Dave here. Busy busy busy, looking for a break from the endless toil of my days. So, here are some reviews to take my mind off of all of that.
This LORD OF THE RINGS review is gonna be really short, because you've had enough of these already. Simply put, FELLOWSHIP is a work of supreme craftsmanship. The incredible attention to detail in this film's production speaks volumes for the love that the filmmakers have for the original author's work.
Having re-read FELLOWSHIP just before seeing it, I noted every minute divergence from the original text, and agreed with each of the changes in the translation to film. Every change made good sense, and didn't alter the essential nature of specific events, or the general story itself. Fantastically, carefully, lovingly done. Probably, a series of films that will be watched two or three, maybe more, hundred years from now with similar levels of admiration for what was achieved.
That's enough about that one. You've read plenty on it already. It's just the best film experience I've had in a very long time, and I feel sure that I could sit through all three films in a row without thinking remotely, even once, about getting up from my seat. Damn fine work. Beyond that, it made me want to live in New Zealand. Which, I almost did, but for a twist of fate.
Enough of that, on to...well, I guess THE MAJESTIC. Gonna be brief here too. Gotta get up out of this seat and across town pretty soon. More junk to do. Anyway, my general feeling about THE MAJESTIC is that I've seen enough of this sort of film. Many people haven't, good for them, I suppose.
By "this sort of film", I mean, ah, how can I put this...Okay, lots of filmmakers, actors, actresses, writers, they have this thing about the 50s. At least, Hollywood directors have it for the American 50s. They love the set designs and the cars, the guys like the cool outfits, the gals like the pretty dresses and hairstyles. How actors and actresses seem to love that junk. Makes them look fancy. People looking for glamour that they don't see around them today. Then, there's also that bit about how much better life was then. Oh, how I loathe that. My theory is that they long for the age when they were worshipped a bit more. More distant from the public, treated like gods and goddesses. Well, then, they should make better films.
Alright, I think you know where I'm coming from. Many won't agree with me. Fine. I don't begrudge you that. A matter of differing tastes. I know a lot of theatre owners who loved it. Said it touched them. Same goes for rabid film lovers. Lots of them thought it was wonderful. On a personal level, Jim Carrey's speech near the end of the film made me want to hork. The whole film, I think, is a nonstop, unbearably heavy-handed schlockfest. One cliche after another. Over and over, trying to take elements of better films, mash them into a blender, and come up with some sort of uber-Capraesque masterpiece. Well, I like Capra movies. Love them, in fact. THE MAJESTIC, I think, tries too hard to duplicate the vision of better works, and has no vision of its own. Either that, or I just wasn't in the mood for so much cheese at the time.
Finally, VANILLA SKY. You know, I really don't usually care for Tom Cruise films. Almost never. Trying to think of another one now. Just looked in the IMDB, can't say I love a single one. Except now, there's VANILLA SKY. Damn you Tom, you were on a roll, and then you made a genuinely fine movie. Tom is just so darn creepy and perfect for this role, that it only took a few minutes to forget that it was that too-big-of-a-name fellow who turned the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE team into a one man show.
They're supposed to work as a TEAM, man. That's what makes it COOL. Okay, enough about that. For all the talk I've heard about VANILLA SKY ripping off this or that recent movie, mostly from people whose film memory is...the past five years, I can only say that they've all missed the point. The point is, this is a really well-told, complex, and unconventionally interesting love story. A damn fine, well-worth-watching, not at all sappy or stupid, so-true-it's-awkward-to-take-your-girlfriend-to love story. Well acted all around, well written all around, well directed all around.
Sure, it's a remake of another film, but it left me dying to see that other film, and to watch the remake again. Because it's genuinely interesting and thoughtful. The point isn't what technology is being used, or what reality is more "real", VANILLA SKY is a film about a man who feels love strongly, and who dreams about it. That's a story as old as humanity, and probably older still than that. The method, the specifics of detail aren't nearly as important as the essential story of love and regret. Ah....a very fine film.
Sort of strange reviews. Well, that's how I feel about these three, and I have to leap to the conveyance now before the phone rings again. Have a happy day all, and sorry I didn't like your film Frank, nothing personal, you seem like a really nice guy. I always hate to speak ill of films, knowing that there are usually a lot of good people behind them. Ah well, what can I do? I think the other guys really liked it; I just didn't care for it. But, I am only one reviewer, and not the only one reviewer.
-Dave Alvarado, El Cosmico
