I thought the book, The Devil Wears Prada, was decidedly uneven and, at time, cliché, but I did look forward to renting the film because I thought Meryl Streep would be an amazing Miranda Priestly. And yes, Streep was chillingly perfect as the “devil” with her sotto voce delivery and expressionless facile features. The movie maintained some of the naiveté and youthful ignorance of the Andrea (Andy) character but removed most of the pseudo-intellectual, self-righteous snobbery that peppered the book (e.g., the boyfriend, Nate, is making his way up the culinary ladder whereas in the book he worked with disadvantaged children).
The designer clothes are amazing, everyone is thin and beautiful, and you can’t help but feel a bit of empathy for Andy as the fashionistas outwardly make fun of her clothing, “Do you have something better to do? Maybe going to an ugly skirt convention?” Anne Hathaway is very endearing and resistant as Andy, but some of the character’s mannerisms were a bit too reminiscent of Sex and the City’s Charlotte character.
Rent the move, skip the book.
25 March 2007
Little Miss Sunshine
"Everyone just pretend to be normal!"
I went into this movie thinking that it was a comedy – friends who had seen it earlier described it as “hysterical” – so I felt a bit disjointed when the first 30 minutes presented nothing but dysfunctional family dynamics of the un-funny kind. The initial family dinner scene with parents Richard and Cheryl, Grandpa, Uncle Frank, and children Olive and Dwayne was almost too uncomfortable to get through but once the “wheels hit the road” so to speak, (the family piles into their VW Bus for the drive from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, CA) we get to see each character in a more complete light.
While this isn’t a laugh-a-minute film, the comedic scenes are expertly done and extremely humorous – the best of these being the beauty pageant talent competition which was surprising, shockingly hilarious, and socially insightful all at the same time. Along with Alan Arkin as Grandpa, Abigail Breslin steals the show as the adorably quirky and innocent Olive.
I went into this movie thinking that it was a comedy – friends who had seen it earlier described it as “hysterical” – so I felt a bit disjointed when the first 30 minutes presented nothing but dysfunctional family dynamics of the un-funny kind. The initial family dinner scene with parents Richard and Cheryl, Grandpa, Uncle Frank, and children Olive and Dwayne was almost too uncomfortable to get through but once the “wheels hit the road” so to speak, (the family piles into their VW Bus for the drive from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, CA) we get to see each character in a more complete light.
While this isn’t a laugh-a-minute film, the comedic scenes are expertly done and extremely humorous – the best of these being the beauty pageant talent competition which was surprising, shockingly hilarious, and socially insightful all at the same time. Along with Alan Arkin as Grandpa, Abigail Breslin steals the show as the adorably quirky and innocent Olive.
20 March 2007
The Village
I few months back I watched the Lady in the Water and thought Bryce Dallas Howard was great – so I was curious to see this earlier picture. Much like in Lady, she has aura of purity about her that is simply luminescent – and it’s all the more captivating as her character is a strong and confident one. Adrien Brody and Joaquin Phoenix offer solid performances and portrait interesting characters, but Howard is the real focal point in any scene. In true M. Night Shyamalan form, there are complex psychological and social tensions rippling above, below, and at the surface. If you liked the first season of Lost, you’ll totally enjoy this film.
This film received plenty of bad reviews from professional critics – Robert Ebert said “…a premise so transparent it would be laughable were the movie not so deadly solemn." I’ll admit that I’m an extremely gullible audience member so perhaps other folks saw the “twist” coming from miles away but I was totally and pleasantly surprised. I’ve watched plenty of bad movies and this wasn’t one of them.
This film received plenty of bad reviews from professional critics – Robert Ebert said “…a premise so transparent it would be laughable were the movie not so deadly solemn." I’ll admit that I’m an extremely gullible audience member so perhaps other folks saw the “twist” coming from miles away but I was totally and pleasantly surprised. I’ve watched plenty of bad movies and this wasn’t one of them.
15 March 2007
Babel
I know this film was nominated for many awards, and while there were some outstanding performances, on a whole it didn’t really impress me.
If you were to remove the grating and trite Brad Pitt / Cate Blanchett sequences, the “bed pan” reconciliation was nauseating at best, the rest of the storylines involving the families in Morocco, Mexico, and Japan had some solid storytelling and explored relevant social issues. However, the characters and their personal situations are never explored to the level that we develop a strong bond with them. We’re left thinking, “Yeah, that was kind of neat, but who cares?”
Babel could have been approached much like Kieslowski’s Trois Couleurs trilogy – where each film stood alone but referenced and incorporated characters in the other films. This could have been a much more satisfying approach. However, in its current assemblage, Babel, doesn’t provide enough depth with any of the storylines to truly engage the viewer.
Having the subtitles on or off didn’t really make much of a different either.
If you were to remove the grating and trite Brad Pitt / Cate Blanchett sequences, the “bed pan” reconciliation was nauseating at best, the rest of the storylines involving the families in Morocco, Mexico, and Japan had some solid storytelling and explored relevant social issues. However, the characters and their personal situations are never explored to the level that we develop a strong bond with them. We’re left thinking, “Yeah, that was kind of neat, but who cares?”
Babel could have been approached much like Kieslowski’s Trois Couleurs trilogy – where each film stood alone but referenced and incorporated characters in the other films. This could have been a much more satisfying approach. However, in its current assemblage, Babel, doesn’t provide enough depth with any of the storylines to truly engage the viewer.
Having the subtitles on or off didn’t really make much of a different either.
12 March 2007
Chicken With Plums
Marjane Satrapi’s latest graphic novel is a classic romantic tragedy in the most heartbreaking sense. The Persepolis series and Embroideries explored all the nuances of everyday life in Iran and had an energy and spirit that carried you along through the emotionally difficult time. Chicken with Plums has none of that. It is the tale of a man whose life decisions have brought him little happiness and who has lived his life through the memories of the past. It would be easy to romanticize or demonize him, but Satrapi’s simple illustrations convey a depth of emotion that would take thousands of words to describe. Our man is not alone in the blame for his situation nor is he completely innocent. Chicken With Plums shows that it is possible to carry a love with you to the grave and to have that love, or refusal of, be the cause of what drives you there.Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette is sheer eye-candy. Rich, gorgeous colors flood everything – from the costumes to the food to the gardens – everything just looks deliciously perfect. Kind of like a 1780s version of Sex & the City – but without the snappy repartee. Kristen Dunst is lovely as the jet-setting socialite (oh sorry! eighteenth century monarch). She’s an empty yet fashionable vessel floating within the bubble of her gilded castle existence. She’s not an evil person – she just doesn’t know any other way. :-(
Jason Schwartzman generally makes my skin crawl but his well-worn apathetic slacker delivery style works for Louis XVI. The DVD has an extra feature called “Louis XVI Cribs” which features Schwartzman trying to “go ghetto” while showing off Versailles. It was so embarrassingly awful that I couldn’t get through more than 3 minutes. I can’t believe his agent would allow such a thing to see the light of day.
IMHO, what really makes the film is the soundtrack. All the best of the “new romantics” are here: New Order, The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, even Adam Ant. He was probably bummed not to get a small role – after all, he did look pretty good in those revolutionary-era costumes. Maybe they don’t fit quiet so well anymore…
Final note: Something about this film is strongly reminiscent of Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy: Love Kills. Hmmm…maybe it’s the graphics? Is Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette the Sid Vicious of the new era? Nope. They both come off looking like Nancy Spungen to me.
Jason Schwartzman generally makes my skin crawl but his well-worn apathetic slacker delivery style works for Louis XVI. The DVD has an extra feature called “Louis XVI Cribs” which features Schwartzman trying to “go ghetto” while showing off Versailles. It was so embarrassingly awful that I couldn’t get through more than 3 minutes. I can’t believe his agent would allow such a thing to see the light of day.
IMHO, what really makes the film is the soundtrack. All the best of the “new romantics” are here: New Order, The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, even Adam Ant. He was probably bummed not to get a small role – after all, he did look pretty good in those revolutionary-era costumes. Maybe they don’t fit quiet so well anymore…
Final note: Something about this film is strongly reminiscent of Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy: Love Kills. Hmmm…maybe it’s the graphics? Is Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette the Sid Vicious of the new era? Nope. They both come off looking like Nancy Spungen to me.
World Traveler
Terrible film from start to finish. You get the impression that the writer was trying for a Leaving Las Vegas-type story but the characters are simply too self-absorbed and wimpy. Cal and Dulcie (played by Billy Crudup and Julianne Moore) never inspire any sort of emotion on the part of the viewer other than to think that they are loathsome or unreal. And the ending is enough to make you want to throw something at the screen. Just stay away from this one…
08 March 2007
The Science of Sleep
"Because everyone else is boring. And because you are different."
If Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind exposed your limits for the unconventional, then you probably won’t be able to make it through The Science of Sleep. However, if you loved the former, you’ll immediately fall in love with Michel Gondry's creatively romantic film which celebrates those unfortunate souls who tend to confuse their real lives with the ones that inhabit their dreams and fantasies.
Gael García Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg are perfectly heart-wrenching as Stéphane and Stéphanie - two shy and temperamental neighbors who are seemingly well suited to one another but somewhat unable to connect in real life. Alain Chabat is a hysterically stereotypical middle-aged co-worker of Stéphane's who has sex on the brain non-stop.
The super low-fi animation is what makes this film extra special - and the occasional costume sequences are fantastic. The scene where Bernal and Chabat are dressed as cats singing "If you Rescue Me" is so delicious that I immediately purchased the song on iTunes.
If Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind exposed your limits for the unconventional, then you probably won’t be able to make it through The Science of Sleep. However, if you loved the former, you’ll immediately fall in love with Michel Gondry's creatively romantic film which celebrates those unfortunate souls who tend to confuse their real lives with the ones that inhabit their dreams and fantasies.
Gael García Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg are perfectly heart-wrenching as Stéphane and Stéphanie - two shy and temperamental neighbors who are seemingly well suited to one another but somewhat unable to connect in real life. Alain Chabat is a hysterically stereotypical middle-aged co-worker of Stéphane's who has sex on the brain non-stop.
The super low-fi animation is what makes this film extra special - and the occasional costume sequences are fantastic. The scene where Bernal and Chabat are dressed as cats singing "If you Rescue Me" is so delicious that I immediately purchased the song on iTunes.
05 March 2007
Hollywoodland
Hollywoodland is much more than just another film noir piece where everyone looks fabulous and the storylines have more twists and turns than the Pacific Coast Highway.
Adrien Brody gives the Louis Simo character a more human and complex edge than what is often attributed to a 1950s private detective role. He’s tough enough not to smoke, but not tough enough to resist when the going gets rough and he’s covered with scrapes and bruises. The scenes involving Simo, his ex-wife, and young son are incredibly strong and illustrate the conflicting emotions associated with a family break-up. I really don’t understand why Brody isn’t a huge star – maybe he’s not attending the right parties or something…
Diane Lane is graceful and pretty and refined as Toni Mannix and Ben Affleck doesn’t even look like himself (and if you watch the DVD extras you’ll find out why) and does a first-rate job of portraying a character that in many ways isn’t all that far removed from his real life…
Adrien Brody gives the Louis Simo character a more human and complex edge than what is often attributed to a 1950s private detective role. He’s tough enough not to smoke, but not tough enough to resist when the going gets rough and he’s covered with scrapes and bruises. The scenes involving Simo, his ex-wife, and young son are incredibly strong and illustrate the conflicting emotions associated with a family break-up. I really don’t understand why Brody isn’t a huge star – maybe he’s not attending the right parties or something…
Diane Lane is graceful and pretty and refined as Toni Mannix and Ben Affleck doesn’t even look like himself (and if you watch the DVD extras you’ll find out why) and does a first-rate job of portraying a character that in many ways isn’t all that far removed from his real life…
02 March 2007
Cold Mountain
I stayed away from Cold Mountain from a long time. And my reason was so very silly. Civil War stories totally turn me off.
This should have been a film I saw in the theatre. Anthony Minghella is truly superb. Truly, Madly, Deeply and The English patient are among my favorite films of all times and this film continues his tradition of soaking every scene with rich colors and emotion. When I think of The English Patient I immediately feel the grit of sand and hot, dry wind. With Cold Mountain you smell the dirt, the sweat and blood, the wildflowers, the snow.
In true dramatic form, Minghella expertly delivers us to the sob-inducing moment at the end. I’m still uncertain if it’s similarities to the plane crash-painted cave scene in The English Patient is good, acceptable, or a bit of a cop-out. Regardless, it still succeeds in leaving you a bit wrung-out and exhausted.
The cast is excellent. Jude Law, even though they batter and bloody him, still manages to look pretty good and Renee Zellweger is rich with character. And Nicole Kidman is lovely and tall and thin and perfectly cast as a southern belle who has her Gone with the Wind moments (although she toughens up nicely). Get over whatever reservations you have and just rent it.
This should have been a film I saw in the theatre. Anthony Minghella is truly superb. Truly, Madly, Deeply and The English patient are among my favorite films of all times and this film continues his tradition of soaking every scene with rich colors and emotion. When I think of The English Patient I immediately feel the grit of sand and hot, dry wind. With Cold Mountain you smell the dirt, the sweat and blood, the wildflowers, the snow.
In true dramatic form, Minghella expertly delivers us to the sob-inducing moment at the end. I’m still uncertain if it’s similarities to the plane crash-painted cave scene in The English Patient is good, acceptable, or a bit of a cop-out. Regardless, it still succeeds in leaving you a bit wrung-out and exhausted.
The cast is excellent. Jude Law, even though they batter and bloody him, still manages to look pretty good and Renee Zellweger is rich with character. And Nicole Kidman is lovely and tall and thin and perfectly cast as a southern belle who has her Gone with the Wind moments (although she toughens up nicely). Get over whatever reservations you have and just rent it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
