Movies galore!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve watched a number of movies. I thought I should do my friends and me a favour – give them a quick review. These serve as a reminder to myself what movies I should go for next time.

Order of the Phoenix
This is by far the most disappointing of the entire movie franchise so far. While visually, it maintains its highly entertaining standards, I cannot reconcile the fact that it is based on the original children’s novel.

Nevertheless I have to admit; arguably the motion picture and the printed novel are two separate entities. Therefore, the producers of the film have absolute artistic prerogative to recreate the story. However, moviegoers should not expect to be told the story as the book did. I have to conclude that while the novel tells the story (albeit in its childish naïveté); the movie merely entertains.

Oh yah, and the fact that I can no longer see Daniel Radcliff as the innocent and earnest Harry after his stint in Equus.

Grade – C-

Transformers
This movie shares the same title and titular characters as the cartoon/comic series many of those in my age group grew up with. However, the similarities just about ends there. I did not quite see it as a nod or homage to its eponymous predecessor.

Many, including myself moaned over the fact that one of our favourite characters, Soundwave™, was ostensibly excluded. Nor did we welcome the overt and flamboyant makeover of Optimus Prime™. Was he used as a deliberate move to woo the gay demographics who were boys when they first watched the cartoon?

Finally, I want to ask Brian Singer, why did he make all our beloved Autobots™ appear so ‘duh’? Remember the scene when they were in the garden, outside the boy’s house, while he was trying to retrieve the relic of the spectacles? I rest my case.

Grade – B+; only for the visuals and nostalgia, definitely not for the content.

The Bourne Ultimatum
Apart from the incredible choreography and fight scenes, there isn’t much to this final installment of Ludlum’s Bourne trilogy. I have to say, the one with the best and richest story content was the first one (Identity). When I caught the second one, there were already hints of what the story is veering towards.

Honestly, I have not read the series of novels, but base on the movies alone, content started to thin out and action began to takeover from the second part. By the final installment, it was pretty much all action and no story – a no-brainer. I suppose it’s a natural progression. The final part was more of a (convenient) wrap-up than anything else.

Grade – C

The Simpsons

This cartoon shaped my formative teenage years. I acquired most of my sarcasm from the characters in this series. Although I agree with the character in the movie, when he snidely asked why would anyone be so stupid to pay ten bucks, for a movie they can watch for free at home? Thereby cleverly, yet discreetly excusing the producers.

Nevertheless, I thought it was worth the ten bucks. I enjoyed the timely jibes at social and global issues. While there is something for everyone, much of the shows’ wit and witticism would be lost to those who never quite followed the series.

Meanwhile, you can laugh at the gratuitous slapsticks that Homer never fails to disappoint. Snigger, snigger.

Grade – B

Hairspray
PLEASE!! DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR!! Go and catch this movie at once!! You will NOT regret it! I mean it in all earnestness!!

From the moment Nikki Blonsky (aka Traci Turnblad) hits the first note, you’d be hypnotized into a toe-tapping frenzy of delightful and uplifting beats. You’d also be brought through a history lesson (albeit American) on segregation.

The actors playing the roles were also well cast – the off-beat coupling of John Travolta and Christopher Walken. Michelle Pfeiffer as the resident racist bitch. The righteous Corny Collins played by singing and dancing James Marsden.

Entertainment with a soul and a lesson on morality. You can’t beat that… and the fact that tween-idol dujour, Zac Effron (of “High School Musical” fame) also stars in it.

Grade – A++

Evan Almighty
This movie is full of clever, witty lines. It alludes to your humorous political, religious/biblical/environmental sensibilities. Unfortunately, all these virtues were overshadowed by the slapstickity of the whole motion picture. What’s worse, the audience seems to lap up the schlep. Woe…

In order to fully appreciate the movie, without the feeling of being intellectually insulted as affected by the mean intelligence of the audience, wait for the rental DVD. Otherwise, watch this ONLY if you’re a real fan of Wanda Sykes.

Grade – C+

Ratatouille
I caught two movies about food and chefs within a week. This was one of them.

This is a brilliant animation from the Disney/Pixar collaboration. The story is unique in an unconventional sense – a rat with a gastronomic streak and a kitchen hand with a retarded culinary sense. But the plot is not that new. Both parties team up to make the best of each other’s physicality.

I must say though, the voice talents lived up to their titles. Especially the voice of Anton Ego played by Peter O’Toole. Each slur, drone and drag of vowels was played to purrrfection. Enough to send chills and squeeze drops cold sweat out of your glands. However, I have to confess that the accent seems to be flying but Parisian in the movie. I thought at certain parts, especially in the beginning, the character Collette’s (Janeane Garofalo) accent more Italiano than Francaise.

Technicalities aside, watch this movie for all its entertaining (great visuals) and educational (introduction to epicurean experience) values.

Grade – A

No Reservations
This movie started off promising. It boasted a competent cast and a potential storyline. Unfortunately, it just meanders through the motion never rising to a crescendo.

The characters were hopelessly two-dimensional. Although there were attempts to inflate them, the attempts were goofus than gallant. One of the techniques involved a psychologist while another involved the two leads’ tête-à-tête in the kitchen.

Overall, it’s a very pathetic shot at anything romantic (and I am a sucker for romance, so that’s saying something).

Ultimately, it’s a shallow, unsatisfying offering. Skip this course and go straight to the dessert.

Grade – D

Akan dating (Coming soon…)

These are movies that I want to catch when they arrive...

Becoming Jane
Becoming Jane is a Miramax film that was released in 2007. The film is based on the early life of author Jane Austen, who is portrayed by Anne Hathaway, and her possible flirtations with Thomas Langlois Lefroy, played by BAFTA-nominated Scottish actor James McAvoy. Julie Walters, James Cromwell and Maggie Smith also appear in this picture. The film was produced in cooperation with several companies, including BBC Films and Irish Film Board.

Becoming Jane was directed by Julian Jarrold. The cast was selected by Gail Stevens and Gillian Reynolds, costumes designed by Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, and original soundtrack composed by Adrian Johnston.

Although the film goes beyond what is proven fact in assuming a real relationship between Austen and Lefroy, the original screenplay was inspired by real events, which were chronicled in the book Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence, who was the historical consultant on the film. In fact, prior to Spence’s book, Radovici and Tomalin have also acknowledged the romance between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. Tomalin’s book was also used as another anchor in making Becoming Jane.

Stardust
Stardust is originally the second solo prose novel by Neil Gaiman. It is usually published as a novel with illustrations by Charles Vess. Stardust has a different tone and style than most of Gaiman's prose fiction, being consciously written in the tradition of pre-Tolkien English fantasy, following in the footsteps of authors such as Lord Dunsany. It is concerned with the adventures of a young man from the village of Wall, which borders the magical land of Faerie.

The movie features an all-star cast with Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O’Toole, Sienna Miller, Claire Danes, Robert DeNiro, Rupert Everett and even the voice of Sir Ian McKellan!

Enchanted
Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) lives in the blissful cartoon world of Andalasia, where magical beings frolic freely and musical interludes punctuate every interaction.
Though Princess Giselle is currently engaged to be married to the handsome if lunkheaded Prince Edward (James Marsden), her fate takes a turn for the worse when the villainous Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) throws her through a magic portal, apparently to her doom.

But Giselle's plunge into darkness lands her in a strange new world - the unforgiving metropolis of New York City. As the cruelty of the big city soon begins to wear down the fairy-tale exterior of the once carefree princess, the frightened Giselle soon finds herself falling for a friendly, flawed, and engaged divorce lawyer Rob (Patrick Dempsey) whose blend of compassion and street smarts help her to survive and build a happy life in a harsh town. And while Rob is initially a difficult host, he and his daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey) also begin to be won over by the strange beauty's charms.

However, as Giselle's confidence recovers, her presence in Manhattan begins to cause strange side effects in the fabric of reality. And worse is to come when Narissa arrives in New York.