A Magical Place

If you recall, I did mention in my review of his latest film that I am a fan of Terry Gilliam's work. I find that the world's he creates are fantastic and for an hour and a half, I'm taken to that place. So when I sat down to watch Tideland, a film of his from five years back I had never gotten to see, that is what I expected.

Sure, reading the back of the case, I expected it to be depressing. I, however, also expected Jeliza-Rose (Jodelle Ferland) to escape her world to another. I did not get that. Instead, what I got was a pretty boring plotline with too much cringe worty material.


(picture copyright Recorded Picture Company)

[SPOILERS AHEAD] The movie follows Jeliza-Rose on her adventure through early childhood when you have lost both your parents. I knew that her mother Queen Gunhilda (Jennifer Tilly) was doomed from the start, which made me sad. It was a waste of Tilly, who I absolutely love. I was shocked, though, when her father Noah (Jeff Brides) also OD'ed not that far into the movie.

Now this poor girl who has spent her life cooking up heroin for her parents and living above a club, is alone in her grandmother's old house with only the looney neighbors to keep her company. And they are not good company. In fact, they're worse role models for her than her drug addict parents were.

Gilliam let me down due to the scene between Dickens (Brendan Fletcher) and Jeliza-Rose which I am disgusted to even mention in this blog. (So you can guess what happened. Or just look it up if you really need to.) I did enjoy Jeliza-Rose's interaction with her dolls Mystique and the gang, but that could not save this film.

While it was filmed beautifully as was expected from Gilliam, there was too much brutal honesty and not enough of the childlike innocence and fantasty that Gilliam fans have come to expect from him.

Epic Journey for an Epic Movie

Can you believe our movie theater had a power outage and didn't post anything on their website. Nica, Coco and I went to the theater to see Scott Pilgrim and the entire block was out. Thanks alot Movies 14. Luckily for us, we went on a trip and travled the extra 20 odd minutes to the other movie theater in the area and had our fingers crossed a show was coming up soon. We made it about 50 minutes before the next one.

We didn't really think that it would be all for nothing. I personally had high hopes for this film. When I first read about it and that Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) would be directing, I was ecstatic. He did not disappoint. His unique style was perfect for this movie. I loved the old school throw back of the KAPOWS and such during the fight sequences. It just fit perfectly.

However, everyone involved took on a huge thing here compacting six graphic novels into one movie. Alot of characters to deal with, and as I have mentioned in previous entries (see review on Clue) that movies with that many main characters have to really work hard if they want to make it work.


(picture via srahberry.com)

Scott Pilgrim almost did that. The sad thing is that I ended up loving secondary characters way more than the main ones. Sure, Scott (Michael Cera) was your typical lovable nerd. I can't help but love that guy. It's why I keep coming back to these movies. However, Scott was a jerk. He wasn't lovable. Sure, he learned his lesson in the end, but I could have cared less to be honest.

I also was a bit disappointed in Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). She seemed like she was going to be such a bad ass girl character and I was stoked. Instead, she fell flat. Her character barely had any real dimension and I didn't see why anyone would really risk their life fighting off her evil exes for her "love". Yeah, I was convinced she had no feelings. Sociopath, much? It's of course no insult to Ms. Winstead who I think is an incrediable actress.

I did laugh. Oh, did I laugh. Mostly because of Wallace (Kieran Culkin). His character truly was the best in the entire film. [SPOILERS AHEAD] The scene where they honoured Seinfeld, I was in stiches. That scene also had one of the many wonderful little touches that I loved. I won't give it away even though it contains no spoilers, wouldn't ruin anything for you, etc. Just because I love you that much. You can find this for yourself.

So set aside a few quibbles because let's face it. I always have quibbles. Even about my favourite movies. Those aside now... It was a fantastic movie. This is what you expect for summer entertainment. Okay, so it is action-y, but not like Inception. Which still has a lame ending. I don't care what you say. Oh, and dang Jason Schwartzman's character being named Gideon. All I could think about was Criminal Minds. :D

Summer Is Almost Over

Okay, at the beginning of summer (Well, actually May as I pointed out in the entry.) I wrote an entry about how summer movies are the best way to spend a humid day. (See the entry here.) Some comments on my review yesterday has led me to believe I need to do a follow-up as summer is coming to an end.

Summer movies are usually mindless entertainment, and I do not have anything against that. Even I, the overly critizing fangirl who enjoys movies about nothing, enjoys some mindless entertainment. Especially when my brain is fried due to the heat.

However, as I was watching Inception yesterday I realized that the movies coming out this summer aren't all just action films or chick flicks. Inception, although not lacking in violence and big guns, definitely makes the viewer think.


(picture via blogspot)

An anonymous commenter who I believe may have some conspiracy issues was saying that they couldn't stand this belief that we need to see Inception several times to understand the concept. They're trying to squeeze as much money out of every movie goer as they can. Well, I don't doubt that at all actually. It's always about the money.

But how many people are going to go see a movie several times in theaters? (You ARE NOT allowed to bring up that I went to see (500) Days three times in theaters. That was different.) Wouldn't they just rather go see The A-Team? It's summer. I want to relax. If I'm at home and want to watch a movie, instead of popping in Fetching Cody or The Tracey Fragments, I put in Role Models or Young Frankenstein. Where is the comedy? Judd, come save me.

Dream World

It took me awhile, but I finally made it to see Inception. Granted, I had to walk to the theater, but I saw it. Was it worth it? I'm not entirely sure. I heard it takes a few viewings to really "get it" but I like to think that I'm intelligent enough to have understood it the first time. It did make sense, but I wasn't completely blown away.

It made me happy that I found someone on the boards who wasn't just gushing over this film, though I fear they just don't like action as much as I do. (Read the thread here.) The advertisements for movies just don't make sense anymore. They never explain what the movie is really about. It did not come across as an action film to me.


(picture copyright Warner Bros. Pictures)

However, the movie was dominated by action sequences that ended up, borrowing a phrase from my new friend, repetative minus the ones with Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) fighting in the hotel's hallway. (Which I must say is my favourite part of the movie. Great effects guys. Kudos.) The concept was definitely original and I was interested in the way the characters entered dreams and how they were affected within them.

Unfortunately, once we hit the halfway point, they lost me. No, they didn't lose me because they were going into dreams within dreams. I understood it. [SPOILERS AHEAD] I was lost because it was nothing but them running from Robert's (Cillian Murphy) security. Man, poor Mr. Murphy. I've loved him since I saw Breakfast on Pluto, but Mr. Nolan is cruel to him.

The third Christopher Nolan movie in five years in which Cillian Murphy's character spends a significant portion of his on-screen time with a cloth bag over his head.

His talent was wasted in this movie. Too many main characters that we do not get enough background on anyone except for Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio). I would have loved more an Arthur and Eames (Tom Hardy) who have a history. Maybe some scenes of past jobs instead of an hour of guns blasting?

When it comes down to it, I thought that the concept was fantastic, it was shot well and the actors did a great job. I'm just not an action film fan and therefore it just did not appeal to me. I have to say it again, though. Mr. Gordon-Levitt and zero gravity? It was so awesome!

My Sincere Apologies

I'm quite sorry that I haven't been keeping up with this blog recently. I know that when I did't have a new movie to review or something to do with movies to rant about, I'd at least talk about an older movie. I just haven't been feeling very witty recently.

I've been having a "family emergency" in the most literal sense. I'm not going to go into details, but let's just say that I have other things on my mind. I promise that alot of awesome reviews will be coming up soon. I'm planning on seeing Inception soon and Scott Pilgrim is coming out next weekend. I promise I'll start this blog back up by then.

Until then, I am sorry to those who actually read this (which I know isn't many, but you deserve an explanation) and I hope that some Matthew Gray Gubler and a cute puppy can cheer you up.


(picture via fanpop)