I have only vague memories of the book, so I had no expectations going in to this movie. Neither did my daughter.
The movie started a little slow and is definitely darker than I expected. Neither comment is a criticism.
The slow start allows for the required character development and the darkness allows for the ultimately uplifting ending to have its power.
The movie is in the same vein as James and the Giant Peach or Corraline. It is not as scary as Corraline, but shares the same sort of sensibility.
The movie features a strong female lead which I think is great.
It also deals with loss and grieving.
However, its central message is that one should always be true to themselves and never lose their sense of wonder.
The movie is not really for preschool aged children. Second graders and over, depending on how sensitive they are, should be able to handle it.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel's movie making talent seems boundless. Guardians combined huge sci-fi set pieces, just plain oddness, a good dash of goofiness and mixed it up with a plot about saving the galaxy and somehow came out with a great movie that was fun to watch.
I'm not saying that Guardians deserves any Oscars or that it leaves you pondering big questions after you leave the theater, but it is a ton of fun to watch.
I cannot wait to see the sequel when it gets to iTunes and I can rent it when the wife and kid are out.
I'm not saying that Guardians deserves any Oscars or that it leaves you pondering big questions after you leave the theater, but it is a ton of fun to watch.
I cannot wait to see the sequel when it gets to iTunes and I can rent it when the wife and kid are out.
ARQ
Netflix's original content is a little all over the map when it comes to quality. In my experiences, it is either great or terrible. There was never anything that was just OK.
Then I watched ARQ. It is an interesting, if well worn, premise. The acting is solid. The story is solid. The pacing is well done. The sets are believable.
ARQ is a solid, if not terribly inspired, piece of genre cinema.
It is good to know that Netflix can do workman like quality. That makes me feel like they could have a long future of in the content business. Nobody lasts very long when they can only hit the extremes.
The only thing I didn't like about ARQ was the ending. The movie didn't quite earn the right to have the sort of ending it had. However, like everything else about ARQ, the ending was just fine.
Then I watched ARQ. It is an interesting, if well worn, premise. The acting is solid. The story is solid. The pacing is well done. The sets are believable.
ARQ is a solid, if not terribly inspired, piece of genre cinema.
It is good to know that Netflix can do workman like quality. That makes me feel like they could have a long future of in the content business. Nobody lasts very long when they can only hit the extremes.
The only thing I didn't like about ARQ was the ending. The movie didn't quite earn the right to have the sort of ending it had. However, like everything else about ARQ, the ending was just fine.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Sky High
Not even Bruce Campbell could make this a good movie. It was a mid budget after school special that some how made it to the big screen.
As a Netflix family movie night entry, it was perfectly fine.
The funniest part of the movie was that I mistook the actress who plays flower girl for the actress that plays Jemma Simmons.
As a Netflix family movie night entry, it was perfectly fine.
The funniest part of the movie was that I mistook the actress who plays flower girl for the actress that plays Jemma Simmons.
Dr. Strange
Having a kid makes it hard to catch the MCU in the theater, where they should seen. Netflix, on the other hand, makes it easy to see them at the same scale as the MNU.
Dr. Strange definitely needed to be seen on the bigger scale for the visuals. The same cannot be said for the story. The plot, the story, the characters all felt like they belonged along side the MNU.
Dr. Strange was a great movie, but it didn't feel like an MCU film. I saw Civil War on Netflix and Civil War was just bigger.
Family and friendship being torn apart over the moral chooses involved in protecting the world, are much more compelling than a self centered know it all gaining the ability to manipulate time and space. Strange is the worst parts of Tony Stark mixed up with Iron Fist mysticism.
Maybe it is just that some of the other MCU characters are just more likable and trustworthy. Maybe, Strange would have fit better in the MNU.
Dr. Strange definitely needed to be seen on the bigger scale for the visuals. The same cannot be said for the story. The plot, the story, the characters all felt like they belonged along side the MNU.
Dr. Strange was a great movie, but it didn't feel like an MCU film. I saw Civil War on Netflix and Civil War was just bigger.
Family and friendship being torn apart over the moral chooses involved in protecting the world, are much more compelling than a self centered know it all gaining the ability to manipulate time and space. Strange is the worst parts of Tony Stark mixed up with Iron Fist mysticism.
Maybe it is just that some of the other MCU characters are just more likable and trustworthy. Maybe, Strange would have fit better in the MNU.
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Smurfs: The Lost Village
I had low expectations for Smurfs. I wasn't much of a fan was I was a kid. So, I would have been happy if the movie didn't suck.
I was surprised at how good it turned out to be.
The visuals are stunning and the music was good. The characters were about what one would expect. It was the story that really stood out.
Smurfette finally got to come into her own. She finds her true inner Smurf and gets to save the day. As the parent of and adopted girl, I thought it had a great message.
I was surprised at how good it turned out to be.
The visuals are stunning and the music was good. The characters were about what one would expect. It was the story that really stood out.
Smurfette finally got to come into her own. She finds her true inner Smurf and gets to save the day. As the parent of and adopted girl, I thought it had a great message.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Iron Fist
I know it was totally panned by just about everyone, but it was a much watch if one has any chance of following The Defenders this summer.
After struggling through the first few episodes, it did get better. I actually didn't think the first few episodes were terrible, they just weren't very good. By the end Danny became more interesting, even if the actor is terrible, and the relationship with Colleen was a nice, if predictable, addition. I think it was the twist in the middle of the season, that turned things around.
None of this means that I though that Iron Fist was on the same level as any of the other Netflix Marvel series. It is not. Danny lacks the complexities of the other characters Netflix choose to portray and Finn Jones is the weakest actor they have picked for a lead role. I'm sure a better writing team could have found something about Danny to make him interesting. Marvel found a way to make Tony Stark interesting.
While it was not up to the high bar set by its peers, Iron Fist is not terrible. There were some pretty weak episodes of Daredevil that needed to be suffered through as well.
I'm just glad it is over and hope that The Defenders will be a return to form and that the other leads can cover for Finn Jones.
After struggling through the first few episodes, it did get better. I actually didn't think the first few episodes were terrible, they just weren't very good. By the end Danny became more interesting, even if the actor is terrible, and the relationship with Colleen was a nice, if predictable, addition. I think it was the twist in the middle of the season, that turned things around.
None of this means that I though that Iron Fist was on the same level as any of the other Netflix Marvel series. It is not. Danny lacks the complexities of the other characters Netflix choose to portray and Finn Jones is the weakest actor they have picked for a lead role. I'm sure a better writing team could have found something about Danny to make him interesting. Marvel found a way to make Tony Stark interesting.
While it was not up to the high bar set by its peers, Iron Fist is not terrible. There were some pretty weak episodes of Daredevil that needed to be suffered through as well.
I'm just glad it is over and hope that The Defenders will be a return to form and that the other leads can cover for Finn Jones.
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