Memoirs of a Geisha

[SnowApple]

I had originally looked forward to this movie, but after the critics slammed it in the limited NY and LA screenings, I had some doubts. Most of the time, not all, but most of the time, the critics and I agree. When I sat down in the theater to watch it last Wednesday, I really didn't know if it would be one of those times where we didn't agree.

Overall, though... yeah, we agreed. Beautiful movie, don't get me wrong, but the pacing and emotions were lagging. All the concepts work beautifully in a novel, but they don't translate as well onscreen, especially when there's no central climax to the story. The whole time, one never really knows what the story is about. That ambiguity can work nice in novels, like I said, but in movies, you're just left wondering where the plot went.

At least that's how I felt. I've never read the novel, but I wanted to see the movie because I'm Asian and it's always interesting to see Hollywood portray us this way or that.

The funny thing was, the best actress wasn't any of the big names. Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Gong Li ALL got upstaged by the little girl who played Chiyo. She was awesome. I was sad to finally see Zhang on screen because it meant the child actress wasn't coming back. :D

Anyone else seen it?

[Aslan the Wise one]

If you are talking about LWW.? Yes I have seen it and yes it blew me away!!!.

[SnowApple]

Oh, thought I'd forgotten a subject line for a sec. But nope, it's there. I was talking about Memoirs of a Geisha. :D

[Daughter of Narnia]

I haven't seen it yet or read the novel but my best friend has done both and she said she really liked it although I didn't get an in-depth review from her so I don't what she thought of some aspects over others. I'd like to see it for myself, though.

[♣Teh Deviant♣]

I saw that Oprah liked it on a certain Operah show, and I went and read the novel, and I finished it just in time to see the movie. I liked it, but LWW was wayyyyy better! :D
I think that MofAG focused to much on the Geisha thing and not enough on Sayuri/Chiyo's feelings, so it wasn't lke a memoir at all.

Sofia

[she-elfwarrior19]

I dont think i'll see it.

[♣Teh Deviant♣]

I still think it should be seen, even if I think that it could be better.
Its just a different movie, I mean, how often do you see Japanese movies that aren't totally action and Jackie Chang films?

Sofia

[MyChEmIcAlRoMaNcE_rOcKs!]

i havent seen the movie yet and it looks good.which 1 is better the book or movie?

[purplemonkeyhunter]

I saw it, and I thought they did a pretty good job with it. I didn't like how they did they ending, on the island, it seemed to rushed, like they ran out of time. I liked Nobu better in the book than in the movie also for some reason. It was a good movie, but I think the whole idea just worked out better in the book. I definetly thought the book was better. I think the movie was absolutely gorgeous, it had a lot of really great shots in it.

[SOS~]

It was beutiful.Last summer I was on in to jappenesse culture so I understood in very well.

[♣Teh Deviant♣]

The book beats the movie.
The movie had a lack of emotions and memoiricity, and like puplemonkeyhunter said, it was wayy too rushed at the end.

Sofia

[FallOfFingolfin]

I still think it should be seen, even if I think that it could be better.
Its just a different movie, I mean, how often do you see Japanese movies that aren't totally action and Jackie Chang films?

Sofia

First of all, most of the cast (and crew, I believe) of the film were CHINESE.

Second, Jackie Chan is most definitely Chinese...

[♣Teh Deviant♣]

First of all, most of the cast (and crew, I believe) of the film were CHINESE.

Second, Jackie Chan is most definitely Chinese...

Yes, but, technically it was a Japanese movie and I can't tell the difference. :o

Sofia

[onlymystory]

book was better. but then the books almost always are.

[Special_K]

I saw the movie and I really enjoyed it~

I was upset that all the actors were Chinese and not Japanese!

[SOS~]

Yeah.The girl also played in House of Flying Daggers if I'm not mistaken.

[Horse Feather]

I'm curious about this movie but I might end up reading the book first and then just renting the film when it comes out on DVD. I spent my money going to see Narnia and I can't wait until it transfers over to the one cinema here and I can go see it for like...$2-3 rather then $9+. ;)

My mom did see MoaG though and she really liked it. Although I tend not to usually agree on my mom's tastes on good movies vs. bad movies. Time will tell, I suppose.

[Special_K]

I'm curious about this movie but I might end up reading the book first and then just renting the film when it comes out on DVD. I spent my money going to see Narnia and I can't wait until it transfers over to the one cinema here and I can go see it for like...$2-3 rather then $9+. ;)

My mom did see MoaG though and she really liked it. Although I tend not to usually agree on my mom's tastes on good movies vs. bad movies. Time will tell, I suppose.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing the other day...there is a $2 theatre right next to my college. I said to myself, "I can't wait until Narnia hits this theatre."

I am from Denver but I go to school in Texas. Up here in Denver movies are $9.50 but in Texas they are only $6.00

[sakura_shinguji]

i've already watch it yesterday...

for me its pretty good movie, incredibles and very great. I can see now the way western think about asian by the way the movie is created. I have lived in Japan for 1 and a half years and now I really understand their beautiful culture. maybe the director can't really understand what is true meaning of a geisha and thats why the movie is more about a life of a girl that try to catch her dream to become a geisha. Its not a movie about a memoir after all. Its just a movie about the girl named Chiyo/Sayuri. I haven't read the books but I try to finish it..

about the actor and actress....not all are Chinese. Ken Watanabe is a Japanese and he born in Tokyo. Same with Youki Udoh and Suzuku Ogho (young Chiyo)..the only Chinese is Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh. For me, the perfect actress is Suzuki Ogho and Michelle Yeoh. They are really interesting and gorgeous in their part! Zhang Ziyi is great too but I think, if Japanese girl are in that part, it could be perfect. I always watch Zhang Ziyi as a superwoman in martial arts (she is very great in her kung fu!) especially when she played part in House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but when she come over as a geisha, I just say....ohhh....she is very feminine right now! No kicking and fighting but dancing and wearing a very tight kimono! She looks pretty for me! ;)

about the books that are better than the movie...emmmm...its a normal case. Everybodys say that too when Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire released. I really really sad when I watch that movie coz it run to far from the books! But after all, I think the director have try his best to make things perfect. How can he get all 700 pages of the book to the movie? Impossible right? We are just humans, so nothing can really be perfect. Only God is perfect.

I liked this movie...it really great and gorgeous movie this year I think :)

[Elastigirl]

It looks good. I want to see it. :)

[devils_advocate_for_evil]

I don't know, my dad read it and said that he REALLY didn't want to see the movie because he didn't know how it would translate.. I saw it and thought they focused too much on the actual Geisha part and not on her feelings.

[Gwen]

I had originally looked forward to this movie, but after the critics slammed it in the limited NY and LA screenings, I had some doubts. Most of the time, not all, but most of the time, the critics and I agree. When I sat down in the theater to watch it last Wednesday, I really didn't know if it would be one of those times where we didn't agree.

Overall, though... yeah, we agreed. Beautiful movie, don't get me wrong, but the pacing and emotions were lagging. All the concepts work beautifully in a novel, but they don't translate as well onscreen, especially when there's no central climax to the story. The whole time, one never really knows what the story is about. That ambiguity can work nice in novels, like I said, but in movies, you're just left wondering where the plot went.

At least that's how I felt. I've never read the novel, but I wanted to see the movie because I'm Asian and it's always interesting to see Hollywood portray us this way or that.

The funny thing was, the best actress wasn't any of the big names. Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Gong Li ALL got upstaged by the little girl who played Chiyo. She was awesome. I was sad to finally see Zhang on screen because it meant the child actress wasn't coming back.

Anyone else seen it?

Yes, I saw the movie :D
It was beautiful, I loved it :)
Actually, I'm listening to the soundtrack right now...
But I haven't read the book yet... I'll do that some time, coz some people say it beats the movie ;)

[LifeMaiden]

This movie was a complete and total lie about the life of a real geisha. It just made Asian women look tragic and the art of geisha a forced one. My heritage is Japanese and Hawaiian, and I've studied the real geishas in real-life TRUE BIOGRAPHY books such as GEISHA: A LIFE instead of that fictional garbage that was written.

My criticism of the movie was simply the plot. Other than the singing and dancing art forms, all the other things in there were lies...like selling your 'mizuagi' to the highest bidder, being captured and forced into being a geisha, and the terrible relationships between the women.

[LifeMaiden]

I don't know, my dad read it and said that he REALLY didn't want to see the movie because he didn't know how it would translate.. I saw it and thought they focused too much on the actual Geisha part and not on her feelings.


Keep in mind that they did that because Asian women, especially geishas, are not supposed to ever reveal their true emotions...so the one aspect of the movie that stayed true to the real 'truth' about being this highly-respected art is that emotions are not something one reveals easily.

There are no such things as Chinese geishas, although the leads were played by the woman from Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon ( Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh). GEISHA is a purely Japanese artform. And they are NOT prostitutes. The term geisha became a common toy term used by the American soldiers during the Occupation of Japan and was used freely to mean 'hooker.' That is SO not the case.