2005
2.5/4 Stars
Undoubtedly "Sith" is the greatest of the Star Wars prequels. It is as if Lucas and co. have finally begun to harness the great special effects processing power that they possess. Unlike the other two films, the CGI does not dominate the screen in such dramatic fashion and the action feels more natural.
Most of the film flows at a good pace, moving the story forward and keeping the audience engaged. There is a sense of impending doom throughout, which is appropriate given that this marks a major turning point in the Star Wars saga.
The color palette of the film has evolved a great deal from the vibrant, child pleasing colors of "Phantom" and is now darker, filled with reds, greys, and blacks. The climax of the film puts the audience in "hell" and saturates the lens with oranges and reds.
There are problems however, and these keep it from gaining a higher rating. Once again, the bad dialogue has resurfaced. It is more bearable than in the other two films because there is less of it. Most of the dialogue is pragmatic and acts to move the story forward. In other cases however, the screenwriters have failed to obey a simple rule of writing- "show, don't tell"- and beat the viewer over the head with the obvious.
Anakin: "I feel like I am changing. Something is going awry inside of me. It is as if I am becoming darker and moving toward the side of something dark. A dark side perhaps?"
The love scenes are just as horrible as they were in Episode II, but thankfully there are less of them. It is also interesting the fact that Natalie Portman's character has been relegated to a much smaller part in this film. All that she seems to do is cry and ask for male characters to hold her. This is a great departure from the spunky space politician a younger Anakin grew to love on the sands of Tattoine and in the pastures of Naboo.
There were rumors circulating while the movie was in production that Steven Spielberg had been brought in to help put the film together. It is uncertain whether or not this is true (he is uncredited), but one does get the sense that there is something different (and better) about the overall quality of this film from the other two prequels.
Overall, this is the best of the three prequels but it still drags at points. It is ironic, but the climax of the film slows the overall pace of the story somewhat. The best lightsaber battle of the prequels remains Darth Maul's. Nevertheless, the film takes the series to a dark place and sets up the saga for the next chapter, which bears the appropriate title "A New Hope".
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Immigrant
1917
2.5/4 Stars
The Immigrant is another short Chaplin film that puts him in the role of a European coming to America in the early twentieth century. This piece contains an array of slap-stick routines. The "dining hall" in the boat seems to be rigged up to some sort of rocking mechanism that allows for Chaplin to perform some of his stunts. He falls, rolls, and jumps with the "waves" of the ship.
Chaplin shines brightest in "The Immigrant" in the second act of the film that involves him seated at a restaurant, trying to plot how to get a free meal from the menacing waiter. His sleight of hand and good comedic timing work well here as he manages not only to confuse the waiter, but also to seduce the girl.
All in all, this is a good piece that pre-dates Chaplin's greatest moments. Reviews of these later pieces are forthcoming.
2.5/4 Stars
The Immigrant is another short Chaplin film that puts him in the role of a European coming to America in the early twentieth century. This piece contains an array of slap-stick routines. The "dining hall" in the boat seems to be rigged up to some sort of rocking mechanism that allows for Chaplin to perform some of his stunts. He falls, rolls, and jumps with the "waves" of the ship.
Chaplin shines brightest in "The Immigrant" in the second act of the film that involves him seated at a restaurant, trying to plot how to get a free meal from the menacing waiter. His sleight of hand and good comedic timing work well here as he manages not only to confuse the waiter, but also to seduce the girl.
All in all, this is a good piece that pre-dates Chaplin's greatest moments. Reviews of these later pieces are forthcoming.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
2002
1.5/4 Stars
When Episode II came out, many felt that there was nowhere to go but up for the new Star Wars prequel trilogy. When I first saw this movie six and a half years ago, I would have said that it was a marked improvement over the Jar Jar laden Phantom Menace. Having just re-watched Attack of the Clones this afternoon however, I would have to disagree.
Why is "Attack" worse than "Phantom"? The answer is dialogue. In an effort to develop "space chemistry" between Padme (Natalie Portman) and Anakin (Haydn Christensen), Lucas has fallen back on atrocious verbal exchanges and clunky acting. While the script was bad in Episode I, there is more dialogue here and the film suffers.
Clocking in at 142 minutes, the movie takes too long to develop and get off the ground. The "evolution" of Padme's feelings for Anakin could have been shown in one or two well-written scenes, but instead it is shown over several (ridiculous) sequences. My personal favorite involves Anakin riding a bloated space-cow-tick in a beautiful green pasture. The rest of the plot, explaining the beginnings of the Clone Wars, is also convoluted (like much of "Phantom"). However these aspects are slightly more bearable than the love scenes.
One of the few highnotes of the film takes place in an entirely computer generated sequence involving Obi-Wan Kenobi involved in a skirmish with Jengo Fett in an asteroid field. The two fighter ships weave in and out of the frame, dodging countless rocks. Both sound and visual effects are tremendous in this scene and create a sense of high-speed action. Beyond this however, the rest of the action pieces feel flat. The conveyor belt battle (that "foreshadows" Anakin's evolution into a machine) is absurd and the light-saber fighting seems less exciting than it did in Phantom (sorry Yoda).
Overall, this movie tells a clumsy story that is saturated with CGI. It does, however, manage to set up Episode III, which will be reviewed shortly.
1.5/4 Stars
When Episode II came out, many felt that there was nowhere to go but up for the new Star Wars prequel trilogy. When I first saw this movie six and a half years ago, I would have said that it was a marked improvement over the Jar Jar laden Phantom Menace. Having just re-watched Attack of the Clones this afternoon however, I would have to disagree.
Why is "Attack" worse than "Phantom"? The answer is dialogue. In an effort to develop "space chemistry" between Padme (Natalie Portman) and Anakin (Haydn Christensen), Lucas has fallen back on atrocious verbal exchanges and clunky acting. While the script was bad in Episode I, there is more dialogue here and the film suffers.
Clocking in at 142 minutes, the movie takes too long to develop and get off the ground. The "evolution" of Padme's feelings for Anakin could have been shown in one or two well-written scenes, but instead it is shown over several (ridiculous) sequences. My personal favorite involves Anakin riding a bloated space-cow-tick in a beautiful green pasture. The rest of the plot, explaining the beginnings of the Clone Wars, is also convoluted (like much of "Phantom"). However these aspects are slightly more bearable than the love scenes.
One of the few highnotes of the film takes place in an entirely computer generated sequence involving Obi-Wan Kenobi involved in a skirmish with Jengo Fett in an asteroid field. The two fighter ships weave in and out of the frame, dodging countless rocks. Both sound and visual effects are tremendous in this scene and create a sense of high-speed action. Beyond this however, the rest of the action pieces feel flat. The conveyor belt battle (that "foreshadows" Anakin's evolution into a machine) is absurd and the light-saber fighting seems less exciting than it did in Phantom (sorry Yoda).
Overall, this movie tells a clumsy story that is saturated with CGI. It does, however, manage to set up Episode III, which will be reviewed shortly.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Rink
1916
2.5/4 Stars
The rink is one of Charlie Chaplin’s early short films. It tells the story of his “tramp” character as he works as a waiter, gets into trouble with an oversized angry customer, gets into an altercation at a skating rink, meets a girl, and returns to the skating rink for the grand finale. The film is 20 minutes long.
Given the age of this picture, it is no surprise that it seems dated in many ways. The editing is frenetic and the film seems sped up to accentuate the fast and out of control nature of the roller skating rink. There are still highlights though, such as the large woman getting punched in the face, Chaplin’s acrobatic maneuvers on roller skates, and his grand escape by hitching his cane to the back of a car while still on roller skates. This escape must have been an inspiration to Marty McFly, who would later replicate the same stunt with both a skateboard and then again a hoverboard.
The DVD that I have suffers from a lousy audio-track. Shot before the age of “talkies”, this film was intended to be accompanied by live piano. Instead, there is a relatively lame music track that has countless ill-advised sound effects dubbed in to “enhance” the humor. Hearing a duck quack or kissy noises hurts the overall impact of the film.
Overall though, this is an entertaining piece that still has value. This said, it is far from Chaplin’s best work.
2.5/4 Stars
The rink is one of Charlie Chaplin’s early short films. It tells the story of his “tramp” character as he works as a waiter, gets into trouble with an oversized angry customer, gets into an altercation at a skating rink, meets a girl, and returns to the skating rink for the grand finale. The film is 20 minutes long.
Given the age of this picture, it is no surprise that it seems dated in many ways. The editing is frenetic and the film seems sped up to accentuate the fast and out of control nature of the roller skating rink. There are still highlights though, such as the large woman getting punched in the face, Chaplin’s acrobatic maneuvers on roller skates, and his grand escape by hitching his cane to the back of a car while still on roller skates. This escape must have been an inspiration to Marty McFly, who would later replicate the same stunt with both a skateboard and then again a hoverboard.
The DVD that I have suffers from a lousy audio-track. Shot before the age of “talkies”, this film was intended to be accompanied by live piano. Instead, there is a relatively lame music track that has countless ill-advised sound effects dubbed in to “enhance” the humor. Hearing a duck quack or kissy noises hurts the overall impact of the film.
Overall though, this is an entertaining piece that still has value. This said, it is far from Chaplin’s best work.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Friday Night Lights
2004
2/4 Stars
Peter Berg's adaptation of Buzz Bissinger's popular book chronicling the Odessa Panthers' 1988 season leaves much to be desired. If you are looking for nuance, character development and good dialogue, look elsewhere. Instead, brace yourself for an endless stream of football cliches.
Lines that may or may not be from the movie: "COME ON TEAM, YOU HAVE TO DIG DEEP!"
"YOU HAVE TO SHOW HEART IF YOU WANT TO WIN!"
"WE WORKED ALL SEASON FOR THIS, NOW GO AND GET IT!"
"GO OUT AND WIN IT FOR BOOBIE!"
You get the idea. Boobie is an actual character from the film, I didn't make that up. The acting is not bad, but there is not much to work with in the way of storyline or character growth. Connie Britton, who has since shown herself to be a very capable actress on the spinoff television show, is given less than a page of dialogue as the coach's wife. The coach, Thornton, is reduced to yelling lines like those above throughout the movie.
The cinematography is also not bad. In fact it is pretty well shot and the action is intense. One criticism would be the fact that much of the on-field action looks the same. Brutal hits look less brutal after you have seen them 15 times in a row.
It is a bad sign that I was left wondering what made this team special when the movie ended. For a more entertaining and better done story about high school football (and the Panthers), watch the first season of the television show.
2/4 Stars
Peter Berg's adaptation of Buzz Bissinger's popular book chronicling the Odessa Panthers' 1988 season leaves much to be desired. If you are looking for nuance, character development and good dialogue, look elsewhere. Instead, brace yourself for an endless stream of football cliches.
Lines that may or may not be from the movie: "COME ON TEAM, YOU HAVE TO DIG DEEP!"
"YOU HAVE TO SHOW HEART IF YOU WANT TO WIN!"
"WE WORKED ALL SEASON FOR THIS, NOW GO AND GET IT!"
"GO OUT AND WIN IT FOR BOOBIE!"
You get the idea. Boobie is an actual character from the film, I didn't make that up. The acting is not bad, but there is not much to work with in the way of storyline or character growth. Connie Britton, who has since shown herself to be a very capable actress on the spinoff television show, is given less than a page of dialogue as the coach's wife. The coach, Thornton, is reduced to yelling lines like those above throughout the movie.
The cinematography is also not bad. In fact it is pretty well shot and the action is intense. One criticism would be the fact that much of the on-field action looks the same. Brutal hits look less brutal after you have seen them 15 times in a row.
It is a bad sign that I was left wondering what made this team special when the movie ended. For a more entertaining and better done story about high school football (and the Panthers), watch the first season of the television show.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
2001
4/4 Stars
Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy had a lot to live up to. The books are classics and are adored by countless fans, all of whom had their favorite scenes and characters. Going into the project, Jackson must have known that it would be impossible to please everyone turning a 530 page novel in "Fellowship" into a 178 minute film (or 208 minutes in the case of the Extended Edition). In having just watched the extended version of the film, it is clear that he has largely succeeded in this difficult task.
The proof is in the details, and it is clear that the filmmaker went to great lengths to get these right. In creating the fantasy world of Middle Earth, no expenses were spared in generating some of the most ornately detailed and beautiful sets ever made. Rivendell, with its elaborate woodworking, and even the charming natural beauty of Hobbiton overwhelm the senses. Great attention to detail is also shown in the costumes that the character's wear. The golden embroidery on Boromir's sleeves, the ornate patterns on Gimli's helmet, and the various engravings on the character's weaponry are just a few examples of this attention to detail.
This said, what makes Fellowship a great film is the story. This is truly a great story that is told well- through good acting, good dialogue, and good character development. There is a bit of everything- a classic hero in Aragorn, an anti-hero in Boromir, a mysterious wiseman in Gandalf, the everyman in Sam, and comic relief in Merry and Pippin. Combined with solid acting and good use of special effects, this adds up to a spectacular picture.
This is high fantasy with a story that grabs the audience. 4 stars.
4/4 Stars
Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy had a lot to live up to. The books are classics and are adored by countless fans, all of whom had their favorite scenes and characters. Going into the project, Jackson must have known that it would be impossible to please everyone turning a 530 page novel in "Fellowship" into a 178 minute film (or 208 minutes in the case of the Extended Edition). In having just watched the extended version of the film, it is clear that he has largely succeeded in this difficult task.
The proof is in the details, and it is clear that the filmmaker went to great lengths to get these right. In creating the fantasy world of Middle Earth, no expenses were spared in generating some of the most ornately detailed and beautiful sets ever made. Rivendell, with its elaborate woodworking, and even the charming natural beauty of Hobbiton overwhelm the senses. Great attention to detail is also shown in the costumes that the character's wear. The golden embroidery on Boromir's sleeves, the ornate patterns on Gimli's helmet, and the various engravings on the character's weaponry are just a few examples of this attention to detail.
This said, what makes Fellowship a great film is the story. This is truly a great story that is told well- through good acting, good dialogue, and good character development. There is a bit of everything- a classic hero in Aragorn, an anti-hero in Boromir, a mysterious wiseman in Gandalf, the everyman in Sam, and comic relief in Merry and Pippin. Combined with solid acting and good use of special effects, this adds up to a spectacular picture.
This is high fantasy with a story that grabs the audience. 4 stars.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999
2/4 Stars
When "The Phantom Menace" first hit theaters, Star Wars fans went crazy. For the first time in sixteen years, Star Wars was back on the big screen. Initial reactions were mixed, and after the initial wave of enjoyment at seeing lightsabers again passed, reactions were decidedly negative. Marred by bad dialogue, a convoluted plot, bad acting, and especially a wacky Gungan named Jar Jar, many SW purists turned on the movie with a vengeance.
Now, almost ten years after its release, I decided to give this movie another try. The main impression I had after viewing it was that it was really intended for children. The color palette is bright and varied and the wide array of computer generated characters, as illustrated in scenes like the pod-race, seem very much out of a Saturday morning cartoon. Jar Jar, while still annoying, is aimed squarely at amusing kids with his "clumsy" slapstick humor.
The movie is bolstered by good, fast paced action sequences. The climax of the film, underscored by John Williams' "Duel of the Fates", is a high point in the action. The use of CGI, while overdone, works well in the light-saber duels as well as in the battles in outerspace. After almost ten years, these effects hold.
This said, I must now make it clear that this is by no means a good film. In many regards, it takes one twist too many and should not run 133 minutes. This is epitomized in the "adventure through the planet core" sequence where Jar Jar guides Obi Wan and Qui Gon in a submersible paddle boat through a sea of monsters. At one point, a fish bites the paddle boat, but before he can eat it, another fish eats him. "Always a bigger fish..." remarks Qui Gon. Less than 2 minutes later, another fish bites the boat, but before it can consume the boat, it gets eaten by a bigger fish. Qui Gon doesn't say anything this time, but he might as well have. It is one of the dumbest scenes I have seen in a long time that does nothing to advance the plot and seems to just be an excuse for Lucas to spend a few more thousand dollars on pumping more CGI scenes into an already bloated CGI movie.
There are also cringe inducing acting moments, particularly coming from the oft criticized young Anikin Skywalker, Jake Lloyd. There are too many examples to count here, but at least he is not alone. The clunky dialogue hurts all the acting talent here.
In the end however, when viewed through the lens of a children's adventure story, it is a profoundly mediocre movie, landing it a perfectly mediocre rating of 2/4 stars.
2/4 Stars
When "The Phantom Menace" first hit theaters, Star Wars fans went crazy. For the first time in sixteen years, Star Wars was back on the big screen. Initial reactions were mixed, and after the initial wave of enjoyment at seeing lightsabers again passed, reactions were decidedly negative. Marred by bad dialogue, a convoluted plot, bad acting, and especially a wacky Gungan named Jar Jar, many SW purists turned on the movie with a vengeance.
Now, almost ten years after its release, I decided to give this movie another try. The main impression I had after viewing it was that it was really intended for children. The color palette is bright and varied and the wide array of computer generated characters, as illustrated in scenes like the pod-race, seem very much out of a Saturday morning cartoon. Jar Jar, while still annoying, is aimed squarely at amusing kids with his "clumsy" slapstick humor.
The movie is bolstered by good, fast paced action sequences. The climax of the film, underscored by John Williams' "Duel of the Fates", is a high point in the action. The use of CGI, while overdone, works well in the light-saber duels as well as in the battles in outerspace. After almost ten years, these effects hold.
This said, I must now make it clear that this is by no means a good film. In many regards, it takes one twist too many and should not run 133 minutes. This is epitomized in the "adventure through the planet core" sequence where Jar Jar guides Obi Wan and Qui Gon in a submersible paddle boat through a sea of monsters. At one point, a fish bites the paddle boat, but before he can eat it, another fish eats him. "Always a bigger fish..." remarks Qui Gon. Less than 2 minutes later, another fish bites the boat, but before it can consume the boat, it gets eaten by a bigger fish. Qui Gon doesn't say anything this time, but he might as well have. It is one of the dumbest scenes I have seen in a long time that does nothing to advance the plot and seems to just be an excuse for Lucas to spend a few more thousand dollars on pumping more CGI scenes into an already bloated CGI movie.
There are also cringe inducing acting moments, particularly coming from the oft criticized young Anikin Skywalker, Jake Lloyd. There are too many examples to count here, but at least he is not alone. The clunky dialogue hurts all the acting talent here.
In the end however, when viewed through the lens of a children's adventure story, it is a profoundly mediocre movie, landing it a perfectly mediocre rating of 2/4 stars.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A DVD Blog
Dear All,
As most of you are aware, I have accumulated a DVD collection of close to 250 titles. This collection includes titles from as early as 1920 and as recent as 2008. It includes concert films, documentaries, television shows, and of course, films. Given my meticulous and pedantic nature, I have felt compelled to start a chronicle of these DVDs. It is my intention to watch, rate, and review these discs in this blog. It will probably take a few years and it is unlikely that I will complete the process- especially if I take on the special features- but nevertheless, I would like to give it a try. I hope it will be fun, and I look forward to your comments.
All best,
Terry
As most of you are aware, I have accumulated a DVD collection of close to 250 titles. This collection includes titles from as early as 1920 and as recent as 2008. It includes concert films, documentaries, television shows, and of course, films. Given my meticulous and pedantic nature, I have felt compelled to start a chronicle of these DVDs. It is my intention to watch, rate, and review these discs in this blog. It will probably take a few years and it is unlikely that I will complete the process- especially if I take on the special features- but nevertheless, I would like to give it a try. I hope it will be fun, and I look forward to your comments.
All best,
Terry
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