Of Titans And Time Lords
Seen: Clash Of The Titans in 3D!
I remember the original Harryhausen version of this classic Greek Myth very fondly from my childhood, and knowing what can be done with visual effects these days, I looked forward to seeing the 2010 update.
Rather unwittingly, we got to see it in 3D, which was a new experience. 3D technology has been around since the early 80s, so this is nothing new, but it's never seemed to catch on, despite various attempts over the years. Sadly, whilst the 3D concept itself is very impressive, the execution in this film was somewhat patchy, with lots of blurred lines in evidence and one or two (brief) moments where characters appear inside out.
Fortunately, however, the movie itself was relatively faithful to the original, and the effects were generally superb. I particularly loved seeing the gods walking across the surface of the Earth as if it were a carpet - a wonderful image! If I have any complaints, it's that the movie is tonally very similar to a lot of other films out there, and comes across as a bit generic from time to time, whereas the original Harryhausen films stood out by having a style all their own.
Nevertheless, this was a nice little nostalgia trip and an above average fantasy movie with a solid plot and some memorable monsters. 8/10.
---oOo---
Seen: Doctor Who - The Eleventh Hour
Doctor Who did a 3D episode once upon a time, but the less said about that, the better...
Matt Smith's debut episode is a confident and stylish affair, with some original monsters and a neat line in turning seemingly ordinary things into something scary and mysterious. Steven Moffat-penned episodes are certainly packed with playgroundability, which is bound to serve the series well.
The plot of this story isn't quite as tight as his previous works, but the dialogue still glitters all the way through, and both the Eleventh Doctor and Amy are very well defined (and acted) from the very start. Wasn't entirely convinced by either Prisoner Zero or the Atraxi, neither of whom seem to have much in the way of character or motivation, but there are many great scenes which make up for them. Favourite bits included Amelia sitting on her suitcase, waiting in vain; the Doctor making a splash as he Geronimoes back into the TARDIS; the POV shots where the Doctor reviews what he's just seen on the village green; and the iconic defining moment where he introduces himself to the monster-of-the-week by stepping through an image of his predecessor.
Despite the best attempts of the incidental music, though, there's an oddly empty feel about great chunks of this episode, as if what's going on is not quite real. This really isn't helped by some truly wretched CGI, of which the visual effects folk should be thoroughly ashamed. Nevertheless, the new 'swanky nightclub' TARDIS looks astonishing, and the new titles and theme music are both a vast improvement on the previous few.
I get the distinct impression The Eleventh Hour won't be the best episode in the revived show's fifth series, but it's certainly not a bad one, and is a far more promising start than most other Doctors got. A mixed bag, but a good, solid 7/10 nonetheless.
I remember the original Harryhausen version of this classic Greek Myth very fondly from my childhood, and knowing what can be done with visual effects these days, I looked forward to seeing the 2010 update.
Rather unwittingly, we got to see it in 3D, which was a new experience. 3D technology has been around since the early 80s, so this is nothing new, but it's never seemed to catch on, despite various attempts over the years. Sadly, whilst the 3D concept itself is very impressive, the execution in this film was somewhat patchy, with lots of blurred lines in evidence and one or two (brief) moments where characters appear inside out.
Fortunately, however, the movie itself was relatively faithful to the original, and the effects were generally superb. I particularly loved seeing the gods walking across the surface of the Earth as if it were a carpet - a wonderful image! If I have any complaints, it's that the movie is tonally very similar to a lot of other films out there, and comes across as a bit generic from time to time, whereas the original Harryhausen films stood out by having a style all their own.
Nevertheless, this was a nice little nostalgia trip and an above average fantasy movie with a solid plot and some memorable monsters. 8/10.
---oOo---
Seen: Doctor Who - The Eleventh Hour
Doctor Who did a 3D episode once upon a time, but the less said about that, the better...
Matt Smith's debut episode is a confident and stylish affair, with some original monsters and a neat line in turning seemingly ordinary things into something scary and mysterious. Steven Moffat-penned episodes are certainly packed with playgroundability, which is bound to serve the series well.
The plot of this story isn't quite as tight as his previous works, but the dialogue still glitters all the way through, and both the Eleventh Doctor and Amy are very well defined (and acted) from the very start. Wasn't entirely convinced by either Prisoner Zero or the Atraxi, neither of whom seem to have much in the way of character or motivation, but there are many great scenes which make up for them. Favourite bits included Amelia sitting on her suitcase, waiting in vain; the Doctor making a splash as he Geronimoes back into the TARDIS; the POV shots where the Doctor reviews what he's just seen on the village green; and the iconic defining moment where he introduces himself to the monster-of-the-week by stepping through an image of his predecessor.
Despite the best attempts of the incidental music, though, there's an oddly empty feel about great chunks of this episode, as if what's going on is not quite real. This really isn't helped by some truly wretched CGI, of which the visual effects folk should be thoroughly ashamed. Nevertheless, the new 'swanky nightclub' TARDIS looks astonishing, and the new titles and theme music are both a vast improvement on the previous few.
I get the distinct impression The Eleventh Hour won't be the best episode in the revived show's fifth series, but it's certainly not a bad one, and is a far more promising start than most other Doctors got. A mixed bag, but a good, solid 7/10 nonetheless.