More reviews - Movies!
Dec. 30th, 2008 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akaihyoTrying to catch up a bit . . .
Seen on DVD:
Sukiyaki Western Django, a strange mix of western and samurai drama with HK action sensibilities. Not good but fun, the plot is a thin excuse to string together various Western/Samurai tropes and is quite amusing. Though it is in English, we found it worthwhile to watch with close captioning as the Japanese actors often do not speak clearly. My Grade: C
Diary of a Chambermaid, a strange French movie set between the wars about the life of a maid in the French countryside. It is well acted but goes nowhere. Nothing really resolves, and very little happens, throughout the movie. Just pointless. My Grade: C-
Khartoum, a historical drama based loosely on General Gorden's defense of Khartoum (in the Sudan) against the forces of the Mahdi. Not very historically accurate but very fun, Charlton Heston is brilliant as the driven Gorden, and Laurence Olivier is a sinister fanatic of a Mahdi. The battle scenes are well filmed, if not very bloody (though horses tumble left and right). My Grade: C+/B-
Hancock started off well as a tale of redemption but veered off into a strange story of super-powered immortals . . . which was a same as I was quite enjoying the redemption. Will Smith does well in the role overall and the special effects are very well done. It could have been great if it had focused on one storyline. My Grade: C-/C
On the theatre (yes, we actually made it to the theatre!):
The Tale of Despereaux, a delightful little story (though the opening is rather slow) well animated and with good voice acting from a lot of top talent (Matthew Broderick as Despereaux for example). A fun story and , mostly, well told. My Grade: C+/B-
Seen on DVD:
Sukiyaki Western Django, a strange mix of western and samurai drama with HK action sensibilities. Not good but fun, the plot is a thin excuse to string together various Western/Samurai tropes and is quite amusing. Though it is in English, we found it worthwhile to watch with close captioning as the Japanese actors often do not speak clearly. My Grade: C
Diary of a Chambermaid, a strange French movie set between the wars about the life of a maid in the French countryside. It is well acted but goes nowhere. Nothing really resolves, and very little happens, throughout the movie. Just pointless. My Grade: C-
Khartoum, a historical drama based loosely on General Gorden's defense of Khartoum (in the Sudan) against the forces of the Mahdi. Not very historically accurate but very fun, Charlton Heston is brilliant as the driven Gorden, and Laurence Olivier is a sinister fanatic of a Mahdi. The battle scenes are well filmed, if not very bloody (though horses tumble left and right). My Grade: C+/B-
Hancock started off well as a tale of redemption but veered off into a strange story of super-powered immortals . . . which was a same as I was quite enjoying the redemption. Will Smith does well in the role overall and the special effects are very well done. It could have been great if it had focused on one storyline. My Grade: C-/C
On the theatre (yes, we actually made it to the theatre!):
The Tale of Despereaux, a delightful little story (though the opening is rather slow) well animated and with good voice acting from a lot of top talent (Matthew Broderick as Despereaux for example). A fun story and , mostly, well told. My Grade: C+/B-