Ang Lee

[MrsCatHead]

Love his work. (I never saw Hulk)

He has the ability to make the time in which his movie is set complete and whole. His characters are so rich and layered that they seem real enough to jump right off the screen. He gets good performances from his cast, too. He makes good choices, choices that make sense in the movie's world.

And I think he's a cutiepie <fanblush>

[Deleted]

I think he's totally adorable. I have the hilarious Emma- Thompson-written shooting diaries of "Sense and Sensibility" and they're filled with cute and funny little details about Ang, who, apparently, loves iced buns and gave acting notes like "You'll get better" to Kate Winslet as well as "Very Dull" and "Don't look so old" to Thompson.

For example; "Found Ang having breakfast- two eggs, a kipper, a scone and some raspberry jam. "What's so funny?" he said.

"Ang told us about his early sex life today. "So painful" he said, then laughed a lot."

"Later found Ang looking at the estuary with a mournful expression. I went and stood beside him. After a moment he said, waving toward the water, 'Tide goes in, tide goes out, tide goes in, tide goes out- and still no sex'

'Do you miss it?' I enquired, after I'd stopped laughing.

He nodded sadly."

[slashgirl]

orchidthief said:

He seems like a really nice guy.

But I've been disappointed in his work since Hulk.

As far as I'm concerned, judging Ang Lee by Hulk is like judging Alfred Hitchcock by Family Plot.

[huntergrayson]

Ang rocks.

And afraid to tell you, Kafka[b/], but I think Jewel's role in that film was pretty major. Never saw it, though. Should make for an interesting rental.

I am insanely curious as to how he gets such good performances out of his actors since he is renowned to be pretty distant on set. Like, he'll say maybe two sentences to you the entire day kind of reserved and distant. I guess he gives the actors his space and just knows the right advice to give and when to give it. I know not every director has to be all up in an actor's grill, but still - I do wonder how he manages it if he's not that "involved" with the actors.

[orchidthief]

slashgirl said:

orchidthief said:

He seems like a really nice guy.

But I've been disappointed in his work since Hulk.

As far as I'm concerned, judging Ang Lee by Hulk is like judging Alfred Hitchcock by Family Plot.

I said since Hulk. I thought Brokeback Mountain was very mediocre.

Ang Lee seems like a swell guy and he made some fine films earlier in his career... And it's pretty cool that he became the first Asian director to nab a Best Director Oscar. But I don't think he's as brilliant and "brave" as he's cracked up to be. It would be cool if Asian directors like Hsiao-hsien Hou and Wong Kar-Wai received half of the mainstream attention lavished upon Ang Lee.

[slashgirl]

orchidthief said:

I said since Hulk. I thought Brokeback Mountain was very mediocre.

With all due respect, I know what you said. All I was trying to say is that I don't judge a director solely by his worst work, which BBM definitely isn't, IMO.

Ang Lee seems like a swell guy and he made some fine films earlier in his career... And it's pretty cool that he became the first Asian director to nab a Best Director Oscar. But I don't think he's as brilliant and "brave" as he's cracked up to be. It would be cool if Asian directors like Hsiao-hsien Hou and Wong Kar-Wai received half of the mainstream attention lavished upon Ang Lee.

They will, eventually.

[orchidthief]

slashgirl said:

With all due respect, I know what you said. All I was trying to say is that I don't judge a director solely by his worst work, which BBM definitely isn't, IMO.

I think both BBM and Hulk are unnecessarily heavyhanded. I've also come to realize that Ang Lee - in comparison to his other peers - is pretty bland when it comes to creating mood via aesthetics.

It's all a matter of perception. Tomehtoes, tomahtoes.

We shall agree to disagree.

Ang Lee seems like a swell guy and he made some fine films earlier in his career... And it's pretty cool that he became the first Asian director to nab a Best Director Oscar. But I don't think he's as brilliant and "brave" as he's cracked up to be. It would be cool if Asian directors like Hsiao-hsien Hou and Wong Kar-Wai received half of the mainstream attention lavished upon Ang Lee.

They will, eventually.

Foreign films are being endangered, amongst many other reasons, by indiewood films like Brokeback Mountain. They belong to the same market: the arthouse niche market.

The closing of foreign distributor Wellspring (by the hands of indiewood honcho Harvey W) ain't encouraging at all.

[Deleted]

Just curious, in what ways do you think BBM is especially heavyhanded?

[orchidthief]

nusan said:

Just curious, in what ways do you think BBM is especially heavyhanded?

The subplot in regards to Alma, Ennis' mental flashback about how Jack really died (or at least what he wants to think has happened)...

Annie Proulx depicted those events in such a lyrical, fluid prose. So I guess, a great deal of it had to do with expectations.

Nevertheless, I think sucks it that - as Dave Chappelle once joked about - there's always like this a few slots reserved for minorities in his/her profession or field. Right now, Ang Lee is inhabiting that mainstream Asian director spot, and I think it's a pity because there are far better Asian directors out there still stuck in the art house ghetto.

And I just wanna reiterate that I don't hate Ang Lee as a director. I enjoyed his earlier work (The Wedding Banquet, S&S) very much - this was back when he was subtle in his direction. But now, I just think he's mediocre.

[slashgirl]

orchidthief said:

I think both BBM and Hulk are unnecessarily heavyhanded. I've also come to realize that Ang Lee - in comparison to his other peers - is pretty bland when it comes to creating mood via aesthetics.

It's all a matter of perception. Tomehtoes, tomahtoes.

Exactly, and my perception is that one person's bland is another's subtle.

Foreign films are being endangered, amongst many other reasons, by indiewood films like Brokeback Mountain. They belong to the same market: the arthouse niche market.

The closing of foreign distributor Wellspring (by the hands of indiewood honcho Harvey W) ain't encouraging at all.

I agree, to a point. While it's true that the foreign film market has problems, I blame that on Hollywood's greed, not the success of films like BBM.

Right now, I think it sucks that-as Dave Chapelle once joked about-there's always like this a few slots reserved for minorities in his/her profession or field. Right now, Ang Lee is inhabiting that mainstream Asian director spot, and I think it's a pity because there are far better Asian directors out there still stuck in the art house ghetto.

Again, I blame the system. Given how tough it is for any great director to succeed, regardless of color, that Ang Lee has come this far from the "art house ghetto," where he started, is truly a great accomplishment. The way I see it, if he can make it, then so can other Asian directors, given the chance.