Gattaca

In fall 2020, I watched the movie Gattaca on DVD. The Sci-Fi movie was released in 1997. The lead is Ethan Hawke. 

The story follows Vincent, who was born without gene manipulation and struggles to make his dream come true of becoming an astronaut as an "Invalid" in a future where people born with gene manipulation are called "Valids" and are supposed to become elites in the society. 

Ethan Hawke played Vincent with enthusiasm, who has complicated feelings as an "Invalid" about his little brother, Anton, who is a "Valid." Jude Law also gave a sensitive and cool performance as the disable "Invalid" Jerome who at first reluctantly but gradually readily assists Vincent's dream come true. Vincent is less restless than Jerome. It might be because he is an "Invalid." Uma Thurman acted as the mysterious stunner Irene, who is an "Invalid" and lends her decorative figure to the drama of the three men. 

The Sci-Fi movie is also a human drama because it focuses on the human events among the four main characters. The above-mentioned two men and woman's performances are especially worth watching. 

Each person's life is predetermined by their own genes to some extent, however, geniuses tend to be conceited. People are impressed by ordinary persons who believe in their own potential and increase their efforts. Then such passionate ordinary ones occasionally come to surpass lazy geniuses. Anyone must not be vain.

ガタカ

2020年秋、『ガタカ』をDVDにて観賞。1997年公開のSF映画。イーサン・ホーク主演。

遺伝子操作によって生まれた「適正者」が社会のエリートとなる世の中で、自然妊娠で生まれた「不適正者」のヴィンセントが、宇宙飛行士になるという自分の夢実現のために奮闘する物語。

「適正者」である弟に複雑な気持ちを抱いている、「不適正者」の兄ヴィンセントをイーサン・ホークが熱演。そして、そんな彼の夢実現に手を貸す、身体障碍者で「適正者」のジェロームを演じるのがジュード・ロウ。最初は投げやりだったが徐々にヴィンセントへの協力を惜しまなくなるジェロームの心の動きを、クールに演じ切っている。ジェロームに比べると、ヴィンセントは少し落ち着きが無い。それは、彼が「不適正者」故だったのかもしれない。そんな２人の男のドラマに、ユマ・サーマン演じる、ミステリアスな「適正者」の美女アイリーンが花を添えている。

SF映画ではあるが、主眼が置かれているのは、主要人物たちが織り成す人間模様であるため、ドラマ映画とも言える。特に前述の３人の掛け合いは見応えがある。

人の人生は、ある程度は遺伝子で決まってしまう。だが、天才という人種はとかく天狗になりがちだ。そして、可能性を信じて努力を重ねる凡才の姿こそが人を感動させるし、そんな情熱を持った凡才たちが怠惰な天才たちを時に凌駕する。何人たりとも驕るべきではない。

Booksmart

In September 2020, I watched Booksmart at Movix Kameari. The movie was released in 2019 in the United States. Olivia Wild, an also female actor, made her directorial debut with it.

The story follows two girls who have been serious high school students and go crazy one night before their graduation ceremony. The duo consists of Molly and Amy performed by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever respectively.

This is my most favorite youth comedy film that I have ever watched. Usually, the kind of movie stars a quite beautiful actress like Elle Funning, however, although it has a beautiful chick, Bilie Lourd, who is late Carrie Fisher’s daughter, yet she is just an underpart. As for two main characters, both of them are not stunners, they are very attractive though. I could concentrate on the story itself because no extraordinary actors appear, moreover, it elaborately describes each supporting character, so I could enjoy myself at the movie all along the line.

Then I got a fresh impression from the depiction of lesbianism. I watched lesbian romance for the first time and I recognized anew that homosexuality is not only between gays, so couples of women holding hands in town have made me smile and comfortable after the night.

The uniqueness and amusement of the two main characters attracted me the most in the film after all. Both of them appear at the beginning performing comical dances, and then they keep on amusing until the end. The charming duo exhilarated and pleased me quite much. 

ブックスマート

2020年９月、『ブックスマート 卒業前夜のパーティーデビュー』をMovix亀有にて観覧。2019年公開作。女優でもあるオリヴィア・ワイルドの初監督作品。

真面目に高校生活を送っていた二人の女の子、ビーニー・フェルドスタインとケイリトン・デヴァーがそれぞれ演じるモリーとエイミーが、卒業式前にハメを外すお話。

これまでに観た青春コメディの中で一番好きな作品。この手の映画は、通常、エル・ファニングのような典型的な美女を主演に据えるもの。しかし、本作にはキャリー・フィッシャーの娘でもある、ビリー・ロードという美人女優が出てはいるものの、彼女は脇役だし、主役の二人はと言えば、それぞれ魅力的だが、目を奪われるような美貌の持ち主ではない。そして、突出した存在の登場人物がいない分、物語そのものに集中でき、おまけに、脇役である他のクラスメートたちの事もそれぞれ丁寧に描かれているので、隅から隅まで楽しめる素晴らしい作品だ。

最も新鮮だったのは、レズについての描写。今回、初めてレズビアンの恋愛を観た。同性愛はゲイだけではない事を改めて認識でき、また、観覧後は街中で手を繋いで歩く女性たちが微笑ましく思えるようにもなった。

だが、この作品の最大の魅力は、何と言っても主役の２人のユニークさと面白さだろう。冒頭から変なダンスで登場した彼女たち。そんなノリが最後の最後まで続き、可愛らしくも、愉快で痛快なコンビだ。

The Conjuring

On a hot night in August 2020, I watched The Conjuring for the first time on TV. The film was released in 2013.

I hardly watch holler movies because I am not interested in them so much. In 2019, I watched It Chapter Two and Doctor Sleep at theaters because both of them were much-discussed, however, they were less horrible than Greta, which was a thriller released in the same year. I have been the most terrified of the movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which is based on a true story. I came to want to watch The Conjuring because it is also based on a true story.

The story follows a married couple and their five daughters who move into a large house in a country and have horrible experiences.

Although I was scared of it until halfway, yet I gradually doubted whether it is based on a true story and I came to lose fear.

The acting of the mother and wife was worthy of attention. She was wonderful. After watching it, I checked the beautiful actress on the internet and remembered that she had had a unique face and played in Say Anything and High Fidelity, both of which star John Cusack. What a change she had made! Her name is Lili Taylor. Women are great, who will become increasingly charming as they get old, such as Kathy Bates and Carrie Fisher.

死霊館

2020年８月の暑い夜、『死霊館』をTVにて初観賞。2013年公開作品。

ホラー映画は興味が無いのであまり観ない。2019年に、話題になっていたので、『イット THE END』と『ドクター・スリープ』を劇場観覧したが、２作とも同年に観たスリラー映画『グレタ』よりも怖くはなかった。過去に観たホラー映画で一番怖かったのは実話を基にしていた『エミリー・ローズ』。本作も実話とのことで視聴する気になった。

田舎の一軒家に引っ越してきた夫婦とその５人の娘からなるある一家が、恐ろしい体験をするお話。

途中まで怖かったが、徐々に、これは本当に実話なのか、という疑念が大きくなり、恐怖心が無くなった。

特筆すべきは、一家の母役の女優の演技。素晴らしかった。調べてみると、ジョン・キューザック主演の『セイ・エニシング』と『ハイフィデリティ』に出ていた個性的な顔立ちの若い女優が、年齢を重ねて割と綺麗な婦人へと変貌を遂げた姿だった。リリー・テイラー。キャシー・ベイツやキャリー・フィッシャーもそうだが、月日とともに魅力が増す女性は素敵だ。

Jaws

The movie Jaws was directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1975. I watched it for the first time on the television set when I was little. I firstly knew that Americans as well as Japanese dislike the sound made by a person scratching the surface of a chalkboard when I saw the scene in which the shark hunter Quint makes the sound having the people in the room frown at him. I had remembered it and how horrible the enormous man-eating shark was before I watched the film again at Cineca Omori, a movie theater in Tokyo, in August 2019. The movie was boring until the middle but it was fun after that. Then in August 2020, I watched it for the third time on TV.

The story follows a man-eating shark and the people living in a tourist island where the man-eating shark emerges.

The battle scenes between the enormous shark and three men on Quint's boat were especially wonderful toward the ending. The movie deserves to be called as a masterpiece.

Of the three men, Brody was the police chief and had seasickness. Unexpectedly, he was kind of pathetic and tended to bitch about trifles, which was funny. I think that kind of snobbish middle-aged men like him will tend to behave that way in extreme situations. The other two men were Quint, a  shark hunter, and Hooper, a young consulting oceanographer. I felt comfortable watching the young Hooper who adored but sometimes opposed to the fisherman with a lot of experiences. Then the bold Quint looked exactly to be a man among men. The trio was amusing.

Honestly, I was bored until the middle, however, the early part of the flick before the battle scenes against the shark properly describes how stupid and ugly the people desperately living in the local society about half a century ago were. I got profoundly depressed seeing it and remembering people in the world these days, for I felt that human beings would not mentally evolve easily. 

ジョーズ

スティーヴン・スピルバーグ監督作の『ジョーズ』。1975年公開。初観賞は子どもの頃にTVにて。鮫狩りのクイントが黒板に爪を立てて不快な音を立てた時に周りの人間が不快な顔をするのを観て日本人同様アメリカ人にとってもそれが不快な音であるのを知った事と、人食いザメが恐ろしかった事しか記憶に無いまま、2019年８月、キネカ大森にて再観賞。中盤まで若干退屈だったが、終盤はかなり楽しめた。そして、2020年８月、TVにて３度目の観賞。

人喰いザメが出没する観光地の島で、人間たちがそのサメと対決するお話。

特に、終盤の、船に乗った３人の男たちと巨大鮫との壮絶な戦いのシーンが素晴らしい。まさに名作という名にふさわしい作品だ。

その３人の中で、警察署長のブロディが、船酔いで意外とヘタレだったり、つまらない事で八つ当たりするのが可笑しかった。普段から体裁ばかり気にするオッサンは、皆、イザという時は大体あんな感じだと思う。そして、他の二人のうちの一人、鮫に詳しい若い学者フーパーが、漁の経験が豊富なもう一人の乗組員の漁師クイントに憧れつつ反発する姿も若者らしくて微笑ましい。また、その漁師の豪快さも男の中の男という表現がぴったりくる。愉快な３人組だ。

正直、前半は退屈だ。だが、そこでは人間社会で必死に生きている当時の人たちの愚かさや醜さがしっかりと描かれている。そして、その様は、現在の人たちとあまり変わらない。観賞後、人間は精神的には簡単に進化しないんだろうな、と改めて暗澹たる気持ちになった。

Kick-Ass

In August 2020, I watched Kick-Ass for the first time on DVD. The hero movie was released in 2010.

A geek high school student, who adores heroes and tries to be a hero wearing hero costumes, meets a father and a daughter, who are both heroes called Big Daddy and Hit Girl respectively. The story follows the three heroes who fight their enemies.

The movie made the young Chloe Grace Moretz famous, so I had planned to watch it for a long time because I had felt that I must watch it so that I could say that I am a big fan of Moretz with confidence. She was 13 years old at the release and she was unexpectedly charming when I watched it. I first watched her in Hugo. I kind of obligatorily watched the Martin Scorsese film because it was an assignment from the translation school which I attended. That is why I regarded her just cute at that time. I have become a big fan of her since I watched the thriller movie Greta. I did it twice at theaters. The mature Moretz was really fascinating, however, the cute Moretz as Hit Girl was also really charming. Moreover, Hit Girl was prettier and cooler than Harley Quinn who I watched in March 2020. I was really fascinated by the younger heroin's dignified bearing and quick attacks without hesitating. Besides, her expressions with full emotion was amazingly charming. Her bleeding face made me feel terrible after the villain hit her hard, but all the same she continued to have a brave look with fortitude. Anyway, Hit Girl was glamorous. In addition, I was allured by Moretz as Mindy who is a girl before transforming into Hit Girl.  

With apologies to his fans, the young lead left me a poor impression. Then I was less impressed by the movie star Nicolas Cage as Big Daddy, Hit Girl's father, than Moretz who gave a wonderful performance as Hit Girl and Mindy. Of course, those views are based on my personal preference. Anyhow, I really love Chloe Grace Moretz.

キック・アス

2020年８月、『キック・アス』をDVDにて初観賞。2010年公開のヒーロー映画。

ヒーローに憧れてその活動を始めたオタクの高校生と本物のヒーロー父娘、ビック・ダディとヒット・ガールが悪を退治する物語。

クロエ・グレース・モレッツの出世作として有名なので、彼女のファンである事を公言するなら観るべきだと思い、視聴。彼女は公開時13歳。想像以上に魅力的な女の子だった。彼女を初めて観たのは『ヒューゴの不思議な発明』。以前通っていた翻訳学校の課題作品だったので義務的に観たせいか、可愛い女の子がいるなという程度の印象だった。彼女のファンになったきっかけは、スリラー映画『グレタ』。２度劇場観覧した。大人になった彼女はとても魅惑的だった。だが、本作で女の子ヒーローのヒット・ガールを演じていた彼女もまた魅力的で、今年３月に観たハーレイ・クインよりも可愛くてカッコ良かった。彼女の凛とした立ち居振る舞い、ためらいの無い鋭い動きと攻撃、そして、その感情が溢れ出す可愛らしい表情に魅せられた。悪党に殴られて血みどろになるシーンは観ていて辛かったが、最後まで諦めない強い意志を感じる眼差しは凛々しくもあった。勿論、ヒット・ガールに変身する前の女の子ミンディも可愛かった。

ファンの方には申し訳ないが、主演の若い俳優の印象は薄い。ヒット・ガールの父親役の大物俳優、ニコラス・ケイジもクロエ・グレース・モレッツの熱演の前では、存在感があまり無かった。無論、これは、クロエ・グレース・モレッツが好き過ぎる私の独断と偏見である。

I Feel Pretty

In December 2018, I watched I Feel Pretty for the first time at Movix Kameari. The comedy movie was released in 2018.

The story describes the striving of a woman named Renee who has a complex about her appearance.

The movie touched me at that time, then it interested me in movies starring women and it became the trigger to watch Eighth Grade, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen II, Greta, Teen Spirit, Hustlers, Bombshell, Judy, Birds of Prey and Little Women.

In August 2020, I watched the 2018 movie again for the first time in 21 months, however, unlike the first time, I was not moved so much. Maybe it was because I had watched several more attractive heroines anew and I compared Renee with them.

Moreover, I did not feel that Renee was very fat. Rather, the feminine and plump appearance of her seemed adorable to me. The movie put skinny ladies around the heroin on purpose so as to create the impression that she was fleshy, yet, all the same, many of the viewers would regard the plump Renee with a beautiful face as a pretty woman. Thus, it is not so realistic that she has a complex about her looks. I am not in a position to say anything about this, but if the filmmakers had planned to make a drama movie and cast an actress really having a complex and being good at acting as Renee, the movie could have more effectively sent the message that your frame of mind makes a huge difference.

The theme is good, so I am sorry that the movie excessively focuses on the charm of the comedian Amy Schumer.

アイ・フィール・プリティ！

2018年12月、『アイ・フィール・プリティ！人生最高のハプニング』をMovix亀有で初観賞。2018年公開のコメディ映画。

外見にコンプレックスを持った女、レネーの奮闘記。

初観賞時は感動した。そして、この作品きっかけで、『エイス・グレード』、『マレフィセント２』、『アナ雪２』、『グレタ』、『ティーンスピリット』、『ハスラーズ』、『スキャンダル』、『ジュディ』、『ハーレイ・クイン』、『ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ』といった女性が主役の映画を好んで観覧し続けた。

そして、2020年８月、DVDにて１年９カ月ぶりに本作を再観賞したが、初回ほどの感動はなかった。それは、それまでに新たに観てきた魅力的なヒロインたちと本作のレネーを比較してしまっていた所為だと思う。

改めて観たレネーは、その女性らしいぽっちゃり体型が愛らしく見え、デブには感じなかった。劇中では、やたらと痩せた女性と並べさせられて、太めであることを印象付けられていたが、実際には、綺麗な顔立ちと共に、巷の男性の間では美人で通る容姿だと思う。だから、彼女が容姿にコンプレックスを持っている設定に若干現実味が無い。余計なお世話かもしれないが、本当にコンプレックスを持っていそうな、かつ、演技の上手い女優で本作をドラマ映画に仕上げていたら、気の持ちようで人生はどうにでもなる、というメッセージをより鮮明に表現出来たのではないかと思う。

テーマが良いだけに、コメディエンヌのエイミー・シューマーの為の映画になっている感が少し残念だ。

Blinded by the Light

In August 2020, I watched Blinded by the Light for the first time at Toho Cinemas Nihonbashi. The British drama movie was opened in 2019 and is based on a true story.

Javed is a high school student and a Pakistani living in a British local town. He has being annoyed by racists in the neighborhood and his relationship with his father. One day, he listens to some Bruce Springsteen songs and he is inspired a lot by the lyrics, and then he starts to live positively. The story describes his adolescence.

When I heard my favorite Bruce Springsteen's hit songs like "Dancing in the Dark," "Badlands," "The River," "Hungry Heart" and "Born to Run," I moved to tears for the first time in a while partly because of nostalgia. Although I have not been a big fan of Springsteen, yet I have liked many of his hit songs. The power of music is really amazing. I recognized it anew at that time.

The movie is good, though I did not know all of the characters except for Springsteen on the TV footage. Each actor played well as its role but did not impress me so much. However, some characters were so unique and charming that I suspected that they had really existed in the local town. I was impressed by a female school teacher, who was earnestly encouraging Javed to write, and a white old man, Javed's neighbor, who was also doing him to write poems. Then I felt really amused by the father of Matt, Javed's friend from childhood, who had a strong attachment to The Boss. Moreover, I felt deja vu and smiled in spite of myself when Matt said, "Billy Joel?" looking at Springsteen on a poster in the hands of Javed, for I had been laughed at by my friends when we were still boys and I confidently said, "He is Billy Joel," looking at Springsteen on the same poster mounted in a record shop.

I felt comfortable seeing how Javed has started to live cheerfully and positively listening to The Boss's great songs. In addition, I was happy and kind of amused at the change of Javed's father, who had had feud with his son, toward the ending.

I cannot understand why the film overly praises Springsteen and the United States despite being a British one, but all the same I believe that it is wonderful for an adolescent one.

カセットテープ・ダイアリーズ

2020年８月、『カセットテープ・ダイアリーズ』をTOHOシネマズ日本橋にて初観賞。2019年公開のイギリスのドラマ映画。事実に基づく物語。

イギリスのある地方都市で高校生活を送るパキスタン人ジャベドは、近隣住民からの人種差別行為や父親との関係について悩んでいたが、ある日、ブルース・スプリングスティーンのロック・ナンバーを聴いて、その歌詞に触発され前向きに生き始める。そんなジャベドの青春が描かれている。

ブルース・スプリングスティーンの「ダンシング・イン・ザ・ダーク」、「バッドランド」、「ザ・リバー」、「ハングリー・ハート」そして「明日なき暴走」といった名曲たちが流れ始めた途端、懐かしさもあって涙腺が崩壊した。久々の感涙。彼の大ファンだったわけではないが、名曲は名曲。音楽の力ってホントにスゴい。改めて思った。

作品自体も良作。だが、出演者は、劇中のテレビ画面に映っているブルース・スプリングスティーン以外は初めて見る役者さんばかりで、演技も、上手いとは思ったが、それ程凄いとは感じなかった。ただ、登場人物たちが、本当にその田舎町に実在していた人物なのかと思えるほど、それぞれ個性的で魅力的だった。ジャベドに詩や物語を書くことを熱心に勧める学校の女教師と、同じく彼に詩を書くことを勧める彼の家の隣に暮らす白人のお爺様が、共に印象的だった。そして、特に、ジャベドの幼友達マットの父親の、ブルース・スプリングスティーンへの傾倒ぶりが愉快だった。また、マットが、ジャベドが持っていたポスターに写っているブルース・スプリングスティーンを見て、「ビリー・ジョエル？」と聞いたシーンには、私にも、ブルース・スプリングスティーンのポスターを見ながら「彼はビリー・ジョエルだ」と、友達に自信満々で言って笑われた思い出があるだけに、デジャブだと感じつつ笑ってしまった。

ジャベドがブルース・スプリングスティーンの名曲たちを聴きながら、明るく前向きに生き始める姿は観ていて微笑ましかったが、ジャベドと確執のあった父親の終盤における変貌ぶりもまた微笑ましかった。

イギリス映画なのに、ボスとアメリカを過度に称賛している点が少し引っかかったが、青春映画としては素晴らしいと思う。

Café Society #2

In July 2020, I watched the movie Café Society again on DVD. I did it for the first time in June, which was the first time that I had watched a Woody Allen film at a theater. At that time, I was kind of in another world because the movie reminded me of his other films and some of my personal memories, so I had wanted to watch it again. That was why I rented the DVD of it.

The story follows the main character named Bobby who falls in love in a woman, is turned down by her after a while and nevertheless continues to love her.

Jesse Eisenberg played well as Bobby. I firstly watched Eisenberg in The Squid and the Whale. The presence of the young Eisenberg uniquely speaking left me a deep impression at that time. Then I was fascinated by his characteristic aura in The Social Network. Kristen Stewart acting Bobby's girl friend had costarred with Eisenberg twice before that. Honestly, I was not so impressed by her but at least I thought that she was beautiful.

Bobby's romance in it is common in the real world, so people with certain experiences would have resembling memories like that and they could easily understand Bobby's feelings easily. I think that memories of unforgettable women are all beautiful.

Although the story of his romance is just good, yet I think that the movie is worth watching thanks to the script and direction by Woody Allen. I do not like romances so much but I love some of them, such as When Harry Met Sally... and Serendipity. I believe that how good each drama and romance movie is depends on its script and direction.

Woody Allen might be made to retire due to the aftermath of the "Me Too" campaign. He is 83 years old now, so it might be about time, however, I feel kind of complicated about it because I would like to watch Allen's new film following his latest one, A Rainy Day in New York, which was fantastic. I hope that some movie theaters would play Allen's old movies like Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters in commemoration should he retire.

カフェ・ソサエティ #2

2020年７月、『カフェ・ソサエティ』を再観賞。６月に映画館で初観賞したが、それはウディ・アレン監督作の初劇場観覧でもあり、やたらと彼の他の作品の事や昔の事を思い出してしまって、その時は若干うわの空だった。その為、もう一度じっくり観たくなり、DVDをレンタルした。

ある女性に恋をし、束の間その恋は実るものの、結局振られてしまい、それでも、その女性を想い続ける男、ボビーの物語。

主人公を好演していたジェシー・アイゼンバーグを初めて観たのは『イカとクジラ』。彼の独特の話し方とその存在感が強烈に印象に残った。そして、『ソーシャル・ネットワーク』での独特の雰囲気にも魅せられた。ボビーの恋人を演じたクリステン・スチュワートは、アイゼンバーグと過去に２回共演しているらしい。正直、綺麗な女優さんというだけで、それ程印象に残らなかった。

ボビーの恋に関しては、よくある話。ある程度の人生経験があれば多少似たような思い出があるものなので、誰しもが彼に感情移入しやすいだろう。忘れられない女性との思い出は美しい。

まあまあの恋愛物語だが、見応えがある作品に仕上がっているのは、ウディ・アレンの脚本・演出のおかげだと思う。恋愛モノはあまり好きではないが、中には『恋人たちの予感』や『セレンディピティ』のような好きな作品もある。ドラマ映画や恋愛映画の良し悪しは、脚本・演出次第で決まると思う。

「ミーツー運動」の余波に巻き込まれ、このまま引退に追い込まれるかもしれないアレン。もう83歳なので、十分だろうと思いつつも、彼が81歳の時に撮影した『レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク』が良い出来だったので、また新作を観たいという思いもあり、少し複雑だ。もし彼が引退する事になったら、どこかの劇場が、記念に『アニー・ホール』か『アンナとその姉妹』をリバイバル上映する事を願っている。

A Rainy Day in New York #2

In July 2020, I watched A Rainy Day in New York again at Movix Kameari. I did it because it had really impressed me the last time and made me desire to do it once more. The movie was written and directed by Woody Allen. Then it was released in 2020 in Japan but it has not been opened in the United States due to some reasons. 

It describes the events which occurs to the young beautiful couple of Gatsby and Ashleigh mainly on a rainy day in New York. 

Elle Fanning as Ashleigh was really charming the same as the last time. Although Fanning as a princess in Maleficent had a dignified feel and was not bad, yet Fanning as the college girl looked dazzling especially when she was laughing and frolicking. The girl was occasionally superficial, but all the same I felt that it was okay because she was just 21 years old. The beautiful actress played well as the ordinary girl who was from a rich family, anyway. 

Timothee Chalamet as Gatsby also was really handsome like the last time and he matched Fanning in terms of good appearance. Basically, I do not care about how cool young men are because I am a straight middle-aged man, however, I could not help but admit that Chalamet looked beautiful, like Takuya Kimura especially in his twenties and thirties and the present Ryo Yoshizawa. If the French and American actor's looking had not been super cool, I would have dismissed him for a handsome actor, though. He is not only good-looking but very good at acting, moreover, he is too perfect to cause my jealousy for him and he is a totally good young actor. 

Selena Gomez was also charming as a little sister of Gatsby's ex-girlfriend, but all the same the movie was under the charm of Fanning and Chalamet, which was partly created by the superb direction and script of Allen. 

By the way, I thought of Jude Law in it as Joaquin Phoenix but I did not care about it when I realized that the actor was Law because the presence of the two young actors was overwhelming Law and the other actors. 

Toward the ending the young couple are riding in a carriage. The scene reminded me of the one in the movie Manhattan, where Issac played by Allen and a seventeen-year-old girl are riding in it. When the lead is Allen in the movies directed by himself, the role tends to be quite popular by women, which seems to be unnatural because of his diminutive appearance. Chalamet looked to be proper as the main character in the film, though.

レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク #2

2020年７月、『レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク』をMovix亀有にて再観覧。前回、とても感銘を受けたので、もう一回だけ映画館で観ておきたかったが故の再観賞。ウディ・アレン脚本・監督作。日本公開は2020年。アメリカ公開は諸々の事情で未定。 

若い美男美女のカップル、ギャツビーとアシュレーに起きた、雨模様のニューヨークでの出来事が描かれている。 

アシュレーを演じたエル・ファニングが、再観賞でも、やはりスゴく可愛らしかった。『マレフィセント』での凛とした佇まいのお姫様役も悪くはなかったが、本作の女子大生役で、笑ったりはしゃいだりする様は眩しくもあった。少し軽薄な部分が垣間見える女の子だったが、21歳ならこんなもんだよなとも思えた。裕福な家庭で育ったという点以外は、普通の女子大生の役を見事に演じていた。 

ギャツビーを演じたティモシー・シャラメもまた、再観賞でも、そんなエル・ファニングに引けを取らない美男子ぶりだった。オジサンなので、イケメンにはあまり興味はないのだが、古くは木村拓哉、現在だと吉沢亮と同様に、男から見ても認めざるを得ないハンサム。中途半端な美男子ならケチをつけられるのだが、シャラメは、容姿が端麗なだけでなく演技も非常に上手い。妬んでもしょうがない、圧倒的に素晴らしい青年だ。 

ギャツビーの元カノの妹を演じたセレーナ・ゴメスも魅力的だったが、やはり、この作品はシャラメとファニングの魅力に尽きると思う。勿論、それは、ある程度はアレンの素晴らしい演出と脚本のおかげだとも思う。 

因みに、出演していたジュード・ロウを、ずっとホアキン・フェニックスだと思っていた。そして、ジュード・ロウだと気付いた時も、そんな事どうでもいいや、と思った。それほど主演の若い二人の俳優に存在感があった。 

そんな二人が最後に馬車に乗るシーンは、同じくアレン作品の『マンハッタン』で、アレンと25歳年下の彼女が馬車に乗るシーンを思い出した。アレンが監督・主演していた作品では、アレンの役は、彼の風貌にも関わらず、女性にモテモテであることが多く、若干不自然にも見えていたが、本作のシャラメは適役だと思った。

World's Fastest Indian

In July 2020, I watched The World's Fastest Indian for the first time on TV. The drama film was released in 2005. It stars Anthony Hopkins. 

The story follows Herbert James Munro, a New Zealander, who set the world's fastest speed record for motorcycles with engines less than 1,000cc in 1967 when he was 68 years old. 

Herbert Munro was a piquant old man. He continued to be passionate even in his sixties, which really impressed me. His line, "If you don't follow through on your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable," was quite gratifying to me. He is quite different from morons, who have no dreams and jeer at people who follow their dreams. Then how he keeps on trying to push the edge of the envelope reminded me of the pilots and astronauts in The Right Stuff, moreover, his evergreen spirit made me remember a genius driver at Ford's race team in Ford vs Ferrari. Men are absolutely cool when they are trying to stretch their limits. 

The lead, Anthony Hopkins, is diminutive and plump. Although his appearance is not so cool, yet he has continued to play well as attractive men with a brilliant acting ability. 

Except for the climax, several scenes were touching. I was quite impressed with the scene where a seemingly delinquent biker gang come to see off Munro just before he departures for the U.S. The bikers had heard about him and once challenged him to compete in an informal race. Many usual friends of Munro's have not shown up on the day, so he is surprised but delighted by the biker's appearance. Persons who continue to pursuit their dreams are recognized and respected by various people. They are also meant to be.

世界最速のインディアン

2020年６月、『世界最速のインディアン』をTVにて初観賞。2005年公開のドラマ映画。アンソニー・ホプキンス主演。 

1,000 cc以下のオートバイの最速記録を68歳で樹立した、ニュージーランド人バート・ジェームス・マンローの物語。 

痛快な爺様。年老いてもなお情熱を持ち続けている様がカッコよかった。そして、「夢を追いかけない人間は野菜と同じだ」という彼ならではのセリフが小気味良い。夢も持たずに、夢を追う人間を笑う間抜けな奴とは大違いだ。また、自身の限界に挑み続ける様は、『ライト・スタッフ』の野心溢れるパイロット達や宇宙飛行士達を思い出させてくれたし、彼の精神の若々しさは、『フォードvsフェラーリ』における、フォードチームの天才ドライバーを連想させた。何かを極めようとしている男達は、理屈抜きにカッコいい。 

そんなマンローを演じたアンソニー・ホプキンスは、小柄で小太り。見た目はカッコよくないが、それでも、その卓越した演技力で魅力的な男を演じ続けている偉大な俳優さん。 

クライマックス以外にも感動的な場面はあった。特に印象的だったのは、マンローがアメリカに旅立つ日に見送りに駆けつけたオートバイ好きの不良然とした若者達。マンローの噂を聞いて、彼に勝負を挑んだ事もあった彼等だが、普段付き合っている友人達の見送りが少なかったマンローには嬉しい驚きとなった。夢を追いかけ続ける人間は、様々な人間から認められ、敬われる。そうあるべきだとも思う。

The Dark Knight

In July 2020, I watched The Dark Knight on IMAX at Toho Cinemas Nagareyama Ootakanomori. The big entertaining blockbuster was released in 2008. 

I had watched it for the first time on TV when it was televised thanks to the movie Joker which would be released in October 2019. Although I had thought of it as not so good because it was based on Batman, an American comic, yet the action movie was so great that I came to desire to watch Joker and became interested in the lead, Christian Bale. I was also impressed that even Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman costarred with the other famous and popular actors. I of course planned to watch the great movie again on DVD, however, some movie theaters began to play it luckily on IMAX after the novel coronavirus pandemic was gradually settled. Then the viewers' reviews intrigued me very much, so I came to watch it on IMAX partly because I am kind of easily influenced. 

The pictures and sounds were fantastic. I spent a wonderful time. 

The story follows the battles between the villains with Joker and the police with Batman in the fictional Gotham City. 

Heath Ledger won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joker. Although the movie Joker describes how a mentally ill man changes to Joker, yet Joker played by Ledger seemed to have completely been obsessed by craziness. I felt that Ledger was so possessed by the spirit of Joker that he passed away before the release. In other words, his acting was quite wonderful, which made me feel his death that way. 

I, however, got kind of tired due to the absence of a healing character like Benji in Mission: Impossible and C-3PO in Star Wars. Although it was certainly a great entertaining movie, yet I want to watch a movie with a smile. Then the big bike driven by Batman reminded me of Kaneda's bike in Akira, which I watched on IMAX the other day. I then felt that Kaneda's were far cooler than Batman's. Moreover, every time Christian Bale's face was closed up, I remembered that Ford vs Ferrari and I felt like watching the drama movie more than the Batman movie. Besides, after watching it, I felt that I might should have watched one of four Studio Ghibli movies instead as a Japanese. Those Japanese films as well as the American film have been rerun since the settlement of the novel coronavirus pandemic as if they try to relax and heal the people. All the same, the entertaining movie is definitely comparable with the Mission: Impossible movies and the Star Wars ones.

ダークナイト

2020年７月、『ダークナイト』をTOHOシネマズ流山おおたかの森にてIMAXで観覧。2008年公開の超娯楽大作。 

『ジョーカー』公開記念でTV放映された時に一度観た。原作がアメコミの『バットマン』だから、大した作品ではないだろうとタカをくくっていたが、結構面白く、それきっかけで『ジョーカー』を観る気になったり、バットマン役のクリスチャン・ベールにも興味を持った。出演者も、マイケル・ケインやモーガン・フリーマンが脇を固めるという豪華さ。そして、いつかDVDで再観賞するつもりだったが、コロナ禍を経て再開した映画館で、しかもIMAXで放映され始め、また、ネット上で絶賛している書き込みが多数あったので、根がミーハーな事も有り、観る気になった。 

観賞時は、映像・音声が素晴らしくて、本当に楽しい時を過ごせた。 

架空都市ゴッサムにおける、司法機関とバットマン対ジョーカーと悪党達の死闘が描かれている。 

ジョーカーを演じたヒース・レジャーは、本作でアカデミー助演男優賞を受賞。映画『ジョーカー』では精神を病んだ男が狂気に目覚めてジョーカーに変貌する様が描かれていたが、レジャーのジョーカーは、魂そのものが狂気に憑りつかれていて、公開前の彼の早逝は役に憑依し過ぎたせいではないか、と思える程強烈で素晴らしかった。 

ただ、良質な娯楽作品だが、『ミッション・インポッシブル』のベンジーや『スター・ウォーズ』のC-3POのような癒し系キャラがいなくて、少ししんどかった。映画は、やはり笑顔で観たい。また、バットマンが乗っている大型二輪車を観ながら、先日、同じくIMAXで観た『AKIRA』の金田が乗っていたバイクの方がカッコいいなとか、クリスチャン・ベールの顔がアップになる度に、彼が主演していた『フォードvsフェラーリ』をIMAXで観たかったなとか思ったりした。そして、観覧後、コロナ禍で疲れた人々を癒そうとするかのごとく各劇場でリバイバル上映されているジブリ作品を観覧した方が、日本人なんだし、良かったかもしれない、とも思った。もちろん、本作が『ミッション・インポッシブル』や『スター・ウォーズ』に匹敵する娯楽作品である事は間違いない。

A Rainy Day in New York #1

In July 2020, I watched A Rainy Day in New York for the first time at Movix Kameari. The movie was written and directed by Woody Allen. It was released in 2020 in Japan but it has not been opened in the United States due to some reasons. 

The story describes Gatsby and Ashleigh whose parents are all wealthy. The young couple consist of a handsome guy and a pretty girl who met in a local university and has fallen in love with each other. One day, Ashleigh has the opportunity to go to New York as an interviewer for the newspaper of their university, so Gatsby, a former New Yorker, plans to hang out with her in his town, however, some unexpected events occurs to each of them in the Big Apple. The story goes that way. 

Although the romance between the couple seemed ordinary until toward the end, yet I felt comfortable and never bored thanks to all the characters' smart conversations in the script written by Allen. Then the story became intriguing when Gatsby's mother confessed her secret to her son. I am really fond of the film and I could watch it many times. 

Elle Fanning was really adorable. She gave a good performance as Ashleigh, a beautiful college girl with a good character, as well as a difficult girl in the movie Teen Spirit. Fanning as Ashleigh was really charming especially when she was drunk. I was kind of stunned when I watched the middle-aged guys fall in love with her one after another, though I felt that they could not help it because she was really beautiful and attractive. 

Timothee Chalamet as Gatsby was so handsome that he seemed to match Fanning. He also gave a good performance as Laurie in Little Women. I, however, stared with envy at the French American actor whose slender body can go with any clothes, at the same time, I lamented my ugly appearance. Then I determined to drop my extra weight so that I would have an average weight. I do not remember how many times I did to, though.

レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク #1

2020年７月、『レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク』をMovix亀有にて初観賞。ウディ・アレン脚本・監督作。日本公開は2020年。アメリカ公開は諸々の事情で未定。 

裕福な家庭でそれぞれ生まれ育った美男美女、ギャツビーとアシュレーが、地方の大学で出会い、恋人同士になり、そんなある日、アシュレーが、大学の新聞のインタビュアーとしてニューヨークに行くことになり、元ニューヨーカーのギャツビーもまた彼女に同行することになる。ギャツビーは、自分が生まれ育った街を彼女に案内する気でいたが、そのニューヨークでは予想外の事態が二人を待ち構えていた。そんなお話。 

若い美男美女の普通の恋愛物語なのだが、アレンの脚本なので、退屈することもなくその登場人物達の軽妙な会話等を楽しめた。そして、ギャツビーの母親の秘密が明らかになった当たりから話が俄然面白くなった。何度でも観る事が出来そうな、かなりお気に入りの作品。 

アシュレーを演じたエル・ファニングは、とても可愛らしかった。『ティーンスピリット』では、気難しい女の子を好演していたが、本作でも、綺麗で性格の良い女子大生を好演。特に、お酒に酔った時がメチャクチャ可愛かった。そして、オジサンたちが次々と若い彼女にメロメロになる様には、呆れつつも、彼女があまりにも魅力的過ぎるのでしょうがないよなと、も思ってしまった。 

ギャツビーを演じたティモシー・シャラメは、『ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ』でローリー役を好演していたが、今回も、エル・ファニングの相手にふさわしい美男子ぶりだった。そして、どんな服も似合いそうなそのやせ型の体型に羨望の眼差しを向けつつ、我が醜い体型を嘆きつつ、せめて標準体重までは痩せようと、何度目かの決心をさせてくれた。 

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

In September 2018, I watched Mission: Impossible – Fallout for the first time at Movix Kameari. Then I did it again on DVD in July 2020.

It is the sixth movie in the Mission Impossible series, which follows Ethan Hunt, who is an agent for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA, and his fellows.

It was very entertaining, however, less than the prequel.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt was 56 years old at the release. He ran and ran as if he desperately deny aging. Although he was excellent in action again, yet he looked kind of older than the prequel. All the same, he was a super cool middle-aged man.

Speaking of a middle-aged man, Alec Baldwin appeared in it following the fifth movie. He was unexpectedly cool when he was fighting with a villain despite his age, 59, at the release. He has kept his build which his fans narrowly could tolerate, though some of them might quit being his fans if he gets fatter a little. I think that he has seriously controlled his appetite and weight to keep his good looks. 

Rebecca Ferguson was coolly riding the motorcycle and was emitting her bewitching charm through like the last time. Then Ving Rhames with no mustache seemed like a healing man and played longer than the other stories, which made the feel of the story casual and friendly. The dialogue between Ethan and Benji also was comfortable and amusing like always.

As for the characters' lines, I was really impressed with "I'm working on it," which Tom Cruise as Ethan said, and "We're working on it," which Simon Pegg as Benji said, when each got stuck. Those scenes reminded me of the philosophy of Han Solo. I chuckled in spite of myself each time.

Ｍ：Ｉ／フォールアウト

2018年９月、『ミッション：インポッシブル/フォールアウト』をMovix亀有にて初観賞。そして、2020年７月にDVDにて再観賞。

CIAの極秘諜報部隊IMFのエージェント、イーサン・ハントと彼の仲間の活躍を描いたスパイ・アクション映画シリーズの第６作。

かなり面白かったが、第５作ほどではなかった。

イーサン・ハント役のトム・クルーズは公開時56歳。年齢に逆らうかの様に走りまくっていた。今回もアクションは素晴らしかったが、前作と比べると、若干オジサンになってしまった感有り。それでも、かなりカッコいいオジサンだ。

オジサンと言えば、前作に引き続き出演していたアレック・ボールドウィン。公開時59歳にもかかわらず、格闘シーンが、まさかのカッコ良さだった。あれ以上太ったらファンが減るだろうと思える、ギリギリの体型を保っている。節制とかしっかりしているんだろうな。

前作同様バイクを運転する姿がカッコ良かったレベッカ・ファーガソン。今回も妖艶な魅力を振りまいていた。そして、口髭を剃っていたルーサー役のヴィング・レイムスの出番が結構長くて、彼のその癒し系の雰囲気が、物語をかなりカジュアルな雰囲気にしていた。また、ベンジーとハントの掛け合いも、前回同様、微笑ましかった。

印象に残っているセリフは、行き詰まった時に、イーサンが放った、「考える」、とベンジーが放った、「何とかする」。ハン・ソロの哲学に似ていて、思わずニヤリとした。

True Crime

In July 2020, I watched the movie True Crime on my television set. The drama movie was released in 1999 and is based on the novel of the same title written by Andrew Klavan. Clint Eastwood wrote and directed it. I watched it once years ago.

The story follows a capital inmate who will be executed on the following night. It includes the issue of racism. The film was fun.

Clint Eastwood gave a good performance as a journalist named Steve, the main character. Eastwood was 69 years old at the release. Steve apparently looked quite old but he came on to his colleague, a young woman, toward the begging, which made me chuckle. Like him, I want to have a crush on a woman even when I get older. The aged journalist confirmed the death-row inmate innocent and began to make every effort. 

Speaking of a false accusation, I remembered the movie Richard Jewell released in 2019. Then Steve's bad mouth reminded me of the stubborn aged man played by Eastwood in Gran Torino released in 2008. By any chance, those two Clint Eastwood films could have not shown wonderful workmanship if Eastwood had not filmed the 1999 movie. In terms of that, the older movie might have played the important role. 

Frances Fisher appeared in Eastwood's film for the first time since she acted in Unforgiven. Her daughter whose father is Eastwood played Steve's daughter in it, too. As well as Sondra Locke, Fisher looked strong minded. The former two Eastwood's lovers made me think that the Academy Award-winning actor and director was fond of aggressive women very much. Eastwood also had married and divorced two women, moreover, he allegedly had affairs with many women. He seems to embody the Japanese proverb, "Great men have great fondness for the sensual pleasures."

Lucy Liu, who acted in the TV series Ally McBeal and the movie Charlie's Angels, appeared as a toy shop girl toward the ending when Steve tried to pick up the girl like toward the beginning. That made me chuckle again. 

トゥルー・クライム

2020年７月、映画『トゥルー・クライム』をTVにて観賞。1999年公開のドラマ映画。クリント・イーストウッド脚本・監督作品。原作は、サスペンス小説『真夜中の死線』。かなり前に一度観ている。

ある死刑囚の死刑執行を巡る、人種差別問題も絡んだお話。まあまあ面白かった。

主人公のジャーナリスト、スティーブをクリント・イーストウッドが好演。イーストウッドは公開時69歳。見た目が明らかに老人のスティーブが、序盤で同僚の若い女性を口説いている姿が可笑しかった。私も、いつまでも恋をしていたいものだ。そんなスティーブが、その死刑囚の冤罪を確信し、奔走する。

冤罪と言えば、2019年公開の『リチャード・ジュエル』を連想する。また、スティーブの口の悪さは、2008年公開の『グラン・トリノ』でイーストウッドが演じた主人公の、同じく口の悪い頑固な老人を連想させる。本作が製作されていなかったら、もしかしたら、後に製作されたあの２作品もまた、名作と言える出来栄えにはなっていなかったかもしれない。そういう意味では、重要な作品だと思う。

1992年公開の『許されざる者』に出演していたフランシス・フィッシャーが、本作にも出演。イーストウッドとの間に生まれた娘も、スティーブの娘役で出演している。ソンドラ・ロックといい、彼女といい、イーストウッドは気の強そうな女性が好みのようだ。そんなイーストウッドは結婚と離婚を２回していて、他にも愛人が沢山いたらしい。英雄色を好む、だな。

最後に、ドラマ『アリー my Love』や映画『チャーリーズ・エンジェル』でお馴染みのルーシー・リューが、少しだけ出演。ここでもスティーブが、彼女が演じていた若いおもちゃ屋の店員を口説いていた。またかよ、と思いつつ笑ってしまった。

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

In June 2020, I watched Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation for the first time on TV. It is the fifth movie in the Mission Impossible series, which follows Ethan Hunt, who is an agent for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA, and his fellows. The spy action movie was released in 2015. 

I prefer it to the prequel. The reason is Rebecca Ferguson, who was beautiful, elegant and bewitching. I was really captivated by her through. I was also fascinated by her in The Greatest Showman, Doctor Sleep and Mission: Impossible - Fallout, which is the sequel and which I watched at theater in 2018, however, I felt that she looked dazzling in the fifth movie better than in the three movies. Moreover, Ferguson was prettier than Jennifer Lopez and Rooney Mara who recently charmed me. 

The lead, Tom Cruise, seemed mature in a good way like the prequel. I also felt that Cruise looked the coolest in the series. He was excellent in action like always. Then Benji Dunn played by Simon Pegg and Ethan Hunt seemed to be the nice duo who looked comfortable and amusing. Jeremy Renner played well as William Brandt like the prequel. Ving Rhames as Luther had a mustache, which kind of disappointed me. 

Alec Baldwin appeared in it. The veteran actor was 57 years old at the release. He has not become a superstar but has survived in the harsh world of entertainment as a still handsome supporting actor. He was kind of fat but looked amazingly cool for his age. 

Ｍ：Ｉ／ローグ・ネイション

2020年６月、『ミッション：インポッシブル/ローグ・ネイション』をTVにて初観賞。CIAの極秘諜報部隊IMFのエージェント、イーサン・ハントと彼の仲間達の活躍を描いたスパイ・アクション映画シリーズの第５作。2015年公開。 

前作よりも好きな作品。理由はレベッカ・ファーガソン。綺麗で優雅で妖艶。ずっと見惚れていた。『グレイテスト・ショーマン』、『ドクター・スリープ』、そして、公開時観覧した第６作の『ミッション：インポッシブル』でも魅せられたが、本作の彼女が一番輝いていると思う。最近、観たジェニファー・ロペスやルーニー・マーラをも凌駕する美しさだった。 

主演のトム・クルーズも、前作に引き続き良い感じの男ぶりだった。彼も、本作が一番カッコいいかもしれない。アクションも相変わらず凄い。そして、サイモン・ペッグが演じていたベンジーも、ハントとのコンビが良い感じだった。ブラントを演じたジェレミー・レナーも前作と同様に好演していたと思う。ルーサーはまた口髭を生やしていたのが、少し残念だった。 

アレック・ボールドウィンも出演。公開時57歳。スーパースターにはなれなかったが、脇役でしぶとく生き残っている未だハンサムな俳優さん。少し太ったが、歳を考えると驚異的な格好良さだ。 

Café Society #1

In June 2020, I watched the revival of Café Society for the first time at Marunouchi Piccadilly, a theater in Tokyo. The romantic comedy drama movie was released in 2016. The lead is Jesse Eisenberg. 

The story was set in the United States in the 1930s and describe the romance of a man named Bobby. He was born and raised in New York and moves to Los Angeles counting on his uncle who has become a big shot in Hollywood. Then he falls in love with a woman but after a while he has his heart broken by her, so he returns to New York so as to restart his life. 

The theme is unforgettable love. The movie was good for a romance. 

I used to get attached easily, so I really liked a lot of women. However, most of the women are just history now, though I clearly remember several women of them. Watching the lovesick Bobby, I was remembering the several women and a character in the movie Serendipity in which the main character, Jonathan, played by John Cusack, cannot forget about a woman who he met some years before, so he starts to look for her fanatically one day before his wedding. The character that I remembered is a best friend of Jonathan's and he joins the search for her in which he is so impressed with his buddy's passion that he decides to start over again with his ex-long-term girlfriend. Watching the movie, I remembered how he decides to and I thought that I must clearly express my feelings with passion to a woman who I really like so she at least can know my feelings. A man is most happy if he dates and marries a woman who he deeply loves. 

Woody Allen wrote and directed the 2016 movie. I first watched his film at a theater, moreover, I watched one of his films for the first time since 2012. I had not watched his works which I had loved for many years because they reminded me of my painful memories in which I had my heart broken by a woman who I had often chatted with about the legendary film director until she turned me down. In fact, I had completely forgotten about chatting with her over Allen before I watched the movie, and then I remembered it when I saw the opening particular to his films. I did not feel painful at all at that time, which meant that my heartbreak completely went away. Time had cured me. 

After watching it, I came to want to watch La La Land and my favorite Allen's movies again.

カフェ・ソサエティ #1

2020年６月、丸の内ピカデリーにて『カフェ・ソサエティ』を初観賞した。2016年公開のロマンティック・コメディのリバイバル上映。主演はジェシー・アイゼンバーグ。

舞台は1930年代のアメリカ。ニュー・ヨークで生まれ育った青年ボビーが、ハリウッドの有力者である叔父を頼ってロスアンジェルスに移り住み、その後、叔父の秘書に恋をするが、程無く失恋し、人生をやり直す為にニュー・ヨークに舞い戻る。そんなボビーの恋愛物語。

テーマは忘れられない人。まあまあの恋愛映画。 

惚れっぽいので好きになった女性は大勢いるが、大概はただの想い出。記憶に鮮明に残っている女性は少ない。その女性達の事を、恋に悩むボビーを観ながら、思い出していた。そして、映画『セレンディピティ』で、数年前に出会った女性を忘れられない主人公、ジョン・キューザック演じるジョナサンが、自身の結婚式の前に、その女性を躍起になって探し回っている時に、そんな彼に付き合って一緒にその女性を探してあげていた彼の親友が、彼の一所懸命な姿を観ながら、自分に足りなかったのはこういう情熱だ、という事に気付いて別れたばかりの恋人とやり直す事を決意したシーンも思い出していた。想いは、はっきりと伝えないと伝わらない。心底惚れた相手と一緒になれた方々は本当に幸せだと思う。 

監督・脚本はウディ・アレン。彼の作品を映画館で観たのは初めて。そして、彼の作品の観賞自体も久しぶりだった。大好きだった彼の作品群をしばらくの間観ていなかったのは、数年前の失恋を思い出すのが辛かった為。その女性とはよくアレンの作品の話をしていた。実は、観覧前までそんな事もすっかり忘れていた。アレンの作品特有のオープニングを観ながら彼女の事を思い出した。辛くはならなかった。心の傷は完全に癒えたという事だろう。時間が解決してくれた。 

観賞後、『ラ・ラ・ランド』を無性に観たくなった。そして、ウディ・アレンの作品もまた観始めようとも思った。 

If I Stay

In June 2020, I watched the movie If I Stay for the first time on DVD. The romantic drama movie was released in 2014. The lead is Chloe Grace Moretz. The film is based on the book with the same name written by Gayle Forman. 

It describes the youth of Mia, the daughter of a close family who meets a car accident.

One month earlier, I watched the movie Brain on Fire, which also stars Chloe Grace Moretz and is based on a true story. It was deep and fun, so I had expected the 2014 movie to have what is worth watching without the charm of Chloe. However, it turned out to be just a romance, after all. I felt that only the acting of the attractive Chloe as Mia deserved to be watched. The story might quite move people who have lost someone very special by car accidents and people who have had to have long-distance relationships with their lovers. I also felt that it was good as a romance, so romantic movie fans might love it. All the same, I could not empathize with the characters so much because it is a complete fiction. Moreover, I am not interested in a romance between a beautiful young couple. I was kind of touched by the parental love, though. Then I liked Mia's best friend, Kim, played by Liana Liberato who had a round face, winsomely smiled and looked very charming. Plus, although I could not feel the performances of a band of Mia's boyfriend's to be cool at all, yet Mia playing the cello looked awesome and beautiful.

イフ・アイ・ステイ

2020年６月、映画『イフ・アイ・ステイ 愛が還る場所』をDVDにて初観賞。2014年公開の恋愛映画。クロエ・グレース・モレッツ主演。原作は、ゲイル・フォアマンの小説『ミアの選択』。 

交通事故に遭った仲の良い４人家族の長女、ミアの青春が描かれている。 

以前観たクロエ主演の『彼女が目覚めるその日まで』が、実話を基にした結構深い作品だったので、今回もクロエの演技以外にも観るべきものがあって欲しいと願いながら観賞したが、結局はただの恋愛映画で、観応えがあったのは、ミアを演じたクロエ・グレース・モレッツの可愛らしい演技だけだった。交通事故で親しい方を亡くした方々や遠距離恋愛を強いられた方々には心に響く物語かもしれない。また、恋愛映画が好きな方には楽しめる作品だと思う。だが、これは実話でもなんでもないので、若い美男美女の恋愛を斜めに見てしまう私には感情移入することが出来なかった。ただ、家族愛には少し感動した。そして、ミアの女友達を演じた丸顔のリアナ・リベラトが愛嬌があって可愛らしかった。また、ミアの彼氏のバンド演奏には何も感じなかったが、ミアがチェロを演奏する姿は、様になっていて綺麗だった。

Solace

In June 2020, I watched the movie Solace for the first time on DVD. The thriller movie was opened in 2015. The lead is Anthony Hopkins. 

The outline is like this. The FBI gets stuck in the investigation of a serial murderer, then one of the agents visits his former colleague with second sight and asks him to help them. The former FBI agent, John Clancy, played by Anthony Hopkins cooperates with the FBI and joins the investigation, however, it turns out that the true culprit also has second sight, moreover, his capability is better than Clancy's. 

Although I was fascinated by the acting of Hopkins through, yet as a thriller film it was kind of more boring than The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Then I felt that it was ironical that Hopkins acted Dr. Lector, a cannibalistic murderer, in the two old movies but he played a FBI agent in the 2015 movie, though I admired him because he remarkably played the FBI agent as well as Dr. Lector. In terms of having psychic powers, Clancy resembled Ted also played by Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantic which I love as well as the two old films, so I appreciated the newer one with deep emotion. 

Abbie Cornish played well as a female FBI agent, though Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore had played a little bit better as Clarice. 

Known that Collin Farrell costarred, I thought of the FBI agent appearing from the beginning as him and I felt that Farrell had gotten old before I knew it, however, the real Farrell appeared in the middle and I realized that the looking old actor was different from him. I think of myself as a foreign movie fan, nevertheless, I sometimes still cannot tell one of white actors from the other.

ブレイン・ゲーム

2020年６月、映画『ブレイン・ゲーム』をDVDにて初観賞。2015年公開のスリラー映画。主演はアンソニー・ホプキンス。 

連続殺人犯を追っていたFBI捜査官が、捜査に行き詰まり、予知能力を持つ、アンソニー・ホプキンス扮する元同僚ジョン・クランシーに助けを求め、協力して犯人を追跡するものの、その凶悪犯は、実は、クランシーよりもより高い能力を備えていた。そんなお話。 

全体を通してアンソニー・ホプキンスの演技には魅せられたが、スリラー映画としては、『羊たちの沈黙』や『ハンニバル』よりも退屈だった。その２作品でレスター博士を演じていたホプキンスが、本作ではFBI 捜査官を演じていたのはなんだか皮肉だなと思いつつ、その演技には全く違和感が無かったので、流石だなとも思った。そして、特殊な能力を持っているという点が『アトランティスのこころ』のテッド役と同じなので、その３作品を好きな私にとっては、少し感慨深い作品であった。 

FBI 女性捜査官を演じたアビー・コーニッシュは、前述の２作品でクラリスを演じていたジョディ・フォスターやジュリアン・ムーアには僅かに及ばないが、良い演技をしていたと思う。 

また、コリン・ファレルが出演していると聞いていたので、冒頭から出ているFBI捜査官を彼だと思い、知らない間に老けたなぁと感じていたのだが、後半からコリン・ファレル本人が出てきて、違う役者さんだった事に気付いた。洋画ファンのつもりなのだが、未だに白人俳優は時折見分けがつかない。 

Little Women #2

I am still enjoying the afterglow of Little Women which I watched at a theater the other day. 

The story describes four sisters in a family who are all charming. 

Watching the movie, I really envied Laurie who had had a close relationship with all the sisters since they were very young. I also wondered why he fell in love with Jo, who was an unruly girl. I know that when a man has fallen in love with a woman, he tends to lose his reason, but, all the same, I felt that it seemed unnatural that Laurie really loved Jo. It might have been because Florence Pugh as Amy was quite charming and attractive. 

Laura Dern seemed to be the right actress for the role of the mother who raised the four sisters. I was impressed with her in it and I had been impressed that she had showed her presence comparable with Carrie Fisher's in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 

I felt that the aunt played by Meryl Streep was the rightest in the female characters about how to live happily in those days as a woman. Realistically speaking, women have a slim chance of marring their destined soul mates, so it is wiser for them to focus on seeking a wealthy man. I, however, doubt that the aunt was truly happy. 

I felt comfortable with the old gentleman, the owner of a mansion in the neighborhood, who showed platonic consideration for the third daughter, Beth, who loves music, despite the elderly man looking stubborn and strict. I also felt ashamed that I had regarded his generous offer to permit Beth to freely play the piano in the mansion as his plot to come on to her when they are alone because he has his Lolita complex. I was really impressed with the scene where the gentleman was walking down the stairs near the room where Beth was playing the piano, and then he stopped and slowly sit on the stairs to listen to the beautiful tune that she was playing.

Little Women #1

ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ #2

先日劇場観覧した『ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ/わたしの若草物語』の余韻が未だ残っている。 

それぞれが魅力的な、ある４姉妹の物語。 

そんな彼女達と子供の頃からずっと仲良しの隣人、ローリーが、観てて羨ましくて仕方がなかった。それにしても、彼は、なぜ、あのじゃじゃ馬のジョーに一途になったのだろうか。誰かを物凄く好きになる時の気持ちは理屈では説明出来ないものだが、少し不自然に感じた。それは、四女のエイミーを演じていたフローレンス・ピューがとても魅力的だったせいかもしれない。 

４姉妹の母を演じていたのは、『スター・ウォーズ／エピソード８』でキャリー・フィッシャーに負けない存在感を示していたローラ・ダーン。娘達を立派に育て上げた母親役にはうってつけに感じた。 

そして、メリル・ストリープが演じていた姉妹達の叔母は、登場人物の女性の中では、当時の女性として一番正しい考え方をしていたと思う。運命の人と結ばれる確率なんてかなり低いだろうし、だったらまずは経済力という話になる。ただ、彼女が、心から幸せだったかどうかは別の話だが。 

姉妹達の家の隣にある立派な屋敷に住んでいた老紳士の、三女ベスに対するプラトニックな思いは、彼のような頑固そうな爺さんには似つかわしくないが、本当に微笑ましかった。そして、音楽が好きなベスに自分の屋敷のピアノを自由に弾かせてあげる彼の心優しい計らいを、実はロリコンで、二人きりになった時にいきなり襲いかかる魂胆じゃねーだろうな、と邪推していた事を恥じた。ベスがピアノを弾いている部屋の近くの階段を下りていた老紳士の彼が、途中で立ち止まり、そのまま階段に座り込んで彼女の奏でる音楽に聞き入ってしまうシーンは、強く印象に残った。

ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ　#1

Little Women #1

In June 2020, I watched Little Women for the first time at Toho Cinemas Kinshicho Orinas. The drama movie was released in 2019. It was based on the novel with the same title written by Louisa May Alcott and published in 1868. The story is set around in the 1860s in the United States and follows four sisters in a family. 

I had hardly known about the outline of the famous novel, so the story was almost new to me, however, I was really touched by how considerately they are concerned with and treat each other, though some of them sometimes started to argue with each other. When it was finished, I felt so lonely that I did not want to see the end-title credit and I liked to keep watching the heart-warming movie forever. 

The main character is the second daughter, Jo, who is as tough as a man and strives to become a professional writer, though most of the women had to depend on men those days. I was really moved by Jo's heart-felt cry against such a society, and then I was fascinated by the acting of Saoirse Ronan as the unruly girl from start to end. 

Jo often quarrels with the youngest daughter, Amy, who has worldly wisdom and hopes to become not independent but a wife in order to live happily at that time. I believe that many men including me tend to prefer Amy to Jo because she is convenient to us, though I think that governments have difficulty in realizing a gender equality society as long as men like us come to be fond of women like Amy who are convenient to us. I might be thinking too much about it, though. 

I think that Emma Watson is better suited for acting the role of a sensible and righteous woman like a class president and the oldest daughter. She also has the feel which makes me imagine that she will retire from acting in the near future and enter politics. I felt comfortable with how the three little sisters adore Meg played by the English actress. In the sisters' conversations I was the most impressed with this one in which the sickly third daughter, Beth, encouraged Jo to keep on writing when Beth was recuperating in the country and was relaxing with Joe at the beach. I was moved by how considerate the two sisters were to each other. The conversation also reminded me of the scene in Stand by Me where Chris, a brat, played by River Phoenix encouraged his best friend, Gordie, to become a writer in the future.

Little Women #2

ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ #1

2020年６月、『ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ/わたしの若草物語』をTOHOシネマズ錦糸町オリナスにて初観覧。2019年に公開されたドラマ映画。原作は、1868年に発表されたルイーザ・メイ・オルコットの小説『若草物語』。舞台は小説が発表された当時のアメリカ。ある４姉妹の物語。 

その有名な小説の粗筋すらもよく知らずに生きてきた。だから、物語はほぼ初見だったが、その４姉妹の、時に喧嘩もするが、お互いを思いやる姿や行動にとても感動し、終幕の際には名残惜しさの余り寂しさを感じた。いつまでも観ていたかった、心温まる物語。 

主人公は、男勝りで作家志望の次女、ジョー。当時の女性達は、男に頼って生きざるを得なかったが、そんな社会に反発するジョーの心の叫びは、とても胸に響いた。そして、彼女を演じたシアーシャ・ローナンには本当に魅せられた。 

そんなジョーがよく喧嘩をしていたのが末っ子のエイミー。自身の自立よりも花嫁になる事を望んでいる、世渡りが上手い女性。私もそうだが、多くの男性はエイミーの方が好きだと思う。だが、こういう、男にとって都合の良い女がモテるうちは、男女平等社会の実現は難しいだろうなとも思う。考え過ぎかな。 

エマ・ワトソンは、長女や学級委員長といった正義感の強いしっかり者の役に向いていると思う。そして、近い将来引退して政治活動を始めかねない雰囲気を漂わせている。彼女が演じた長女のメグが妹達に慕われている様は、とても微笑ましかった。 

姉妹の仲の良さに関して一番印象に残っているのは、病弱な三女のベスが、彼女の療養に付き添っていたジョーに小説を書き続けることを勧める場面。海辺で二人きりの時だったが、お互いがお互いを思いやる気持ちが本当に素敵だった。また、同時に、古い映画『スタンド・バイ・ミー』の中で親友のゴーディに小説家を目指すよう諭すガキ大将のクリスを演じた、リバー・フェニックスを思い出していた。

ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ　#2

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

In June 2020, I watched the movie Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol for the first time on TV. It is the fourth movie in the Mission Impossible series, which follows Ethan Hunt and his colleagues who are agents for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA. It was released in 2011.

Although the prequel was amazing partly thanks to the wonderful performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman, yet Ghost Protocol was fun more than that and as fun as the six movie Fallout which I watched at a theater two years ago, though I has started to forget about the details of the latest installment.

Hunt's two colleagues, Benji Dunn and William Brandt played by Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner respectively, sometimes humorously played in it, which soothed the feel of the movie which tended to become tense and serious, so I could happily watched it. The English actor is also a comedian and played longer in the sequel than in the prequel. His funny acting seemed to relax Hunt who were always in a serious mood. Renner is also a musician, which might be the reason why he looked kind of easy-going even when he was serious. I did not feel gloomy thanks to them when their team had difficulty in carrying out their mission.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt was excellent in action as the prequels. Then I felt that he looked more mature in a good way than in the prequel released five years before, moreover, he somewhat had a dignified presence. He was 49 years old at the release. I think that men at the age of around fifty do not need to have a quite ambitious look peculiar to young men.

Paula Patton as Jane Carter, one of Hunt's team members, was exotic and beautiful. She played quite well as a attractive lady, though Rebecca Ferguson looks a little more enchanting.

Ving Rhames appeared toward the end with no mustache. He looked tough with a winsome smile, which made me feel happy.

Ｍ：Ｉ／ゴースト・プロトコル

2020年６月、『ミッション・インポッシブル／ゴースト・プロトコル』をDVDにて初観賞。CIAの極秘諜報部隊IMFのエージェント、イーサン・ハントとその仲間達が活躍する、スパイ・アクション映画シリーズの第４作。2011年公開。

前作は、フィリップ・シーモア・ホフマンの好演もあり、かなり面白かったが、本作はその面白さを超えてきた。そして、２年前に劇場観覧した第６作と、その記憶は少し薄れつつあるが、同じくらい面白く感じた。

まず、イーサン・ハントの仲間、ダンとブラントの二人が、時折、軽妙なやり取りでシリアスになりがちな雰囲気を和ませてくれていたので、楽しく視聴出来た。ダン役のサイモン・ペッグは前作も出演していたが、本作では出演時間も長く、元々英国のコメディアンなだけあって、そのコミカルな演技が、常にシリアスなハントの気分をも和ませているようだった。ブラント役のジェレミー・レナーも、ミュージシャンでもあるからなのか、真面目な顔をしていてもどこか飄々としていて、彼等が劣勢な時も、全く暗い気分にさせてくれなかった。

ハント役のトム・クルーズは、今回も素晴らしいアクションを披露していた。また、前作から５年経ったせいか、さらに良い感じに大人びていて、若干風格も出てきた。公開時49歳。もう若さ故の野心に満ちた顔はしなくてもいい年だと思う。

そして、ハントの仲間のエキゾチックな美女を演じたポーラ・パットン。レベッカ・ファーガソンの妖艶さにはギリ敵わないが、それでも、女の色気を感じる素晴らしい演技だった。

最後に、髭を剃ったヴィング・レイムスが、強面と愛嬌が共存する良い笑顔を見せていて、何だか嬉しくなった。

The Wizard of Oz

In June 2020, I watched the movie The Wizard of Oz for the first time on DVD. The American musical fantasy was released in 1939 and it was done 15 years later in Japan.

It follows a girl named Dorothy who is taken by a tornado into a dreamy land in which she makes three friends and struggles to get back to the real world with them singing and dancing so as to encourage her friends and herself. 

Although I first watched it, yet I felt nostalgia maybe because it was produced more than 80 years ago. All of the music sounded comfortable. The melody of "Over the Rainbow" was especially beautiful and was being played in my head for a while after watching it. As for the picture, the tone was at first sepia and changed to color when Dorothy wandered into the dreamy land as if she went over the rainbow, then it returned to sepia again toward the end. The direction was effective and tasteful.

In March 2020, I watched the movie Judy which describes Judy Garland's later days and in which a girl playing the young Garland was far prettier than the real Judy. Garland must be a typical beauty only in the middle of the twentieth century. Or it might be a matter of my personal preference. She was great at singing and dancing, though. Then I felt that Billie Burke was pretty as Glinda the Good Witch of the North. 

It was said that Garland was driven to chemical oblivion by adults around her so that she could keep her slender figure and continue to be awake at work when she was young. I had known about it from Judy, so I felt complicated when I watched her happily acting the lively Dorothy in the old movie. She passed away at the age of 47. Her early death might be due to the adults. 

However, a person's longevity might depend on their own genes because Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and Elton John, who all used to be drug addicts, are all more than seventy years old and still active as musicians. I believe that how you live matters in the end.

オズの魔法使い

2020年６月、『オズの魔法使い』をDVDにて初観賞。1939年公開のファンタジー・ミュージカル映画。日本公開は1954年。

竜巻に巻き込まれて不思議な世界に迷い込んだ女の子ドロシーが、そこで出会った仲間達と共に、歌や踊りで自分達を鼓舞しながら元の世界に戻ろうと奮闘する物語。

80年以上も前の作品だからか、初観賞なのに懐かしく感じた。全ての楽曲が耳に心地良く、特に、「虹の彼方に」の美しい旋律は、鑑賞後、頭の中でしばらく鳴り響いていた。画面が、セピア色から、あたかも虹の彼方に行けたかのごとく、カラフルになり、そして、最後でまたセピア色に戻る演出もお洒落だった。

主演のジュディ・ガーランドの晩年を描いた映画『ジュディ』を観たのは2020年３月。その作品で若い頃のジュディを演じていた女の子はとても可愛かったが、本作のジュディ本人は、それほど綺麗には見えなかった。20世紀中頃の美人顔なのか、ただ単に私の好みではなかっただけなのか。歌や演技は上手かったと思う。「北の良い魔女」を演じたビリー・バークは綺麗だった。

この作品の頃のジュディは、彼女が細身の体型を維持する為に、そして、長時間働けるように、周りの大人達から薬漬けにされていたらしい。その事を『ジュディ』で知ってしまっていたので、『オズの魔法使い』で楽しそうに演技をしている彼女に対しては複雑な気分にもなった。47才で逝去。その早過ぎる死はその大人達の責任であるかもしれない。

しかし、若い頃ドラッグにハマっていた現在70歳代のキース・リチャーズやポール・マッカートニー、そして、エルトン・ジョンが未だ現役で活動しているのを目にすると、人の寿命はその人の遺伝子で決まるのかな、とも思う。大事なのは、死ぬまでにどう生きるか。

Mission: Impossible III

In June 2020, I watched the movie Mission Impossible III for the first time on TV. It is the third movie in the Mission Impossible series, a spy movie series, which describes the activities of Ethan Hunt and his collogues who are agents for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA. It was released in 2006.

The third movie was fun more than the first one and the second one. The director is J. J. Abrams who directed Star Wars Episode VII and Episode IX which are wonderful for science fiction films.

Philip Seymour Hoffman gave a wonderful performance as a villain who is quiet but horrible. The actor acted quite well with a unique atmosphere. When I watched him for the first time, he costarred with Chris O'Donnell in Scent of a Woman. The young Hoffman played a supporting role but wore a distinctive feel. I tended to mix up him with Jack Black for a period but I was fascinated by his acting as the lame yet lovable big brother in The Savages where Laura Linney costarred with him and played his little sister. He is known for winning the Oscar for Best Actor for Capote. I have not watched the movie yet, so I will watch it someday. Sadly, he passed away in 2014. Then Carrie Fisher left this earth two years later. Her friend John Belushi made his exit long time ago when he was just 33. The three actors all died from drug abuse. What a pathetic end to them! I really regret it because I have really liked the three actors. 

As for the lead, I do not like Tom Cruise so much in the first one and second one but I like him in the third one because he looks really nice. He was 44 years old at the release. The evergreen actor had a mature feel which I was fond of. He was also excellent in action as usual.

Although the James Bonds played by Sean Connery and Roger Moore randomly have sex with hot women, yet Ethan Hunt done by Tom Cruise sleeps with only a women who he has fallen in love with. Of course, I prefer Hunt to Bond, however, thinking twice, Hunt just does the natural thing as a man. The 007 series is complete entertainment. You must not expect something romantic.

ミッション：インポッシブル３

2020年６月、『ミッション：インポッシブル３』をTVにて初観賞。CIAの極秘諜報部隊IMFのエージェント、イーサン・ハントとその仲間達が活躍するスパイ映画シリーズの第３作。2006年公開。

作品としては、第１作および第２作よりも面白かった。監督はＪ・Ｊ・エイブラムス。『スター・ウォーズ』シリーズ第７作と第９作の監督でもあり、２作品ともSF映画の割には面白い。

フィリップ・シーモア・ホフマンが、静かだが恐ろしい悪党を好演していた。独特の雰囲気を持った演技の上手い俳優さん。初めて観たのは、クリス・オドネルと共演していた『セント・オブ・ウーマン』。脇役なのに独特の雰囲気を漂わせていた。しばらくの間、ジャック・ブラックと混同しがちになったが、ローラ・リニーと兄妹を演じた『マイ・ライフ、マイ・ファミリー』での、愛すべきダメ兄貴ぶりには魅せられた。世間的には、彼の代表作はオスカーを獲得した『カポーティ』らしい。まだ未観賞なのでいつか観たい。残念ながら、2014年に他界。キャリー・フィッシャーは2016年に、彼女と友達だったジョン・ベルーシはかなり前に36歳で逝去。御三方ともに死因は薬物乱用。悲しい末路だ。好きだった俳優さんたちだっただけに切ない。

そして、前作までそれほど好きではなかったトム・クルーズ。本作の彼は良い感じだった。公開時44歳。青年でありつつも大人の雰囲気が漂っていて、好感が持てた。そして、今回もアクションはハンパなかった。

ショーン・コネリーやロジャー・ムーアが演じていたジェームズ・ボンドは、手当たり次第に美女と寝ていたが、トム・クルーズが演じるハントは、愛する女性とだけ深い関係になる。ハントの方が好きだが、よくよく考えると、彼は男としてごく当たり前の行動を取っているだけだ。007は純粋な娯楽作品。感動を期待してはいけない。

Hustlers #2

The movie Hustlers was released in 2019 and is inspired on a true story. It follows the two ladies who used to be strippers and start to form a gang with their former colleagues so as to swindle rich men some years after the Lehman shock.

In February 2020, I watched it for the first time at a Toho Cinemas Kinshicho, however, I kind of had difficulties in watching it because my seat was very close to the big screen, though I could fully enjoy myself only at the stage performance of Jennifer Lopez as a stripper toward the beginning. That was overwhelmingly amazing. I was so captivated by her provocative performance that I followed only her when she was on the screen. Then, after watching it, I kind of regretted that I had not paid close attention to another main character, Destiny, so much.

In May, I watched the movie The Big Short on DVD. It describes the confusion over the United States subprime mortgage crisis causing the Lehman shock. It was wonderful and reminded me Hustlers, then I decided to watch the crime drama film again. Most of the theaters in Japan were closed in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic but they gradually have reopened since June because the pandemic has started to settle, so I luckily could watch it at a theater again.

In June, I went to Cinema Ikspiari, a cinema multiplex, which is located near the Tokyo Disneyland, and easily could take a seat in the back, my usual and favorite position, because the viewers were just a pair of girls and me. I had looked forward to watching the voluptuous J.Lo as a strip dancer again but I could not get fascinated by the stage so much, unlike the last time, maybe because it was second time from the distant seat and because I was very tired after work the previous time. Anyway, I tried to enjoy the whole story and watch another lead closely.

Constance Wu gave a great performance as Destiny who dedicates herself to her grandmother and daughter. The Asian beauty was charming and attractive, moreover, her acting almost made me cry toward the end. On the other hand, the Latin beauty gave a wonderful performance as Ramona, a bitch, after all. I do not know why she was not even nominated to the Academy Award.

As for the crimes they committed, I wrote this in the first preview. "The former strippers lived desperately in their own way and as a result they deviated from social norms. I cannot approve of what they did but I do not want to criticize them." Now, I want to rewrite it like this. Let's make honest money because life is tough for anybody, though it might be difficult for people who have lead extravagant lives. 

ハスラーズ #2

『ハスラーズ』は2019年に公開された、実話を基にしている映画。かつてストリッパーだった２人の女性が、リーマンショック後に、かつての仲間達とチームを組んで、金持ちの男から金をだまし取るお話。

2020年２月に、TOHOシネマズ錦糸町で初観賞。席が前過ぎたため、とても観にくかったが、その分、早めの時間帯のジェニファー・ロペスのストリップ・ショーにはかなり満足出来た。そのショーが圧巻過ぎた為、彼女の虜になり、最後まで彼女が出るシーンは彼女だけを観てしまっていたが。それ故、観賞後、もう一人の主人公デスティニーにあまり注視していなかった事を悔やんだ。

その後、５月にDVDで観た『マネー・ショート』に深く感銘を受けた。そして、その作品が、リーマンショックを引き起こしたサブプライムローン危機前後の混乱を描いていた為、本作を思い出し、再度観たくなった。日本の映画館のほとんどが、３月以降、新型コロナウィルスの影響で休業していたが、６月以降、騒ぎの収束に伴い徐々に再開し始めた。そのため、幸運にも、また映画館で観る事が出来た。

2020年６月、東京ディズニーランドに隣接するシネマイクスピアリにて観覧。観客は、私以外は女の子２人組だけだった。余裕で、日頃からよく好んで座っている後ろの方の座席を確保。観覧前は、グラマラスなジェニファー・ロペスのストリップ・ショーを心待ちにしていたが、いざ観てみると、前回と違って、さほど魅了されなかった。恐らく、後ろの方の席だったし、２回目だった所為だろう。それに、前回は、仕事帰りでかなり疲れていたし。今回は、物語ともう一人の主人公にも注視しながら観賞した。

祖母と娘の為に懸命に生きたデスティニーを演じたコンスタン・ウーは、とても良い演技をしていたと思う。それに、可愛らしくて魅力的で、終盤の彼女の演技には、もう少しで泣かされそうになった。一方、ジェニファー・ロペスは、ラモーナという悪女役を、やはり、本当に素晴らしく演じていた。彼女がなぜアカデミー賞にノミネートされなかったのか理解に苦しむ。

彼女達の犯した罪に関しては、前回のレビューでは、「彼女達は彼女達なりに必死に生きた。そして、それが社会の規範に反していた。だから、賞賛は出来ない。でも、否定する気にもなれない」と書いたが、今回は、こう思っている。人は正当に稼いだお金で生きるべき。人生は誰にでも厳しいのだから。贅沢な生活を経験した方々には難しい事かもしれないけれど。

Mission: Impossible 2

In June 2020, I watched Mission: Impossible 2 for the first time on the television set. The spy action movie was released in 2000.

It follows the activities of Ethan Hunt who is a crack agent for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA. Hunt and his colleagues fight against their enemies over an artificial deadly virus. Coronavirus has had an overwhelming influence in the real world, so I felt complicated a little. I though that it was fun as well as the previous work but it was more stylish.

Although the lead, Tom Cruise, looked more pleasant than the previous one, yet I did not like him so much. I of course thought that he was an excellent actor especially in action. The scenes especially were picturesque when he was driving a high-powered bike.

Anthony Hopkins appeared in it. I expected him to act an important role like Jon Voight in the first movie, however, he acted just in two scenes. I was kind of disappointed at it but I also thought that it was good because Hopkins would have upstaged Cruise if the veteran actor had played longer time. I believe that anything must not shadow the glamour of Tom Cruise in the spy movie series. 

I did not like Hunt's colleague Luther played by Ving Rhames in it because he had a mustache. For the same reason, I do not like watching Paul Newman in Sting and Hervey Keitel in Pulp Fiction and Irishman, though I love both of the actors. Talking about a tiny personal preference goes on forever, though. Moreover, I like a man with a mustache if it looks good on him, like Charles Bronson.

The Heroin, Thandie Newton, was very attractive, however, I did not think that a woman with a baby face like her was not suitable for Tom Cruise's opposite cast. I think that a bewitching lady like Rebecca Ferguson is a match for the handsome actor.