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Film Review
Feb. 17th, 2008 03:54 amFilm Reviews
So recently I've been collecting a few DVDs. And I thought it was about time I started watching them. But first, a little review for the film I saw in the cinema on Thursday.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
( Cut for spoilers ) If you liked Sleepy Hollow, which is more gruesome in my opinion, then I think you would enjoy this.
The Science of Sleep
I've had this film for a while, but I hadn't got around to seeing it until last night. I didn't know what I was missing. This is a fantastic film, and I use that word in both the modern and the old-fashioned sense: it's very good and it's straight from fantasy. It's all about what happens in the mind of a creative person, about the difference between dreams and reality, how you cope with reality if you're a creative person, the compromises you have to make, the frustration when people just don't get you... I think you can guess by now that I completely identify with the characters in this film. If you are creative in any kind of way, see it. That's all I have to say.
The Dark Is Rising: The Seeker
Okay, so if you haven't read the books... any of the books... this is fine. It's an okay film to watch. If you have read the books, avoid it if possible and if you do see it, just forget everything you read. I only saw it because it was at the Guildhall and it only costs me £4 to watch a film there. They shouldn't have said 'based on' in the titles, they should have said 'inspired by'. Because what they've done is take the basic storyline and twist the characters until they're nigh unrecognisable. The beginning is good, quite creepy and disorientating. I really wish they'd done more in that vein because half-way through, it just degenerates into a typical fantasy film. Christopher Eccleston would have been a fabulous Rider, but all he does is canter around on his horse saying "My power grows stronger". That's great, can we see some evidence? Chris is a great actor, he brings so much intensity to his roles, he can be mesmirising on screen, why didn't the director use that? He's actually scarier in Heroes than in this, which is WRONG. The Rider should be utterly terrifying. Ian McShane is, frankly, not the man I would have chosen to play Merriman, that honour goes to Patrick Stewart (who is so perfect, it's not even funny). But putting that aside, he could have been good... if they'd given him more to do. Again, a waste of talent, I think. The boy who plays Will is actually quite good (though what possessed his parents to name him Wolfgang?) and really, he's what kept me watching to the end. I'd love to see him in a better film. The special effects were good, and that's about it.
So recently I've been collecting a few DVDs. And I thought it was about time I started watching them. But first, a little review for the film I saw in the cinema on Thursday.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
( Cut for spoilers ) If you liked Sleepy Hollow, which is more gruesome in my opinion, then I think you would enjoy this.
The Science of Sleep
I've had this film for a while, but I hadn't got around to seeing it until last night. I didn't know what I was missing. This is a fantastic film, and I use that word in both the modern and the old-fashioned sense: it's very good and it's straight from fantasy. It's all about what happens in the mind of a creative person, about the difference between dreams and reality, how you cope with reality if you're a creative person, the compromises you have to make, the frustration when people just don't get you... I think you can guess by now that I completely identify with the characters in this film. If you are creative in any kind of way, see it. That's all I have to say.
The Dark Is Rising: The Seeker
Okay, so if you haven't read the books... any of the books... this is fine. It's an okay film to watch. If you have read the books, avoid it if possible and if you do see it, just forget everything you read. I only saw it because it was at the Guildhall and it only costs me £4 to watch a film there. They shouldn't have said 'based on' in the titles, they should have said 'inspired by'. Because what they've done is take the basic storyline and twist the characters until they're nigh unrecognisable. The beginning is good, quite creepy and disorientating. I really wish they'd done more in that vein because half-way through, it just degenerates into a typical fantasy film. Christopher Eccleston would have been a fabulous Rider, but all he does is canter around on his horse saying "My power grows stronger". That's great, can we see some evidence? Chris is a great actor, he brings so much intensity to his roles, he can be mesmirising on screen, why didn't the director use that? He's actually scarier in Heroes than in this, which is WRONG. The Rider should be utterly terrifying. Ian McShane is, frankly, not the man I would have chosen to play Merriman, that honour goes to Patrick Stewart (who is so perfect, it's not even funny). But putting that aside, he could have been good... if they'd given him more to do. Again, a waste of talent, I think. The boy who plays Will is actually quite good (though what possessed his parents to name him Wolfgang?) and really, he's what kept me watching to the end. I'd love to see him in a better film. The special effects were good, and that's about it.
