REVIEW: The Three Musketeers 3D (2011)
Mission Impossible in pre-revolutionary France. It just doesn't have the gravitas of the original with Charlie Sheen.
0 stars -- DAVID KAASBRADEN
REVIEW: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Christopher Plummer has laid claim to a posthumous Oscar with a standout performance in his final movie role, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, but paradoxically, another actor by the same name may win the award instead. The movie, written and directed by Terry Gilliam, the former member of the British TV comedy troupe The Goodies, provides a fitting finale to the all too brief acting career of Plummer, who first gained attention in the title role of Mary Poppins (1964), opposite Julie Christie.
Mission Impossible in pre-revolutionary France. It just doesn't have the gravitas of the original with Charlie Sheen.
0 stars -- DAVID KAASBRADEN
REVIEW: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
In this fantastical story, Plummer plays the thousand-year-old Doctor Parnassus, leader of a travelling show, who offers his customers an amazing thrill ride using a mystical mirror called an Imaginarium, with the help of a magician (John Garfield), and a wise-cracking dwarf (Danny De Vito).
Parnassus gained this mirror through a deal with the Devil (playing himself) who now comes to collect on the debt, by targeting the doctor's daughter, Valentina (Lily Allen). The travelling show is joined by a mysterious outsider named Tony, who pops in and out of parallel worlds during the course of the movie.
Which Plummer will win the Oscar?
The production faced some serious challenges about one-third of the way through, when Christopher Plummer died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Director Gilliam was forced to complete Plummer's remaining scenes using up to three other actors, all of them, apparently, also named Christopher Plummer. Amazingly, this worked, and it is very difficult to pick which Plummer performs in which scene. Their features, voices and mannerisms are all so alike you would be forgiven for assuming it is all the work of one actor. The Academy will have its work cut out deciding which one to award the Best Actor Oscar to.
In contrast, the performance of one of the other actors, Heath Ledger as the outsider Tony, is all over the place. Ledger appears to think he is acting in four different movies; his appearance, voice, and even his height, vary dramatically. I expect this performance, clearly a lowlight of his career, may threaten his chances at future roles.
4 stars out of 5 -- DAVID KAASBRADEN
I found myself cast headfirst into a fastpaced narrative set 11 years after the end of the first movie, and introduced to a small group of new characters, led by the always reliable John Cusack, who confront a number of omens foretelling imminent cataclysmic events. As expected, they are soon struggling with a rapidly escalating series of natural disasters, always escaping with seconds to spare. In common with the first movie, there is a major plotline involving contact with an alien race, but it is a completely new race of beings, at a very different stage of technological development, and with their own set of reasons for journeying to earth and assisting the human race.
There is no doubting the craft and skill that has gone into the convincing creation of this chaotic world, and yet, I kept feeling shortchanged by the apparent abandonment of the storyline from the original movie. The glossing over of this discontinuity detracted from the spectacle, and I found myself wishing for more emotional substance to the story. Perhaps just a few scenes with the original's main characters David Bowman and Frank Poole would have provided this, not to mention some more time with the apes.
On the plus side, it's filled with stunning scenes of destruction and mayhem, and who isn't excited by that kind of stuff? People scream and flee for their lives. Buildings crumple and crunch and snap. It's all very satisfying in the usual disaster movie way. There are frequent shots of cities and towns suddenly transforming into vistas of mass death and suffering, and who doesn't like to gorge on that kind of imagery? Clearly, it's a crowd-pleaser. Grab some popcorn, and go see it. -- DAVID KAASBRADEN
REVIEW: Young Queen Victoria (2009)
I've always said that if a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is nicely photographed, with practically every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. I might add that producers of period films are endlessly grateful for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets. There's little doubt that a film such as this saves building sets, because it deals with olden days subjects, for which producers are endlessly grateful. But I digress.
The film tells the story of Young Queen Victoria and her relationship with a servant, Johnny Brown (played by comedian Jerry Lewis), and the subsequent uproar it provoked. Brown had been a trusted servant of Victoria's then deceased consort, Prince Albert; Victoria's chief servants thought Brown might help to ease the apparently inconsolable Queen's deep grief over the Prince Consort's death in 1804.
Despite all the olden days frippery, buildings and topiary in place of sets on Young Queen Victoria, it is nonetheless an interesting tale of a Queen (played by Dame Judi Dench) who covets the throne currently occupied by her cousin Jerry Langford (Ralph Fiennes). The throne itself and the actors are exquisitely photographed, as are the olden days frippery, buildings and topiary.
If a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is photographed nicely, with every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. Producers of period films are endlessly grateful for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets. There's little doubt that a film such as this saves building sets, because it deals with olden days subjects, for which producers are endlessly grateful.
To help ease the Queen toward resuming public life after years of secluded mourning, Brown is summoned to court. Dame Judi Dench's ignorance is of no concern to the Duke of Kent (Sir Ian Richardson) who tries helping her with the help of his gardener Sir Penry (Billy Connolly), if only for her own good. Despite this, period films are infinitely better off for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets.
Especially poignant was the scene where Victoria drops the letter from her cousin Prince Frank and as she picks it up notices numerous items under her bed that she had forgotten about. Although we know these are special to her, we also know that anyone else would be bored senseless by them.
The gut-wrenching tenderness of this scene is only intensified by the one that follows, when Uncle Albert reads a newspaper column by Admiral Halsey listing, in stultifying detail, the personal items he had to leave behind, under his bed. Albert can't bring himself to read a single word of it. In fact, he groans and promptly tosses the paper in the fire.
It is a nice film. In the end, a long-distance caller Prince Albert (Rupert Bunny) accidentally becomes her husband. Which only goes to show that if a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is nicely photographed, with practically every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. -- ROGER BARTLETT
The highlight of the film is a matter of historical fact: the aerial sequences of Gibson's squadron of Spitfire heavy bombers destroying hundreds of dams in England's Ruhr Valley. To accomplish this they were provided with weapons designed and developed by Mike Myers. The bombs had to be dropped from an altitude of six miles to skip across the water into the dam face and then roll down it to explode at predefined depth. To add to the fun, hundreds of Nazis are also hunted down and scalped.
Tarantino corrects many of the missteps he had made in Death Proof, by going in completely the opposite direction, making the adventure about the characters and not the thrills and chills every few minutes. For the most part, Inglourious Basterds is a much lighter, frothier affair, with even the more menacing parts marked with bits of genuine hilarity. Norman Foam provides the warmly funny screenplay, and even the cinematography, which ran dark and mysterious in Pulp Fiction, appears vibrant and colorful. It's a kinder, gentler massacre film.
Mike Myers is a perfect addition to the series, playing the part of the unimpressed father beautifully. Just when you think you've seen all there is to see as far as the character of Guy Gibson, out comes another facet, and Brad Pitt does a very commendable job in balancing the Gibson we all know from other films and the boyish vulnerability whenever he is around his father. Two of the biggest legends in the world of action flick together on one bill is worth the price of admission at any price.
There is a sense of welcome immaturity to the entire production, letting you know that it's all in the name of fun. It's a loving tribute to Wolfenstein, and even if the violence sometimes gets into the realm of bloodlust, we like the characters so much, even those moments will make us smile. For every Tarantino fan, it's must-see viewing, literally watching Guy Gibson and friends fly off to the sunset together to bomb another dam. I should add that I haven't seen the film yet, but understand it's fine entertainment. -- MARGARET N BATES
REVIEW: 2012 (2009)
I must confess to being a little confused by the new doomsday themed movie, 2012. Whilst obviously a cleverly constructed and well shot sequel, it appears to have picked up almost none of the story threads, none of the characters, and certainly none of the actors, from the movie that started the franchise.
There is no doubting the craft and skill that has gone into the convincing creation of this chaotic world, and yet, I kept feeling shortchanged by the apparent abandonment of the storyline from the original movie. The glossing over of this discontinuity detracted from the spectacle, and I found myself wishing for more emotional substance to the story. Perhaps just a few scenes with the original's main characters David Bowman and Frank Poole would have provided this, not to mention some more time with the apes.REVIEW: Young Queen Victoria (2009)
I've always said that if a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is nicely photographed, with practically every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. I might add that producers of period films are endlessly grateful for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets. There's little doubt that a film such as this saves building sets, because it deals with olden days subjects, for which producers are endlessly grateful. But I digress.
The film tells the story of Young Queen Victoria and her relationship with a servant, Johnny Brown (played by comedian Jerry Lewis), and the subsequent uproar it provoked. Brown had been a trusted servant of Victoria's then deceased consort, Prince Albert; Victoria's chief servants thought Brown might help to ease the apparently inconsolable Queen's deep grief over the Prince Consort's death in 1804.
If a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is photographed nicely, with every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. Producers of period films are endlessly grateful for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets. There's little doubt that a film such as this saves building sets, because it deals with olden days subjects, for which producers are endlessly grateful.
To help ease the Queen toward resuming public life after years of secluded mourning, Brown is summoned to court. Dame Judi Dench's ignorance is of no concern to the Duke of Kent (Sir Ian Richardson) who tries helping her with the help of his gardener Sir Penry (Billy Connolly), if only for her own good. Despite this, period films are infinitely better off for olden days subjects as it saves them the cost and trouble of having to build sets.
Especially poignant was the scene where Victoria drops the letter from her cousin Prince Frank and as she picks it up notices numerous items under her bed that she had forgotten about. Although we know these are special to her, we also know that anyone else would be bored senseless by them.
The gut-wrenching tenderness of this scene is only intensified by the one that follows, when Uncle Albert reads a newspaper column by Admiral Halsey listing, in stultifying detail, the personal items he had to leave behind, under his bed. Albert can't bring himself to read a single word of it. In fact, he groans and promptly tosses the paper in the fire.
It is a nice film. In the end, a long-distance caller Prince Albert (Rupert Bunny) accidentally becomes her husband. Which only goes to show that if a film is photographed well, it doesn't matter what it is about. Young Queen Victoria is nicely photographed, with practically every scene composed, framed and lit like a photograph. -- ROGER BARTLETT
REVIEW: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Inglourious Basterds is the latest action film by Quentin Tarantino, and while it doesn't make the dynamic impact of Patch Adams (1998), you really couldn't ask for more crowd-pleasing potential.
It is an eclectic potpourri of influences, from the Indiana Jones movies, through Z-grade Italian war movies, to the ground-breaking first person shooter computer game Wolfenstein. However, chief amongst its sources of appropriation is the late sixties Hollywood actioner The Dirty Dozen, directed by Robert Altman. Tarantino borrows heavily from this classic movie, from the basic concept of a horde of army rejects being recruited for a suicide mission, all the way to specific scenes, such as the final one where John Cassavetes, with an evil smile, leads Mia Farrow to the bassinet where her newborn demon baby lies.
Inglourious Basterds begins with Brad Pitt playing a young Guy Gibson, who even at seven has a thirst for adventure. His father Barnes Wallis (Mike Myers) is obsessed with ballistics and breaching dams, and as a result, little attention is paid to young Guy. Flash forward to 1943, where Wing Commander Gibson (Brad Pitt) finds that his father has been kidnapped by the Nazis, who are also looking to develop a rubber bouncing bomb, and the legendary powers of destruction it may hold. Gibson and his dad have never quite seen eye to eye, which makes his subsequent rescue attempts all the more depressing, as he tries to impress a man who only lives to ruin dams.
Inglourious Basterds is the latest action film by Quentin Tarantino, and while it doesn't make the dynamic impact of Patch Adams (1998), you really couldn't ask for more crowd-pleasing potential.
It is an eclectic potpourri of influences, from the Indiana Jones movies, through Z-grade Italian war movies, to the ground-breaking first person shooter computer game Wolfenstein. However, chief amongst its sources of appropriation is the late sixties Hollywood actioner The Dirty Dozen, directed by Robert Altman. Tarantino borrows heavily from this classic movie, from the basic concept of a horde of army rejects being recruited for a suicide mission, all the way to specific scenes, such as the final one where John Cassavetes, with an evil smile, leads Mia Farrow to the bassinet where her newborn demon baby lies.
Inglourious Basterds begins with Brad Pitt playing a young Guy Gibson, who even at seven has a thirst for adventure. His father Barnes Wallis (Mike Myers) is obsessed with ballistics and breaching dams, and as a result, little attention is paid to young Guy. Flash forward to 1943, where Wing Commander Gibson (Brad Pitt) finds that his father has been kidnapped by the Nazis, who are also looking to develop a rubber bouncing bomb, and the legendary powers of destruction it may hold. Gibson and his dad have never quite seen eye to eye, which makes his subsequent rescue attempts all the more depressing, as he tries to impress a man who only lives to ruin dams.
The highlight of the film is a matter of historical fact: the aerial sequences of Gibson's squadron of Spitfire heavy bombers destroying hundreds of dams in England's Ruhr Valley. To accomplish this they were provided with weapons designed and developed by Mike Myers. The bombs had to be dropped from an altitude of six miles to skip across the water into the dam face and then roll down it to explode at predefined depth. To add to the fun, hundreds of Nazis are also hunted down and scalped.
Tarantino corrects many of the missteps he had made in Death Proof, by going in completely the opposite direction, making the adventure about the characters and not the thrills and chills every few minutes. For the most part, Inglourious Basterds is a much lighter, frothier affair, with even the more menacing parts marked with bits of genuine hilarity. Norman Foam provides the warmly funny screenplay, and even the cinematography, which ran dark and mysterious in Pulp Fiction, appears vibrant and colorful. It's a kinder, gentler massacre film.
Mike Myers is a perfect addition to the series, playing the part of the unimpressed father beautifully. Just when you think you've seen all there is to see as far as the character of Guy Gibson, out comes another facet, and Brad Pitt does a very commendable job in balancing the Gibson we all know from other films and the boyish vulnerability whenever he is around his father. Two of the biggest legends in the world of action flick together on one bill is worth the price of admission at any price.
There is a sense of welcome immaturity to the entire production, letting you know that it's all in the name of fun. It's a loving tribute to Wolfenstein, and even if the violence sometimes gets into the realm of bloodlust, we like the characters so much, even those moments will make us smile. For every Tarantino fan, it's must-see viewing, literally watching Guy Gibson and friends fly off to the sunset together to bomb another dam. I should add that I haven't seen the film yet, but understand it's fine entertainment. -- MARGARET N BATES
