Nature: My Life as a Turkey - 10 stars out of 10
“My Life as a Turkey” is an incredibly unexpected surprise. What sounds like a five-dollar bin Halloween-themed film is actually a touching story about a man who gets to experience nature from the other side. His journey begins as he watches over several turkey eggs until they hatch and then establishes himself as the “mother-figure” to these turkey. The main character is just as surprised as us when all of nature opens a hidden door to him as it views him as another bird. The story will certainly create a new appreciation for these creatures and change your perspective of Thanksgiving. Outside of the unique story, the film is a masterpiece of cinematography. There are so many beautiful and fascinating shots that will make you say “How on earth did they do that?” This series from PBS always impresses with its visionary approach to nature, but this one is truly a vision. From its story to its cinematographic exploration of nature, the Emmy-winning “My Life as a Turkey” is a must-see.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Hotel Rwanda - 9 stars out of 10
Hotel Rwanda - 9 stars out of 10
"Hotel Rwanda" is a true story and, although it is difficult to watch at times, its bold statements about war and its theme of selflessness are incredibly rewarding. This powerful portrayal of this dark chapter of world history has led to it being called the "African Schindler's List." This Rwandan Genocide occurred when my generation was very young and I am glad that this film has opened my eyes up to these events. Don Cheadle was the perfect choice for the film's hero, Paul Rusesabagina. His accent is incredibly convincing and his acting captures the intense emotion that this character must endure as he saves thousands. The other big names do not really get a chance to shine but add a lot of character to the film, from Nick Nolte's frustration with the U.N. to Jean Reno's sense of duty to these helpless victims and Joaquin Phoenix's compassion as he witnesses the slaughter of countless Rwandans. These characters do not stand out but their polarizing emotions engage the sympathy of the audience. Regardless of the acting, cinematography, and violence, the script is what creates the potent sensation of anguish that creates a connection between the characters onscreen and the people sitting in the audience. It develops the perfect equation of getting to know the characters, interpolating historic fact with fiction, and showing the right amount of violence that is bearable to watch but difficult to stomach. "Hotel Rwanda" may not be on my list of favorites but it is simply a great film.
"Hotel Rwanda" is a true story and, although it is difficult to watch at times, its bold statements about war and its theme of selflessness are incredibly rewarding. This powerful portrayal of this dark chapter of world history has led to it being called the "African Schindler's List." This Rwandan Genocide occurred when my generation was very young and I am glad that this film has opened my eyes up to these events. Don Cheadle was the perfect choice for the film's hero, Paul Rusesabagina. His accent is incredibly convincing and his acting captures the intense emotion that this character must endure as he saves thousands. The other big names do not really get a chance to shine but add a lot of character to the film, from Nick Nolte's frustration with the U.N. to Jean Reno's sense of duty to these helpless victims and Joaquin Phoenix's compassion as he witnesses the slaughter of countless Rwandans. These characters do not stand out but their polarizing emotions engage the sympathy of the audience. Regardless of the acting, cinematography, and violence, the script is what creates the potent sensation of anguish that creates a connection between the characters onscreen and the people sitting in the audience. It develops the perfect equation of getting to know the characters, interpolating historic fact with fiction, and showing the right amount of violence that is bearable to watch but difficult to stomach. "Hotel Rwanda" may not be on my list of favorites but it is simply a great film.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Olympus Has Fallen - 4 stars out of 10
Olympus Has Fallen - 4 stars out of 10
Explosions fill the screen as Gerard Butler tortures and kills a bunch of people in the bloodiest manner possible. Believe it or not, this is not a review for "Law Abiding Citizen." There was a lot of potential for cool action sequences and special effects as Washington D.C. gets destroyed by terrorists, but the writers tried to do too much with the story once the terrorists invaded the White House. There were a few amazing moments of high anxiety as hostages are killed and the writers really had my emotions completely invested into this plot. The concept of taking hostages in the White House to force an end to the Korean civil war was actually pretty clever – why did we need more than that? Unfortunately, as the hostages seem hopeless and we are relying on our kick-butt hero to save them, the story goes beyond its limits by adding in the terrorist’s attempt to blow up all of the nuclear missiles in their silos and turn the United States into a nuclear wasteland. This is a clear case of a “bigger is better” attitude rather than relying on character development and plot to drive the film to an exciting conclusion. In fact, I did not feel an attachment to a single character in this film. It lacks an amazing villain like Die Hard III and things just fall flat. I would say that the plot of the White House being attacked was an original one for this summer but... "White House Down"... The acting is good for an action movie with Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Melissa Leo topping the cast list. In fact, there wasn’t nearly enough Ashley Judd or Morgan Freeman. You can never have enough Morgan Freeman, but he was underutilized in this film. These big names gave me the hopes that this would be more of a thriller (a la "Runaway Jury") but it is pure action and these quality actors actually lower their performances accordingly. Butler was pretty cool but again, I would’ve much rather watched him rescue hostages than implausibly save the country from being blown up by nuclear missiles with two seconds to spare. In the end, there are just too many women being beaten and execution-style murders. I would give the CGI an 85% and, while it's cool to see a lot of our landmarks blown up, Hollywood needs to find a new strategy to engage our emotions.
Explosions fill the screen as Gerard Butler tortures and kills a bunch of people in the bloodiest manner possible. Believe it or not, this is not a review for "Law Abiding Citizen." There was a lot of potential for cool action sequences and special effects as Washington D.C. gets destroyed by terrorists, but the writers tried to do too much with the story once the terrorists invaded the White House. There were a few amazing moments of high anxiety as hostages are killed and the writers really had my emotions completely invested into this plot. The concept of taking hostages in the White House to force an end to the Korean civil war was actually pretty clever – why did we need more than that? Unfortunately, as the hostages seem hopeless and we are relying on our kick-butt hero to save them, the story goes beyond its limits by adding in the terrorist’s attempt to blow up all of the nuclear missiles in their silos and turn the United States into a nuclear wasteland. This is a clear case of a “bigger is better” attitude rather than relying on character development and plot to drive the film to an exciting conclusion. In fact, I did not feel an attachment to a single character in this film. It lacks an amazing villain like Die Hard III and things just fall flat. I would say that the plot of the White House being attacked was an original one for this summer but... "White House Down"... The acting is good for an action movie with Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Melissa Leo topping the cast list. In fact, there wasn’t nearly enough Ashley Judd or Morgan Freeman. You can never have enough Morgan Freeman, but he was underutilized in this film. These big names gave me the hopes that this would be more of a thriller (a la "Runaway Jury") but it is pure action and these quality actors actually lower their performances accordingly. Butler was pretty cool but again, I would’ve much rather watched him rescue hostages than implausibly save the country from being blown up by nuclear missiles with two seconds to spare. In the end, there are just too many women being beaten and execution-style murders. I would give the CGI an 85% and, while it's cool to see a lot of our landmarks blown up, Hollywood needs to find a new strategy to engage our emotions.
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