The Pledge
If it was any other film, I’d probably hold off a bit before I’d post/write so soon after watching it for the first time. However, seeing how this film just opened in HK, I feel the urge to make sure all my friends get to know/read about how I feel about it.
Before I start talking about what an achievement this film, The Prestige, is, I want to say a few words about me and film reviews.
The Turn
In general, I loathe any activity that either directly, indirectly, or merely possibly reveals ANYTHING about a film I am interested in. This includes all synopsis, critical reviews, trailers (these are the worst!). The only thing I would allow myself is whether the film is “worth watching”. I have a general guideline on this. Other than word-of-mouth (that obviously has to depend on that person’s taste) I rely on a few sources I trust.
- Rottentomatoes.com – a website that tallies most reviewers in the US media (um.. British too maybe? not sure on this one) and accordingly give the film a numerical rating. There has been some discrepancy between me and RT’s rating in the past but they have been rare.
- NYTimes.com – I think I actually rely on NYtimes more for book reviews than films. I do love to read about the film reviews AFTER I have seen the film. If they rate it as worth watching, then it’s a safe bet, for me, that I will feel the same.
- Awards – Cannes and the Berlin film festivals are certainly some of the most prestigious awards for international and art house films. The Oscars are usually a bit more conservative in terms of its taste and selections. More often than not, I feel the movies they award seem to be “safe” rather than inspiring. For those, I usually look towards the Independent Spirit Awards or the Sundance Film Fest. (Altho strangely, as much as I enjoy indie films, I am not that hot for Sundance’s taste).
Ah.. crap.. ran out of time. I will continue my rant on why having any sort of prior knowledge and expectation before watchign a film is bad… and… right my take on The Prestige! during lunch time!
Until then….
