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Reviews
Earth Ring (2010)
This is an odd one
Just saw this at an industry seminar that screened shorts that are spawning development deals. We first saw this quirky movie at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival which was full of odd submissions. This was one of the oddest. My husband and I usually agree on movies but this one was a split. He liked it, I did not. To many old people and not enough action for my taste. I warmed to it a bit on the second viewing, but not a lot.
As I understand it, this was a studio pitch for a feature based on a popular SciFi novel, so evidently it accomplished its goal.
Faye Dunaway looked fantastic and did an good job of a difficult script. John Glover gave an impressive performance as the down-and-out Bill Gates although I think the arc could have easily stood on its own as a central theme.
The whole bit with Brando was a bit unsettling but the write up in both the festival catalog and the screening notes stated that the entire movie was shot well before his death and that it took the director more than six years to finish it because of all the special effects. At least he had the good manners not to include Brando in the credits. The poster and the trailer are the only place I could see him listed.
The trailer looks like it is from an entirely different movie. My husband thinks that it was made early in the production process and the director never went back and updated it. The story itself is well told and the direction is good but it is much too big a story for a 20 minute short.
The endless effects are OK - not great. I realize that it was an out-of-pocket project but still, if you're going to do a special effects movie in this day and age, and screen it at Cannes, you should be prepared to invest some serious bucks.
The story is a basic Faustian bargain; the lead can live forever if he becomes a robot. Again, my husband liked it, but I did not. Of course I loved Chienne d'Historie which won the Palme d'Or for best short and my husband did not. So there.
The Box (2009)
Cameron's best role to date
Sundance Film Festival seems to showcase a lot of low-budget films that get remade with good budgets. This seems to be the case with The Box. The Sundance version didn't have the big ticket actors, but there was something about it that made it apparent that some studio exec would pick it up and remake it.
The original was a lot rougher around the edges but had a more solid central theme. Less guessing, less speculation, less chance for the gripping close-ups.
Although the premise got dumbed down for a studio release, this is perhaps one of Cameron Diaz's deepest roles to date. The rest of the cast seems to have phoned it in while Cameron is the only one that is really selling it.
Pioneer (2011)
The best short of this year's festivals
This years Sundance Film Festival had a number of really well done features but the thing that sets Sundance and Cannes apart is the quality of the shorts. Filmmakers seem to know that if you can get a good short into one of these festivals, they are locked in for a chance at the big-time. Top of the list this year (although it didn't win) was David Lowery's Pioneer.
The setup felt to me like a darker version of Princess Bride, without the happy bits but equally well crafted. It is basically a father telling a violent story to his young son about his long gone mother. It had some "BIG FISH" moments to it but Lowery seemed to make it his own with his incredible timing and good editorial decisions.
To be honest, I don't know which of the to main characters were done better; the father, played by Will Oldham or the 4 year old kid played by Myles Brooks.
Truly a standout of this year's festivals. I can't wait to see what David Lowery does with his big break.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
unremarkable
My hubby and I saw this movie at last year's Cannes Film Festival and didn't really think too much of it at the time. When the Academy screeners came out we watched it again and wondered how it could possibly get an Oscar nod. Such an unremarkable film. Please don't get me wrong, this is a good film, just not remarkable.
I guess this raises the question: if you're a woman director and have a famous ex or dad, will the Academy treat you preferentially? I'm thinking back to Lost in Translation, another not-remarkable movie.
I know that the Academy can be a bit off with certain projects that have large promotional campaigns or have high level connections, but other than the obvious connect to James Cameron, we just can't figure this one out.
Delicatessen (1991)
Spec-freak'n-tacular!
I have been following the reviews of Brandt Sponseller for some time, which has inspired me to participate to a lesser degree in this review process. There are several other reviewers that I follow but Brandt seems to have more fun with it than other serious movie buffs.
So a tip of the hat to Brandt for introducing me to dozens of movies that I normally would not have seen, his review of Delicatessen persuaded me to watch what is now my very most favorite movie of all time. Sorry Mister Gilliam, but Brazil has now slipped to number two.
Aside from being the most well constructed movie I've ever seen, the subtext of the character types runs so strongly throughout the central theme that this could easily be one of the ten best movies of all time.
So well done that I wish that there were more starts to rate it with.
Braveheart (1995)
Poor continuity but highly entertaining
I loved this movie when I first saw it, but there was always something off. A friend who works as a script supervisor mentioned that it is used in many film classes as an example of bad continuity. The scene where Sophie Marceau's character is representing the king is highly flawed. Each time the camera cuts back to her the awkward headgear is arranged and dressed differently. In some shots it is an entirely different headpiece entirely.
Once you get started you'll start to notice that there are many other scenes with equally distracting inconsistencies.
Is this just bad editorial decisions or a total disregard for the audience? Now I see these breaks in continuity in every Mel Gibson movie I watch. It is hard to imagine that the Academy was so positive on this movie.