SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
'A breath of fresh magical air, even if it does border on mediocrity'
Directed by Mark Waters
Starring Freddie Highmore, Mary Louise Parker and David Strathairn
Let's face it, not since Lord of the Rings took the stage has the fantasy mania ever been much in terms of quality. That said, only a handpicked few after the trilogy was any good, and none of which were nearly AS good. These good fantasy movies included Narnia, Pan's Labyrinth and few others. Thankfully Spiderwick Chronicles fall into this category.
The first essential thing Spiderwick does right is that it doesn't suck. No, seriously. Every other fantasy recent fantasy movie from The Golden Compass to Eragon has fallen at this first simple step. You make a movie, before you make it anywhere good, you have to make sure first that it will not torture your audience.
Second thing Spiderwick does right? It doesn't stop at simply not sucking. It doesn't fall into the same pitfalls of its brothers and sisters and actually focus of its effort to telling the story and not flashing it around with all sorts of C.G.I. This movie is actually plot-driven, and the special effects serve more as an enhancer rather than the main attraction. That said, the special effects were pretty well done, and some designs managed to capture some of the great images of the book. It isn't anything groundbreaking but it manages to be eye-pleasing.
Freddie Highmore is official the FANTASY KID. With movies such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Arthur and the Invisibles, The Golden Compass and Finding Neverland already under his belt, he adds yet another notch. And while has done a remarkable job considering in all the previous films, he is finally showing a bit more maturity in his roles here. The fact that he plays twins and he plays them effectively is to be noted.
But be warned, while the movie is pretty good, it isn't great. For one thing, it doesn't capture the entire magic of the book. One could counter this by saying that one expects differences with its source material (which there are a considerable amount), but this movie overall lacks magic as well. Throughout the film, one gets the feeling that the magical world, though amazing, is greatly limited. Chalk this up also to the fact that while the movie does the job of entertaining across, it doesn't add anything new to the table. Remember when I said that this movie was actually more driven by plot than by effects, well as good as that is, they screenplay here was not able to push the plot to anything above a pleasing experience.
While it is refreshing to finally see a fantasy movie that doesn't take for granted the essentials of an effective film, this is still not the movie that is poised to bring back the Fantasy genre from the deep hole it has sunk in. Seriously, the genre has been falling apart faster than Hilary Clinton's campaign and all this film really manages to do in the end is to slow it down a bit.
7.0 out of 10
There Will be Blood
'There will be Oscars.... Lots of them...'
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano
Of all the movie released last year, there have been quite a good set of films. Some of my favorites have ranged from Ratatouille to Juno. But after watching this movie, I have never been left so haunted and mesmerized.
This is easily one of the best films of the year and quite possibly my favorite already. It has been barely three hours since reeling from the movies incredible finale and still my mind is reeling from this cinematic achievement.
This is Paul Thomas Anderson at his best, with stunning cinematography and a screenplay that brings the characters to scary depths with its intoxicating and vividly vicious lines. The score here is just nothing short of a masterpiece and I now understand why everyone is so infuriated at the music not getting an Oscar nod for Best Original Score simply because part of it was used in a previous film. A minor technicality that grossly does injustice to this film's grand and haunting music, without which the scenes would only be half as potent.
There are some incredible performances in this movie with Paul Dano making the performance of his career as the disturbingly calm doe-eyed Eli Sunday. I swear I will see his accusing eyes in ever dark corner.
But this entire film banks on and if to be put bluntly, centers around one fa
ctor alone, and that is Daniel Day-Lewis. He plays Daniel Plainview, a charismatic prospector looking for the oil find of his career. He inhabits his role with scary enthusiasm and fills with it such vigor and intensity, every scene is consumed by his theatrical flair. You look into his eyes you don't see Daniel Day-Lewis doing a great job as Daniel Plainview. You don't even see him doing a good job as Daniel Plainview. What you're watching is Daniel Plainview himself. I cannot express how incredible his performance is, especially at the incredible finale and if he does not take home the Oscar this February 25, may an earthquake eat Hollywood up whole.If you're into great cinema in the making, this is an experience you must not miss. And for the moment, it is my horse in the rapidly approaching Academy Awards.
10 out of 10
PREVIEWS
The Dark Knight
In case you haven't heard, Heath Ledger has passed away. This puts a serious dent into the film which this early on has been receiving incredible buzz on Ledger's performance as The Joker. I cannot express how frustrated I am that this great emerging actor will no longer be able to continue from what is to be the performance of his short-lived career. Still, I've made it painfully obvious to anyone who knows me at all that this is my most anticipated movie of the year, and it should be yours too!!! HAHAHAHahhahahahhah!!!!
(RELEASE DATE JULY 18, 2008 U.S.A.)
Previews:
Mama Mia!
Recently the Musical genre has come back to the right track. With last year's HAIRSPRAY and SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET shining in its own way. Let's hope the trend continues as the popular Musical based off the songs of ABBA come alive on the silver screen in this year's Mama Mia! With the ever wonderful Meryl Streep and the still dashing Pierce Brosnan top-billing the film, this promises to be quite an experience.
(RELEASED JULY 18, 2008 U.S.A.)
Previews:
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