OT: "i think" lust caution

[doug maverick]

this might be off topic but since we talked bou this film a little on another thread i figured i mine as well give it a review.

first here's the plot:

Shanghai, 1942. The World War II Japanese occupation of this Chinese city continues in force. Mrs. Mak, a woman of sophistication and means, walks into a café, places a call, and then sits and waits. She remembers how her story began several years earlier, in 1938 China. She is not in fact Mrs. Mak, but shy Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei). With WWII underway, Wong has been left behind by her father, who has escaped to England. As a freshman at university, she meets fellow student Kuang Yu Min (Wang Leehom) Kuang has started a drama society to shore up patriotism. As the theater troupes new leading lady, Wong realizes that she has found her calling, able to move and inspire audiences and Kuang. He convenes a core group of students to carry out a radical and ambitious plan to assassinate a top Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee (Tony Leung). Each student has a part to play; Wong will be Mrs. Mak, who will gain Yees trust by befriending his wife (Joan Chen) and then draw the man into an affair. Wong transforms herself utterly inside and out, and the scenario proceeds as scripted until an unexpectedly fatal twist spurs her to flee. Shanghai, 1941. With no end in sight for the occupation, Wong having emigrated from Hong Kong goes through the motions of her existence. Much to her surprise, Kuang re-enters her life. Now part of the organized resistance, he enlists her to again become Mrs. Mak in a revival of the plot to kill Yee, who as head of the collaborationist secret service has become even more a key part of the puppet government. As Wong reprises her earlier role, and is drawn ever closer to her dangerous prey, she finds her very identity being pushed to the limit... Written by Focus Features

now the review:

as expected from a student ofthe great marty scoresesse this flm is fantastic in its artistry and techincal aspect. While the film does have a dash of wong kar wai "stone soup"(wich has so mny ingredient u don't know what your tasting) thi movie is slow cooked ang lee "beef stew"(sorry for the food analogies haven;t eaten dinner yet) te film takes a long time to build but hen it does you enjoy but just when ur enjoying it it stops and then slows downand then speeds up again and hen slows down and speeds up again(you get my drift) tony leung is in great form in this film his acting is first rate and i think i can say his washis best perfomance ever. tang wei who i honestly have not heard of but want to see mor of her now was also fantastic as an actress playing an actress playing a role. the film ofcourse has built some notoriety for its explicit sex scene's garnering it an nc 17 rating(which is actually an X rating) my girlfried and i kept looking at each other wondering if tony and tang wei were really having intercourse. now let me digress to say although the sex was wild and crazy i didn;t find it to atractive mainly because the actress had under arm hai and i just can;t get down with that but this was during world war two era so i'll let it go. the only thing that had me screaming in this film is the extremely slow pacing, but watching tang become a spy how she had to go about doing(spoiler) she had to lose her virginity to one of her friends who is a *****monger so he could know how to have sex to lure tony's character in, among other things. if you go see this film i recommend that u go well rested and u have lots of snacks to keep you occupied. cause while you'll enjoy the movie u won;t enjoy the ride.

[GeneChing]

Taiwan Withdraws Lee's Film From Oscars
By MIN LEE – 1 day ago

HONG KONG (AP) — Ang Lee's new spy thriller, "Lust, Caution," has been withdrawn as Taiwan's entry for the best foreign film category at next year's Oscars.

"An insufficient number of Taiwanese participated in the production of the film," said Oscar spokeswoman Teni Melidonian in an e-mail, violating a rule that requires foreign countries to certify that their locals "exercised artistic control" over their submission.

Taiwan has replaced "Lust, Caution" with Chen Huai-en's "Island Etude," about a university student's bicycle tour of Taiwan.

Chen Chun-jer, acting director of the Taiwanese government's movie department, said the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences requires that at least some of the movie's personnel in cinematography, music, recording and costume design be locals.

"We and Ang Lee are disappointed," Chen said. "Lee has a good chance of winning an Oscar. This movie was also popular in Taiwan."

Chen said the government respected the Oscar requirements.

Stanley Hung, secretary-general of Taiwan's Motion Picture and Drama Association — the body that decides the island's best foreign film Oscar entry — has appealed the film's rejection.

"Lust, Caution," about the sexually charged relationship between an undercover activist and the Japanese-allied intelligence chief in World War II-era Shanghai, won the top Golden Lion prize at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Lee won the best director Oscar last year for "Brokeback Mountain." His kung-fu hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," won the best foreign language film Oscar for Taiwan in 2001.

His movies also include "Hulk" and "Sense and Sensibility."

The withdrawal of "Lust, Caution" is a political blow to Taiwan, which views Lee, 52, and his Oscar win as a symbol for national success as it asserts a separate identity from mainland China.

So what do you really think? Too pornographic to represent?

[doug maverick]

i mean the sex scenes were explicit but in the realm of senses was nominated in the seventies and it had real intercourse. i think they withdrew because they thought it wouldn't win the nc17(which is really X) really hindred it at the box office i mean even in new york it was only playing at two theaters and they were very small theaters. to bad they withdrew it cuase except for exiled there isn;t to much compition in the forien film catagory

[GeneChing]

...he knows how to stir up controversy.

Ang Lee's 'Lust, Caution' fails to qualify for most Hong Kong Film Awards
The Associated Press
Published: October 25, 2007

HONG KONG: Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" can't qualify for the major categories at the Hong Kong Film Awards — a major honor in Chinese-language cinema — because not enough Hong Kong residents worked on the movie, organizers said Thursday.

The news comes after the Oscars rejected the spy thriller as Taiwan's entry for best foreign film, because not enough Taiwanese took part in making it.

Lee, who won best director Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain" last year, hails from Taiwan.

The much-hyped "Lust, Caution" is about a sexually charged relationship between an undercover activist (Tang Wei) and the Japanese-allied intelligence chief (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) in World War II-era Shanghai.

The Hong Kong Film Awards event is open to movies that meet at least two of three requirements: a Hong Kong director, a Hong Kong film company and at least eight Hong Kong residents were among the key creative talent. The requirement of eight Hong Kongers among the production crew was raised from six last year.

One of the investors in "Lust, Caution," — Hong Kong's Edko Films Ltd. — told organizers that not enough Hong Kongers had worked on the film for it to qualify for the major award categories, like best film and best director, Michelle Tsang, the administration manager of the Hong Kong Film Awards, told The Associated Press.

Lead actor Leung is from Hong Kong, but lead actress Tang is mainland Chinese. Director Lee and script writer Wang Hui-ling are Taiwanese, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto is Mexican and composer Alexandre Desplat is French.

An Edko executive didn't immediately return a reporter's call seeking comment.

However, Tsang said the film, which has earned millions of U.S. dollars (euros) at Taiwan and Hong Kong box offices, qualifies for the best Asian film prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards, which is open to non-Hong Kong movies.

The movie's recent problems in meeting film award requirements stem from a growing integration in the Chinese-speaking film industry. It is common for Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan to pool resources and talent.

Commenting on the trend, Lee recently told Taiwan's CTI Cable News: "With Chinese-language films, their production systems and audiences are spread out wide."

The best-known Chinese-language film honor is Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, open to all Chinese-language movies. "Lust, Caution" has qualified for that event, scheduled for Dec. 8 in Taipei.

"Lust, Caution" Up for Golden Horse
2007-10-28 18:57:45 CRIENGLISH.com
This year's Golden Horse Film Awards in Taiwan will be highlighted by many mainland film talents and Ang Lee's spy thriller "Lust, Caution" vying for half of the awards.

On the list of nominees announced on Saturday, "Lust, Caution" appears 11 times, almost half the number of total awards, including best director, best actor, best actress and best film.

The other four competitors for best film are "Qing Fei De Yi," "The Home Song Stories," and mainland films "Getting Home" and "Tuya's Marriage."

Challenging Taiwan-born Ang Lee in the best director category are veteran Hong Kong script writer and first-time director Yau Nai-Hoi (Eye in the Sky), Wang Quan'an (Tuya's Marriage), and Li Yang (Blind Mountain). The last two are both from the mainland.

"Lust, Caution"'s Tony Leung is up for the best actor award. His rivals include Hong Kong singer and actor Aaron Kwok (The Detective) and prominent mainland comedian Zhao Benshan (Getting Home).

Best actress will be selected from four mainland-born actresses, namely Yu Nan (Tuya's Marriage), Joan Chen (The Home Song Stories), Li Bingbing (The Knot), and Tang Wei (Lust, Caution).

Tang Wei was also nominated for best new performer.

Mainland actor and director Jiang Wen's "The Sun Also Rises," which lost Venice's Golden Lion award to "Lust, Caution," got two nominations for best screenplay adaptation and best editing.

Taiwan pop king Jay Chou's directorial debut, "Secret," managed to bag five nominations, including best original film song and best Taiwan film of the year.

Jay Chou will also vie to be named best Taiwan filmmaker of the year along with Ang Lee and "Qing Fei De Yi" director Doze Niu.

The final winners will be announced on December 8.

Now I'm thinking this is all a Taiwan vs PRC issue...

[doug maverick]

Yeah its looks like that to me. the thing is lust caution is a really boring movie because of the pacing idk if you've seen it yet but i wish i would've seen this movie in the bronx so the audience would've made it more exciting. i got know feeling of suspense as you should in a spy film also with such intense sex scenes the killing scenes were extremely lack luster. i think when shooting sex scenes you have to make it sensual you have make the audience feel aroused by watching the scene instead of being disturbed like lust caution's love scenes also on a personal note i hated seeing tony luengs ball sack they could've kept that shot to themselves.

I just thought if the sex scenes were going to be the only action in the film it should have been done better and more sensual also there was no real verbal action no feeling that she was going to get caught in the beginning you had a feeling that tony lueng knew but they didn't build on it which i wish they did. there was just little moments here there but i wish they would just built upon it. but you did feel for tang wei character how she was just basically used and abused by both lueng and her own people. the story was great but the way it was told was wrong.

[sanjuro_ronin]

i think when shooting sex scenes you have to make it sensual you have make the audience feel aroused by watching the scene instead of being disturbed like lust caution's love scenes also on a personal note i hated seeing tony luengs ball sack they could've kept that shot to themselves.

LOL !!

Seriously, how explicit was it?
Comparable to what movie(s) ?

[doug maverick]

this movie goes right under in the realm of sence's when it comes to the sex scenes which means your gonna think tony is really plowing her. but its not attractive at all cause it looks like tony is raping the chick

[sanjuro_ronin]

this movie goes right under in the realm of sence's when it comes to the sex scenes which means your gonna think tony is really plowing her. but its not attractive at all cause it looks like tony is raping the chick

Eww..never cared for that crap...only one scene?

[doug maverick]

i didn't like that film at all. but there's a film worst then both these films combined its a french film call anatomy of hell. you have to have astrong stomach for that one

[sanjuro_ronin]

i didn't like that film at all. but there's a film worst then both these films combined its a french film call anatomy of hell. you have to have astrong stomach for that one

Yes, that one was quite disturbing, so was bassie moi.

[doug maverick]

was bassei moi the one with the girl going around f ucking and killing guys yeah that was pretty crazy but doesn't beat the bloody d!ck scene or the period blood tea scene in anatomy of hell

[sanjuro_ronin]

was bassei moi the one with the girl going around f ucking and killing guys yeah that was pretty crazy but doesn't beat the bloody d!ck scene or the period blood tea scene in anatomy of hell

Yep that's the one and yep, I agree.
Rocco should stick to porn.

[doug maverick]

yea that was just disturbing

[sanjuro_ronin]

yea that was just disturbing

Dman french !

[doug maverick]

yeah those movies are meant to shock but they don't have any real structure