Susan Hated Literature

Dir: Zhang Yimou
* Jet Li - Nameless Hero

If you’ve seen any trailers for this film you might be tempted to think of it as this year’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It isn’t. First of all it isn’t quite as good, but secondly the story is very different. Yes, both feature stunning martial arts displays, including fighting in tree-tops and across water, but they differ in many respects.

The story centre’s around the Nameless hero who comes to the King of Qin in order to present him with three weapons, as a sign that he has defeated the three greatest assassins; Sky, Snow and Broken Sword. Nameless then proceeds to tell how he obtained the spear and two swords.

Things are not that simple however, and the King offers a different interpretation to events. He does not believe that Nameless is the saviour he makes out to be.

The story is set in present day China around 2,000 years ago, and tells of how the King of Qin set out to ruthlessly conquer the six kingdoms, and to enforce peace.

Visually the film is stunning, there is no doubt. And the fight scenes are more than entertaining. But overall the film is quite distant from the audience. Perhaps it is because the culture is so foreign to me? Or maybe it is simply the style, I don’t know. But I never really engaged with any of the characters, well perhaps a small bit at the end, but I still didn’t really understand their actions.

What I found really interesting about this film is that the central moral seems so different from what one would expect in a “western” film.Show Spoilers ▼

Enjoyable, Entertaining, but lacks something

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when you have nothing to do. Still unemployed, thinking about heading back to Dublin and looking for a temp job while I wait. Is it just me or are libraries really really slow about getting back in touch regarding positions. I mean I just got a letter from somewhere that I don’t even remember applying to, looked it up and found out I’d applied before I left college! That was months and months ago.

Still the whole living in Sligo thing prolly isn’t helping all that much, after all there is nothing here and anyone thinking of giving me a job prolly wonders about me having to move and all. Ah well, guess I’ll have to see about scraping some money together and look for somewhere to live in Dublin, reckon I’ll try for somewhere in the city centre, but no decisions yet.

In other news, I went to see Hellboy. Really liked it, check out that link for my review.

Was doing a little catching up on blogs I used to read on a regular basis (need to get proper access this slow dial-up is getting to be a bit of a drag, plus it doesn’t seem right that I’m sponging off the parents). Anyways, found an interesting post at Crickets and Daisies all about wanting, should I say, needing to vent your opinions when you overhere other people being a little ignorant in what they say.

Now while I often feel like kicking people I know I’d never say anything to anyone. Not sure why. Maybe it is the Irish “non-complaining” thing, but plenty of other Irish people stick their noses in where they aren’t wanted. And I will give out if people are actually annoying me, I threatened a gang of noisy boys when I was at the cinema, but I think that as society grows apart people are less likely to confront others. The reason; well you never know what their reaction might be. You might think that you are just helping someone out by pointing out the cinema is not a good place for a mobile phone conversation on who’s seeing who. They might think you are a nosey cow in need of slap for listening into their conversation.

So opinions on stuff, good to hae, good to share, but then again can be good to keep them to yourself as well. Judgement calls are part of what makes life so interesting don’t you think?

Current track: Your Ghost - Kristen Hersh

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dir. Guillermo del Toro

Starring:

* Ron Perlman - Hellboy
* John Hurt - Professor Bruttenholm
* Rupert Evans - John Myers
* Selma Blair - Liz Sherman
* Karel Roden - Rasputin

Before I had heard about this film I had never heard of the comics, never really heard of the character of Hellboy at all, so I wasn’t “mad fer it.” But, after hearing a few positive reviews I decided I’d have to check it out at some stage. Then the trailers put me off, did anyone else get them in blocks of three? And I know that most everyone has praised del Toro’s Blade II, personally I preferred the first. Ah well, the film was on at the right time so I popped along.
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