Posts
The Movie Rambler has moved!
Yup, for the last 9 months, TMR has been over on Blogger and has grown to include more than just reviews. There's movie news, trailers, stills, social media "stuff"and a whole bunch more. Come on over if you want!
Come over where? Why, TheMovieRambler.com, of course.
Released: June 1957
Director: Nathan Juran
*****
Let's be honest: no one is lining up for the story or human characters in 20 Million Miles to Earth. The attraction remains the stop motion creature work by Ray Harryhausen. Perhaps a bit underwhelming in today's era of CGI, the work done by Harryhausen and other artists of his ilk is on full display here, with a generally lifelike and graceful moving (for 1957, of course) creature from Venus tangling with an elephant. Just about the only problem with the special effects happens to be the shifting size of both animals in the action finale.
In case anyone is really interested: man's first exploration of Venus crashes into the sea off the coast of Sicily with only one survivor. A container washes up on shore, which a young boy named Pepe, promptly opens up, bringing the contents to a traveling zoologists, Dr. Leonardo. From there, the gelatinous blob hatches, unleashing Ymir onto the world.
In a nutshell, that's all there is to Earth. A straight forward enough story with wooden characters and actors, both playing a distant second fiddle to the creature effects. None of the actors are particularly memorable, either in the story or in their careers. And yet, the film doesn't buckle under them. They're simply placeholders until we can get to the siege of Rome. It is a glorious battle by 1950s standards. Showcasing many more creature effects than it has any real right to, Harryhausen reaffirms his place in history as a pioneer of special effects. And, most likely, of patience, considering the painstaking detail which went into creating every aspect of a show, from something as simple as a tail moving to engaging in a street battle with an elephant.
Whereas the popular notion of creatures born out of nuclear experiments was popular at the time, 20 Million Miles to Earth uses another standby, the then-new space program, to bring Ymir to Earth. The script is horribly lacking in specifics regarding technology or scientific fact, however. Mentions of Ymir eating sulfur and being stopped by electrical impulses notwithstanding, the script gets us from the beginning of the story proper to the first time a full Ymir is seen with all deliberate speed. There's no pretense of reality; just a good monster movie without the current wave of humanizing the creature, of understanding it and helping it get back home. Ymir smash indeed.
Director: Nathan Juran
*****
Let's be honest: no one is lining up for the story or human characters in 20 Million Miles to Earth. The attraction remains the stop motion creature work by Ray Harryhausen. Perhaps a bit underwhelming in today's era of CGI, the work done by Harryhausen and other artists of his ilk is on full display here, with a generally lifelike and graceful moving (for 1957, of course) creature from Venus tangling with an elephant. Just about the only problem with the special effects happens to be the shifting size of both animals in the action finale.
In case anyone is really interested: man's first exploration of Venus crashes into the sea off the coast of Sicily with only one survivor. A container washes up on shore, which a young boy named Pepe, promptly opens up, bringing the contents to a traveling zoologists, Dr. Leonardo. From there, the gelatinous blob hatches, unleashing Ymir onto the world.
In a nutshell, that's all there is to Earth. A straight forward enough story with wooden characters and actors, both playing a distant second fiddle to the creature effects. None of the actors are particularly memorable, either in the story or in their careers. And yet, the film doesn't buckle under them. They're simply placeholders until we can get to the siege of Rome. It is a glorious battle by 1950s standards. Showcasing many more creature effects than it has any real right to, Harryhausen reaffirms his place in history as a pioneer of special effects. And, most likely, of patience, considering the painstaking detail which went into creating every aspect of a show, from something as simple as a tail moving to engaging in a street battle with an elephant.
Whereas the popular notion of creatures born out of nuclear experiments was popular at the time, 20 Million Miles to Earth uses another standby, the then-new space program, to bring Ymir to Earth. The script is horribly lacking in specifics regarding technology or scientific fact, however. Mentions of Ymir eating sulfur and being stopped by electrical impulses notwithstanding, the script gets us from the beginning of the story proper to the first time a full Ymir is seen with all deliberate speed. There's no pretense of reality; just a good monster movie without the current wave of humanizing the creature, of understanding it and helping it get back home. Ymir smash indeed.
Released: April 15, 2008
*****
With each segment running no more than two minutes, there is never a
chance for the kids or adults to get bored. For the children, a
wonderful mix of animation styles, from seemingly "cut out" characters,
a la "South Park" to a rougher style simulating the look of a Norman
Rockwell painting. Most of the pieces are bright, appealing to the
rapidly shifting attention span of the target audience. Where they
might have trouble following along is the actual dialogue. While each
poem is easy to understand and deals with simple concepts, the very
nature of poetry may be too obtuse for children under five years old.
*****
Classical Baby (I'm Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show DVD Review
Released: April 11, 2008
Director: David Ayer
*****
"Street Kings" asks the audience to define corruption. Is a cop who
goes outside the system to bring criminals to justice corrupt? How
about a police department full of officers who watch each other´s backs
in an off-the-books investigation when one of their own is killed? Is a
commander protecting his subordinates when they get out line
corruption? These are the questions the film poses to the audience and
asks us to navigate as the characters work their way through a web of
deceit and, yes, corruption.
*****
Street Kings Review
Released: April 9, 2008
*****
A spin off of "Def Comedy Jam," this series turns out to be much more
fun than its parent if only because the performers aren´t concerned
with punch lines or cursing. Rather, what they have to say is
heartfelt, personal stories or thoughts with broader implications for
the greater population.
*****
Def Poetry Season 6 DVD Review
Released: December 25, 2006
Director: Bill Condon
*****
Much like it's 2007 movie musical brethren Hairspray, Dreamgirls concerns itself with race relations in a more straight forward, less pop way. Which isn't to say either approach is better then the other: both end on positive, uplifting notes for the most of the characters and are filled with music from beginning to end. Dreamgirls, though, relegates the various love stories to second tier status in favor of contrasting the rise and fall of early Motown music personalities. Namely James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy, in a role he should have received an Oscar for), car salesman turned executive Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx in a smoldering performance) and the girls who comprise the Dreamettes (later the Dreams) singing group.
In a desperate bid to put his new act on the map, Taylor, Jr. engages in dubious at best payola with radio stations in the Detroit area. As new gigs start to be lined up, lead singer Effie (Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) is replaced with Curtis' lover, Deena (Beyonce). With an arguably better looking lead to front the Dreamettes, Effie eventually drops of the group, squandering all the money she has saved up. Over the course of several decades, the Dreams chart hit after hit while Effie has all but abandoned her singing career. Until one fateful day at the unemployment office when she the lightbulb finally goes off for her. And this begins her comeback, if only for a moment, and the destruction of everything Curtis has built.
Despite a 130 minute running time and musical numbers nearly blanketing the entire film, Dreamgirls never turns into a chore to watch. Rather, with shifting time periods, an engrossing story, kinetic music sequences and glorious acting turns by everyone involved, it not only charts the career trajectories of those fictional people involved, but also the rise of "black" music in America. Even though the history lesson is always foremost in the mind of the script, preaching is never at the heart of the story. Instead, the characters-through song-drive the drama. Dialogue is relatively sparse in favor of song, although the only gripe one can have with the film is the relative lack of development some of the supporting players get. Danny Glover's Marty Madison, for instance, or Anika Noni Rose's Lorrell. There just isn't enough time to tell the main story while giving everyone a fully formed character.
It can be argued a great many aspects of the film are the highlight, it is the script (based on the original production) which propels the action on screen. It constantly asks the audience to keep up with leaps in time and story without including subtitles of obvious references to what happens between one scene and another. The story simply flows, and with each change of scenery, costume or hairstyle, we are expected to connect the dots. This approach forces us to become invested in the story from the very beginning as opposed to being passive viewers.
Bill Condon brings a unique flair to the production, not with flashy camera moves, but with a steady hand and a trick I found mesmerizing the two times he used it. Going from a rehearsal to an actual production, the camera pans around the group singing on stage, only to reveal an audience where there was none previously after one full rotation. Simple enough to be sure, but fascinating nonetheless. Beyonce, Murphy, Hudson, Foxx, Danny Glover and the rest of the cast shine in their own roles,searching for the depth of their character whenever they can. The singing from the entire cast is above reproach; costuming, makeup, hairstyle and production design are vibrant and alive, drawing us into their world. The finale may seem a bit too easy for some audiences, yet it works for the story.
Director: Bill Condon
*****
Much like it's 2007 movie musical brethren Hairspray, Dreamgirls concerns itself with race relations in a more straight forward, less pop way. Which isn't to say either approach is better then the other: both end on positive, uplifting notes for the most of the characters and are filled with music from beginning to end. Dreamgirls, though, relegates the various love stories to second tier status in favor of contrasting the rise and fall of early Motown music personalities. Namely James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy, in a role he should have received an Oscar for), car salesman turned executive Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx in a smoldering performance) and the girls who comprise the Dreamettes (later the Dreams) singing group.
In a desperate bid to put his new act on the map, Taylor, Jr. engages in dubious at best payola with radio stations in the Detroit area. As new gigs start to be lined up, lead singer Effie (Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) is replaced with Curtis' lover, Deena (Beyonce). With an arguably better looking lead to front the Dreamettes, Effie eventually drops of the group, squandering all the money she has saved up. Over the course of several decades, the Dreams chart hit after hit while Effie has all but abandoned her singing career. Until one fateful day at the unemployment office when she the lightbulb finally goes off for her. And this begins her comeback, if only for a moment, and the destruction of everything Curtis has built.
Despite a 130 minute running time and musical numbers nearly blanketing the entire film, Dreamgirls never turns into a chore to watch. Rather, with shifting time periods, an engrossing story, kinetic music sequences and glorious acting turns by everyone involved, it not only charts the career trajectories of those fictional people involved, but also the rise of "black" music in America. Even though the history lesson is always foremost in the mind of the script, preaching is never at the heart of the story. Instead, the characters-through song-drive the drama. Dialogue is relatively sparse in favor of song, although the only gripe one can have with the film is the relative lack of development some of the supporting players get. Danny Glover's Marty Madison, for instance, or Anika Noni Rose's Lorrell. There just isn't enough time to tell the main story while giving everyone a fully formed character.
It can be argued a great many aspects of the film are the highlight, it is the script (based on the original production) which propels the action on screen. It constantly asks the audience to keep up with leaps in time and story without including subtitles of obvious references to what happens between one scene and another. The story simply flows, and with each change of scenery, costume or hairstyle, we are expected to connect the dots. This approach forces us to become invested in the story from the very beginning as opposed to being passive viewers.
Bill Condon brings a unique flair to the production, not with flashy camera moves, but with a steady hand and a trick I found mesmerizing the two times he used it. Going from a rehearsal to an actual production, the camera pans around the group singing on stage, only to reveal an audience where there was none previously after one full rotation. Simple enough to be sure, but fascinating nonetheless. Beyonce, Murphy, Hudson, Foxx, Danny Glover and the rest of the cast shine in their own roles,searching for the depth of their character whenever they can. The singing from the entire cast is above reproach; costuming, makeup, hairstyle and production design are vibrant and alive, drawing us into their world. The finale may seem a bit too easy for some audiences, yet it works for the story.
Released: March 25, 2008 (DVD)
Director: Sean Abley
*****
The first thing we need to look at is the basic premise. I´ve heard of sounding, a form of sexual pleasure where a rod is inserted into the male genitalia and stimulated to the point of orgasm. I´ve never heard of mild forms of electrocution for the same purpose. (To be fair, the characters here don´t necessarily "plug in" in a sexual capacity. Their reasoning is more akin to charging a battery.) But one has to wonder about the logic of this practice within the film´s reality. Matthews is a doctor; his new boyfriend Craig Murphy (Matthew Montgomery) is an intern at the same hospital. And everyone else involved with their little group seems to be of sound mind and body. Doesn´t it ever strike these intelligent people as dangerous to be sending electricity through their bodies, no matter how small of the voltage might be?
*****
Socket DVD Review
Director: Sean Abley
*****
The first thing we need to look at is the basic premise. I´ve heard of sounding, a form of sexual pleasure where a rod is inserted into the male genitalia and stimulated to the point of orgasm. I´ve never heard of mild forms of electrocution for the same purpose. (To be fair, the characters here don´t necessarily "plug in" in a sexual capacity. Their reasoning is more akin to charging a battery.) But one has to wonder about the logic of this practice within the film´s reality. Matthews is a doctor; his new boyfriend Craig Murphy (Matthew Montgomery) is an intern at the same hospital. And everyone else involved with their little group seems to be of sound mind and body. Doesn´t it ever strike these intelligent people as dangerous to be sending electricity through their bodies, no matter how small of the voltage might be?
*****
Socket DVD Review
Released: April 1, 2008
*****
It is entirely possible I don´t under "John from Cincinnati" on the level creator David Milch intends. I will fully grant that possibility. After all, if I don´t "get it" after watching all ten episodes of the series and listening to two Milch commentary tracks, maybe the premise is too dense for most audiences. And the one audience which might understand the series isn´t necessarily watching television. On the other hand, I will also happily entertain the notion Milch doesn´t know what the series is about and, thus, can never help us wrap our arms around it. In fact, we´re treated to the writer explaining a pivotal scene to the entire cast and crew on set in the Special Features. The way he deconstructs each sentence of a dream sequence-and the ensuing reactions of the people gathered around him-makes me wonder is anyone fully comprehends it.
*****
John from Cincinnati: The Complete Series DVD Review
*****
It is entirely possible I don´t under "John from Cincinnati" on the level creator David Milch intends. I will fully grant that possibility. After all, if I don´t "get it" after watching all ten episodes of the series and listening to two Milch commentary tracks, maybe the premise is too dense for most audiences. And the one audience which might understand the series isn´t necessarily watching television. On the other hand, I will also happily entertain the notion Milch doesn´t know what the series is about and, thus, can never help us wrap our arms around it. In fact, we´re treated to the writer explaining a pivotal scene to the entire cast and crew on set in the Special Features. The way he deconstructs each sentence of a dream sequence-and the ensuing reactions of the people gathered around him-makes me wonder is anyone fully comprehends it.
*****
John from Cincinnati: The Complete Series DVD Review
Released: November 3, 2006
Directors: David Bowers, Sam Fell
*****
Armed with an all-star voice cast, the stop-motion studio behind the Wallace and Gromit adventures and the production studio which brought Shrek to life, Flushed Away was supposed to be a big hit, a film for all ages to laugh at, enjoy and share together. Someone obviously missed that memo in fall,2006, as the story of a well-to-do rat who gets mixed up in a seedy underworld flopped-relatively speaking-at the box office.
In a (relative) spin on The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse tale, Roddy (Hugh Jackman) is literally flushed down the toilet when interloper Spike (Andy Serkis) finds his way to Roddy's Kensington home. Once in the sewers and tunnels under London, Roddy meets up with the vile criminal lord The Toad (Ian McKellen), beautiful Rita (Kate Winslet) and a host of other characters in the search for a ruby from the Queen's crown. A ruby which will put Rita's family on easy street...though, in the end, the story doesn't turn out to be about the jewel at all.
I never thought I'd say this, but if there is one problem in the film, it is the humor. No, it's not stupid, toilet bowl humor; rather, the opposite, most of the time. It's too sophisticated, elegant, highbrow for some of the intended audience. Most of the laughs are derived from other sources. For instance, check out the opening ten minutes or so. Roddy contemplates putting on a yellow and blue costume, quite obviously meant as a tip of the hate to the Wolverine character in X-Men since Jackman played the mutant in the movies. And take another instance later in the film. Hitting some rapids in the sewer, Roddy and Rita play a Humphrey Bogart/Katharine Hepburn duo trying to navigate their boat to the correct tributary. Other films by DreamWorks make an appearance early, yet all these little touches will go over the heads of the kids. All they want to see-and quite rightly so-is the action. Of which, granted, there is much...both high brow and low-er brow.
As an animated film, Flushed Away does what it's supposed to do. And that is make us laugh. The entirety of the film looks very polished and clean, with the story always leading the action. It's not terribly original, yet feels refreshing and vivid. How many times, really, have we seen the supposed object of everyone's desire turn out to be a fake and the real quest to be for something totally different? The writers, of which their are twelve credited in the film, keep the plot moving, never meandering. Sure, it tugs at the heartstrings just a bit when the plot is allowed a moment of exposition though there's never the blunt sense of trying to make us empathetic for the characters, only to move the story along. And that isn't a weakness at all. Rather, it's quite the opposite.
Directors: David Bowers, Sam Fell
*****
Armed with an all-star voice cast, the stop-motion studio behind the Wallace and Gromit adventures and the production studio which brought Shrek to life, Flushed Away was supposed to be a big hit, a film for all ages to laugh at, enjoy and share together. Someone obviously missed that memo in fall,2006, as the story of a well-to-do rat who gets mixed up in a seedy underworld flopped-relatively speaking-at the box office.
In a (relative) spin on The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse tale, Roddy (Hugh Jackman) is literally flushed down the toilet when interloper Spike (Andy Serkis) finds his way to Roddy's Kensington home. Once in the sewers and tunnels under London, Roddy meets up with the vile criminal lord The Toad (Ian McKellen), beautiful Rita (Kate Winslet) and a host of other characters in the search for a ruby from the Queen's crown. A ruby which will put Rita's family on easy street...though, in the end, the story doesn't turn out to be about the jewel at all.
I never thought I'd say this, but if there is one problem in the film, it is the humor. No, it's not stupid, toilet bowl humor; rather, the opposite, most of the time. It's too sophisticated, elegant, highbrow for some of the intended audience. Most of the laughs are derived from other sources. For instance, check out the opening ten minutes or so. Roddy contemplates putting on a yellow and blue costume, quite obviously meant as a tip of the hate to the Wolverine character in X-Men since Jackman played the mutant in the movies. And take another instance later in the film. Hitting some rapids in the sewer, Roddy and Rita play a Humphrey Bogart/Katharine Hepburn duo trying to navigate their boat to the correct tributary. Other films by DreamWorks make an appearance early, yet all these little touches will go over the heads of the kids. All they want to see-and quite rightly so-is the action. Of which, granted, there is much...both high brow and low-er brow.
As an animated film, Flushed Away does what it's supposed to do. And that is make us laugh. The entirety of the film looks very polished and clean, with the story always leading the action. It's not terribly original, yet feels refreshing and vivid. How many times, really, have we seen the supposed object of everyone's desire turn out to be a fake and the real quest to be for something totally different? The writers, of which their are twelve credited in the film, keep the plot moving, never meandering. Sure, it tugs at the heartstrings just a bit when the plot is allowed a moment of exposition though there's never the blunt sense of trying to make us empathetic for the characters, only to move the story along. And that isn't a weakness at all. Rather, it's quite the opposite.
Released: April 1, 2008
*****
Lawrence isn´t the only offender in his acting. The entire cast is
uniformly larger than life, almost as if they are putting on a theater
production and audience members in the cheap seats need to understand
what´s going on. Martin, Gina (Campbell), Pam, Tommy and Cole all
scream and yell their lines as if there isn´t a microphone sitting a
foot away from their mouths. Their actions are wild, something my
father would call "being dramatic." Most of the humor is at the expense
of the other characters, especially Pam. Martin calls her a litany of
names throughout the season-and most likely through the
series-prompting me to wonder if he ever gave her a complex.
*****
Martin: The Complete Fourth Season DVD Review
