#18- 28
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Ok, usually I'm not so generous with my film ratings, but recently I have seen some very well-made films, hence the more than usual 5/5 ratings.
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18 ...Clue...(dvd) an exciting who-dun-it with a witty cast. This is one to watch repeatedly, because you'll notice different (revealing) things each time. With three different endings. 3/5
19...the World According to Garp...(dvd) Robin Williams, Glenn Close in this moving story of family and bonds. 4/5
20...Rent...(dvd) An Excellent film (and I hear that the Broadway Show is even better!!!) about a group of friends who experience 525,600 minutes. In this year they encounter trials and tribulations, and we get to know each character. I don't really like musicals, but this one is completely different. Of course I cried... in a good way!!! 5/5
21...MirrorMask...(dvd) WOW !!! Jim Henson and team created a film that is realy what fantasy is all about. I couldn't tell where the dream begins and real-life ends. They are so well blended, and the characters and set so detailed and intricate, this was a world that I hardly wanted to leave. another 5/5
22...On Golden Pond...(dvd) One of my All-Time favorite films. This is a story about Ethyl and Norman Thayer (Kathrine Hepburn and Henry Fonda) who return to Golden pond for the summer. Norman is a retired college professor, who was well-respected. Now, as he has his birthday at the cottage, he is really becoming obsessed with dying. Their daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda) becomes engaged (to Bill) and goes to Europe for a month with her fiance. Bill has a son (Billy), and they decide a month in Europe may not be entertaining for the boy, so he stays with Ethyl & Norman for the month.
Norman and Chelsea constantly butted heads when she was growing up... Norman used to call her the little fat girl. Billy knows he's dumped there on Golden Pond, and he doesn't take any crap from Norman.
The relationships and drama develop on the Beautiful Golden Pond, which was filmed on location. 5/5
23...Howl's Moving Castle... (dvd) Another film I saw twice in the Theater, and loved so much I bought the dvd. ...I'm very surprised and disappointed that this didn't win the Academy Award (Wallace & Gromit--- what were they thinking???) but *this* one should've won!!! Damn Academy.
Hayao Miyazaki is a genius. He retired then un-retired to work on this film. Although the animation in this film may not be its strength, he proved himself as a leading anime animator in princess mononoke and castle in the sky, and the all-time best japanese box office sales: spirited away. There are beautifully animated scenery/landscapes (including clouds and praries/fields), yet some of the detail felt unfinished.
This film explores curses and the effects they can have on personal relationships. I've always loved how his characters reveal their compassion and understanding of other beings different than themselves and his excellent character development. With witches and demons and Wizards abounding in this film it was easy to incorporate spirits not of the physical world in this story. I now understand how Sophie's age varied in this film... not time lines, but how she was *feeling* influenced her age.
Howl's room is very befitting for a wizard--- i want one like that!!! I also liked the various portals and the fire spirit was cool (even tho billy crystal sometimes annoys me, here he was ok). The unconventional flyings machines are also portrayed here, but the humans-effect-on-nature isn't as prevelant here as in his previous films. This film actually has two characters kiss... a first in a Miyazaki film!!! 5/5
24...Chicago...(dvd) Another musical that I really liked. The catchy songs made me want to dance and sing along with the Queen. The cinematography was perfectly executed. A well-made film that I really had fun watching. 4/5
---...Labyrinth...(dvd) The beginning was so cheesy that I skipped forward through parts of it. I didn't watch enough of it for it to qualify as me watching it. But the parts I saw left me pretty disappointed, because I rarely skip ahead like this unless the film sucked. 2/5
25...Willow...(dvd) I'd seen this a few years ago, but I forgot because it was mediocre. A Lord of the Rings style story but instead of a long, dwarn out version, it's presented here in one film. It's ok... not bad, not great... just fair. 3/5
26...The Libertine... A dark period piece with a dimly lit set... giving it a realisticly dark feeling. Johnny Depp stars as poet John Wilmot, also known as the Earl of Rochester, in the 17th-century. He was a promiscious, intoxicated poet, when both promiscuity and heavy drinking were envogue. This film is Art House/Comedy/Drama... and heavy in the dialog. 3/5
27...Joyeux Noel... I don't like war movies, and, thankfully, this *isn't* a war film! The beginning is shifty, not letting me understand the characters enough. I did poorly in History class, so my not knowing which sides were allies to whom, didn't help, either. But 20 to 30 minutes into the story, I got it. Christmas Eve, 1914, on the Frontlines of the Battlefield. All the soldiers wanted, regardless of which side they were on, was a Peaceful Christmas Eve. So one soldier took the risk and invited the enemy to a temporary cease-fire, a Truce on Christmas Eve. Based on a true story. 4/5
28...The Day After...(dvd) made for tv 1983 film, a story about the impact of a nuclear war and how the immediate life would be following that event. The film making style is all over the place, making it lack in continuity. The story is as jagged, as well, but considering it was made in 1983 and made-for television, I guess it's fair. 2/5
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x-posted to 50filmchallenge
Ok, usually I'm not so generous with my film ratings, but recently I have seen some very well-made films, hence the more than usual 5/5 ratings.
.
18 ...Clue...(dvd) an exciting who-dun-it with a witty cast. This is one to watch repeatedly, because you'll notice different (revealing) things each time. With three different endings. 3/5
19...the World According to Garp...(dvd) Robin Williams, Glenn Close in this moving story of family and bonds. 4/5
20...Rent...(dvd) An Excellent film (and I hear that the Broadway Show is even better!!!) about a group of friends who experience 525,600 minutes. In this year they encounter trials and tribulations, and we get to know each character. I don't really like musicals, but this one is completely different. Of course I cried... in a good way!!! 5/5
21...MirrorMask...(dvd) WOW !!! Jim Henson and team created a film that is realy what fantasy is all about. I couldn't tell where the dream begins and real-life ends. They are so well blended, and the characters and set so detailed and intricate, this was a world that I hardly wanted to leave. another 5/5
22...On Golden Pond...(dvd) One of my All-Time favorite films. This is a story about Ethyl and Norman Thayer (Kathrine Hepburn and Henry Fonda) who return to Golden pond for the summer. Norman is a retired college professor, who was well-respected. Now, as he has his birthday at the cottage, he is really becoming obsessed with dying. Their daughter Chelsea (Jane Fonda) becomes engaged (to Bill) and goes to Europe for a month with her fiance. Bill has a son (Billy), and they decide a month in Europe may not be entertaining for the boy, so he stays with Ethyl & Norman for the month.
Norman and Chelsea constantly butted heads when she was growing up... Norman used to call her the little fat girl. Billy knows he's dumped there on Golden Pond, and he doesn't take any crap from Norman.
The relationships and drama develop on the Beautiful Golden Pond, which was filmed on location. 5/5
23...Howl's Moving Castle... (dvd) Another film I saw twice in the Theater, and loved so much I bought the dvd. ...I'm very surprised and disappointed that this didn't win the Academy Award (Wallace & Gromit--- what were they thinking???) but *this* one should've won!!! Damn Academy.
Hayao Miyazaki is a genius. He retired then un-retired to work on this film. Although the animation in this film may not be its strength, he proved himself as a leading anime animator in princess mononoke and castle in the sky, and the all-time best japanese box office sales: spirited away. There are beautifully animated scenery/landscapes (including clouds and praries/fields), yet some of the detail felt unfinished.
This film explores curses and the effects they can have on personal relationships. I've always loved how his characters reveal their compassion and understanding of other beings different than themselves and his excellent character development. With witches and demons and Wizards abounding in this film it was easy to incorporate spirits not of the physical world in this story. I now understand how Sophie's age varied in this film... not time lines, but how she was *feeling* influenced her age.
Howl's room is very befitting for a wizard--- i want one like that!!! I also liked the various portals and the fire spirit was cool (even tho billy crystal sometimes annoys me, here he was ok). The unconventional flyings machines are also portrayed here, but the humans-effect-on-nature isn't as prevelant here as in his previous films. This film actually has two characters kiss... a first in a Miyazaki film!!! 5/5
24...Chicago...(dvd) Another musical that I really liked. The catchy songs made me want to dance and sing along with the Queen. The cinematography was perfectly executed. A well-made film that I really had fun watching. 4/5
---...Labyrinth...(dvd) The beginning was so cheesy that I skipped forward through parts of it. I didn't watch enough of it for it to qualify as me watching it. But the parts I saw left me pretty disappointed, because I rarely skip ahead like this unless the film sucked. 2/5
25...Willow...(dvd) I'd seen this a few years ago, but I forgot because it was mediocre. A Lord of the Rings style story but instead of a long, dwarn out version, it's presented here in one film. It's ok... not bad, not great... just fair. 3/5
26...The Libertine... A dark period piece with a dimly lit set... giving it a realisticly dark feeling. Johnny Depp stars as poet John Wilmot, also known as the Earl of Rochester, in the 17th-century. He was a promiscious, intoxicated poet, when both promiscuity and heavy drinking were envogue. This film is Art House/Comedy/Drama... and heavy in the dialog. 3/5
27...Joyeux Noel... I don't like war movies, and, thankfully, this *isn't* a war film! The beginning is shifty, not letting me understand the characters enough. I did poorly in History class, so my not knowing which sides were allies to whom, didn't help, either. But 20 to 30 minutes into the story, I got it. Christmas Eve, 1914, on the Frontlines of the Battlefield. All the soldiers wanted, regardless of which side they were on, was a Peaceful Christmas Eve. So one soldier took the risk and invited the enemy to a temporary cease-fire, a Truce on Christmas Eve. Based on a true story. 4/5
28...The Day After...(dvd) made for tv 1983 film, a story about the impact of a nuclear war and how the immediate life would be following that event. The film making style is all over the place, making it lack in continuity. The story is as jagged, as well, but considering it was made in 1983 and made-for television, I guess it's fair. 2/5
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x-posted to 50filmchallenge