Memoirs of a Geisha
Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li, Ken Watanabe, Koji Yakusho
Director: Rob Marshall
The film: There's an almost endless list of faults you can mention - and that you're probably aware of before you even watch this film. Much of the criticism stems from Memoirs being the gaijins' (foreigners') take on the ancient Japanese phenomenon of the geisha or female entertainer.
Based on the best-selling novel written in 1997 by American Arthur Golden, the team of US producers (who include Steven Spielberg) at Miramax brought in Chicago director Rob Marshall and cast two mainland actresses and one Malaysian-Chinese in the three female lead roles. The casting is said to have accounted for the frosty reception at the Japanese box office when the film was released last December. On the mainland, the authorities - apparently angry about big-name stars Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li taking part - banned the film. Male leads are played by Japanese.
So much for the controversies. How about the movie? Geisha was nominated for six academy awards, as the DVD box loudly declares. It omits to mention that these were in technical categories. And technically, the film is a pleasure: sets recreate 1920s and 1930s Kyoto and are saturated in rich colour; location shots at temples in Japan blend imperceptibly; and the score enriches the mood. However, the plot moves unnecessarily slowly, with the running time at just under 21/2 hours.