So first I have news: I'm going to be in WSC's production of Hedda Gabler!!!! They were still short a "Berte, maid to the Tesmans" so Chris asked me if I would be interested. a-DUH!!! I've only been waiting around working there for 2 years waiting for this! So, if you're free on weekends between Jan 31 and Mar 9, come see Heather Haney as Hedda (she is awesome), Kathleen Akerley as Thea (she is super-cool!), some more great people like Adam Segaller, Frank Britton and possibly Martha Karl and Daniel Eichner!?!?! WOW!!! I don't know for sure because I haven't met the whole cast yet, but if that's the cast list, WHOOPEEEEE!!!!! I'm so thrilled to finally be a part of a cast again, even if I'm carrying tea!
I decided since I'm also bored today, have just finished I, Elizabeth, and have had a ripping social life, I will do some movie reviews of films I've seen recently:
Beowulf: 2/5 stars. 1 whole star goes to Brendan Gleeson, who can make anything good, apparently, and another to the animation, which is as thrillingly realistic as it was in The Polar Express (except that Ray Winstone looks NOTHING like that). In fact, the best part of the movie was trying to pick out the actors! Unfortunately it loses all its other stars for bad choices like paternity issues, gratuitous (and hilarious) nudity and blood spatter, and a really disappointing finish. It certainly was a transparent storyline, and felt like it glazed right over Grendel. He was there, he was scary, and he was defeated, but he served no greater purpose than to disgust and as a catalyst for the re-written storyline of his paternity. Gotta say, though, Crispin Glover = awesome. It tried to make a point about human hero myth versus human weakness, but was only weak itself as a movie. Especially after the incredible success of 300. Failed attempt, better luck next time.
The Golden Compass: 3.5/5 stars. Most of the stars here go to the stars of the movie, so I suppose the Casting Director. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Ian McKellan, Sam Elliot... all wonderful, all perfect in their roles. I asked myself during a scene with Iorek Byrnson the Polar Bear King, why can't Ian McKellan be in everything?! It loses points for severely watering down what is a fantastic story (I suppose for the sake of the Christian Right), for lacking CGI animation which always kept the animals and humans on a separate plane, and for pronouncing it DEE-mon and not DAY-mon. It's spelled daemon, fer chrissake! It is, admittedly, a traveling story, which has the potential to be a bit slow and boring, but I think they broke the action up nicely. I was also a bit disappointed with the way Lyra SAW answers in the compass, but I guess that's the best they could do. Hopefully they will rectify things if they get to make the sequels. Which they must because the end of the movie was, well, a cop-out.
Sweeney Todd: 5/5 stars. Ok, so Helena Bonham Carter can't sing, and Johnny Depp sounds like a world-weary Capt. Sparrow, and OK so they cut the masterpiece down to just under 2 hours. But people, this is probably the most brilliant thing I've seen Tim Burton do in ages and ages. It seemed to me that after Big Fish things took a turn for Burton and he wanted everything to play on the same theme: Daddy Never Loved Me. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for one. And I, sadly, found Corpse Bride lacking a bit in the inspiration department. However, despite his never being able to pick different leads, this movie was fan-freaking-tasmagorical. It was probably the most creative adaptation of a musical I've ever seen. Down to the nitty gritty details "Is that squire / on the fire?" Depp can do no wrong, although the transformation from avenger to monster is almost non-existant. HBC is simply delectable as Mrs. Lovett. And Johanna and Anthony (Jayne Wisener and Jamie Campell Bower) are believable and addictive. One might say that the special effects are too out there - but what did you expect? It is Burton after all! The blood is so un-realistic it's grotesque, which is exactly what Burton does best: turn the reality into such non-reality that it's believable and creepier than if it had been real. And the cracking of skulls as they tumble to the basement floor... ughers. Great performances all around (which I will be seeing again tonight!)
Enchanted: 4.5/5 stars. Alright, Amy Adams, give it up. What's your secret? This part had to hve been written FOR her or she was simply born to play it. No one else could have convincingly pulled off a real-life Disney Princess, all innocence and love. And Disney sure knew where to poke fun at itself here: "And that's the reason we need lips so much / For lips are the only things that touch." And her ability to call forth animal-helpers and getting rats, flies and pigeons was about the funniest thing I've ever seen. I also couldn't stop laughing at James Marsden as Prince Edward. As Megan put it, his talents were wasted as Cyclops in the X-Men movies. He has such presence and such dedication! I mean, the scene where he goes knocking on every door in the apartment building she's staying in is priceless. The only sad thing was it didn't LOOK like Susan Sarandon was having fun, although she SOUNDED like she was. And McDreamy (as he is called in that TV show I don't watch) was a bit too transparent for me. Good plot, though, and fun songs (which I have, of course, downloaded), and really dedicated acting from all involved. Including Timothy Spall, whom I would be remiss in omitting.So I have yet to see Juno, and I've already practically reviewed Atonement, so we have to wait for the next wave of good movies before I do this again! Great times, great times.
No comments:
Post a Comment