The Film: Avatar
The Players: Sam Worthington, Zoe Soldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, et al.
The Dealio: Oh, come on...seriously?! You have to ask? This latest entry in the CV of tiny, art-house flix-meister James Cameron, takes a paraplegic Marine and throws him headlong into the Avatar Program, replacing his boy-genius, deceased twin bro. From then on, it's pretty much a case of Disney's Pocahontas in Space. OK, OK, I admit the special effects were really, really (special). Sumptuous, evocative, unreal and psychedelic. The voicing was evocative...except for our main dude. (More on that later). But, as wowsers as all this is, I was bothered by the 'let's throw everything at the thing and see what sticks' approach to a project which clocked in at 12 years in development and mucho dinero in costs. Couldn't we have used at least some of that time/money to move into a more unique storyline? I know my better half will say, 'Well, there are only 9 original plots in the entire world.' This is true. But, why do some approaches seem fresher and more intriguing than others? This one, for example, had great potential to break loose and change/challenge current thinking. It didn't.
Am I saying this is a bad movie? Am I saying 'Don't go see this!' ? Nope. Not a bit. I am merely expressing my disappointment.
The Grading Session: 4.01 pengies out of 5. There is an old saying that fits this sitch: 'To whom much is given, much is expected.' Much was definitely given (hundreds of millions of dollars and almost 3 hours of our time). Is it too much to expect that an editor be chosen who is unafraid to tell the emperor (uh, sorry, 'King of da World') that he is, well, nekkid? Trim out about 45-60 minutes from this behemoth (say one or two fewer scenes of taming the flying pterodactyls? One less eye-candy shot of Sam's and Stephen's pumped-up-itude? A sliver less of the ooooohhhhh! aaaaahhhhh! fluffy little animated flowers, and hairy/scary leapin' leopards? Would that have irrevocably damaged the purity and fidelity of the message? (AKA: there go the Earthlings again, messing up their world, then, in a manner that would've given Victorian era Empirists pause- slaughtering the 'inferior', indigenous population in order to glom onto to 100% of the buttload of whatever needful thaang they happen be be roosting upon, in their nayb'?).
Here is something: Sam Worthington is playing a US Marine? He is an Aussie, I am reliably informed. Well, OK, I know this is will strike many as splitting hairs, but it has always bugged me whenever someone slips back into their own accents in the course of executing a role. Once or twice, I can overlook, but this happened throughout the entire second half of the film. And, in a movie of this sweep and span, I'd think someone- esp. that noted perfectionist James Cameron, would want to get that piece right. I don't even excuse this in a cheap-smack movie, let alone one which cost so much, and took so long to get into the can. So- there ya go. You owe it to yourself to see this film, but you also owe it to yourself to think about how you would have made this film. This is the greatest fun of all for me- a person who has absolutely no talent whatsoever for film-making. In other words: the perfect critic. Really.
Lessons Learned: It is never acceptable to trash your own 'hood, then expect that you have the right to scoot on over into someone else's and evict them so that you can strip mine the crap out of theirs. Additionally, even if you are a science nerd, on Pandora, your avatar will be tall (about 10' worth), long-legged and graceful, wear cool clothing and cornrows and really blend. The ultimate 'Revenge of the Nerds'.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Hurt Locker
The Film: The Hurt Locker
The Actors: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie. Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly
The Dealio: Into Bravo Company, after the leader of one of the ordinance disposal units is...out of the picture, comes a whole 'nother kind of leader: Will James. SGT James has already defused 871 bombs/explosive devices, call 'em what you will. Now, he is part of a new unit. One problem: he prefers to work alone. His team sees him as 'the guy who will get us killed'; his superiors call him 'a bonafide cowboy'- and they mean this as a compliment. Everybody else is unsure what to think of him: his wife and infant son think he is coming home to them when his tour is finished (38 days at the start of the film). He thinks that marriage is just another something that is trying to kill him- and is not even sure he actually is still married.
Set in the midst of the war in Iraq, this is a film that makes you care about the players almost at once...then snatches them out of their usual comfort zone and throws them-and you- literally, into the face of a mysterious, unknown and unknowable enemy. As with Danger: UXB, (a fantastic, intricate and mesmerising take on the same subject, but involving an unexploded bomb squad in WWII, when the enemy was known and familiar, but the technology not), there is an enormous temptation to immediately identify with certain characters and feel the need to speak directly to the screen, to warn them not to turn their backs, not to cut this wire, or go into that house. You know the drill. The twist is, here, I just knew from the first 3 minutes of the movie, that it could only end one of two ways. Don't worry, this is not a spoiler, so no need for an alert. I would be truly surprised if anyone walking into the theatre would not quickly jump to the same conclusions.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. Some debits due to the use of a Marine helo to transport the newbies to the desert (ya know, these are Army guys, and the Army actually does have its own helos). Additionally, my on the spot expert in such things states that alcohol is not so readily available in the US camps as the movie would lead you to believe. The acting was fabulous, although it doth seem a crime to throw away some of the strongest actors after just a scene or two. Sigh. Be it ever thus.
Lessons Learned: Some people were born to do one certain job in life. That is what 'lifers' are all about. They are never completely comfortable doing the same, ordinary things as the rest of us, every doggone day. Thank God for them, says I, as how else would we be able to get people to put themselves in harms' way more than once? And we do need them to do so. We depend upon that. For those who do this, I say 'thank you!' For those who don't, I say, 'thank God, you have an appreciation, a longing, for something beyond the work. For life in all its multiple shadings, varieties and ordinariness. For all its predictability. I would guess that life led the other way- while great for those of us who don't- would be a pretty isolating, misunderstood and lonely existence. Or...I could be wrong. Thoughts?
The Actors: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie. Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly
The Dealio: Into Bravo Company, after the leader of one of the ordinance disposal units is...out of the picture, comes a whole 'nother kind of leader: Will James. SGT James has already defused 871 bombs/explosive devices, call 'em what you will. Now, he is part of a new unit. One problem: he prefers to work alone. His team sees him as 'the guy who will get us killed'; his superiors call him 'a bonafide cowboy'- and they mean this as a compliment. Everybody else is unsure what to think of him: his wife and infant son think he is coming home to them when his tour is finished (38 days at the start of the film). He thinks that marriage is just another something that is trying to kill him- and is not even sure he actually is still married.
Set in the midst of the war in Iraq, this is a film that makes you care about the players almost at once...then snatches them out of their usual comfort zone and throws them-and you- literally, into the face of a mysterious, unknown and unknowable enemy. As with Danger: UXB, (a fantastic, intricate and mesmerising take on the same subject, but involving an unexploded bomb squad in WWII, when the enemy was known and familiar, but the technology not), there is an enormous temptation to immediately identify with certain characters and feel the need to speak directly to the screen, to warn them not to turn their backs, not to cut this wire, or go into that house. You know the drill. The twist is, here, I just knew from the first 3 minutes of the movie, that it could only end one of two ways. Don't worry, this is not a spoiler, so no need for an alert. I would be truly surprised if anyone walking into the theatre would not quickly jump to the same conclusions.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. Some debits due to the use of a Marine helo to transport the newbies to the desert (ya know, these are Army guys, and the Army actually does have its own helos). Additionally, my on the spot expert in such things states that alcohol is not so readily available in the US camps as the movie would lead you to believe. The acting was fabulous, although it doth seem a crime to throw away some of the strongest actors after just a scene or two. Sigh. Be it ever thus.
Lessons Learned: Some people were born to do one certain job in life. That is what 'lifers' are all about. They are never completely comfortable doing the same, ordinary things as the rest of us, every doggone day. Thank God for them, says I, as how else would we be able to get people to put themselves in harms' way more than once? And we do need them to do so. We depend upon that. For those who do this, I say 'thank you!' For those who don't, I say, 'thank God, you have an appreciation, a longing, for something beyond the work. For life in all its multiple shadings, varieties and ordinariness. For all its predictability. I would guess that life led the other way- while great for those of us who don't- would be a pretty isolating, misunderstood and lonely existence. Or...I could be wrong. Thoughts?
Friday, January 1, 2010
Up In Th Air
The Film: Up In The Air
The Actors: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman (does he ever play a good guy any more?)
The Dealio: Ryan ( Clooney) is a hired gun who works, moving from site to site, firing people, because their employers are too chicken to handle this themselves. As such, he has carved a career for himself not only in amassing at least 10 million lifetime air-miles, but also seminaring others on the fine art of sharking through life without commitment. On a trip which goes exactly the way these jobs usually do, he meets a woman who describes herself as him with anatomical differences. His hard-earned shell begins to, at the very least, fray around the edges. Upon arriving 'home', a depressingly anonymous, soul-sucking rental-apartment for those who spend minimal time in their 'castle', he has a surprise awaiting him at the office: his boss ( Bateman, as a weak-principled, strong bottom liner) introduces him to the wave of the future: a recent college grad who has figured out how to save time and money (and potentially wreck everything Ryan has spent his professional life creating for himself) by firing people over the Internet. Ryan baulks at the 'depersonalisation' of the entire thing, but is overruled. The best he can do is to take his young apprentice on the road with him to see, first hand, how much better the trad (well, sort of trad) ways are to the souped up, fast-paced version she is espousing. Along the way there are cute-meets, tragedies, disillusionment, a really funny karaoke scene, and ultimately an understanding of the impact of what they do.
The Grading Session: 4.12 pengies out of 5. This movie is being heralded as a possible Picture of the Year, but I just ain't buy it. I liked the movie, thought everyone acted their touchuses off, but there was a certain lack of spirit which compelled me to mark this effort down a bit. Once again, I had to ask myself: what were the other endings that didn't make it? I know there had to be at least 2 others. Result: I walked out of there feeling...defeated. Harrumph.
Lessons Learned: You can call it whatever you like. You can do it however you think best. But, face it, fired is fired and unemployment seems to be the leitmotif for this moment in time. And watching a movie about it, set in the framework of a commitment phobe who finally tries to connect with someone- is just too depressing.
The Actors: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman (does he ever play a good guy any more?)
The Dealio: Ryan ( Clooney) is a hired gun who works, moving from site to site, firing people, because their employers are too chicken to handle this themselves. As such, he has carved a career for himself not only in amassing at least 10 million lifetime air-miles, but also seminaring others on the fine art of sharking through life without commitment. On a trip which goes exactly the way these jobs usually do, he meets a woman who describes herself as him with anatomical differences. His hard-earned shell begins to, at the very least, fray around the edges. Upon arriving 'home', a depressingly anonymous, soul-sucking rental-apartment for those who spend minimal time in their 'castle', he has a surprise awaiting him at the office: his boss ( Bateman, as a weak-principled, strong bottom liner) introduces him to the wave of the future: a recent college grad who has figured out how to save time and money (and potentially wreck everything Ryan has spent his professional life creating for himself) by firing people over the Internet. Ryan baulks at the 'depersonalisation' of the entire thing, but is overruled. The best he can do is to take his young apprentice on the road with him to see, first hand, how much better the trad (well, sort of trad) ways are to the souped up, fast-paced version she is espousing. Along the way there are cute-meets, tragedies, disillusionment, a really funny karaoke scene, and ultimately an understanding of the impact of what they do.
The Grading Session: 4.12 pengies out of 5. This movie is being heralded as a possible Picture of the Year, but I just ain't buy it. I liked the movie, thought everyone acted their touchuses off, but there was a certain lack of spirit which compelled me to mark this effort down a bit. Once again, I had to ask myself: what were the other endings that didn't make it? I know there had to be at least 2 others. Result: I walked out of there feeling...defeated. Harrumph.
Lessons Learned: You can call it whatever you like. You can do it however you think best. But, face it, fired is fired and unemployment seems to be the leitmotif for this moment in time. And watching a movie about it, set in the framework of a commitment phobe who finally tries to connect with someone- is just too depressing.
It's Complicated
The Flick: It's Complicated
The Actors: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krazinski, Rita Wilson, Mary Kay Place, Lake Bell and the most obnoxious male-kid in recent memory.
The Dealio: Jane and Jake divorced, after 20 years of marriage and 3 childrenm so that Jake can marry Agness. Now, 10 years later, there is a reunion of sorts prompted by Jane and Jake's youngest child's graduation from college. The entire clan re-situates to a plus NYC hotel and, well, one thing lead to another and, before you know it, sparks begin to fly between the two exes.
Into this mix, dump a newly divorced architect- Steve Martin, who is sweet-sweet-sweetie-sweet, but has clearly had some sort of plastic intervention. Then there is Agness' drive to have a child with Jake, which has taken all the fun out of their relationship and substituted nastiness, jealousy and suspicion--in this case, well-founded. Then there is Krazinski's Harley, who is very quick, indeed, on the uptake, realising that there is a whole lot of 'very French ' naughtiness going on behind others' backs. What to do, what to do?
The Grading Session: 3.68 pengies out of 5. Oddly enough, I thought I would like this movie much more than I actually did. I love-love-love the leads, and there are such tender and tough moments of confrontation (with fears, with advancing age, with the inevitability of failing at something that means the world to you), but was ultimately disappointed in the carry-through. My steadfast co-observer remarked, 'I wonder how many endings they went through before they lit on this one?' And I agree- which seems to be the problem. Should you go see this thing? Well, yeah, especially if you just saw Precious the day before...which I did. Sometimes there is great need for the palate cleansing that goes with movies like Meatballs, or Miss Congeniality and, well, It's Complicated. There is also some terrific gal-pandering: beautiful home, successful business, attractive friends, great relationships with the offspring- all post break-up. Which is as soothing as a trip to the spa, and a lot less costly.
Lessons Learned: Although it looks good on paper, or in your imagination, it almost never works out that you can revisit the scene of the crime and make everything turn out the way we feel they just-doggone it!- ought to(which).
The Actors: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krazinski, Rita Wilson, Mary Kay Place, Lake Bell and the most obnoxious male-kid in recent memory.
The Dealio: Jane and Jake divorced, after 20 years of marriage and 3 childrenm so that Jake can marry Agness. Now, 10 years later, there is a reunion of sorts prompted by Jane and Jake's youngest child's graduation from college. The entire clan re-situates to a plus NYC hotel and, well, one thing lead to another and, before you know it, sparks begin to fly between the two exes.
Into this mix, dump a newly divorced architect- Steve Martin, who is sweet-sweet-sweetie-sweet, but has clearly had some sort of plastic intervention. Then there is Agness' drive to have a child with Jake, which has taken all the fun out of their relationship and substituted nastiness, jealousy and suspicion--in this case, well-founded. Then there is Krazinski's Harley, who is very quick, indeed, on the uptake, realising that there is a whole lot of 'very French ' naughtiness going on behind others' backs. What to do, what to do?
The Grading Session: 3.68 pengies out of 5. Oddly enough, I thought I would like this movie much more than I actually did. I love-love-love the leads, and there are such tender and tough moments of confrontation (with fears, with advancing age, with the inevitability of failing at something that means the world to you), but was ultimately disappointed in the carry-through. My steadfast co-observer remarked, 'I wonder how many endings they went through before they lit on this one?' And I agree- which seems to be the problem. Should you go see this thing? Well, yeah, especially if you just saw Precious the day before...which I did. Sometimes there is great need for the palate cleansing that goes with movies like Meatballs, or Miss Congeniality and, well, It's Complicated. There is also some terrific gal-pandering: beautiful home, successful business, attractive friends, great relationships with the offspring- all post break-up. Which is as soothing as a trip to the spa, and a lot less costly.
Lessons Learned: Although it looks good on paper, or in your imagination, it almost never works out that you can revisit the scene of the crime and make everything turn out the way we feel they just-doggone it!- ought to(which).
The Young Victoria
The Film: The Young Victoria
The Actors: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Jim Broadbent, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, etc
The Dealio: Let's call this 'Victoria: The Early Years'. Prendie is convinced that this is the first in a 3 picture portrayal. After all, can one ever get too much Victoria?
We have the opportunity to see her as a small child, constantly being groomed for 'the job' by her mother and her mother's lover, an Irish upstart whose sole goal in life is to grab the bux and the power and roll around in both for the bulk of his life. Into Victoria's young life come a confusing confliction of male 'advisers', starting with the aforementioned Irish upstart, Conroy. Next is her uncle, King William, who sees her as the best of a bad lot, but can't get her mom to bring her to court more often than once every year (why not? He is, after all, the King!). Next up is Lord Melbourne, her first prime minister, but certainly not her last: using Victoria to advance his own agenda, and cutting her off from everyone who would deny him. Then Bobby Peel and the Duke of Wellington march through with barely a ripple on the surface to indicate how important they were to the formation of the image most of us have of Victoria: a tight-laced tartar in white bun and black attire, constantly disappproving of the state to which this old world has fallen. She is tossed between these men like a particularly desirable bone as she tries to find her way, and is reduced to near-surrender when a new male shows up on the scene. Albert. Thing is, is he truly interested in Victoria, the woman? Or is he serving solely as an undercover spy/puppet for her uncle, King Leopold of Belgium (AKA Leo the Nutter)?
Albert, starting out as an unenthusiastic gopher for Leopold, blossoms, over time, into the force to be reckoned with of Victoria's dreams. Does he go along with her unquestioningly? Absolutely not. Do they fight? Absolutely. Do they fall in L-U-V love? Absolutely. Through changes in government, an assassination attempt, 9 kiddies and the Irish Potato Famine, the Young Victoria documents, not only the massive affairs of international politics, but also the tiny moments of intimacy and passion which molded Vic into the most dominant female royal since Liz 1.
And, oh! those clothes!
The Grading Session: 4.91 pengies out of 5. An incorrect gun was used, I am told, in one scene. The actors all do a terrific job, although I think VR should feel flattered by her portrayal by Miz Blunt. Everyone was spot-on and perfect, throughout. I also give thumbs up to the effort to catch us up with the remaining few (50+) years of Vic's reign, especially (spoiler alert! Oh, come on! you know this, right?)- Prince Albert died at the age of 42- 20 years into the marriage.
Lessons Learned: Well, actually, this is a lesson I haven't yet learned, but am longing to(which): What turned Victoria from an avid participant in what she called 'the marriage deed' to a person who, singlehandedly, embodies, to this day, the ultimate in sexual repression and prudery? Oh, wait, I think I just got it: the longing for a miracle to restore her dearest consort to her, and a jealous and vindictive streak unleashed when the aforementioned miracle did not eventuates. Thoughts? Anyone?
The Actors: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Jim Broadbent, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, etc
The Dealio: Let's call this 'Victoria: The Early Years'. Prendie is convinced that this is the first in a 3 picture portrayal. After all, can one ever get too much Victoria?
We have the opportunity to see her as a small child, constantly being groomed for 'the job' by her mother and her mother's lover, an Irish upstart whose sole goal in life is to grab the bux and the power and roll around in both for the bulk of his life. Into Victoria's young life come a confusing confliction of male 'advisers', starting with the aforementioned Irish upstart, Conroy. Next is her uncle, King William, who sees her as the best of a bad lot, but can't get her mom to bring her to court more often than once every year (why not? He is, after all, the King!). Next up is Lord Melbourne, her first prime minister, but certainly not her last: using Victoria to advance his own agenda, and cutting her off from everyone who would deny him. Then Bobby Peel and the Duke of Wellington march through with barely a ripple on the surface to indicate how important they were to the formation of the image most of us have of Victoria: a tight-laced tartar in white bun and black attire, constantly disappproving of the state to which this old world has fallen. She is tossed between these men like a particularly desirable bone as she tries to find her way, and is reduced to near-surrender when a new male shows up on the scene. Albert. Thing is, is he truly interested in Victoria, the woman? Or is he serving solely as an undercover spy/puppet for her uncle, King Leopold of Belgium (AKA Leo the Nutter)?
Albert, starting out as an unenthusiastic gopher for Leopold, blossoms, over time, into the force to be reckoned with of Victoria's dreams. Does he go along with her unquestioningly? Absolutely not. Do they fight? Absolutely. Do they fall in L-U-V love? Absolutely. Through changes in government, an assassination attempt, 9 kiddies and the Irish Potato Famine, the Young Victoria documents, not only the massive affairs of international politics, but also the tiny moments of intimacy and passion which molded Vic into the most dominant female royal since Liz 1.
And, oh! those clothes!
The Grading Session: 4.91 pengies out of 5. An incorrect gun was used, I am told, in one scene. The actors all do a terrific job, although I think VR should feel flattered by her portrayal by Miz Blunt. Everyone was spot-on and perfect, throughout. I also give thumbs up to the effort to catch us up with the remaining few (50+) years of Vic's reign, especially (spoiler alert! Oh, come on! you know this, right?)- Prince Albert died at the age of 42- 20 years into the marriage.
Lessons Learned: Well, actually, this is a lesson I haven't yet learned, but am longing to(which): What turned Victoria from an avid participant in what she called 'the marriage deed' to a person who, singlehandedly, embodies, to this day, the ultimate in sexual repression and prudery? Oh, wait, I think I just got it: the longing for a miracle to restore her dearest consort to her, and a jealous and vindictive streak unleashed when the aforementioned miracle did not eventuates. Thoughts? Anyone?
Sherlock Holmes
The Film: Sherlock Holmes
The Actors: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
The Dealio: OK, so, Sherlock Holmes, as seen through the prism of Guy Ritchie's lens. This is a more vital, visceral (lots of punch 'em ups, violent encounters...OK, I did say this was Guy Ritchie's interpretation, did I not?),updated (no deer-stalker hat, Dr. Watson is a babe!), eye-winking version of the more trad, placid, cerebral detective. But, I must say, as a long-time fan of Sherlock, in all his recreations, both literal and cinematic, 99.9% of the result was achieved righteously: not too much fudging, and pretty well true to the source materials.
Here's the story: Sherlock is involved in a case that, ultimately, results in a peer of the realm being brought low and, well, hanged. Except that, now, there are reports that he is reappearing and wreaking his revenge upon all who sent him to the gallows to begin with. Can Sherlock's turn be long in coming? Think you know the answer to that, but half the fun is getting there. Strong performances by a slew of supporting actors- including, oddly, Mark Strong, as the ultra-villain.
The Grading Session: 4.295 pengies out of 5. Points off for a few items: 1st, at the time, London was known as The Big Smoke, because of the wholesale smog and pollution from the factories that housed the Industrial Revolution. In this movie, the city was as pristine and sparkly-new as a starched shirt out of a bandbox. 'Supwidat? It's a small thing, I know, but this matters to me, since the city was also a character in this movie- and an important one. Another small quibble is one that frequently occurs to me (and so I was thrilled that Austin Powers highlighted it, humorously): why all these infernal Rube Goldberg devices to kill, when an ordinary everyday explosion would fill the bill? ('No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die...slowly, tortuously, over the course of 12 hours!' Pu-leez). Otherwise, cakey! Aaaand, was I the only one to scent a whiff of the 's word' (sequel)? Stay tuned, Holmes fans everywhere!
Lessons Learned: Some literary figures wear out their welcomes with the speed of sound. Sherlock Holmes- inconsiderate, drug-addled, ego-driven genius that he is- is still, more than 124 years into his life, a force to be reckoned with (which).
The Actors: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
The Dealio: OK, so, Sherlock Holmes, as seen through the prism of Guy Ritchie's lens. This is a more vital, visceral (lots of punch 'em ups, violent encounters...OK, I did say this was Guy Ritchie's interpretation, did I not?),updated (no deer-stalker hat, Dr. Watson is a babe!), eye-winking version of the more trad, placid, cerebral detective. But, I must say, as a long-time fan of Sherlock, in all his recreations, both literal and cinematic, 99.9% of the result was achieved righteously: not too much fudging, and pretty well true to the source materials.
Here's the story: Sherlock is involved in a case that, ultimately, results in a peer of the realm being brought low and, well, hanged. Except that, now, there are reports that he is reappearing and wreaking his revenge upon all who sent him to the gallows to begin with. Can Sherlock's turn be long in coming? Think you know the answer to that, but half the fun is getting there. Strong performances by a slew of supporting actors- including, oddly, Mark Strong, as the ultra-villain.
The Grading Session: 4.295 pengies out of 5. Points off for a few items: 1st, at the time, London was known as The Big Smoke, because of the wholesale smog and pollution from the factories that housed the Industrial Revolution. In this movie, the city was as pristine and sparkly-new as a starched shirt out of a bandbox. 'Supwidat? It's a small thing, I know, but this matters to me, since the city was also a character in this movie- and an important one. Another small quibble is one that frequently occurs to me (and so I was thrilled that Austin Powers highlighted it, humorously): why all these infernal Rube Goldberg devices to kill, when an ordinary everyday explosion would fill the bill? ('No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die...slowly, tortuously, over the course of 12 hours!' Pu-leez). Otherwise, cakey! Aaaand, was I the only one to scent a whiff of the 's word' (sequel)? Stay tuned, Holmes fans everywhere!
Lessons Learned: Some literary figures wear out their welcomes with the speed of sound. Sherlock Holmes- inconsiderate, drug-addled, ego-driven genius that he is- is still, more than 124 years into his life, a force to be reckoned with (which).
Precious
The Film: Precious
The Actors: Gabourey Sidebe, Mo'Nique, yeah, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravits, Sherri Shepherd
The Dealio: To those of you off-planet in the past 3 months, this is the story of a 16-17 year old girl. That sounded way-simple, but the story is definitely not. Portrayed by Sidebe, Precious, our heroine, is a large, stoic, doughy, complex cipher of a woman. She has been heartbreakingly done-wrong-by. What a world-class understatement! Pregnant for the second time by her father, (she already has a daughter-Mongo- with Downs' Syndrome), living with a resentful, vicious, vindictive, abusive ignoramus of a mother, the only consistent message in her life is not 'Yes, you can', but 'No, you can't, you dummy...and why would you even want to try?'
From the very first scene, we are let into Precious' real life. Her internal life. The single facet of her existence which allows her to feel possibilities, hope and power-not yet realised, to be sure, but there, none the less. Not since the feather-weight movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has a more reliable, fully realised, subversive inner life been depicted. It is this which stokes Precious' hidden strength and enables her to get up each day to take care of the ordinary business of life, as oppressive and dark as that may be. Is.
In some reviews of this movie, I have read that there is a great, 'uplifting' positive ending to the piece. To me, there is not, unless you judge the positives using a pretty steep grading curve. And that is when it hit me: the movie itself was like Precious' life: full of moments of unrelenting tragedy and violence, but made more palatable by the instants-surely no more than fleeting moments- when a beam of light shows through. And there were notable moments: a guidance counsellor seeing through her iron reserve to the needy woman within and moving her forward in her goal to get an education and make something of herself. A teacher who challenges her, then challenges her again and again-and helps her to meet her challenges and tune-up the way she looks not only at herself, but at the outside world. Incredibly empowering, involving and uplifting. So, yeah. Guess you have to grab your uplifts and positives where you can.
I actually had to pick a day to see this movie. Pick a day when I felt 'up' enough not to carry this movie around with me like a lead weight for weeks. Well, that plan was only partially successful, because I have carried this movie around with me ever since seeing it. Each time I think about it, I gain new insight, find new facets, am moved more deeply, unexpectedly.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. This is not a movie for people offended by raw language and situations. There are so many in this film. However, it is pretty much a done deal that Sidebe will get a nom, if not an actual Oscar for her complex, touching portrayal. Mo'Nique will also probably get a nod in the supporting category. She deserves it.
Hated the music- which is a major consideration for me. And, as a nurse, I baulked a bit at Lenny Kravitz' characters statement in the film: ' I am a nurse. A nurses' aide.' OK...which is it? These are not synonymous terms, so clarify. I was just surprised the writers didn't make him a doc.
Lessons Learned: Dwell in the realm of possibility. It may save your (internal and external) life. Literally. Without the hope, the fantasy, the ideal to guide us, where is the motivation to continue to get up and surge forward? Word.
The Actors: Gabourey Sidebe, Mo'Nique, yeah, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravits, Sherri Shepherd
The Dealio: To those of you off-planet in the past 3 months, this is the story of a 16-17 year old girl. That sounded way-simple, but the story is definitely not. Portrayed by Sidebe, Precious, our heroine, is a large, stoic, doughy, complex cipher of a woman. She has been heartbreakingly done-wrong-by. What a world-class understatement! Pregnant for the second time by her father, (she already has a daughter-Mongo- with Downs' Syndrome), living with a resentful, vicious, vindictive, abusive ignoramus of a mother, the only consistent message in her life is not 'Yes, you can', but 'No, you can't, you dummy...and why would you even want to try?'
From the very first scene, we are let into Precious' real life. Her internal life. The single facet of her existence which allows her to feel possibilities, hope and power-not yet realised, to be sure, but there, none the less. Not since the feather-weight movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has a more reliable, fully realised, subversive inner life been depicted. It is this which stokes Precious' hidden strength and enables her to get up each day to take care of the ordinary business of life, as oppressive and dark as that may be. Is.
In some reviews of this movie, I have read that there is a great, 'uplifting' positive ending to the piece. To me, there is not, unless you judge the positives using a pretty steep grading curve. And that is when it hit me: the movie itself was like Precious' life: full of moments of unrelenting tragedy and violence, but made more palatable by the instants-surely no more than fleeting moments- when a beam of light shows through. And there were notable moments: a guidance counsellor seeing through her iron reserve to the needy woman within and moving her forward in her goal to get an education and make something of herself. A teacher who challenges her, then challenges her again and again-and helps her to meet her challenges and tune-up the way she looks not only at herself, but at the outside world. Incredibly empowering, involving and uplifting. So, yeah. Guess you have to grab your uplifts and positives where you can.
I actually had to pick a day to see this movie. Pick a day when I felt 'up' enough not to carry this movie around with me like a lead weight for weeks. Well, that plan was only partially successful, because I have carried this movie around with me ever since seeing it. Each time I think about it, I gain new insight, find new facets, am moved more deeply, unexpectedly.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. This is not a movie for people offended by raw language and situations. There are so many in this film. However, it is pretty much a done deal that Sidebe will get a nom, if not an actual Oscar for her complex, touching portrayal. Mo'Nique will also probably get a nod in the supporting category. She deserves it.
Hated the music- which is a major consideration for me. And, as a nurse, I baulked a bit at Lenny Kravitz' characters statement in the film: ' I am a nurse. A nurses' aide.' OK...which is it? These are not synonymous terms, so clarify. I was just surprised the writers didn't make him a doc.
Lessons Learned: Dwell in the realm of possibility. It may save your (internal and external) life. Literally. Without the hope, the fantasy, the ideal to guide us, where is the motivation to continue to get up and surge forward? Word.
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