Watched two tonight:
Seven Pounds - 8/10
Leaves you guessing for a little but it comes together very nicely and is subtle and touching. Better than I expected!
Drive - 4/10
Didn't like this. Acting was generally poor and emotionless. Plot flow was weak, music and sound effects were noticeably sub-par. The film also clearly made some trade offs in script and continuity/realism in a misguided effort to seem poignant. This further distanced it from any sense of believe-ability, which, although not always necessary in films, was really needed here to give any credibility to what was there.
And one from yesterday:
Lawless - 5/10
Apparently based on a true story, this took a while to really get going. Due to this, it's hard to become invested in the characters until it's too late - i.e. plot moves and the moment has passed. The movie appears to promise a much bigger story than it finally delivers. Acting was OK, not great, direction didn't stand out for me.
Forgot to add from last week:
The Wolverine - 8/10
As a fan of the genre and protagonist, this came through for me. I was worried it wouldn't live up to the potential, but it did well. The first hour was particularly good - direction and artistic design created some beautiful scenes and shots that drop you straight into the world. I can only assume some of this must have been lifted from the comic books (haven't read them). The film is really about the development of the Wolverine character after the events of the previous X-Men films. He has to deal with perpetual loss, losing the will to live (but being unable to do anything about it) and then love. This is dealt with convincingly by Hugh Jackman, who really seems to have perfected the character now. Supporting acting varied, and the plot still contains some of the more outrageous content that keeps it true to the comic book roots. Without this, it would simply be a character study alone. Framed in context, the personal journey of the Wolverine is appreciated all the more. Although the franchise overall is pretty tired, I certainly wouldn't turn down watching another story from Logan's past.
Last one from two weeks ago:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 6/10
Whilst the love that had clearly gone into crafting the world, setting the shots and fleshing out the characters flowed through the entire movie, I still found the slow plot just frustrating. I felt the same way about The Lord of the Rings as I do this. Should you be able to look past that, then you're in for a treat, as the film is immersive, and the acting is brilliant. Not being enough of a fan of the book or genre, it feels as though creating 3 movies to cover this story is simply indulgent (I'm sure the studios aren't complaining too much though), and I would prefer to see the short version with just the best bits. However, I can totally appreciate that it would be removing some of the magic from the other areas in which the film shines. Not for me, but if you like this genre then you may well enjoy it!
Seven Pounds - 8/10
Leaves you guessing for a little but it comes together very nicely and is subtle and touching. Better than I expected!
Drive - 4/10
Didn't like this. Acting was generally poor and emotionless. Plot flow was weak, music and sound effects were noticeably sub-par. The film also clearly made some trade offs in script and continuity/realism in a misguided effort to seem poignant. This further distanced it from any sense of believe-ability, which, although not always necessary in films, was really needed here to give any credibility to what was there.
And one from yesterday:
Lawless - 5/10
Apparently based on a true story, this took a while to really get going. Due to this, it's hard to become invested in the characters until it's too late - i.e. plot moves and the moment has passed. The movie appears to promise a much bigger story than it finally delivers. Acting was OK, not great, direction didn't stand out for me.
Forgot to add from last week:
The Wolverine - 8/10
As a fan of the genre and protagonist, this came through for me. I was worried it wouldn't live up to the potential, but it did well. The first hour was particularly good - direction and artistic design created some beautiful scenes and shots that drop you straight into the world. I can only assume some of this must have been lifted from the comic books (haven't read them). The film is really about the development of the Wolverine character after the events of the previous X-Men films. He has to deal with perpetual loss, losing the will to live (but being unable to do anything about it) and then love. This is dealt with convincingly by Hugh Jackman, who really seems to have perfected the character now. Supporting acting varied, and the plot still contains some of the more outrageous content that keeps it true to the comic book roots. Without this, it would simply be a character study alone. Framed in context, the personal journey of the Wolverine is appreciated all the more. Although the franchise overall is pretty tired, I certainly wouldn't turn down watching another story from Logan's past.
Last one from two weeks ago:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 6/10
Whilst the love that had clearly gone into crafting the world, setting the shots and fleshing out the characters flowed through the entire movie, I still found the slow plot just frustrating. I felt the same way about The Lord of the Rings as I do this. Should you be able to look past that, then you're in for a treat, as the film is immersive, and the acting is brilliant. Not being enough of a fan of the book or genre, it feels as though creating 3 movies to cover this story is simply indulgent (I'm sure the studios aren't complaining too much though), and I would prefer to see the short version with just the best bits. However, I can totally appreciate that it would be removing some of the magic from the other areas in which the film shines. Not for me, but if you like this genre then you may well enjoy it!
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