Movie Review of Secret (2007 Taiwanese Film) Essay Example for Free

Movie Review of concealed (2007 Taiwanese Film) EssayCasts* Jay Chou as Ye Xianglun A music student majoring in lenient and lives with his take * Kwai Lun-mei as Lu Xiaoyu A music student who lives with her mother * Anthony Wong Chau-sang as Xiangluns father Xiangluns father and the discipline teacher at his school * Alice Tzeng as Qing Yi Xiangluns classmate who is in love with him * Yuhao Zhan as Yu Hao A music student and talented piano player, nicknamed Prince of the piano, he had a piano battle with Xianglun hugger-mugger is an amazing movie to look at and to listen to. The film tells a simple but real beautiful love story which is tied between past and present. The story, the music, the talent youll truly be amazed and be in love with it when you see it yourself. You cleart imagine that it would be magical. Its a unique story, unpredictable and interesting. Whats more interesting is there is more to it than what meets the eye. Careful attention must be paid to all scenes, or else the story wont click and the end wont be as good. Heres the spoil. Ye Xianglun is a budding musical genius whose room with piano keys makes him a hit with the ladies, and even the guys, who recognize talent when they see it. Ye arrives at Tanjiang Art School and already hes being watched, but his eyes and warmness are immediately stolen by Lu Xiaoyu, an elegant, charming flirt who first happens upon Ye in the schools aged piano room. The two begin a cute, casual move thats defined by confidentials.Basically, Lu keeps them, starting with her name, then extending them to other things like where she goes, what she does, and why shes always absent from class. Since shes so effervescent and attractive, Ye is immediately smitten. Ye has a secret too, but Ill give it away his dad is a teacher at the school, and hes played by Anthony Wong in an amusing performance thats vintage Wong. Ye excessively has some friends at school who arent as amusing, and even qualify a s annoying and bothersome. Some of these characters are played by Chous Taiwanese pop music pals. Since this is a Jay Chou (Ye Xianglun) production (besides starring and directing, he penned the original story and contributed the music), its only understandable that Chou make room for some of his buddiesas thoroughly as his pet obsessions, especially music. Ye becomes the class celebrity when he kicks ass in a piano battle, which is as entertaining as it is patently manufacture. Basically, Ye outfoxes his adversary on the ivory keys, winning the hearts of the girls and the guys, while still remaining cool and sheepish in that inimitable Ye Xianglun way.Chief among his admirers is the pretty Qing Yi, who starts to crush on Ye big time. But Ye only has eyes for Lu. Or does he? Despite getting along swimmingly with Ye, Lu soon gets the idea that Ye is two-timing her with Qing. This is receivable to your standard crossed wires and mistaken circumstances, but the misinterpreted event is enough to throw a massive crush-killing wrench into their puppy love. That would probably be a dread thing to behold if not for the fact that the relationship up until then was hardly inspiring. Ye Xianglun and Lu Xiaoyu have decent chemistry, but the relationship between their characters never seems that deep. Theres a manufactured quality to the dialogue that makes their supposed love a bit unconvincing, and without more acute emotions the film begins to depict. Sadly, part of this is the fault of Ye Xianglun, the actor. Ye possesses a sure likable charm, but his presence hardly screams passion. His demeanor is just too remote Ye tries hard, but he cant convey a complete execute of emotions. Shoring things up, however, is Lu Xiaoyu.When she initially appears, she acts too much like an idealized good girl flirt to be real its like shes some manufactured idea of what perfect high school romance should be. However, as it turns out, theres a reason for her bizarre flirtatious b ehavior, and as the film divulges more of the hows and whys, Lu is given a chance to convey emotions that prove heartbreaking. Her screen presence is refreshing and her emotions genuinely moving if Secret manages to affect, Lu Xiaoyu is a large reason why. The revelation of the films eponymous secret is what gives Lu the chance to really affect the audience and yet its also when the movie starts to pull away its credibility. The mechanism behind the films secret is never known, but the logic of how it works is explained explicitly, such that every incident and action in the film needs to fitting a set of rules explained by the characters and depicted by the events themselves. But the film ultimately doesnt adhere to its convictions, eventually twisting events to fit desired emotions and skirting nearly the rules that theyve laid out for us.The film gives us a denouement, but itsonly touching because it fits some sort of predetermined audience expectation, and not because it surp rises or really affects. Some people may be happy with how Secret ends. But does the film earn its ending? I dont think that it does. At least Secret is a very pretty ride. On artifice alone, the film is aces, serving up beautiful art direction, cinematography and music. Ye Xianglun (Jay Chou) really knows how to compose a gentle wind the films original music is genuinely stirring, and preexisting pieces are well-chosen and evocative of the films innocent romantic mood. Secret serves the senses exceptionally well so much so, that its nigh tragic when it ultimately throws logic out the window. Ye Xianglun and company have created a nice little valentine, but their desire to give the film more lean eventually leaves it adrift.The film barrels towards its intended goal with little regard for common sense, leaving the audience with nothing besides the pretty pictures and people to rim it up. Amazingly, that gambit is more successful than not, and Lu Xiaoyu (Kwai Lun-mei) practicall y drags the film across the finish line herself. Without her the film would probably sink beneath its own self-importance, as its manufactured sheen and occasionally miscalculated choices render the film little more than a superficially gorgeous pure love diversion for teen girls and the boys they drag to the cinema along with them.Thatll probably do just fine for most, since manufactured diversion seems to be a standard expectation for many modern moviegoers. Secret will probably score well with its intended teen audience, especially if they take in the film as a single, one-off experience. Further viewings would only expose the films holes to be gaping and perhaps intolerable, but upon first glance, Secret is pretty and polished enough to charm. You should watch it too