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All reviews - Movies (48) - TV Shows (2) - DVDs (4) - Games (31)

Frankenweenie review

Posted : 11 years, 2 months ago on 13 January 2013 10:33 (A review of Frankenweenie)

Despite some rather shoddy characterizations and a disconnected meandering plot Frankenweenie is one of Tim Burton's better recent efforts. The films is an expansion of an older live action short shot by Burton during his early years with Disney and, to be honest, it shows. The core idea of reanimating a dog is nicely plotted but the other story events seem almost random with numerous less than memorable characters doing strange and bizarre things for little to no reason. There is no real cohesion to the events here.

That being said Frankenweenie deserves to be seen because the animation in it is spectacular. The choice of black and white fits the character design and the "Burtonesque" mood and the titular Frankenweenie is a tour de force of animation. The design and animations of his stop motion puppet imbue the character with a life and personality not often seen in animated films (not often seen here either as most of the human characters lack that same spark). Combine this with some truly breathtaking set pieces at the end of the film and you have a visual masterpiece that elevates the art of the genre. Go into it like you would a imagery laden foreign film - be numbed by the nonsensical nature of the script but blown away by the visuals and you should be happy.


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The Walking Dead review

Posted : 11 years, 3 months ago on 28 December 2012 10:24 (A review of The Walking Dead)

At its heart The Walking Dead is as emotionally affecting an experience as you can have during a video game. Set in the Walking Dead universe of the graphic novels, the episodic adventure series tasks you with getting your group of survivors (most specifically your young ward Clementine) to as much a safe place as possible during the zombie apocalypse. The intensity of the game comes from the difficult choices you must make, choices that seem to transcend the traditional good/bad choices found in most branching video game storylines. These choices provide the backbone for the game's "puzzles" as it chooses to focus on them over the linear object combination puzzles common to adventure games (though it has those as well).

That being said, the multitude of choices doesn't really seem to ultimately affect how the story turns out. While your experience may vary on your way to the ending it seems completely set in stone. This makes for good cinematic flair but for a game so devoted to giving you choice also feels like a bit of a letdown for a game that gives you so much input into how the rest of the story pans out.

Still, the story and characters are fantastic and anyone looking to experience this game should really avoid any spoilers as being put through the emotional wringer is what makes The Walking Dead so memorable.


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It's a Wonderful Life (1947) review

Posted : 11 years, 3 months ago on 25 December 2012 08:34 (A review of It's a Wonderful Life (1947))

Frank Capra's more timeless films seem to be the caffeine of classic Hollywood. They're peppy, fun to consume and leave you with a positive buzz until the cold hard realities of your world set in.

One of the finest examples of this Capra rush is the holiday classic "It's A Wonderful Life". The film adroitly tells the story of small-town hero George Bailey and the many lives he touches. It also throws in a miserable miser and an extended dream sequence ripped off from Dickens but does so in a way that almost outclasses "A Christmas Carol". Instead of spending time with a bitter old man you spend time with a genuinely kind soul as the world slowly crushes his spirit before building it back up again in a flurry of joy. The turns by James Stewart and Donna Reed are captivating in their kindness and humor. There is also some memorable supporting roles for the great Lionel Barrymoore and Gloria Grahame but the real star is the gloriously uplifting script. Sure, there are some cloying Hee-Haw moments and you don't get the satisfaction of seeing that miserable miser get his but the unfettered anti-cynicism is refreshing and makes this Capra's finest film this side of It Happened One Night.


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The Lady Vanishes review

Posted : 11 years, 3 months ago on 9 December 2012 09:07 (A review of The Lady Vanishes)

I'd call The Lady Vanishes lesser Hitchcock but it does hit on some of his more common tropes. We've a train, a Macgufffin and a case of mistaken (or missing) identity wrapped up in this story of Margaret Lockwood's character searching for a vanished without a trace woman on a train. The search itself is rather compelling as is the interplay between Lockwood and Michael Redgrave (who joins in the search) but the movie quickly devolves into an extended allegory about England's hesitancy to fight Germany in World War II.
This is essentially the movie's downfall. The character's attitudes towards war are one note and exaggerated and those final scenes feel more like an infomercial than a satisfying ending to the story. Unlike something like The Great Dictator It doesn't really rise above its wartime allegory coming closer to a Mrs. Miniver.
It's still interesting and it still has some of that Hitchcock flair but its not among his greatest.


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The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) review

Posted : 11 years, 3 months ago on 4 December 2012 08:10 (A review of The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012))

Appreciating Aardman films seems to be easier for a certain, shall we say, less colonial segment of the movie watching population. The humor is oft-described as simply "British" whatever that actually means. Strangely, despite my avowed love of the Monty Python films, Aardman just hasn't done it for me. Sure I enjoyed Chicken Run and I tolerated Wallace and Gromit because of the neat characterizations but a movie like The Pirates! Band of Misfits just doesn't draw me in. The humor is mostly throwaway one liners stuffed into a very flimsy plot about Pirate Captain trying to become the pirate of the year. These attempts at humor rarely even elicited a chuckle - they just kind of flopped around on the deck of a nicely animated pirate ship. This doesn't mean there aren't redeeming qualities to this effort - the animation looks a lot better than your usual Aardman fare and when they actually construct jokes instead of throwing them at their audience it can be funny. But overall its humor at the level of Wallace and Gromit without the interesting character interaction.


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Skyfall review

Posted : 11 years, 4 months ago on 12 November 2012 09:30 (A review of Skyfall)

It's a bit bizarre to label Skyfall as the most personal Bond (especially since the franchise is turning 50 years old) but that's essentially what it is. For the first time that I can remember Skyfall peels back the outer layers of James Bond and gives you some actual insight into his upbringing.

Thankfully it manages to combine this introspection with solid action and great performances by Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Javier Bardem. All of this soul searching does lead to this being one of the more unconventional Bond films. If you're preferential to the insane gadgetry and stylish rides of earlier Bond films you might find Skyfall a bit lacking. It also, despite having some killer set pieces, has a rather lackluster ending that isn't executed quite as well as say the frentic subway chase. Still, its a worthy entry into the franchise and a good bookend to the "new" trilogy of Bond films.


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Argo review

Posted : 11 years, 5 months ago on 21 October 2012 05:52 (A review of Argo)

Argo, based off the real life rescue of six American's from Ayatolla Khomeni's Iran, is a solid political tinged thriller that shows a respectable attention to detail of time and place. It moves along at a brisk pace, mixes in some nice humor and features a solidly written story. The actors, specifically the strong supporting cast, do a good job of livening up the otherwise by the book performances. The pacing is fantastic, it does a great job of recreating the simmering atmosphere of Khomeni's Iran and actually manages to create a real sense of tension. If it weren't for a slight abundance of Hollywood cliches with the family lives and last second shenanigans (all possibly true since this was based on true events), this would be my frontrunner for picture of the year. A well cooked classic thriller.


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Koko: A Talking Gorilla review

Posted : 11 years, 6 months ago on 27 September 2012 11:43 (A review of Koko: A Talking Gorilla)

One of the risks you take in documentary filmmaking (specifically in "message" documentaries) is that your message might become outdated as humanity advances. The documentary Koko, a Talking Gorilla seems to fall right in this trap. It is, ostensibly, about a team of researchers and an amazing, sign language learning ape. These scenes - the always interesting, often bizarre sometimes unsettling interactions between humans and Koko the Gorilla are timelessly fascinating. Quite simply, Koko is one of the more remarkable characters in documentary history. Its when her handlers get involved that things become a bit muddled. Watching their approach to training Koko is fascinating but the film often takes extended breaks to philosophically wax about environmentalism and the Koko experiment representing man melding with nature while the evil zoo requests that Koko be returned so she can live with actual gorillas. The movie is problematic because it seems to approach its core relationship with a very biased lens. It does mention that Koko is getting a diet entirely unsuitable for a primate but never only really explores the surface of whether or not Koko's training is indeed good for Koko. Still, despite it underwhelming themes, it is a truly fascinating watch.


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How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) review

Posted : 11 years, 7 months ago on 14 August 2012 04:10 (A review of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967))

Very much a product of its time. The lead actor Robert Morse must have been directed to be really annoying as he has these odd physical tics when conversing that are probably supposed to symbolize him sucking up but are just grating. Not much song and dance here; a few spots of comedy (the bizarre college rivalry stands out) and a lot of unearned romance. Still, it has a style all of its own and is a neat little window into how the world of Mad Men might have looked in media 40 years ago.


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Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust review

Posted : 11 years, 8 months ago on 16 July 2012 11:31 (A review of Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust)

An interesting look at the cinematic portrayal of the holocaust through the ages. The film is much more interesting in the first half when it deals with cinema that was contemporary to World War II. It is fascinating to see just how the Hollywood machine worked to portray controversial subjects and is one of the few times where the talking head narrators really added some insight into the conversation.

The majority of the rest of the film simply seems to be a bit too contemporary for a historical documentary. While its revelatory to hear of the public's reaction to The Great Dictator it is less interesting to hear how they reacted to Schindler's List or The Pianist simply because those two films are already heavily documented. Still it is an interesting film and worth watching just to see the films and newsreels of the 40s and 50s.


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