January 10, 2007
Step away from the bike!
If you're like me, you've been tempted to rent the relatively-recent unnecessary remake of "The Wicker Man," because you've heard that it's awful. One of the prime problems with bad movies is that, all too frequently, the really enjoyable bad bits are just sunk in an otherwise featureless plain of tedium.
Now I don't have to rent it any more, because I've seen the highlights. Now you can, too. Nic Cage is the Witchpuncher General!
And now a couple brief review blurbs of non-expurgated films:
Idiocracy - it's a shame this didn't get a wider theatrical run. It's from the fellow who did "Office Space," and lives up to that. Similar to Office Space, the best bits are mostly concentrated in the first two-thirds or so, and are lost when they start clearly angling for a happy(ish) ending. Misanthropic comedy doesn't need such things.
Children of Men - the best serious dystopian flick I've seen in a long while. About as subtle as, say, Oliver Stone's output, but with much more sober directorial talent behind it, instead of the goofy coke-fiend energy vibe Stone's "best" has struck me as having. Excellent use of digital effects to seamlessly blend into and enhance the action, rather than gosh-wow displays; it's also got some of the best continuous/pseudo-continuous shots I've ever seen--and like the cgi, they're used to enhance, rather than being an end in and of themselves.
posted by Gar @ 10:19 AM
Now I don't have to rent it any more, because I've seen the highlights. Now you can, too. Nic Cage is the Witchpuncher General!
And now a couple brief review blurbs of non-expurgated films:
Idiocracy - it's a shame this didn't get a wider theatrical run. It's from the fellow who did "Office Space," and lives up to that. Similar to Office Space, the best bits are mostly concentrated in the first two-thirds or so, and are lost when they start clearly angling for a happy(ish) ending. Misanthropic comedy doesn't need such things.
Children of Men - the best serious dystopian flick I've seen in a long while. About as subtle as, say, Oliver Stone's output, but with much more sober directorial talent behind it, instead of the goofy coke-fiend energy vibe Stone's "best" has struck me as having. Excellent use of digital effects to seamlessly blend into and enhance the action, rather than gosh-wow displays; it's also got some of the best continuous/pseudo-continuous shots I've ever seen--and like the cgi, they're used to enhance, rather than being an end in and of themselves.
posted by Gar @ 10:19 AM
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