Empire of the Sun (spoilers)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

CMJ...You were....

...right!

Empire of the Sun is an awesome movie. I'm too tired to go into why right now, but I'll try to find time tomorrow.

*drags her exhausted body to bed*

[Leeloo Mina]

Empire of the Sun?

o_O

*has mental images of the Death Star and Vader operating from a base on the sun*

[JonathanLB]

I've still not seen this movie, which I know is pretty lame to say.

Well, what can you do, one movie at a time. Actually more like 10 movies at a time for me, haha :)

I added 10 reviews last Thursday night before I left for Portland and the AOTC IMAX screening, then I have 15 reviews done and ready to post Thursday or Friday of this week. Definitely will be posted before I leave Friday for Portland, though, early afternoon.

I'm amazed by the amount of writing I'm doing each week, I never thought I had so much motivation in me for it all, hehe. I've been doing about 15 to 20 pages per week, which in "book pages" would be more like 35-50% more. I'm writing the equivalent of a book in reviews every ten weeks.

When I get to a really fun section of my reviewing work (hey it's all fun), I'll go through all of the most important directors in world cinema and review their work as completely as possible, and of course Spielberg is a director I greatly admire but haven't still seen all of his work. Empire of the Sun we have at home on DVD, my parents say it is great, but I've not seen it yet.

I can't wait until I get to do my director studies, though, because that's definitely going to be one of my favorite goals. I'll write profiles of each of them and review all of their work and make linkable sections on the site and whatnot. I'm mainly looking forward to seeing most of Hitchcock's stuff, but there are many directors who I've not had enough of yet, just their most popular work, so I'll make sure to change that.

Wow, I didn't realize I wrote so much in the last week, my god.

Ok here is what I did in the last 6 days, now I'm not normally that impressed with my own accomplishments lately, I'm usually disappointed, but this isn't bad! Here:

-Read 160 pages of my philosophy "reasoning and writing" book and studied for a midterm in the class, which I think I got around a 95-100% on (very easy test for me).

-Watched 13 movies (more than 2 per day, on average).

-Attended 10 hours of class and spent another few on reading and homework for other classes.

-Wrote TWENTY-SIX (26) full pages of reviews for 15 movies, without any double spacing of said pages.

[CMJ]

Really impressive Jonathan. :)

LD, I TOLD you it was great! I think it's one of Spielberg's most underrated films.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

My goodness, I will have to watch it again, as I was online at the time, and sometimes I was talking to people on AIM during the movie...but I did catch MOST of it...and it was great!

Christian Bale did an amazing job as Jim...at the end when his mother and father come to get him, I just bawled. He looked so battleworn, like a soldier. Which, in many ways, he was.

All the nuances of this movie really make it worth seeing. John Malkovich as the American (can't recall his name) turned in a great preformance as well. The cinematography = top notch. The little things really make this movie one to watch again (as I'm sure I've missed more than half of them already.)

The movie was beautiful, and heartwrenching. I really came to identify with Jim through Bale's incredible portrayal of a British kid during WWII who has lived in China his whole life. When he was told off by the doctor for wanting the Japanese to win the war, he says "I know I'm British... I've never been there, you know."

Aaaaaaahhh too much to say! Another great quote "You taught me that people will do anything for a potato."

Excellent movie, drop everything you're doing, Jonathan, and see it now.

[CMJ]

Incredible film....some comments in reaction to Holly.

I agree, at the end when he's reunited with his family...I don't cry at many movies, but I did there. One of Spielberg's most emotional movies...

You picked some good quotes, but my favoorites were

"I learned a new word today...Atom Bomb. It was like God taking a photograph."

AND even though it was a running gag....

"You want a Hershey Bar kid?"

"Yeah."

"So do I, you got one?"


Bale is magnificent. I still think it's probably the best child performance I've ever seen. Malkovich was great as Basie....

The cinematography and production design are incredible. The film has numerous great scenes....my favorite is when the Japanese kamakzee pilots are about to go off when Jim sings and then right as they take off the P-51's come roaring in. WONDERFUL sequence.

I could go on and on....

[Lilaena De'Ville]

That sequence you mentioned was one of my favorites! (man can he sing! Do you know if he did that singing himself or not? I know he sang in Newsies.. *swoon*)

The part right before he says "I learned a new word today, Atom bomb" with the young Japanese pilot and the mango was heart wrenching!

The way his character basically kept everything together for the people around him was touching. Basie was despicable and yet not a totally unsympathetic character. I'm going to have to watch it again tonight I think... or I'll take it to my sister's tomorrow and make her watch it with me. ;) Or both.

Augh now I wish I owned it!

[CMJ]

To my knowledge he sang, but it's not his voice on the finished film. I'm "pretty" sure they dubbed over it. The mango sequnce was really good...also a great couple of lines.

"He was my friend!"

"He was a Jap Jim."

"He gave me a mango!"

"I'll give you a goddam fruit salad, there are frigidaires falling from the sky!"

[James Prent]

Yes....SO GOOD. I'm definetely taking this to my sister's tomorrow and tying the tribe up and making her watch it in peace. Or something. ^_^;

oops, wrong account. :lol

[CMJ]

Just slightly. :p

[JMK]

I think we're all learning to deal with your.....uhhh......errrr..

....multiple personalities?

:lol

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Multiple accounts != multiple personalities! :D Just a different face for the same person. ;)

I loved (in Empire of the Sun) the scene in his mother's bedroom near the beginning of the movie, with the powder that had been spilled all over the floor, and the story you could see in the foot prints and the 'claw' marks from fingers in the powder. Chilling.

[CMJ]

Yeah...that was a great scene, and one I had meant to mention.

[JonathanLB]

"Excellent movie, drop everything you're doing, Jonathan, and see it now."

Haha, well... we'll see if I can fit it in, how about that. I might be able to see it this weekend if I watch the new releases, see Harry Potter (I have to be ready for the sequel; a good critic shouldn't rate a sequel without seeing the original), then see the 3 Netflix movies I got, and umm, then I have a lot of AFI top 100 films here, but maybe I can fit Empire of the Sun in somehow.

I am sure it is great, sounds like it anyway.

[imported_STELA'SHLIT'NURUODO]

You people don't like music?

The best part of the movie to me was the sound track. Ok well not everyone is into music as much as me. I was in high school band just after the movie came out on vhs. We played the theme for a marching number(was our closer). Great number. The highs and lows of the theme are very intrancing. This song to me sums up the movie in music. The slow rythmic section to start. The build to the mid section where the frenzy exciting part lies. The them conclusion of warm mellow tones. Wonderful job of music writing. It is alot like a rolercoaster. the long climb to the peak the the ride to the end. The movie was like this. It had slow parts but that is ok . Slow part just add structure. Movies that are action from begining to end tend to piss me off. And modern movies lack the sound track of later movies. I miss that. lol
Sure you have music in the background of films but This film had it in the fore ground. It moved the plot it caught the attention.
Ok I know im going on about this too much but being a musician, music means alot to me and I had to give the soundtrack on this film its props.

done with my 2 cents

[CMJ]

No I didn't forget about it...I think it's one of Williams best scores. LD didn't bring it up which is why I didn't.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

OH, btw I loved the score. Very good. ;)

John Willams is my favorite modern composer for a bazillion reasons. Well, a bazillion and one now. :)

[Figrin D'an]

I watched this film a couple of months ago on one of the satellite movie channels. I hadn't seen it for probably 8-9 years or so. It was even better than I remember it being. I certainly agree with CMJ and LD... one of Spielberg's true gems that kind of gets lost on his incredible resume. I'd definately consider getting it on DVD.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Do they HAVE it on DVD??

Oh wait, no DVD player. :cry

[Figrin D'an]

Yeah, it's available on DVD. As of fairly recently I believe... maybe last year.

* Comforts LD *

Well... Christmas is right around the corner! Maybe someone will be nice enough to get you one! :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Yes my list consists of:

AotC WIDESCREEN DVD (my sister bought the full screen one! Hatessss it we do...)
FotR:EE DVD
DVD player

:D

In Empire of the Sun, I must add that the beginning and ending shots are SO amazing. The coffins in the water, and then his suitcase..signalling the death of the child he was, or the death of his life in the camps... Powerful.