Summary: Origin story behind the popular comic-book superhero. An intensely patriotic young man (whose laundry list of physical health problems have heretofore kept him out of the army) gets his big chance when his ideals of honesty, integrity and courage result in him being selected as the top candidate for a new generation of super soldiers. The experimental serum proves successful, transforming Steve Rogers into the costume-wearing, shield-toting superhero known as Captain America and providing the Allies with a brave and valiant new weapon in the war against Hitler and the Italian fascist known as the Red Skull.
Things I Liked: The film's re-envisioning of the hero's clothing from comic book costume to a much more believable uniform and gear. The digital effects, particularly the depiction of pre-hero Steve. The performance of Hugo Weaving. The makeup (particularly that of the film's antagonist, The Red Skull).
Things I Didn't Like: The casting of far too recognizable actors. The first hour or so of the film, which takes a little long to get going. The film's emphasis on Axis weapons technology which, in my opinion, has a tendency to create more plot problems that it solves. Captain America's low-key personality and lack of charisma, which, while appropriate and perhaps even true to the character, prevents the film from becoming a truly great comic book adaptation.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Hunger Games (2012) Directed by Gary Ross
Summary: Set in a dystopian future where child 'tributes' from twelve districts fight to the death each year on live television, a teenaged girl volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match. Along the way, this heroine inadvertently becomes a symbol of hope and revolution. Based upon the popular novel by Suzanne Collins.
Things I Liked: The solid performances of the cast, particularly those of Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence. The nearly invisible score by James Newton Howard, which supports but never overwhelms the storyline.
Things I Didn't Like: The shaky camerawork and over reliance on extreme closeups. The uninspired art direction, costume design and hairstyles featured in the Capitol sequences.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The solid performances of the cast, particularly those of Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence. The nearly invisible score by James Newton Howard, which supports but never overwhelms the storyline.
Things I Didn't Like: The shaky camerawork and over reliance on extreme closeups. The uninspired art direction, costume design and hairstyles featured in the Capitol sequences.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Saturday, March 24, 2012
John Carter (2012) Directed by Andrew Stanton
Summary: A Civil War Veteran finds himself magically transported to the planet Mars, then forced to participate in a massive war before finally finding love and a cause worth fighting for. Based upon the Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure pulp classic A PRINCESS OF MARS.
Things I Liked: The concepts and storytelling presented and explored during the beginning and ending of the film. The period costumes and sets. The sound design. The computer-generated animation, which, overall, I found to be quite seamless.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's overwrought and bloated midsection. The overlarge cast of characters. The Mars costume designs, prop designs and vehicle designs, many of which felt derivative of past sci-fi and science fantasy films.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The concepts and storytelling presented and explored during the beginning and ending of the film. The period costumes and sets. The sound design. The computer-generated animation, which, overall, I found to be quite seamless.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's overwrought and bloated midsection. The overlarge cast of characters. The Mars costume designs, prop designs and vehicle designs, many of which felt derivative of past sci-fi and science fantasy films.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Friday, July 25, 2008
The Dark Knight (2008), Directed by Christopher Nolan
Summary: Continuing his quest to clean up the streets of his beloved Gotham City, the vigilante hero Batman struggles in his quest to capture the Joker: a psychotic new criminal whose sinister tactics prove surprisingly resistant to the masked hero's crime fighting methods.
Things I Liked: The look of the film. The score. The execution of the script, especially with regard to theme. Strong performances all around.
Things I Didn't Like: A few (admittedly minor) logic-related hiccups as relates to the film's plot. Batman's vocal inflection.
Three and Three Quarters Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The look of the film. The score. The execution of the script, especially with regard to theme. Strong performances all around.
Things I Didn't Like: A few (admittedly minor) logic-related hiccups as relates to the film's plot. Batman's vocal inflection.
Three and Three Quarters Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Blob (1958) Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Summary: When a meteor falls to Earth and its passenger - a gelatinous alien life form - begins consuming everything in it's path, it's up to a couple of teenagers and their friends to convince the local townspeople of the danger.
Things I Liked: The props and highly inventive visual effects. The simplicity of the plot. The effective use of tension within scenes. The delightfully campy theme song.
Things I Didn't Like: The exceptionally poor performances of a few of the more minor characters. The unnecessarily long-running time of the more superfluous scenes included for character development.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The props and highly inventive visual effects. The simplicity of the plot. The effective use of tension within scenes. The delightfully campy theme song.
Things I Didn't Like: The exceptionally poor performances of a few of the more minor characters. The unnecessarily long-running time of the more superfluous scenes included for character development.
Three and One Half Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Away From Her (2006) Directed by Sarah Polley
Summary: A man reluctantly helps his Alzheimer's-stricken wife check herself into a rest home then watches helplessly as she develops a close emotional attachment to another resident.
Things I Liked: The film's resolution. The film's supporting characters and the performances of the actors who portrayed them.
Things I Didn't Like: The sprawling, unfocused aspects of the film's first act.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The film's resolution. The film's supporting characters and the performances of the actors who portrayed them.
Things I Didn't Like: The sprawling, unfocused aspects of the film's first act.
Two Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Directed by Woody Allen
Summary: A meek waitress's fascination with the cinema intensifies when the leading man in her favorite film literally steps out of the screen to woo her away from her abusive husband.
Things I Liked: The imaginative elements of the story. The acting. The satisfyingly unexpected ending.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's far less interesting (albeit fully realized) subplots. I also felt that the film might have benefited from having fewer incidental characters.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Things I Liked: The imaginative elements of the story. The acting. The satisfyingly unexpected ending.
Things I Didn't Like: The film's far less interesting (albeit fully realized) subplots. I also felt that the film might have benefited from having fewer incidental characters.
Three Stars out of Five Stars
FilmWatch Ratings Legend:
One Star: Hated it
Two Stars: Didn't like it
Three Stars: Liked it
Four Stars: Really liked it
Five Stars: Loved it
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)