Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could leave it at that, but I probably should elaborate at least a little, being as this is the last post before 2010.
First the obvious: beautiful visuals, seriously (no really—SERIOUSLY) astounding technology. You will forget that what you are watching isn’t real, which I think ought to be the goal of any movie, heavily CGI’ed or otherwise.
Second: plot. Kudos to you, James Cameron. You got me to genuinely enjoy an admittedly cliché story. Sure, I could turn to Fern Gulley: The Last Rainforest or even (as a friend pointed out) Dances with Wolves for a similar narrative experience, but given the choice I would pick Avatar because it was entirely engaging through and through. I forgot about the cheesiness and just enjoyed the adventure.
Finally: hello grown-up use of 3-D! Thanks for not having random objects fly out of the screen toward my face. Tasteful and thoughtful interaction with human beings’ sense of depth perception.
Don’t wait for DVD—you really need to see this in theaters. Even if you don’t like it or it spurs you to launch your own phantasmagoria of complaints, it is an experience that you really mustn’t pass up.
22 December 2009
20 December 2009
Invictus (2009)
Invictus consisted of Morgan Freeman in his role as Nelson Mandela essentially delivering an endless series of brief yet somehow monumental speeches, the result of which was bringing post-Apartheid South Africa together using rugby. Apparently the quality of his delivery of these speeches designates him as “a great actor.” I do not concur with this assessment, but let’s keep in mind that I’m a cynical and whiney complainer when it comes going along with an assessment of anything as “good,” whether it be acting, plot, or dialogue, unless the criteria used for evaluation happen to miraculously align with my own personal worldview and taste.
The biggest problems with this movie were that it had boring pacing and that it turned a suspiciously blind eye to depicting the hideousness of the South African Apartheid that the real Mandela was striving to overcome. The biggest strengths were that Invictus had an interesting topic, feel-good morals, and OK acting.
Basically: Politics ‘Lite’ with a nice soundtrack.
--
Up next: Avatar!
The biggest problems with this movie were that it had boring pacing and that it turned a suspiciously blind eye to depicting the hideousness of the South African Apartheid that the real Mandela was striving to overcome. The biggest strengths were that Invictus had an interesting topic, feel-good morals, and OK acting.
Basically: Politics ‘Lite’ with a nice soundtrack.
--
Up next: Avatar!
17 December 2009
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Like all other Wes Anderson movies, Fantastic Mr. Fox was entertaining, witty, and well thought out. The film had a decent streak of playfulness in its humor. And while Anderson catered more to adults than children, the movie nevertheless remained sufficiently childlike in its imagination to keep me interested and entertained. However, I found that I couldn’t love it like I loved his other movies, and surprisingly, I think it was because it was animated. Ironic, coming from someone who usually obsesses over all things animated!
I was sincerely awed by animation director Henry Selick’s work on Nightmare before Christmas and Coraline1. And according to Wikipedia, the same crew was employed for Corpse Bride was used for Fantastic Mr. Fox.2 So what happened here?
The source of my dislike was not located in the quality of the direction or the use of technology. The problem was two pronged; I did not like the overall aesthetic and I did not like the design of the characters themselves. The visual feel of Fantastic Mr. Fox is very similar to Anderson’s other movies, especially The Royal Tenenbaums.3 It’s sort of seventies, eclectic, and has lots of pinks, yellows, and browns. Unfortunately, whereas this aesthetic in Anderson's other films seemed unique and quirky, here it just made the whole thing look oddly cheap. Second, I didn’t like the design of the characters. The voice actors were highly expressive but the actual models they used for the foxes and other animals lacked life. They looked more like weird figurine toys than living characters. It is likely that this toy-like quality was intentional on Anderson’s part, but I just didn’t enjoy it very much.
Overall though these qualms with the animation were minor when compared to my overall enjoyment of the movie. Great dialogue, exciting story, and silly antics. In the end it was at least maybe a little bit fantastic indeed.
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1. To mention only a few. See his imdb profile for details.
2. Sorry, I’m not a grad student anymore. I can’t really be bothered to do actual research. Plus I have no access to an academic library.
3. One of my all time favorite movies ever. EVER.
I was sincerely awed by animation director Henry Selick’s work on Nightmare before Christmas and Coraline1. And according to Wikipedia, the same crew was employed for Corpse Bride was used for Fantastic Mr. Fox.2 So what happened here?
The source of my dislike was not located in the quality of the direction or the use of technology. The problem was two pronged; I did not like the overall aesthetic and I did not like the design of the characters themselves. The visual feel of Fantastic Mr. Fox is very similar to Anderson’s other movies, especially The Royal Tenenbaums.3 It’s sort of seventies, eclectic, and has lots of pinks, yellows, and browns. Unfortunately, whereas this aesthetic in Anderson's other films seemed unique and quirky, here it just made the whole thing look oddly cheap. Second, I didn’t like the design of the characters. The voice actors were highly expressive but the actual models they used for the foxes and other animals lacked life. They looked more like weird figurine toys than living characters. It is likely that this toy-like quality was intentional on Anderson’s part, but I just didn’t enjoy it very much.
Overall though these qualms with the animation were minor when compared to my overall enjoyment of the movie. Great dialogue, exciting story, and silly antics. In the end it was at least maybe a little bit fantastic indeed.
--
1. To mention only a few. See his imdb profile for details.
2. Sorry, I’m not a grad student anymore. I can’t really be bothered to do actual research. Plus I have no access to an academic library.
3. One of my all time favorite movies ever. EVER.
14 December 2009
A Selection of Good Short Films!
I like short films because the time constraint forces filmmakers to cut out everything not absolutely necessary to convey their ideas. In a good short film the result of this aggressive self-censure is that concepts and emotions are boiled down to their very best. What’s left is usually a beautiful portrait of a meaningful moment, an interesting character, or wonderful the nuances of a single emotion.
The problem is that most people don’t get the pleasure of encountering short films very often. Aside from the rare collections of shorts that make it to theaters and the very well done shorts with which Pixar has developed the pleasant habit of opening their lengthier stories, short films are absent from the mainstream box office. The best place to see short films remains the film festival, which not everyone has the time, money, or interest to attend.
So at the suggestion of one interested reader I have assembled a brief list of some great short films available on DVD.
Fear(s) of the Dark/Peur(s) du noir
This is a really intriguing collection of six animated shorts that deal with various dark subjects. Though they are all quite visually interesting and entertaining, I have to say my favorite was the last short of the collection by Richard McGuire, which creates incredible suspense with very minimal imagery.
The Collected Shorts of Jan Svankmajer Vols. 1 & 2
Crazy stop motion animation at its absolute finest! Svankmajer delights in making everyday objects creep the bejeezus out of anybody curious enough to watch. My favorites are “Dimensions of Dialogue,” “Down to the Cellar,” and “Jabberwocky.”
Pixar Short Films Vol. 1
I always look forward to the short film that precedes the Pixar feature I’m about to see because they are usually entirely witty and fun. My favorites so far have been “For the Birds” and “Partly Cloudy” (which is not on this particular DVD), but I have enjoyed all of them so much it’s pretty difficult to commit to just one or two.
Paris, je t’aime
I know I already reviewed this collection but it definitely deserves mention on any top shorts list. Very well executed and emotionally engaging.
The 2008 Academy Awards Short Films Collection (not out on DVD yet)
I got to see these in theaters last year and wow—there is a reason they were nominated for awards. My favorites were “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” and “This Way Up.”
These are just a brief introduction to a much larger world of short films, and I would encourage everybody to seek out short films in other venues like film festivals and cinematheques. Short films are an awesome way to sample different film making styles and genres!
The problem is that most people don’t get the pleasure of encountering short films very often. Aside from the rare collections of shorts that make it to theaters and the very well done shorts with which Pixar has developed the pleasant habit of opening their lengthier stories, short films are absent from the mainstream box office. The best place to see short films remains the film festival, which not everyone has the time, money, or interest to attend.
So at the suggestion of one interested reader I have assembled a brief list of some great short films available on DVD.
Fear(s) of the Dark/Peur(s) du noir
This is a really intriguing collection of six animated shorts that deal with various dark subjects. Though they are all quite visually interesting and entertaining, I have to say my favorite was the last short of the collection by Richard McGuire, which creates incredible suspense with very minimal imagery.
The Collected Shorts of Jan Svankmajer Vols. 1 & 2
Crazy stop motion animation at its absolute finest! Svankmajer delights in making everyday objects creep the bejeezus out of anybody curious enough to watch. My favorites are “Dimensions of Dialogue,” “Down to the Cellar,” and “Jabberwocky.”
Pixar Short Films Vol. 1
I always look forward to the short film that precedes the Pixar feature I’m about to see because they are usually entirely witty and fun. My favorites so far have been “For the Birds” and “Partly Cloudy” (which is not on this particular DVD), but I have enjoyed all of them so much it’s pretty difficult to commit to just one or two.
Paris, je t’aime
I know I already reviewed this collection but it definitely deserves mention on any top shorts list. Very well executed and emotionally engaging.
The 2008 Academy Awards Short Films Collection (not out on DVD yet)
I got to see these in theaters last year and wow—there is a reason they were nominated for awards. My favorites were “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” and “This Way Up.”
These are just a brief introduction to a much larger world of short films, and I would encourage everybody to seek out short films in other venues like film festivals and cinematheques. Short films are an awesome way to sample different film making styles and genres!
13 December 2009
Into the Wild (2007)
I had the feeling that I really ought to like this movie, but somehow I just couldn’t. The problem is that I know Into the Wild means a lot to a number of people, including people I am close to. I think this appeal stems from the fact that the ideals expressed by the main character, Alexander Supertramp/Chris McCandless, namely giving up connections to money and possessions in favor of relying solely on oneself for strength and knowledge, are ideals that a lot of people (including me) have felt in one form or another over the course of their lives. I don’t think there is anything wrong with becoming frustrated by all the material responsibilities one faces as an adult, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with feeling disillusioned by hypocritical people, especially parents, which is another theme in the movie.
But my complete disappointment with the film lies not with its spoken ideals and themes, but rather with the delivery and presentation of said themes. From the very beginning I felt like the whole thing was very, very pretentious. There were too many long quotes from Thoreau, ponderous and badly done narration from Jena Malone (as the main character’s sister), and landscapes, landscapes, landscapes. It rang very hollow for me and I ended up irritated and bored by the end of it, just wanting it to be over because I got the point already.
It is not as though I thought there was no value to the movie at all. The scene when the old man asks to adopt Alexander was particularly poignant and well done. I liked the soundtrack, and I liked Vince Vaughn’s character even though I wasn’t entirely clear on the details of what he was actually doing. The scene with the dead moose was appropriately gruesome, and the random Swedish couple from the river were hugely amusing.
I guess at the end of the day I just could not buy into the mentality that Alexander Supertramp was actually doing something noble or valuable, and I was confused as to whether the movie was condoning his behavior or condemning it. A big part of the film was about showing how much his absence negatively affected his loved ones, but for me that aspect got overshadowed by the big ideas supposedly justifying the young man’s journey and behavior.
It seems I am left just as unable to articulate my thoughts regarding breaking away from everything and leaving civilization behind as the movie itself seemed to be. Perhaps I should want that kind of independence, but should know that I can’t realistically have it? Or is it that I could have that type of experience, but shouldn’t want it?
Difficult things to think about, and unfortunately delivered by Into the Wild in a rather clunky fashion.
But my complete disappointment with the film lies not with its spoken ideals and themes, but rather with the delivery and presentation of said themes. From the very beginning I felt like the whole thing was very, very pretentious. There were too many long quotes from Thoreau, ponderous and badly done narration from Jena Malone (as the main character’s sister), and landscapes, landscapes, landscapes. It rang very hollow for me and I ended up irritated and bored by the end of it, just wanting it to be over because I got the point already.
It is not as though I thought there was no value to the movie at all. The scene when the old man asks to adopt Alexander was particularly poignant and well done. I liked the soundtrack, and I liked Vince Vaughn’s character even though I wasn’t entirely clear on the details of what he was actually doing. The scene with the dead moose was appropriately gruesome, and the random Swedish couple from the river were hugely amusing.
I guess at the end of the day I just could not buy into the mentality that Alexander Supertramp was actually doing something noble or valuable, and I was confused as to whether the movie was condoning his behavior or condemning it. A big part of the film was about showing how much his absence negatively affected his loved ones, but for me that aspect got overshadowed by the big ideas supposedly justifying the young man’s journey and behavior.
It seems I am left just as unable to articulate my thoughts regarding breaking away from everything and leaving civilization behind as the movie itself seemed to be. Perhaps I should want that kind of independence, but should know that I can’t realistically have it? Or is it that I could have that type of experience, but shouldn’t want it?
Difficult things to think about, and unfortunately delivered by Into the Wild in a rather clunky fashion.
08 December 2009
Love Actually (2003)
When this movie first came out I watched it and I immediately hated it. In retrospect, my revulsion for Love Actually stemmed from my being at the height of my high school era “I’m so lonely and angry and no one gets me!” angst as well as a serious (perhaps irrational) grudge against Keira Knightley.
Recently, having ditched at least most of my adolescent personality issues and learned to accept (or at least give the benefit of the doubt) to Ms. Knightley, I thought I would generously offer Love Actually another chance. After all, there are tons of other good actors in it and it seems to be a Christmas favorite of a lot of people so why not.
Well my friends, this movie had all the charm of a month old stick of Juicy Fruit gum—a little sweet, a little sickening, overall hugely unimpressive and sure to leave a bad taste in your mouth. Love Actually is not bad enough to outright reject, but has few redeeming qualities that make it crave-able, at least for me.
I would much rather watch a movie that I felt strongly about, whether the film is outright rage-provoking or entirely delightful. Otherwise it just feels like I’m wasting my time in bland, inoffensive, “nice” way.
Not a great way to spend a holiday evening.
Recently, having ditched at least most of my adolescent personality issues and learned to accept (or at least give the benefit of the doubt) to Ms. Knightley, I thought I would generously offer Love Actually another chance. After all, there are tons of other good actors in it and it seems to be a Christmas favorite of a lot of people so why not.
Well my friends, this movie had all the charm of a month old stick of Juicy Fruit gum—a little sweet, a little sickening, overall hugely unimpressive and sure to leave a bad taste in your mouth. Love Actually is not bad enough to outright reject, but has few redeeming qualities that make it crave-able, at least for me.
I would much rather watch a movie that I felt strongly about, whether the film is outright rage-provoking or entirely delightful. Otherwise it just feels like I’m wasting my time in bland, inoffensive, “nice” way.
Not a great way to spend a holiday evening.
06 December 2009
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
This movie… explained EVERYTHING. At least with regard to its sort of sequel The Cat Returns, the oddball adventure movie I reviewed a while back and valued for its sheer whimsy.
In Whisper of the Heart we see that the lead characters of The Cat Returns (The Baron and Muta) are very minor characters that figure in a narrative about finding out what you really want out of life. Whereas Cat takes some serious flights of fancy, Whisper is far more solidly located in the real world. In it we follow Shizuku through Tokyo as she struggles to decide what path she wants to take in life. She has to face obstacles stemming from family, love, and problems with self-worth while she pursues her goal of becoming a writer.
Though Whisper can’t compete with Cat for first prize in weird, Whisper does have hugely superior quality animation. And while Cat is a bit silly and hard to take seriously on the level of plot, Whisper is way more emotionally engaging. Definitely more along the lines of what you would expect from Studio Ghibli.
Overall, Whisper of the Heart is good for the same thing every other Ghibli film is good for—interesting visuals, interesting narrative, and all around great animated filmmaking!
In Whisper of the Heart we see that the lead characters of The Cat Returns (The Baron and Muta) are very minor characters that figure in a narrative about finding out what you really want out of life. Whereas Cat takes some serious flights of fancy, Whisper is far more solidly located in the real world. In it we follow Shizuku through Tokyo as she struggles to decide what path she wants to take in life. She has to face obstacles stemming from family, love, and problems with self-worth while she pursues her goal of becoming a writer.
Though Whisper can’t compete with Cat for first prize in weird, Whisper does have hugely superior quality animation. And while Cat is a bit silly and hard to take seriously on the level of plot, Whisper is way more emotionally engaging. Definitely more along the lines of what you would expect from Studio Ghibli.
Overall, Whisper of the Heart is good for the same thing every other Ghibli film is good for—interesting visuals, interesting narrative, and all around great animated filmmaking!
03 December 2009
Christmas Vacation (1989)
Do you like the kind of movie where everything that could possibly go wrong for the main character does, and with a vengeance? When no matter how hard this character tries, he or she simply cannot seem to accomplish anything? I don’t. I hate that kind of movie. Movies like that make me want to tear my hair out while screaming and repeatedly punching the TV until nothing remains but an irreparable pile of plastic and wires.
Yet somehow, perhaps only by some sort of twisted Christmas miracle, Chevy Chase’s classic Christmas Vacation remains a post-Thanksgiving staple for me, and no holiday season is complete without it.
Even though Chase’s character Clark W. Griswold goes through everything from his precious Christmas tree spontaneously combusting to accidentally getting locked in his own attic for an entire day, I can’t help but participate in this insane disaster of a holiday with a many a heartfelt belly laugh.
My perennial enjoyment of this film probably has as much to do with the gags and slapstick Chase goes through leading up to Christmas Day as it does with the random funny details that come out of the woodwork more and more with each viewing. Plus excellent comedic performances by everyone involved make for a holiday movie experience worth more than a few smirks and half-hearted chuckles.
A definite recommendation for anyone in search of a classic holiday comedy you can watch over and over and over again.
Yet somehow, perhaps only by some sort of twisted Christmas miracle, Chevy Chase’s classic Christmas Vacation remains a post-Thanksgiving staple for me, and no holiday season is complete without it.
Even though Chase’s character Clark W. Griswold goes through everything from his precious Christmas tree spontaneously combusting to accidentally getting locked in his own attic for an entire day, I can’t help but participate in this insane disaster of a holiday with a many a heartfelt belly laugh.
My perennial enjoyment of this film probably has as much to do with the gags and slapstick Chase goes through leading up to Christmas Day as it does with the random funny details that come out of the woodwork more and more with each viewing. Plus excellent comedic performances by everyone involved make for a holiday movie experience worth more than a few smirks and half-hearted chuckles.
A definite recommendation for anyone in search of a classic holiday comedy you can watch over and over and over again.
01 December 2009
The Blind Side (2009)
-Link contains spoilers!-
If you have seen the trailer for this movie there is no need to go to the theater and watch it. You have already witnessed the entire story, gotten a good dose of the humor, and caught wind of the overall theme.
Now, if you nevertheless really feel like you want to watch The Blind Side all the way through, despite my warnings, please at least wait until it is available as a rental. Very not necessary to see it on the big screen. Thanks for nothing, whoever makes decisions about trailers.
However, if you have somehow managed to escape seeing the trailer and don't know a lot about the movie, I would recommend it. If you like feel-good, based-on-a-true-story heart-warmers, which a lot of people these days (entirely understandably) do, then go for it! The Blind Side is a crowd pleaser, a mug of hot apple cider on a cold day, a warm blanket to fall asleep with, through and through.
An overwhelmingly nice pick-me-up if you’re feeling down in the dumps and want to be cheered up, so long as you don't already know everything about it going into it.
If you have seen the trailer for this movie there is no need to go to the theater and watch it. You have already witnessed the entire story, gotten a good dose of the humor, and caught wind of the overall theme.
Now, if you nevertheless really feel like you want to watch The Blind Side all the way through, despite my warnings, please at least wait until it is available as a rental. Very not necessary to see it on the big screen. Thanks for nothing, whoever makes decisions about trailers.
However, if you have somehow managed to escape seeing the trailer and don't know a lot about the movie, I would recommend it. If you like feel-good, based-on-a-true-story heart-warmers, which a lot of people these days (entirely understandably) do, then go for it! The Blind Side is a crowd pleaser, a mug of hot apple cider on a cold day, a warm blanket to fall asleep with, through and through.
An overwhelmingly nice pick-me-up if you’re feeling down in the dumps and want to be cheered up, so long as you don't already know everything about it going into it.
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