Memory Doesn't Speak For Itself

Quentin Tarantino
I could write a lots, about Quentin Tarantino. Maybe I will do movie by movie one day. But I just spent a few hours on "Kill Bill Vol. I" and "Kill Bill Vol.II" and "Death Proof". I like "Death Proof" better then "Kill Bill" (for this round ). I remember the first time I watch "Death Proof", it was without knowing anything about the movie, including Quentin Tarantino is the director of the movie. And the first time I watch "Kill Bill", it was with a lot of expectation, and it was a great film. "Death Proof" is a challenge, of how boring yet catchy a movie can be, the story is simple, the way of telling the story is the most simplest of Mr. Tarantino's movie so far. Especially the ending, once I have a discussion with a friend about how a movie should end, we both find "Psycho" (Alfred Hitchcock) has a very boring ending, that should not happen in a movie.

Lars von Trier
When I watched "Antichrist" I didn't know he is the director of "Dancer in the Dark". I don't remember most about "Dancer in the Dark", which mean "Not good enough". And I don't like / don't understand "Antichrist", only watched once, bad quality download. I watched "Dogville", "Europa", "The Idiots" and maybe more, but I didn't go see "Melancholia". Of those I had seen, some I like, some I don't remember most about. I just finished "Nymphomaniac: Volume I" over a week time, 30 minutes a day (more or less). No bad, but I don't like the narrative. I will see if Volume II make any different, if not I would say straight forward narrative will make it even more interesting, more punch in the face. The reason why is very simple. You have a good storyline, the only reason you want to break it is to make it even better. If not, why bother? If Mr. von Trier really intend to make it better, I'd say he failed (On Vol.I).

Gus Van Sant
I am new to Gus Van Sant too. I didn't know he is the director of "Good Will Hunting". It was famous back then if I am not mistaken? Anyway I watched "Drugstore Cowboy" a few days ago. And then I tried "Last Day". But it doesn't work, I have to stop somewhere around 20 minutes (or maybe 15?). Maybe I will go back to it one day, I'm not sure. I am not going to say anything about "Last Day". 

But "Drugstore Cowboy" is a simple movie, it has a very simple narrative, simple not in the good way, the casts are somehow I don't know what they were doing (maybe they don' know either), they just walk and talk, and a little bit of thinking, but a bit too philosophical for them (don't you think?).  

I think the movie is simple, it is not boring, it is a bit plain, the story is very much straight forward, the production is basically just moving forward based on the storytelling. There are some little sparks here and there, but it did not 'hold' the movie. When the movie end, it ended. It's like leaving a collapsed building and did not even bother to look back. 

So I then finished up "Last Day" bit by bit the other day. I don't like it. it has something from Antonioni and Godard (not sure it was the director's intention) but it doesn't help, it just make the film silly (like a cheap imitation, maybe unintentionally). And the lead cast keep on changing the 'well-known' costumes from one to another, and sometimes posing like from the 'well-known' photos, it is fun, or interesting for a few seconds, but then it gone (Including Kim Gordon's appearance). What's left for the rest of minutes is just a 'whatever it is, doesn't really matter'.

陳昇
陳昇（早期的）專輯就是可以偶爾聽一聽，然後可以說“其實他還很敢做的...“或者”很好聽..."不過關於“敢做”和“好聽”是不必深究的。

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From the book Memory Doesn't Speak For Itself. Reprinted by permission.
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