Nicolas Cage: Matchstick Men

Matchstick Men
Big liar lies to small liar, everyone is telling lies, so funny.

Everything in Matchstick Men turns out to be untrue. I thought everything was arranged like this as the story went on, but who would know that at the end it turned toward another direction. I found aches in my heart and I could not find it in my heart to see that desperate crying, losing everything in just one moment, a gradually cooling heart, having no idea about a solution, only bursting into tears.

A better thing is, the story turns again. Who once was a smart swindler, lost everything after he paid for his father-love, how come the director would like to let the tragedy continue, he starts a new normal life, and has his own children, as if the sun is shining ahead, mild and nice.
I was reminded of Leon. The similar scene, a girl suddenly jumps into his life, bringing love and warm and rare happiness to Leon and making his cold blood warm gradually. Thinking of the scene when Leon told those to Matilda in the end, and when Matilda planted the green pineapples in the school land, and even the image when the song of Shape of My Heart, I can still find ache in my heart, however at least I have gain something, right? Everything is truly changeable.

Nicolas Cage has really perfect acting skill sets. Mysophobia, photophobia and OCD, to act such a liar, need to interchange time and time again through the story; I think it might be quite hard and difficult to achieve its ideal performance for a common actor. But it is not the thing for Cage, his performance contributes much credit to this movie.

In addition, the actual age of that little girl is 21, but she has to be a 15-year girl. I would never know this if she has not told us. Well, she is also an excellent actress. I like her very much.

Cage in my opinion, is good at interpreting such kind of people who have some troubles at mental aspect, and no doubt in this film this character reaches his extreme. Although this work is of a relative low budget, it is pleasant and satisfying. With a tight plot, vivid characters and an unexpected ending accompanied with a deep love between the father and his daughter, every detail is moving and touching. However, it is the very tight plot and ups and downs that make this film a little not so themed.

I always like Nicolas Cage's movies, for his really exact performance. For example, when Roy picking up the house, the corner of his eyes squeamishly twitching with fear of being outsides, walking and snorting in the house, and what truly touching me is his expression in the eyes when he listens to Angela's message, and that crying-and-laughing facial complexion when he knows the whole thing.

To the individual Roy, I do not expect him to be actually "normal". Otherwise, he will lose his charm and his squeamishness. But when you see him doing a normal job, meeting Angela, going back home, hugging his wife from her back and kissing her pregnant belly, you will realize that the true love cannot be discovered until you reach some kind of balance, right?

As a matter of fact, to swindle others, even if sitting behind a telephone, it seems to be of lots of pressure.

In order to live a better life, Roy claims himself a Con Artist. Beside of his makeover, he owns one important skill – telling stories which are very convincing to his audience. He can make up a let-his-client-hold-on story within just one second.

As an advertiser, you have to learn to tell stories, you may want to tell a story about this brand to your customer: "This brand comes from the grassland". And you have to tell them another story "he who uses this brand will know it".

"Advertising is legalized lying". Advertisers may be called a legal liar. The same, advertisers who need a good talent of telling stories, according to Michael Maynard's theory, "Advertising is the poetry of Capitalism", are not the advertisers the poets?
It is inevitable that an artist will have to contact with other artists. Since Roy was impacted by his "daughter" 's story (You are as bad as her boyfriends), I came to know he will suffer.

As an advertiser, his destiny might be the same with the con artist, even if he is creative and wise enough, he is going to be a customer, be baptized by ads and poisoned by consumerism.

Another tragedy, right?

Advertising is based on one thing. Happiness. 

Nicolas Cage: National Treasure

National Treasure

I am a little sad in the depth of my heart when I see Nicolas Cage's sagged cheeks in the beginning of this movie.

Okay anyway, I am feeling better when it comes to Cage's cup-of-tea action style -- a role knows not so much knowledge of Kong-fu but a walking encyclopedia, the same as the chemical weapon professor in The Rock.

The old villain 006 Shawn Bin plays once again against with the great glory; big beauty Diane Kruger shines brightly in this film. As a model, there is no words to sing highly of her body style and she is much more pretty then her role in Troy. Her skin is so fine and smooth that many white women would be jealousy. It seems that a light make-up for an intellectual woman is much more suitable for her.

This is one of Jerry Bruckheimer's works; the Super Platinum producer from Hollywood, the film is of course a masterpiece. National Treasure as a commercial movie deserves its excellence. Some people don't find much excitement in this film, but it is originally produced as an intellectual puzzle solving movie. It would become less shining then Indiana Jones series when compared. In The Da Vinci Code, Robert Langdon does not fight much neither, and this does not bring much trouble in selling its 34 million copies.

When the music starts, it is quite familiar to me, with its timing, rhythms and meter. Bingo, among the three music producers, Don Harper is the one from The Rock, Paul Linford and Trevor Rabin are partners, they co-work out music in Gone in 60 Seconds, The One, The 6th Day, Armageddon, Enemy of the State and Con Air etc. Although the key contributor Hans Zimmer does not take part in, the music is completely qualified producing suitable atmosphere.

Okay, it is time to say something for its most challenged plot.
Some people say it is a copy of The Da Vinci Code after finishing his watching out of angry. It is a big mistake made under the great fame of the Da Vinci Code. Although it is true that many of elements are similar to this book, such as the treasure of the Knight Templar, the penetrating influence of the Freemasons, and the symbols and meanings hidden in the objects that American people like etc. However, The Da Vinci Code was published in 2003. Though the National Treasure was released in 2004, it had been listed into the screenwriter's schedule. The script had been changed for 9 times during the process of writing. Even if it took about half a year to finish shooting, it started in 2003, almost the same time with the publish of The Da Vinci Code. Where did the copy come from?

Actually it is not too strange to see this. First of all, the history of Freemasons is of myth, which describes Washington and Franklin are all members of the Freemasons, and there is a Freemasons symbol on the green paper etc. But this period of history is not a secret in America's historical circle. Thus it is totally possible that this film and that book have some same elements. What's more important, in addition to this movie and The Da Vinci Code and its prequel Angels and Demons, there is a forefather-class mystery novel which integrates semiology and unriddle, The Name of Rose. The Name of Rose is an outstanding classical masterpiece, from which many authors get inspiration. And from this point, the National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code are brothers.

Have you watched all the movies mentioned above?
The Name of Rose, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, National Treasure, to name but a few...

 The official guide to the year's most revolutionary game

Nicolas Cage: Knowing and Season of the Witch

Knowing

Nicolas Cage stars in this largely unsatisfying science-fiction tale that begins as a taut and spooky story concerning psychic legacies and ends up falling back on Steven Spielberg's old, cosmic playbook for default explanations about weird phenomena.

Season of the Witch (2011)
I have to say that I cannot finish watching this movies at all. Boring, ridiculous, sticky, and over-acting. So, allow me to skip to the Next.
But you can check it out by yourself.

 Click to Watch Season of Witch.

Nicolas Cage's: The Weather Man

The weather man

-- Life is always changing and unpredictable just like the weather

Who else wants not to be a solid-rock man in your youth life, to master and control everything and of course to do everything as possible as you can for our dreams? But, it is constantly changing for everything, and is not predictable just like the weather. And our ability will not be as powerful as we imagine, besides, we are not going to be so lucky all the time.

When it comes down to the real life, you would probably find that what you have got is not much more than what you lost, the pass of time, break of love, departing of family members. All of these are not a merely simple game of number changing. Life is sometimes like a wondering gale, and sometimes like an unexpected acid rain. Where is your direction? Where is your shelter? Drop something that you have to do so, only keep things those you have to take care of. Then you will be more determined to head forward.

Although the father did not tell his son what on earth he should drop, I believe that the weather man must figure out what his father wants to tell -- from the conversation after the snow melts. A man in the street as simple as me can understand that the weather man was rescued -- as to what he has dropped, just watch this movie then you will know. Nevertheless, that is what he drops; it is not of much value for other's reference or copy.

Everyone has his own life, and is so different from others. Thus the burden on everyone's shoulder is not quite the same. Therefore, there is not a fixed answer to what we should drop down. But the process of finding out the answer is tough and hard, which has been presented by this film and Nicolas Cage's acting. From this perspective, the meaning of life is not only to gain something, but also to make a decision of what you should give up.

Have you ever such experience and feeling that you threw away something you had been cherishing the most, that you was regretting about what you had done, that you felt you had given up something but kept something you should not?

Like a driver on the road, in order to carry more interesting stuff, he throws the engine away. It is ridiculous, isn't it?

The driving force that encourages and supports us, those people who we connect with them using our blood or yellow strip, the spirit and vital energy and God that has close relation to our soul and we name as believe and love, are single parts of the power system that prevents us from breaking down on the half way of our life long journey. Is this idea self-deceptive?

Never mind, as long as this self-deceptive stuff exists, we can be optimistic and head forward with great joy. What left dose matter any way.

Happy thanksgiving!

Nicolas Cage's: Lord of War

Lord of War -- Watch a merchant directing a war

A story of a gunrunner, criminal, sophisticated in running away and doing business

Different from the traditional war films, Lord of War neither depicts a hero from the angle of a soldier, nor writes a tragedy from the angle of a soldier's family members who lost their relative. This movie might be the first one, at least my first, which describes a war from an arms merchant's perspective.

This movie starts with a clear overview of our hero (Nicolas Cage)'s ambition:  

There are altogether 15 million arms all over the world, that is to say, every one out of twelve holds one gun, but this only question is that how we can let the other eleven also get their own guns.

 

What a pointed remark! It discloses their conspiracy of the arms merchants. That's right, it is them who are dumping arms to other countries. Once people have guns on hands, they have the power to let their own voice heard, so they began to bully surrounding countries and peoples. On the other hand, those countries and people will surely not just sit and wait to be shot. They have their own guns bought either, and they might be considered to be self-defense. But this would be enough to start a scaled war. Cannot help it, can we? Surprisingly, there is no argument about who is right or who is wrong. How ridiculous it is that no one is right or wrong! However, this is not the focus in arms merchants' eyes, they don't care about the war, even it is right or wrong. The only thing they have an eye on is the reason why not let them use the guns I sell!

The only one who is equally powered and can be called the same name of Lord of War is the national leader or who wants to be a national leader. They can encourage people to rush into fields of battles under the name of "the love to the country", then die for the country. However, all of these people, to arms merchants, can be killed, but the war cannot come to an end any way. If you imprison an arms merchant for 24 hours, then people would have no weapons to start a war at least within this 24 hours. In spite of all of the above, who the hell the arms merchants are? They are merchants!

Start Watching Lord of War at Amazon Instant Video

It is the arms merchant who is asking if they need a muffler even if his head is pointed to an AK-47!
It is the arms merchant who is only considering that the gun has been used then you have to buy a new one even if his client is shooting an innocent human being!
It is the arms merchant who is singing highly of the AK-47 to be a work of art. And it is suitable both for the old and the young!

 

Arms merchants sell their weapons to the two sides of the war, which does not mean they have no stand, but theirs is of two losers on both sides!
Arms merchants sell bullets made from Communism to Fascism!
Arms merchants sell weapons to other countries to attack their own country as well!
What a typical merchant icon. The field of battle becomes a field of commerce just like this. Meanwhile, the battle between arms merchants is particularly unusual, since both sides have endless supply of ammunition.

 

There is a very impressive scene through this movie. Cage's airplane was intercepted by the international police while on his road of ammunition transportation. But after they force to land on an airstrip in Africa, the whole flight crew run away in front of this plane fulfilled with ammunition. Only Cage is still there! He is handing out the weapons, like a merchant who is giving away free trials, to the refugees on the road, everyone has one piece of weapon on hands then, including men, women, the old and the young.  

 

Just in 10 minutes, all of the ammunition which would take about two hours to clear out has been emptied, and escapes the punishment of laws. Thought the ammunition of hundreds of millions is taken away by others just for free, Cage has his calculation done: these people who take the weapons will find the benefit brought by the weapons, and will become his potential customers in the future. Therefore these free trails are giving away at the right time, one stone with two birds!
Imagine the people who get the weapon, when they figure out that only the weapon can give them a resolution, it is the time when the war breaks out. Sometimes, a war is broken out in this way.

While private gunrunners continue to thrive. The world's biggest arms suppliers are the U.S, U.K, RUSSIA, FRANCE and CHINA.

At least, I can understand the war, but I was and am and will never be supporting the war!!!

What is your stand?

Start Watching Lord of War at Amazon Instant Video

Bringing Out The Dead

Bringing Out The Dead

--Keep an Eye on the Full Dust Space

 

Bring Out the Dead Trailer

I have been fantasizing about this life from my childhood since I was fasinated by O`Henry: As an onlooker, I am recording others' pain and happiness. As a matter of fact, this dream has never vanished from my brain and I have been passionate and willing to start it each and every single moment when I come across a turning point of my life - my destiny.

Choosing to do a simple and easy job, is choosing an angle of point to perceive the world, e.g. the doctors in the ambulance who are shuttling in the city every single night.

Martin and Nicolas Cage narrate the very world which ambulance doctors see. Cage drives his ambulance with his colleague on the streets and blocks where he was raised up and quite familiar with. Once copied a commend from the 911 center, they start off to every accident sites, to rescue the young black who was shot by someone, a over-drugged drinker lying on the floor in a bar, a heart-attacked old man, a making-suicide person, a little-girl mother who left home and gave birth to her baby on an abandoned building roof.  

Cage is a kindhearted person, his mother said that he has a Godfather-like face, and his job was his destiny. He begins to work when the night falls and goes to bed after the sun rises. He always feels able-less when he watches a life passes away from his fingers. He say that he can see the soul whose life passes away before his hands, and the soul stares at his eyes when he walks under the lights in the night. Evey time thinking of this scene, I feel thrilling and a little afraid of someone's eyes are starring at me from behind. eee, horrible.

This two-hours long film, presents three-day life of his. It has been half a month during which he saved no single life. That girl who died for his technical mistake delaying the best rescuing time appears every night in each corner, road turner wherever Cage goes. He was sleepless and wan and sallow.

This is a typical Scorsese style movie, depressing, dark and full of crimes, even if the God can do nothing. He would still talk about topics like drugs and salvation, nevertheless, he again gave a sunshine explanation in the end as the movie came to the ending.

I am always loving Cage's sensitive expression and the melancholy in his eyes with both eyebrows knitted, which seems to be worrying and taking pity on every creatures on this full dust place. Words are unable to do salvation, maybe it should be as pessimistic as the movie itself.

Nevertheless, we should be always positive and optimistic, since life is short and should be have been a beautiful thing, why not?

My dear fellow friends, are you pessimistic, what is your feeling about your life? Please share your ideas with us. Thank you.

World Trade Center 2006

World Trade Center

-- A Film of Friendship and Family Love

Stone depicts a very special perspective in the World Trade Center from the terrible 911 attack. From this angle, it presents the relationship between family members, brothers and even strangers, holding the same goal. And this is what Stone wants , in my perspective and with my understanding, to show his audience.

The whole feeling on the World Trade Center is not bad. However the details I think you'd better to see this movie with your own eyes. And here, I just want talk some of them.

This movie is made in a meaningful way. On the event scene, the light is always blue, cold and dark, with spare sparking, makes people think of words like "war" or "hell" etc. imposing a feeling of depression. While expressing the beautiful memory of the police offer's being laid under the ground, the screen is always bright, added with soft lights, presenting an image of the sweetness of family warmth. Switching between these two pictures, generates a significant impact on people, reminding people of the importance of our family love.

A depressing atmosphere goes through the World Trade Center, and finally disappears when the last police offers is rescued, more and more smiling faces appear, more and more "welcome home". I think such a change of feeling is one of the emotion that this movie wants to bring to the audience.

My favorite line of the World Trade Center is: The agony is a good thing. The agony is your friend. If the agony that you still think, even if prove you are still alive.

When the only thing we can do is to watch the pale of a man in the street, we sign for the insignificance of the life. On the other hand, when see common people try their best to help each other in front of disaster, we are proud of the power of life supporting them to stay alive. Because such power is the unique thing that we human being have, and we use it to express our love. I would like to call this the nature of human being.

This is what the World Trade Center brings to me, so what do you get from this movie? Please share your thoughts with us in your comments. Thank you.

The Wicker Man 2006

The Wicker Man

-- A Group Murder

Well, this is different from most other movies I watched before. I was depressed for a while.

Sometimes I would like to think this, it should be the same as a human being, we always dream that we were the hero of a film. Although I cannot act like the almighty God, I will have a happy ending in the end. Not with this one, it tells us that that is not it. And maybe what you are experiencing turns out be to a tragedy.

This is the most horrible thing.

The Wicker Man is coated with a religious touch, but what is the wicker?

Most time of the movie is depicting the plot that the mysterious woman who was born in that island disappeared before her engagement with Cage, until she returned to the island, she wrote a letter to Cage asking for help to save their lost daughter. When Cage came to this island, he investigated every detail suspective to him, and was bewildered by seeing all kinds of mysterious things.

The answer seems to be revealing gradually, the lost child is going to be sacrificed religiously. And Cage's commission is to rescue this child. However, it turns out to be a big lie at the moment he completed his commission.

Someone says that The Wicker Man wants to overthrow the gender ratio in the modern society and the religious live sacrifice.

In this matriarchal society, females can maintain their status in the producing system via beekeeping. While males are merely a reproducing tool. Only in such a definite division-of-work society, such a long-time-span and precisely targeted plan can be designed, a stunning group murder.

The most confusing part of this movie for me is Cage's sickness and the car crach in the beginning, why did they always show in his dream? Gradually, I realized that these two dead body are just a bait for the sacrifice in this group murder.

What if the island did not send out the mom and daughter who died in the car accident, Cage should not have been so guilty and would not go to that island. And this group murder has to be announced failed.

Still cannot understand what this movie is going to tell us.
Maybe it just presents a tragedy.
What the tragedy does is to tear a beautiful thing down in front of our eyes.
Who can find it in his heart to do kill such a kindhearted and full of love person?
Nevertheless, it is truly a tragedy.
Living in this world, who can assure that one is not perform a tragedy?
Is this the so-called reality?
Reality again.

Please tell me, my dear fellow friend, what is your life like?

Nicolas Cage: Gone in 60 Seconds 2000

More than 10 times I watched the 60 Seconds

I love it so much. It is always new to me each time I watch it, from the whole plot to every detail. Cars here can feel like human being, especially the Ford under whose help our hero escape from the danger. Ford is attractive and sexy, and manful as well. On the other hand, it became a little naughty while running away from the police's net -- turned off.

50 Classic cars in 48 hrs of tight adventure

Outstanding and awesome, but it fell into, in my opinion, the conventional formula: the justice finally beat down the evil. However, hero is the very hero. The law in the Hollywood film studio is nevertheless just a reference.

The exiting visual experience is one of the undeniable elements, though I saw several flaws through this movie. And it is of course of fast pace through the whole plot at the same time, the romance is not so sticky, and I think this is enough.

Most scenes took place at night, so it became simple and effective. The weaved hot but in order spots looks quite interesting and exciting and is also one of my favorite parts. BTW, many of the casts have shown up in many other movies, thus when I saw their performing in Gone in 60 Seconds, the characters became rich and real.

I am not going to comment much on the photo-graphical stuff, but want to speak out my love to the breathtaking sound effects, it is so marvelous. From the roaring Porsche charging out from the department, to the red howling Cadillac and the final flying car by Cage, when the music comes out, the time stops and everything is paused, all exciting for me. Once I watched this film,I bought the CD volume, what's more, I found it sounds better.

When people talk about car movies, many would like to recommend Gone in the 60 Seconds, which is proved by the movie itself, its cost and powerful special effects and particularly for all the luxury branded cars shown off in the movie.

Cars have been a symbol of ones status and a helper assisting our hero to escape from death time and time again. Lets expand it further, the car industry has been a critical part in our daily life, can you live without your car? Negative.

On the other hand, we are also recently in trouble of the rising oil price and CO2. Car manufacturers and ourselves start to focus on the importance of environmental protection.

In closing, I would love to advocate that we should improve our living space via scientific lifestyle to protect the environment. We can do this by small activities in our daily life, bus for example.
So my dear fellow reader, what do think? Please leave your comments, thank you.

The Family Man (2000)

The Family Man (2000)
A choice can change one's whole life,
environment can wear off one's edges,
failure can diminish one's willing power,
however one's nature is unchangeable.
It can be said that the nature of a human being was formed and shaped after one's childhood.

Let go all of the whatifs. When an angle sent by the God comes to you and offer you the what if, just say thanks to her. Because you make your own chioce. Even if you made a turn at certain point, you will finally get on the right way and return again. Our life is the result of our own choices made by ourselves. The only right thing when you are making a choice you need to do is Follow your heart. No doubt, no regret.

Bottom line: we have to select one of the two lifestyle as Jack did, and then live that life.

Nicolas Cage's List ^_^

I came across this idea when I was having my lunch.

I would like to do the recollection in a time order, i.e from the oldest to the newest.

Cage, transform and roll out! lol

Knowing (2009)

Next (2007)

The Wicker Man (2006)

World Trade Center (2006)

Lord of War (2005)

The Weather Man (2005)

National Treasure (2004)

Matchstick Men (2003)

Adaptation (2002)

Wind Talkers (2002)

Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)

The Family Man (2000)

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

Bringing Out The Dead (1999)

8mm (1999)

Snake Eyes (1998)

Vampires Kiss (1998)

City Of Angels (1998)

Con Air (1997)

Face Off (1997)

The Rock (1996)

Kiss of death (1995)

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
After leaving Las Vegas, Cage came to a road of flowers.

Trapped in Paradise (1994)

It Could Happen to You (1994)

Guarding Tess (1994)

Fire Birds (1990)

Wild At Heart (1990)
Love me Tender~~~

Raising Arizona (1987)

Moonstruck (1987)

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Year when I was born.

Racing with the Moon (1984)

Birdy (1984)

Rumble Fish (1983)

Valley Girl (1983)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

I will add my reviews in separate posts linking to this post when I watch one of them.

Please add your comments and reviews, appreciate a lot.