weekend (film review)

8/2/2019 Weekend (film review)

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Persian with Chinese subtitles

Drama 2011 Iran 123 min.

Simin tries to talk her husband intoleaving Iran to pursue a better life, butNader insists staying with his fatherwho suffers from Alzheimer’s. Theyeventually get separated. In need of help to take care the father, Naderhires Razieh who keeps her pregnancya secret.

Directed by Asghar Farhadi

With Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami,Sareh Bayat and Shahab Hosseini

PrimeMovies3Friday, February 10, 2012

The China Post

02/03 Chronicle ( 超能失控 ) 22 mil. 22 mil.

02/03The Woman in Black ( 顫慄黑影 ) 21 mil. 21 mil.

01/27 The Grey ( 即刻獵殺 ) 9.5 mil. 34 mil.

U.S. Box Office ( US date and dollars )

The Descendants

(繼承人生 )

01/20 Din Tao: Leader of the Parade( 陣頭 )

13 mil . 51 mil .

02/03 Chronicle ( 超能失控 ) 6.3 mil. 6.3 mil.

02/03 Man on the Ledge ( 驚天換日 ) 4.3 mil. 4.3 mil.

01/20Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

( 地心冒險2：神祕島 )3 .6 mi l. 56 mil .

02/03 The Soul of the Bread ( 愛的麵包魂 ) 3.2 mil. 3.2 mil.

02/03 The Great Magician ( 大魔術師 ) 2 mil. 2 mil.

Source: © @movies ( 開眼電影網 ) http://www.atmovies.com.tw/

Taipei Box Office ( NT$ )

To be released on Feb. 17 Coming Soon

The Awakening

(靈動檔案 )

orgettable” probably isn’ta word you’d expect to useto describe a ilm starringDenzel Washington, Ryan

Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleesonand Sam Shepard. But unortunately, that’sone o the most apt when pondering “SaeHouse.”

Directed by Daniel Espinosa rom ascript by David Guggenheim (not to be con-used with “An Inconvenient Truth” (不願面對的真相) director Davis Guggenheim),this is a renetically paced jumble o shaky-cam tricks and quick edits, dizzying carchases and deaening shootouts. You’d beorgiven or mistaking it or yet another ac-

tion thriller rom Tony Scott, given that itbears his aesthetic markings as well as thepresence o Washington, his usual star.

This time, Washington plays the notori-ous Tobin Frost, a brilliant ormer CIA op-erative who’s turned traitor, selling secretsto any nation or enemy cell willing to buythem. Ater years on the run, he turns him-sel in at the American embassy in CapeTown, South Arica. He’s then taken to thelocal agency sae house where Reynolds,as the ambitious Matt Weston, is its bored,rookie minder.

Matt longs to prove himsel and seesome real action in the ield, and he getsit sooner than he expects when the housecomes under a vicious, heavily armed at-tack and he and Tobin must go on the runtogether. Farmiga, Gleeson and Shepardplay the suits back in the United Stateswho are tracking their whereabouts andwondering whether they’re in cahoots.

But everyone here is a potential rogue,because red herrings and double crossesabound; it’s a tactic meant to keep us

guessing and (theoretically) distract usrom the act that the movie doesn’t haveanything novel to do or say during itsoverlong running time. U.S. intelligenceagents waterboard Tobin soon aterbringing him to the house to get him todivulge what he knows (there’s a poten-tially damaging ile at stake). Initially, thisseems like the ilm’s attempt to shine a

light on a divisive interrogation technique,but ultimately, “Sae House” reveals itsel to be more interested in bombastic, bloodythrills than provocative, analytical thought.

Washington maintains his usual ormi-dable presence but remains very much inhis comort zone. Sure, he’s playing a badguy but he’s never pushed into unction-ing as a complete villain, and his banteras the cynical old pro opposite the young,idealistic Reynolds recalls his Oscar-winning work in “Training Day” (震撼教育). He’s smart and charming; he also maybe right about some o his more untrust-worthy colleagues. When he inally shaveso his shaggy, graying hair and goatee andlashes that dazzling smile o his, he’s onceagain the sae Denzel we know and love.

Reynolds, meanwhile, looks discombobu-lated most o the time. It’s a total waste o his charisma — although he does give it

his all physically in a demanding, bruisingrole, which includes appearing shirtlesswithin the irst minute or so o the ilm.

At least “Sae House” recognizes the sim-plicity o giving the people what they wantin that regard. ■

‘Safe House’ (狡兔計畫 ) ► Directed by DanielEspinosa / With Denzel Washington, Ryan

Reynolds, Vera Farmiga and Brendan Glee-son / Action / USA / 2012 / 115 min. / RatedR for strong violence throughout and somelanguage / English with Chinese subtitles /

★☆☆☆☆ / Now Showing

★★☆☆☆ Star Wars: Episode I (星際大戰首部曲：威脅潛伏3D)English with Chinese subtitles

Sci-Fi 2012(1999) USA 136 min.

Amidala is threatened by the corrupt

Trade Federation which is controlledby the evil Sith Lord. Jedi Obi-WanKenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn are called onto intervene in the dispute and discoverthat the nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker,a young slave who is unusually strongin the Force. [Full name: Star Wars:Episode I — The Phantom Menace]

Directed by George Lucas

With Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor,Natalie Portman and Jake Lloyd

Rated PG

★★★★☆ Beauty and the Beast (美女與野獸3D)English with Chinese subtitles

Animation 2011(1991) USA84 min.

An arrogant prince is turned into ahideous beast under the spell of awicked witch. He can only recoverwhen he learns to love and to be loved.In order to rescue her father from thebeast’s castle, Belle meets him andgradually walks into the heart of thecold-hearted beast.

Directed by Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

With the voices of Paige O'Hara,Robby Benson and Jerry Orbach

Rated G

★★★☆☆ Bear It (熊熊愛上你)

Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

Drama 2011 Taiwan 103 min.

As a tour guide, Peter is tired of dealing with demanding tourists. Thushe comes up with an idea to helpteddy bear lovers who like to see theirbears travelling abroad. However, thesituation gets complicated when thebears get into car accident.

Directed by Cheng Fen-fen

With Kuo Pin-Chao, Ko Chia-Yen, YuJo-Ching and Ting Chiang

★★★☆☆ CatchPlay Oscar Selection 2012 (榮耀時刻2012奧斯卡影展)

English with Chinese subtitles

Comedy 2012 USA 91 min.

Unemployed Stephanie gets a job ather cousin’s bail bonding company asa recovery agent. Accidentally, her firstcase brings her to murder suspect JoeMorelli, who happens to be her heart-breaking boyfriend from high school.

Directed by Julie Anne Robinson

With Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Maraand Daniel Sunjata

Rated PG-13

★☆☆☆☆ One for the Money (頭號冤家) ★★★☆☆ Nader and Simin: A Separation (分居風暴)

Compiled by Fan Ruixin / Text: Lily Lai and Tang Hsiang-yi, The China Post Stills: Courtesy of the films’ distributors

Now Showing

release date Ttl Last weekend Total

★★★★☆ Chronicle (超能失控)★★★☆☆ The Soul of Bread (愛的麵包魂)

Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

Comedy 2012 Taiwan 114 min.

French celebrity baker Bread escapesfrom his hectic life to find his roots in

Taiwan. He meets Xiaoping, a girl whoworks the bakery that holds the key tohis childhood mystery. Would Xioping fallfor Bread’s cosmopolitan charm or staywith the devoted, homegrown Gaobing?

Directed by Gao Bing-quan, Lin Chun-Yang

With Chen Han-dian, Michelle Chen and Anthony Neely


Sci-Fi 2012 USA, UK 83 min.

Three high school friends gain

superpowers after making an

incredible discovery. Soon, though,

they find their lives spinning out of

control and their friendship tested as

they embrace their darker sides.

Directed by Julie Anne Robinson

With Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and

Michael B. JordanLeguizamo


CatchPlay launches the screening of alist of potential winning films including“The Iron Lady” (鐵娘子：堅固柔情 ), “MyWeek with Marilyn” (夢露與我的浪漫週記 ), “A Dangerous Method” (危險療程 ),“Hysteria” (震動性世紀 ), pictured, and“Take This Waltz” (愛我，還是他 ).

Film Festival Time: Feb. 10 (Fri.) — March 2 (Fri.) Venues: Taipei Xinyi VieShow Cinemas

and SPOT—Taipei Film HouseWebsite: http://oscar.catchplay.com/

‘Forgettable’ is one of the most apt

word when pondering ‘Safe House’

“ F

‘Safe House’ offers generic thrills

(Above) Ryan Reynolds

(Left) Denzel Washington Photos:AP

“Weekend,” directed and written by An-drew Haigh, is an uninching look at inti-macy with an exterior o unussy realismand a core o philosophic archetypes.

Ater an evening spent at a house partywith his straight riends, Russell (Tom Cul-len) heads out to a gay club and picks upGlen (Chris New), someone whom Russellfrst reckoned was “out o his league.”

On the morning ater what both thoughtwould be a one-night-stand, and still lyingin Russell’s blue sheets, Glen takes out avoice recorder and asks Russell to recounttheir encounter or an art project. ThoughGlen was the one who frst started pressingor answers, Russell curiously has the up-per hand, it seems, at the end o this coeeconversation, establishing the potential orthe duo to be complementary equals.

Russell and Glen, while ully believableas in-the-esh individuals, also seem likecontrasting archetypes. The ormer, whoworks as a pool lieguard and commutes bybicycle, is a non-conrontational introvertwho oten eels the pressure to conormaround others. When his coworker talks inlewd detail about having sex with a wom-an, Russell listens quietly while fnishinghis cup o yogurt.

The latter, on the other hand, is an an-guished rebel who works at a gallery and isset to leave the UK and study contemporaryart in the U.S. When passers-by in the parkbelow somehow know that there are two

gay men up on Russell’s 14th oor apart-ment and shout slurs at them, Glen retortswithout a moment’s second thought.

Whereas Glen is harshly individualist,coming out to his mother as a teenagersaying “nature or nurture, it’s your ault,”Russell is an orphan who grew up in osteramilies and thus lacks the perquisite orhis rite o passage. Russell keeps a private

journal o the men he meets while Glenkeeps one — his art project — that is pub-lic and political. Whereas Russell glowsvaguely; Glen cuts consciously — “I don’tdo boyriends,” he says to Russell.

Over the course o a ew days, we, alongwith Russell, get to know more about Glenbehind his world-weary bad-boy ront, see-ing someone who has had his heart cleanlybroken and his convictions decidedlyorged.

The two men’s drawn-out conversations,under the inuences o several types o drugs, are eloquent and philosophical. For

skeptics, perhaps it is already a great ac-complishment or two people to be physi-cally intimate and communicate their dier-ences. Even the occasionally lost argumentmakes their mutual attraction sweeter.

The flm impresses in bringing out con-tradictions between uttered words andunspoken sentiments. As a lourish, italso boasts considered cinematographythat maintains visual interest during longdialogues. Moments such as when Rus-sell stands by the pool where he works orwhen we look down rom Russell’s balconyto see Glen o, are everyday yet exquisite.

Though invigorating or rankly regard-ing sex and the body, “Weekend” eelsclaustrophobic at times as the charactersshuttle between work, parties and sex. Onemay call the protagonists hedonistic as theyinundate themselves with loud music andsubstances including alcohol, marijuanaand cocaine. But as these stimuli becomeroutine, they don’t seem particularly ec-static. Against this insipidly dense textureo lie, the quiet budding o something spe-

cial is perhaps all the more beautiul, andGlen’s departure to start something new allthe more substantial. ■

‘Weekend’ (愛在週末邂逅時 ) ► Directed by Andrew Haigh / With Tom Cullen, Chris Newand Laura Freeman/ Drama, Romance / UK

/ 2011 / 97 min / English with Chinese subti-tles / ★★★★☆ / Now Showing

Movie Review

B y Lin y uting

The China Post

Courtesy of ifilm

More than a ‘Weekend’

Movie Review

B y Christy Lemire

Associated Press

weekend (film review)

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