Filed under: movie review | Tags: cate blanchett, Drama, f. scott fitzgerald, movie review
Life Lived Backwards
Starring: Brad Pitt / Cate Blanchett / Taraji P. Henson / Tilda Swinton
Rating: PG-13 (Mild Adult Themes)
Basis: Short Story: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Release Date: December 25, 2008
I know I’m a little behind schedule on this one since it’s been in theaters since last Christmas, but honestly until last week I just wasn’t in the mood for a incredibly long drama. Once I finally broke down and saw it I barely noticed the running time which is quite an accomplishment (one I hope that Watchmen can achieve this weekend). The film is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald (screenplay by Eric Roth) and the cast is far from unknown. Of course the other half of Brangelia is the main focus as Benjamin and the amazing Cate Blanchettt plays his love interest.
Basically to put it short but sweet the movie is about an infant whose body at birth is that of an incredibly old man. The poor child is abandoned by his terrified father after his mother dies in childbirth, and left on the doorstep of an elderly people’s home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Taken in by Queenie, a black woman who worked at the home, Benjamin is loved dearly by her and raised as her son. He goes through his life and his incredible adventures while all the time aging backwards. He meets Daisy at a young age who’s grandmother lives in the elderly home and they stay in contact throughout the years. They finally meet again in their forties when they are the same age and fall in love.
The story is narrated by Daisy’s daughter Caroline who is reading from Benjamin’s diary to her dying mother on the eve on Hurricane Katrina’s arrival in a hospital. Through the diary both Carolina and Daisy learn of all the challenges and experiences of his life that are both amazing and somewhat sad.
The Older Man
I found the movie very moving and even though I’m not known for being much of a sappy kind of girl I though it was both inspiring and a bit depressing at the same time. I was able to relate to many of the themes in the film as I would imagine most people would and loved the plot design and underlying metaphorical meaning of the story.
Daisy & Benjamin
As I stated before I didn’t mind the length of the film because I was so engulfed in the story that I didn’t notice how long I was there and I haven’t experienced that in a lengthy film since the LOTR’s trilogy. The acting by both Pitt and Blanchettt was as always excellent and I was pleasantly surprised by both Taraji P. Henson (Queenie) and Tilda Swinton who played Elizabeth Abbott, who Benjamin has a love affair with in his early twenties.
Bottom Line: WONDERFULLY MOVING DRAMA
Through the Wall
Movie Review: Coraline 3D
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Keith David and many more
Rating: PG (Not for Sensitive Kids)
Release Date: February 6, 2009
Original Novel: By Neil Gaiman
I went to see this last night since this past weekend I was a total lazy bum and pretty much did nothing but sleep and watch episodes of The Tudors. I had been kind of following it through rumor to release since I am a huge fan of anything and everything that Neil Gaiman does. Not to mention the fact that Henry Selick (director) is a freaking genius. I mean, have you seen The Nightmare Before Christmas? Anyways, so obviously I was very excited to see Coraline and the 3D part of it made it even more appealing.
I hadn’t read the book even though I had bought it when I heard the movie was going into pre-production. I will most likely read it now just to compare the two. The beginning of the film is a bit bleak and even the color scheme is very monotone to emphasize the ordinary attributes of Coraline’s new home that her Mom and Dad move to. Both her parents are writers and seem to have very little time for her which is unfortuante for Coraline who obviously wishes they were more involved with her life. She appears to feel neglected especially by her mother who isn’t exactly the nurturing type.
The Wormhole
She begins to explore the new house which is actually an apartment type building with the attic rented to an eccentric Russian gentleman who trains mice for a circus. The basement is rented to two older british ladies who seem just as strange and who appear to have at one time been actresses or performers. Coraline meets all of these characters along with her nearby neighbor Wybe (short for Why Born) who visually reminded me of the trick-or-treat kids from TNBC. He becomes what you might consider her friend mostly because he is the only one around that’s her age. Wybe also introduces her to his cat who is played by Keith David.
After the first day of exploring in the new home, Coraline resigns to bed and is quickly awakened by a tiny mouse who like Alice & the Rabbit leads her to the tiny door in the living room which is now open to a whole new world. This is where the 3D effects get really cool in the film. Coraline discovers on the other side of this wormhole a different life that mimicks her own but instead of being boring and ordinary it’s beautiful and exciting. Her “other” parents seem to adore her and make her the center of attention.
Mouse Circus
She wakes up the next morning back in her own real world with her real parents and this nightly escape into the “other” world continues until she discovers that what may seem to be the perfect life isn’t at all. It’s a classic lesson of the grass isn’t always greener on the other side (of the wall) and teaches kids to be happy with what they have even if it isn’t perfect. Once Coraline discovers the truth about the “other” world and the “other” mother she must play to win back her life and the souls of those that came before her.
Now, you might be saying to yourself “souls of other children?”. I have to say that some of the themes and images are definitely a bit grown up for a PG movie. Even the sowing of the buttons on a child’s eyes is a bit of a scary scenario for a little kid, but I think that the audience for this kind of film is not necessarily for young children. Sure it’s something that a 12 year old could handle but not kids much younger than that. The “other” mother eventually turns into a very freaky looking spider like creature that might give the little ones nightmares. Not to mention the scene of the “other” downstairs actress neighbors who lets just say have a very adult look.
In the end I really enjoyed this movie and can’t wait for it to come out on DVD so I can see the special features on how it was made. The credits showed that there were stop-motion and CGI techniques used so I’d love to see how they merged the two. I highly recommend it for anyone who loved either The Nightmare Before Christmas or James and the Giant Peach. It’s a great movie even if the audience for it is a little different than one might think from the commercials.
Bottom Line: EXCELLENT FANTASY FILM
The Uninvited
Starring: Emily Browing / Arrielle Kebbel / Elizabeth Banks / David Stratharin
Rating: PG-13 (Teens Admitted)
Release Date: January 30, 2009
Okay, I can admit when I might have judged a movie too soon. I was truly upset when I heard that this movie was even being made due to the fact that it is a remake of one of my top 5 favorite films of all time. Understandably still I had to see this remake to make my own conclusion of how American filmmakers would put their spin on it. Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003 South Korea) aka A Tale of Two Sisters, is an amazing film and my predetermined assumptions on The Uninvited had been based on previous remakes that aren’t even worth referencing here.
The original basically focused on two sisters. Having just recently come home from a stay in a mental institution the sisters return to find her father having remarried. The sisters encounter frightening apparitions and nightmares while at home but bond to one another against their stepmother whom they believe to be capable of harming them both aswell as being the possible suspect in the death of their mother. One particular sister, whom the main focus of the film is on, closely protects the other and slowly the real story begins to unravel through the flashbacks and haunting experiences until you see the truth.
The remake would have been a great deal more enjoyable had there not been 20+ tween/teens in the audience who were completely and totally annoying. One of whom I even knew. And the worst part was the management of the theater had to even escort a few of them out of the theater because they were talking and getting up constantly. One of the kids who was taken out of the theater was the kid sister of a couple of friends of mine. I came so close to just yelling her name and telling her to shut up. But that would have just added to the noise.
I have to say, NOTHING is more annoying when watching a movie in a theater than selfish little brats who have no idea how to act in public. This brings me to my main issue with the remake: its PG-13 rating. Had this film been rated R I wouldn’t have had to deal with these over-sized toddlers acting like they just went off their ADD meds.
I guess the filmmakers wanted to appeal to a larger audience so they could make more money off the film but it took away from the film in the end. The acting and casting I thought were great although it was a bit odd seeing Elizabeth Banks in a negative role. I honestly wouldn’t have casted her as the father’s girlfriend but I guess it wasn’t that bad of a choice. I would have chosen someone like Famke Janssen, who I am a big fan of. She would have been able to pull off the more sinister character a great deal more successfully.
There were a few changes to the story from the original but the basic ending plot twist remained the same, which was a relief for me. That plot twist makes the whole film not only make sense but it makes it worth watching. I just knew the Americanized version would ruin the ending but I was pleasantly surprised. The more intense scenes were even pulled off well and of course the special effects were more graphic in this version although the cinematography may have lacked a little. This was one of those VERY rare cases where a remake actually adds to the original rather than takes away from it. Though some of the story line was different it still was worth seeing and may even encourage more people to watch the original.
Bottom Line: A DECENT REMAKE
Filed under: movie review | Tags: fantasy, horror, movie review, prequel, underworld, vampires
Underworld 3 Prequel
Starring: Michael Sheen/ Bill Nighy/ Rhona Mitra
Rating: R (Violence etc.)
Release Date: January 23, 2009
When I found out they were making this movie I couldn’t wait to see it. I was a big fan of the previous two Underworld films and since this one had a lot of the same cast I was even more excited. The earlier films revolved around the feud between the vampires and werewolves (lycans) but you didn’t really understand why it began except for a brief explanation in I think the second film by the leader of the lycans “Lucian”. This was one of those rare occasions where a prequel was actually a great idea and done well whereas prequels like Star Wars sucked.
The set design was amazing, even more so than the previous two films and the plot was great too even though most people new the basics of the story going in if they had seen the earlier films. Michael Sheen did a great job as Lucian and as an actor I think deserves more credit since he also recently played Frost in Frost/Nixon. I have recently found out that he will play the Cheshire Cat in the new Alice in Wonderland film by Tim Burton. And I was impressed with the rest of the cast’s performance as well.
My only criticism was with Lucians second in command Raze played by Kevin Grevioux. Although I can see why he was cast in the film I couldn’t help but to laugh a little whenever he would speak because his voice was a bit comical and unlike all the other characters he had no British accent. But still that didn’t take that much away from the experience of the film.
I am not really sure about the rumors I have heard of Underworld becoming a TV series. I think that would really be a bad idea due to the fact that although the films have done well on the small screen you are dealing with a different audience. I mean, where would it even air? Somewhere between one of the 15 different CSI shows and E.R.? TV audiences are very fickle (i.e. the cancellation of Pushing Daises and all my other favorite shows). In the end a TV series would most likely get canceled and probably not even get the same characters to star.
Bottom Line: GREAT PREQUEL
Better than Twlight
Original Title: Låt den rätte komma in
Release Date: March 10, 2009 (DVD in the US)
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant (Oscar) / Lina Leandersson (Eli)
Rating: R (Not for kids)
Origins: Swedish with English Subtitles
Official Site: Let the right one in
I should have posted a review on this movie a while back because I saw it in December of last year. I was really surprised to find out that it was even showing in my little town because we usually don’t get those really hard to find movies. But luckily the one theater around here that ever shows anything indie was able to get a hold of this one and play it for a limited time. It was such a big deal around here that they even had a facebook page for the premiere.
I went to see this with my Mom who is also somewhat of a scary movie fan. Although she isn’t quite as die-hard about it as I am. The theater was packed on opening night and I wasn’t surprised. I had read a lot of hype about it on the net before hand which had been all good reviews.
The movie’s cinematography is excellent with tones of gray/black/white throughout except for emphasis on the color red. That part of it reminded me of 30 Days of Night in a way. Even the opening sequence was perfect to set the tone of the film. I will have to say though that this movie could not have been made in the US. There are certain aspects of it that wouldn’t be accepted with a wider audience considering the US is more conservative in nature. And I’m not talking about the gore being the issue either.
All that aside, it was a great film to watch and the story was a completely new take on a topic that has been run into the ground more than anything else in the horror genre. Well, I take that back, other than the whole “teen” slasher thing which is completely stupid. Who honestly wants to see a bunch of naked horny teens get stabbed? If you raised your hand to that one then congratulations, you’re an idiot. I am a major “vampire” fan. I have all the Anne Rice books regarding the subject and even got a massive Vampire anthology a few years back from my aunt (who also likes the blood suckers) which describes any and every vampire reference throughout history.
But back to the film, there was a genius balance of drama and violence that made it compelling but horrifying at the same time. You might have wanted to look away but you just couldn’t bring yourself to do so. This was something that Twilight failed to do totally. That movie was not a horror film in the least of the sense. It was only a teen romance movie. Period. Not to say it was that bad or anything, just that this movie was obviously better.
The one of the last sequences had to of been my favorite where some local boys get what’s coming to them. For all the gore (which was totally realistic) the film still managed to be sweet and reminiscent of a first romance. I loved it for all its boldness and originality.
Bottom Line: PURE HORRIFIC AWESOMENESS
- AKA The Unoriginal
Starring: Odette Yustman/Gary Oldman/Cam Gigandet
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 9, 2009
OMG, where to being with this one. I did have high hopes when I went to see this for two reasons. A.) Gary Oldman! (aka freakin awesome) & B.) The screenwriter supposedly had a hand in writing the Dark Knight. So I was excited to see it being the horror movie fanatic that I am. I got my snackage/drink and settled in for the show.
About 5 mins in I was already laughing. Just a note: under no circumstances is a dog with a doll-face mask anything but just plain funny. There is nothing frightening about that. What followed in the movie was a never-ending rerun of previous horror movies.
From copying movies like Ju-On (the Grudge) in one scene with the throat death-rattle to totally capitalizing on the whole creepy-kid thing (The Ring/Ringu) it was just frustrating. The acting was horrible, especially by that Twlight guy who should just stick to hissing his vampire teeth. And CGI scary faces are no longer a new idea.
I did happen to appreciate the one original item in the movie, which was the fact that instead of using the whole “Christianity saves the day” theme like in most horror movies involving demon-like creatures this one was Jewish. I thought that was cool and slightly original for a scary movie. But other than that (and Gary Oldman’s awesomeness) this was a total waste of film.
SPOLIER ALERT:And who the hell didn’t predict that she was pregnant? I mean, really? That was so freaking obvious that the whole montage at the end was a waste of the 10 minutes I could have been walking to my car. Geez people, how dumb did the writer think the audience would be?
Well, there goes another horror movie down the disappointment drain. I guess I will just have to wait for the next decent looking one to come out (which happens to be this one thanks to the Discovery Channel).
Bottom Line: TOTAL SUCKFEST
- Paul-Blart
Starring: Kevin James/ Keir O’Donnell
Rating: PG
Release Date: Jan 16, 09
I wasn’t expecting this movie to be Oscar worthy by any means going in because to be honest this is one of those films that is expected to be a silly slap-stick goof fest for a laugh. I was however surprised at how many kids were in the audience. The comedy wasn’t vulgar or anything like that so I don’t see anything wrong with a kid seeing but it still surprised me considering James’s previous films where the adult elements would have been a bit inappropriate for little ones.
It did have a few really good laughs but sadly as with lots movies now the best parts were in the previews. And when those parts came on the screen hardly anyone laughed because the commercials have been playing non-stop on TV for weeks now. I really get tired of seeing movies like that where they give away the best of the movie before you even get to see it. It happens in all types of films too, not just comedy’s.
Still goofball movies like this are good in the current times due to the overwhelming pressure on Americans from the economy and lack of good secure jobs out there. It’s nice to escape from all the seriousness and laugh even if it is just for an hour or two. That is the magic of the movies, the escape of it from everyday worries and troubles.
Towards the end of the film the jokes started going stale and the laughs were less and less but it wasn’t a total waste of time. I would still wait for this one on DVD and rent it.
Bottom Line: RENT IT
