Movie Review: Alice In Wonderland 3D 2010

Alice In Wonderland by Tim Burton came out this weekend and we decided to check it out. K wasn’t so sure after some initial reviews that it was going to be worth seeing, but, she is a BIG fan of the Cheshire Cat. My hesitation as you might know from previous reviews of 3D movies was that usually the 3D sucks and it gives me a headache.

Happily though, this was not the case in either of those categories.

Burton’s usual darker spin and use of a particular visual style really won the day for me on this film as well as the new adaptation of the classic story. Of course, this adaptation was only slightly different from the most recent SCIFI version that came out last year which I also liked. However, Burton’s take on this story was closer to the original created by Carroll.

So from this part on, if you haven’t seen the film and do not want to know more, surf away gentle reader.

SPOILER ALERT!

SURF AWAY!

GO NOW!

Story Line

The new story line adds a dimension of empowerment for Alice and a touch of “Joan de Arc” but, what I really liked was the cyclical nature to the story that was added. The idea that Alice is but the bearer of the Vorpal sword and akin to the idea of “The One” in “The Matrix” was an approach that I first saw in the SCIFI version last year. The idea that there are successive “Alice’s” that must save Wonderland is kinda neat.

Of course, this would be a way into a sequel huh… Go figure.

Overall, the story line that was cooked up for this screenplay makes more sense than the original story ever did at least linearly. This is something that appeals to me greatly even though I did like the book as a child. There is just enough nonsense in this film to carry the old story and blend it with the new.

Finally, the slaying of the addition of the Jabberwocky to the story line of Alice, the bearer of the Vorpal Sword was very well done. This is not only from a CG perspective but also as a key point to the story line. Of course the battle on a vast chess board helped a bit there too. However the choice of Christopher Lee as the voice for the dread Jabberwocky helped a bit too.

I think that the meshing of the story and the poem gives the story much more depth.

3D

On the whole 3D thing, this film really did a great job at presenting a 3D universe that did not jump out at you too too much in a hokey 3D way. It was just enough to give you the dimensionality to all the characters and scenery as they did in Avatar. However, in this case the effects did not give me the usual 3D headache. Perhaps it was the scaled back wayfarer style glasses instead of those Terminator shades that Avatar used. Perhaps instead this was just a bit better done. I am usually loathe to all this 3D stuff now because it is just there as a hook and not so much integral to the story. Here it was complimentary.

Characters

The casting for this film was very well done. I have to say though, that the casting of Johnny Depp as Hatter had me wondering at first. I have to say now that he was great. His mania and use of the Scottish accent really added a new dimension to the character for me.

As for the other characters, they were well played but generally pale to some of the CG and voice over work that was done. Perhaps it was just the story line, but the only ones to have more growth were Alice of course, and Hatter. Which is just fine I think.

The most fanciful character though was Cheshire Cat. This film gave me a new appreciation for the cat. I had always been a little put off by him in the book. Now though, I am liking this version as voiced by Stephen Fry. Fry lends a certain stability to the character that I liked.

Summary

Great CG

Well done 3D

Great score by Danny Elfman (listening to it now)

Well acted

Interesting screenplay

Go see it.

Movie Review: The Book of Eli

Going into this film I was unsure of what to expect. Mainly this is because I saw very little about the film on the tv or online on the news and didn’t take the time to look. I was in fact, rather nonplussed when seeing the trailers.

Seeing the film last night I was pretty much still of the same mind. The film portrays the usual dystopian nightmare of the end of the world. The all present nuclear war, fallout, nuclear winter, and scrabbling hoards were present. The usual loner hero was wandering the wastes in search of “something” and the gangs of thugs who rape and kill as well as cannibals were present.

Ho hum.

I kept thinking “Gee, haven’t I seen this before?”

Boy and His Dog

Mad Max

The Day After

Quiet Earth

9

I can’t remember more.. The point is, this has been done many time over. So what would a screen writer or director, or for that matter producer be thinking making this film? Well, hopefully, what can we do to make this film different.

The answer is a small but very important plot point.

The Bible.

Yep, religion and its book, the King James Bible. Now if you intend to see the film do not read further for there be SPOILERS BELOW!

This space left blank intentionally…

Surf away!

This is your last chance!

Ok, yes, the plot device is that of the Bible and religion. Mostly though, about how a book and knowledge can be used for good or ill. THIS I liked. This had some good meat to it but, in the end it was not really plumbed to the depth it could have been in the screenplay.

Evidently, as the war that brought society to this nuclear winter was alluded to as being caused by “The Bible” or religion, post the holocaust, the masses destroyed not only all Bibles, but as many books as they could. So, no knowledge, no art, nothing survives. I’ll admit, its a bit radical but, I can see some of the insane reasoning post an apocalypse.

Mostly though, the plot point of the use of knowledge and faith to control the masses resonates with me. So too does the idea that its not the book, or the data but the end user that makes it good or bad. Gee, that sounds like an argument I have been having lately with a certain child online.. but I digress.

Unfortunately though as I said above, this point is really not explored too much. and comes to light in the last 10 minutes of the film. You can though extrapolate that this is what its all about earlier if you are paying attention.

The book IS Eli. He has it memorized and he embodies the Christian ethos because he is devout. He becomes hope, he is the mustard seed… Though a mustard seed with a rather easy use of blades, guns, and other forms of destructive apparatus…

He kills well… Onward Christian Soldier.

For the most part, this movie left me meh. I liked it, but it was not great. The idea though did make me think as well about the apocalypse coming and all that it takes to survive and rebuild.

Guess its time to hunker down and build that Faraday cage, cached book collections, food, etc…

CoB

That’s why I can’t say enough times, whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filch or provide, every temporary measure of grace, whatever works.   Boris Yellnikoff

This evening I decided to put the ol’ USB into the DVD player and watch something I “acquired” from the intertubes. The film I am speaking of and have quoted above is “Whatever Works” from Woody Allen.

… Did I just hear a groan out there in the audience? I think I did…

Well, let me tell you that I too had tired a bit of some of Woody’s contrivances. However, this film even with its blemishes is one of his better works in many years. I will admit though, that I began watching this film thinking how the theme of an old man with a young woman (Soon Yee) just is a bit too close to the mark.

The character of Boris though I can empathize with. Old, curmudgeonly, and an uber genius, in his own head. I kind of found myself liking him then disliking him. Often mostly disliking him as he made remarks about the female lead’s intelligence. On the other hand, his cantankerous berating of the little girl at the chess table was funny as hell.

I also love to see New York City in film. I especially love to see places that I used to haunt for those moments of “HEY! I used to hang there!” The chess shop scene especially brought back memories for me. i used to play a guy there who was quieter than Boris, but held the same attitude about morons playing chess.

The story as a whole though was nicely tied together and gave every character a fitting denouement. Each character in the end found love, solace, and their direction in life.

All in all, if you like Woody Allen, then see this film.

CoB

2012

 

Went to see 2012 today and have some observations:

1) Neutrino’s? Really? C’mon this is just not physically possible nor did you really explain “how” the solar burst changed the neutrinos to make them boil the core!

2) Pretty generally the theory that this movies premise is based on has been poo poo’d by the scientific community. Frankly, it makes good fodder for a fiction, but largely lacks in science.

3) Dialog is important.. Please hire better writers.

4) So, the Mayan’s had quantum mechanics and astrophysics all down eh? DANG, they could have at least left a stele with say a message saying something like “HEY WORK OUT HOW NEUTRINO’S WORK CUZ THEY ARE GONNA MELT THE EARTHS CRUST!” but Nooooooo… They leave nothing but this silly cryptic calendar!

Ok, brass tacks, I had fun with the film. Woody Harrelson was great! He reminded me of a cross between Alex Jones and every host for Coast to Coast on the AM/SW today. The SFX were good even if the premises of what they were doing were not too based in reality.

See this film in digital at a matinee showing kids…

Oh.. and one more thing. This film really made one pine for the Doctor to show up and save the day… Good thing I am downloading “The Waters Of Mars” now to sate that desire.

Scuttlebut On The Street For MillenniuM

Lance Henriksen, the veteran sci-fi character actor perhaps best known for playing former FBI profiler Frank Black in the ’90s TV series Millennium, has been talking about a feature-film follow-up/sequel for years and has reportedly been approached by investors interested in mounting an independent production, though Fox owns the rights.

Now comes news, via ScreenRant, that Fox itself may be considering a new independent movie based on the Chris-Carter-created show, with Henriksen but without Carter (who also created The X-Files and co-wrote and directed last year’s flop The X-Files: I Want to Believe).

I have heard rumblings that Fox are interested in bringing Millennium back to screens—possibly without the involvement of Chris Carter—and this independent route would seem like a way of doing so. It’s also believed that the studio intends to make another X-Files film, and again it’s possible that Carter won’t be involved … .

Now, be aware that this is speculation, but also something that I have heard through the grapevine, so there might be some truth to it.

Fans recall that the show, which aired on Fox 1996-’99, centered on Black, a former FBI investigator with a history of mental issues, who is recruited by the mysterious Millennium Group, a private group of former law-enforcement personnel who investigate crimes of the supernatural but whose true agenda remained murky and had something to do with the coming millennial year (2000, though the actual new millennium kicked off in 2001).

The show had a rocky creative history, owing to changing executive producers (Carter, then former X-Files writers Glen Morgan and James Wong, then Carter again), network interference and a rambling and at times incoherent mythology. The show was canceled before it could wrap up; a 1999 episode ofThe X-Files, titled “Millennium,” brought back Henriksen as Black to put a coda on the Millennium TV series.

ScreenRant suggests that a new independent Millennium movie would be spearheaded by filmmaker Brett A. Hart, who directed Henriksen in the indie feature Bone Dry:

I spoke with Hart who had this to say about the project:

“As a tremendous admirer of “The Millennium Series” I’m of course very intrigued by the recent rumors that there may indeed be a full length feature on the horizon. If any one can get “Millennium” made it’s Lance, and it’s been a long time coming. It’s time to give the fans what they’ve been patiently waiting to see… More insight into the aberrant world of Frank Black … while further elevating and merging storylines, characterization and visuals… and finally closure for one of the finest series ever created. Let’s hope as the title sequence suggest “The Time is near” … and as I’ve already publicly stated … my passion and conviction for the series is so deep that I’d direct “Millennium—The Movie” for free just to see it on the big screen.”

Not sure how a movie would work: The millennial changeover has come and gone, and basing a film on that would be kind of like calling a movie “Y2K.” But Henriksen remains a great screen presence, and it would be nice to see him glowering as Frank Black one last time.

I would LOVE to see this come to fruition and a movie done. However, I certainly hope any film done is done MUCH better than that awful X-Files “I Want To Believe” claptrap that was loosed upon an unsuspecting public. So, without Carter is just fine with me. I should hope that at the very least Lance would be a good judge of script and perhaps say no to a bad one or half effort.

I think personally they have a zeitgeist in the whole 2012 thing coming up. They have the time to make a film and have it out before 2012 comes! I even like the logo I created at the top of this post!

CoB

Where The Wild Things Are

When I was a kid, this was one of my favorite books. Later on in life, I wanted to become a children’t book writer and illustrator, a career that perhaps still will happen someday. This movie has reminded me about not only my childhood love of this book, but also about once meeting Maurice Sendak and those desires to write and illustrate.

I went to see this film with some trepidation as I was unsure just how a children’s book like this could be turned into a live action movie and still capture the imagination. I have to say that I left the theater with a mix of emotions that bordered on sheer love for this film and a great nostalgia for the book at the same time. The thing of it is, they are very much divergent in many ways from one another.

First off though, I cannot say enough about the imagery of this film. The wild things are huge puppets with digitized facial expressions that are flawless. The rough coast of Australia that this was filmed at is breathtaking and the set design and CG work on the “fort” and houses is fantastic. Even the wardrobe design, especially in Max’s wolf suit was very well done indeed.

The story I think, is much more nuanced than the original book in that there is much more that needs to be filled out in a movie that perhaps was conveyed in a shorter fashion in the book. However, this too can be accounted for as Spike Jonez’ take on the book transitioning to a movie. I for one liked the backstory with the expansions of characters to have more dimension in the film.

The voice talent also was well chosen and the choice for Carrol (James Gandolfini) was inspired I think. He loses much of the Soprano twang to the diction, but still, you can hear in your minds eye the menace of Carrol as Tony. Which brings me to the scare factor.

There are dark and scary moments in this film that I think much of today’s children’s films, and books, have lost in these days of infantalizing our youth. I went to a 7pm show and there were many small kids in the audience, and though there were some taught scary moments, none cried out…

Maurice said it all recently at an interview about the film when asked about the scare factor;

“Let them wet their pants”

I guess I just can’t say enough about this re-invention of “Where The Wild Things Are” but I will leave you with this…

The final scene with Max and his mother is one of the most poignant pieces of film I have seen in some time… And one with no dialog to boot.

Now that is film making and acting…

See this film.

CoB

Inglourious Basterds

Inglorious Basterds is, well, “Glorious”  I don’t say this easily mind you, after all, this is a Tarantino film. However, I found myself liking the pace, cinematography, and story line of this film. What’s more, I also found the film kind of cathartic in a twisted “killing Nazi’s” way.

I also have to say that Quentin’s choice of the Bowie “Cat People” song “Putting Out A Fire” an inspired one that was all the more powerful with the color schemes and imagery used. He also did a fine job at painting the Nazi party and those in the inner circle as completely without humanity.

A shame really that all these guys weren’t in one place at any time where a plan like this could have been carried out…

“Nazi’s… I hate these guys”

Go see it.

Star Trek 90210

Well, I have seen the film twice and have to admit, it is classic “Trek” in many ways, however it gives the franchise new life! The two hours veritably flew by as I sat and zoomed along with the new cast and new ship. So, all in all, its a big win for Paramount I think and ST as a series.

Now, on to the fan at heart here. See, I was born on the day ST aired on tv. I turned 25 and 30 with Star Trek and I have to say to all those hard core “nerds” out there complaining: “Watch the above video” Enough said.

Sure, its different in some ways, but in others it’s the same thing! I mean, hell, this was basically Khan part III from a scripting perspective kids! Get over it! This reboot changes the paradigm in an very neat way. Time travel and alternate realities now make for a completely new take on this show! I LOVE that idea!

Added bonus? NO SYBOK in this alternate universe! YEEHA! Now that movie WAS a travesty!

Go see this film..

While I am on the subject of film..

This week I intend to pick these up. I watched “A River Runs Through It” today off of the USB stick in my new DVD player here. Another fantastic film that won the Oscar for cinematography. Norman Maclean wrote some wonderful prose and his life and work should be more known to the masses.

I look forward to reading these works…

I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills.

With rue my heart is laden
For golden friends I had,
For many a rose-lipt maiden
And many a lightfoot lad.

By brooks too broad for leaping
The lightfoot boys are laid;
The rose-lipt girls are sleeping
In fields where roses fade.

With each viewing I am in awe of the work. Good bye Sydney, and thank you.