The Illusionist, Dogma, Moulin Rouge!, V for Vendetta
Guten Tag, mein Damen und Herren,
It's Wednesday, September 9th, 2009. Today's old reviews are:
Dogma
4 stars
Dogma is a masterful movie with a very strong cast and one of the deeper and more thoughtful messages of its time. It is also incisively funny, making viewers laugh hard while still thinking hard. It loses ground, however, in its reckless and gratuitous profanity--and I mean that to include both obscene language and general disrespect of organized religion. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work in general, and I know the value of shock. But I feel many of the people who could benefit from the movie's message about individual faith would be repulsed by its tone. That said, the plot and writing are both tight as a drum, Alan Rickman and Chris Rock give two of their most wryly watchable performances to date, Jason Lee and Linda Fiorentino play great characters, and the film does expertly combine serious subject matter with great comedy. Even Jay and Silent Bob have their place, if only to balance out the movie's many deeper moments.
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V For Vendetta
3.5 stars
An interesting take on the future-that-could-be. Escapist in the extreme and a bit far-fetched, as most such movies are, but V for Vendetta maintains an interesting balance between hope and revenge. Hugo Weaving is very strong, especially since you never even see his face, and Natalie Portman turns in a very mature performance as well. This movie has great action, and its anarchic twist is definitely entertaining.
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Moulin Rouge
0.5 stars
Some people loved this movie, some people hated it. Guess which one I am. Sorry, Ewan fans.
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The Illusionist
4.5 stars
This movie balances out The Prestige. Both films are dark period pieces with great actors and insanely clever plot twists. But where The Prestige is dark like a dungeon, to reflect the minds and madness of its antagonistic protagonists, The Illusionist is dark like an attic. It's shadowy, and a bit unnerving at times, but you never feel too far away from safety and warmth. Norton's magician is tormented and sometimes petty, but always retains his human decency. Paul Giamatti, likewise, is a bad guy by circumstance rather than by temperament, and in that role he is brilliant. if you want a less somber version of The Prestige, this is your movie.
Until next time,
FBS
It's Wednesday, September 9th, 2009. Today's old reviews are:
Dogma
4 stars
Dogma is a masterful movie with a very strong cast and one of the deeper and more thoughtful messages of its time. It is also incisively funny, making viewers laugh hard while still thinking hard. It loses ground, however, in its reckless and gratuitous profanity--and I mean that to include both obscene language and general disrespect of organized religion. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work in general, and I know the value of shock. But I feel many of the people who could benefit from the movie's message about individual faith would be repulsed by its tone. That said, the plot and writing are both tight as a drum, Alan Rickman and Chris Rock give two of their most wryly watchable performances to date, Jason Lee and Linda Fiorentino play great characters, and the film does expertly combine serious subject matter with great comedy. Even Jay and Silent Bob have their place, if only to balance out the movie's many deeper moments.
---
V For Vendetta
3.5 stars
An interesting take on the future-that-could-be. Escapist in the extreme and a bit far-fetched, as most such movies are, but V for Vendetta maintains an interesting balance between hope and revenge. Hugo Weaving is very strong, especially since you never even see his face, and Natalie Portman turns in a very mature performance as well. This movie has great action, and its anarchic twist is definitely entertaining.
---
Moulin Rouge
0.5 stars
Some people loved this movie, some people hated it. Guess which one I am. Sorry, Ewan fans.
---
The Illusionist
4.5 stars
This movie balances out The Prestige. Both films are dark period pieces with great actors and insanely clever plot twists. But where The Prestige is dark like a dungeon, to reflect the minds and madness of its antagonistic protagonists, The Illusionist is dark like an attic. It's shadowy, and a bit unnerving at times, but you never feel too far away from safety and warmth. Norton's magician is tormented and sometimes petty, but always retains his human decency. Paul Giamatti, likewise, is a bad guy by circumstance rather than by temperament, and in that role he is brilliant. if you want a less somber version of The Prestige, this is your movie.
Until next time,
FBS