I like to go to the movie theatre well informed. It is all too expensive to turn up at any old random movie that has an interesting name. I choose to go to the movies I think I will like.
There are times though, when I get invited to a movie and attend through social politeness. This has been at times traumatising - Jerry Maguire - its been 12 years and I still remember sitting in that theatre surrounded by people laughing hysterically wondering why it just made me want to spew.
More recently Mamma Mia! proved not quite traumatising as irritating. What to say to my fellow movie goers who loved it?
I knew nothing about Shutter Island Big names do not a good movie make. Happily I was neither traumatised or irritated, although the soundtrack needed a bomb put under it. I was in fact intrigued and until the last moments unsure which way the film would go. It won't go on my list of all time favourites, but it was interesting enough for our family to discuss for most of the car trip home.
Showing posts with label Movie Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie Reviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Thursday, February 04, 2010
The Day After Tomorrow
I didn't want to see this movie when it came out, but it crossed my path recently so I thought I would give it a go. My original instincts were correct.
There are serious credibility issues in this movie. Not that the Earth suddenly freezes over, baffle me with enough science and I will believe anything.
I do not find it credible that this stupid man walks to New York to save his son. Why? What did he think he would do when he got there? As it turned out his son had it sorted anyhow, and the father arguably killed his friend and work colleague so he could prove he wasn't the slack father his ex-wife thought he was. A rescue team would have flown to New York when it was all over anyway - he didn't need to walk there.
Bin this one.
There are serious credibility issues in this movie. Not that the Earth suddenly freezes over, baffle me with enough science and I will believe anything.
I do not find it credible that this stupid man walks to New York to save his son. Why? What did he think he would do when he got there? As it turned out his son had it sorted anyhow, and the father arguably killed his friend and work colleague so he could prove he wasn't the slack father his ex-wife thought he was. A rescue team would have flown to New York when it was all over anyway - he didn't need to walk there.
Bin this one.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Lovely Bones
My favourite film by Director Peter Jackson is Heavenly Creatures (regardless of the success of The Lord of the Rings), so when I read he had bought the rights to Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones I was enthusiastic. Peter Jackson and The Lovely Bones seemed the right fit and wanted to see what he would do with this wonderful book.
The reviews for the movie have been mixed. I think there are two problems. One, people could not get The Lord of the Rings out of their heads and their expectations ran toward an epic. The other problem is the story does not follow the usual plot line for a rape/murder story. How it should go... innocent child is raped and murdered, everyone does everything to catch the perpetrator, the perpetrator is caught and justice is done.
That is not the story The Lovely Bones tells. It tells a better story.
When I read The Lovely Bones, I thought, this is a book about grief. How people cope with grief, how Suzie copes with the grief of being dead, how her family copes with her being dead.
There is a risk of seeing a movie after reading a book that has been enjoyed and happily the movie worked for me. But it took me to a different place. For me the story in the movie is about how our bodies are less important than how we live our lives and the love we leave behind.
This is not a catch a murderer story, and sadly I think the trailers may have led people to believe otherwise. If you like to delve deeper than the good guys catch the bad guys then I think this story - book and movie - are worth a look and a read.
The reviews for the movie have been mixed. I think there are two problems. One, people could not get The Lord of the Rings out of their heads and their expectations ran toward an epic. The other problem is the story does not follow the usual plot line for a rape/murder story. How it should go... innocent child is raped and murdered, everyone does everything to catch the perpetrator, the perpetrator is caught and justice is done.
That is not the story The Lovely Bones tells. It tells a better story.
When I read The Lovely Bones, I thought, this is a book about grief. How people cope with grief, how Suzie copes with the grief of being dead, how her family copes with her being dead.
There is a risk of seeing a movie after reading a book that has been enjoyed and happily the movie worked for me. But it took me to a different place. For me the story in the movie is about how our bodies are less important than how we live our lives and the love we leave behind.
This is not a catch a murderer story, and sadly I think the trailers may have led people to believe otherwise. If you like to delve deeper than the good guys catch the bad guys then I think this story - book and movie - are worth a look and a read.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Avatar in 3D
Avatar is both magnificent and ordinary.
It is lush, full of colour, light and wonder - truly beautiful and with 3D more fully realised than any 3D I have experienced.
It is exciting on the superficial level of explosions and killing sprees.
The story however, is rather ordinary. For the majority of audiences who want an adventure flick with their Jaffas, I am sure it is an extraordinary experience. For someone who appreciates some depth and interest in characters and a story with surprises, there may be some disappointment. Some guy goes native and falls in love and has to fight his own people...been there? The top boss solider is a cardboard cut out bad guy with no soul, no real motive and stacks of guns.
Still, I wouldn't say don't go. I expect if you don't see this movie in 3D at the movies you will have to spend the next decade explaining why you weren't there.
It is lush, full of colour, light and wonder - truly beautiful and with 3D more fully realised than any 3D I have experienced.
It is exciting on the superficial level of explosions and killing sprees.
The story however, is rather ordinary. For the majority of audiences who want an adventure flick with their Jaffas, I am sure it is an extraordinary experience. For someone who appreciates some depth and interest in characters and a story with surprises, there may be some disappointment. Some guy goes native and falls in love and has to fight his own people...been there? The top boss solider is a cardboard cut out bad guy with no soul, no real motive and stacks of guns.
Still, I wouldn't say don't go. I expect if you don't see this movie in 3D at the movies you will have to spend the next decade explaining why you weren't there.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Coraline Versus Up
At the heart of Coraline is truth – two truths. The type of truths that keeps all good fables resonating throughout the centuries.
Truth no 1: If you neglect your children, they will look elsewhere for love, and sometimes that love will be damaging. The battle back home again will be a challenge.
Truth no 2: The grass is never greener on the other side. I loved this story when I was a kid. Was it a cow or a sheep who keep going from paddock to paddock thinking the grass he saw was greener?
We had to travel all the way to Indooroopilly to see Coraline. It seemed to just come and go from our local cinemas before we had blinked. This movie is smart, quirky, dark and looks beautiful.
Up, on the other hand looks like every other Pixar animation since Toy Story had us all raving. Every kid and his dog went to see it in the holidays. I feel asleep. Slept away at least $2.00 of the movie. It’s not that it is bad necessarily, but you can only see so much animated slapstick before your children become teenagers.
Up will make money. Then, the next slick over promoted movie will come out and it will just be another DVD in every families' cupboard.
In years to come, those who remember Coraline will be consider it as a cut above the rest.
Truth no 1: If you neglect your children, they will look elsewhere for love, and sometimes that love will be damaging. The battle back home again will be a challenge.
Truth no 2: The grass is never greener on the other side. I loved this story when I was a kid. Was it a cow or a sheep who keep going from paddock to paddock thinking the grass he saw was greener?
We had to travel all the way to Indooroopilly to see Coraline. It seemed to just come and go from our local cinemas before we had blinked. This movie is smart, quirky, dark and looks beautiful.
Up, on the other hand looks like every other Pixar animation since Toy Story had us all raving. Every kid and his dog went to see it in the holidays. I feel asleep. Slept away at least $2.00 of the movie. It’s not that it is bad necessarily, but you can only see so much animated slapstick before your children become teenagers.
Up will make money. Then, the next slick over promoted movie will come out and it will just be another DVD in every families' cupboard.
In years to come, those who remember Coraline will be consider it as a cut above the rest.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Inglourious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds – no mistaking this is Tarantino. Irony, wit, imaginative dialogue, and let’s face it Violence with a capital V. I am not squeamish. I watched a surgeon cut up my daughter's mouth, but I covered my eyes in several of this movie's scenes. Well, you know covered and peaked.
Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction changed the tone of movies. The define their decade. Kill Bill did not thrill me, but in Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino has returned to the story telling that I think Kill Bill lacked.
The overhead shot of Shoshanna walking from her room and down the hall to David Bowie’s Cat People (Putting Out Fire) is a masterful combination of cinematography, plot and sound.
Rewrite history, why not? Who else would have the audacity?
Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction changed the tone of movies. The define their decade. Kill Bill did not thrill me, but in Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino has returned to the story telling that I think Kill Bill lacked.
The overhead shot of Shoshanna walking from her room and down the hall to David Bowie’s Cat People (Putting Out Fire) is a masterful combination of cinematography, plot and sound.
Rewrite history, why not? Who else would have the audacity?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Night Watch
The 2004 Russian film, Night Watch doesn't lay anything out on a platter - it lets you be confused and then unravels the satisfyingly complex storyline in a visual feast. The mix of interesting cinematography, sets and animations buzzes with life.
This action fantasy tells a tale of good and evil, or specifically the Others, who posses special powers and must choose light or dark. But for me, the real theme of the movie is that life is shades of grey.
We saw this movie when it came out. There were exactly three people in the theatre. I picked up the DVD pretty cheap, but it is worth every cent. It is a keeper that can be watched over again. The DVD has been dubbed so you don't have to read the subtitles and miss the gorgeousness of the visuals.
This action fantasy tells a tale of good and evil, or specifically the Others, who posses special powers and must choose light or dark. But for me, the real theme of the movie is that life is shades of grey.
We saw this movie when it came out. There were exactly three people in the theatre. I picked up the DVD pretty cheap, but it is worth every cent. It is a keeper that can be watched over again. The DVD has been dubbed so you don't have to read the subtitles and miss the gorgeousness of the visuals.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
If your surname is Potter, you would be brave to call your son Harry. It would be like calling your child Jesus, or Elvis if you were a Presley – or Elvis at all really. I have never met an Elvis in real life.
So what of the newest movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince? It is one of the better ones, exciting and relatively coherent. I don't think it is as dark as some the past ones, but it looks lush especially the signature scene of Harry and Dumbledore on a rock in the ocean.
But by necessity, the movies are merely summaries.
When you have read the books you can fill in the gaps. I wonder if a person without the details is left confused.
In the book, Harry is obsessed with who the Half Blood Prince is, in the movie this is not strongly depicted. When the identity of the Half Blood Prince is revealed it falls flat. Ho Hum, who cares? (I won’t say who it is in case you’ve successfully managed to live under a rock)
The familiarity we have with these characters, and the extra snogging, mean some laughs in the right places. If you do not end in tears...well you have a heart of stone and are probably a deatheater.
We saw this movie at the Regent in the Brisbane mall. The life of the elegant Showcase Cinema is hanging by a thread. Read about the Save the Regent Campaign
I’ll be pulling the book out for a reread soon. Testament to a good tale is that you enjoy having it retold. Is that not how every good myth and fairy tale continues its life?
So what of the newest movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince? It is one of the better ones, exciting and relatively coherent. I don't think it is as dark as some the past ones, but it looks lush especially the signature scene of Harry and Dumbledore on a rock in the ocean.
But by necessity, the movies are merely summaries.
When you have read the books you can fill in the gaps. I wonder if a person without the details is left confused.
In the book, Harry is obsessed with who the Half Blood Prince is, in the movie this is not strongly depicted. When the identity of the Half Blood Prince is revealed it falls flat. Ho Hum, who cares? (I won’t say who it is in case you’ve successfully managed to live under a rock)
The familiarity we have with these characters, and the extra snogging, mean some laughs in the right places. If you do not end in tears...well you have a heart of stone and are probably a deatheater.
We saw this movie at the Regent in the Brisbane mall. The life of the elegant Showcase Cinema is hanging by a thread. Read about the Save the Regent Campaign
I’ll be pulling the book out for a reread soon. Testament to a good tale is that you enjoy having it retold. Is that not how every good myth and fairy tale continues its life?
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen
Boring, boring boring...the good guys are going to win so get on with it already. Not that I have a problem with the good guys winning, I just like the journey to engage me.
The "Transformers" were probably cool but they move so fast it was hard to tell.
Of course, what I think means squat and the movie will make masses of money and they'll make another one and my kids will want to go and see it. I will stay home and watch Dr Who reruns. You see I don't mind when the good guys always win.
Miriama - 9.5/10 humour, action, excellent animation
Tama - 8/10 cool, funny, exciting
Wayne - 8/10 cliched escapism
Kathryn - 2/10 please don't make me watch it again.
http://www.transformersmovie.com/
The "Transformers" were probably cool but they move so fast it was hard to tell.
Of course, what I think means squat and the movie will make masses of money and they'll make another one and my kids will want to go and see it. I will stay home and watch Dr Who reruns. You see I don't mind when the good guys always win.
Miriama - 9.5/10 humour, action, excellent animation
Tama - 8/10 cool, funny, exciting
Wayne - 8/10 cliched escapism
Kathryn - 2/10 please don't make me watch it again.
http://www.transformersmovie.com/
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