Sandcastle

Shot within 18 days on shoestring budget, its rough and austere form reminds me of the early works from the Chinese Sixth Generation Directors. And like their best outputs, Sandcastle is audacious in its thematic matters. Although it leaves much to be said, the fact that it dares to touch upon such a taboo in Singapore - its recent history and the public discourse of it, is in itself touching. If more of such films are allowed to surface, we can see hope in its national cinema.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

The opening sequences are a bit bland, as if it isn't quite sure where it is leading to. But my, this most unpredictable film is full of surprises and has touched me at the most unexpected moments. Thomas Horn is excellent as the boy who has a mission - to uncover the 'truth' his late father might have set him to. But the greatest moments are when Max von Sydow shines on the screen and he does so with his face and body only as the mysterious muted old man whose stories we can only guess at. And Sandra Bullock, I don't think she has given such a subdued yet brilliant performance ever since her Speed. The rest of the ensemble have also been more than adequate.

Jane Eyre

It must be a very popular item, for it took me a while to get hold of it from the library. And probably there was such rave reviews about its casting, I end up with a rather mixed feeling about it. Unlike numerous other adaptations, this 2011 version tells the story mainly with flashbacks, and also tries to bring an austere focus on the two leading characters by removing lots of minor details. There is also a striking gothic look to the film due to the audacious use of lighting. In this sense, the film breathes a fresh air to an beloved classic. The casting of Mia Wasikowaka as Jane is, as many observes, an inspired choice. Her relative young age and the unusual minimum make-up also makes her probably a lot closer to the character depicted in the book. What seems utterly shocking is there appears to be so little between Jane and Rochester to convince us that theirs is a true love that will draw Jane back to him after inheriting an unexpected fortune. And in addition, it is the first time that it dawns on me that Rochester is not only cold-hearted and cruel (he attacks nearly everybody around him), but we know literarily nothing about him: what he does while he is away, for example. This is rather weird: because while I can remember the dialogues between them, I cannot recall seeing him in such a light ever before. Is it my memory that is playing a trick on me or this particular adaptation has brought out those issues for the first time? Another shocking discovery was the film adaption whose soundtrack I remembered so well was actually made in 1970, not in the 1940s.

Smilla's sense of snow

This is one of the best finds in recent months. A strong and edgy heroine with a damaged enigmatic past who is determined to solve a murder case apparently too big and complicated for her delicate frame. And yet she forges on despite the threat of imprisonment and risk of life. Like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the plot is near implausible, especially in the final thirty minutes, and yet it never fails to grip you with its build-up of atmosphere, the fine performance of Julia Ormond and her chemistry with the charismatic Gabriel Bryne in a mysterious role.

Drive

Drive is a difficult book. I could not quite follow its story and I found none of the characters engaging. I have bought the DVD film because of one thing: Ryan Gosling. And he hasn't disappointed. Actually, I was hooked the minute from the credit sequence: Cary Mulligan is in it. And the chemistry between her and Ryan is just brilliant. I still find the story a bit thin, but then the music, as well as the performance, creates a surreal world where such thing doesn't seem matter that much, at least when you are immersed in it anyway.

Mother

This Korean movie is, on the surface of it, about a mother's desperate efforts to prove the innocence of her retard son who has just been accused of murder. In the last ten to fifteen minutes however, it becomes an observation on human nature and what it can drive us to do in the name of love. 'Mother' gave a virtuous performance, especially in the closing sequence when she dances in the open field to the music only we can hear. It feels as if she is then completely free - beyond any moral boundaries. With this film, Boon Joon-ho proves once again his power in depicting the blurring of the conventional moral boundaries.

Raising Victor Vargas

It is so raw yet real and powerful, one can hardly believe it is made in America.