Memoirs of a Picky Cinema Go-er.

Wow. Just came back from seeing Memoirs of a Geisha and I have to say, that is one impressive film. There were a few small niggles with the film and the showing however:

1. The adverts were 10 minutes, the previews were 10 minutes and the things telling us not to smoke or use our mobiles or smoke whilst using our mobiles were 10 minutes (I know, HOW?). This meant that I had 30 minutes for my arse to get sick of sitting down to prepare me for 2 hours of fidgeting. The people around me cannot have been happy.
2. The adverts included an annoying advert where the world was made up of brightly coloured cars with an annoying backing song, however, this was not the biggest tragedy. Oh no. That is saved for the fact that 50cent has a movie (I may be a bit behind the times, due to the fact that every film shown at the student cinema is about 2 or 3 months behind regular cinemas.) Let me say that again: 50 CENT HAS A MOVIE. It's about gangstas, surprise, surprise. That guy sure does know how to market his chipmunk-esque face.
3. The film includes Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who has starred in Mortal Kombat as Shang Tsung. This means that every time he was on screen all that I could think of was "You're soul is MINE!" Not only this, but I'm seemingly the only person who remembers he was in this and any time I mention it, I look stupid or geeky, or stupid AND geeky.
4. The film makes me ashamed to be Western. There is a scene where a bunch of Americans arrive in the town and they over-run the place spoiling the serenity and beauty it possesses. Why did we have to ruin other cultures? Oh well. Macdonald's anyone?
5. They didn't make use of her eyes enough. They go on about how amazing her eyes are, but they never show them properly 'til the last scene.
6. *SPOILER WARNING* The Hollywood ending. I'm half happy and half sad that the ending was all fairytale and wonderful. On the one hand I'm really happy for the character but on the other, the idea of the Geisha lifestyle being about sacrifice and presenting a face that isn't real would have been so much stronger with her not being happy in the end.
7. I ate all my sweets before the film began. Why do I NEVER learn not to do that?

However, none of these little things mean that you shouldn't see the film, due to the fact that it is brilliant and the aesthetics of it are incredible. I just like to pick at things, that's all.

Oh, and while we're at it, it's probably worth seeing Fiddy's film too, I mean, everyone needs a laugh now and again, don't they?

Bobbikk