lissa_quon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lissa_quon) wrote2006-05-22 04:48 am
lissa_quon) wrote2006-05-22 04:48 am
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Well my friend is stuck alone for the next couple weeks so I'm keeping her company. This means I get to watch more movies than I normally do. My usual process of movie watching is let everyone rent and watch them and wait to find out if it's any good. Then if I remember or have the money to I'll watch it. As it turns out the system is flawed I end up watching nothing.
Anyways, watched a some new releases on DVD this weekend and with my sudden pile of artwork I figured my grasp on art was going to slip if I didn't give it any excercise. So here we, go my film rants on New World, Casanova, Tristan and Isolde and The Producers. Spoilers may follow
New World- My friend rented this in hopes of eye candy and I hoped for some vaguely interesting historical drama. We got niether. What we got was alot of weird camera angles, annoying narration, inaudible dialouge and some of the most forgettable characters.
Whoever made this films assumes, most likely correctly, that you automatically know who Pocahontas, John Smith and Rolfe are, for they never actually tell you their names. They might mention Smith's name once but NEVER will they say 'this girl is Pocahontas' which, educated guesses aside, would be nice.
Accuracy seems abit dodgy in this piece as well, the film has Pocahontas' father disown her and cast her out, which means when the English kidnap her noone does anything about it. I seem to recall the actual kidnapping causing abit more of a stir.
The film also made alot of the romantic replationship Pocahontas and John Smith may/may not have had. The film very heavily embellishes and makes Pocahontas trail after Smith and pine after him and Smith for her. One makes you wonder exactly how Pocahontas is going to marry Rolfe if she's still so obsessed with Smith.
The pacing of the film is sluggish, never does one get any sort of attachment to the events. The soundtrack is bland, the direction of the film seems to be channeling that of a nature documentary and has all the emotional investment of such. People blaze trails, kill each other and fall in love in the most uninteresting way possible. This might be in part due to the inaudible dialouge, everyone seems to mutter or gibber their words to the point of making no sense.My friend and I got frustrated and bored and shut the film off at what we're hoping was the halfway point.
Tristan and Isolde pretty cinematography, nice costumes, story is a retread of Guinivere and Lancelot though more teen angsty. All in all as my friend put it 'it's opera' It was alright but not going to watch again, rather bland viewing.
Casanova - Casanova may have been more than just a pretty face or an animal in bed but that's not what this movie is about. In fact this movie is not even about his activities in bed but more about his attempt at redemption from such. So once again the seeking of eye candy is mostly disapointed except for a few shirtless shots and the lovely scenery and costumes of 1700's Venice.
Pitched as a romantic comedy or Heath Ledger's proof of masculinity after Brokeback Mountain it pretty much is such. The film is pure fluff and cheese borrowing plot points from Shakespeare and every other well known farce. It suceeds at this level.
However the leading talent's performances are rather dull, there is no chemistry between them. Instead me and the rest watching the film with us rooted for everyother couple and supporting character in the film, who did amazingly.
Pretty film, predictable plot, but quite enjoyable for a lazy weekend viewing.
The Producers - As a fan of Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder and the original Mel Brooks film I was not expecting to like the musical version. Instead I found myself suprised and enjoying this film emmensly and watching it multiple times in one weekend like I did the first time I saw the original.
I'm not going to describe the film, if you don't know the plot of this film do yourselves a favor and rent the original 1967 Mel Brooks film. You'll either love it or hate it, or not get the jokes at all. But it is indeed a film I think most people should give a chance.
My biggest worry about this film was the actors, I'm emmensly fond of the original leads and could not see how anyone could replace the two legendary actors. There was some hit or miss but they suceeded for the most part.
Nathan Lane was awesome as Bialystock, he hit every note and tone that Mostell did in the first one and blazed his own trail with the new plot details and musical numbers. He is awesome in 'Along Came Bialy' and 'Betrayed' and plays the role of the con man to the perfect key.
Matthew Broderick on the other hand does not capture the same amount of nervousness that Gene Wilder does (who can?) he still does admirably well. Just hear him squeak out 'you're gonna jump on me and squash me like a bug' and you'll cut him a break for the occasions he doesn't quite make it.
Will Farrel as the neo-nazi was hilarious, he is given alot more material to work with then his predesecor. His pigeons provide back up to his introducing scene as he makes the two leads join him for the 'Guten Tag Hop Clop' and he gushes like a school boy about Adolf and you can see the spit fly as he raves against Churchill and the BBC. He can also sing a touching ballad, his song during the credits is comedy gold.
The musical numbers are hilarious and well done, excepting a few overlong numbers like 'I Wanna Be a Producer'. The chorus line of little old ladies was jaw dropping. Though the 'Springtime for You-Know-Who' is of course the main highlight of the piece, and for those Doctor Who fans, check out the blonde Jack leading the chorus, the man can apparently sing.
Due to the fact that this is indeed a Mel Brooks film, he wrote and produced the film and the play it's based on, there are of course offensive pieces. The director in the original film was gay but never actually said so on screen, but when the man walks around calmly in a ball gown sharing verbal barbs and long gazes with his live in assistant one assumes things. In this version however they beat you over the head with every single gay sterotype including harem boys and the Village People. The musical number 'Keep it Gay' also helps reinforce the whole 'look they're GAY' mentality. Some of it was amusing and some of it felt rather overdone in my opinion.
Long story short, this was a very amusing piece of cinema but one must learn to check your delicate sensibilites at the door. And if you are offended by the Nazi jokes, you have clearly missed the joke.
Anyways, watched a some new releases on DVD this weekend and with my sudden pile of artwork I figured my grasp on art was going to slip if I didn't give it any excercise. So here we, go my film rants on New World, Casanova, Tristan and Isolde and The Producers. Spoilers may follow
New World- My friend rented this in hopes of eye candy and I hoped for some vaguely interesting historical drama. We got niether. What we got was alot of weird camera angles, annoying narration, inaudible dialouge and some of the most forgettable characters.
Whoever made this films assumes, most likely correctly, that you automatically know who Pocahontas, John Smith and Rolfe are, for they never actually tell you their names. They might mention Smith's name once but NEVER will they say 'this girl is Pocahontas' which, educated guesses aside, would be nice.
Accuracy seems abit dodgy in this piece as well, the film has Pocahontas' father disown her and cast her out, which means when the English kidnap her noone does anything about it. I seem to recall the actual kidnapping causing abit more of a stir.
The film also made alot of the romantic replationship Pocahontas and John Smith may/may not have had. The film very heavily embellishes and makes Pocahontas trail after Smith and pine after him and Smith for her. One makes you wonder exactly how Pocahontas is going to marry Rolfe if she's still so obsessed with Smith.
The pacing of the film is sluggish, never does one get any sort of attachment to the events. The soundtrack is bland, the direction of the film seems to be channeling that of a nature documentary and has all the emotional investment of such. People blaze trails, kill each other and fall in love in the most uninteresting way possible. This might be in part due to the inaudible dialouge, everyone seems to mutter or gibber their words to the point of making no sense.My friend and I got frustrated and bored and shut the film off at what we're hoping was the halfway point.
Tristan and Isolde pretty cinematography, nice costumes, story is a retread of Guinivere and Lancelot though more teen angsty. All in all as my friend put it 'it's opera' It was alright but not going to watch again, rather bland viewing.
Casanova - Casanova may have been more than just a pretty face or an animal in bed but that's not what this movie is about. In fact this movie is not even about his activities in bed but more about his attempt at redemption from such. So once again the seeking of eye candy is mostly disapointed except for a few shirtless shots and the lovely scenery and costumes of 1700's Venice.
Pitched as a romantic comedy or Heath Ledger's proof of masculinity after Brokeback Mountain it pretty much is such. The film is pure fluff and cheese borrowing plot points from Shakespeare and every other well known farce. It suceeds at this level.
However the leading talent's performances are rather dull, there is no chemistry between them. Instead me and the rest watching the film with us rooted for everyother couple and supporting character in the film, who did amazingly.
Pretty film, predictable plot, but quite enjoyable for a lazy weekend viewing.
The Producers - As a fan of Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder and the original Mel Brooks film I was not expecting to like the musical version. Instead I found myself suprised and enjoying this film emmensly and watching it multiple times in one weekend like I did the first time I saw the original.
I'm not going to describe the film, if you don't know the plot of this film do yourselves a favor and rent the original 1967 Mel Brooks film. You'll either love it or hate it, or not get the jokes at all. But it is indeed a film I think most people should give a chance.
My biggest worry about this film was the actors, I'm emmensly fond of the original leads and could not see how anyone could replace the two legendary actors. There was some hit or miss but they suceeded for the most part.
Nathan Lane was awesome as Bialystock, he hit every note and tone that Mostell did in the first one and blazed his own trail with the new plot details and musical numbers. He is awesome in 'Along Came Bialy' and 'Betrayed' and plays the role of the con man to the perfect key.
Matthew Broderick on the other hand does not capture the same amount of nervousness that Gene Wilder does (who can?) he still does admirably well. Just hear him squeak out 'you're gonna jump on me and squash me like a bug' and you'll cut him a break for the occasions he doesn't quite make it.
Will Farrel as the neo-nazi was hilarious, he is given alot more material to work with then his predesecor. His pigeons provide back up to his introducing scene as he makes the two leads join him for the 'Guten Tag Hop Clop' and he gushes like a school boy about Adolf and you can see the spit fly as he raves against Churchill and the BBC. He can also sing a touching ballad, his song during the credits is comedy gold.
The musical numbers are hilarious and well done, excepting a few overlong numbers like 'I Wanna Be a Producer'. The chorus line of little old ladies was jaw dropping. Though the 'Springtime for You-Know-Who' is of course the main highlight of the piece, and for those Doctor Who fans, check out the blonde Jack leading the chorus, the man can apparently sing.
Due to the fact that this is indeed a Mel Brooks film, he wrote and produced the film and the play it's based on, there are of course offensive pieces. The director in the original film was gay but never actually said so on screen, but when the man walks around calmly in a ball gown sharing verbal barbs and long gazes with his live in assistant one assumes things. In this version however they beat you over the head with every single gay sterotype including harem boys and the Village People. The musical number 'Keep it Gay' also helps reinforce the whole 'look they're GAY' mentality. Some of it was amusing and some of it felt rather overdone in my opinion.
Long story short, this was a very amusing piece of cinema but one must learn to check your delicate sensibilites at the door. And if you are offended by the Nazi jokes, you have clearly missed the joke.