07 May 2011

JANUARY: From manly tomb raiding to Nic Cage disappointingly failing to lose his shit

January was a busy month for movies - largely because I spent most of the new year's portion of my holidays lying on a couch absorbing movies rather than going outside. Outside was icy, snowy and did not have movies. No feckin' contest.

1. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life: Yes, I saw it before. Yes, I knew it was going to suck. Yes, I watched it purely for His Manliness, Gerard Butler. Yes, I am a girl. Shut up. **

2. The Horse Whisperer: Enjoyable in a sort of forgettable way. I didn't emotionally connect to it much. I'm possibly the wrong age group. *** new


3. Pollyanna: Read the book several times as a kid, enjoyed patches of this but mostly found it pretty saccharine. Just watched because of unwillingness to un-horizontal myself from the couch. ** new

4. Nim's Island: Double the Butler - one Scottish-accented and one faux-American. Sweet film, great cast - Abigail Breslin is always wonderful. The whole thing with the author finally living out the adventures from her book reminded me of Joan Wilder from Romancing the Stone. ***

5. The Birds: Hitchcock attempts to give me ornithophobia. Love Tippi Hedren, who's in my very favourite Hitchcock film, the wonderfully messed-up Marnie. Also love that scene in the playground. Shudder. ****

6. The Dark Knight: Incredible film, just absolute perfection on every level. Probably my favourite comic book movie. And that towering performance by Heath Ledger. Astonishing.  *****

7. Superman Returns: Another great comic book movie. There's a delicacy to the relationships and interactions that I love. It's very funny in parts ("Weren't there two of those?"), has that great plane sequence ("Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel.") and the very lovely James Marsden as a believable rival to Superman ("I flew.") I always find it upsetting watching the Man of Steel being beaten and stabbed and watching his mother outside the hospital, unable to go to her son. And then the look on Supes' face when he makes that speech to the child at the end. *sniff* Wonderful. ****

8. Season of the Witch: SO disappointing. Went to this movie with a gang of friends with one goal in mind - to see Mr. Nicolas Cage losing his shit, medieval mercenary style. Which he singularly failed to do. There was one moment when it looked like he was going to do it, but then - get this - he CONTROLLED himself. WTF? On the other hand, it was kind of hilarious seeing Nathan playing a young religious dude. And there were wolves, swords and buboes. So it wasn't all bad. * new 

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