This was a sad film, set in the very Britain which I grew up in. It focuses on the then emerging technology of human organ transplant. To fulfill the requirements of the system, organs must be grown. The film follows the process.
Their is a special class of person raised in boarding schools, their life expectancy is to be terminated on that third or fourth donation. These children are raised in the belief that that is the right and proper thing to do; that is what they expect, and the consequence is that they do nothing to resolve their situation.
Though the story is bleak, and it's disturbing how the characters accept that role in life, the film is still very interesting to watch. The pastoral scenes of Britain are this wonderful, cinematography is very good, very careful.
I still believe that Kiera Knightley is not the best actress, though Carey Mulligan is pretty damn good.
Not a feel good date movie.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
the girl who played with fire
This is the second film in the Millennium Trilogy.following the adventures of This is the second film in the millennium trilogy, following the adventures of Lizbeth Salander, as she wends her way through the Swedish underworld.
Bloomquvist is also very present in the story. He looks older, driving a Toyota Prius, wearing reading glasses, biker jacket, and still getting involved. This role is still crucial, heading up the magazine in a grueling investigation of the Scandinavian white slave trade.
Lizbeth has just returned from a year in exile, and uses her newfound wealth to fix some wrongs in the past. These include continued misdoings of her parole officer, a reunion with her father, and meeting with her brother.
Once again Sweden provides a beautiful backdrop, and enviable place to live with amazing Mercedes ambulances. At that with the crime world is like that, then I don't want to live that.
The film was only really marred by one seeing, where Lizbeth has a brush with death, and an escape that not even the Terminator would've survived.
Overall an entertaining, if violent film. I am looking forward to part three., as she went away to the Swedish underworld.
Bloomquvist is also very present in the story. He looks older, driving a Toyota Prius, wearing reading glasses, biker jacket, and still getting involved. This role is still crucial, heading up the magazine in a grueling investigation of the Scandinavian white slave trade.
Lizbeth has just returned from a year in exile, and uses her newfound wealth to fix some wrongs in the past. These include continued misdoings of her parole officer, a reunion with her father, and meeting with her brother.
Once again Sweden provides a beautiful backdrop, and enviable place to live with amazing Mercedes ambulances. At that with the crime world is like that, then I don't want to live that.
The film was only really marred by one seeing, where Lizbeth has a brush with death, and an escape that not even the Terminator would've survived.
Overall an entertaining, if violent film. I am looking forward to part three., as she went away to the Swedish underworld.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Cat Returns
Another good film from Studio Ghibli, however I was feeling lazy and watched the US dub. There were some stilted characters.
This one doesn't have the depth of look that a lot of their films have, but still was amusing and magical. It is the story that is referred to in "Whisper of the Heart", and like that is about a young girl getting to validate her character and know who she is.
Not as good a film as I was hoping for, but we're spoiled by seeing so many Miyazaki films.
This one doesn't have the depth of look that a lot of their films have, but still was amusing and magical. It is the story that is referred to in "Whisper of the Heart", and like that is about a young girl getting to validate her character and know who she is.
Not as good a film as I was hoping for, but we're spoiled by seeing so many Miyazaki films.
Arthur and the Invisibles
I hate to do this, but, I found a Luc Besson film I didn't care for.
The film is beautifully shot, don't get me wrong, even if the scenes in the town look a little mixed in their vintage, this is a fantasy after all. The animated sequences are polished, the character designs are good, but oh what a terrible dub for the English version. I hear the English version also had some details cut from it too.
Maybe I should try it again with the French soundtrack, but I don't have high hopes.
C'est la vie.
The film is beautifully shot, don't get me wrong, even if the scenes in the town look a little mixed in their vintage, this is a fantasy after all. The animated sequences are polished, the character designs are good, but oh what a terrible dub for the English version. I hear the English version also had some details cut from it too.
Maybe I should try it again with the French soundtrack, but I don't have high hopes.
C'est la vie.
Contact
What can I say, Carl Sagan finally put pen to paper for a science fiction novel, which was wonderful, reminiscent of Nigel Kneals writings.
That this got filmed is great also, a wonderful story of hope and faith in a world rife with technology. It's also a fun look at SETI projects, and politics between science and the government, the government and the world. For good measure a love story, some time travel, good science and then technobabble.
Jodie Foster, as always good, makes a strong lead.
The best use of FX in this film for me was the sequence when Ellies father died.
Good film, full of hope and optimism; a film that somehow never became really big, but definitely deserves more attention than it got.
That this got filmed is great also, a wonderful story of hope and faith in a world rife with technology. It's also a fun look at SETI projects, and politics between science and the government, the government and the world. For good measure a love story, some time travel, good science and then technobabble.
Jodie Foster, as always good, makes a strong lead.
The best use of FX in this film for me was the sequence when Ellies father died.
Good film, full of hope and optimism; a film that somehow never became really big, but definitely deserves more attention than it got.
Foyle's War - Enemy Fire
I really want to add this to the list for two reasons, one is because it excuses the lack of film reviews this week, and secondly an episode of Foyles War has all the merits of a movie anyway, each being treated by the crew and cast a s TV movie.
This episode is very representative of the level of writing and acting, and is one of the larger budget episodes too, with more FX and done on a grander scale.
Foyle's War is an excellent view of war time Britain, by being on the South coast (Hastings) we are placed away from London and typical war time drama, but also on the coast most vulnerable to invasion where tensions must have been the highest for rural Britain. The attention to detail, and depth of research done by the writer leaves you with very richly painted vignettes of society and politics at the time, without all the bull and bravado of a war film.
This episode is very representative of the level of writing and acting, and is one of the larger budget episodes too, with more FX and done on a grander scale.
Foyle's War is an excellent view of war time Britain, by being on the South coast (Hastings) we are placed away from London and typical war time drama, but also on the coast most vulnerable to invasion where tensions must have been the highest for rural Britain. The attention to detail, and depth of research done by the writer leaves you with very richly painted vignettes of society and politics at the time, without all the bull and bravado of a war film.
Cast Away
I was very pleasantly surprised by this one, Tom Hanks not being his usual role. Mind you I think the problem is I saw too many of his old movies. I did enjoy "Apollo 13", and to some extent "Forrest Gump", FG suffered from being so talked about, and oft lampooned on TV and in all the talk shows etc that I just got burnt out on it. As a consequence a modern day retelling of Robinson Crusoe held no appeal for me, especially with Hanks in the lead. I guess I can't blame him for "The Ladykillers", what a terrible re-make.
The opening of the film has a chain of Fed Ex packages making their way to Russia where we meet the most obnoxious of people, the sort of jerk you wish would drop dead, they also introduce you to a philandering husband, who seems to then fall out of the plot.
The island setting is fantastic, you wonder how they could film on such a small beach and never see the camera, especially when they are at the very end of the island, or on top of the island and do 360 pans. Well, apparently almost every scene was packed with CGI, and it was so seemlessly there and so natural looking you just don't notice. Like all the CG in Forrest Gump, except when the president it there.
Sad, moving and fortunately side steps the cliched ending, and with no tribesmen to get in the way.
The opening of the film has a chain of Fed Ex packages making their way to Russia where we meet the most obnoxious of people, the sort of jerk you wish would drop dead, they also introduce you to a philandering husband, who seems to then fall out of the plot.
The island setting is fantastic, you wonder how they could film on such a small beach and never see the camera, especially when they are at the very end of the island, or on top of the island and do 360 pans. Well, apparently almost every scene was packed with CGI, and it was so seemlessly there and so natural looking you just don't notice. Like all the CG in Forrest Gump, except when the president it there.
Sad, moving and fortunately side steps the cliched ending, and with no tribesmen to get in the way.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Rocketeer
Since I have a nine year old at home I rented this action adventure.
Typical adventure flick, fast planes, car chases, explosions, villains, heroes and a rocket pack.
Vaguely reminiscent of "King of the Rocketmen", this film is actually based on a graphic novel. It mixes in historical figures such as Howard Hughes and is set in 1938, with a vague backdrop of Nazi world domination.
Beyond thrill a minute, Jennifer Connelly as the heroine, Timothy Dalton as the big bad villain what else is there to say.
Typical adventure flick, fast planes, car chases, explosions, villains, heroes and a rocket pack.
Vaguely reminiscent of "King of the Rocketmen", this film is actually based on a graphic novel. It mixes in historical figures such as Howard Hughes and is set in 1938, with a vague backdrop of Nazi world domination.
Beyond thrill a minute, Jennifer Connelly as the heroine, Timothy Dalton as the big bad villain what else is there to say.
Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa, famed for Samurai movies, produced this tale of a man who doesn't escape the minutia of the bureaucratic machine until he is diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer. At this point, with help from an artist and young co-worker, he learns how to escape, but also learns that he can do something worthwhile.
Half the film is set after his demise, going back and looking at his last months in retrospect.
A wonderful film about town councils and jobsworthyness, and not wanting to break the status quo. Though a little long in places this film is mostly well paced, giving time to absorb what is happening.
Half the film is set after his demise, going back and looking at his last months in retrospect.
A wonderful film about town councils and jobsworthyness, and not wanting to break the status quo. Though a little long in places this film is mostly well paced, giving time to absorb what is happening.
A Very Long Engagement
Like "Amelie" and "City of Lost Children", this film has a quirky story and beautiful photography. A lovely palette is used to paint this picture.
So this story is set in the early 20's, a young lady is trying to find the truth about her fiancee, who is believed to have died in the trenches. Like Amelie, we are exposed to a huge array of interesting characters and magical moments.
The scenes in the trenches are gruesome, not as brutal as they could be and still somewhat sugar coated. This film is not about war heroes, but about those who found the war too much to handle and looked for a way out, and the legacy they left behind.
One of my favourite characters was the Corsican pimps girlfriend, who goes on a manhunt for the men who led to his death. She has a certain style to her revenge.
The lead character though, Mathilde, is a sweet and determined young lady who is out for the truth. Her investigation leads her around France, stitching together messages left behind and eye witness accounts. As usual there are a dozen twists and turns, and a typical European style optimistic ending.
So this story is set in the early 20's, a young lady is trying to find the truth about her fiancee, who is believed to have died in the trenches. Like Amelie, we are exposed to a huge array of interesting characters and magical moments.
The scenes in the trenches are gruesome, not as brutal as they could be and still somewhat sugar coated. This film is not about war heroes, but about those who found the war too much to handle and looked for a way out, and the legacy they left behind.
One of my favourite characters was the Corsican pimps girlfriend, who goes on a manhunt for the men who led to his death. She has a certain style to her revenge.
The lead character though, Mathilde, is a sweet and determined young lady who is out for the truth. Her investigation leads her around France, stitching together messages left behind and eye witness accounts. As usual there are a dozen twists and turns, and a typical European style optimistic ending.
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