Perhaps the greatest film ever made. A seamless concoction of breathtaking formality of design along with exquisite sight gags, some of which take nearly the entire duration of the film to find their giddy punch line. And all the while it's oddly melancholy and quite moving.
Reviews
5 Reviews
A fun sci-fi adventure and a visual feast
23 July 2017
Sometimes the professional film critics, and I mostly admire them, will as a group get a fixation about a film and become blinded to its qualities.
"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" is a bit of an odd duck, agreed, but that's what makes it so much fun to watch. The visual effects are breathtaking and have to be see. in 3D on the big screen to be completely appreciated.
The visual style is not identical to all of the American fantasy epics and that may be why some folks are put off. It's a different visual aesthetic, more fanciful and wondrous, and less dark and gruesome than we are used to. That's what makes it so fun and enjoyable.
Perhaps Mr. Besson made a mistake by filming it in English. If it were in French, even then re-translated into Eglish, its vision might make more sense and seem more complete.
In any case, if you love film, go see it in theaters while you can or watch it on the biggest screen you own. You will have a blast.
"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" is a bit of an odd duck, agreed, but that's what makes it so much fun to watch. The visual effects are breathtaking and have to be see. in 3D on the big screen to be completely appreciated.
The visual style is not identical to all of the American fantasy epics and that may be why some folks are put off. It's a different visual aesthetic, more fanciful and wondrous, and less dark and gruesome than we are used to. That's what makes it so fun and enjoyable.
Perhaps Mr. Besson made a mistake by filming it in English. If it were in French, even then re-translated into Eglish, its vision might make more sense and seem more complete.
In any case, if you love film, go see it in theaters while you can or watch it on the biggest screen you own. You will have a blast.
Feast
(I) (2014)
Well made but a bit disappointing
1 March 2015
Compared to some of the other more dramatically searching and artistically adventurous animated shorts this year, it was a surprise that this well made but conventional short from Disney was the Oscar winner. Especially since its premise seems to owe a lot to the much more interesting "Adam and Dog" which was nominated in 2011. The story of Adam and Eve as perceived around the edges of Adam's relationship with his dog seemed deeper and more involving than this much more superficial picture of a guy and his girlfriend as perceived by the man's cute dog, eagerly awaiting every meal. Still, Feast is very well made and charming.
The Unfinished Dance
(1947)
Did you know that this is a remake?
28 May 2007
This movie is okay. A pleasant but saccharine MGM Technicolor musical film used as a vehicle for showing off beautiful Cyd Charisse's skills as a ballet dancer. But this film is actually a remake of a brilliant film, the truly thrilling "Ballerina" (aka "La Mort du cygne") a 1938 French film. This unforgettably romantic and atmospheric classic film about the price of art and ego starred the great dancers Yvonne Chauvire and Mia Slavenska along with a wonderful cast. The moody black and white photography vividly conjures the world of the Paris Opera House, both center stage and backstage. The film creates a world that is unforgettable.
If you liked "Unfinished Dance" don't miss the incredible original film.
"Unfinished" does have also have some interest for the rare glimpses of great dancers, George Zoritch among them, that it offers.
If you liked "Unfinished Dance" don't miss the incredible original film.
"Unfinished" does have also have some interest for the rare glimpses of great dancers, George Zoritch among them, that it offers.
Gaslight
(1940)
Another opinion
15 May 2005
I watched this film with great anticipation after hearing for years the stories of how MGM suppressed it after filming the remake.
In my opinion, they needn't have bothered. The 1940 version is a fine film: taut, suspenseful and well-edited. However compared to George Cukor's film to me it seems two-dimensional. Walbrook portrays a blatant villain and Wynyard is a passive victim. The suspense comes only from the plot.
I found the relationships in the 1944 film much more complex and interesting. Boyer is a villain, but is also an attractive lover, which makes his manipulations of Paula all the more terrible. The erotic and romantic chemistry between Boyer and Bergman make the film fascinating and much more than a simple cat and mouse suspenser.
In my opinion, they needn't have bothered. The 1940 version is a fine film: taut, suspenseful and well-edited. However compared to George Cukor's film to me it seems two-dimensional. Walbrook portrays a blatant villain and Wynyard is a passive victim. The suspense comes only from the plot.
I found the relationships in the 1944 film much more complex and interesting. Boyer is a villain, but is also an attractive lover, which makes his manipulations of Paula all the more terrible. The erotic and romantic chemistry between Boyer and Bergman make the film fascinating and much more than a simple cat and mouse suspenser.
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