Review: Clash of the Titans (2010)

 

 

Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 NF stars for this one.  I rounded up because fun definitely prevails over quality, and what I wanted here was fun.  I love the original cheeseburger with Harry Hamlin and his mechanical owl.  When I first heard they were putting together a remake it seemed an unnecessary heresy (perhaps this still holds true).  No worries there, though, because they didn’t really remake the first movie; they made up a whole new story that has as little to do with the first film as it does with the ancient Perseus myth.  I agree with other NF reviewers that the action sequences are hyperactive, hyperbolic, and pretty well incomprehensible.  And that’s just in 2D, ha.  The so-so-CGI monsters are wimpy caricatures compared to Harryhausen’s creations. There are good and even great actors in the cast (Sam Worthington excepted) but most of them don’t have anything to do, and look like wet wood doing it.  Plot and dialogue are paltry at best.  Fortunately, Mads Mikkelsen provides a welcome high point.  Obvious and numerous flaws aside, the movie still provided me with a fairly fun ride, enough for close to 3 stars anyway.  Most importantly, it retains one of the most notable qualities of its predecessor:  Offering ample opportunities for amusing oneself and friends with scathing sarcasm and caustic wit at every turn.  Now that’s entertainment!    

Review: The Broken

Haiku Review:

mirrors crack’d grey
shadows dopple-ganged upon
moody music grates

Netflix Synopsis: From the very first moment Gina (Lena Headey) spots a woman who looks exactly like her driving down a busy London street, reality ceases to exist as she knows it. Tailing her doppelganger, Gina finds herself immersed in a surreal landscape of mind-bending nightmares and inexplicable events. Written and directed by Sean Ellis, this disturbing tale also stars Richard Jenkins and Asier Newman.

Review: Goya’s Ghosts (2006)

               

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  Initially favored by royalty, Spanish painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgård) is targeted by the Spanish Inquisition when he paints young Inés (Natalie Portman), whom the church views as a heretic. Twenty years later, Inés is released from the dungeon and requests Goya’s help in finding the daughter she bore while imprisoned. Javier Bardem and Randy Quaid also star in Academy Award-winning director Milos Forman‘s epic true story.

REVIEW:  Several of my friends told me they were disappointed by this movie. I’m sad to say I now feel the same…but only because I hoped for, and indeed expected, more. There is much good here–the cast is excellent, the costumes and sets superb, the story compelling enough on its face. Forman’s films are always meticulously crafted with a rich and sumptuous look; this one is no exception. It’s just that the whole thing feels as though his canvas ended up being a bit to small for his frame, and couldn’t quite stretch enough to contain the entire vision. The outstanding cast seems wasted, as situations and dialog don’t ring true, and the entire narrative is surprisingly flat, for all the drama inherent in the script. Ambitious but significantly flawed. Goya’s lithographs in the beginning scene and the montage of paintings beneath the end credits are very nearly the high points of the film. For me to feel so disappointed and still give the film 3.5 Netflix stars is a testament to the skill of all involved.

Review: Topsy-Turvy (1999)

             

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  After their production of “Princess Ida” tanks, Arthur Gilbert (Allan Corduner) and William Sullivan (the wonderful Jim Broadbent) start a cold war that threatens to end their long-lasting partnership. When friends and associates work overtime to bring them back together, the result is their classic play “The Mikado.” Thoughtful and winningly acted, Topsy-Turvy garnered four Academy Award nominations and won for best costume design and makeup.

REVIEW:  Excellent Mike Leigh film about the tumultous relationship between William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, particularly during the time they were creating and putting on “The Mikado.” It’s inventive and rather loosely jointed, in typical Leigh fashion. Several reviewers have commented that the plot is difficult to follow, yet I found the through-line to be easily identifiable. It’s best determined by the overall flow of narrative than the linear sequence of scenes, however. The superb dialog snaps and pops with wonderfully droll and sparky wit. Allan Corduner and Jim Broadbent render Gilbert and Sullivan bigger than life, with Gilbert’s artistic frustration and Sullivan’s egotistic intensity nearly leaping from the screen. The supporting cast is delightful as well and depicts the rolling chaos of behind-the-scenes theater life in sharp relief. The movie won Oscars for best costume design and makeup, and received 4 other nominations as well. Finally, and least by no means, there’s the wonderful music and brilliant, zany pageantry of G&S “opera.” Highly recommended for fans of colorful Victoriana, and an absolute must-see for anyone with a passion (or merely a passing interest) in the lives and works of Gilbert & Sullivan.

4 stars
Kym

Review: Stay (2005)

       

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  This racy thriller bends reality about five different ways when a psychologist’s (Ewan McGregor) suicidal client starts making bizarre predictions that, to everyone’s mounting consternation, begin to come true. Now, the shrink must race against the clock to save everything he loves before it disappears forever. Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling, Bob Hoskins and Janeane Garofalo co-star in this suspenseful yarn directed by Marc Forster.

MY TAKE:  Well-crafted, visually sleek thriller about a psychiatrist (Ewan MacGregor) racing against time to prevent a young patient (Ryan Gosling) from committing suicide. Or is it? Convoluted sequencing, repetitive clues and a general air of surreality should clue you in that things are not quite as they appear. This type of contrivance often gets on my nerves, but it’s quite well done here. Once you know the story, the film merits a second watch to observe how carefully –and cleverly -– everything is tailored together. Even in the more confusing moments,compelling performances kept my attention from wandering. Gosling is a particular standout, as is Bob Hoskins in a small but pivotal role.

Bits and Pieces: Rumpole, Dr. Who and Stay

Watched these wih my dad the other night:

Rumpole of the Bailey: The Lost Episode   — This was a 1975 episode, written by John Mortimer,  of the BBC series Play for Today.  It more or less served as the “pilot” for the highly successful Rumpole of the Bailey series, which started in 1978. Titled “Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt,” the lost episode is obviously a theatrical play staged for the screen, and is much less overtly comedic than the series it inspired. The foundations of Rumpole’s character, career and home life are clearly laid, however, as is his relationship with “She Who Must Be Obeyed.” A solid effort and must-see for Rumpole fans. 3.5 stars.

Dr.  Who: The Androids of Tara  — One of the best episodes of the Key to Time sequence, which in turn is the best sequence of the Tom Baker years…and IMO Baker is the quintessential Dr Who, a true nonpareil. Anyway…a great episode, nasty villain, gorgeous scenery, duplicitious plots, multiple Romanas, and K-9 saves the day. Oh, and androids. 4 stars.