Things that are cool, quick impressions
I bitched to some people about Tim Burton doing Alice in Wonderland and what a stunning departure that looks like. I know, I know, I'm a hater, I just get bored by the use of the same actors, even if Burton makes them (particularly Depp) look freakier with each film. I'm curmudgeonly sometimes.
BUT it sounds like I just might be able to get behind this project even if it's got vague whiff of Wicked. It's basically a look at Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent POV. Maleficent is my fave villain, which means I'm kinda biased.
_____________________________________
Up in the Air
I watched it on Saturday and I found it to be a movie that went above and beyong the rom com formula (which I was lead to think it would follow) and was (unsurprisingly) well written and well acted. I really loved Natalie, her deadpanning was full of awesomeness. Her interaction with Ryan was really great and also went past standard cliche (while setting you up for them). The gender dynamics of the movie were interesting.
The only thing was that I wasn't expecting a lot of depth, so when some scenes came up, they were kinda hard to watch. I read somewhere that the success of the movie also has to do with how it taps into the current moment with all that it implies in terms of most peoples' financial struggles and I thought this was a good way of summing it up.
______________________________________
Jennifer's Body
I really, really wanted to like it and don't get me wrong, I eventually did end up liking it, just not right away. It's hard for me to think about what exactly it was that I wanted from the beginning. I suspect maybe it had to do with the pacing? I was surprised that the body count was as low as it was. I felt like there was a lot of potential for satire a la Heathers, with the band and the high school atmosphere, but I didn't feel it delivered that. Similarly, I know they tried for a bond between the girls, but it never really approached the Ginger Snaps territory.
It started to pick up in the last attack, which was both hilarious and sad at times. Then the ending (which I called from the beginning :D) was amazing. It was almost like that is the story that I wanted to see. I don't know if it's because Amanda Seyfried is a much better actress than Megan Fox. And using the Hole song for the extremely fantastic credits? Total win.
ETA: Bonus randomness--Aerobics Championship LOL
BUT it sounds like I just might be able to get behind this project even if it's got vague whiff of Wicked. It's basically a look at Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent POV. Maleficent is my fave villain, which means I'm kinda biased.
_____________________________________
Up in the Air
I watched it on Saturday and I found it to be a movie that went above and beyong the rom com formula (which I was lead to think it would follow) and was (unsurprisingly) well written and well acted. I really loved Natalie, her deadpanning was full of awesomeness. Her interaction with Ryan was really great and also went past standard cliche (while setting you up for them). The gender dynamics of the movie were interesting.
The only thing was that I wasn't expecting a lot of depth, so when some scenes came up, they were kinda hard to watch. I read somewhere that the success of the movie also has to do with how it taps into the current moment with all that it implies in terms of most peoples' financial struggles and I thought this was a good way of summing it up.
______________________________________
Jennifer's Body
I really, really wanted to like it and don't get me wrong, I eventually did end up liking it, just not right away. It's hard for me to think about what exactly it was that I wanted from the beginning. I suspect maybe it had to do with the pacing? I was surprised that the body count was as low as it was. I felt like there was a lot of potential for satire a la Heathers, with the band and the high school atmosphere, but I didn't feel it delivered that. Similarly, I know they tried for a bond between the girls, but it never really approached the Ginger Snaps territory.
It started to pick up in the last attack, which was both hilarious and sad at times. Then the ending (which I called from the beginning :D) was amazing. It was almost like that is the story that I wanted to see. I don't know if it's because Amanda Seyfried is a much better actress than Megan Fox. And using the Hole song for the extremely fantastic credits? Total win.
ETA: Bonus randomness--Aerobics Championship LOL