To the point, I personally did not think much of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Despite it being in 3D (a feature I rarely feel adds to a film) the whole thing felt ironically flat.
The acting was not very good; although, I did like Helena's Red Queen. On the flip side of the royalty, they tried intentionally to make the White Queen this rigidly paper-thin doll of a good queen, but even that was screwed up somehow. "Here, Anne - wear this, hold your arms up so, say your lines and then you can leave." The Cheshire Cat was also well done; the claw-sharpening reflex on the hat was a nice touch.
The story seemed very linear, predictable and ordinary; there was little if any sense of suspense. The bookend part of story was very contrived; of course she wasn't going to marry him! Heck, I would have been more impressed if she had come to the conclusion to marry the poor sod.
Other than the entire pinching-to-awake trick that failed, niether the story nor the setting gave any real feeling that it was a dream, which it was in the books. I suppose they do try to portray Underland as a "real" place instead of a dream, but I would think the sense of confusion should still be there. Artistically, the settings also seemed empty; likely they were going for a very desolate appearance due to the storyline, but instead of feeling desolate, to me it felt underdone - a bit contrary to Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which was overly artistic (I didn't like that one either). But when in doubt... less is more, so it's hard to fault them too much there.
Then there was the annoying. Example #1 was the oft-repeated "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" I suppose it would not be as annoying if I were engaged in the film, but I thought it was said once, twice, maybe thrice too often. And example #2 was The Hatter's dance. I was hoping for something bizarre, but instead we're subjected to a very fake-looking attempt to make Depp "popping."
Was it attrocious? Hardly. Was i blown away? Hardly. I normally like Burton, well, up through Big Fish at least, but I've not really been impressed by his latest attempts.
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010.007 - Persepolis
I feel asleep during Persepolis (2007), which is very unfortunate as it is not indicative of the film's quality... more likely my irregular sleeping as of late. Watching a film in multiple sittings breaks the movie experience, and I always recommend against it, especially for films of higher calibre. I can see why it won several awards, including the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival, and nominated for several more.
The film is based on the younger life of Marjane Satrapi while she grew up in Iran and Europe. It shows her struggles of becoming an adult that we all face, as well as the revolutions and wars and the resulting regimes that came after them. It helps "unveil" (if only a little bit) to us in the west the people that live under the government's rule, that they (or at least some of them) are not so different than us, that we want to be free. No doubt this is why the Iranian government protested a number of screenings at early film festivals.
Originally, the story was told in the form of a graphic novel - an extended comic book of sorts. The novel's artwork was very simple and in black and white; black was used heavily, bringing increased attention to the faces expressions but also indicating the depression that sometimes haunted her as well as the repressive goverment. The film mimics the same artwork brilliantly while adding intriguing fades and zooms that enhance the experience. Yet it all remains simple to allow the dramatic story to unfold and relate to us that despite our differences, we are very much alike.
Dramatic animated films are a rarity; filmmakers that attempt them should be respected and based on the outcome they are to be applauded. Another notch in the excellent films category.
The film is based on the younger life of Marjane Satrapi while she grew up in Iran and Europe. It shows her struggles of becoming an adult that we all face, as well as the revolutions and wars and the resulting regimes that came after them. It helps "unveil" (if only a little bit) to us in the west the people that live under the government's rule, that they (or at least some of them) are not so different than us, that we want to be free. No doubt this is why the Iranian government protested a number of screenings at early film festivals.
Originally, the story was told in the form of a graphic novel - an extended comic book of sorts. The novel's artwork was very simple and in black and white; black was used heavily, bringing increased attention to the faces expressions but also indicating the depression that sometimes haunted her as well as the repressive goverment. The film mimics the same artwork brilliantly while adding intriguing fades and zooms that enhance the experience. Yet it all remains simple to allow the dramatic story to unfold and relate to us that despite our differences, we are very much alike.
Dramatic animated films are a rarity; filmmakers that attempt them should be respected and based on the outcome they are to be applauded. Another notch in the excellent films category.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Sublime Doughnuts
Word of this independent shop [Sublime Doughnuts] seems to be spreading like wild-fire and for good reason. The doughnuts really do justify the name of the store.
The prices were close to $2 per pastry, but if you don't mind a day old doughnut you can get those for 2 for 1. My cheap self will test those out next time, but $2 is fair to pay for these delightful treats. Nom nom nom. Unfortunately the store is closed on Mondays... a day that could really use a delicious doughnut.
sub·lime [suh-blahym] - adj.
- elevated or lofty in thought
- impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, etc.
[Origin: 1350-1400]
These delectables are warm and soft and beyond any freshness I have ever had at a Dunkin* or Krispy, save perhaps one straight from the conveyer belt. Soft, warm, doughy and light... I've never had an apple fritter so good. Simply amazing. And the Strawberries 'n Cream Doughnut (not strawberry cream) was fabulous. The french press coffee was pretty good, as well; I think I'll add a little more dairy next time.The prices were close to $2 per pastry, but if you don't mind a day old doughnut you can get those for 2 for 1. My cheap self will test those out next time, but $2 is fair to pay for these delightful treats. Nom nom nom. Unfortunately the store is closed on Mondays... a day that could really use a delicious doughnut.
* I realize Dunkin Donuts is more of a cake doughnut place instead of yeast (like sublime and KK) but with yeast doughnuts, DD sinks in comparison to these lofty luxuries.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Quick Wii Reviews
For those who might be interested in some wee Wii game reviews, here are some brief thoughts on games I have played. Note: I am not a fan of fighting games; I just have never been very good at them, so you will not find any further mention of those. I need to find more first person shooters; I hear Call of Duty is good. Any suggestions?
Super Mario Galaxy - A great transformation from the old 2D days into 3D. The only problem is when running around a small spheroid, the camera doesn't always follow the way you might want. Rating: A
Resident Evil 4 - Great functionality, very good storyline. The only issue I had was getting across this big lake... took me many, MANY tries. It is fairly dark, not just visually, but thematically, so Recommended but play it before allowing your kids to endulge. Rating: A-
Super Paper Mario - I'm not sure why this one is so highly rated on game sites. While it is interesting to switch between 2D and 3D, I found the timer countdown (limiting how long you may be 3D) to be more annoying than challenging. And the dialogue you must scroll through does not add to the enjoyment... AT ALL. It is dreadfully long and painful. Rating: C-.
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - If you like fantasy adventure with great stories, this is a must have. I like the control and don't really have any complaints. Recommended. Rating A.
Mario Kart Wii - Very fun. I read some complaints from those who love the previous racing games from Nintendo, but I found it to be loads of fun. And I played with some kids in South America and the west coast once. It is not too complicated. Recommended. Rating A-.
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure - This is a game of puzzles - situations where you must examine an area, which is often bigger than the screen, think ahead and take various actions to get the treasure in each location; you must really anticipate "what might happen if I do this?" It is fun, but and at times the action on screen is a little much and sometimes repetitious. Rating C+.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - I haven't played this one much yet, but it has been good so far. I do know some of the buttons/controls were not how I expected them to be relative to other first person shooters, but with enough play it is fairly easy to overcome. Rating B+.
Mercury Meltdown Revolution - I waited to buy this one farily cheap, and I am glad I did. There just seems to be too much going on in this elaboration on Marble Madness. I am sure I will come back to this one, but I have hardly touched it since the first time. Not Recommended. Rating D.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - There are a couple ways to look at this, but definitely don't come looking for realism. SWMBO's sister, an MD & PhD, could not stop laughing at how bad it was. And dialogue between surgeries is just rediculous, but almost so bad it's good. The surgeries were fairly enjoyable despite any diversion from reality. Rating C.
de Blob - I really enjoy this one. It seems to be made for a variety of game styles - whether you want to finish a level as fast as possible or paint every conceivable building, tree and sign. Learning to jump from the a vertical surface can be a little tricky, but in all I like it. Rating A-.
Rayman Raving Rabbids - This is primarily a single person game. Very few of the games are simultaneous play; most for mutli-player games are played one at a time. For strictly solo play, there is a small storyline in 1 that is essentially absent in 2/TV. One of my favorite games is the dance-disco with the original Rabbid techno tune: "The Deejay Butcher." Rating: B
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - Contrary to the first Wii version of this series, this sequel moves very much to the party game; almost every game can be played by 4 players at the same time (shooting games are only 2 player). Also some games are cooperative. No storyline seems to have hurt the ratings but the games are just as fun, even solo. Rating: B+
Mario Party 8 - Much like RRR2 this is also a party game, but it is as if it has been combined with a board game. Characters move around a board and when certain spaces are landed on, the game switches to mini-game mode. Certain games are every man for himself while others are 2v2 or even 3v1! I would say this is a little more oriented toward kids than RRR and the mini games are almost good as RRR2. Rating: B-.
Super Mario Galaxy - A great transformation from the old 2D days into 3D. The only problem is when running around a small spheroid, the camera doesn't always follow the way you might want. Rating: A
Resident Evil 4 - Great functionality, very good storyline. The only issue I had was getting across this big lake... took me many, MANY tries. It is fairly dark, not just visually, but thematically, so Recommended but play it before allowing your kids to endulge. Rating: A-
Super Paper Mario - I'm not sure why this one is so highly rated on game sites. While it is interesting to switch between 2D and 3D, I found the timer countdown (limiting how long you may be 3D) to be more annoying than challenging. And the dialogue you must scroll through does not add to the enjoyment... AT ALL. It is dreadfully long and painful. Rating: C-.
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - If you like fantasy adventure with great stories, this is a must have. I like the control and don't really have any complaints. Recommended. Rating A.
Mario Kart Wii - Very fun. I read some complaints from those who love the previous racing games from Nintendo, but I found it to be loads of fun. And I played with some kids in South America and the west coast once. It is not too complicated. Recommended. Rating A-.
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure - This is a game of puzzles - situations where you must examine an area, which is often bigger than the screen, think ahead and take various actions to get the treasure in each location; you must really anticipate "what might happen if I do this?" It is fun, but and at times the action on screen is a little much and sometimes repetitious. Rating C+.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - I haven't played this one much yet, but it has been good so far. I do know some of the buttons/controls were not how I expected them to be relative to other first person shooters, but with enough play it is fairly easy to overcome. Rating B+.
Mercury Meltdown Revolution - I waited to buy this one farily cheap, and I am glad I did. There just seems to be too much going on in this elaboration on Marble Madness. I am sure I will come back to this one, but I have hardly touched it since the first time. Not Recommended. Rating D.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - There are a couple ways to look at this, but definitely don't come looking for realism. SWMBO's sister, an MD & PhD, could not stop laughing at how bad it was. And dialogue between surgeries is just rediculous, but almost so bad it's good. The surgeries were fairly enjoyable despite any diversion from reality. Rating C.
de Blob - I really enjoy this one. It seems to be made for a variety of game styles - whether you want to finish a level as fast as possible or paint every conceivable building, tree and sign. Learning to jump from the a vertical surface can be a little tricky, but in all I like it. Rating A-.
Rayman Raving Rabbids - This is primarily a single person game. Very few of the games are simultaneous play; most for mutli-player games are played one at a time. For strictly solo play, there is a small storyline in 1 that is essentially absent in 2/TV. One of my favorite games is the dance-disco with the original Rabbid techno tune: "The Deejay Butcher." Rating: B
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - Contrary to the first Wii version of this series, this sequel moves very much to the party game; almost every game can be played by 4 players at the same time (shooting games are only 2 player). Also some games are cooperative. No storyline seems to have hurt the ratings but the games are just as fun, even solo. Rating: B+
Mario Party 8 - Much like RRR2 this is also a party game, but it is as if it has been combined with a board game. Characters move around a board and when certain spaces are landed on, the game switches to mini-game mode. Certain games are every man for himself while others are 2v2 or even 3v1! I would say this is a little more oriented toward kids than RRR and the mini games are almost good as RRR2. Rating: B-.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Western Meets SciFi, part 2
After posting about the genre defying Cowboy Bebop, I happened to catch two films this last weekend, one in each of the anime's major genres. Unfortunately, the better film was on DVD. I don't feel like I have seen a good film in the theater in a while. Well actually, the thriller Transsiberian was pretty good and that was only a couple months ago.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
I normally dislike lengthy titles, but I like this one more than most. Maybe it is because I liked this film more than most. It had a twisted outlaw feel to it, somewhere along the lines of There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men, but not quite so sinister. With the knowledge of what would happen, the movie was more about the characters and their transformation as the story progressed. Casey Affleck did a wonderful job as Bob (Robert Ford) and Sam Rockwell was very likable as his less intelligent brother. Brad Pitt was pretty good as well and much better than most give him credit.
Recommended.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Like Brad Pitt, Keanu is underrated, but when he is the best thing about a science fiction film, you're not setting the bar very high. Okay, maybe the best thing was really Jennifer Connelly, but she didn't have much with which to work either except looks. The movie was killed by a poor script which only made Jaden Smith look like a horrible child actor. Actually, I fell asleep here and there for a total of 15 minutes or so - I think it was the heavy burrito and margarita I had for dinner - but my co-viewer confirmed that the plot was not helping.
Not Recommended.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
I normally dislike lengthy titles, but I like this one more than most. Maybe it is because I liked this film more than most. It had a twisted outlaw feel to it, somewhere along the lines of There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men, but not quite so sinister. With the knowledge of what would happen, the movie was more about the characters and their transformation as the story progressed. Casey Affleck did a wonderful job as Bob (Robert Ford) and Sam Rockwell was very likable as his less intelligent brother. Brad Pitt was pretty good as well and much better than most give him credit.
Recommended.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Like Brad Pitt, Keanu is underrated, but when he is the best thing about a science fiction film, you're not setting the bar very high. Okay, maybe the best thing was really Jennifer Connelly, but she didn't have much with which to work either except looks. The movie was killed by a poor script which only made Jaden Smith look like a horrible child actor. Actually, I fell asleep here and there for a total of 15 minutes or so - I think it was the heavy burrito and margarita I had for dinner - but my co-viewer confirmed that the plot was not helping.
Not Recommended.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Cleaning, Finding and Movie Stars
Yea! After only an hour of looking I found a few things I was looking for... rec club ID and a couple credit cards. And if nothing else, my car and my bedroom are a little cleaner. I guess it feels good to accomplish the little things, except for me it's a big thing, so go me! At the same time, I feel like a total loser that I cannot keep up with my crap. I'm getting better, honest!
I finished watching Cold Mountain with my honey tonight. It's films like that that make me feel better about the world I live in. Really - it's not as bad as it could be. And it was a great film. My only issue with it was the number of cameos... I get it, the producer/director/casting agent has connections, now stop interrupting my train of thought with, "Oh hey, that's Giovanni or Cillian or Ray or that guy from My Name is Earl!" and let me enjoy the movie again. Sometimes I wish movie actors would be limited to 3 roles in their lifetime; after that, you must do something else.
Well, it is late/early...zzzz...I need to rest so I can make it tomorrow.
I finished watching Cold Mountain with my honey tonight. It's films like that that make me feel better about the world I live in. Really - it's not as bad as it could be. And it was a great film. My only issue with it was the number of cameos... I get it, the producer/director/casting agent has connections, now stop interrupting my train of thought with, "Oh hey, that's Giovanni or Cillian or Ray or that guy from My Name is Earl!" and let me enjoy the movie again. Sometimes I wish movie actors would be limited to 3 roles in their lifetime; after that, you must do something else.
Well, it is late/early...zzzz...I need to rest so I can make it tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Lost in Translation: Japanese Game Show Style
So, last night, I arrived home too late to jump into Fringe, the new Sci-Fi show on Fox, but I did catch Hole in the Wall. I'm a big fan of the youtube clips of the Japanese version by Fuji TV (search for Human Tetris, 6 is particularly good), but Fox and Fremantle North America (producers) failed again to capture the charm of a foreign show for an American audience.
What did they do right?
Costumes - right down to the over emphasized bulges. Perfect.
Countdown - 3, 2, 1. Good job not screwing THAT up.
What did they get wrong? A lot.
The hosts. Dude - what are you doing up there? Chick - turn down the glam including that hair, and calm down.
Mood - Hole in the Wall is too focused on the competition. Maybe the Japanese are playing for money, but it looks like they're a bunch of adults (I've heard some are comedians) reliving their early teen years and having a good, but rediculous time. The American humor mostly came from flaming gay stereotypes. Not just that, but much like the new American Gladiators, it feels over-produced.
The walls - A lot of the Japanese humor is not the funny moves to get through the moderately difficult holes, but how they react to the nearly impossible ones. Or how they try to scramble off the wall when they get stuck.
The set - It's a minor item, but silly and cheap is funnier than slick and stylish.
Now, I've heard the Japanese adults are normally much more reserved than Americans and so is through things like these shows that they are able to let loose, so maybe we're not uptight enough to start with, but dang - lighten up, don't try so hard and have fun.
And worst of all, they show way too many clips of future episodes at the end, including the fat girl. Okay, I get how that's supposed to be funny, but it's seesm like a one shot deal, and well, now it's ruined. Id rating: D+.
And yes, the irony that the movie Lost in Translation, a favorite of mine, takes place in Japan was intentional.
What did they do right?
Costumes - right down to the over emphasized bulges. Perfect.
Countdown - 3, 2, 1. Good job not screwing THAT up.
What did they get wrong? A lot.
The hosts. Dude - what are you doing up there? Chick - turn down the glam including that hair, and calm down.
Mood - Hole in the Wall is too focused on the competition. Maybe the Japanese are playing for money, but it looks like they're a bunch of adults (I've heard some are comedians) reliving their early teen years and having a good, but rediculous time. The American humor mostly came from flaming gay stereotypes. Not just that, but much like the new American Gladiators, it feels over-produced.
The walls - A lot of the Japanese humor is not the funny moves to get through the moderately difficult holes, but how they react to the nearly impossible ones. Or how they try to scramble off the wall when they get stuck.
The set - It's a minor item, but silly and cheap is funnier than slick and stylish.
Now, I've heard the Japanese adults are normally much more reserved than Americans and so is through things like these shows that they are able to let loose, so maybe we're not uptight enough to start with, but dang - lighten up, don't try so hard and have fun.
And worst of all, they show way too many clips of future episodes at the end, including the fat girl. Okay, I get how that's supposed to be funny, but it's seesm like a one shot deal, and well, now it's ruined. Id rating: D+.
And yes, the irony that the movie Lost in Translation, a favorite of mine, takes place in Japan was intentional.
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