[REVIEWS] Films: Miscellaneous
Feb. 8th, 2011 01:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewlisian_aferNo theme! No rhyme or reason at all! One movie that I watched about a million years ago and never finished the set it was part of, a couple that people were specifically asking me to watch/review, and a couple I just couldn't wait any longer to watch. Fun times. :)
Free Jimmy (2006)
Over-the-hill circus elephant Jimmy has a huge stash of heroin stitched into his hide -- a fortune that aspiring circus owner Roy (voice of Woody Harrelson) wants to cash in on. But when Jimmy goes AWOL, Roy's dream becomes the real endangered species. While the drugged-up elephant goes cold turkey in the tundra, a gang of stoners, vegans and mobsters stays hot on his trail in this animated farce from Norwegian cartoonist Christopher Nielsen.
Parts of this movie cracked me up. Parts of it made me really sad. At one point I asked Twitter "wtf am I watching?" This movie is ... strange. I wasn't crazy about the animation, actually, and I didn't care for any of the characters, but I still enjoyed the movie overall. I can't put my finger on why... [Rating: 3 stars]
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's acclaimed novel, this sci-fi drama from director Mark Romanek is centered on thirtysomething Kathy (Carey Mulligan), who reflects on her time spent at Hailsham, an English boarding school, alongside classmates Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Born for an unusual reason, the three struggle with their destiny and their love triangle. Charlotte Rampling plays headmistress Miss Emily.
If you're only going to read the book or watch the movie, go for the book. But I recommend both if you're interested in either. This is a great adaptation, even though some details that really pack an emotional punch had to be omitted. There was one scene in particular that I felt the movie did much better than the book. It's one of Andrew Garfield's scenes, and it really squeezed my heart in a way reading it, even with an imagination like mine, just didn't do. [Rating: 3 stars]
The Illusionist (2010)
Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature, this wistful tale follows the fading fortunes of aging illusionist Tatischeff , who's forced to perform in obscure venues as his act is eclipsed by the growing popularity of rock bands. He gets an emotional lift, though, from a wide-eyed girl named Alice, who thinks he possesses magic powers. But Tatischeff's "sleight of hand" efforts to impress her with expensive gifts may lead to his financial undoing.
This. Was. Beautiful. I mean, it's traditional animation, directed by Sylvain Chomet, so obviously I was a goner before I even started. But, seriously... Lovely animation, gorgeous music, a beautiful story, wonderful characters... Inebriated Scots, a fat troublemaking bunny... XD I just really adored this movie. [Rating: 4.5 stars]
Red (2010)
After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA operative for a new identity, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is basking in normality. But he's forced to return to old habits when an assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Frank's team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life in this Golden Globe-nominated action-comedy.
My reason for watching this movie basically boils down to "Helen Mirren is in it, and she has a gun." So I wasn't really expecting much, other than ... Helen Mirren with a gun. I wound up honestly liking it, though. It kept me laughing and not because it was humorously awful. I might've just been in the mood for explosions and gunfire after the long stretch of ~*~highbrow~*~ Oscar nominees, but this was just plain old fun. I especially liked Helen Mirren and John Malkovich's characters (for the love story [lolol] and teh lulz, respectively) and Mary-Louise Parker really cracked me up, as well. [Rating: 3.5 stars]
Waiting for Superman (2010)
Dynamic documentarian Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) weaves together the stories of students, families, educators and reformers to shed light on the failing public school system and its consequences on the future of the United States. In this Sundance Audience Award winner for Best Documentary, Guggenheim deftly examines the options to improve public education and provide America's teachers and students with the help they need.
I went into this not really expecting to learn very much. In high school I was very tuned in to the teachers and their problems/complaints -- I went to every meeting the public was permitted to attend -- and I was in the teaching program at college for several semesters before switching to psychology. So the shortcomings of this country's public education system are something I'm quite aware of. Nevertheless, this documentary still taught me a few things, and the kids (and their families) who were profiled/followed were just wonderful. Watching the lotteries near the end was a little stessful because I'd come to care about the kids so much. [Rating: 4 stars]
Free Jimmy (2006)
Over-the-hill circus elephant Jimmy has a huge stash of heroin stitched into his hide -- a fortune that aspiring circus owner Roy (voice of Woody Harrelson) wants to cash in on. But when Jimmy goes AWOL, Roy's dream becomes the real endangered species. While the drugged-up elephant goes cold turkey in the tundra, a gang of stoners, vegans and mobsters stays hot on his trail in this animated farce from Norwegian cartoonist Christopher Nielsen.
Parts of this movie cracked me up. Parts of it made me really sad. At one point I asked Twitter "wtf am I watching?" This movie is ... strange. I wasn't crazy about the animation, actually, and I didn't care for any of the characters, but I still enjoyed the movie overall. I can't put my finger on why... [Rating: 3 stars]
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's acclaimed novel, this sci-fi drama from director Mark Romanek is centered on thirtysomething Kathy (Carey Mulligan), who reflects on her time spent at Hailsham, an English boarding school, alongside classmates Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Born for an unusual reason, the three struggle with their destiny and their love triangle. Charlotte Rampling plays headmistress Miss Emily.
If you're only going to read the book or watch the movie, go for the book. But I recommend both if you're interested in either. This is a great adaptation, even though some details that really pack an emotional punch had to be omitted. There was one scene in particular that I felt the movie did much better than the book. It's one of Andrew Garfield's scenes, and it really squeezed my heart in a way reading it, even with an imagination like mine, just didn't do. [Rating: 3 stars]
The Illusionist (2010)
Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature, this wistful tale follows the fading fortunes of aging illusionist Tatischeff , who's forced to perform in obscure venues as his act is eclipsed by the growing popularity of rock bands. He gets an emotional lift, though, from a wide-eyed girl named Alice, who thinks he possesses magic powers. But Tatischeff's "sleight of hand" efforts to impress her with expensive gifts may lead to his financial undoing.
This. Was. Beautiful. I mean, it's traditional animation, directed by Sylvain Chomet, so obviously I was a goner before I even started. But, seriously... Lovely animation, gorgeous music, a beautiful story, wonderful characters... Inebriated Scots, a fat troublemaking bunny... XD I just really adored this movie. [Rating: 4.5 stars]
Red (2010)
After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA operative for a new identity, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is basking in normality. But he's forced to return to old habits when an assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Frank's team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life in this Golden Globe-nominated action-comedy.
My reason for watching this movie basically boils down to "Helen Mirren is in it, and she has a gun." So I wasn't really expecting much, other than ... Helen Mirren with a gun. I wound up honestly liking it, though. It kept me laughing and not because it was humorously awful. I might've just been in the mood for explosions and gunfire after the long stretch of ~*~highbrow~*~ Oscar nominees, but this was just plain old fun. I especially liked Helen Mirren and John Malkovich's characters (for the love story [lolol] and teh lulz, respectively) and Mary-Louise Parker really cracked me up, as well. [Rating: 3.5 stars]
Waiting for Superman (2010)
Dynamic documentarian Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) weaves together the stories of students, families, educators and reformers to shed light on the failing public school system and its consequences on the future of the United States. In this Sundance Audience Award winner for Best Documentary, Guggenheim deftly examines the options to improve public education and provide America's teachers and students with the help they need.
I went into this not really expecting to learn very much. In high school I was very tuned in to the teachers and their problems/complaints -- I went to every meeting the public was permitted to attend -- and I was in the teaching program at college for several semesters before switching to psychology. So the shortcomings of this country's public education system are something I'm quite aware of. Nevertheless, this documentary still taught me a few things, and the kids (and their families) who were profiled/followed were just wonderful. Watching the lotteries near the end was a little stessful because I'd come to care about the kids so much. [Rating: 4 stars]
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-08 07:00 am (UTC)"Do tell Marvin to stand down before he hurts himself."
"I'll get my pig!"
... ahem.
Sorry for the double comment, LJ farted.