first trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 was released today. And oh my God how FANTASTIC does it look! But my excited squees will come later.

Put simply, Alexandre Desplat is my favourite film composer of all, followed by Dario Marianelli, Joe Hisaishi, Yann Tiersen and er, many others. But I know and love Desplat best; I’ve practically grown up with him. My first encounter with his music was in Girl with a Pearl Earring, the film adaptation of Tracy Chevalier’s novel starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth (two people with whom I was pretty infatuated at the time). The movie had my tick of approval, but it was the music in particular that struck out to me. I had never heard anything so exquisite, so heart-wrenchingly gorgeous to my ears; I scrambled to know who the composer was and where I could get the soundtrack. Back then I wasn’t so knowledgable about online avenues, but eventually while I was on a bookstore tour with the school librarian and other classmates, I found a CD in stock at Readings.

And so began my unequivocal relationship with Desplat’s music—and what a magical, fantastic journey it’s been! Over time I think Desplat has made me appreciate film scores more. I’m not actually a musical person (I wish I was though—where’s my tiger mother?) but I am, I guess, a sensitive arty type, to stereotype myself. And nowhere is it more explicit to feel music’s impact than in a classical score.

This is Alexandre Desplat. I think he might be God. Plus he wears chic scarves. The French always did have impeccable taste.

It’s no surprise how thrilled I was to learn that Desplat would be composing the last two films of the Harry Potter series. It was a dream come true—I’d been asserting my wish much earlier on how amazing it would be for Desplat to compose for Harry Potter. Desplat is no stranger to the young adult fantasy genre, having previously done The Golden Compass and (shock horror) The Twilight Saga: New Moon, but it must be said, a project like Harry Potter is seriously epic stuff. Perhaps it was this massive expectation on my part for such greatness that I initially was disappointed with the score when I first heard it. Some tracks had that achingly emotional Desplat signature, while others fell short on resonance. This is what I initially thought. Recently, the DVD/Blu-ray was released here and it wasn’t until after I refreshed my memory (and my ears) of the film that I realised the score works perfectly in the film’s context, which is essentially a score’s purpose, after all. However, standing alone as an album, it can become tedious, though I’ve found every new listen to be exciting and engaging.

Desplat often writes music that is whimsical and romantic, with nostalgic homages to the classics. His strengths, I think, are creating understated pieces charged with emotion. What permeates and is emphasised throughout the Deathly Hallows score is a strong sense of foreboding and finality. The film begins with“Obliviate”, which must be the most emotionally devastating and most fiercely determined opening of all the Harry Potter films. And so it ought to be. Harry and his friends are no longer returning to Hogwarts. This is it—the final battle begins, everything is uncertain, but it must end at all costs. This is what’s impressed me most about the score: how mature it sounds. It’s degrees beyond the previous score, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Nicholas Hooper, in scope and mood. The feelings of isolation, loss and fear are entrenched. It’s so easy to forget these are teenagers on the run, fighting to stay alive, tasked with the impossible. It makes sense that John Williams’ iconic “Hedwig’s Theme” is barely noticeable. It’s sparsely placed in the score—cover your ears and you’ll miss it. Desplat introduces new motifs and overtures to the score; though initially I felt quite lost in the unfamiliar sounds, it begins to assume a logic, indeed a magic, of its own. “Polyjuice Potion” and “The Will” are still laced with Hedwig’s theme, hinting at the loss of innocence that Harry’s owl and the (relatively) happy years at Hogwarts represent, but those days are over. “Nowhere is safe”, as the film tagline emphasises.

That said, “Dobby”, “Detonators”, “Ministry of Magic”, “Lovegood” and “The Deathly Hallows” still contain playful overtones, lightening the score’s intensely dark mood, but always there is the threatening undercurrent of  fear and danger. Desplat capitalises on some unique instruments and sounds, including Asian woodwinds and the mandolin, evoking a ye olde Baroque feel.

While Desplat excels at intimate orchestrations, he can certainly tackle action-packed sequences with ease. Add in a degree of horror to raise the hairs of your neck: “The Locket” and “The Exodus” are chilling, with their sharp, meandering notes; “Capture and Tortured” pulsates with drum cues followed by sombre strings, while hushed woodwinds and percussion make “Bathilda Bagshot” eery and ominous, breaking out into a crescendo of splintering strings and brass, as Harry and Hermione fight Voldemort’s vicious serpent, Nagini. “Snape to Malfoy Manor”,“Rescuing Hermione” and “Fireplaces Escape” get our pulses running. Harry, Ron and Hermione’s escape from the Ministry of Magic is breathtaking in the film, but even as a single track, it’s a sensational whirlwind chase. “Sky Battle” is a weaker song by comparison, rather dilapidated with noises colliding; it reminded me of Lord Faa, King of the Gyptians in The Golden Compass.

The most emotional points are often the most subtle arrangements, such as in “Hermione’s Parents”. The humble strings and percussion are orchestrated to amazing effect in “Ron Leaves”, “Godric’s Hollow Graveyard”, “Ron’s Speech” and “Farewell to Dobby”.  “Farewell to Dobby” is a heartfelt elegy, which is no less than the humble house-elf deserves for the greatest sacrifice of all. For me his was the most devastating death, and I do blubber quite a bit any time I hear this song or watch the scene in the film or read it in the book. Similarly, “Ron’s Speech” felt more like “Ron’s Confession to Hermione”. It’s incredibly poignant and romantic, a small gem that only Desplat could create. Ron explains to Harry and Hermione how he found them again—but really he’s attempting to redeem himself for Hermione, that Hermione’s voice led him back to her. This scene could easily have become saccharine and unbelievable, but instead expresses emotional depth (which is frankly shocking given Ron’s emotional range of a teaspoon, don’t forget), highlighting the tumultuous but enduring relationship between Ron and Hermione. It’s so gorgeous I get a bit teary here too. Yes, I sail the Good Ship all the way! And yes, I am a sap, but only when it comes to Ron and Hermione. “Harry and Ginny” also resonates with romantic restraint, though their relationship is only lightly touched on in the narrative.  I’m really hoping Ron and Hermione get their own theme in Part 2. REALLY.

You can feel there’s that signature quiet Desplat-ness to all these pieces, but also a new grandness reminiscent of sweeping romances and majestic heroism. It sounds much more like what Williams would be inclined to express. That’s not to insult either Desplat or Williams, but I think what makes their scores so memorable is how they capture tension and emotion with grandeur and eloquence.

My feelings toward the score have changed dramatically (see my 2010 in review post) and I berate myself for being so hasty in my judgement, but what can I say, I fiercely love Harry Potter and Alexandre Desplat, so I’m harsher in my opinion, it took me about four months to finally love the album, but this is a score that obviously requires patience and context to let the sounds resonate and leave an impression. Now with my eyes opened wider (or ears, rather), I truly believe the final chapter of Harry Potter is musically in sensitive and competent hands—not just because I am partial to Desplat. I’m really looking forward to hearing how Part 2 fares; given the exceedingly grim outcome of the narrative it should be just as gripping and exciting as Part 1, if not more so, especially if it’s as good as the new trailer suggests.

You can read an interview with Alexandre Desplat discussing his process in composing the score for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 at the Harry Potter Fanzone. It’s an insightful and funny read, actually, reading into the working, genius mind of Desplat. I especially like this quote:

“… there’s a scene which I really liked scoring. There’s two of them. There’s the scene when Ron comes back. And Hermione and Harry are listening to him doing a little speech. And I really enjoyed trying to find the colour of this friendship. You know, it’s like writing a love scene. But it can’t be a love scene because they’re not in love. They’re just friends. And it’s on the edge. It’s very difficult to not become too emphatic or too cheesy. If the music is too romantic, you know, they’re not in love. So that was a challenging that I really loved because I liked the scene a lot.”

Well, Desplat definitely made it romantic, okay!

Tracklist:

1. Obliviate
2. Snape to Malfoy Manor
3. Polyjuice Potion
4. Sky Battle
5. At The Burrow
6. Harry and Ginny
7. The Will
8. Death Eaters
9. Dobby
10. Ministry of Magic
11. Detonators
12. The Locket
13. Fireplaces Escape
14. Ron Leaves
15. The Exodus
16. Godric’s Hollow Graveyard
17. Bathilda Bagshot
18. Hermione’s Parents
19. Destroying the Locket
20. Ron’s Speech
21. Lovegood
22. The Deathly Hallows
23. Captured and Tortured
24. Rescuing Hermione
25. Farewell to Dobby
26. The Elder Wand

Brideshead Revisited

Up until this point I always assumed Evelyn Waugh was a woman, but this is the name, in fact, of a man. And I had no idea that the mini-series adaptation was held in such high regard. I got “free” tickets for an advanced screening at Nova, thanks to my delightful affiliation with the Monash Golden Key Society. Honestly, I paid $93 to join them; I should get the money back slowly but surely, no? In any case, I’m glad I didn’t technically pay for the film, because it was a bit of a disappointment. My appetite for visual candy was more than satisfied, however, probably to the point of gluttony. It is a sumptuous, seductive film for the senses. But for the mind? Maybe not so much. The protagonist, Charles Ryder, a modest painter is introduced to a world of decadence, wealth and opulence through his growing relationship with Sebastian Flyte at Oxford. He is swept away by the grandness of Sebastian’s home, Brideshead. What follows is a series of events that lead Charles into the closing, controlling grip of Brideshead itself, and the choices he makes ...]]> (I initally meant to post this on the 1st October. Go me.)

Brideshead Revisited

Up until this point I always assumed Evelyn Waugh was a woman, but this is the name, in fact, of a man. And I had no idea that the mini-series adaptation was held in such high regard. I got “free” tickets for an advanced screening at Nova, thanks to my delightful affiliation with the Monash Golden Key Society. Honestly, I paid $93 to join them; I should get the money back slowly but surely, no? In any case, I’m glad I didn’t technically pay for the film, because it was a bit of a disappointment. My appetite for visual candy was more than satisfied, however, probably to the point of gluttony. It is a sumptuous, seductive film for the senses. But for the mind? Maybe not so much. The protagonist, Charles Ryder, a modest painter is introduced to a world of decadence, wealth and opulence through his growing relationship with Sebastian Flyte at Oxford. He is swept away by the grandness of Sebastian’s home, Brideshead. What follows is a series of events that lead Charles into the closing, controlling grip of Brideshead itself, and the choices he makes or will not make, will haunt him forever. Yes, it’s that much fun. I was interested to know more about what WWII!Charles was up to. Surely that was not the point of the film!

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

WALL-E

Pixar (or should I say Disney Pixar) has long established itself as a superlative animation studio. Lately I’ve found their works to push the boundaries of not just the technology and art of animation but also in their unique story-telling. The narrative concepts are ambitious but intelligent, but Wall-E is somewhat different in the way there is little dialogue to ease the narrative along. The first half hour involves a lone robot, Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) processing endless bales of trash on a frightfully abandoned Earth, and coming “home” to a tip filled with trinkets discovered in trash. Wall-E is not entirely alone as he has a chirpy cockroach buddy who follows Wall-E around. The drama really comes with the arrival of a high-tech robot called EVE, sent to Earth on a mission for the Axiom, an enormous ship housing the Earth’s population for the duration of its clean-up.

Some may argue that this is of little relevance to a child, but come on, credit kids these days with a bit of intelligence here. Yes, it is a cautionery tale of the woes of waste and technology that screams Orwellian preachiness, but the universal elements of self-awareness, friendship and love are never far from the surface. As with all Pixar films the attention to detail is impeccable and meticulous; a true visual delight that warrants multiple viewings.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I desperately want to watch this again after actually meeting Doug Jones (who played Abe Sapien in both Hellboy I and II, but voiced only the latter) last week. I enjoyed this a lot more than the first film, possibly because there is no exposition, or very little of it, at least. My favourite character out of the first film was indeed Abe Sapien, and I was delighted to see that his character had a plot going for him, including a love interest. Would be keen to see a third film in the works, but that does not seem likely, given that Guillermo del Toro’s got plenty on his plate right now (The Hobbit, anyone?).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Persepolis

A whirlwind narrative detailing the life of a young Iranian girl adapting to the political and social transformation of the world around her. All dialogue is in French, but the content is very much in the heart of Iranian culture and its deviations through the eyes of Marjane. Indeed I’m no expert on Iranian history or culture so I can only take on what’s being said at face value. Nevertheless, it’s a confronting exploration of the coming of age of a young woman—the opportunities that she’s been given, and the choices she’s made in coming to terms with her identity and herself. The animation is whimsical—the stills are almost exact replicas to that of the graphic novels, upon which the film is based—but simple with a loose flowing style. I loved it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Old Reviews:
The Dark Knight

Um, it seems pointless to review this now. But hey, it’s my declaration to the world, among countless others, that this is a film to be reckoned with. Yes, a FILM, not just a BLOCKBUSTER POPCORN MOVIE. It’s been loved, cherished, and crafted with a no-nonsense attitude, intelligent writing, unforgettable characters and stunning photography and direction. To me, it’s the ultimate superhero film. (Curiously it channels the darkness and narratives of such graphic novels as Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke and Jeph Loeb’s The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. So read up on those if you want more Dark Knight goodness) I thought Batman Begins couldn’t be more gritty or real in the sense that it could happen to any metropolis. I was delightfully corrected. Like its predecessor, there is nothing camp about it, nothing “comic-like” (just a guy in a bat costume, and a psychopath in make-up), just a real exploration and reflection of moral anarchy and if one looks deeper: the lost American Dream. It gave me a truly good kick of adrenaline, and I was pretty much on the edge of my seat for most of the ride. It is that good.  Heath Ledger was truly breathtaking in a way that we’ve never seen him before, and never will again. It’s one hell of an epitaph. But let’s not give the late actor all the credit for the film’s success; this film wouldn’t have been if not for the superlative performances from Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. This is after all the story of the Dark Knight, and all that he’s created, gained, lost and found. I’ve seen it 3 times in the cinema (including IMAX, which was just, WOW, really. WOW. Six sequences were shot with IMAX cameras—the highest quality resolution yet) and no doubt when the DVD is released on December 10, 2008, it’ll be looping non-stop on my player.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kung Fu Panda

Apart from making me feel a tad hungry, as looking at good Chinese food always does to me, and apart from my occasional scoffs at the inevitable Americanisation of Chinese culture (well, this does star Jack Black; you’re going to have to expect a lot of “awesomeness” and on-the-spot word inventories that go beyond the usual KAPOW and HYYAAAH!) this feature film does hold my attention with its usual moral tale, and its homage to martial arts and wushu. Basically, a fat, lazy panda who idolises the Furious Five (legendary Chinese warriors) ends up becoming the greatest legend of them all: the Dragon Warrior. Of course, that won’t do, and the rest of the Furious Five set out to prove it. We all know what happens next, I think. It’s wonderfully animated, with a perfect toned palette of pastels and contrasts, and the jokes come fast and heavy like dumplings. The marriage between Hollywood blockbustery-ness and Chinese sensibilities is well done, and this is perfectly reflected through the score by Hans Zimmer and John Powell. It’s one of my faves this year. A lot of Chinese themed work popping up in Hollywood this year—no coincidence with the Beijing Olympics? Probably one of the better creations to come out of Dreamworks since the original Shrek.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Speed Racer

Pooh, so people are complaining how this film lacks any plot, and if attempts to create one it’s done haphazardly and with a bombardment of colours and visual effects so as to hypnotise the viewer into conveniently forgetting about it. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, so to speak. I was never that great a fan of the original Speed Racer series, probably because I was about 3 decades away from being born, but I’m pretty sure I watched quite a few episodes in my day as a kid, and who can forget the unforgettably catchy theme song? With the Wachowski brothers, you know you can expect some spectacular visual effects and stunts, and this film certainly doesn’t disappoint in that respect. In fact, it explodes with all colours of the spectrum like a sea of Willy Wonka gobstoppers in a game arcade. The wooden acting should be forgiven, given that most of the time the actors were performing in front of blank green screens. Don’t go watching this if you’re expecting a brain-teaser, this is for numb skulls only. ;]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Band’s Visit

I saw this on one of Nova’s cheap Monday sessions. I’m glad I went ’cause that time I really needed a breather from the wangst that is university life. The Band’s Visit is a beautiful, wry and amusing story of an Egyptian band of musicians who, by mistake, bureaucracy, or miscommunication, end up stranded in a tiny, inconsequential town in Israel. There are plenty of awkward (but priceless) silences, loneliness in all its bittersweet and sad forms and budding relationships between people who are making the most out of their circumstances.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Upcoming Highlights:
- Quantum of Solace
- Australia
- Twilight
- Defiance
- Valkyrie
- Changeling
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Ghosttown
- Dragonball
- The Soloist
- X-MEN Origins: Wolverine

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I have not seen the original nor read the book, so I went into the cinema with great excitement and anticipation. The tale is quiet simple. Benjamin Barker is wrongfully sentenced to exile so as to allow the evil Judge Turpin to lure and capture his beautiful wife. Barker returns years later as Sweeney Todd, his wife dead, his child under the claws of Turpin, ...]]> Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Ed Sanders
Synopsis: Based on the hit Broadway musical. After hard years in exile for a crime he didn’t commit, Benjamin Barker now Sweeney Todd, returns to London to find his wife dead and his daughter in the hands of the evil Judge Turpin. In his anger, Sweeney goes on a murderous rampage on all London, with the help of Mrs. Lovett, he opens a barber shop in which he lures his victims in with a charming smile before casually ending their life with a flick of his razor across their neck. But not one man killed, nor ten thousands men can satisfy Sweeney’s lust for revenge on those who’ve caused his years of pain. [from IMDB]

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I have not seen the original nor read the book, so I went into the cinema with great excitement and anticipation. The tale is quiet simple. Benjamin Barker is wrongfully sentenced to exile so as to allow the evil Judge Turpin to lure and capture his beautiful wife. Barker returns years later as Sweeney Todd, his wife dead, his child under the claws of Turpin, and only he with only a thirst for revenge. In a mad mutual pact with Mrs Lovett, the piemaker of Fleet Street, Todd lures unsuspecting customers into his barber shop, slicing them to death, while Mrs Lovett makes good use of the unused flesh in her meat pies. Even as Todd gets his just revenge, he meets a cruel turn of fate that has severe consequences for all involved.

In spite of the niggling plot flaws, it’s all well compensated for in the amazing performances by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, with notable mentions of Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron-Cohen (hardly recognisable from Ali G or Borat), all at their Victorian Gothic best. The song numbers are frequent and somewhat ease the overall gloominess that pervades the film. My particular favourite is ‘By the Sea’ and basically every scene that has Helena Bonham-Carter pwning Johnny Depp and/or vice versa.

Much bloody love from me! Not that I’ll ever eat a pie with such fondness again…

Anyway, I just bought The Painted Veil off eBay, but I probably won’t get it ’til next week. Sigh.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Toby Jones, Liev Schreiber, Anthony Wong, Diana Rigg, Lu Yan, Xia Yu Synopsis: Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter Fane (Edward Norton), a middle class doctor and Kitty (Naomi Watts), an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, Walter accepts a job in a remote village in China ravaged by a deadly cholera epidemic, and takes her along. Their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. [from IMDB]

NB: This review contains spoilers.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: I ...]]> Saw this a couple weeks back (but it feels like months)! Thank goodness for the internet, you know. I just wrote the longest review ever and it got swallowed up ’cause I still can’t effing use WordPress properly! WEEP!

Anyway, I just bought The Painted Veil off eBay, but I probably won’t get it ’til next week. Sigh.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Toby Jones, Liev Schreiber, Anthony Wong, Diana Rigg, Lu Yan, Xia Yu
Synopsis: Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter Fane (Edward Norton), a middle class doctor and Kitty (Naomi Watts), an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, Walter accepts a job in a remote village in China ravaged by a deadly cholera epidemic, and takes her along. Their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. [from IMDB]

NB: This review contains spoilers.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: I found this film purely by chance as I was on one of my fave sites, Music from the Movies, checking out Alexandre Desplat reviews (yes, I have a life), and I came across The Painted Veil, which I had not seen nor heard of. The fact that it was a tale about a Western couple set in 1920s China had me captivated, and I am so glad that I watched it.

Norton and Watts give solid and nuanced performances as the unlikely married couple. Kitty is self-centred, privileged and contentedly bored, while Walter, though in love with his wife, is shy and reserved. Since he is a medical professional (or bacteriologist, if you want to get specific) Walter brings Kitty along to his work base in Shanghai, China. When he discovers that his wife has been unfaithful, in a rather cruel and callous act of vengeance he proposes that Kitty come with him to a remote region of south-central China where there is an outbreak of cholera. Kitty refuses, but Walter is not the dim fool she has assumed him to be – he says that he will publicly disgrace her unless she can get her lover, English consul, Charlie Townsend (played by the delightfully caddish Liev Schreiber), to divorce her. Naturally, Charlie is in no way prepared to give up his position in society, so Kitty finds herself tangled in a nasty web of manipulation.

Surely the road to any form of reconciliation is near impossible? As self-destructive as the strained relationship between Walter and Kitty becomes, there are darker forces at work: angry and defiant nationalists rage the streets shouting and posting anti-colonialism slogans, raising tensions between natives and the British enforcement, while the devastation of the cholera epidemic is almost unbearable for Walter, and unimaginable to the very unhappy and frail Kitty, who cannot fathom why her husband is subjecting them both to such miserable conditions.

The road to true love was never smooth, and it is a curious delight to watch Kitty and Walter gradually rediscover themselves in an exotic land of vast proportions and epic scale. The beginnings of the journey are tentative and fraught with contemptuous tension, as one particularly good scene depicts when Walter refuses a bowl of salad that their maid has not cooked, fearing it may be contaminated, but Kitty takes a spoonful regardless and eats the vegetables with a look of pure defiance directed at her husband, who likewise rises to the challenge and does the same. “Are you planning to kill yourself?” he asks.

Completely hateful they may both be, and with good reason, we soon learn as they do, that there are good and compassionate sides to their characters that have never shown themselves before. As they both come to terms with the new environment they are forced to deal with, they discover what new meanings it brings to their relationship – it is a chance for them both to explore traits that could not be revealed in other circumstances. Kitty discovers when she visits the local convent and orphanage, seeing first hand the sadness and tragedy that have befallen so many innocents. Walter’s icy feelings for his wife also begin to thaw as he observes the subtle changes of his wife’s attitude towards him. The road to their reconciliation is poignant – every new brick is added onto the bridge with every tell-tale nuance of the characters, culminating in one of the most exquisitely erotic love scenes I’ve seen. The sexual tension in the build up is slow and palpable – it was extremely well captured, minus one particularly noticeable continuity error (oh look, his shirt’s off! Oh look, there it is again!).

Shepherding the couple’s journey along the way are Waddington (Toby Jones) and Mother Superior (Diana Rigg), both being very perceptive of their emotional struggle. Anthony Wong looks quite bored sadly, as the stern and morose Colonel Yu, acting as buffer between the Western influence and the Chinese. Li Feng provides some needed comic relief as the bashful and somewhat clumsy Nationalist soldier hired to protect Kitty, and newcomer, Lu Yan, is the exotic Man Chou lover of Waddington.

Just as it seems Walter and Kitty have bridged the gap between them and the cholera epidemic is finally under control, circumstances take a turn for the worse when neighbouring villagers bombard the town seeking medical aid. Walter sets up a nearby refugee camp to support them, but falls ill to the cholera. Kitty takes the risk of nursing him. What follows is a deep feeling of inevitability and dread in the most emotionally charged scene of the film:

Walter: Forgive me
Kitty: Forgive you? … there is nothing to forgive…
[after a moment of silence]
Kitty: Walter… [cries softly] I’m sorry …

It leaves a lot to be desired, as we never do know for certain whether they had finally found love together, but after all is said and done, they at least found mutual respect for each other, which would surely have been the foundation towards deeper romantic sentiments. Perhaps Walter’s life was cut short as penance for his cruel vengeance on his wife’s only affair, but what we do know is that Kitty is no longer the selfish flapper she once was, as the conclusion reveals a mature, young mother who has risen above adversity – she picks flowers, and asks her son (whose name turns out to be Walter) if she should buy them. Upon leaving the florist, they happen upon Charlie Townsend, who as good as suggests they reignite their love affair but Kitty interrupts with a resolute “Goodbye, Mr. Townsend” permanently closing off any connection between. It can be said then that Kitty has finally learnt whom her heart was really committed to.

Walter, Jr: Who was that, mummy?
Kitty: No one important, darling.

This is an unconventional tale of romance, filmed in the most exquisite and sublime locations – the cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s well paced, and although it lacks action and suspense (the political elements are only teasingly hinted at, providing the film with more solid historical context), the transformation of the characters are just so that they compensate for any missing element of a typical film. Even more impressive is the fact that The Painted Veil was filmed entirely in China, which is a feat in itself. Extra kudos to Alexandre Desplat for his beautiful, beautiful score, for which he won a Golden Globe Award, and rightfully so. Edward Norton and co. should be very proud of pursuing this 7 year project, and for the profound and emotional impact it has had on its audience.

Recommended viewing!

NB: This review contains spoilers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: What a brilliant film this is! It takes the Disney formula, transforms and parodies itself. Amy Adams is simply enchanting as the perfect princess Giselle who finds herself thrown into the busy reality of New York City following the evil Queen Narissa’s (Susan Sarandon) devious plot to remove her as a threat to the throne. Giselle finds her illusions of ...]]> Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon
Synopsis: An animated fairy tale meets modern, live-action comedy. The beautiful princess Giselle is banished by an evil queen from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan. Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn’t operate on a “happily ever after” basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer who has come to her aid – even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince back home – she has to wonder: Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world? [from IMDB]

NB: This review contains spoilers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: What a brilliant film this is! It takes the Disney formula, transforms and parodies itself. Amy Adams is simply enchanting as the perfect princess Giselle who finds herself thrown into the busy reality of New York City following the evil Queen Narissa’s (Susan Sarandon) devious plot to remove her as a threat to the throne. Giselle finds her illusions of perfect endings and true love shattered when she has a chance meeting with lawyer Robert (Patrick Dempsey) as she desperately seeks to go back to her home of Andalasia. As she gets to know this strange world Giselle learns that perhaps her Prince Charming is not the man she thought he’d be, just as Robert begins to discover that some romances do have happy endings. Meanwhile, Prince Edward, Giselle’s husband-to-be, plunges himself into reality from the two dimensional world to save his beloved Giselle, with chipmunk Pip, Giselle’s best friend at his heels. while the Prince’s henchman and double-crosser, Nathaniel follows to do his beloved Queen’s bidding in completely destroying Giselle with the infamously powerful poison apple. Nathaniel is hilariously ousted numerous times along the way and soon discovers that the Queen is not who he envisioned her as. It is a curious joy to watch these familiar two-dimensional characters adapt to the harsh reality that is our world. This is what makes the film so ridiculously enjoyable.

The music and dance numbers are gloriously reminiscent of the old Disney musicals, and what glory they are indeed. ‘True Love’s Kiss’ is a wonderful homage to the classic romances that Disney depicts so well, while ‘Happy Working Song’ would make even the laziest couch potato get up and clean after themselves in good spirits. ‘That’s How You Know’ makes Central Park come stupendously alive with joy and colour, redolent of The Little Mermaid. ‘So Close’ is the sort of song that chick flicks couldn’t possibly get away with without bad press but somehow Disney is the only exception. Perhaps these are not so memorable as past songs, but they are nonetheless very sweet, and a very enchanting addition to the film.

The fusion of 2D/3D animation with live-action sequences is splendidly done with nothing overzealous, although Susan Sarandon’s dramatic demise is somewhat lacklustre and a nuisance at the tumult of the climax. I was pleased with the reversal of roles, as Giselle becomes the knight in shining armour with a bewildered Robert as the unlikely damsel in distress. Ultimately their declaration of their love for one another is long overdue, but as if this turn of events was unexpected!

A film for adults and children to savour and enjoy.