Before trio ('95; '04; '13)

I'm trying to watch at least a movie per week. 

This Saturday I was enthralled with BEFORE trio, which includes "Before Sunrise" (1995), "Before Sunset" (2004) and "Before midnight" (2013). 

These movies are made in a natural style which is just small talks between two persons falling in love. It is the way the characters communicate that makes me interested in it. They were on the same train, catching each other through right words and then being together for a night in Vienne, having lots of fun in the streets, bars, cafe, park, bench and so on. I like things they talk about, because seemingly that's also things I usually exchange with friends. I like the way they fall in love, but indeed I don't feel like "this is amazing, this is touching" or something like that. I just think: "how come they can love each other through those words?"

Cause the topics they raised up were not so sweet between romantic couples. Cause they just shared information and experiences and wishes and dreams. Cause I didn't see real love in their eyes. "Before sunrise" was not so excellent.

But "Before Sunset" enthralled me the most. I was surprised when they didn't meet up again 6 months after their night in Vienne and instead they bitterly see each other in Paris 9 years later. It was dramatic to me. It was worse because their lives are not as I wished. Lives are so tragic: Jess got married and has a son, Celine is having a boyfriend who doesn't see her often and she likes it because she is independent. I was like "What? what the hell are they talking about?". Yes, Jess replied me later in his words to Celine: "We could have had different lives if we'd met up again in that December 1994". 

Both Jess and Celine look really skinny and have lines on their faces. No one is having a happy life. They're both nervous about their lives. Their talks are more realistic and rational. They argued in the taxi about life... However, they know they still love each other because they still feel the connection like many years ago on the train, in the only night...

Well, "Before Sunset" is also going with slow flow of time. They just walk and talk and argue. Everything was sad to me because after 9 years they seemingly can't be together anymore. Jess has a commitment with his wife and is ready to sacrifice his whole life to be able to see his son around, ready to put up with his wife... Celine is also loving another man. She was just screwed up by the thought she can't marry any man and all the mercy she did for ex boy friends was helping them know that women are worth a respect from men.

So I was sorry for them, for their beautiful love story. It's like "they couldn't get together again, the happy night in Vienne will be forever memory reminding them of the youth with full hope, full dream about life, especially romantic love... Now everything was quite late. They settled down, stressed by things in their lives. Could their love go on? I was probably saying NO, and it was such a pity. I still remember the stupid quote of Celine: "Memories are wonderful things if you don't have to deal with the past". This quote sounds stupid, but it is right in their situation. Celine loves the night in Vienne with Jess, but every time she thinks about that beautiful night, all the broken dreams also come up. She's now perhaps no longer having a hope about love and marriage in mind. 

And I like the apartment of Celine. I just like it so much. Every time I watch a movie, houses and interior designs or decoration would be my concerns. I like Celine's apartment. It was filled with her world: books, CDs, guitar, post cards, kitchen, sofa, balcony and all the other stuff. I just love it. The song she sang for Jess and her things around made me think about my life ahead. "Live they way you want. Do the things you like. You are free, in the end."

It is a good message, huh?

Meaningful soundtrack in the movie

Well, "Before midnight" was not so interesting. I don't like this third part very much. Why? cause they're having quarrels after quarrels and even though after all they get back again together, that's not a good life. I know the idea is that every couple is just the same. They fall in (maybe) mad love,  getting married, having babies, quarrels and so on. But, I don't like that intense. If I were that woman, or Celine, I would not spit such words on the face of her husband, Jess. From my point of view, she is just bad. Well, I don't know how I will be when I gets married, but I will try not to have quarrels with husband. Maybe sometimes arguments are good to calm down the other spouse, but I won't do so...

Well because I just watched it over, I probably just used words or wrote down my feelings in the same way as in the movie.

It's a great time for a weekend watching this trio. Everyone, try it. You'll see yourself there.

The best offer (2013)

The movie was breath taking when I watched it to the end. The left emotion I have is an endless empathy for Virgil. He was cheated by all people around him, perhaps the ones he ever met since the start of his career till now, the ones he trusted the most. 

He trusted Billy for every painting at the auction, for that Billy can offer the advanced price above everybody else and pay with Virgil's money to bring the painting in the secret collection of Virgil. He trusted Robert because Robert has helped him to judge many antique, very antique things, including the wheels in the "house" of Claire. Robert is "trustworthy and sweet young man" of Virgil (I got this from cold words when Virgil's angry at Robert's womanizing). He trusted Claire for everything she gave him was so gentle, so soft, so sweet, so beautiful that he can never imagine in his lonely life. He witnessed (or thought he has witnessed) nearly every step of Claire out of her locked world, and he believed she did all just because of Virgil. He was touched by her care, her voice, her beauty, her Love. How come the love she gave him is fake? How come she cheated on him for the priceless collection of him? She was so loyal to him. Every word she said just melt his heart. This is the first love he has, also the first love she has. She is his from body to soul. How come that love is fake? 

Virgil hurries to Claire to give her flowers...

Their first dating meal

He wasn't able to believe that he was cheated by her even at the end of the movie. He continued to live with memories about the night they're on bed. He moved to London and sit alone in the cafe she once told him she loved the most. When the waiter asked him: "are you on your own?" He said: "No, Im waiting for someone." He still waited for Claire, hoped that she will come back to him, hope that she loves him by her heart. That love was so beautiful to Mr Oldman...

I just can say: Poor him...

Billy Whistler: Emotions are like work of art. They can be forged they seem just like the original but they are forgery.

Virgil Oldman: Forgery.

Billy Whistler: Everything can be fake Virgil: joy, pain, hate, illness, recovery... even love.

These words are a warning from Billy to Virgil, but anyone in love is BLIND. They can not see the irrational in the rational of their minds. And the "work of art" in Billy's quote also get echo from the famous quote of Virgil himself:

Claire: In an old article of yours I found on the internet, you said: There's something authentic in every forgery. What did you mean? 

Virgil Oldman: When simulating another's work the forger can't resist the temptation to put in something of himself. Often it's just a trifle, a detail of no interest. One unsuspected stroke, by which the forger inevitably ends up betraying himself, and revealing his own utterly authentic sensibilities. 

A great echo in The best offer. I was haunted by not only the excellent plan of Robert, Claire and Billy, but also the remaining feelings they left for Virgil. His heart was torn up...

The last scene of the movie, when Virgil was in the cafe waiting for "someone"

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

It's indeed an amazing movie. It reminds me somehow of "12 years of slaves" also. Here are 2 quotes I love the most from the movie:

Red: Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

Andy Dufresne: [in letter to Red] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Yes, hope is a good thing. Only hope can help us live on. I've never lost hope in my life and I wish the people I love also have this in their minds.

Red: These walls are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That's institutionalized.

Is this just the same as your life, your job, your love, your family? Everyone continues to live with something in life mostly because they get used to it and don't want to change it. It is a trap of life...