Movie Reviews
I guess thesemay as well go under Hollywood. So, Friday night I went off and saw 300. And for the first thirty minutes I was impressed with what clever people can do with computers. But then it became two solid hours of people stabbing each other — often in slow motion, and people declaiming to each to other IN CAPITAL LETTERS FOLLOWED BY MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!! And you know, one good beheading just about does it for me. The art design and the technology were stunning, but, for me, this was not a satisfying movie going experience.
Then last night just to add insult to injury I loaded up The Brother’s Grimm. In was in my netflix cue, and oh, my God, I should have sent it back before I opened it and gotten another movie. The premise is very cool — what if the brothers Grimm were con men — but the movie was a mess. Characters appear for no reason at all. Our heroine is tied up and then she’s free. Wonder what happened to that scene? Finally I just started fast forwarding and stopping when it looked like something remotely interesting might be happening. The only other movie I’ve watched using this technique was Thelma and Louise — another movie I despise.
It’s sad when an interesting director has good stars and a clever idea, and you get The Brothers Grimm.
Melinda
March 18th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I’d say that one decapitation is the sweet spot for any film.
More than that is just showing off, but no decapitations is just a sign
that the screenwriter(s) and director(s) weren’t trying hard enough.
And the capital letters are important, otherwise you wouldn’t know
that the characters feel strongly about what they’re saying.
Ian
March 18th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Hmmmm… well, stabbing was pretty much what happened at Thermopylae. Along with some hacking and skewering, and lots and lots of bleeding. Not for two solid hours, but for three solid days. And not in slow motion, of course. No war rhino, either. Pity. I liked the war rhino, even though he didn’t do much.
You should read Pressfield’s GATES OF FIRE for a very different handling of the same battle. Unless you’re totally off Spartans.
We agree on BROTHERS GRIMM. What a mess.
March 19th, 2007 at 3:06 am
300 is, in graphic novel form, a study in tone more than anything. I think what might work for someone in a graphic novel could feel oppressive in the course of a 1.5 hour movie. Miller has really moved beyond trying to tell a story (which he was uncommonly good at, back in the day) and instead has focused almost exclusively on tone and atmosphere. I wouldn’t mind him going back to his Daredevil or Batman: Year One days, but…
As to Brothers Grimm, recently saw it. I agree that it seemed all over the place, but to be honest I wasn’t surprised. Terry Gilliam has never been a particularly disciplined director, and I’d say that’s where the charm of his (successful) movies tends to come from. But this one didn’t gel like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen or Brazil.
Nice visuals, though, especially the cracked mirror effect (IIRC) on the antagonist towards the end.
March 19th, 2007 at 8:06 am
But Gerard Butler in nothing but a loincloth - isn’t that a reason to see the film? And let’s forget for a moment that a loincloth was not the traditional armour of the hoplites.
I like me some good battle scenes, so I’ll probably see it as soon as one of the cinemas here shows it in the original (I hate dubbing). What I’m afraid of is that a number of people will believe it’s history, the way it happened with Braveheart and Gladiator. *shudder*
March 19th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I knew I wouldn’t like 300 (much as I do like CGI) and you’ve done nothing but reinforce the fact I’m glad I haven’t seen it.
We went to see Amazing Grace. While quiet and a little choppy, it was pretty good. Ioan Guffod is pretty good as the abolitionist William Wilberforce, but Benedict Cumberbatch as William Pitt the Younger and Albert Finney as the man who actually wrote the song “Amazing Grace” were both the ones to watch.
March 20th, 2007 at 12:50 am
I’m absolutely amazed at how often you’re writing in your blog!
Will it continue? Is it simply because it is a new website and a new experience? Who knows? But, I do think I’ll enjoy it while it lasts…