The Tree

Director: Julie Bertuccelli
Writers: Judy Pascoe (novel), Julie Bertuccelli
Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Morgana Davies and Marton Csokas
Year: 2010 (Australia)
IMDB

My Rating: 6/10

Two leading actresses were outstanding. The cinematography was terrific, capturing the beauty of Australian countryside. Other than that, another average film. But I love Charlotte Gainsbourg, she acts like a woman, and loves like a woman, just like a woman...

Absolute Classics - I

Artist: J Dilla

Album: Donuts

Label: Stones Throw

Release Date: 7 Feb, 2006
Genre: Hip-Hop, Instrumental

選這張當經典專輯計畫的開頭是有原因的，因為當時我正是聽著這張專輯想出這個計畫的。這張專輯經典的程度已經不僅僅侷限在嘻哈樂而已，影響了更是現在新一代的電子樂，包括 dubstep 和 chillwave 這兩個最近很火熱的樂風。從 Flying Lotus 到 Burial，從 James Blake 到 Air France 都可以聽得到 J Dilla 對音樂上解構／結構的深遠影響。

在聽過幾遍之後，可以發現幾個很明顯的特徵。這裡面的曲目大多都沒超過兩分鐘，而且結尾都是直接切斷。感覺像是當拍子已經完美了就可以切掉，所以可以融入三十一首不同的曲子。裡面有很多人聲的取樣，特別是靈魂樂歌手的。但這些人聲在歌裡有時候不只是歌聲，而是融入了拍子的一部分。像是現在很多電子樂會一直重複一句話，或幾個字。我以前聽會覺得，為什麼要這樣？聽起來不會覺得很煩嗎？但在 J Dilla 操控下，取樣的聲音真的是融入拍子之中。而且以一位嘻哈樂的製作人來說，J Dilla 的強項不只是能做出好聽的拍子，還能把感情注入節拍裡。不需要饒舌歌手的詞，光曲子本身就是一件完整的作品。這是我覺得他最了不起的地方。

這張專輯基本上可以算是 J Dilla 製作人生涯中的預告片，也是最佳入門的專輯。儘管他製作的手法相當粗糙。如果喜歡這張專輯裡的拍子，應該去多找些他其他的專輯，還有他幫不同饒舌歌手製作的歌，像是A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Slum Village 和 D'Angelo。其他專輯裡，曲子都比較長，而且也比較完整。

另外，我想 J Dilla 自己也會認同我說的所謂他的預告片。製作這張專輯的他，早已經多病纏身，並長期的待在病房裡。發行專輯的那天正是他 32 歲生日，三天後就撒手人寰。所以，或許製作這張專輯時，他早有意識到他所剩時間有限，而做出這樣一張如此緊湊，充滿變化，並能代表他的，一張情感豐富的嘻哈專輯。

Absolute Classic - Prologue

這個部落格已經慢慢的變成專門記錄電影的了。因為我自認不是樂評，對於音樂有敏感的耳朵，但沒有俐落的文筆，所以比起寫些自己鄙視的東西，到不如不要寫算了。不過，雖然現在很少寫音樂，但聽的東西卻是越來越多，曲風也越聽越廣。

今天忽然想到這個想法，每個禮拜寫一張我自認為經典的專輯。介紹可能不會寫很多，但絕對值得聽（如果你還沒聽過的話）。至於介紹的專輯，應該會偏向大家可能比較不熟悉的好專輯。曲風的範圍相對的也會比較廣。我一直強調專輯是因為，我認為聽單曲有點像是瞎人摸象；只有聽完整張專輯，你才能知道這樂團有沒有淺力，有沒有才華。或許有些人覺得有幾首好聽的歌就值得喜歡那個樂團，那也行。只是我比較龜毛而已。期待嗎？

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach, and Ronald Dahl (Story)
Stars: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and Jarvis Cocker
Year: 2009
IMDB

My Rating: 8/10

This is probably my favourite Wes Anderson film. Oh, I have seen quite a few of his films,The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, and like them all equally. But they all have awkward moments, where I don't know exactly what to make out of them. With Mr. Fox, everything flows, very funny and lovely. Plus, a super cast! And The Beach Boys! And Jarvis Cocker! Anyway, I think Jason stole the show.

Kicking and Screaming

Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Oliver Berkman
Stars: Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, Olivia d'Abo and Samuel Gould
Year: 1995
IMDB

My Rating: 8/10

This is a story about what a bunch of friends do in uni after their uni graduation. These people do nothing all day, but talk about books and movies wittily. Amusing losers. I like that.

I'm already a postgrad, and yet I felt like I achieved nothing, much like what they are in movies. There are a lot of good dialogues in the movie. At the moment, I'm the same as the age of these characters, I can relate a lot to the movie, their love life, their purposelessness, their loss of direction, who knows, maybe this is all that what we are. You can only clinch to these moments by moments. For me, I think it's a really nice movie, a smart comedy which projects our reality in an interesting way. Oh, the soundtrack is great too!

Withnail & I

Director/Writer: Bruce Robinson
Stars: Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann and Richard Griffiths
Year: 1987 (UK)
IMDB

My Rating: 9/10

The script is a fucking masterpiece, like a comedy poem with depths, read out by drunkards.
Just watch this clip, it explains why i love this fucker.

One Day

Director: Lone Scherfig
Writer: David Nicholls (screenplay & book)
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess and Patricia Clarkson
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 5/10

Book was enjoyable. The movie, not so much. David Nicolls got no one to blame for the shit adaptation. Somehow I feel the movie should not follow the format he used in the book, but what's a better way to do it? I don't know, just don't make it, I guess.