X-Men: The Last Stand, or The States stands at last.

X-Men: The Last Stand, or The States stands at last.

Whenever we watch the super hero films, the images which draw our attentions are the miracle power and amazing body-building weapons. However, deep inside the story of these super heroes, many of them based on the society circumstances at the time they were written. ‘X-Men’ is one of the powerful super hero movies which monitor the current issues in the society that we rarely recognize.
As well as the other sci-fi movies, The Last Stand connects the story to world’s current issues. In the beginning of the story, becoming mutants are not accepted like being the second-class people or being colored people. Moreover, being the mutants may relate to those who are unaccepted homo-sexual. But their senses of humanity prevent them from doing wrong. This may be compared to the western-base education system those second class people have that lead to the acceptation from the upper class society.
Interestingly, after the September 11 crisis, The Last Stand also portrays the strong image of Americans ideology that admires the hero who fights with bad people (the terrorists, and those who are not US followers). It also helps making the positive image of American government policy in declaring wars on terrorists. The gathering of different mutant bases shows the cooperation of many countries that join U.S. in such the policy.
The Angel (or Archangel) accurately portrays the images of being American with his character of eagle which is the symbol of The States. He is the heir and CEO of the multi-billion dollar Worthington Industries. This privileged background resulted in Warren being stereotyped as an arrogant and fun-loving playboy during his early years with the X-Men, but the trials and tribulations of personal experience have tempered him with humility and deepened his character over the course of time. He is the last one who saves the important person at the end of the story. This shows that The States can help the world from any crisis circumstances with the others mutants, or cooperative as the back-up people.

PS. The Angel, in film, is not a mutant so he cannot hide his wings. This shows that the States is also not a mutant but other cooperative countries are.

Spanglish

Spanglish explores the complexities of Mexican immigrates in American society

Spanglish is an easy viewing film with many hidden messages. It is a cross blend of several different themes. Meanwhile, the underlying aspects are cultural and language clash.

Flor(Paz Vega) a single mother who crosses the Mexican border in favor to search for a better life especially for her beloved daughter(Cristina). In reality, there are more than 12% of Hispanic inhabitants in America thus, the movie is very informative on the culture of immigration into USA from the south without any ability to speak English.

Flor settles herself by working as a housekeeper in white American family, because the language barrier she has difficulties to express her emotion particularly appears on the scene that she was very angry and frustrated when John(Adam Sandler) overpaid her daughter for collecting colored pieces of glass from the beach. Throughout the scene the language obstacle strikes. Flor has to depend on Cristina to translate when she says. It points out how important it is to be able to speak the language due to it will let free from dependency.

Besides the language, Flor is determined to maintain her own Mexican cultural background and expects her daughter to be pround of their own identity. Even though her daughter seems to integrate well to the new cultural environment. At the end, the relationship between them are still tight.

Apart from the interesting cultural differences and the enlightening life of immigration, this movie is full of entertainment and intertwines in many aspects of real life.

Som(Phitchaya Phugpadoong)

http://sonypictures.com/homevideo/spanglish/index.html

Memoirs of a Geisha

“For my world is as forbidden as it is fragile,

without its mysteries, it cannot survive.”

Shizako Hoshi, Sayuri narrator

The declaration above has stunned me from the beginning of the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha." At first, I was curious why a geisha was fragile and why her mytery had to be hidden.

Memoir of a Geisha is the movies that catch my eyes. Every scene proceeds so incredible through combining the great techniques of light setting. The melodies of solo violin could bring me to the feeling of this secret memoir of the great artist for that time. It deserved to get the Golden Globe winner in best score, for John Williams.

Though there is some interrupted of the Ziyi Zhang’s performance (Sayuri), considered not as good as Gong Li does (Hatsumomo). Without the glamorous light and costume Ziyi Zhang would not be the successful in Geisha’s performance. Throughout the film Gong Li could display the passions of a Geisha that are longing for love and finally losing everything. She could reinforce the audience to hate her being touchy, yet feel sympathy for her behavior in the same time.

Why does she have to be envious with Sayuri and Pumpkin?

What will have happen after she had left the house?

Leaving some dialogue for characters to speak in Japanese could help the audience to feel about the scent and flavor of being oriented. Though the audience might not know the meaning of Japanese language, the scenes and the performances could help in getting the surface meaning.

Many believe was portrayed in this movie. For example, the pray that Sayuri did in the temple was proved that it could become true, and the striking of stones brought good luck for the geisha. Those believes told me that in every life we have a chance to believe and hope in a particular thing. One of the most interesting aspects is not waiting for the chance to come but go and reach for it.

How many awards does this movie won?
visit Memoirs of a Geisha Official Site

Pawinee Nim-anussornkul (Pik)