Flatliners - 7 stars out of 10
"Flatliners" is an excellent concept which is so far beyond our understanding that the writers never have to explain "how". All 5 leads (Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, and Oliver Platt) shine in Schumacher's thriller, making this story intense and believable. Important information is revealed at precisely the right time, keeping the viewer curious and on the edge of their seat without ever creating confusion. I would recommend Flatliners to anybody who enjoys a psychological thriller that you will really have to wrap your mind around.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Fisher King - 7 stars out of 10
The Fisher King - 7 stars out of 10
Wow!!!!! Who is Mercedes Ruehl and why have I never heard of her before? Amidst incredibly real performances by all-star actors Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams, plus a surprising performance by Michael Jeter, Ruehl steals the show with the performance of a lifetime. Even if intense/upsetting drama is not your favorite movie genre, Ruehl's performance makes this a must-see for every movie fan. "The Fisher King" is full of highs and lows (though mostly lows), as you will see in Bridge's eyes within the first 10 minutes of the movie. Terry Gilliam brings his style to this movie (through Williams' imagination and the dance scene) without making it feel wierd or fake. Though I feel that some of the humorous moments are inappropriate for the serious tone of this movie, it is a very effective movie as it explores a side of the homeless that you have never seen.
Wow!!!!! Who is Mercedes Ruehl and why have I never heard of her before? Amidst incredibly real performances by all-star actors Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams, plus a surprising performance by Michael Jeter, Ruehl steals the show with the performance of a lifetime. Even if intense/upsetting drama is not your favorite movie genre, Ruehl's performance makes this a must-see for every movie fan. "The Fisher King" is full of highs and lows (though mostly lows), as you will see in Bridge's eyes within the first 10 minutes of the movie. Terry Gilliam brings his style to this movie (through Williams' imagination and the dance scene) without making it feel wierd or fake. Though I feel that some of the humorous moments are inappropriate for the serious tone of this movie, it is a very effective movie as it explores a side of the homeless that you have never seen.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
In Old Chicago - 3 stars out of 10
In Old Chicago - 3 stars out of 10
In spite of practically advertising their close work with the Chicago Historical Society in the making of this film, "In Old Chicago" is nothing more than boring fiction with a cool fire at the end. I understand that you have to spend time developing the characters so that you will be rooting for them during the disaster sequence, but they could have at least used the real people involved in the Great Chicago Fire instead of completely making up people that they thought would be more interesting. No actor is bad but most are "just okay." The exception to the rule is Alice Faye, particularly in her musical numbers. I also enjoyed seeing Andy Devine (the voice of Friar Tuck in Disney's Robin Hood), simply because I wondered where this voice came from! Unfortunately, I just didn't fall in love with the characters and spent the whole time waiting for the fire. The special effects were impressive as the town went up in flame, but the boring-to-fireball ratio was simply out of proportion.
In spite of practically advertising their close work with the Chicago Historical Society in the making of this film, "In Old Chicago" is nothing more than boring fiction with a cool fire at the end. I understand that you have to spend time developing the characters so that you will be rooting for them during the disaster sequence, but they could have at least used the real people involved in the Great Chicago Fire instead of completely making up people that they thought would be more interesting. No actor is bad but most are "just okay." The exception to the rule is Alice Faye, particularly in her musical numbers. I also enjoyed seeing Andy Devine (the voice of Friar Tuck in Disney's Robin Hood), simply because I wondered where this voice came from! Unfortunately, I just didn't fall in love with the characters and spent the whole time waiting for the fire. The special effects were impressive as the town went up in flame, but the boring-to-fireball ratio was simply out of proportion.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) - 7 stars out of 10
Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) - 7 stars out of 10
"I've come to Christmas dinner... if you'll have me." The entire film is worth it for that single line. There are countless adaptations of “A Christmas Carol” and Robert Zemeckis’ animated motion-capture rendition is unlike any other. Honestly, I've never cared much for fully animated motion-capture films. They look pretty creepy and I feel that the technology is much better utilized in films like "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," but it certainly emphasizes the acting talents of Jim Carrey. The use of motion-capture allows Carrey to play a variety of characters in the film including Scrooge at three different ages and the three ghosts. His casting in these roles was a no-brainer as every detail of his over-the-top facial expressions is perfectly captured by the computer technology. Moreover, he mastered the British and Irish accents to make sure that this film would be accepted by audiences in the UK. As a display of Carrey’s acting chops, this film is a masterwork. I will always cite the George C. Scott version as my favorite serious telling of this tale, but this version does a great job of portraying the story. I am impressed that they told this story so effectively in just 90 minutes as Robert Zemeckis' screenplay captures the important moments so well that you won't notice any little moments that are left out. I feel as if they glossed over Christmas Past a bit too quickly, but outside of that it was a complete story. I appreciate that dark tone of this classic Christmas story is kept intact, as it is often interpreted in a lighthearted or watered down manner. The tone is especially surprising due to its animated facade (figuratively and literally). Unfortunately, the emphasized dark tone requires an even greater embellishment of hope at the end and the closing moments fall short. My eyes should have been filled with tears of Christmas joy and instead, I barely felt anything. I believe this to be the reason that the film faced so much criticism for its tone – the resolution fails to keep the moral of the story at the forefront of our minds. The production design is the real star of this film. The first half has some interesting visuals but the film really comes alive with the Ghost of Christmas Present. The scenic design of watching these moments through the floor is magnificent. The story often hinges on Scrooge’s (and our own) fear of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and this shadowy interpretation is awesome. The best use of the motion capture technique is seen when they shrink Scrooge down in size and everything else becomes huge. It is actually quite unnecessary to the story but creates some interesting visuals. Alan Silvestri (Zemeckis' go-to composer) creates a beautiful score to accompany the film and I particularly like some of the statements of Christmas carols in minor. “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” may seem superfluous at times but I applaud its bold, dark tone and believe that it captures the heart of the story up until the very end. The ending lacks the Christmas spirit that I look for in a Christmas Eve tradition but I look forward to introducing my children to this interpretation of the story once they are old enough to handle its tone.
"I've come to Christmas dinner... if you'll have me." The entire film is worth it for that single line. There are countless adaptations of “A Christmas Carol” and Robert Zemeckis’ animated motion-capture rendition is unlike any other. Honestly, I've never cared much for fully animated motion-capture films. They look pretty creepy and I feel that the technology is much better utilized in films like "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," but it certainly emphasizes the acting talents of Jim Carrey. The use of motion-capture allows Carrey to play a variety of characters in the film including Scrooge at three different ages and the three ghosts. His casting in these roles was a no-brainer as every detail of his over-the-top facial expressions is perfectly captured by the computer technology. Moreover, he mastered the British and Irish accents to make sure that this film would be accepted by audiences in the UK. As a display of Carrey’s acting chops, this film is a masterwork. I will always cite the George C. Scott version as my favorite serious telling of this tale, but this version does a great job of portraying the story. I am impressed that they told this story so effectively in just 90 minutes as Robert Zemeckis' screenplay captures the important moments so well that you won't notice any little moments that are left out. I feel as if they glossed over Christmas Past a bit too quickly, but outside of that it was a complete story. I appreciate that dark tone of this classic Christmas story is kept intact, as it is often interpreted in a lighthearted or watered down manner. The tone is especially surprising due to its animated facade (figuratively and literally). Unfortunately, the emphasized dark tone requires an even greater embellishment of hope at the end and the closing moments fall short. My eyes should have been filled with tears of Christmas joy and instead, I barely felt anything. I believe this to be the reason that the film faced so much criticism for its tone – the resolution fails to keep the moral of the story at the forefront of our minds. The production design is the real star of this film. The first half has some interesting visuals but the film really comes alive with the Ghost of Christmas Present. The scenic design of watching these moments through the floor is magnificent. The story often hinges on Scrooge’s (and our own) fear of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and this shadowy interpretation is awesome. The best use of the motion capture technique is seen when they shrink Scrooge down in size and everything else becomes huge. It is actually quite unnecessary to the story but creates some interesting visuals. Alan Silvestri (Zemeckis' go-to composer) creates a beautiful score to accompany the film and I particularly like some of the statements of Christmas carols in minor. “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” may seem superfluous at times but I applaud its bold, dark tone and believe that it captures the heart of the story up until the very end. The ending lacks the Christmas spirit that I look for in a Christmas Eve tradition but I look forward to introducing my children to this interpretation of the story once they are old enough to handle its tone.
[Pictured: The Christmas Present sequence is creative and well-executed]
Contagion - 2 stars out of 10
Contagion - 2 stars out of 10
450th Review
"Contagion" is [long pause] an interesting film. Sorry for the delay, I had to run into the room and wash my hands three times. I believe that this germ-awareness film would have been successful if shot in a documentary style (a la District 9). It would have been difficult to explain why the documentary crew found their way into certain areas, but this film felt way too much like a documentary to be filmed in such a conventional manner. With the 6 stars on the movie poster, you would expect this to be a tour de force of acting but, since few of the stars ever appear in the same way, it gives the impression of "which one of these stars should have the lead role" and in the end, none of them are featured (particularly the one who dies within the first 10 mintues of the film...) The entire idea behind this film is amazing and terrifying. You can feel everybody in the theater fighting to stop touching their face 3-5 times per minute as the movie progresses. Of the stars, Marion Cotillard shines the brightest with Kate Winslet in a close second place. Matt Damon showed potential but his character really kept him from a dynamic expression of his emotions. I honestly cannot say whether I would recommend this film or not. It has definitely changed my perspective of germs and will encourage me to wash my hands more often, but despite it's great story and star-studded cast it somehow manages to be extremely boring.
450th Review
"Contagion" is [long pause] an interesting film. Sorry for the delay, I had to run into the room and wash my hands three times. I believe that this germ-awareness film would have been successful if shot in a documentary style (a la District 9). It would have been difficult to explain why the documentary crew found their way into certain areas, but this film felt way too much like a documentary to be filmed in such a conventional manner. With the 6 stars on the movie poster, you would expect this to be a tour de force of acting but, since few of the stars ever appear in the same way, it gives the impression of "which one of these stars should have the lead role" and in the end, none of them are featured (particularly the one who dies within the first 10 mintues of the film...) The entire idea behind this film is amazing and terrifying. You can feel everybody in the theater fighting to stop touching their face 3-5 times per minute as the movie progresses. Of the stars, Marion Cotillard shines the brightest with Kate Winslet in a close second place. Matt Damon showed potential but his character really kept him from a dynamic expression of his emotions. I honestly cannot say whether I would recommend this film or not. It has definitely changed my perspective of germs and will encourage me to wash my hands more often, but despite it's great story and star-studded cast it somehow manages to be extremely boring.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
House On Haunted Hill (1958) - 3 stars out of 10
House On Haunted Hill (1958) - 3 stars out of 10
My familiarity with the 1999 "remake" gave me a certain expectation... which was completely inaccurate! The only similarity to this original is the idea of a rich guy offering a large amount of money to a group of people to spend a night in a haunted place. After the introductory moments, the film is completely different, so be prepared if you've seen the 1999 version. That being said, "House On Haunted Hill" is a slow-moving thriller with a few classic twists. While it does not offer any overly-horrific imagery or frightening moments, it'll keep you on edge waiting to hear the solution to the mystery. The story is easy to follow and would be a good starter scary movie for a child, except that it does not have enough action and could lose your attention. It's enjoyable to see Vincent Price in any role and Carol Ohmart offers the most impresive performance, but overall this film fell short of my expectations. If you're unsure whether you'd like , give it a shot - it's only 75 minutes long!
My familiarity with the 1999 "remake" gave me a certain expectation... which was completely inaccurate! The only similarity to this original is the idea of a rich guy offering a large amount of money to a group of people to spend a night in a haunted place. After the introductory moments, the film is completely different, so be prepared if you've seen the 1999 version. That being said, "House On Haunted Hill" is a slow-moving thriller with a few classic twists. While it does not offer any overly-horrific imagery or frightening moments, it'll keep you on edge waiting to hear the solution to the mystery. The story is easy to follow and would be a good starter scary movie for a child, except that it does not have enough action and could lose your attention. It's enjoyable to see Vincent Price in any role and Carol Ohmart offers the most impresive performance, but overall this film fell short of my expectations. If you're unsure whether you'd like , give it a shot - it's only 75 minutes long!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
The Black Cauldron - 2 stars out of 10
The Black Cauldron - 2 stars out of 10
As a cartoon, it isn’t horrible.. but considering the expectation set by Disney animated feature films, the only word that comes to mind is “lackluster.” "The Black Cauldron" is not one of the more memorable Disney films and less than 3 hours after viewing, I cannot remember the names of any of the characters. This film aspired to be dark and, while it manages to be darker than the other films in the Disney canon, its last minute censorship has created an awkward combination of "almost good" and "kinda bad." Even though they cleaned up most of the gore, the horrific death of The Horned King (which kept this film from a G-rating) gives a brief taste of how amazing this film could have been. In its time, Disney relied on family audiences to bring money in at the box office but I believe that if they released a dark, PG-13 animated film today, they could still draw in a large crowd (like this PG-13 franchise that you may have heard of called "Pirates of the Caribbean"...) The story feels so disjointed with random characters wandering in to the story for eight seconds and then disappearing for the remainder of the film (unless they manage to sneak into the last scene for no explainable reason... to deliver the resounding final line of “Yep!”). I nominate Gurgi for the “Most Annoying Character in Cinema History Award.” I feel confident that the Academy will unanimously vote for him. Like most people, I spent the whole movie wishing that he would die and, just as I thought that my dream had come true... he came back. And to make matters worse, every redemptive moment was erased during his obnoxious comeback and I wanted to see him die again. I can't give the film my lowest rating because, at the very least, Disney animation is always quality and this film dabbled with a few early computer graphics. That being said, there just aren’t any great, memorable Disney moments. Aladdin has the “A Whole New World” carpet ride, Lion King has Simba climbing Pride Rock, and The Black Cauldron has... the climactic kiss lasting less than two seconds before an abrupt change of mood. I can't really support watching this film when you could be watching a Disney masterpiece but if you insist on watching, at the very least it will give you an appreciation for the GOOD Disney animated films and have your imagination exploring "The Dark Disney Film That Could Have Been."
As a cartoon, it isn’t horrible.. but considering the expectation set by Disney animated feature films, the only word that comes to mind is “lackluster.” "The Black Cauldron" is not one of the more memorable Disney films and less than 3 hours after viewing, I cannot remember the names of any of the characters. This film aspired to be dark and, while it manages to be darker than the other films in the Disney canon, its last minute censorship has created an awkward combination of "almost good" and "kinda bad." Even though they cleaned up most of the gore, the horrific death of The Horned King (which kept this film from a G-rating) gives a brief taste of how amazing this film could have been. In its time, Disney relied on family audiences to bring money in at the box office but I believe that if they released a dark, PG-13 animated film today, they could still draw in a large crowd (like this PG-13 franchise that you may have heard of called "Pirates of the Caribbean"...) The story feels so disjointed with random characters wandering in to the story for eight seconds and then disappearing for the remainder of the film (unless they manage to sneak into the last scene for no explainable reason... to deliver the resounding final line of “Yep!”). I nominate Gurgi for the “Most Annoying Character in Cinema History Award.” I feel confident that the Academy will unanimously vote for him. Like most people, I spent the whole movie wishing that he would die and, just as I thought that my dream had come true... he came back. And to make matters worse, every redemptive moment was erased during his obnoxious comeback and I wanted to see him die again. I can't give the film my lowest rating because, at the very least, Disney animation is always quality and this film dabbled with a few early computer graphics. That being said, there just aren’t any great, memorable Disney moments. Aladdin has the “A Whole New World” carpet ride, Lion King has Simba climbing Pride Rock, and The Black Cauldron has... the climactic kiss lasting less than two seconds before an abrupt change of mood. I can't really support watching this film when you could be watching a Disney masterpiece but if you insist on watching, at the very least it will give you an appreciation for the GOOD Disney animated films and have your imagination exploring "The Dark Disney Film That Could Have Been."
[Pictured: Gurgi, the most annoying Disney character ever]
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