Pacific Rim
Director: Guillermo del Toro, Main Cast: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi
I completely understand del Toro for wanting to make this film, I also grew up watching tons of Japanese anime with giant robots that beat the crap out of alien monsters/robots, so my inner eight-year old was giddy at the idea. Multi-million visual and special effects notwithstanding, we were both disappointed (my inner child and I). I didn’t appreciated the weak script, the inconsistencies of the plot and the super-cliched story arc of our hero: young and over-confident fighter, brought back to the harsh reality of life by tragedy, reluctant comeback after years of obscurity and finally saving the world…well, nothing new under the sun. My inner child instead was really upset by the abysmally poor tactics and the overall strategy in fighting the monsters (kaiju = monster in Japanese filmography…as much creativity as calling the first satellite in human history “sputnik”). What’s with the fist fights and low-performing energy beams….seriously?! Where are the atomic punch, the thunder break or the double harken? Our heros remember halfway through a fight that they have a much more effective sword…what the hell? Why not use it right away instead of a freight ship as a cudgel? And why always wait for the kaiju to come and destroy cities instead of meeting them in the middle of the Pacific where the inter-dimensional portal is? I won’t even talk about the pseudoscience or the lamest speech a la “Saint Crispin’s Day” since Independence Day. Anyway, del Toro is already planning a sequel, so I hope that he will refresh his memory watching some episodes of Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger or Grendizer. Try, try again, fail, fail better.–4/10
Filed under Seen at home
Rush
Director: Ron Howard, Main Cast: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Pierfrancesco Favino
The golden age of F1 and the rivalry between two pilots: James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film follows the story of both men through the years from their early days in F3 up until 1976, the faithful year of Niki Lauda’s accident and his epic comeback. The latter is what Howard really loves: the hero falls and then he raises again, usually against all odds. Chris Hemsworth is, of course, the charming, hothead rogue while Daniel Bruehl is the meticulous, driven (pun intended), reserved type. They both do a good portrayal of the characters and their “frenmity”. The cinematography and the editing of the racing scenes are effective and compelling. The use of vintage cars and the over-saturated colours convey the Seventies’ look and feel very well. Nostalgic and entertaining —7/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
Eyjafjallajökull
Director: Alexandre Coffre, Main Cast: Valérie Bonneton, Dany Boon, Denis Ménochet
A crossover between “The War of the Roses” and “Due Date” with French humor. A divorced couple needs to reach Greece to attend their only daughter’s wedding but fate intervenes and all flights are grounded due to the eruption of the Icelandic volcano. What follows is a rather adventurous road trip from Germany to Greece passing through the Balkans. The two leads have a pretty good chemistry and it really strengthens the film. Menochet’s character is unique and hilarious. Laughs and a happy ending European style. Entertaining —6.5/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
The East
Director: Zal Batmanglij, Main Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page
The premises are pretty good: young and brilliant operative, who works for a private intelligence firm, infiltrates a anarchist/eco-terrorist group to gather information and protect the interests of big corporations. As she gets to know better the members of the group she starts to go Donnie Brasco and also to feel undeniably attracted to the mysterious and charismatic leader Benji (Alexander Skarsgard! and who can blame her?!). The problems I have with this film are several. Firstly, Marling’s character (Sarah/Jane) has a u-turn about corporate world, did she lived under a rock up until the moment of going undercover? She is working for a private intelligence company for heaven’s sake! Is she that naive or really dumb? It cannot be because she is “too intelligent for her own good” as her boss told her. So, sorry, I’m not buying it. Secondly, for someone who lived for weeks on the streets or in a house in ruin (I come back to this later) Sarah has amazing hair, she always looks like she just left the hair salon. Thirdly, the wood around the house reminds me of the elevator in Grey’s Anatomy…seriously? Our would-be lovers keep meeting each other there, totally randomly, and eventually become lovers…there…among dead leaves, branches and, probably, stones…it looks uncomfortable to say the least. Now, the house, HQ of the group, is made of wood, it has supposedly being burned down by Benji in the past…well it is very well preserved, some artful holes in the wall but still very serviceable floors, ceilings and stairs. Sure, it could have been repaired by the some crafty drifter but then why the artful holes? To be more eco-friendly? Anyway, the final stroke is the ending when Sarah (now back to Jane) chooses to be good and save the world from the evil corporations almost single-handedly. A missed opportunity to explore an interesting subject. Watch the Constant Gardener instead.–4/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
The Secret World of Arrietty
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Main Cast (voices):Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, David Henrie;
Notwithstanding the fact that he is not directing, this is still a Miyazaki’s story: a boy and a girl meet and help each other, forming a deep bond in the meantime. This time, however, she is Tinker Bell’s size and she is a “borrower”, little people that take from the house of human beings where they live only what they need. Well, this is the first thing that left me a little nonplussed: borrowers are supposed to stay hidden and get from the humans the bare necessities…they are not very good at it and it looks like they splash out on their house, it reminds me of a hobbit’s hole. The other problem is the supporting characters (Arrietty’s parents, the housekeeper, the aunt) are too much Miyazaki’s stereotypes, nothing really new or endearing. The last issue I have with this film is the voice-over at the end, apparently it is only in the US version, too much Blade Runner theatrical release for my taste…I tend to prefer the director’s cut. So, as a fan of Miyazaki, I am somewhat disappointed, I had high expectations. The silver lining is the brief participation of a Jimsy-like borrower, really loved that. —5.5/10
Filed under Animation, Seen at home
Drift
Directors:Ben Nott, Morgan O’Neill, Main Cast: Myles Pollard, Xavier Samuel, Sam Worthington
I like Aussie movies and surf movies and this is a nice combination. A bromance in the sixties/seventies and the origin of surf gear labels in Western Australia. There are all the cliches: strife and reconciliation between the brothers, the hot but tough girl for whom both brothers fall, the Man and living outside society, the hippie/spirit guide guy who ends up saving the day (kind of a long cameo of Sam Worthington), etc. It is not Big Wednesday but, even with all its flaws, it is quite enjoyable and the cast does an honest job. The scenery, the atmosphere and water scenes are compelling. —6.5/10
Filed under Seen at home
Oldies but goldies: Say Anything (1989)
Director: Cameron Crowe, Main Cast: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor;
This is a classic romcom, quoted throughout the years in movies and tv-shows, but it is also a honest look on first love and teenagers. Cameron Crowe’s first effort as director/writer is sweet, compelling and accurate. John Cusack is perfect as Lloyd and there are memorable scenes: anything involving Lili Taylor, Gas ‘n’ Sip guys and, of course, Lloyd holding the boombox playing “In your eyes”. Heartwarming–7.5/10
Filed under Oldies but goldies, Seen at home
Grand Central
Director: Rebecca Zlotowski, Main Cast: Tahar Rahim, Léa Seydoux, Olivier Gourmet, Denis Ménochet
Blue collar drama in modern France. A classic love triangle with an unusual backdrop: the difficulties and dangers of working at a nuclear power plant. Pretty interesting use of the visual medium to deliver all the non-verbal communication among the characters and the rich subtext (life as a disaster waiting to happen?). Something different to watch. —7/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
The Butler
Director: Lee Daniels, Main Cast: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo
The riveting story of the afro-americans and the Civil Rights Movement from the twenties until Obama’s time through the eyes of a domestic servant who becomes one of the butlers at the White House in the fifties. Well acted and with a good pace, it shows the ordinary life of an ordinary man (but maybe not so ordinary… as Daniels hints more than once) in contrast with the actions and decisions of the men he served (nice gallery of US Presidents, kudos to John Cusack for his Nixon). The end is too sugar-coated though, it would have been perfect if the end credits started after he landed in jail for protesting against the Apartheid. —7/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
Favorite quote of the moment
Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming.
Filed under Favorite quotes of the moment, Odds and ends
Blue Jasmine
Director: Woody Allen, Main Cast: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins
A New York socialite goes west…in more senses than one. After she has lost everything (husband, son, status, money, houses, jewels), Jasmine moves to her sister’s place in San Francisco to start fresh. The two sisters are as different as the moon and the sun but try, clumsily and blindly, to push each other to improve their situation in life, with somehow mixed results. Do we ever change what we are at the core? For the first time Allen choses as his neurotic alter-ego a woman, and about time, Cate Blanchett is quite spectacular in the role. Special kudos to Sally Hawkins as well. —7/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
Favorite quote of the moment
Nobody puts baby in the corner!
Filed under Favorite quotes of the moment, Odds and ends
Oldies but goldies: Dirty Dancing (1987)
Director: Emile Ardolino, Main Cast: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach;
Sometimes is nice to go back and re-watch the classics and this is a great example of a quality chick-flick: girl meets boy from a different world, they dance and they fall in love. The world conspires to keep them apart but they fight to be together. Happy ending, great soundtrack and dance numbers, what more do you want?– 8/10
Filed under Oldies but goldies, Seen at home
Olympus Has Fallen
Director: Antoine Fuqua, Main Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman
Watching films requires willing suspension of disbelief, and action movies require quite a lot but…really?!? All the secret service agents of the White House are that dumb? And, moreover, they are swatted like flies so our hero can be the only one left standing and save the President, his son and the country…from the evil Korean mastermind (since the glasnost they are the new “evil empire”), whose plan has so many flaws that I don’t know where to begin. Antoine Fuqua had already a spotted record and this doesn’t help at all in my book. Watch Die Hard instead. —2/10
Filed under Seen at home
The Kids Are All Right
Director: Lisa Cholodenko, Main Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo
The children of a lesbian couple, brother and sister, are curious about their “sperm donor”. When they finally meet, he turns out to be an easy-going, charming guy but with a bit of a peter pan complex. His presence in their life upsets the family balance and drama ensues. The strong performance of the cast is not enough to make it a good movie, it seems a little ambivalent about the moral of the tale.– 6/10
Filed under Seen at home
The Lone Ranger
Director: Gore Verbinski, Main Cast: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson
Verbinski and Depp are reunited for another adventure. This time is the old far west with all the classics: outlaws, assault to the train, bank robbery, indians, charging cavalry and a hero with a white hat (Hammer, who shows comedy chops). Depp creates another odd character with its peculiar quirks and reinvents Tonto. Pretty amazing stunts and some good humor. The so-called plot twists are not exactly that but, all in all, quality entertainment and not a dull moment — 6.5/10
Filed under Seen at the cinema
Favorite quote of the moment
Some motherfuckers are always trying to ice skate uphill
Filed under Favorite quotes of the moment, Odds and ends
Ramblings of a cinephile 