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Maggie (2015)
Arnold takes on zombies ... but far from as expected.
Fantastically unexpected, and beautiful film. In a nutshell, the most unzombie-like zombie movie I've ever seen, showing a whole different side of Arnold's acting prowess. The title role is also played very well, but Arnie takes the cake here.
Gods of Egypt (2016)
Whitewashed culturally insensitive Hollywood tripe
I could not believe that this piece of trash was directed by Alex Proyas, of the modern day classic, "The Crow." Evidently, he has gone down the same awful decline that Ridley Scott has of late.
I'm only about 1/2 way through watching this and already am hating it.
OK, without any spoilers, the pros and cons: PROS: - Nice graphics and fight scenes. (But then again, what movie these days doesn't have these? Well, at least the big budget ones with famous directors) - Good-looking actors, even if they are whitewashed.
CONS: Too long to list them all, but in short: - So whitewashed that you'll quite literally be blinded by the white. - Utterly predictable plot. I pretty much know already how this crapshow is gonna end. - Oh, and did I mention my obviously biggest gripe with this film? I probably did, but it bears repeating.
This is a fine movie to Netflix and chill with, but not much more. Go watch Stargate instead.
Break Ke Baad (2010)
Absolute misogynistic trash
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER (but not really, since it's so predictable) ***
OK, I should preface my review by stating that I'm not a huge, huge fan of Bollywood films, am not up to snuff on my actors, directors, and what-not, but do watch them on occasion (usually with my folks), and they can be fun, as in, "Singh is Kingg."
This film was without a doubt, the absolute trashiest film I've watched in quite a while, Bollywood or not. So bad in fact, that I couldn't even finish watching it, as I felt a nap would be more imaginative.
Not only that, the vaguely (and at times, overtly) misogynistic messages in this steaming pile was quite a shock. Sooooo ... stalking someone who's told you in no uncertain terms that they want a break (hence the title), showing up unexpectedly at their door, and playing on their emotions is totz kewl? ?:-/
Alrighty then. I guess I'm not up on my desi culture (and yes, I'm brown, in case it matters.)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
An atrocious waste of time
I had more or less low expectations for this film, but after being semi-forced to watch the whole thing (social obligations), I was met with the unfortunate end of "Low".
The film had some interesting and novel ideas to play around with (a bandit raccoon and a walking tree? Perfect!), but the word that constantly came to mind while making it through to the end was "Overdone". Too much action (yes, I said it), paper-thin characters, a plot that made absolutely no sense at all, and weak attempts at humor - the combination of all these left me checking the time every few minutes waiting for the all-too-predictable ending to be over.
Oh, and a constant irritation (at least to me), was the "soundtrack" -- songs from the 70's which grated on my nerves. I guess they were trying to be "original", or something.
Simplify the plot, develop the characters a bit more, work up some *good* actions (not just random explosions and bits moving about) and there might have been something here to hold my interest. Unfortunately I'm not a teenage boy who might think all this overkill is a-w-e-s-o-m-e, but I was bored within 30 minutes.
Sorry - I wanted to like it, but it didn't happen.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
The Pursuit of Career Goals
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
I was quite disappointed in this film, and I'll tell you why. For starters, it's been on my watch list for quite some time now, since I've been exploring the topic of happiness, well-being, and all that good stuff. I thought this film would provide an interesting angle on this, and present a different point of view. It does indeed present a different point of view. In a nutshell, it tells you that making your family a lower priority, while chasing the dream of making gobs of money at a career you know nothing about, are the keys to happiness. I beg to differ.
As a result of constantly letting down his wife, Will Smith finally loses her, and is left attempting to raise his young son, while essentially becoming homeless, but through hard work and gumption, he makes something of himself. And that's the pursuit of happiness. That's the entire film right there -- I just saved you two hours of your life.
To be fair, Smith, Jaden, and Thandie Newton all did a great job with the roles they were given. But the plot, script, and overarching message of this film absolutely didn't sit well with me at all. I'd rather engage in everyday happiness, than get caught up in "The Pursuit of Happiness" (sic), thank you.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Great visuals, but incredibly depressing story, and unfaithful adaptation
*** FULL SPOILERS AHEAD ***
Most of us who grew up in English-speaking countries remember Maurice Sendak's classic tale of the naughty young boy Max who was sent to his room without supper, and proceeded to have a night of rumpus and fun with monsters and wild things of his vivid imagination. So it was with eager expectation that I popped this into my player last night to see what director Spike Jonze had come up with. I had only seen previews and trailers and was pleasantly piqued at the visuals, which seemed as faithful to the book as real-life depictions could be.
Unfortunately, the visuals are pretty much where the similarities to Sendak's tale of childhood innocence end. The boy in the wolf suit is there on screen, but he is an extremely sad, disturbed, and troubled young child. Max grows up neglected in a single parent home, presumably has trouble making friends, and is shown throwing violent temper tantrums, and finally ends up running away from home. He shows all the signs of childhood depression and anger at his parents' divorce, not simply being a naughty boy. I did not appreciate the overburdening of the story with excessive adult themes. This is no longer a film for kids, but a thinly-veiled (and unfortunately, shallow) commentary on the disintegration of society, family, and relationships.
The Wild Things who he runs away to make friends with and eventually rule over, are an equally despondent group of characters. Not the wild and playful bunch of rowdies from Sendak's book, these creatures are way too close to reality. Angry, bitter, and resentful, they resemble more of a group therapy circle! Throughout the film, I just felt my heart sinking deeper and deeper with every scene. The only saving grace for this film is the great puppetry, CG-augmented visuals and other special effects that bring some scenes of the book to life.
Ultimately, this film tapped the joy out of Sendak's book, and I find it hard to imagine how this received his blessing and became greenlighted. It's rare that I actually hate a film this much, especially one that's based on a book so loved by so many. I really wanted to love this film, I really did. But ultimately, as evoked by one of the scenes, it just left me feeling like a black hole - burnt out, lifeless, and empty.
The Good Night (2007)
A somewhat familiar tale, but it had an interesting take.
This DVD popped up on my shelf randomly today, turning out to be a serendipitous find, and an enjoyable way to pass a rainy holiday afternoon. "The Good Night" tells a somewhat familiar tale; a musician trapped in a floundering relationship who seeks escape in the world of his dreams, and eventually finds solace in the arms of another woman in this dreamscape. Or does he?
Starring none other than beloved hobbit Martin Freeman as Gary, the cast is well-supported by Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny DeVito, and the ever- gorgeous Penélope Cruz. The film starts off rather slow, dull and uninteresting, which in retrospect, fits in well with the overall storyline. One night, he dreams of meeting a strange, beautiful woman on the beach (Cruz, as Anna), but is awakened before he can go further. A turning point is reached when Gary seeks the advice of a lucid continuous dreaming expert (DeVito) and begins to see more and more of Anna, and eventually forms a dream-state relationship with her, gradually losing touch with his less-than-stellar reality.
As mentioned, this is a somewhat familiar tale, and one that's been treated quite a bit in films. Starcrossed lovers who can only meet in dreams, dreams being better than real life, which part of the film is real, and which is not - they've all arguably been done before, but I still enjoyed this director's take on it. Particularly interesting was the slight "documentary" twist on theme, which I wasn't quite sure what to make of. All in all, worth a watch.
The Hunger Games (2012)
A stylish and sensitive adaptation of a complex young adult novel
This film came out last year, and I grabbed a copy at the library last week. I knew a little bit about the back story, but made it a point not to oversteep myself in the story before watching it, because I'd heard good things. In a nutshell, it's set in a post-Apocalyptic North America. Most of the population has been wiped out, except for a large wealthy centralized city, with smaller populations in widespread districts who are forced to pledge allegiance. In order to maintain political control, the authorities enforce food rationing by way of brutal televised games involving children from the various districts. The games involve fights to the death out in the wild, "Survivor" style, until a final winner is declared and their district is allotted food rations.
Although the original novel is targeted at teens and young adults, I found the material rich and complex enough to satisfy older viewers. Themes of conflict, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, political intrigue, as well as a little bit of teen angst, are all composed against the backdrop of a constant fight to survive. The film has Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, and a surprising good role by Lenny Kravitz.
Stylistically, I enjoyed the portrayal of the futuristic Capitol and its upper class citizenry, shown as essentially colorful, ornately dressed puppets, compared to the stark utilitarian clothing of the district dwellers. It brought shades of "Aeon Flux" and "Metropolis" to mind, as did the entire film - a dystopian society on the verge of massive change and upheaval, brought about by gross injustices, founded upon its own underlying inhumanity. This film is part one of a three-part series, and I do hope the remaining films are made.
Water (2005)
A deeply moving tale full of visual spectacle
I'd been meaning to watch this one for a while now, as the final chapter to the Elements Trilogy by Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta. Like "Earth", this film is set in pre-Liberation Colonial India. The background tensions of political struggles, class uprising and the clash of the very modern and the very ancient set the stage for a story of friendship, forbidden love, and human frailty.
After losing her husband (by arranged marriage) to illness, 8-year-old Chuyia is forced to live in an ashram for widows, run by a cruel matriarch. She befriends Kalyani, a beautiful widow who is also under the control of the matriarch, and has been forced to become a prostitute. Into their lives comes a rich young lawyer whom they meet one day by the river, after which their lives are forever changed.
Cinematography, screenplay, theme music (with excellent work by A.R. Rahman), and other production values are impeccable, and the film itself is a feast for the eyes. I can usually hold it together pretty well watching highly dramatic, emotional films, but this one was a close call. No spoilers, but keep the Kleenex handy ...
Paycheck (2003)
Shades of Total Recall, Memento and Minory Report ...
... but none of the greatness of any of those movies, unfortunately.
I finally got around to seeing "Paycheck" last night. Having liked all of the movie adaptations of P.K. Dick's work so far, I thought that this one would also be at least a decent watch for an evening. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one at all. A hammy script and poor acting by the leads were just some of the problems I experienced while watching this one, but the major difficulty I had with "Paycheck" was simply the predictability of the plot and the derivativeness (similarity?) from the other works mentioned in the title of this post. The action scenes were alright, but unbelievable that an engineer and a biologist could kick butt in the way they're depicted to.
Watchable for a rental, but ultimately unsatisfying. Go see one of the above movies instead.
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004)
Not as good as Spirited Away, but alright
Just came out of my local art house movie theater for the matinée showing of "Howl's Moving Castle". I had previously seen Miyazaki's "Spirited Away", and was expecting a beautiful story with engaging visuals and an interesting eye on things. Unfortunately, for me, this movie only had 2/3 of those features. I found the story and characters not as likable or relatable as in "Spirited", and the convoluted plot involving a war taking place in the background didn't really pull me in as much. The animation is still great, especially of the moving castle, and in general it's on the level of "Spirited", but storywise, this one didn't really do it for me as much.
Recommended for a rental, I guess.
Chasing Amy (1997)
Basically a chick-flick, saved by brief Jay and Silent Bob appearance
What can I say? I was mostly bored to tears watching this movie. I have been on a Kevin Smith movie watching streak lately, covering Clerks, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Chasing Amy. In my opinion, it was Kevin Smith's attempt to make a chick-flick for the raunchy crowd. The only parts that I really found interesting was the whole comic book aspect to the movie and a glimpse into the life of the creative people who make them. But other than that, not something I'd want to see again. Jay and Silent Bob make a brief appearance, which was definitely the high point of the movie for me, after which it promptly fell back into the lull and stupor that typified my interest level in this movie. Oh well.