We got to see Les Miserables this weekend. Let me tell you, as a fan of the stage version, I was very impressed with the movie. Yes, there were plenty of critics who could nitpick things about the movie (Russell Crowe, they were looking mostly at you), but I'm not one of those.
Granted, Russell Crowe is not a Broadway singer. He's a rock singer. And if you don't believe me, go look up his band, The Ordinary Fear of God (they're on iTunes). It wasn't that he was a bad singer, either, it was just a different type of voice than what most people consider the character to have based on performances over the past twenty-five years.
But that's been the beauty of the movie. There have been so many versions of the staged musical, in so many countries that it is open to interpretation. It's not going to be the same in English versus Japanese versus the original French. And that's what the movie was - a different interpretation.
From the opening scene of the movie and their depiction of the hard labor that Jean Valjean is subjected to, the movie pulls you into the story immediately. A foreshadowing of things to come and the freedom given to Valjean. It was almost easier to feel sorry for Valjean after he was paroled as he tried to live his life as a former criminal. There was a wonderful homage to the original London and Broadway versions of the stage musical as the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, showed up as the Bishop that saves Valjean from his own despair.
I could go on and on about various portions of the film and the songs, but I won't. There is something else that I would like to touch on, though. Some people felt that the concept of "live singing" was not the best way to film this movie. That they should have simply lip synched to a track and done the singing in post production. However, I think that since this was based on a staged musical, the live singing was actually a better way to record it. It made the singing feel more natural instead of standard. It allowed the singers to take liberty with the songs and try to bring them to life in their own interpretation.
I will say that Anne Hathaway's performance as Fantine was deserving of the Best Supporting Actress nomination that she received. Even though she is only in the film for a short time, her portrayal of a woman that is simply trying to save her child from death is heart wrenching. I can tell you that there were no dry eyes in the theater as she was singing to a mirage of her daughter.
Though the songs were out of order slightly, it didn't ruin their impact on the story and, in fact, helped move the story along better because of other production decisions. There was also an added song, "Suddenly", that is sung by Jean Valjean after he rescues Cosette from the Thenardier's. It's beautiful and I think that the lyrics hold true (for the most part) to any first time parent. It's a song about discovering just how different life can be with a child. It is the only song that I purchased from the soundtrack because I already have the musical and didn't need another version. But this song is one that I definitely needed.
The story of Les Miserables, at its heart, is about redemption, hope and faith. Jean Valjean is only a criminal out of necessity. It is only when someone finds him and helps him find faith in God and hope for a better future, does he realize that he can be better than what prison had turned him into. In the end, Valjean is able to be at peace with the life that he lived and the life that he provided to the girl that was placed into his care.
For anyone that might have lost faith and hope, I suggest seeing this movie. I also suggest seeing the staged musical, if possible. It's amazing what visuals can be created on such a small stage.
Until next time.
Showing posts with label Movie Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie Review. Show all posts
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The Greatest Adventure
Over the weekend I watched The Hobbit. Here's a preview:
Actually, what I saw was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, however, before I talk about that movie, I'm going to talk about the video above. It is a compilation of scenes from a 1977 cartoon version of The Hobbit. That video is what led me like Tolkien and the world of Middle Earth. Of course, when it came out I was three and was too busy learning how to enjoy television and reading let alone trying to read The Hobbit. However, years later when I did finally see it, I did enjoy it immensely. I even have the actual VHS tape that might get a viewing in the near future so Abby could get an early education in Tolkien.
Just as with any adaptation from a novel to television or movie, things get left out or changed. It happened with the current iteration of The Hobbit and it even happened in 1977. When I first heard that Peter Jackson was turning The Hobbit into three films, I had the same reaction as everyone else - why? It's a very short book. It's not even as long as the shortest of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy books. The Two Towers sits at 352 pages versus 320 for The Hobbit. So why would Peter Jackson want to stretch one book into three movies? Money.
But not really.
The producers (and Jackson) state that there was a lot of information that they wanted to add from the various indices of the books as well as expand on information barely glimpsed in The Hobbit. Without seeing the other two films and what they have decided to do, I cannot give a fair review. However, I can review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Let me start that this movie only serves as yet another example of why I need to travel to New Zealand. Standing in tundra with very, very tall mountains covered with snow in the distance. That just doesn't happen in North America. It's either tundra or snow covered mountains. Not both. Plus lush forests with creeks and rivers and waterfalls. Yes, I know that some of it is CG but I know that the country is vastly beautiful beyond any place that I know.
Secondly, I can agree with a lot of the critics of this movie that it is slow. It takes a good forty to forty-five minutes before Bilbo gets up off his duff and sets off on adventure. However, during the first forty minutes (fifteen or so used for a prologue), you get an idea of the quest of the dwarves. You find out what they are after and why. You see them playful and serious in just a matter of minutes. The song, That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates was not only in this film and the 1977 version, but is in the actual book. Yes, it was adapted but the lyrics still hold the general sense from the book and give characterization to Bilbo as a stuffy hobbit that likes order while the dwarves are the complete opposite.
Once the adventure begins, the movie really starts. There is action, emotion and humor. The humor is properly placed and the group of moviegoers I was with laughed at the appropriate times instead of letting the joke fall flat.
The movie does not have a proper ending, just as The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers did not properly end. I didn't mind that at all, though, as most critics would wonder, why didn't the eagles just take them to The Lonely Mountain in the first place. That's something you can ask Tolkien when you see him. Where it ended felt like a good starting point for the next movie with a general sense of what adventures might lie ahead.
I chose not to see the film in the 48 frame per second version as I was unsure about what it could do to me. I don't get motion sick very often but every now and then I can be affected and I didn't want it to ruin my movie going experience.
I would suggest that anyone that liked the Lord of the Rings trilogy to see this movie and its eventual sequels. It was well done and while it seems slow at the beginning, once Bilbo leaves his home, everyone gets to join in the adventure. As the song would suggest, the greatest adventure is now to begin but we'll have to wait a few years to see how it ends.
Until next time.
Actually, what I saw was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, however, before I talk about that movie, I'm going to talk about the video above. It is a compilation of scenes from a 1977 cartoon version of The Hobbit. That video is what led me like Tolkien and the world of Middle Earth. Of course, when it came out I was three and was too busy learning how to enjoy television and reading let alone trying to read The Hobbit. However, years later when I did finally see it, I did enjoy it immensely. I even have the actual VHS tape that might get a viewing in the near future so Abby could get an early education in Tolkien.
Just as with any adaptation from a novel to television or movie, things get left out or changed. It happened with the current iteration of The Hobbit and it even happened in 1977. When I first heard that Peter Jackson was turning The Hobbit into three films, I had the same reaction as everyone else - why? It's a very short book. It's not even as long as the shortest of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy books. The Two Towers sits at 352 pages versus 320 for The Hobbit. So why would Peter Jackson want to stretch one book into three movies? Money.
But not really.
The producers (and Jackson) state that there was a lot of information that they wanted to add from the various indices of the books as well as expand on information barely glimpsed in The Hobbit. Without seeing the other two films and what they have decided to do, I cannot give a fair review. However, I can review The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Let me start that this movie only serves as yet another example of why I need to travel to New Zealand. Standing in tundra with very, very tall mountains covered with snow in the distance. That just doesn't happen in North America. It's either tundra or snow covered mountains. Not both. Plus lush forests with creeks and rivers and waterfalls. Yes, I know that some of it is CG but I know that the country is vastly beautiful beyond any place that I know.
Secondly, I can agree with a lot of the critics of this movie that it is slow. It takes a good forty to forty-five minutes before Bilbo gets up off his duff and sets off on adventure. However, during the first forty minutes (fifteen or so used for a prologue), you get an idea of the quest of the dwarves. You find out what they are after and why. You see them playful and serious in just a matter of minutes. The song, That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates was not only in this film and the 1977 version, but is in the actual book. Yes, it was adapted but the lyrics still hold the general sense from the book and give characterization to Bilbo as a stuffy hobbit that likes order while the dwarves are the complete opposite.
Once the adventure begins, the movie really starts. There is action, emotion and humor. The humor is properly placed and the group of moviegoers I was with laughed at the appropriate times instead of letting the joke fall flat.
The movie does not have a proper ending, just as The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers did not properly end. I didn't mind that at all, though, as most critics would wonder, why didn't the eagles just take them to The Lonely Mountain in the first place. That's something you can ask Tolkien when you see him. Where it ended felt like a good starting point for the next movie with a general sense of what adventures might lie ahead.
I chose not to see the film in the 48 frame per second version as I was unsure about what it could do to me. I don't get motion sick very often but every now and then I can be affected and I didn't want it to ruin my movie going experience.
I would suggest that anyone that liked the Lord of the Rings trilogy to see this movie and its eventual sequels. It was well done and while it seems slow at the beginning, once Bilbo leaves his home, everyone gets to join in the adventure. As the song would suggest, the greatest adventure is now to begin but we'll have to wait a few years to see how it ends.
Until next time.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Muppetational
The way our digital cable package works at the moment, we receive the Starz channel in HD. Every now and then, they actually have good movies that I'd like to watch. However, because this is the HD tuner and not the standard, there is no DVR attached to that box (it would cost extra convert to the HD DVR and I'm not willing to do that). Plus, I don't know if my VCR (yes, I said, VCR) would work or not. Therefore, I can't just record a movie that happens to come on because it just isn't set up. That does not pertain to tonight, though. Tonight, I watched a movie that ad great potential but ultimately fell a little short of my expectations.
The movie I watched, was The Muppets, which came out last year. Being a fan as I grew up, I wanted to see the movie badly. However, after seeing it, I'm glad that I didn't spend money on a movie that wasn't worth it.
Let's start with the positives. Jason Segal seems almost a natural fit to be in a Muppet movie. Of course, Neil Patrick Harris would have been a better fit, but I think he was too busy making a Smurfs movie (I'd ask why, but I am talking about a Muppet movie). Amy Adams was great too. She's a great singer and can portray innocent and smart and perfect all at the same time. And, of course, the Muppets, themselves. Kermit and the gang were their usual funny selves (to me) and I laughed at a lot of the same sight gags that they used to pull in their old series.
My problem was that the plot was a little flat. The beginning of the movie that is supposed to draw you into the plot and the actual differences between Gary and Walter seemed to drag on quite too long and once the dance number began, it didn't even pick up speed. Once the main characters arrived in Hollywood with a chance to take a tour of the old Muppets studio, it was still slow but started to gain steam.
Overall, I'm kind of glad that I didn't see this movie in the theaters if only to save myself from the disappointment. I liked the songs and I did like the speech that Kermit gave toward the end of the movie about being together and being a family, so that's nice to there was an actual message hidden in the script. I suppose I can't enjoy every movie that I see.
Until tomorrow.
The movie I watched, was The Muppets, which came out last year. Being a fan as I grew up, I wanted to see the movie badly. However, after seeing it, I'm glad that I didn't spend money on a movie that wasn't worth it.
Let's start with the positives. Jason Segal seems almost a natural fit to be in a Muppet movie. Of course, Neil Patrick Harris would have been a better fit, but I think he was too busy making a Smurfs movie (I'd ask why, but I am talking about a Muppet movie). Amy Adams was great too. She's a great singer and can portray innocent and smart and perfect all at the same time. And, of course, the Muppets, themselves. Kermit and the gang were their usual funny selves (to me) and I laughed at a lot of the same sight gags that they used to pull in their old series.
My problem was that the plot was a little flat. The beginning of the movie that is supposed to draw you into the plot and the actual differences between Gary and Walter seemed to drag on quite too long and once the dance number began, it didn't even pick up speed. Once the main characters arrived in Hollywood with a chance to take a tour of the old Muppets studio, it was still slow but started to gain steam.
Overall, I'm kind of glad that I didn't see this movie in the theaters if only to save myself from the disappointment. I liked the songs and I did like the speech that Kermit gave toward the end of the movie about being together and being a family, so that's nice to there was an actual message hidden in the script. I suppose I can't enjoy every movie that I see.
Until tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Movies in the Park
If you have a program like "Movies in the Park" in your area you should take advantage. For the most part, the movies that are offered are fairly new (within the past year) and always family friendly. Plus, it's free. Last week we saw the movie, Dolphin Tale, a cute film about a boy and his dolphin. No, it wasn't a remake of Flipper.
In fact, this story was based on real events where a boy discovered a dolphn that had been caught in a lobster trap and, because of injuries, had to have its tail amputated. Of course, since this is a family movie, thankfully, you don't see that on the screen. You feel the emotions and understand the ramifications of the amputation as a dolphin requires its tail to swim.
A sub-plot of the film involves the cousin of the main character and his service in the army. None of that is shown but there is a point where he returns to his family, although injured. In a way, his story parallels the dolphins. Both are swimmers and both are missing something.
Through a series of attempts at helping the dolphin learn to swim, everyone learns a lesson. Mostly the lesson is to never give up on yourself or your dreams because you could be so close to fulfilling them and just give up. If you keep trying, no matter what, eventually your dreams will come true. Will they all come true? Who knows? But keep trying and find out.
Tonight's movie in the park is going to be Hugo. It's definitely a movie that I wanted to see when it came out in the theater, so it should be good. I'm not going to promise a review as I am not sure I'll be able to write one within a decent timeframe, but know (just in case) that I'm probably going to like it.
Until next time.
In fact, this story was based on real events where a boy discovered a dolphn that had been caught in a lobster trap and, because of injuries, had to have its tail amputated. Of course, since this is a family movie, thankfully, you don't see that on the screen. You feel the emotions and understand the ramifications of the amputation as a dolphin requires its tail to swim.
A sub-plot of the film involves the cousin of the main character and his service in the army. None of that is shown but there is a point where he returns to his family, although injured. In a way, his story parallels the dolphins. Both are swimmers and both are missing something.
Through a series of attempts at helping the dolphin learn to swim, everyone learns a lesson. Mostly the lesson is to never give up on yourself or your dreams because you could be so close to fulfilling them and just give up. If you keep trying, no matter what, eventually your dreams will come true. Will they all come true? Who knows? But keep trying and find out.
Tonight's movie in the park is going to be Hugo. It's definitely a movie that I wanted to see when it came out in the theater, so it should be good. I'm not going to promise a review as I am not sure I'll be able to write one within a decent timeframe, but know (just in case) that I'm probably going to like it.
Until next time.
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Earlier today I wrote a blog about what happened in Aurora, Colorado. A terrible tragedy that had nothing to do with The Dark Knight Rises. Unfortunately for all of time the opening of this movie will be associated with a dark memory, much as saying "Littleton, Colorado or Columbine" brings up terrible images that will never be forgotten.
This blog post, however, is not about that. As stated in the previous blog, I did go see The Dark Knight Rises. I can honestly say that when the moment in the film arrived that was showing when tragedy struck, I did look around the theater for a brief second and then let it pass.
I will offer the requisite SPOILER ALERT. I'm pretty sure that what will be said below is what is already known based on Internet buzz and the various trailers. Again, proceed with caution. POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND.
The movie was wonderful and beautifully done. I'm not sure why some reviews are saying that it wasn't that good. Maybe they are looking at the movie from a different perspective. Perhaps these reviewers don't look too deeply into extra meanings. Of course, without even trying I might end up discussing what happened last night anyway.
The Dark Knight Rises does a good job of retracing steps and situations that have occurred in the previous two films - why Harvey Dent was considered a hero; why Batman hasn't been seen; what's happened to Gotham since that time. And as we learn this various things, we are introduced to a character that is known as "the masked man". That man is Bane, of course and his evil is demonstrated from the moment he begins to speak.
I could try to summarize the movie in a matter of several paragraphs but there is something that happens at the beginning that sets the main character's stories into motion. Commissioner Gordon, John Blake, Selina Kyl, Bruce Wayne, Bane and even Alfred the butler. The characters all manage to come together in various circumstances giving us a glimpse of the sudden political undertones of the film - that the 1% should be careful of the other 99%.
Whether Christopher Nolan intentionally meant to comment on the economic difficulties in America over the past year, there was enough subtlety that it was quite blatant that Bane blamed the 1% for the fall of Gotham. Just as Ra's Al Ghul attempted to do in Batman Begins, Bane seems to be attempting to destroy Gotham as a way of rebuilding the city to its proper glory. Bane's hope is that by destroying Gotham it will rid the city of the terrible people (the 1%) and give it back to the people. In fact, that's part of his speech. Bane's plan is to give Gotham back to those that deserve it, in his mind, the 99%.
The performances of all the actors was amazing, as usual. Anne Hathaway, in skin tight leather and heels, delivers line after line, which, though some people have suggested is more cardboard and flat, I think added a little more character to Selina Kyl. Her portrayal gave us , the audience, a hope that she might be trying to do the right thing.
One thing that I want to address here, though, is the companion of Selina Kyl's - Jen (though, I'm not really sure that her name was ever mentioned by anyone). She had a couple of lines but it just seemed an odd choice for a character. She seemed out of place and not really needed. Was she there as a companion? A lover? A sidekick? Not really sure and so it was really odd when she was introduced and there was no real payoff for that character of any kind.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was fantastic as a rookie cop that knew about Bruce's secret and yet supported hi in his decision to be the Batman. He fought by his side and did what was necessary in order to keep hope alive that Batman would save Gotham.
The twist toward the end of the movie, though predicted by several Internet users (and even me) was well calculated to give maximum effect for the situation. I felt that the explanation for Bane and his existence was well done and a clever plot point.
In the end, while Batman Begins was about fear and The Dark Knight was about chaos (those lines have been taken from other blogs and reviews). In my opinion, however, The Dark Knight Rises is not about justice, as is also mentioned in the same blogs, it's about hope.
I'm not going to say what happens within the final few minutes of the film but when you see it, you'll understand how much hope has been restored for the characters. It's a hope that had been nearly destroyed by Bane and brought back from the brink by Batman and his heroic deeds.
That's enough of a review. We will always recall the tragedy from last night and its association with The Dark Knight Rises. Even though it's a movie, it seems to have come to life in a very real way for the rest of America. I think that if we just have hope, everything will be alright. Hope springs eternal. Hope is what makes us, the people, believe that there are heroes out there. And it with hope that we can get through this tragedy, just as we have gotten through all the ones before and any others that might come.
Until next time.
This blog post, however, is not about that. As stated in the previous blog, I did go see The Dark Knight Rises. I can honestly say that when the moment in the film arrived that was showing when tragedy struck, I did look around the theater for a brief second and then let it pass.
I will offer the requisite SPOILER ALERT. I'm pretty sure that what will be said below is what is already known based on Internet buzz and the various trailers. Again, proceed with caution. POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND.
The movie was wonderful and beautifully done. I'm not sure why some reviews are saying that it wasn't that good. Maybe they are looking at the movie from a different perspective. Perhaps these reviewers don't look too deeply into extra meanings. Of course, without even trying I might end up discussing what happened last night anyway.
The Dark Knight Rises does a good job of retracing steps and situations that have occurred in the previous two films - why Harvey Dent was considered a hero; why Batman hasn't been seen; what's happened to Gotham since that time. And as we learn this various things, we are introduced to a character that is known as "the masked man". That man is Bane, of course and his evil is demonstrated from the moment he begins to speak.
I could try to summarize the movie in a matter of several paragraphs but there is something that happens at the beginning that sets the main character's stories into motion. Commissioner Gordon, John Blake, Selina Kyl, Bruce Wayne, Bane and even Alfred the butler. The characters all manage to come together in various circumstances giving us a glimpse of the sudden political undertones of the film - that the 1% should be careful of the other 99%.
Whether Christopher Nolan intentionally meant to comment on the economic difficulties in America over the past year, there was enough subtlety that it was quite blatant that Bane blamed the 1% for the fall of Gotham. Just as Ra's Al Ghul attempted to do in Batman Begins, Bane seems to be attempting to destroy Gotham as a way of rebuilding the city to its proper glory. Bane's hope is that by destroying Gotham it will rid the city of the terrible people (the 1%) and give it back to the people. In fact, that's part of his speech. Bane's plan is to give Gotham back to those that deserve it, in his mind, the 99%.
The performances of all the actors was amazing, as usual. Anne Hathaway, in skin tight leather and heels, delivers line after line, which, though some people have suggested is more cardboard and flat, I think added a little more character to Selina Kyl. Her portrayal gave us , the audience, a hope that she might be trying to do the right thing.
One thing that I want to address here, though, is the companion of Selina Kyl's - Jen (though, I'm not really sure that her name was ever mentioned by anyone). She had a couple of lines but it just seemed an odd choice for a character. She seemed out of place and not really needed. Was she there as a companion? A lover? A sidekick? Not really sure and so it was really odd when she was introduced and there was no real payoff for that character of any kind.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was fantastic as a rookie cop that knew about Bruce's secret and yet supported hi in his decision to be the Batman. He fought by his side and did what was necessary in order to keep hope alive that Batman would save Gotham.
The twist toward the end of the movie, though predicted by several Internet users (and even me) was well calculated to give maximum effect for the situation. I felt that the explanation for Bane and his existence was well done and a clever plot point.
In the end, while Batman Begins was about fear and The Dark Knight was about chaos (those lines have been taken from other blogs and reviews). In my opinion, however, The Dark Knight Rises is not about justice, as is also mentioned in the same blogs, it's about hope.
I'm not going to say what happens within the final few minutes of the film but when you see it, you'll understand how much hope has been restored for the characters. It's a hope that had been nearly destroyed by Bane and brought back from the brink by Batman and his heroic deeds.
That's enough of a review. We will always recall the tragedy from last night and its association with The Dark Knight Rises. Even though it's a movie, it seems to have come to life in a very real way for the rest of America. I think that if we just have hope, everything will be alright. Hope springs eternal. Hope is what makes us, the people, believe that there are heroes out there. And it with hope that we can get through this tragedy, just as we have gotten through all the ones before and any others that might come.
Until next time.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Gotta Get Back In Time
It's too bad that that song wasn't used for Men in Black III. It would have been very relative and fun to listen to an 80s song written by Huey Lewis.
The premise of Men in Black III is that Will Smith's character, J, goes back in time to stop something from happening that affects the future (sound familiar Back to the Future II?). In his attempt to stop one crime, he inadvertently interacts with the younger version of his partner, K (younger version played to perfection by Josh Brolin, including the voice mimicry). Of course, J was told that he shouldn't interact with the younger version of K because it could have lasting ramifications and could alter the timeline (ooooooo, scary). Because of this new interaction and J's ability to convince the younger K that he needs to help him, J is able to learn things about his partner that inform his respect of him in the future.
Through a series of very funny interactions with Andy Warhol and an alien that can see many possible futures, J and K eventually catch up to the bad guy and prevent him from causing irreparable harm to the future (again, I'm looking at you, Back to the Future II). I won't spoil the movie for you but I can say that there was an interesting twist on events that happened in the sixties that reflect on the characters in the present, which was a nice touch.
I've always liked the Men in Black movies for their ability to not take themselves too seriously. The people involved are working to have fun and it looks like the film was fun to make. I laughed at the appropriate times and though there was a moment that a tear might have had an opportunity to fall, it did not. That is not to say that I have no heart, it was just that despite my investment in the characters, I sort of saw the moment coming based on earlier context. But that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the film and was glad to be able to see it in the theaters before it comes out on DVD next week.
Just kidding. It's just that some movies come out rather quickly on DVD these days.
Until next time.
The premise of Men in Black III is that Will Smith's character, J, goes back in time to stop something from happening that affects the future (sound familiar Back to the Future II?). In his attempt to stop one crime, he inadvertently interacts with the younger version of his partner, K (younger version played to perfection by Josh Brolin, including the voice mimicry). Of course, J was told that he shouldn't interact with the younger version of K because it could have lasting ramifications and could alter the timeline (ooooooo, scary). Because of this new interaction and J's ability to convince the younger K that he needs to help him, J is able to learn things about his partner that inform his respect of him in the future.
Through a series of very funny interactions with Andy Warhol and an alien that can see many possible futures, J and K eventually catch up to the bad guy and prevent him from causing irreparable harm to the future (again, I'm looking at you, Back to the Future II). I won't spoil the movie for you but I can say that there was an interesting twist on events that happened in the sixties that reflect on the characters in the present, which was a nice touch.
I've always liked the Men in Black movies for their ability to not take themselves too seriously. The people involved are working to have fun and it looks like the film was fun to make. I laughed at the appropriate times and though there was a moment that a tear might have had an opportunity to fall, it did not. That is not to say that I have no heart, it was just that despite my investment in the characters, I sort of saw the moment coming based on earlier context. But that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the film and was glad to be able to see it in the theaters before it comes out on DVD next week.
Just kidding. It's just that some movies come out rather quickly on DVD these days.
Until next time.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Some Assembly Required
I know. I'm a little late to the whole Avengers party. Maybe it was better to wait because then I didn't have to wait in a long live and I got a really good seat. So I had to avoid talking to people about it because I didn't want it ruined. Of course, I already knew a lot of the plot because of my own knowledge of the Marvel universe so that wasn't that big of a deal.
I went into the movie already pleased by Iron Man and Captain America but not caring about about Thor or the Hulk. And while seeing Thor in this movie will not encourage me to watch his solo movie (even if Natalie Portman is in it), I was pleased with Mark Ruffulo's performance and even happier to hear that he had signed a deal to portray the Hulk in several other iterations.
The movie, while slow to begin with - mostly because they have to actually assemble the team - was still very good. I have read some people's opinion of the movie and how they didn't like it, but their reasons were silly. It's a MOVIE! It's supposed to be silly. It was nice to have some extra comedy moments to ease the tension.
I thought the movie was well done and even though there are some detractors out there I am not one of them. It was good enough that I'm almost willing to see it again.
Given the amount of stars that Joss Whedon had to deal with, I think he did a fantastic job. He told the story that needed to be told in order to bridge the gap between Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk and add a lot more to the Marvel universe.
Until next time
I went into the movie already pleased by Iron Man and Captain America but not caring about about Thor or the Hulk. And while seeing Thor in this movie will not encourage me to watch his solo movie (even if Natalie Portman is in it), I was pleased with Mark Ruffulo's performance and even happier to hear that he had signed a deal to portray the Hulk in several other iterations.
The movie, while slow to begin with - mostly because they have to actually assemble the team - was still very good. I have read some people's opinion of the movie and how they didn't like it, but their reasons were silly. It's a MOVIE! It's supposed to be silly. It was nice to have some extra comedy moments to ease the tension.
I thought the movie was well done and even though there are some detractors out there I am not one of them. It was good enough that I'm almost willing to see it again.
Given the amount of stars that Joss Whedon had to deal with, I think he did a fantastic job. He told the story that needed to be told in order to bridge the gap between Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk and add a lot more to the Marvel universe.
Until next time
Monday, April 2, 2012
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
If you haven't guessed by the title, Joanna and I watched the movie this weekend. Granted, we started it last weekend and yet, finished it yesterday. But that's not the point. The point is to offer a small review of a great movie.
The reason we had taped it in the first place was because Joanna had not seen it and was curious about it. I had seen the movie once upon a time and it was nice to be reintroduced to the characters once again.
For those uninitiated (or uncultured), the movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, is the story of a Caucasian girl that falls in love with an African American man. Of course, in 1967, something like that was unheard of. Well, it was heard of, it's just that there weren't a lot of relationships that are depicted in this movie.
In 2012, however, this situation does not necessarily apply. In today's terms, it might be something akin to a family's heterosexual son coming home from a vacation (or college) with a gay boyfriend. Not that even that situation is all that out of the ordinary today.
Regardless of the terms or the plot of the movie, the general heart of the film holds true even to this day. The point comes in the final soliloquy delivered by Spencer Tracy, just a few weeks before his death. He talks to his daughter, the man she is intended to marry, his parents, his wife and a family friend.
The main point of his speech was that regardless of the color of their skin and the problems that could come of it, all that mattered was that they two shared a passion for each other that could overcome all obstacles. A passion that, despite what others might have thought, he still held for his wife.
It is this passion, then, that I want to write about. No matter what you believe in or who you love, you have to have a passion for it. Passion is a good thing that perpetuates everything. People that are passionate about life, about their dreams go on to be great successes. Steve Jobs. Steven Spielberg. John Lassester. George Lucas. John Williams. And those are just people that I can think of off the top of my head. Imagine the amount of people I could list if I really sat here and thought about it for a few minutes.
Passion. For life. For your family. For your love. For your dreams. Keep the passion alive because sometimes that's all that's going to get you through the obstacles. Go watch the movie. And if you'd rather just skip to the end, that's fine. But definitely watch the last fifteen minutes.
Until tomorrow.
The reason we had taped it in the first place was because Joanna had not seen it and was curious about it. I had seen the movie once upon a time and it was nice to be reintroduced to the characters once again.
For those uninitiated (or uncultured), the movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, is the story of a Caucasian girl that falls in love with an African American man. Of course, in 1967, something like that was unheard of. Well, it was heard of, it's just that there weren't a lot of relationships that are depicted in this movie.
In 2012, however, this situation does not necessarily apply. In today's terms, it might be something akin to a family's heterosexual son coming home from a vacation (or college) with a gay boyfriend. Not that even that situation is all that out of the ordinary today.
Regardless of the terms or the plot of the movie, the general heart of the film holds true even to this day. The point comes in the final soliloquy delivered by Spencer Tracy, just a few weeks before his death. He talks to his daughter, the man she is intended to marry, his parents, his wife and a family friend.
The main point of his speech was that regardless of the color of their skin and the problems that could come of it, all that mattered was that they two shared a passion for each other that could overcome all obstacles. A passion that, despite what others might have thought, he still held for his wife.
It is this passion, then, that I want to write about. No matter what you believe in or who you love, you have to have a passion for it. Passion is a good thing that perpetuates everything. People that are passionate about life, about their dreams go on to be great successes. Steve Jobs. Steven Spielberg. John Lassester. George Lucas. John Williams. And those are just people that I can think of off the top of my head. Imagine the amount of people I could list if I really sat here and thought about it for a few minutes.
Passion. For life. For your family. For your love. For your dreams. Keep the passion alive because sometimes that's all that's going to get you through the obstacles. Go watch the movie. And if you'd rather just skip to the end, that's fine. But definitely watch the last fifteen minutes.
Until tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Awakening the Underworld
I recently went and saw Underworld: Awakening. This is the fourth film in the franchise and
so far (even though I didn’t even see number three), I can say it isn’t my
favorite. Granted, there’s not much to a
film where the whole plot is the war between the Vampires and the
werewolves. Sorry, Lycans. This plot has carried four films and has
managed to generate a decent about of money for its producers.
When it was first conceived, it was surprisingly an original idea to come out of Hollywood that had a decent story behind it and good actors – Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy to name the leads. As I said, at the core of the story is a “death dealer” (Beckinsale) who’s sole job is to kick ass and not bother with asking questions. Selene, as she is called, moves through the movie and kicks ass. She even has some dialog. I think, however, that the whole point of the Underworld movie (at least with the first one) was to put Kate Beckinsale into the tightest black leather outfit (not that there’s anything wrong with that, either).
But really, if you’re into hyper violence and watching Vampires and Lycans get their guts splattered across a room, then by all means, this is the movie series for you. However, if you’re used to seeing pretty boy Vampires and Werewolves with their shirts off and looking sparkly, definitely don’t worry about this series because not only are the pretty boys only on screen for a brief moment or two, they also have a tendency to be killed. Except for Kate Beckinsale, of course. As the lead in the movie, not only is she contractually obliged to be pretty, but also she can’t die.
Getting back to the movie I saw, though. Awakening did its job. It was a standard Vampire vs. Lycan movie (is there such a thing?). But this one is different. Apparently, the human race at large has discovered the Vampires and the Lycans and have begun to hunt them down like the “vermin” they are. I suppose that in this movie world, the human race has decided that Vampires and Lycans pose more of threat to the world than nuclear missiles and terrorists – or even Communism. So the world chooses to stop fighting each other and go after the “real” menace – non human beings.
What’s really nice about this film is that it does a good job of setting up the current story by recapping the previous three movies in a nutshell. It even opens with a telling tale of Selene trying to escape with her lover, the only “hybrid” Lycan/Vampire (he showed up in Underworld 2). However, the bad guys (or are they good guys?) appear and blow the place to bits, causing Selene and her lover to be captured. Of course, Selene doesn’t realize that until she wakes up and starts to see images through another person’s eyes. She assumes that it is her lover, Michael that she is seeing until it turns out to be a little girl.
Now, I’m not going to think about the logic of all of this because it might hurt your brain and mine if I do, but okay, I get it. Selene has to protect the little girl from the Lycans who are still around and trying to work on some serious steroids in order to eliminate the Vampires altogether. I won’t go into more specifics than that, but let’s just say that I was a little surprised by some of the story as it unfolded.
From a story point of view, it was alright. There was enough action (bullets or people flying about) that carried the movie between the times when the dialogue had to unfortunately interrupt. There were characters introduced briefly that weren’t even dealt with later in the movie, which makes me wonder if the filmmakers were simply trying to fulfill a quota on actors.
Cinematography wise, it seemed as gritty as the first couple of films, allowing for a hint of believability in some of the action as well as some of the character’s lives as they had been living over a period of time. The action sequences were well done and I did find that I did jump once during the film when a particular bad guy happened to show up, but the rest was quite predictable. But there’s nothing wrong with that, either.
Overall, I would suggest seeing at least the first movie in the series and determine your level of interest from there. For me, it was fun to see a movie that I didn’t have to do too much thinking while watching. For some of you, this might not be the movie for you. Or, if you just feel like watching Vampires and Lycans (werewolves) get beat up and blown to bits because you don’t care about what Twilight has done for their image, then so be it. See the film. Either way, it’s a way to spend ninety minutes in a quiet theater.
When it was first conceived, it was surprisingly an original idea to come out of Hollywood that had a decent story behind it and good actors – Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy to name the leads. As I said, at the core of the story is a “death dealer” (Beckinsale) who’s sole job is to kick ass and not bother with asking questions. Selene, as she is called, moves through the movie and kicks ass. She even has some dialog. I think, however, that the whole point of the Underworld movie (at least with the first one) was to put Kate Beckinsale into the tightest black leather outfit (not that there’s anything wrong with that, either).
But really, if you’re into hyper violence and watching Vampires and Lycans get their guts splattered across a room, then by all means, this is the movie series for you. However, if you’re used to seeing pretty boy Vampires and Werewolves with their shirts off and looking sparkly, definitely don’t worry about this series because not only are the pretty boys only on screen for a brief moment or two, they also have a tendency to be killed. Except for Kate Beckinsale, of course. As the lead in the movie, not only is she contractually obliged to be pretty, but also she can’t die.
Getting back to the movie I saw, though. Awakening did its job. It was a standard Vampire vs. Lycan movie (is there such a thing?). But this one is different. Apparently, the human race at large has discovered the Vampires and the Lycans and have begun to hunt them down like the “vermin” they are. I suppose that in this movie world, the human race has decided that Vampires and Lycans pose more of threat to the world than nuclear missiles and terrorists – or even Communism. So the world chooses to stop fighting each other and go after the “real” menace – non human beings.
What’s really nice about this film is that it does a good job of setting up the current story by recapping the previous three movies in a nutshell. It even opens with a telling tale of Selene trying to escape with her lover, the only “hybrid” Lycan/Vampire (he showed up in Underworld 2). However, the bad guys (or are they good guys?) appear and blow the place to bits, causing Selene and her lover to be captured. Of course, Selene doesn’t realize that until she wakes up and starts to see images through another person’s eyes. She assumes that it is her lover, Michael that she is seeing until it turns out to be a little girl.
Now, I’m not going to think about the logic of all of this because it might hurt your brain and mine if I do, but okay, I get it. Selene has to protect the little girl from the Lycans who are still around and trying to work on some serious steroids in order to eliminate the Vampires altogether. I won’t go into more specifics than that, but let’s just say that I was a little surprised by some of the story as it unfolded.
From a story point of view, it was alright. There was enough action (bullets or people flying about) that carried the movie between the times when the dialogue had to unfortunately interrupt. There were characters introduced briefly that weren’t even dealt with later in the movie, which makes me wonder if the filmmakers were simply trying to fulfill a quota on actors.
Cinematography wise, it seemed as gritty as the first couple of films, allowing for a hint of believability in some of the action as well as some of the character’s lives as they had been living over a period of time. The action sequences were well done and I did find that I did jump once during the film when a particular bad guy happened to show up, but the rest was quite predictable. But there’s nothing wrong with that, either.
Overall, I would suggest seeing at least the first movie in the series and determine your level of interest from there. For me, it was fun to see a movie that I didn’t have to do too much thinking while watching. For some of you, this might not be the movie for you. Or, if you just feel like watching Vampires and Lycans (werewolves) get beat up and blown to bits because you don’t care about what Twilight has done for their image, then so be it. See the film. Either way, it’s a way to spend ninety minutes in a quiet theater.
Until next time.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Versus
I was flipping channels last night and came across a movie that I had wanted to see in the theater but never got a chance. It was Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The movie was based on a comic book series of the same name and while it depicts a lot of the comics adventures, obviously it is not all of them.
It's safe to say that the movie wouldn't have won any awards for acting, but in regard to sound design, production design and special effects, they could have been a contender. I didn't look it up to verify if they were or not but since I don't remember them getting nominates in any of those categories, let's just figure they weren't.
The story is a semi love story and a semi "coming into one's own" as a person story. It focuses on Scott Pilgrim and his quest to gain the affections of Ramona. However, in order to do so, he must defeat each of her evil exes - not ex-boyfriends, exes (since she once dated a girl). From the first battle on, Scott gains confidence in not only his fighting abilities, but also himself as a person and he realizes just how bad of a person he is for dumping another girl so he could date Ramona.
It's a fun movie (as long as you don't think too much) because it reminded me of days at the video arcade playing all manner of fighting games and hoping to win. Granted, winning those games didn't get me the girl nor does it have to at all. It's one of those movies where if you suspend any thoughts of reality, you'll actually enjoy it and you might even laugh at a few parts.
There's no need to spend money on renting this one. Like I said, I was flipping channels and it came on, so I got lucky there. Maybe you can get lucky and find it on television like I did. If not, and you do want to see it, I guess you'll just have to rent it. Though, I think you can rent it on Amazon or through iTunes for a lot cheaper than at Blockbuster.
Until tomorrow.
It's safe to say that the movie wouldn't have won any awards for acting, but in regard to sound design, production design and special effects, they could have been a contender. I didn't look it up to verify if they were or not but since I don't remember them getting nominates in any of those categories, let's just figure they weren't.
The story is a semi love story and a semi "coming into one's own" as a person story. It focuses on Scott Pilgrim and his quest to gain the affections of Ramona. However, in order to do so, he must defeat each of her evil exes - not ex-boyfriends, exes (since she once dated a girl). From the first battle on, Scott gains confidence in not only his fighting abilities, but also himself as a person and he realizes just how bad of a person he is for dumping another girl so he could date Ramona.
It's a fun movie (as long as you don't think too much) because it reminded me of days at the video arcade playing all manner of fighting games and hoping to win. Granted, winning those games didn't get me the girl nor does it have to at all. It's one of those movies where if you suspend any thoughts of reality, you'll actually enjoy it and you might even laugh at a few parts.
There's no need to spend money on renting this one. Like I said, I was flipping channels and it came on, so I got lucky there. Maybe you can get lucky and find it on television like I did. If not, and you do want to see it, I guess you'll just have to rent it. Though, I think you can rent it on Amazon or through iTunes for a lot cheaper than at Blockbuster.
Until tomorrow.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Star Spangled Man With A Plan
1942. The height of World War II. Hitler has men scouring the world looking for rare artifacts of the occult, not unlike the Ark of the Covenant that Indiana Jones found.....so casually referred to by the villain in this movies as a "trinket in the desert". Ironically, it is with these rare artifacts that the Red Skull is able to build an army and weapons that can destroy not only the United Sates, but Hitler and his Third Reich as well - a plan that he attempted to achieve toward the end of this movie.
Captain America, the character has been one of my favorite heroes for a long time. Maybe it was the campy 70s television movies that did it for me. Maybe I just thought that a super hero that wasn't much more than a normal guy was pretty cool.
In the movie version, Steve Rogers is just a young man that wants to be more. He wants to join the army but he's too weak, too small and too simple and yet full of empathy and compassion for people he doesn't even know. That's exactly what a doctor sees and encourages when the doctor brings Steve Rogers to a secret military base for an experiment. An experiment that would turn him from skinny little Steve Rogers into a superhuman fighting machine - the first of many that would help the United States win World War II.
But not all is pleasant in Mudville as the Red Skull has other plans. His minions destroy the lab, take the serum and kill Dr. Erskine, making it impossible to replicate without more long years of research. The superhuman project is put on hold and Steve Rogers goes from thinking he's heading to the front lines to standing on a stage as a novelty act trying to get people to do their part to help the war effort.
"Captain America" as he is dubbed by the PR people, tries to entertain the masses at home while the boys on the front are doing their part. He's ashamed to have to do it, but he knows that he is doing his own little part to keep people's minds occupied. When Steve heads to the front lines to entertain his troops, he's surprised to find the same people as were in charge of his "experiment". He also discovers that his best friend happens to have been captured by Hydra and that the Colonel will not risk more men to rescue him. Steve Rogers, being selfless and a good friend, takes matters into his own hands and heads to the location where is friend is.
It's pretty obvious that he would succeed in the mission and that he would even be able to bring back some of Hydra's technology, but not without getting himself into some trouble with the Colonel. However, Steve Rogers also brings back information on Hydra's other facilities and weapons. The Colonel then allows Steve to join the fight and help bring down Hydra.
In the end, Steve Rogers stays the same. He's a good man that happens to be a superhuman soldier. He strives to stop the Red Skull because ultimately, he killed his friend, Dr. Erskine. There are other deaths that get blamed on the Red Skull, but being the bad guy, I suppose it's necessary to blame him for them all, right?
I'm obviously not going to give away the ending, but for those who know, Captain America actually is joining other super heroes in a movie next year, The Avengers. Each of the Marvel movies that have come out in the past several years have been building up to that movie and I have a feeling it's going to be very good. Captain America is about war and good versus evil, but it's also about being a good person and standing up for what you believe in. As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, let's try to be better people and see if that can change the world.
Until next time.
Captain America, the character has been one of my favorite heroes for a long time. Maybe it was the campy 70s television movies that did it for me. Maybe I just thought that a super hero that wasn't much more than a normal guy was pretty cool.
In the movie version, Steve Rogers is just a young man that wants to be more. He wants to join the army but he's too weak, too small and too simple and yet full of empathy and compassion for people he doesn't even know. That's exactly what a doctor sees and encourages when the doctor brings Steve Rogers to a secret military base for an experiment. An experiment that would turn him from skinny little Steve Rogers into a superhuman fighting machine - the first of many that would help the United States win World War II.
But not all is pleasant in Mudville as the Red Skull has other plans. His minions destroy the lab, take the serum and kill Dr. Erskine, making it impossible to replicate without more long years of research. The superhuman project is put on hold and Steve Rogers goes from thinking he's heading to the front lines to standing on a stage as a novelty act trying to get people to do their part to help the war effort.
"Captain America" as he is dubbed by the PR people, tries to entertain the masses at home while the boys on the front are doing their part. He's ashamed to have to do it, but he knows that he is doing his own little part to keep people's minds occupied. When Steve heads to the front lines to entertain his troops, he's surprised to find the same people as were in charge of his "experiment". He also discovers that his best friend happens to have been captured by Hydra and that the Colonel will not risk more men to rescue him. Steve Rogers, being selfless and a good friend, takes matters into his own hands and heads to the location where is friend is.
It's pretty obvious that he would succeed in the mission and that he would even be able to bring back some of Hydra's technology, but not without getting himself into some trouble with the Colonel. However, Steve Rogers also brings back information on Hydra's other facilities and weapons. The Colonel then allows Steve to join the fight and help bring down Hydra.
In the end, Steve Rogers stays the same. He's a good man that happens to be a superhuman soldier. He strives to stop the Red Skull because ultimately, he killed his friend, Dr. Erskine. There are other deaths that get blamed on the Red Skull, but being the bad guy, I suppose it's necessary to blame him for them all, right?
I'm obviously not going to give away the ending, but for those who know, Captain America actually is joining other super heroes in a movie next year, The Avengers. Each of the Marvel movies that have come out in the past several years have been building up to that movie and I have a feeling it's going to be very good. Captain America is about war and good versus evil, but it's also about being a good person and standing up for what you believe in. As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, let's try to be better people and see if that can change the world.
Until next time.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave
We went to another movie in the park last night. And if you couldn't guess from the title of this post, the movie was Tangled, the Disney animated film about Repunzel. This movie, if you can believe it, has actually been developing at Disney for almost ten years. Sure, it takes a lot of time to hand draw an hour and forty minutes of movie. And it takes time to record the voices and the songs and everything, but ten years? Actually, there's a reason for that.
For a while, this movie was going to simply be another princess story in the vein of all the other Disney princess stories. However, Disney started to realize that princess movies didn't bring in a lot of little boys to see them and needed to do something fast. Within a year, Disney changed the story around slightly to focus on a male character, Flynn Rider. In fact, he even narrates the beginning and the end of the story - bookending the whole "boys in princess movies are cool" kind of theory. Don't get me wrong, it works perfectly. And, surprisingly, despite having a lot more action than a normal princess movie, it's still the story of a little girl that turns out to be a princess and the adventure that leads to that discovery.
The story is well written and the characters are very human. The trapped Repunzel, wanting to leave her tower, but not knowing what lies ahead, seems innocent and naive at first and as she starts to understand the real world, begins to realize she's stronger than she thought. Mother Gothel, a surrogate mother to Repunzel wants to keep the girl locked in the tower for selfish reasons, but even those reasons, are very human, like a mother wanting to protect her daughter. Flynn, as a handsome young man, appears arrogant and overflowing with ego. But the way his character is written, these characteristics are played perfectly.
One thing that I thought was beautifully done was the animation. It was a CGI rendering of actual hand drawn animation, as if the drew the images on paper and then imported them into the CGI world, which gave the animation the sense of depth and color and brought it to life through the CGI.
I've been reading about this movie ever since it was announced that it was actually happening several years ago because one of my most favorite Disney animators was directing it. You wouldn't probably know his name, but you know his work. He has been the lead animator of Ariel, Pocahontas, the Beast, Aladdin and Tarzan. His animation style is different for every film and yet, as the one who tends to animate the heroes or heroines, the style ends up being bold and striking each time. And even though he didn't actually animate the characters in Tangled, he supervised it, and made certain that each of the characters offered the same bold and striking features that he put into his characters when he was animating them.
And who is this great animator? Well, he's someone that comes from a family of four children that can be quite a handful. His name is Glen Keane, the son of Bil Keane, who created The Family Circus comic strip that has been running in newspapers for over fifty years. Ironically, the character of Billy is based on Glen, but it is Glen's brother, Jeff, that actually assists their father in the production of the comic strip. Sadly, Glen was needed on other projects and had to abandon overall direction of the film, but managed to continue to finish supervising the animation before he was needed elsewhere.
There was a moment in the movie that I want to mention here. As you all know, I'm one who really likes to think about my dreams and what might lie ahead on my adventure through life. There is a point where Repunzel and Flynn are talking.
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn Rider: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.
Finding a new dream is always something that I want to strive for. There's nothing wrong with having the big dreams - the big house, the money, the car, whatever it is. Big dreams are good life goals. The best kind of dreams should be the little ones - being nice to everyone at work today, not overreacting to something simple, going to church. The more little dreams you accomplish, the more confident you feel about one day achieving some of the bigger dreams. Write down some of the little dreams. Dreams that could be done within a short period of time. Cross them off as you go. It's good for the soul, just like Tangled is.
Until next time.
For a while, this movie was going to simply be another princess story in the vein of all the other Disney princess stories. However, Disney started to realize that princess movies didn't bring in a lot of little boys to see them and needed to do something fast. Within a year, Disney changed the story around slightly to focus on a male character, Flynn Rider. In fact, he even narrates the beginning and the end of the story - bookending the whole "boys in princess movies are cool" kind of theory. Don't get me wrong, it works perfectly. And, surprisingly, despite having a lot more action than a normal princess movie, it's still the story of a little girl that turns out to be a princess and the adventure that leads to that discovery.
The story is well written and the characters are very human. The trapped Repunzel, wanting to leave her tower, but not knowing what lies ahead, seems innocent and naive at first and as she starts to understand the real world, begins to realize she's stronger than she thought. Mother Gothel, a surrogate mother to Repunzel wants to keep the girl locked in the tower for selfish reasons, but even those reasons, are very human, like a mother wanting to protect her daughter. Flynn, as a handsome young man, appears arrogant and overflowing with ego. But the way his character is written, these characteristics are played perfectly.
One thing that I thought was beautifully done was the animation. It was a CGI rendering of actual hand drawn animation, as if the drew the images on paper and then imported them into the CGI world, which gave the animation the sense of depth and color and brought it to life through the CGI.
I've been reading about this movie ever since it was announced that it was actually happening several years ago because one of my most favorite Disney animators was directing it. You wouldn't probably know his name, but you know his work. He has been the lead animator of Ariel, Pocahontas, the Beast, Aladdin and Tarzan. His animation style is different for every film and yet, as the one who tends to animate the heroes or heroines, the style ends up being bold and striking each time. And even though he didn't actually animate the characters in Tangled, he supervised it, and made certain that each of the characters offered the same bold and striking features that he put into his characters when he was animating them.
And who is this great animator? Well, he's someone that comes from a family of four children that can be quite a handful. His name is Glen Keane, the son of Bil Keane, who created The Family Circus comic strip that has been running in newspapers for over fifty years. Ironically, the character of Billy is based on Glen, but it is Glen's brother, Jeff, that actually assists their father in the production of the comic strip. Sadly, Glen was needed on other projects and had to abandon overall direction of the film, but managed to continue to finish supervising the animation before he was needed elsewhere.
There was a moment in the movie that I want to mention here. As you all know, I'm one who really likes to think about my dreams and what might lie ahead on my adventure through life. There is a point where Repunzel and Flynn are talking.
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn Rider: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.
Finding a new dream is always something that I want to strive for. There's nothing wrong with having the big dreams - the big house, the money, the car, whatever it is. Big dreams are good life goals. The best kind of dreams should be the little ones - being nice to everyone at work today, not overreacting to something simple, going to church. The more little dreams you accomplish, the more confident you feel about one day achieving some of the bigger dreams. Write down some of the little dreams. Dreams that could be done within a short period of time. Cross them off as you go. It's good for the soul, just like Tangled is.
Until next time.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
It All Ends
No, I'm not talking about the blog. If you look at the second post below this one, you'll notice that I'm just getting started. What I'm talking about is the advertising campaign that surrounded Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, henceforth in this blog to be labeled HP7.2.
Somewhere back in the archive there is a review of HP7.1 - a great film that, in my opinion, picked all of the important bits from the book and portrayed them onscreen. So what was going to be the capper? The climax? The end?
The campaign, "It All Ends", reminded people that lived under rocks for the past several years that this would be the end of the Harry Potter franchise. That this movie would be the end to a generation of kids that wanted to be witches and wizards. The end of the money train for a lot of the actors that began their careers with these films (though it seems Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson will be alright....unsure about the rest of the kids in general).
HP7.2 was a really good film. I hope it actually gets some nominations when it comes to Oscar time, because I think they deserve it. Sure, the Academy would probably nominate them in the effects categories or sound, but I don't know if they would for acting - not that there aren't great actors in the film - it's just that the Academy looks at these movies differently than the "Oscar" type films.
I will admit that there was a moment when I was tearing up. If you've read the book, then you'll understand. It was the depiction of Snape's memories. It just showed how much he cared for Harry's mom and how sad he was when she died (maybe I should have warned you about spoilers, but I think at this point, just about anyone that reads my blog has also read Harry Potter).
Visually amazing and the kids - now young adults, really - all did a terrific job with their parts. The ending was satisfying and even the Epilogue played out just like the book. A lot of people didn't like the Epilogue when they read it. They thought that JKR should have either ended the book where she did or the Epilogue should have talked about some of their lives after the war ended. Of course, in the book (not the movie), there is a little bit of description of the inbetween years, but it's not enough.
Some people have written fan fiction about the missing years, though I haven't seen any that seem to capture what the Harry Potter world is - magical. Maybe JKR purposefully did that so she could one day write the adventures or Ron, Harry and Hermione as they grow older. Maybe she did it so we could simply imagine what their lives would be like and how they got to where they were in the Epilogue. Who knows?
What I do know is that I was told "It All Ends" and it did. Eleven years, eight films and a lot of imagination. All in all, it was magical.
Until next time.
Somewhere back in the archive there is a review of HP7.1 - a great film that, in my opinion, picked all of the important bits from the book and portrayed them onscreen. So what was going to be the capper? The climax? The end?
The campaign, "It All Ends", reminded people that lived under rocks for the past several years that this would be the end of the Harry Potter franchise. That this movie would be the end to a generation of kids that wanted to be witches and wizards. The end of the money train for a lot of the actors that began their careers with these films (though it seems Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson will be alright....unsure about the rest of the kids in general).
HP7.2 was a really good film. I hope it actually gets some nominations when it comes to Oscar time, because I think they deserve it. Sure, the Academy would probably nominate them in the effects categories or sound, but I don't know if they would for acting - not that there aren't great actors in the film - it's just that the Academy looks at these movies differently than the "Oscar" type films.
I will admit that there was a moment when I was tearing up. If you've read the book, then you'll understand. It was the depiction of Snape's memories. It just showed how much he cared for Harry's mom and how sad he was when she died (maybe I should have warned you about spoilers, but I think at this point, just about anyone that reads my blog has also read Harry Potter).
Visually amazing and the kids - now young adults, really - all did a terrific job with their parts. The ending was satisfying and even the Epilogue played out just like the book. A lot of people didn't like the Epilogue when they read it. They thought that JKR should have either ended the book where she did or the Epilogue should have talked about some of their lives after the war ended. Of course, in the book (not the movie), there is a little bit of description of the inbetween years, but it's not enough.
Some people have written fan fiction about the missing years, though I haven't seen any that seem to capture what the Harry Potter world is - magical. Maybe JKR purposefully did that so she could one day write the adventures or Ron, Harry and Hermione as they grow older. Maybe she did it so we could simply imagine what their lives would be like and how they got to where they were in the Epilogue. Who knows?
What I do know is that I was told "It All Ends" and it did. Eleven years, eight films and a lot of imagination. All in all, it was magical.
Until next time.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
I Want A Dragon.
Last night, Joanna and I went with our friend Amanda to Victoria Gardens, where they offer summer movies in the park. Abby decided to come, too. Though, technically, since it's at a shopping mall, there's no real park. In fact, because of other maintenance, it wasn't even on grass. Nope. We watched a movie on the concrete. However, it was cool that they offered us foam mats to place under our blankets, which were well appreciated. But that's getting away from the movie.
The movie last night was How To Train Your Dragon, an animated film that had the unfortunate luck to go up against Toy Story 3 for Best Animated Film. But as Amanda told us after the movie last night, she felt that it should have won the Oscar and not Toy Story 3 (blasphemy!).
HTTYD, as I saw it referred to (and I can see why, it's a long title), was a good movie. I had read a lot of good things about it when it came out and I still didn't see it. I am glad that I was able to see it now and I have a better appreciation for the movie now. But I still wouldn't give it the Oscar. As I told Amanda, "this movie didn't make me cry like Toy Story 3 did", which is true. There's something about Toy Story 3 that just pulled at every emotion. I'm not saying that HTTYD didn't. In fact, there were several moments that were Kleenex worthy and yet I didn't cry. And yes, I have a heart, so there.
There are also several messages and themes throughout the film, as there are in any sort of movie like this. Not only is the main character, Hiccup, trying to win his father's approval, he is also trying to win the approval of the rest of his tribe. Add on to that his unwillingness to kill dragons and thereby be considered a "real" Viking.
At one point early in the movie, Hiccup is trying to convince his boss (the local blacksmith) that he can be a great dragon hunter (this is after he has caused a lot of destruction in the village). The blacksmith, tells young Hiccup to "Stop trying to be what you're not." Basically, Hiccup wants to be a dragon killer, like his father, and earn his father's respect and the respect of the rest of the village, but at that point in the movie, he's just a clumsy kid that has no potential to be great. It's only with time and learning that Hiccup is able to understand his real place in the village and make changes to their way of thinking, despite the attitude of his father and others. In fact, by trying too hard to be a Viking, Hiccup realizes it's what he's not that is more important to the village and their survival.
The movie plays out like a lot of "coming of age" type stories, though I was a little disappointed that a certain character didn't die because in these types of movie archetypes, a death is what usually pushes the character forward and toward change. The creators of HTTYD managed to do that without an important death and that was very creative.
HTTYD was a good film. I would suggest you rent it or buy it or stream it or whatever you do to view movies nowadays. It has a really good message and does a lot to reinforce the parent trying to accept their child for who they really are, despite attempts at making them what they're not. Plus, it made me want a dragon.
Until next time.
The movie last night was How To Train Your Dragon, an animated film that had the unfortunate luck to go up against Toy Story 3 for Best Animated Film. But as Amanda told us after the movie last night, she felt that it should have won the Oscar and not Toy Story 3 (blasphemy!).
HTTYD, as I saw it referred to (and I can see why, it's a long title), was a good movie. I had read a lot of good things about it when it came out and I still didn't see it. I am glad that I was able to see it now and I have a better appreciation for the movie now. But I still wouldn't give it the Oscar. As I told Amanda, "this movie didn't make me cry like Toy Story 3 did", which is true. There's something about Toy Story 3 that just pulled at every emotion. I'm not saying that HTTYD didn't. In fact, there were several moments that were Kleenex worthy and yet I didn't cry. And yes, I have a heart, so there.
There are also several messages and themes throughout the film, as there are in any sort of movie like this. Not only is the main character, Hiccup, trying to win his father's approval, he is also trying to win the approval of the rest of his tribe. Add on to that his unwillingness to kill dragons and thereby be considered a "real" Viking.
At one point early in the movie, Hiccup is trying to convince his boss (the local blacksmith) that he can be a great dragon hunter (this is after he has caused a lot of destruction in the village). The blacksmith, tells young Hiccup to "Stop trying to be what you're not." Basically, Hiccup wants to be a dragon killer, like his father, and earn his father's respect and the respect of the rest of the village, but at that point in the movie, he's just a clumsy kid that has no potential to be great. It's only with time and learning that Hiccup is able to understand his real place in the village and make changes to their way of thinking, despite the attitude of his father and others. In fact, by trying too hard to be a Viking, Hiccup realizes it's what he's not that is more important to the village and their survival.
The movie plays out like a lot of "coming of age" type stories, though I was a little disappointed that a certain character didn't die because in these types of movie archetypes, a death is what usually pushes the character forward and toward change. The creators of HTTYD managed to do that without an important death and that was very creative.
HTTYD was a good film. I would suggest you rent it or buy it or stream it or whatever you do to view movies nowadays. It has a really good message and does a lot to reinforce the parent trying to accept their child for who they really are, despite attempts at making them what they're not. Plus, it made me want a dragon.
Until next time.
Friday, July 8, 2011
It's All About Mattering
I know that I've written about sacrifice before, but I think that today's topic screams for me to use part of that original blog entry.
What I'm talking about is the way I opened that post, with the quote by Spock, from Star Trek II. And the reason it has come up is because a character in the latest Transformers movie actually quotes it. The ironic part is that the character in the Transformers that speaks the line is voiced by Leonard Nimoy aka Spock. But here's where it gets even more ironic. The character, Sentinel, is talking about saving the Autobot race by destroying the human race in the process. This is a complete opposite take of Spock's attitude in Star Trek. It is Sentinel's belief that the needs of the Autobots and Decepticons to survive outweighs the human's right to survive. This clouded judgement is what gets him in trouble, not only with the Autobots, but with the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, also.
But I'm not going to give away the ending. Well, not unless you want me to.
As for the rest of the movie and the reason I titled this blog post as such, let me just say that I liked it. Yes, there were a lot of explosions. Yes, there was a pretty girl that runs and screams most of the time and doesn't do much else, although she did make a difference toward the end, surprisingly. Yes, there was an unexpected bad guy. But all of these are standard for summer blockbusters. This is one of those movies that you don't think too hard about.
But these aren't the point either. There is a scene in the movie where the main character, Sam, tells his girlfriend that he just wants to matter. She tells him that "you matter to me." But at that moment, Sam doesn't realize that that is all that he needs. He's too busy trying to help save the world again without thinking about the girl that he loves.
Sam's desire to "matter" is something that we all feel. We as human beings want to matter to someone or something that we work ourselves to near death just because we think it's required in order for someone else to take notice and remember us - to have a legacy that we can leave behind for the rest of the world to discover and enjoy. But as his girlfriend, Carly, says, he mattered to her. This is also something that all of us are looking for - to matter to someone special - to find the one true love of our lives if we can. I know I did.
Even when it seems like all is lost, though, Sam is still determined to matter and do what it takes to stop the Decepticons from taking over the Earth.
Does Sam matter to the world? Does he matter to his girlfriend? Does he even matter to his parents? The answer is yes to all three, but in order to find out how he matters, you'll have to see the movie. I can recommend it as a movie that you sit back and enjoy some popcorn. Don't think too hard about any of it or you might hurt your brain.
Until next time.
What I'm talking about is the way I opened that post, with the quote by Spock, from Star Trek II. And the reason it has come up is because a character in the latest Transformers movie actually quotes it. The ironic part is that the character in the Transformers that speaks the line is voiced by Leonard Nimoy aka Spock. But here's where it gets even more ironic. The character, Sentinel, is talking about saving the Autobot race by destroying the human race in the process. This is a complete opposite take of Spock's attitude in Star Trek. It is Sentinel's belief that the needs of the Autobots and Decepticons to survive outweighs the human's right to survive. This clouded judgement is what gets him in trouble, not only with the Autobots, but with the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, also.
But I'm not going to give away the ending. Well, not unless you want me to.
As for the rest of the movie and the reason I titled this blog post as such, let me just say that I liked it. Yes, there were a lot of explosions. Yes, there was a pretty girl that runs and screams most of the time and doesn't do much else, although she did make a difference toward the end, surprisingly. Yes, there was an unexpected bad guy. But all of these are standard for summer blockbusters. This is one of those movies that you don't think too hard about.
But these aren't the point either. There is a scene in the movie where the main character, Sam, tells his girlfriend that he just wants to matter. She tells him that "you matter to me." But at that moment, Sam doesn't realize that that is all that he needs. He's too busy trying to help save the world again without thinking about the girl that he loves.
Sam's desire to "matter" is something that we all feel. We as human beings want to matter to someone or something that we work ourselves to near death just because we think it's required in order for someone else to take notice and remember us - to have a legacy that we can leave behind for the rest of the world to discover and enjoy. But as his girlfriend, Carly, says, he mattered to her. This is also something that all of us are looking for - to matter to someone special - to find the one true love of our lives if we can. I know I did.
Even when it seems like all is lost, though, Sam is still determined to matter and do what it takes to stop the Decepticons from taking over the Earth.
Does Sam matter to the world? Does he matter to his girlfriend? Does he even matter to his parents? The answer is yes to all three, but in order to find out how he matters, you'll have to see the movie. I can recommend it as a movie that you sit back and enjoy some popcorn. Don't think too hard about any of it or you might hurt your brain.
Until next time.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
HP7.1 - A Review
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One. Wow, that's a mouthful. Henceforth, in this blog or otherwise, I shall call it HP7.1. See how much easier that is?
Now, of course, the standard spoiler alert is required. If you haven't read the book.....if you haven't seen the movie......if you choose not to pay attention......if you don't want to read any further......so be it.
(Pause five seconds to let those that don't want to be here leave.....maybe they could go look at Google News or something).
Now that I have your attention, I shall simply state that HP7.1 was a terrific film. Worthy of the other titles in the series and I cannot wait to see the culmination of ten plus years of film making once HP7.2 is released in May.
The movie draws you into the story almost immediately and just as quickly drags you into the action as well. People are injured. People die. And chaos rules. But then again, this isn't your older sibling's Harry Potter anymore. No. HP7.1 is full of darkness. Almost from the beginning when we see Severus Snape make his way to the home of Lucius Malfoy to meet with the Dark Lord and his minions, there is darkness about.
The production team did a good job a framing evil in black and gray tones and the good guys in more whites and greens. But that's standard also when discerning good from evil. The way HP7.1 does it, though is very good.
In spite of the darkness and the bleakness that is brought upon the movie, there are still moments of humor and light heartedness. From an injured George telling his family that he's saint like because he's "holey" (having had his ear severed. Or the six Harry Potter lookalikes making snide remarks to Harry before they venture out on a life and death mission.
One of my favorite parts of the film, and again, this has to go back to the production team, is when Hermione is reading the story of The Three Brothers from Tales of Beetle the Bard. The animation that is done during this sequence is phenomenal and though it was more than likely done by computer, it is impressive that it could look so genuine. That sequence helps tie the story of the Deathly Hallows together and giving Harry the sense that the story is true. He only comes to understand that later, though and we'll see in HP7.2 just how he goes about using that knowledge for his own safety.
HP7.1, the penultimate chapter in this history making saga is wonderful. And even though I didn't review it when I first saw it in the theater, that does not diminish my admiration for it. It's nice to see the "kids" grow into real actors now and see how they handle such heavy material and responsibility. These movies are on their shoulders now. No longer can they rely on the entirety of Who's Who in British Film helping them out. And yet, they did.
Amazing film. Go buy it. And just for fun, the week that HP7.2 comes out, watch each Harry Potter movie, one per night and go see HP7.2 and enjoy the world of Harry Potter, for after July, there will be no more movies. There could be stories (and I'm not just talking the fan fiction), but there will be no more movies. I hope that in twenty years Hollywood doesn't decide it needs to "reboot" this series like they are doing with everything else right now. That would be blasphemy.
Until next time.
Now, of course, the standard spoiler alert is required. If you haven't read the book.....if you haven't seen the movie......if you choose not to pay attention......if you don't want to read any further......so be it.
(Pause five seconds to let those that don't want to be here leave.....maybe they could go look at Google News or something).
Now that I have your attention, I shall simply state that HP7.1 was a terrific film. Worthy of the other titles in the series and I cannot wait to see the culmination of ten plus years of film making once HP7.2 is released in May.
The movie draws you into the story almost immediately and just as quickly drags you into the action as well. People are injured. People die. And chaos rules. But then again, this isn't your older sibling's Harry Potter anymore. No. HP7.1 is full of darkness. Almost from the beginning when we see Severus Snape make his way to the home of Lucius Malfoy to meet with the Dark Lord and his minions, there is darkness about.
The production team did a good job a framing evil in black and gray tones and the good guys in more whites and greens. But that's standard also when discerning good from evil. The way HP7.1 does it, though is very good.
In spite of the darkness and the bleakness that is brought upon the movie, there are still moments of humor and light heartedness. From an injured George telling his family that he's saint like because he's "holey" (having had his ear severed. Or the six Harry Potter lookalikes making snide remarks to Harry before they venture out on a life and death mission.
One of my favorite parts of the film, and again, this has to go back to the production team, is when Hermione is reading the story of The Three Brothers from Tales of Beetle the Bard. The animation that is done during this sequence is phenomenal and though it was more than likely done by computer, it is impressive that it could look so genuine. That sequence helps tie the story of the Deathly Hallows together and giving Harry the sense that the story is true. He only comes to understand that later, though and we'll see in HP7.2 just how he goes about using that knowledge for his own safety.
HP7.1, the penultimate chapter in this history making saga is wonderful. And even though I didn't review it when I first saw it in the theater, that does not diminish my admiration for it. It's nice to see the "kids" grow into real actors now and see how they handle such heavy material and responsibility. These movies are on their shoulders now. No longer can they rely on the entirety of Who's Who in British Film helping them out. And yet, they did.
Amazing film. Go buy it. And just for fun, the week that HP7.2 comes out, watch each Harry Potter movie, one per night and go see HP7.2 and enjoy the world of Harry Potter, for after July, there will be no more movies. There could be stories (and I'm not just talking the fan fiction), but there will be no more movies. I hope that in twenty years Hollywood doesn't decide it needs to "reboot" this series like they are doing with everything else right now. That would be blasphemy.
Until next time.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I Tried To, But Couldn't Really Go With It
It should be said that any Adam Sandler movie that does not have Rob Schneider in it, is not funny. And this movie did not have Rob Schneider in it. Hmmm.....should that have been a hint? What am I talking about? Just Go With It, the latest movie from Adam Sandler and his pals.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's drivel, because it's not. Of course, it's also not going to win any prizes unless you want to count number of girls in bikinis or poop jokes.
I was warned about this movie by Nell Minow, the Movie Mom. I trust her reviews and have found them to be quite accurate. However, I needed to kill some time and this movie was the best option.
It was an entertaining mess and, just like other Adam Sandler movies, he needs to go through some learning before he realizes whom he is meant for. In this case, Danny (Sandler) wants to be with Palmer (is that even a name that someone would name their daughter? She was played by Brooklyn Decker. If you don't know who she is, Google her). Unfortunately, Palmer thinks that he us a married man, soon to be divorced. And why does he think that? Oh yeah, because he told get that.
It's all a web of lies through the rest of the movie, culminating in a trip to Hawaii (Sandler's favorite movie locale).
As Danny and his fake family, including Jennifer Aniston's "Kate" character and her two children, begin to hang out with Palmer, Sandler's character starts to think that Kate is much more than he ever thought. He even finds himself slightly jealous when she is talking about another man.
During their stay in Hawaii, they run into an old rival of Kate's (which happens to be a semi underused Nicole Kidman), with a husband who later turns out to be gay, but played wonderfully by Dave Matthews (minus the band). Their marriage (or at least on the surface), is also shown to be all lies, comprised in an attempt to show other people up. I guess that happens when you start meeting old friends, you begin to fabricate the truth, or bend it, in hopes that you seem better than what you really are. In the case of this movie, it's better to know the truth up front.
In the end, like a lot of his other movies, Adam Sandler has learned his lesson and discovered that Kate is the right one for him and they lived happily ever after.
It's an okay film that will make you laugh in a few places and gross you out in others. If you clicked on that link above to the Movie Mom's website, you'll see that she gave the film a D. While I may agree with some of her opinions of the film, I would probably give it a C. But, I don't have that kind of rating system here. If you want to have some mindless entertainment, go right ahead. If you like Adam Sandler, enjoy. But if you don't care for the older guy trying to get with a younger girl but learning his lesson by the end of the movie, then don't bother. Like I said, I was trying to kill time.
Until Next Time.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's drivel, because it's not. Of course, it's also not going to win any prizes unless you want to count number of girls in bikinis or poop jokes.
I was warned about this movie by Nell Minow, the Movie Mom. I trust her reviews and have found them to be quite accurate. However, I needed to kill some time and this movie was the best option.
It was an entertaining mess and, just like other Adam Sandler movies, he needs to go through some learning before he realizes whom he is meant for. In this case, Danny (Sandler) wants to be with Palmer (is that even a name that someone would name their daughter? She was played by Brooklyn Decker. If you don't know who she is, Google her). Unfortunately, Palmer thinks that he us a married man, soon to be divorced. And why does he think that? Oh yeah, because he told get that.
It's all a web of lies through the rest of the movie, culminating in a trip to Hawaii (Sandler's favorite movie locale).
As Danny and his fake family, including Jennifer Aniston's "Kate" character and her two children, begin to hang out with Palmer, Sandler's character starts to think that Kate is much more than he ever thought. He even finds himself slightly jealous when she is talking about another man.
During their stay in Hawaii, they run into an old rival of Kate's (which happens to be a semi underused Nicole Kidman), with a husband who later turns out to be gay, but played wonderfully by Dave Matthews (minus the band). Their marriage (or at least on the surface), is also shown to be all lies, comprised in an attempt to show other people up. I guess that happens when you start meeting old friends, you begin to fabricate the truth, or bend it, in hopes that you seem better than what you really are. In the case of this movie, it's better to know the truth up front.
In the end, like a lot of his other movies, Adam Sandler has learned his lesson and discovered that Kate is the right one for him and they lived happily ever after.
It's an okay film that will make you laugh in a few places and gross you out in others. If you clicked on that link above to the Movie Mom's website, you'll see that she gave the film a D. While I may agree with some of her opinions of the film, I would probably give it a C. But, I don't have that kind of rating system here. If you want to have some mindless entertainment, go right ahead. If you like Adam Sandler, enjoy. But if you don't care for the older guy trying to get with a younger girl but learning his lesson by the end of the movie, then don't bother. Like I said, I was trying to kill time.
Until Next Time.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Day 31 of 31 - Dream A Little Dream With Me
Before I get into this review, I wanted to reiterate what I said yesterday. Thank you for reading and enjoying. Keep coming back, though, because I will write more. Just not as often. And now, let the review begin.
Remember, I might spoil different parts of this movie for you, blah, blah, blah, don't read unless you want. There.
When I first heard about Inception, I had a lot of preconceptions. I assumed that it would be visually and mentally spectacular because of Christopher Nolan. As a director and a writer, Christopher Nolan takes everything you know about reality and turns it on its side. And that was the exact thing that needed to be done with the movie Inception. I can tell you now that I have a feeling that this movie will get several Oscar nominations, including Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Visual Effects and possibly even Best Supporting Actor for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
First of all, a little background. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a man with the ability to enter people's dreams and manipulate and discover information that is hidden deep down in the subconscious. However, he has to do it within certain time periods or else bad things can happen - like being stuck in the dream state forever. But Cobb is not alone. He has his trusty number two (I cannot use that phrase without imagining Dr. Evil speaking to Robert Wagner/Rob Lowe in the Austin Powers movies). Anyway....Arthur is good at protecting his boss and friend, but Arthur doesn't know all of Cobb's secrets. In fact, it takes a curious "dream architect" to discover what Cobb is really hiding.
After messing up an information extraction, Cobb and his team are hired by the same man they tried to get information from. Except this time, he wants to join them to ensure that his investment is worth it. And the job is no longer an extraction, but an inception, hence the title. An Inception is the act of planting an idea into the subconscious and letting the subject think that it was theirs in the first place.
Throughout the rest of the film, you go from dream state to dream state attempting to get the mark - Cillian Murphy - to accept the idea that needed to be planted.
As usual, there is a lot more to the story than the main plot. I found that Cobb could represent a lot of people that are "running" from their own realities. Cobb's wife had died because she could not live in the "real world", having lived for a long time in a dream state. And she thought the dream world was reality and reality was the dream. But Cobb knew better. He knew that the dream world was not a place where he could live. He knew that the dreamworld that he and his wife created was only a shadow of where they really belonged.
Everyone dreams at one point in their lives or another. Some of us feel as if we are living our dreams and some of us feel that we are living in waking nightmares. All of these aspects are considered in this movie. The concept that we have the ability to control our dreams is something that has been discussed by scientists for ages. Is it possible? Sure. Is it as effective as what we see in Inception? Maybe. Who knows. Only you do.
What I'm trying to say is that no matter what dreams may come (thank you Mr. Shakespeare) to you in your head, you do have the ability to avoid the bad ones. Bad dreams come from stress and bad things happening in your life. Avoid the bad things and the stress and you can avoid bad dreams. And as long as you don't have any deep, dark secrets, there should be no reason for Cobb and his team to infiltrate your mind looking for them.
Sweet dreams everyone.
Until next time.
Remember, I might spoil different parts of this movie for you, blah, blah, blah, don't read unless you want. There.
When I first heard about Inception, I had a lot of preconceptions. I assumed that it would be visually and mentally spectacular because of Christopher Nolan. As a director and a writer, Christopher Nolan takes everything you know about reality and turns it on its side. And that was the exact thing that needed to be done with the movie Inception. I can tell you now that I have a feeling that this movie will get several Oscar nominations, including Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Visual Effects and possibly even Best Supporting Actor for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
First of all, a little background. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a man with the ability to enter people's dreams and manipulate and discover information that is hidden deep down in the subconscious. However, he has to do it within certain time periods or else bad things can happen - like being stuck in the dream state forever. But Cobb is not alone. He has his trusty number two (I cannot use that phrase without imagining Dr. Evil speaking to Robert Wagner/Rob Lowe in the Austin Powers movies). Anyway....Arthur is good at protecting his boss and friend, but Arthur doesn't know all of Cobb's secrets. In fact, it takes a curious "dream architect" to discover what Cobb is really hiding.
After messing up an information extraction, Cobb and his team are hired by the same man they tried to get information from. Except this time, he wants to join them to ensure that his investment is worth it. And the job is no longer an extraction, but an inception, hence the title. An Inception is the act of planting an idea into the subconscious and letting the subject think that it was theirs in the first place.
Throughout the rest of the film, you go from dream state to dream state attempting to get the mark - Cillian Murphy - to accept the idea that needed to be planted.
As usual, there is a lot more to the story than the main plot. I found that Cobb could represent a lot of people that are "running" from their own realities. Cobb's wife had died because she could not live in the "real world", having lived for a long time in a dream state. And she thought the dream world was reality and reality was the dream. But Cobb knew better. He knew that the dream world was not a place where he could live. He knew that the dreamworld that he and his wife created was only a shadow of where they really belonged.
Everyone dreams at one point in their lives or another. Some of us feel as if we are living our dreams and some of us feel that we are living in waking nightmares. All of these aspects are considered in this movie. The concept that we have the ability to control our dreams is something that has been discussed by scientists for ages. Is it possible? Sure. Is it as effective as what we see in Inception? Maybe. Who knows. Only you do.
What I'm trying to say is that no matter what dreams may come (thank you Mr. Shakespeare) to you in your head, you do have the ability to avoid the bad ones. Bad dreams come from stress and bad things happening in your life. Avoid the bad things and the stress and you can avoid bad dreams. And as long as you don't have any deep, dark secrets, there should be no reason for Cobb and his team to infiltrate your mind looking for them.
Sweet dreams everyone.
Until next time.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Day 22 of 30 - I Love It When A Plan Comes Together
And if you don't know where that line comes from, that's just sad. But before I get into the review of The A-Team, I want to say something. Liam Neeson is a great man and a great actor. And if you didn't know that before, then you should know that now. In 2009, Liam Neeson's wife, Natasha Richardson, died just a few hours after suffering a concussion, which led to a hemorrhage. At the time, Neeson was in Canada filming a movie that came out in the Spring of 2010, Chloe. It's a drama filled with sexual tension and anger and deceit. I didn't see the movie, but from what I've read and seen, that pretty much sums it up. Go here, for a full description if you really want.
Back to the point. Obviously, Liam Neeson could not continue the movie, but as they were in the middle of the shoot, they couldn't reshoot the entire movie with a new actor. Instead, they gave Liam Neeson the time he needed and allowed him to grieve. However, his way of dealing with the grief was to go right back to filming after a brief two weeks with his family. Not only did he finish the movie, Chloe, but he also worked on at least two other big production films - Clash of the Titans and The A-Team. He finished all of these films as he was still grieving over his wife and didn't miss a beat. His performances in each film are driven by his love of the craft and desire to do different kinds of films.
I didn't want to see Clash of the Titans because I had seen the original in the 1980s and didn't want to lose that sense of fantasy and cheesy movie making that was the original film. But The A-Team, that's a different story.
I knew they were making this movie last year. I even followed some of the information, the casting news and plot details. To some reviewers, they were bothered that Hollywood would go and make a movie out of a television show that wasn't that good in the first place. Wasn't good? Hollywood made a movie out of Car 54, Where Are You? That was a better show than The A-Team? Please.
As for the film version of The A-Team, it is more of an origin story. If you don't remember the television show, it was about four Vietnam veterans that were imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit. The movie takes the same premise, but makes the vets of the second Desert Storm, bringing it into today's times. But before it gets to that, we learn how Hannibal, Face, B.A. and Murdock end up as a team and how they meet. It's a clever opening and it works to explain some of the nuances of each character that will be shown throughout the rest of the movie.
There were subtle nods to the original series, including a playing of the original theme song at a certain point which made for a fun sequence. And, two of the stars of the original series had cameos. Of course, you have to wait until after the credits to see them, but they are clever cameos that remind people of those actors when they were younger and having the time of their lives making The A-Team.
Sadly, Mr. T. did not want to participate in a remake of the show because he felt that it was too violent of a film, owing to the fact that despite the amount of guns and ammo that were used on the television show, the most people got was a few scrapes and bruises. Even in an episode where someone was shot, it had been done off screen and before the episode "story" got started. Also, sad is the fact that George Peppard was not around to see this film. He was a great actor on his own and seemed to, at least at the beginning, enjoy the role of Hannibal Smith. From what I understand, had he not died, there had actually been a plan of making The A-Team movie in the late 80s. It would be interesting to see what that movie might have looked like. I think, however, that Peppard would look on Neeson's performance as the well known Colonel and smile, feeling that, while not a direct impersonation of Peppard, he definitely did him homage.
And that is why Liam Neeson is definitely a great actor and a great man.
Until tomorrow.
Back to the point. Obviously, Liam Neeson could not continue the movie, but as they were in the middle of the shoot, they couldn't reshoot the entire movie with a new actor. Instead, they gave Liam Neeson the time he needed and allowed him to grieve. However, his way of dealing with the grief was to go right back to filming after a brief two weeks with his family. Not only did he finish the movie, Chloe, but he also worked on at least two other big production films - Clash of the Titans and The A-Team. He finished all of these films as he was still grieving over his wife and didn't miss a beat. His performances in each film are driven by his love of the craft and desire to do different kinds of films.
I didn't want to see Clash of the Titans because I had seen the original in the 1980s and didn't want to lose that sense of fantasy and cheesy movie making that was the original film. But The A-Team, that's a different story.
I knew they were making this movie last year. I even followed some of the information, the casting news and plot details. To some reviewers, they were bothered that Hollywood would go and make a movie out of a television show that wasn't that good in the first place. Wasn't good? Hollywood made a movie out of Car 54, Where Are You? That was a better show than The A-Team? Please.
As for the film version of The A-Team, it is more of an origin story. If you don't remember the television show, it was about four Vietnam veterans that were imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit. The movie takes the same premise, but makes the vets of the second Desert Storm, bringing it into today's times. But before it gets to that, we learn how Hannibal, Face, B.A. and Murdock end up as a team and how they meet. It's a clever opening and it works to explain some of the nuances of each character that will be shown throughout the rest of the movie.
There were subtle nods to the original series, including a playing of the original theme song at a certain point which made for a fun sequence. And, two of the stars of the original series had cameos. Of course, you have to wait until after the credits to see them, but they are clever cameos that remind people of those actors when they were younger and having the time of their lives making The A-Team.
Sadly, Mr. T. did not want to participate in a remake of the show because he felt that it was too violent of a film, owing to the fact that despite the amount of guns and ammo that were used on the television show, the most people got was a few scrapes and bruises. Even in an episode where someone was shot, it had been done off screen and before the episode "story" got started. Also, sad is the fact that George Peppard was not around to see this film. He was a great actor on his own and seemed to, at least at the beginning, enjoy the role of Hannibal Smith. From what I understand, had he not died, there had actually been a plan of making The A-Team movie in the late 80s. It would be interesting to see what that movie might have looked like. I think, however, that Peppard would look on Neeson's performance as the well known Colonel and smile, feeling that, while not a direct impersonation of Peppard, he definitely did him homage.
And that is why Liam Neeson is definitely a great actor and a great man.
Until tomorrow.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Day 3 of 31 - You've Got a Friend in Me
Growing up can be really sad, especially if you are a toy. It's even worse when you watch someone give away your toys. If you haven't figured it out by now, I am talking about Toy Story 3. And this is my review. As usual, spoilers could arrive in any paragraph below, so you have been warned. Please grab some popcorn (and some Kleenex), sit back and enjoy growing up.
In my opinion (and seeing as this is my blog, it should be my opinion), I think that Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the adventure that was Andy's Toys. Andy is growing up, we see him from his childhood in home movies, as only PIXAR can create them - playing with his toys, enjoying them and loving them. But then we are reminded that Andy has grown up and is ready to leave for college.
I remember when I left for college. I didn't seem to think about my toys back then (it was awhile ago) and perhaps my toys felt sad that I had either given up on them or tossed them away. That may have been the case back then, but each toy provided me enjoyment for as long as I had them. I know that there are still toys that my nephew gets to enjoy that were once mine and that makes me happy too.
But back to the story. Andy is going to college and needs to decide what to do with his toys. His original plan, put them in the attic, but through a sad mix up, they end up being donated. From the trailers, Sunnyside Daycare seems like a great place, but it has a dark secret. I won't go into it completely, but let's just say that some toys do not like the fact that they were abandoned and became bitter to a certain point and therefore like to rule the other toys with an iron fist.
Woody and the gang eventually realize that Andy does care about them and they need to get back to him before he leaves for college. There is quite a lot of hi jinks and adventure during the escape, but none more so than a wonderful homage to a scene towards the end of Return of the Jedi. For all you nerds out there who have seen Toy Story 3 (or will), you'll know what scene I'm talking about.
Now, about that Kleenex that I warned you about....there are some very poignant scenes toward the end of this movie that make you realize that not only has Andy grown up with these toys and is about to move on, but we as an audience have grown up as well. The actor that provided the voice for Andy in the first movie is back again as the voice of the grown Andy. It's a bittersweet moment for all of us since Andy represents all of us at that moment where we decide that we have to leave childhood and move toward adulthood. Of course, that doesn't mean that we have to grow up completely, just enough so that we can pass ourselves off as adults when we become professionals in whatever we choose to do, even if it's an animator of children's cartoons.
For me, this movie was a metaphor, reminding all of us of the need to move on from one point of life to another. Whether it's a matter of physically growing older and moving on, or if it's growing tired of one situation and moving on toward a new one. It could be anything from college, employment or even relationships. Whatever it is that you move on from, I think that sometimes you take it with a grain of salt. You know that you need to move on, but there are still parts of you that yearn to be back in the past, just as Andy felt for his toys. But he knew it was time and he knew that his toys would be fine where they were. That's my hope for all of us: that when we decide to grow up, we know and understand that we'll be fine as we move forward.
Until tomorrow.
In my opinion (and seeing as this is my blog, it should be my opinion), I think that Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the adventure that was Andy's Toys. Andy is growing up, we see him from his childhood in home movies, as only PIXAR can create them - playing with his toys, enjoying them and loving them. But then we are reminded that Andy has grown up and is ready to leave for college.
I remember when I left for college. I didn't seem to think about my toys back then (it was awhile ago) and perhaps my toys felt sad that I had either given up on them or tossed them away. That may have been the case back then, but each toy provided me enjoyment for as long as I had them. I know that there are still toys that my nephew gets to enjoy that were once mine and that makes me happy too.
But back to the story. Andy is going to college and needs to decide what to do with his toys. His original plan, put them in the attic, but through a sad mix up, they end up being donated. From the trailers, Sunnyside Daycare seems like a great place, but it has a dark secret. I won't go into it completely, but let's just say that some toys do not like the fact that they were abandoned and became bitter to a certain point and therefore like to rule the other toys with an iron fist.
Woody and the gang eventually realize that Andy does care about them and they need to get back to him before he leaves for college. There is quite a lot of hi jinks and adventure during the escape, but none more so than a wonderful homage to a scene towards the end of Return of the Jedi. For all you nerds out there who have seen Toy Story 3 (or will), you'll know what scene I'm talking about.
Now, about that Kleenex that I warned you about....there are some very poignant scenes toward the end of this movie that make you realize that not only has Andy grown up with these toys and is about to move on, but we as an audience have grown up as well. The actor that provided the voice for Andy in the first movie is back again as the voice of the grown Andy. It's a bittersweet moment for all of us since Andy represents all of us at that moment where we decide that we have to leave childhood and move toward adulthood. Of course, that doesn't mean that we have to grow up completely, just enough so that we can pass ourselves off as adults when we become professionals in whatever we choose to do, even if it's an animator of children's cartoons.
For me, this movie was a metaphor, reminding all of us of the need to move on from one point of life to another. Whether it's a matter of physically growing older and moving on, or if it's growing tired of one situation and moving on toward a new one. It could be anything from college, employment or even relationships. Whatever it is that you move on from, I think that sometimes you take it with a grain of salt. You know that you need to move on, but there are still parts of you that yearn to be back in the past, just as Andy felt for his toys. But he knew it was time and he knew that his toys would be fine where they were. That's my hope for all of us: that when we decide to grow up, we know and understand that we'll be fine as we move forward.
Until tomorrow.
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