Happy Holiday- which ever one you celebrate.
I’m taking a rest from the insanity of Tribeca. I’m diving back in Tuesday after a stop over at Lincoln Center for some Jackie Chan fun tomorrow.
The Tribeca screenings have been exhausting. Between Mondocurry, Roy and myself we’ve seen 17 of the 22 films screened for critics and media. We are all completely exhausted and thankful for a weekend to regroup. And by the time the festival starts in 10 days we’ll have seen the same number of films again making a total of 34 or so films even before the festival starts. Then, if I’ve done my math correctly, over the course of the festival we’ll be seeing close to that number of films making our total around 65.
That’s a lot of movies.
We’re going to start reviewing film next Saturday. Reviews will go up Saturday to Tuesday for films we think you should get tickets for, or rather the films we’re allowed to talk about. On Wednesday we’ll start reviewing films all over the place.
There is going to be so much material that I expect it to stretch a week past the festival ending…
However that’s all a week away…
I have seen Hunger Games.
Don't hate me, but I don't think it's particularly much of anything. I don't hate the film, but I don't love it. Its full of science fiction cliches and designs that were laughed off the screen in any number of films previously. There are numerous plot holes and you must be joking twists. Its so artificial and manufactured that it never felt real.
And while it may have worked or been explained in the book, all films must stand on their own, especially most adaptions are seen by more people than have read the book.
By way of showing that I am seeing lots of things some random bits on some other recent, or semi-recent big screen films I made notes for and in most cases haven't sone anything with-
I managed to see Chronicle. This is the found footage film about three friends who end up with super powers. For them its a blast until it all goes wrong. For me I would argue that it's one of the best films of the year and one of the few found footage films that gets it right. Its a superheros (or villains) in the real world. I loved it and expect a review in a few weeks.
I also saw Haywire. Steven Soderberghs action film. I was supposed to see this before it opened at a screening with the director in attendance, but things happened. The best part of the film is its lead Gina Carano, she's bound for great things. Sadly the rest of the movie is headed for the dust bin of time.
The long promised, and used as a cover for other projects, Red Tails from producer George Lucas is an okay TV movie blown up to the big screen. Its a CGI heavy film that has some great battle scenes and some great actors stuck with a simplistic script. For something that has been decades in production (owing to Lucas' need to use the film as cover for his Star Wars films production) this should have had a better script.
Not sure what I think of the Oscar nominated Extremely Loud Incredibly Close. The performances are fine, but the story seemed more artfully constructed rather than real. Things were too neat for my tastes.
Act of Valor is the realistic film about Navy Seals. Its got great action and a you are there style. The problem is the films script keeps us distant from the Seals who are all business, and makes the bad guys too movie like. That isn't to say it's not a blast, it is, I just wish it was better...however I will get it on DVD.
Lastly Nicholas Cage in Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance is often silly. The whole movie is often silly. Its a good comic character in an silly comic book movie. On it's own silly terms its a great deal of fun. (come on they talk about Ghost Rider pissing fire like a flame thrower-twice) Get some friends, get some beers and go for it when it hits cable. Its a make your own MST3K/RiffTrax/Cinematic Titanic movie of the highest order.
Closing out things is a collection of links
Who needs a drive in?
On the Mike Daisey mess
The questions about Bully not telling the whole truth.
From IMDB:
Worst product tie ins
(This week's films are all from Japan)
What are the plot holes in Hunger Games and what concepts have been done before in other movies and/or were laughable? Haven't seen it yet, would still like to try to address these points, but need some examples to go on.
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