The fourth installment in Jerry Bruckheimer’s popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides, represents a marked improvement on the last film in the series, At World’s End, but also disappointed in places.
On Stranger Tides was far more action-packed than its predecessor, with hardly any dull moments in between the bouts of swordplay and fight scenes, but this also proved the film’s downfall – both the plots and subplots had the same aim, and lacked the depth of the first film, which, in my opinion, was the best out of the four.
This is essentially a stand-alone film, as hardly any reference is made to the three previous films. The characters Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) also don’t make an appearance. That said, the popular Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) again dominates the screen, and the witty banter between him and the sultry Angelica (Penélope Cruz), offers more than a few laughs.
The plot follows Captain Jack and his fellow buccaneers from London across the seas and through a jungle on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. Highlights of the film included a brief yet highly amusing cameo by a famous actress, Jack’s sardonic and pun-filled one-liners and the adventurers’ encounter with a group of vicious mermaids.
I did not watch this film in 3-D so I can’t comment on those effects, but the 2-D experience was very satisfying, with the oceanic panoramas, steamy jungles and the eerie special effects providing an ample visual feast.
In short, it's an enjoyable, frivolous night out, and if you go for Captain Jack, you'll get just that, but I think the film relies too heavily on Depp's brilliant improvisations. It's been fun, but it's time for this franchise to be retired while it can still go out with a bang.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Imagining the unthinkable in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours
This is a film that will stick with you for a while. It's not one of those you exchange a few lines over with a friend as you head out the cine and have forgotten by the time you reach the parking lot. It’s been a long time since I’ve been profoundly affected by a film, and director Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours did just that. The fact that the film is based on a true story makes the events portrayed even more visceral.
The plot is deceptively simple – a young thrill-seeker, Aaron Ralston (James Franco), finds himself trapped out in the inhospitable desert, miles from help. As the torturous hours pass, the young climber's situation becomes increasingly desperate.
The film was shot in the hauntingly beautiful rocky wasteland of Utah, and the setting emphasises how tiny and insignificant we humans are when we venture beyond city limits. Alone in the eerie, almost Martian landscape, Aaron is forced to come to grips with his fears, as well as face the harsh reality that nature is simply indifferent to his ordeal.
While there are a few supporting cast members, the stricken Aaron takes up most of the screen time, but despite this, I was not bored for one second. It’s easy to see why James Franco was nominated for an Oscar for this film: the tension remains taut and the actor does a superb job in conveying Aaron’s raw emotions as he struggles to escape the present situation and finds himself reminiscing about happier events.
The film takes viewers on an emotional roller-coaster and sighs of relief could be heard throughout the cinema when the closing credits rolled. I felt as if I had just spent days on the verge of death together with the main character. While this gripping thriller is a testament to the power of man’s endurance, it also conveys how fragile life is, and emphasises the notion that life is there to be lived and enjoyed.
Shot on a comparatively low budget of $18 million, this film is a refreshing change from the 3D-infused inanities that Hollywood has been churning out lately. Millions can be spent on special effects, but mere eye candy is not going to give a film substance. The excellent script and fine acting in 127 Hours have produced a story that strikes a poignant chord deep within viewers – something that most films today do not manage, if they even attempt it.
The plot is deceptively simple – a young thrill-seeker, Aaron Ralston (James Franco), finds himself trapped out in the inhospitable desert, miles from help. As the torturous hours pass, the young climber's situation becomes increasingly desperate.
The film was shot in the hauntingly beautiful rocky wasteland of Utah, and the setting emphasises how tiny and insignificant we humans are when we venture beyond city limits. Alone in the eerie, almost Martian landscape, Aaron is forced to come to grips with his fears, as well as face the harsh reality that nature is simply indifferent to his ordeal.
While there are a few supporting cast members, the stricken Aaron takes up most of the screen time, but despite this, I was not bored for one second. It’s easy to see why James Franco was nominated for an Oscar for this film: the tension remains taut and the actor does a superb job in conveying Aaron’s raw emotions as he struggles to escape the present situation and finds himself reminiscing about happier events.
The film takes viewers on an emotional roller-coaster and sighs of relief could be heard throughout the cinema when the closing credits rolled. I felt as if I had just spent days on the verge of death together with the main character. While this gripping thriller is a testament to the power of man’s endurance, it also conveys how fragile life is, and emphasises the notion that life is there to be lived and enjoyed.
Shot on a comparatively low budget of $18 million, this film is a refreshing change from the 3D-infused inanities that Hollywood has been churning out lately. Millions can be spent on special effects, but mere eye candy is not going to give a film substance. The excellent script and fine acting in 127 Hours have produced a story that strikes a poignant chord deep within viewers – something that most films today do not manage, if they even attempt it.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Machete: a Texan goref(i)est(a)
Take some ridiculously explicit violence (as the title suggests) and black humour à la Tarantino. Add a desert location and nude female flesh, and you end up with a movie out of the exploitation genre. Directors Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez’s previous work includes titles like Sin City, Once Upon A Time in Mexico and From Dusk Til Dawn, and if you enjoyed those, chances are you’ll love this film too. It is a bloody thrill-ride about a former Mexican policeman who finds himself embroiled in a battle between border police, crooked US senators (Is there any other kind?) and Mexican gangsters.
The unmistakable Danny Trejo, whom you may remember from the director-duo’s previous films, stars as the titular character, a former cop hellbent on revenge after his partner is killed. Michelle Rodriguez, of Fast and the Furious, Lost and Avatar fame, plays woman with sympathies for the immigrants who flock to the US every year. Jeff Fahey, who is mostly known for his TV roles, oozes his way across the screen as the despicable villain. Robert de Niro portrays the caricature of the US senator. An insipid, if sultry, Jessica Alba stars as the FBI agent investigating the presence of illegal immigrants on the border. The other actress with questionable acting skills in this movie is Lindsay Lohan, who was seemingly portraying herself. But don’t worry about it, the ample nude shots distract from the mediocre acting. (If the crass objectification of women offends you, this, like most of the directors’ films, is definitely one to avoid.)
The film does raise some interesting questions about Mexican immigrants in the United States, and what their role should be in that society, but this is an exploitation flick, and no one watches a title like that actually looking for some serious answers to, well, anything. If you’re in the mood for decapitation, served with a helping of nudity and sprinkled with a very liberal dose of black humour, this is one for you.
The unmistakable Danny Trejo, whom you may remember from the director-duo’s previous films, stars as the titular character, a former cop hellbent on revenge after his partner is killed. Michelle Rodriguez, of Fast and the Furious, Lost and Avatar fame, plays woman with sympathies for the immigrants who flock to the US every year. Jeff Fahey, who is mostly known for his TV roles, oozes his way across the screen as the despicable villain. Robert de Niro portrays the caricature of the US senator. An insipid, if sultry, Jessica Alba stars as the FBI agent investigating the presence of illegal immigrants on the border. The other actress with questionable acting skills in this movie is Lindsay Lohan, who was seemingly portraying herself. But don’t worry about it, the ample nude shots distract from the mediocre acting. (If the crass objectification of women offends you, this, like most of the directors’ films, is definitely one to avoid.)
The film does raise some interesting questions about Mexican immigrants in the United States, and what their role should be in that society, but this is an exploitation flick, and no one watches a title like that actually looking for some serious answers to, well, anything. If you’re in the mood for decapitation, served with a helping of nudity and sprinkled with a very liberal dose of black humour, this is one for you.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Oceans: vast water-filled wonder
Oceans is not your typical documentary, as it incorporates a loose narrative storyline. Frenchman Jacques Perrin, the creator of this globe-spanning project, takes viewers to the edges, vast surface and perilous depths of the planet’s oceans, and reveals the myriad species that call the seashore and briny waters home.
The English version of the film is narrated by Pierce Brosnan, but that was not available in the cinema when I went to see it, and, due to a screw-up by the projectionist, I watched the first forty minutes of this film in French (a language I have no grasp of) without subtitles. But it hardly mattered – very little is said but I still found myself absorbed in the wondrous scenes before me.
Indeed, the filmmakers show us a mostly unseen world that is so much bigger and more beautiful than anything man has ever created – and, for the most part, humans only feature on the very periphery of this narrative. Yet, the film does not shy away from grim reality and depicts the severe impact humans have had on the oceans. The omega character in the title serves as a not-so-subtle hint as to what the creators’ feelings are towards the oceans’ future.
Classical music, vocals and sometimes no background sound at all is used to showcase the beauty and majesty of marine life. It's counter-intuitive, but in a moment of action, the silence can actually underscore the majesty of a great aquatic hunter.
The only minor complaint I have about this film was the fact most creatures featured in the documentary were not named – and this tended to annoy me slightly as the fish and molluscs certainly looked familiar but I could not place a name to them. But this is a minor gripe when one considers that a David Attenborough-style National Geographic production was not what the film-makers had in mind.
If you have not yet seen this magical film, I highly recommend it. Due to the stunning visuals, the film’s impact will probably be greater on a big screen, so hijack a friend’s plasma high-definition flat-screen if necessary, and be prepared to be riveted in awe.
The English version of the film is narrated by Pierce Brosnan, but that was not available in the cinema when I went to see it, and, due to a screw-up by the projectionist, I watched the first forty minutes of this film in French (a language I have no grasp of) without subtitles. But it hardly mattered – very little is said but I still found myself absorbed in the wondrous scenes before me.
Indeed, the filmmakers show us a mostly unseen world that is so much bigger and more beautiful than anything man has ever created – and, for the most part, humans only feature on the very periphery of this narrative. Yet, the film does not shy away from grim reality and depicts the severe impact humans have had on the oceans. The omega character in the title serves as a not-so-subtle hint as to what the creators’ feelings are towards the oceans’ future.
Classical music, vocals and sometimes no background sound at all is used to showcase the beauty and majesty of marine life. It's counter-intuitive, but in a moment of action, the silence can actually underscore the majesty of a great aquatic hunter.
The only minor complaint I have about this film was the fact most creatures featured in the documentary were not named – and this tended to annoy me slightly as the fish and molluscs certainly looked familiar but I could not place a name to them. But this is a minor gripe when one considers that a David Attenborough-style National Geographic production was not what the film-makers had in mind.
If you have not yet seen this magical film, I highly recommend it. Due to the stunning visuals, the film’s impact will probably be greater on a big screen, so hijack a friend’s plasma high-definition flat-screen if necessary, and be prepared to be riveted in awe.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Plot and script – expendable?
Actions films have changed, I realised as the handbag-clutching, middle-aged woman next to me cringed and gasped every time a baddie was ripped to shreds or slashed to death in some gruesome manner.
While Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s action films in the eighties and nineties did exhibit their fair share of skiet, skop en donner, none of it compared to that exhibited in Sylvester Stallone’s newest offering, The Expendables. CGI has allowed Sly to wow audiences with highly realistic renderings of gratuitous gore. Obviously the violence is not on par with what you’d see in a Tarantino flick, but if you’re a member of the older generation hoping to be reacquainted with your favourite action stars, you may be in for a nasty surprise.
The film features a host of mostly aging action stars, including Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham and Jet Li. The trailer would have you believe that Schwarzenegger and Willis also have major roles, when in fact they only have about four minutes of screen-time.
The plot is relatively straight-forward: Stallone plays the leader of a band of highly-trained mercenaries who are called in to assassinate a drug-lord in a fictional South American country reminiscent of Cuba. The result is a fast-paced, thinly-plotted sequence of explosions, shooting, car chases, martial arts and bouncing (covered) boobies...
Yes, boys, that is literally all the hot damsel-in-distress action you’re getting out of this movie. The films’ female characters – Charisma Carpenter of Angel fame and Mexican beauty Giselle Itié – did little more than tease. Speaking of an anti-climax, the film also just fizzled out towards the end, leaving yours truly rather unsatisfied, too.
Like most of Stallone’s films, this one is quite devoid of humour – a few one-liners got a chuckle from the audience, and the sheer ridiculousness of some of the violence did elicit sniggers, but I can’t help making the comparison with Schwarzenegger’s older films and Willis’ Die Hard series, which offered more in the form of witty dialogue and a somewhat more developed plot.
So, if you’re looking for some slick camerawork that showcases over-the-top violence, massive explosions and bone-crunching hand-to-hand combat scenes well, give it a watch, but don’t go in expecting anything more...
While Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s action films in the eighties and nineties did exhibit their fair share of skiet, skop en donner, none of it compared to that exhibited in Sylvester Stallone’s newest offering, The Expendables. CGI has allowed Sly to wow audiences with highly realistic renderings of gratuitous gore. Obviously the violence is not on par with what you’d see in a Tarantino flick, but if you’re a member of the older generation hoping to be reacquainted with your favourite action stars, you may be in for a nasty surprise.
The film features a host of mostly aging action stars, including Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham and Jet Li. The trailer would have you believe that Schwarzenegger and Willis also have major roles, when in fact they only have about four minutes of screen-time.
The plot is relatively straight-forward: Stallone plays the leader of a band of highly-trained mercenaries who are called in to assassinate a drug-lord in a fictional South American country reminiscent of Cuba. The result is a fast-paced, thinly-plotted sequence of explosions, shooting, car chases, martial arts and bouncing (covered) boobies...
Yes, boys, that is literally all the hot damsel-in-distress action you’re getting out of this movie. The films’ female characters – Charisma Carpenter of Angel fame and Mexican beauty Giselle Itié – did little more than tease. Speaking of an anti-climax, the film also just fizzled out towards the end, leaving yours truly rather unsatisfied, too.
Like most of Stallone’s films, this one is quite devoid of humour – a few one-liners got a chuckle from the audience, and the sheer ridiculousness of some of the violence did elicit sniggers, but I can’t help making the comparison with Schwarzenegger’s older films and Willis’ Die Hard series, which offered more in the form of witty dialogue and a somewhat more developed plot.
So, if you’re looking for some slick camerawork that showcases over-the-top violence, massive explosions and bone-crunching hand-to-hand combat scenes well, give it a watch, but don’t go in expecting anything more...
Monday, August 9, 2010
A head-start for all would-be novelists!
Now for something a bit more fun, after my last serious post. I found this great idea from the children's literature review site 100ScopeNotes.com, which gives you a guide on how to make your own fantasy and/or young adult book covers.
Here are the ones I came up with:
I was only using Paint to add the titles, but I think they came out pretty well, don't you think?
Head over to ScopeNotes and try your hand at your own fantasy or young adult novel cover now! Show me how yours came out, and beware, it's quite addictive!
Here are the ones I came up with:
I was only using Paint to add the titles, but I think they came out pretty well, don't you think?
Head over to ScopeNotes and try your hand at your own fantasy or young adult novel cover now! Show me how yours came out, and beware, it's quite addictive!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Food for thoughts
They’ve caused riots. They’ve been burned for what they stand for. They transport us to faraway places: into the past and the future, or to worlds that exist only in their writers’ imaginations. Yes, often we only associate books with hours of absorbing entertainment, but the ideas within them can change the very fabric of society.
This often has not sat well with authorities and other parts of society. For example, the Catholic Church used to publish an Index of Forbidden Books (Index Librorum Prohibitum) that declared the works of writers like Galileo Galilei, Immanuel Kant and Victor Hugo, among thousands of others, unfit for the consumption of its flock. The threat of excommunication loomed over anyone who dared part the covers of such “immmoral” works. The index was abolished in 1966, after over four hundred years.
In the same vein, people have burned books they deem offensive or contrary to their chosen beliefs. The most well-known example is that of the Nazis destroying books they deemed were at odds to with policies.
Books of great thinkers such as Karl Marx and Charles Darwin have changed the way we as humans view our world. Sure, there is also a lot of drivel out there – but, as we know, what some consider drivel, others consider literary masterpieces.
The idea is to let people get exposed to the drivel, the classics and the philosophical musings of hundreds of authors, so that they may learn about their world, its history, and about themselves.
While the act of burning books is repulsive, at least the individuals doing the torching had had access to other sources of information – some of them undoubtedly books – that allowed them to form such a strong opinion on, well, others’ opinions. The Nazis and the Harry Potter-torching fundamentalists at least had books to burn.
These thoughts crawled their way through my sluggish brain as I waited for the last few hours of the Fast for Equal Education to pass. The campaign aims to equip every school in South Africa with a library so that the country’s learners grow up to be informed and opinionated individuals.
Denying the mind books is like denying the stomach food. People must be exposed to views that challenge their own so that they may learn to think critically, so that they may have an informed opinion.
It is clear to see then that Equal Education is not just about giving township kids access to Twilight and Harry Potter (although that has its place too): It is about planting the seeds of imagination and wonder, and about opening their minds to new possibilities, so that they can reach their full potential.
A good education is the foundation on which the democratic and economic future of our country depends.
I leave you with the words of American author Anne Herbert:
This often has not sat well with authorities and other parts of society. For example, the Catholic Church used to publish an Index of Forbidden Books (Index Librorum Prohibitum) that declared the works of writers like Galileo Galilei, Immanuel Kant and Victor Hugo, among thousands of others, unfit for the consumption of its flock. The threat of excommunication loomed over anyone who dared part the covers of such “immmoral” works. The index was abolished in 1966, after over four hundred years.
In the same vein, people have burned books they deem offensive or contrary to their chosen beliefs. The most well-known example is that of the Nazis destroying books they deemed were at odds to with policies.
Books of great thinkers such as Karl Marx and Charles Darwin have changed the way we as humans view our world. Sure, there is also a lot of drivel out there – but, as we know, what some consider drivel, others consider literary masterpieces.
The idea is to let people get exposed to the drivel, the classics and the philosophical musings of hundreds of authors, so that they may learn about their world, its history, and about themselves.
While the act of burning books is repulsive, at least the individuals doing the torching had had access to other sources of information – some of them undoubtedly books – that allowed them to form such a strong opinion on, well, others’ opinions. The Nazis and the Harry Potter-torching fundamentalists at least had books to burn.
These thoughts crawled their way through my sluggish brain as I waited for the last few hours of the Fast for Equal Education to pass. The campaign aims to equip every school in South Africa with a library so that the country’s learners grow up to be informed and opinionated individuals.
Denying the mind books is like denying the stomach food. People must be exposed to views that challenge their own so that they may learn to think critically, so that they may have an informed opinion.
It is clear to see then that Equal Education is not just about giving township kids access to Twilight and Harry Potter (although that has its place too): It is about planting the seeds of imagination and wonder, and about opening their minds to new possibilities, so that they can reach their full potential.
A good education is the foundation on which the democratic and economic future of our country depends.
I leave you with the words of American author Anne Herbert:
"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)