Probably my favorite version of The Christmas Carol. It's really just about a perfect family Christmas film. Michael Caine is able to pull off the cruel and miserly Scrooge as well as display the regret and despair that is so important in making Ebenezer's turn feel fulfilling. Add in great muppet versions of the supporting characters and some very good, if not great, songs and you have a classic. It has laughs, but more importantly for this time of year, it has heart and warmth. I love it.
Haven't watched this in quite a long time, but I remember liking it when I was younger. And I'm surprised it's held up pretty well. It feels a little dated being so integrated into the 80's, but you expect that so it doesn't affect the movie too much. The cast is fantastic, each ghost is adapted well, and Bill Murray is great as the stand in for Ebenezer, playing his usual curmudgeon asshole perfectly. But ultimately his turn in the end feels a bit forced and easy. The movie's dark comedy beats play well, but it lacks the heart of the better versions of Dicken's classic. And that is what ultimately holds it back. That and the cringe worthy sing-a-long at the end. Still a fun Christmas watch that is now a little off the beaten path.
A tough, touching, and humorous look at a youth foster/psych home and its staff. It would have been very easy for this movie to slide into triteness and over-saccharine lessons, but outside of a few moments, it always feels grounded and real. A large part of that is thanks to the children actors, so often a detriment, they truly shine in this movie. Especially strong is the young man who plays Marcus, he may have big things ahead of him. The intimate camera work and natural feel to scenes add to the sense that you are in the world with these characters, and it rewards you in an emotional way. The connections and empathy you build are more than enough for me to overcome any of the writing flaws, though there aren't many to begin with. An incredible film, I'm excited to see what the writer/director has in the future.
Judging this film is troublesome, as it truly is just part of a whole. Until Part 2 comes out, its hard to tell whether this installment properly builds into the climax that is promised; or whether it's a drawn out cash grab. And there in lies the problem. Mockingjay Part 1 isn't a bad film, I rather enjoyed it, but it represents the calm before the storm, and if the storm dissipates at sea all the build up is for naught. And even as a standalone movie, it has problems. There just isn't a lot there, even after adding scenes not from the book (though the rescue scene ends up being the most visually interesting of the entire film). And yet, it still somehow manages to miss on a lot of aspects. Characters aren't built up or connected well enough, especially considering that's all Part 1 is supposed to do. Finnick and Gale are underused, and the conflict between Kat and Coin is underrepresented. And unfortunately we have to wait an entire year to see if these shortcomings are a fatal flaw or if everything comes together in a powerful way. Besides all of that, the actors are all doing their best, even when there isn't a lot to work with, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Woody Harrelson being the clear stand outs.
The very premise of an entire movie based off one of the sketches from a precious Jackass movie was pretty questionable to begin with. And although there were a few laughs here and there, it just didn't have the originality of the stunts from those movies. The weak storyline seemed to be just pasted on, lacking any of the intelligence or social commentary found in something like Borat, which pulled this type of movie off a million times better. The kid was precociously cute and Knoxville sold the old man get-up, but I'd rather just see Jackass 4.
The rare sequel that can stand right next to its great predecessor. If How to Train Your Dragon was the origin story of Hiccup, Toothless, and crew, this is the logical next step in their story. A bigger threat, some genuinely difficult emotional challenges, and the progression into a larger world, everything is bigger and more meaningful in this installment. And on top of that, it still maintains the wonderful heart and messages, and adds some new ones, that helped make the first film such a treat. The voice acting is all spot on, the creature design is brilliant, and the animation itself is absolutely stunning. This franchise really continues to separates itself from the cgi animated pack and push up with some of the best stuff Pixar has done.
I like Kit Harrington, I have a crush on Jessica Lucas, and I don't always hate Paul WS Anderson, but this doesn't have much going for it. The fight choreography was poor and the PG-13 rating made them even less interesting. I was hoping it'd turn around once the volcano started erupting, and it did a little, but not enough to make up for the first 2/3s of the movie. Smash b-versions of Gladiator and 2012 together and this is pretty much what you get.
If rating on just pure ambition and the attempt to instill wonder, this would undoubtedly be rated higher, but there is enough issues there to bring down the movie. Outside the problems I had with the science (bootstrap paradox, missing interactions, choices in the planets) the overall themes felt a bit ham fisted and forced at times. Sentimentality and love don't have to be corny, but they came close several times here. I would have liked a bit more exploration and some more inspired shots in the movie as a whole. Nothing felt as cool and fresh as the rotating hallway in Inception. There were serious problems with the sound mixing, making dialogue unintelligible and the usual Nolan exposition, though I mostly give that a pass because of the concepts that were being employed in the movie. Despite the complaints, there were moments of true awe in this movie, and that is not easy to accomplish these days. It pushes a lot of boundaries and ideas, and that's worth a lot, even if it doesn't succeed at everything it set out to do.
Jodorowsky seems like a brilliant guy, and this makes me want to check out his other movies, but this movie is just kind of there. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and seeing him, Giger, and Foss talk about Moebius, Dali, Pink Floyd, etc was all interesting. But ultimately it was like eating rice for dinner. Without a finished product, the behind the scenes stories just don't hold the same weight. Some of the talking heads didn't really seem necessary. Why do I really care what Nicolas Winding Refn thinks? Also wasn't a huge fan of some of the graphical choices made, but that's nit-picky. Ultimately, I enjoyed the trip with this cast of characters.
Dan Gilroy's directorial debut is fantastic, but it is Gyllenhaal that carries this film with an amazing, unflinching, and sociopathic performance. He is what Patrick Bateman would be if he was a news cameraman. Just absolutely captivating. The movie was also more darkly humorous than I expected. Dirty, exploitative, and brilliant.
While some work better than others, Bong's anti-Randian train dystopia doesn't lack for themes and ideas. Chris Evans is pretty one-note, but he does it well. And considering the budget, the film looked great, with some wonderful visuals throughout. I can see why the ending is divisive, but I think it works on a few levels and lets the individual watcher read into it what they will. Regardless, it's a better first-Western release than some of his fellow countrymen have been able to produce.
