Showing posts with label film review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film review. Show all posts

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Saturday, March 29, 2014 - ,,, 2 comments

Noah the Movie

I am reminded once again of the wisdom of seeing a movie before reading the book. I just returned from a viewing of the new movie Noah.


So, here is my standard disclaimer about spoilers. Continue to read at your own risk. However, anyone who has tried to read the Bible probably knows a bit about Noah. His story comes pretty early on in Genesis.

In the interest of full disclosure, I need to tell you that I have a Master of Theological Studies for Christianity. Therefore, I have a passing familiarity with the story of Noah though I admit that I hadn't looked at it closely in quite a while.

I'll say that I expected a little bit of editorial license with the story. Stories in the Bible are typically very short with very little embellishment. After all they come from an oral tradition, and they were written long before the printing press. Materials were at a premium.

Clocking in a little over 2 hours, they had to do something to fill the time. However, I feel that the went a little far from the text.I've heard quotes from the filmmakers that they stayed true to the new spirit of the biblical narrative, but I don't remember anything about Noah prohibiting his sons from bringing fertile wives on to the Ark with them, in order to end the human race, quite the contrary. And I certainly don't remember anything about Noah threatening to kill his two granddaughters.

It's like they were trying to merge or borrow a bit from the Abraham and Isaac story in this movie about Noah and his family. Abraham was asked to sacrifice (read kill) his long promised son but was given a reprieve at the last second. You'd think that all the debauchery and lawlessness that led to the flood would be drama enough. Then there's the desperation of the people realizing that their only hope is to make it all to the Ark or being shut out. There's the excitement of all of the animals on the Ark. But apparently that wasn't good enough. They had to invent whole new and disturbing story lines. Who knows perhaps these story lines were developed in the Jewish Mishnas.

Leaving the biblical accuracy aside, was it a good movie? I would say that it was okay. It reminded me more of a futuristic post apocalyptic fantasy movie like The Road Warrior or something than an ancient period piece. On the other hand The Road Warrior was meant to portray a future that socially looked more like our distant anarchist past. Maybe that means that they got the look and feel exactly right.

Here's the trouble. I never liked The Road Warrior. I will admit that Noah had its poignant moments. I did occasionally have to wipe a tear from my eyes.

Bottom line? If you are trying to educate someone about the story of Noah from the Bible, I would say no. Looking for a halfway decent action adventure flick? I would say a definite maybe. There is a fair amount of violence. It is rated PG 13 after all. Overall, if I knew then what I know now, I'd probably wait for the dvd .

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Sunday, July 21, 2013 - ,,,,, 2 comments

RED 2

I've admitted it before, and I'll say it again. I've had a crush on Bruce Willis since I was at least 16 years old.  It was only a couple of weeks ago when I found out that he had a new film coming out RED 2.  I fell head over heels for the original RED, so despite lack of forewarning I cleared my schedule.


For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, I'll cut to the chase. 5 out of 5. I loved it. I may even like it better than the original. From here on out consider this your Spoiler Alert.


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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Saturday, May 18, 2013 - ,,,, 5 comments

Star Trek: Into Darkness

I know that I said in my previous post that Star Trek Into Darkness was opening on May 17th, but I got to see it on Thursday, the 16th! ... And I didn't even go to a midnight showing. In fact, they had a midnight showing Wed/Thurs. It's like Christmas coming a day early, and what a Christmas present it was.





I'll tell you one thing. As a self avowed Trekkie ... though I don't own any costuming, action figures, or been to a Star Trek convention ... I have to give this film 5 out of 5 stars. And, here is your "Spoiler Alert." If you haven't seen the movie yet, continue at your own risk.

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Monday, April 22, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013 - ,,, 4 comments

Oblivion Review

Thus far there haven't been too many movies that have interested me this year. I really got spoiled last year. I probably wouldn't have even considered going to see Oblivion last year.

The basic premise is that Tom Cruise is a maintenance man on a post apocalyptic, effectively abandoned, Earth. We were attacked by aliens. We won the war, but the Earth was made uninhabitable in the process. Cruise maintains the surveillance drones that keeps track of what's going on. His vehicle is slick and cool. He lives in the clouds. Pretty, but the trailers left me a little, Meh.

However, I've been suffering through movie theater withdrawal, so I decided to give it a try.
I was pleasantly surprised. It delivers as a "Tom Cruise Action Adventure" flick. Spectacular? No, but a solid effort. There are lots of intriguing twists and turns, so I'm not going to get into it too much here. But, I can tell you that it's more than just pretty.

It prompts some interesting questions. Here's one that won't give up too much away. We've considered what would happen if an asteroid hit the earth in movies like Armageddon and even the asteroid that passed by and meteorite that hit the Earth recently. But what if a large meteor hit and altered the orbit of the moon around the Earth? How would it affect life on Earth? There are several others that also captured my attention.

What I can tell you is that I had a good time. I was invested in the characters enough to be a bit teary eyed at the end. I left it intrigued about our expectations with extra-terrestrial life forms, about how we know what we know, about trust, loyalty, and skepticism. A movie that can make me think without making me feel like I've been preached to is one that I think is worth seeing.

I would give this 3-1/2 stars out of 5. Life altering perfection? No, but, like I said, a solid effort.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Monday, December 17, 2012 - ,, 4 comments

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The long wait was finally over last weekend, as I was able to see the first installment of The Hobbit. I'll start with a dubious complement for the film. It was beautifully photographed. I call this dubious because any film review that I've seen by a professional critic that was described as "beautifully photographed" was a disappointment.  And I must admit that I was a little disappointed with The Hobbit, but that's not the same thing as saying that I didn't like it or that it was bad.


Full disclosure, I absolutely loved the Lord of the Rings (LotR) films. There was something that I realized after watching The Hobbit. With the LotR, there was a building crescendo that culminated with Return of the King. Every film was bigger and more exciting than the last. So, I think subconsciously I was expecting a continuation of that pattern.

In reality, I should have been expecting something more like Fellowship of the Ring, the first in the LotR trilogy, and that's more what this first installment of The Hobbit was like. There was back-story to get acquainted with and there were characters to be introduced ... a lot of characters, many more right off the bat than in LotR.  There were some familiar ones like Gandalf, and the elves Elrod and Galadriel.  It was nice to see them again. It was like seeing old friends.

But it wasn't all a trip down memory lane. We get to see why the dwarves have the reputation of being such fierce fighters. Battle scenes, witty dialogue. The orcs and goblins are considerably more pleasant looking while maintaining the general feeling of "bad guy-ness." They're actually developed more as characters here. They were a bit of cardboard representation of mindless evil in LotR. Sometimes in The Hobbit, they were downright sympathetic.

I did enjoy it. I will be seeing it again to catch the parts that I missed. These films are so dense that it's impossible to catch everything in one viewing.  I felt the same thing about most of the Harry Potter films, too.

Were some of the introduction scenes too long?  Yes, Peter Jackson films are not noted for their brevity, but once we get into the adventure, it compares favorably with Fellowship. 

And, it really was beautifully photographed. ;)

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday, October 12, 2012 - ,,,, 4 comments

Argo

I was 11 years old in November 1979 when the United States embassy was stormed in Iran, and "The Hostages" were held for 444 days. Are you familiar with the ABC news program Nightline? It started as a nightly update about "The Hostage Crisis." I remember it like it was yesterday, and yet, I also remember it like a child.

When I saw the reports this Sept 11th about the breach of the U.S. embassy in Cairo and the storming of the consolate in Benghazi, I had a physical reaction. My first involuntary thought was, "How is this possible? Have we learned nothing?" My reaction surprised me. I mean, protests against the United States and burning the flag have become downright passé. I would have thought that I should be able to watch and analyze the events more dispassionately.

It was also around this time that I saw the trailer for the film Argo for the first time, and I felt the same physical reaction that I had on Sept 11th, only more so. It was then that I understood, and I remembered. The trailer actually did such a good job of tapping into my emotions that I didn't think that I could go and see the movie. In the end, I couldn't stay away. It was well worth my trouble.


Argo is a film "based on actual events" of how six U.S. embassy personnel, who made it out of the embassy during the confusion, were smuggled out of Iran with the invaluable assistance of Canada. So, in that way it's like Titanic. You know the ending. However, it is also a commercial film, not a documentary, but a powerful one.

I have to hand it to Ben Affleck (producer, director, and actor). In some ways, the movie is very formulaic, the one competent operative surrounded by a bunch of idiots. One difference, it really happened (with some editorial liscence). The story telling is very tight, and the tension is constantly building. Then there are the visuals, which feel so real. During the credits, they have comparison photos from history and the recreated shots in the film, impressive.

It was a time when it felt like the world was exploding. As Syria and Turkey trade fire at this very moment (among many other things), it feels that way again. Argo, a relevant and powerful movie for our time.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012 - ,, 2 comments

Madagascar 3

I see that Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted  remained at #1 at the box office for a second weekend, and I am not surprised. I found this to be a really fun movie. It was like a non-stop roller-coaster ride.

Not having been bowled over by the previous two installments of this series. I'm only marginally familiar with the characters. Bottom line is that these are four animals from a NYC zoo that found themselves in Madagascar and have been trying to get themselves back home ever since. They have picked up some zany characters along the way.

In part 3, they have made it to Europe, but now they have an animal control crew, led by a Cruella DeVil type character with a French accent.

The only way that they can find to move across Europe is by joining up with a circus. Comedy ensues. Really funny! Sight gags, phenomenal. And, the zany supporting characters just great.

Okay, so the plot is somewhat predictable, but what do you want, it's a comedy.  The visuals are stunning. There are aspects of it that remind me of Fantasia. Due to the effects that I saw in the trailers for the movie. I opted for 3D. It was so totally worth it! The film makers definitely gave us aspects of "fly on the wall" perspective with their use of 3D. It made it so much more fun. It wasn't overdone. I thought it was a very good balance.

If you want some summer fun, I highly recommend Madagascar 3. And if you can see it in 3D, go for it. Live a little. ;)

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (Not sure how I could have liked it more, but...)

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012 - , 8 comments

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

I have been anticipating The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for months. I've been seeing trailers for it for I don't know how long. You know, when you're looking forward to something for so long, it can be hard for it to live up to your expectations. I didn't go so far as to repeat the mantra, "I'm going to hate it. I'm going to hate it, etc." in an effort to psych myself out, but I have to say that I really did enjoy this film.

This film's been in limited release since May 3rd-ish, and it's still in the top 10. That's got to mean something.  At first, I think that this film was just in NYC, Chicago, and LA for the first couple of weeks, and then it went a bit wider.  However, it still hasn't made it to my town, so guess what that meant ... road trip!

I drove down to a theater just north of Salt Lake City. It was a gorgeous day, the perfect day for a drive, beautiful blue sky. I had all the windows down with my hair blowing in the wind and singing with the radio.  I haven't got out town much since arriving in Pocatello. This was a good to get away.

This film has a great British cast (my primary reason for wanting to see the film). The premise is of a group of Brits reaching retirement age, but for various reasons, they can't afford the retirement life they'd like in Britain. They see the brochure for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for a rate they can afford. The movie is about the different ways that they cope with the overwhelming experience of India.

I would have to say that India itself is a character in the movie. Sometimes she's loving. Sometimes she's angry, but she's never boring. There is also the story of the hotel manager who wants to make such a perfect experience for his elderly guests that they will not die.

I was entirely charmed by this movie. I love the characters, all the characters (even the ones I don't like).  I love the way that they interact with each other and the way that they interact with India. And Spoiler Alert, that interaction does not always run smooth.

Last but not least, this movie has one of my favorite lines of all time, "... Everything will be alright in the end, so if it is not alright, it is not yet the end."

Was the road trip worth it? You bet! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Saturday, June 02, 2012 - ,, 2 comments

Snow White and the Huntsman

It's time for another title in my summer of movies.  This week's selection is Snow White and the Huntsman.  This is the second film of the year to retell the tale of Snow White, the first being a comedy and this in the action/adventure column.

Being more of an action/adventure type girl (at least when it comes to films) coupled with the dislike I have for Julia Roberts (the star of the other film), Snow White and the Huntsman was the choice for me.

I found the film intriguing, and I liked the way they filled in the back story from the somewhat cardboard start of the Disney film, really my only other frame of reference.

I liked that the Queen wasn't a stock villain. We get a sense of how she became the thoroughly evil creature that she's grown into. It's also a great commentary of the way women often feel that they must be in order to have power and control over their world. They must remain forever beautiful, emotionally cold and ruthless.

In addition, there were little twists that they put into the story to give it realism. As you might imagine from the title, For example, Snow White and the Huntsman bond in an interesting way. Also, the other women of the kingdom have taken to scarring themselves, so that they won't be a threat to the Queen.

Finally, they made Snow White into a fuller, more realistic character.  She isn't some passive creature that can only have things done to her and for her. She doesn't merely manipulate people with her feminine wiles (though she is meant to be quite beautiful). She has help, no doubt, but she gets it by being a leader and who she is on the inside, not just because people are mesmerized by her appearance.

Fascinating.

I'd give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I wouldn't put it in the realm of great, but it was pretty good.

On Saturday, I may drive down to Salt Lake City to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I don't think that it's going to make it to my neck of the woods, and I have been so looking forward to it. Wish me luck.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saturday, May 12, 2012 - , 6 comments

Dark Shadows

The day finally arrived. weeks of impatient waiting. I finally got my chance to see Dark Shadows, staring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Eva Green.  Since I was anticipating it so much, I had to be careful not to psych myself out with too high of expectations. I kept up a litany of , "It's going to suck ... It's going to suck," all the way to the theater.  And guess what?

It didn't suck!  Well, there were times when sucking was involved, but this is a vampire movie after all. (That's as close as I'll probably ever get to making a pun, so write it down on your calendars.)

I had no previous contact with the tv show, and I think that's a good thing. I had no preconceptions about how it should be. The overarching theme of this movie is the same as Fatal Attraction. Be careful with whom you have casual sex. Your partner may not feel so casually about it, and that could come back to haunt you and everyone you love in the end.

I've seen the genre for this film described as Comedy/Scifi/Fantasy/Horror, and to that I would say, yes. It wasn't as campy as I was expecting. There were scary parts, but it didn't cross my threshold (which is very low). 

I had a good time. Costumes were great. Johnny was fun. If I had to make one criticism, it would be that it almost seemed like a tv show pilot. They introduced several different threads, and I didn't feel like they spent enough time on them. You know the way they do for a tv pilot, and then over the course of a tv season they flesh the threads out. More than you would need for a squeal though the door's open for that too.

If I was ranking it I would say 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday, April 28, 2012 - ,, 6 comments

The Pirates! A Band of Misfits

So, if you saw my Five on Friday from last week, you know that I was anticipating going to this film. One problem.  I thought it opened last week, but no. * sadness-pouting * But the day finally arrived, and got to see The Pirates! Band of Misfits Friday afternoon. Three Cheers!


The question is, was there anything to cheer about?  Anticipating a possible 3-D adventure I wore my contacts today instead of glasses. Right there it proves that this is an event. I'm still working out of a box of disposable contact lenses that I bought in 2005.  As you can probably guess, I save them for very special occasions.  It's such a hassle to wear the 3-D glasses over regular glasses. They never sit right. Always annoying. Definitely an aspect of the technology that has not been perfected yet.

I look up the feature times at my local movie house during the super matinee hours. I mean, who can afford to pay the full price to see a movie these days? Highway robbery, I tell you, but I digress. So anyway, I look up the times, and there is no mention of 3-D showings at all. Oh well, I've never been a huge fan of what I've seen. Hasn't increased my enjoyment of the film, so ...

When I finally get to the theater, I find out that it is a 3-D showing, so I haven't used a set of contact lenses for nothing. lol  First thing I have to say about that is that a number of 3-D previews were shown, and I think that things are getting better in that department (especially as it applies to kids movies), but again I digress.

I really thought it was a fun picture. Was the 3-D important (considering that I've used so much space talking about it)?  I'd say no.  Still a lot better than some I've seen. It seems that there can be a tendency for 3-D films to seem a bit dark. They resolved that here.  But, it's animated. It's not that important that there be depth of field. Nothing comes out of the screen to make you feel that you're part of the story, which I mean really. Isn't that the coolest part of a 3-D film?

I joke a bit here, but I'm also making a serious-ish point. It seems that most of the 3-D films I've seen from Avatar forward have moved away from "gimmicky" effects of throwing things at the audience from the screen.  They've been making it seem like it's happening in front of you, more like a theatrical play.  Personally, that's not enough for me to pay $2-3 more for the film.

However, putting gimmicks aside for a moment, I think that making it appear that things are coming out of the screen in a somewhat subtle way could make the audience feel like they were a part of the story, living in the story. It would be more the fly on the wall experience as opposed to the looking through the window experience. Now, that would be worth a couple of dollars more!  If the previews I saw were anything to go by, we might be headed in that direction.

But back to this film. The Pirates! is a spoof of pirate movies, even ones which were themselves spoofs.  Hugh Grant, as Pirate Captain, even spoofs himself. All kinds of jokes and references to other films and such. Underdogs try to become victorious. Will they succeed?  That is indeed the question.  Another one is, what is the meaning of victory? Visuals are great. Comedy is definitely more of the British variety, swinging from slapstick to subtle. Best film of all time? Ummmm ... no, but it was quite enjoyable. Probably geared more for an adult audience though it seems to be marketed for kids. Good for some weekend fun.

So there you have it. Now, I just have two more weeks to wait until ... Dark Shadows.  :)

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday, December 18, 2011 - ,, 9 comments

Sherlock Holmes

I guess that all the hilarity of this week got to me. Between the bell ringing on Wed and Caroling at nursing homes yesterday, I got to the point where I was at the end of my emotional rope.

So, what did I do? I went to the movies! I love to go to the movies. As I was trying to figure out what was available to see, I realized that this is the first time in 10 years that I haven't either been anticipating a Lord of the Rings film or a Harry Potter. That makes me kind of sad. (Though I've just seen where The Hobbit is filming with the same director and much of the same cast, but that's another story)

With no longstanding beloved franchise to turn to I had to access my memory banks. Ah yes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The last one was a bit graphic in its violence for my taste, but it should do in a pinch.


Let me tell you, I made an excellent choice. The perfect thing to draw me out of my funk. Not only was it "beautifully photographed," it was clever, witty, and exciting.  Holmes is up against his most ruthless adversary Prof. Moriarty.

It just opened this weekend, so I don't want to give out any spoilers. However, it should be safe to tell you that the British comedy legend, Stephen Fry, appears in several scenes, which, of course, he steals. (Were there enough commas in that sentence? I should probably go back and check. lol)

And then, there was a Swiss castle that I'm not sure is a real place. It was incredibly beautiful, but with the way it was placed in the side of the mountain, it seemed impossible to get to. Nevertheless, I want to believe it was real. I would love to visit it someday. :)

This isn't really telling you why I would recommend this film (at least not in a way that would make anyone else want to see it). What I will tell you is that Holmes does come up with a disguise that is so perfect that I could not tell. (And no, it's not when he's dressed up as a woman, as has been so heavily featured in the movie trailers and advertisements.)

See it because it's fun. See it because it really is a political commentary on how "the more things change; the more they stay the same." See it because you want to see the "charming" way that they curled Stephen Fry's hair, or see it because you love a good action/adventure flick.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Saturday, December 03, 2011 - , 6 comments

The Muppets

I went to see the new Muppet movie last night, and I received an unsuspected surprise. After the "coming attractions," we had an honest to goodness cartoon before the movie! It was a Toy Story mini-adventure! Awesome!

Now, that I think about it. It seems that I recall a cartoon before another Disney children's movie, where they put on a Mickey Mouse short. It had to have been over two years ago because I'm sure I was in West Texas when I saw it.  But, if I have to say, I love it when they do that ... Instead of having commercials in addition to the coming attractions. (The movie house may have had those too, but I got there a few minutes late.)

But on with the show ....
 
I'm a child of the 70s & 80s, so I was brought up with the Muppets. First, it was on Sesame Street, where Kermit got his "big break." Then, it was The Muppet Show, itself, where I was introduced to all of these fabulous characters.  The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite of all the Christmas Carol movies.  In fact, it's in my DVD player right now.

The point is that I'm a true fan. I might not be as big a fan as Jason Segel, who is reported to have muppets/puppets all over his home. However, I do have a Kermit stuffed animal that I received at least ... ummm ... well ... a lot of years ago, anyway.  That stuffed animal has lived in almost as many states as I have, and let me tell you, that's saying something.

I'm really glad that Jason Segel had the power and drive to get this movie made. I really only have one criticism. It took too long to get to major muppet scenes. I didn't time it, but it felt like the first half of the movie was mainly people ... you know ... flesh and blood humans. Too many song and dance numbers.  What did they think they were, a 50's style musical? They were definitely spoofing that, but The Muppet Show was never about that.

Once they got around to having scenes with mostly muppet characters, I really loved it. The old energy came back. What's really wonderful is that the second half of the picture was great! There were also some great cameos. Bottom line. I left the theater bouncing along, happy in my thoughts.

I really hope this film does well. I would love to see me some more Muppet adventures on a regular basis!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - , No comments

Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows, Pt 2

The highly anticipated, super hyped, conclusion of the massively popular Harry Potter series. It was such an opportunity for a massive fail through unfulfilled expectations.

I was really ready to be disappointed because I wasn't thrilled with Part 1.  I was told by my friends that read the books that there were things in the books that were presumed to be in knowledge in the movie. I think that's a mistake by the movie makers. If I HAVE to read the book before watching the movie, why do I need the movie at all? My imagination is far superior to any movie special effects team.

However, I think that it was a really good idea for the producers to split the book into two parts because it was so massively large. Translating a book into a movie is difficult even when the book is short. Having a manageable project from a book over 900 pages is practically impossible.

So, having said all that, I wasn't expecting to be overjoyed by the final movie.  But, I still wanted to see the conclusion because I have been following the story and characters for all these years.  I have an emotional investment in them, and I needed the payoff.

The good news, for me, is that I loved the film!  I thought that they did a great job of wrapping up all the threads and answering all of the lingering questions.  There was a conclusion with an epic battle.  And there was an understanding of confusing and seemingly contradictory decisions of some of the characters. 

It was very emotional and ultimately very satisfying.  Good job!  5 Stars!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Monday, May 23, 2011 - , 8 comments

Stranger Tides

In my youth, pirate movies along with westerns were nowhere to be seen. The people who were making films thought that they were passé. Film makers were more interested police dramas with car chases and space adventures with the odd spy movie thrown in for good measure.  (Same plots in a contemporary setting, but that's another story.)

Then the next generation came along, and they were nostalgic for westerns, and they started making them again. But no one was interested in making a pirate movie.  It was a dead genre.

But wait! There in the distance an unholy trio appeared as if out of the mist.  It was Disney, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Johnny Depp making a movie, not based on "real events," a novel, or even a comic book, but ... a theme park ride?

Turns out that people (I) missed a bit of sword play, but was there anyone left in the film industry who knew any about it?  Well, they figured out all of the details and turned out The Curse of the Black Pearl.  That movie, in my humble opinion, is among the finest films ever made. In many ways it reminded me of Casablanca. There was high adventure, intrigue, exotic locale, great characters, comedy, with a dash of witty repartee, fantastic costumes, and sword fighting ... Mustn’t forget the sword play.  Something, if I may note, that was missing from Casablanca.

Naturally, it was wildly successful, so there had to be sequels. On Stranger Tides is the fourth film in the franchise.


On Stranger Tides has a tough act to follow. I have high expectations. The Curse of the Black Pearl was perfection, and the last sequel, At World's End, was pretty darn good. How will this latest outing stack up? 

I'm sorry to say that it left me wanting. To be fair, it wasn't a bad picture. I'd still recommend it. Great costumes, great sword fights, great chase scenes, but I thought that it lost some of its fun. The previous films in the franchise were hard to properly classify. This one I'd call straight Action/Adventure ... Even a well done Action/Adventure, but it didn't have the rare balance of so many elements.

If you want a good pirate film go see On Stranger Tides, but don't expect lightening in a bottle.
(3 ½)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Saturday, November 06, 2010 - ,,, 7 comments

Megamind in 3-D

I've had so many things that I've wanted to write about.  I've got a list, but several of them were time sensitive and the time has passed ... Juan Williams being fired from NPR ... Keith Oberman suspended from MSNBC ... Did you know that they're doing another Spiderman re-boot?  Didn't they just do that?  Has enough time passed?  (Stan Lee is scheduled to appear with Craig Ferguson soon, so maybe we'll get some answers there.)  Continuing on ... the Curse of the Oldest Woman ... Jon Stewart's rally ... the mid-term elections ... my Farmville addiction.  The problem is not that I don't have material.  The problem is that I don't have the energy to write anything coherent.

So now, it's looking like this blog is turning into a movie review site, which isn't all bad, except there hasn't been a lot out there to inspire me this year.  Now, if the studios were willing to provide me with free tickets or private screenings like they do with proper film critics, we might be talking.  But, if I have to pay cash on the barrel head, I'm going to have to be reasonably sure that I'm going to like it.

Enter Megamind in 3-D.  I've been seeing trailers for this film for quite a while, and it looked promising.  I have a love/hate relationship with Will Ferrell.  I usually can only take him for 30 seconds at a time, maybe 2 minutes in a trailer.  The thing is that his public persona is such a cartoon that an animated film is the ideal vehicle for him.

Then, there's the 3-D aspect.  Gosh, probably 10 years ago now, I went to Disney World and saw some really amazing things that they were doing with 3-D.  Gone were the paper glasses with two different colored lenses (and by "lenses," I mean pieces of colored cellophane) that make you nauseous if you tried to walk around while wearing them.  The results at Disney were phenomenal.  I don't know if I've shared this with you, but I'm partial to Muppets, and the 3-D show I enjoyed the most featured a recreation of the old Muppet Show.  I remember thinking at the time.  "Wow!  If this is where 3-D's going, I'm in!"

Alas, I have been waiting ever since.  I will admit that things have been getting a lot better as of late, but really nothing that matched the possibilities that I imagined after my Disney Muppet experience.  While everyone was oooing and ahhhing over Avatar.  I was left wanting.  Though I am perfectly willing to admit that it might have to do more with what I felt was the "preachiness" of the film.  I'm not usually fond of "message movies."  As Big Daddy said in, The Long Hot Summer, "I get preached to in church on Sunday." lol  I only approve of them when the message is so subtle that I can't consciously tell that it was there.  (In my opinion, the best works achieve this.)

But back to the 3-D in Megamind.  It was awesome.  The best work that I've seen to date.  It didn't have any silly tricks.  (Okay, except for one, but that was during the credits.)  The 3-D gave it depth.  Was that extra depth worth the extra money that I paid to see it?  Not really, but since I had paid for it, I certainly was going to enjoy the heck out of it.

None of that matters though if the story isn't good.  (See comments about Avatar above.)  I must say that I really liked it.  In so many movies (especially reboots), we see a lot about the struggles of an aspiring superhero, but we get a relatively cardboard villain.  And, that's okay because we need the villain to give the hero something to do.  This movie takes the whole thing and turns it upside down.  What does it take to create the supervillain?  It is the villain who is shown as troubled and misunderstood.  I thought the film did it in a way that showed Megamind as a sensitive young boy with so much potential.  But, just a few accidents through no fault of his own, sent him down a different path than his Superman-ish classmate.

It was sensitive.  It was charming.  It was action-packed.  It had great images.

I think that I'm going to have to give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Sunday, October 17, 2010 - ,, 8 comments

Current Favorite Movie This Year

Ask me if I want to see a movie that is considered "Meh" by the critics, and if it's anything like RED, I'll say yes every time.  Here we have a movie with Bruce Willis (love him), Helen Mirren (love her), John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Richard Dreyfuss, and Karl Urban.  It's a action/comedy.  I would almost call it a Bruckheimer Special*.  Come to think of it, I don't know who the producer is.  I'll have to check that out. (eta: He wasn't the producer.)

The basic story is crafted for baby-boomers who are reaching retirement age who feel that they are being kicked out by the young whipper-snappers, while they still feel strong enough to throw a few punches.  It's a classic plot.  In a way, it's Big Jake.  But you know what?  It still works.  Especially when you have witty, pithy dialogue.  And no one does wise cracking everyman better than Bruce Willis.  Even when "everyman" is a retired CIA black-ops officer.

Maybe it's just that I've been in love with Bruce Willis since he stared in Moonlighting in the 80s.  It's true, but I have actually seen him in things that I didn't like.

But I like all the other people too.  The professional women were strong and confident.  They were greatly respected by their male co-workers.  The men were competent yet still caring.  The characters are great.  The plot pacing was great.  The images were great.  I mean what could be more striking than Helen Mirren in an evening gown and red lipstick firing a machine gun?


How can you go wrong?  Loooooooved It!

ETA:  I found it interesting (and great) that "Bruce Willis has revealed that he threatened to walk out of latest film, RED, if producers cut 'sexy' scenes of Dame Helen Mirren with a gun," according to the Daily Mail. I'm appalled that he felt that he had to take that stand.  You may or may not like this genre of film, but if you're going to have it, keeping Helen out of the fun seems agist, sexist, or both.

* I define a "Bruckheimer Special" as an action/adventure movie that is high on explosives and has characters heavy with snappy dialogue.  It's forumlaic, but it's a formula that works.  They include Beverly Hills Cop, Armageddon, and Pirates of the Caribbean just to name a few. (Actually, I checked out his resume over at IMDb, and I'm amazed at all how many of my favorite films Bruckheimer's been involved with.)

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