I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't really know much about the story - although now I know more and I know they did change some aspects of the story for the new adaptation - except that something killed most everyone on Earth and the rest were turned into zombies, except a few, like Will ... I mean Dr. whatever-his-name-is-in-the-movie.
This movie has grown on me. I liked it - but as I think about it, I like it more and more. Will is great, although I think maybe...no, I'll just leave it at that. To act with a dog and CGI for most of the movie is quite the feat. He really translates how one might feel if (when?) contact with other humans was lost. In the scene with the dog (I won't say more) you feel his crazy and his anguish. It was moving - except to the lady that walked out during that scene.
The effects are great. The zombie/vampires are pretty creepy and at least a little scary. The use of flashback (as dreams) was effective. Like I said, Will's acting was good, and he was in great shape, even skinny, for this. The story gives you lots to think about, even if it might be a little less than airtight (what movie doesn't have holes? I can only think of Seven and all the holes I can poke in that movie - which I did not like).
Because it's mostly just him, surviving and researching a cure, there isn't much to say about the plot, but I was fascinated with the daily routine. I think that's really most of what this movie is about - what would happen to you if this occurred? And what if the zombies were ... smart?? It's a psychological movie as much as a zombie flick.
It was suspenseful, funny, scary, hopeful - and not too long - all you want in a movie!
Rate: right out of my seat *** and a half ; today ****
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007
In Theater - Once
I was told by a friend that this was a nice little movie. A snapshot of a new relationship between two musicians, described as a musical.
Loving the description, I was excited to see it. I was not disappointed. Once is an Irish film about a Hoover-fixing aspiring musician that meets a girl, also a musician but due to life circumstances not using her musical talents, and together they blossom and make some beautiful music. I'm not going to go through the plot of each movie, unless I feel it's necessary. This plot is more about character, interaction, emotion, and situation, so it makes no sense to explain the plot.
Neither of the actors that play the lead characters (in the credits called only "Boy" and "Girl") is a trained actor - they are musicians and wrote all the original music in the film. At times you can tell, but really it's a nicely acted -- one might say it's innocently acted -- film with an independent feel (which was at least partly on purpose - a tidbit I got from the wikipedia entry on the film - which also gives a longer plot summary). The film probably wouldn't have worked any other way. It really makes it feel very intimate, but the direction and interaction between the characters also adds to the intimate feel.
As I said above, it's a modern musical. The music is weaved into the story. For example, after she tells him that she plays piano, he asks to hear her play, and she leads him to a music store where she has gotten to know the owner so she can practice because she cannot afford a piano. (After this song, my movie partner said "That's one of the best songs I have heard in a while.") Or where he asks her to have a go at some lyrics for one of his melodies, and she practices the lyrics while walking, in her pajamas, from the convenient store, where she had to get batteries for her CD player. The film is full of little things that are funny and heart-warming like her walking the night in her PJ's. These are the elements that draw you into the story and the characters.
We both commented after the movie that non-American films seem to be so much better at capturing life - with all the interesting characters, interactions, and just regular life that's been pointed and captured on film -- in the same amount of time that Bruce Willis hides from the bad guys and saves the world. And it's not boring or slow, it is intriguing. This is, of course, a generalization. But it seems something to consider as a broader question. Do American audiences need more stimulation -- or are they uninterested in the subtleties of life and characters? And if so, why?
Anyway, aside from all my other observations, Once is wonderful and quite a delightful film. Definitely worth seeing, if only for the music.
Rated: ****
Loving the description, I was excited to see it. I was not disappointed. Once is an Irish film about a Hoover-fixing aspiring musician that meets a girl, also a musician but due to life circumstances not using her musical talents, and together they blossom and make some beautiful music. I'm not going to go through the plot of each movie, unless I feel it's necessary. This plot is more about character, interaction, emotion, and situation, so it makes no sense to explain the plot.
Neither of the actors that play the lead characters (in the credits called only "Boy" and "Girl") is a trained actor - they are musicians and wrote all the original music in the film. At times you can tell, but really it's a nicely acted -- one might say it's innocently acted -- film with an independent feel (which was at least partly on purpose - a tidbit I got from the wikipedia entry on the film - which also gives a longer plot summary). The film probably wouldn't have worked any other way. It really makes it feel very intimate, but the direction and interaction between the characters also adds to the intimate feel.
As I said above, it's a modern musical. The music is weaved into the story. For example, after she tells him that she plays piano, he asks to hear her play, and she leads him to a music store where she has gotten to know the owner so she can practice because she cannot afford a piano. (After this song, my movie partner said "That's one of the best songs I have heard in a while.") Or where he asks her to have a go at some lyrics for one of his melodies, and she practices the lyrics while walking, in her pajamas, from the convenient store, where she had to get batteries for her CD player. The film is full of little things that are funny and heart-warming like her walking the night in her PJ's. These are the elements that draw you into the story and the characters.
We both commented after the movie that non-American films seem to be so much better at capturing life - with all the interesting characters, interactions, and just regular life that's been pointed and captured on film -- in the same amount of time that Bruce Willis hides from the bad guys and saves the world. And it's not boring or slow, it is intriguing. This is, of course, a generalization. But it seems something to consider as a broader question. Do American audiences need more stimulation -- or are they uninterested in the subtleties of life and characters? And if so, why?
Anyway, aside from all my other observations, Once is wonderful and quite a delightful film. Definitely worth seeing, if only for the music.
Rated: ****
On DVD - Notes on a Scandal
I did not know the plot of this movie before watching it. I know that may be hard to believe seeing as how it was nominated for all sorts of awards, but I did not have even a bit of a clue.
So, once you accept that, it may be easy to believe that I was a bit surprised at the storyline.
I do realize that this sort of thing happens and a few of these same types of scandals have been in the news recently (although, from the details I have heard, the real scandals sound much less romantic (or whatever it was) than the one in the movie). In fact, I was watching an interesting CourtTV recap of a trial...
Anyway, after I got over it, I found the movie: interesting, well-acted, fairly realistic, disturbing. It's worth watching, but I don't have much to say about it. What does that mean? Judi Dench's character was very disturbing and the most interesting in the movie. Well done. She should have won the Oscar for this -- although I haven't seen any of the other movies, so I suppose I shouldn't make that kind of determination just yet.
*** - probably would get more, but I felt dirty after watching it and I have little to say about it, which has got to mean something.
So, once you accept that, it may be easy to believe that I was a bit surprised at the storyline.
I do realize that this sort of thing happens and a few of these same types of scandals have been in the news recently (although, from the details I have heard, the real scandals sound much less romantic (or whatever it was) than the one in the movie). In fact, I was watching an interesting CourtTV recap of a trial...
Anyway, after I got over it, I found the movie: interesting, well-acted, fairly realistic, disturbing. It's worth watching, but I don't have much to say about it. What does that mean? Judi Dench's character was very disturbing and the most interesting in the movie. Well done. She should have won the Oscar for this -- although I haven't seen any of the other movies, so I suppose I shouldn't make that kind of determination just yet.
*** - probably would get more, but I felt dirty after watching it and I have little to say about it, which has got to mean something.
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