Shrek Forever After: Review

If only William Steig (the creator of Shrek) could have seen how Hollywood has turned a truly unique animated fairytale epic into a big pile of celebrities worshipping themselves over the course of 3 movies.

 With Shrek Forever After being the final chapter in the fairytale series, one cannot help but look back at and wonder how the hell did the movie that won the very first Oscar for Best Animated Feature could spawn the despicable rape that was Shrek 2, Shrek The Third and now this big ole pile of bullshit.

So in Shrek Forever After, Shrek has turned into some sort of family man, he's got a wife, three kids, everyone loves hime and yadda yadda yadda. He goes through his mid-life crisis and all he wants to do is go back to the time when he was a scary ass ogre where he was free to do what he wanted. In comes Rumpelstiltskin who gives him a way to get what he wants but evidently erases him from ever being born.

Now, say what you want.. but I was one of the very few people who hated the second Shrek movie. And every other movie since the first one has just been a great insult to the beauty of the original. See in the first Shrek, they told an epic story that was both a parody of a fairytale and a fairytale in itself. Since then, the series has been more of who's the celebrity voices that's going to be in the movie and an endless array of pop culture jokes and techno dancing.

Shrek Forever After is just like a TV show that had it's moment in the first season and has been struggling ever since to reach that same standard. And just as it is about to overstay it's welcome, the filmmakers decide to put one more nail in the coffin by doing the It's A Wonderful Life episode of the TV show.

Yes, you lousy uncultured Malaysians. No, Shrek Forever After wasn't original.. nor heartfelt.. nor a nice experimentation of what life would be like if you weren't born. This whole entire movie was a complete, frame for frame, story for story rip off of Frank Capra's classic It's A Wonderful Life. Not that any of ya'll would know that considering most of the Malaysians that were in the same theatre as me were laughing their asses off when the Pied Piper started playing Crazy Frog.

I won't be surprised if Shrek 5 is the clip show episode where all the characters are just sitting down and going, "Hey, Donkey.. remember that time in Shrek 2 where we..." and it just flashes to that scene. Ugh God spare me the shame please.

But I will give Shrek Forever this much.. it was a huge improvement from the last movie. Certainly much funnier. There were certain moments in the film where I will guiltily say, had me chuckling quite a bit. Mostly with that fat ass cat. You know.. if the Puss In Boots spin-off really does happen, I will be all for it man. And the CGI in this one is really cool to. One being the broom chase sequence, me and my girlfriend were practically going, "This would look so great if it was in 3-D."

It really sucks to see such a great cinematic character fall from grace like this. Shrek Forever After shouts mediocrity and poor writing in every aspect of it's production. Shrek goes out in an embarrassing, uninspiring finale.

RATING: 3/10

Random Thoughts on A Room With A View

When A Room With A View closes and we segue into the ending – unlike anything Forster had written – I’ll admit, I get a little happy. I’m always wont to call myself a cynic, I usually am, but I can’t deny that Lucy Honeychurch’s happiness makes me just (vicariously, of course) as pleased. It’s one of the reasons I don’t read A Room With A View in its entirety, even though I’m sensitive to the fact that a happy ending makes us lose Forster’s point – but so be it. It’s a little similar to my response to Atonement’s end, so I guess I’m really an idealist at heart.

I wonder if there’s some point that on all three of Merchant Ivory’s Oscar bids they lost to films that were more (broadly at least) male centred. Truth is, I’d have given The Age of Innocence the win in the last bid, but Scorsese’s tempered piece wasn’t even in the running. It’s not that Merchant Ivory is women based, regardless of how much I adore film books will always be my first love and it’s in this same way that Merchant Ivory is not for everyone. Of course, neither Platoon, Schindler’s List or Unforgiven are films for everyone but easily – the audience base is wider. A Room With A View, like so many of Forster’s works, examines the issue of class divisions in England but unlike a certain other class division piece A Room With A View is definitely milder – not for the worst, though. The film concerns…

A Room With A View stars Maggie Smith in a register she’s particularly used to playing, and yet her Charlotte is not a lazy characterisation...and Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch is lovely...it's her second film so she's not as developed as she was in the nineties but as Jose says...Her Lucy's combination of sexual awakening and innocence is delightful and sweeping. You can't put it any better than that. She's so lovely and she's only a part of the excellent cast. Denholm Elliot and Julian Sands are good as is Daniel Day Lewis and Judi Dench is small but fulfilling roles - before they became legends of the trade. I don't know why A Room With A View isn't remembered just a little more, it's such an excellent piece and it's so much fun....but not in the way you'd expect. It's thoroughly British and thoroughly entertaining and #13 on my list of favourites...What do you think of it?

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: Six thoughts on Season Six’s finale

Did anyone watch Grey’s Anatomy’s season finale last Thursday? Season six has been a bit hit and miss, and without Izzie something just a feel a little off, I’m no fan of those Mercy Westers. Still, everyone knows that if one thing’s notable about Grey’s Anatomy it’s that the season finale is usually quite strong, and last Thursday’s double dose of “Sanctuary / Death & All His Friends” was easily one of the best instalments of the last season.

– Chandra Wilson is still one of the best actresses on television and it’s an affront that she’s still Emmy-less. At this point, I’m not hopeful that she’ll ever win the prize. She’s done her best work in Seasons Two through Four (she was actually the best thing in the stodgy season Four) but she’s been passed over continually. The highlight of the show has always been the acting and Wilson, Pompeo, Chambers and Ramirez each brought their A-game. Incidentally, these five continue to be the best actors on the show (even if Chambers and Ramirez are never remembered for their work).

– Is Katherine Heigl really gone? I guess I really can’t give up the ghost…but I have to admit that when Alex started hallucinating and thinking that Lexie was Izzie (by the way, ick Chyler Leigh is so bland) I was expecting/hoping Izzie to walk in. I suppose it’s not likely, but I really would love if she returns – obviously.

– Dr. Webber (aka James Pickens Jr.) was on the ball throughout the episode. He’s been battling with his alcoholism for some time now, and it was a good moment seeing him confront those issues in attempt to save his hospital. I suppose this would mean that he returns to his job as Chief – and really, it’s about time. Derek really wasn’t the man for the job.

– Was it just me…or was anyone else thinking that they’d kill off Patrick Dempsey? Really, I wouldn’t have been too sad about it. For someone with so many admirers he strikes me as one of the blandest leading ladies. I now in the whole MerDer legend, Meredith is the one everyone hates but I’ve never liked the two together.

– How many TV couples are cuter than Jessica Capshaw and Sara Samirez? I’m neither here nor there on their argument for children (I wish that Arizona would have held her own a little more) but the two just work incredibly well together, and with Izzie gone they easily trump all the shows.

– What ever happened to Mandy Moore? Every now and then Mandy Moore reminds me that she’s just a little better than people give her credit for. Sure, her guest performance consisted mostly of playing dead and fumbling with bedpans – not exactly heavy lifting. But it did remind me of the promise she has (had?).

– Where do we go from here? Is Meredith going to get depressed, dark and twisty because of her miscarriage – I’ll admit I like dark and twisty Meredith. Are Lexie and Alex going to hook up? God, I hope not. That’s a loathsome idea. Back in season four I had thought that he and Cristina were heading somewhere (granted, back in season three I thought he and Meredith were heading somewhere)…so I’m probably not a good judge of these things. And with Hunt finally manning up and choosing Cristina does this mean Teddy will finally be leaving? I sure hope so…

Ranking the Seasons…
Season Two
Season Three
Season One
Season Five
Season Four
Season Six

Ranking the Season Finales…
Season Two
Season Five
Season Six
Season One
Season Four
Season Three
            
Did you watch the season finale? Thoughts? How would you rank the finales and the seasons?

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

...Don't tell anyone I'm here...I'm supposed to be studying...

Helena Bonham Carter...I Love You...

Back when no one was reading, I posted my thoughts on Helena Bonham Carter. Here is the post in its entirety...

I was going to write about Kristin Scott Thomas, but I saw Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince yesterday and all my adoration of Helena Bonham Carter [or HBC] came rushing back and I decided I'd do her instead. While writing this post I realised that even though I have a few of her films on DVD, I don't have enough. I've got Sweeney Todd, Merlin, Live From Baghdad, Hamlet and Howards End. I don't know where the hell my copy of Fight Club is [somebody's got some explaining to do!]. But alas, I have never owned a copy of her best work - The Wings of the Dove on DVD, because it is unavailable in my country. Horrors. But I'm getting way ahead of myself. Let us take a walk down memory lane as we celebrate the beloved Helena Bonham Carter, Mrs. Tim Burton, Ms. Bellatrix Lestrange, Mrs. Lovett and so much more. She also happens to be Gemini like me which makes her extra special.
I'm not sure what my first meeting with HBC was, but I'll start with one of her early triumphs in A Room With A View where she played Lucy Honeychurch opposite Dame Maggie Smith. I suppose she was in a way overshadowed by her costars [it was her first film], but I still think HBC was wonderfully dainty as the London misfit travelling with her chaperone and cousin Charlotte. A Room With A View is a good film to check out if you haven't seen. And Twif you haven't seen...ummm why, not? Moving on about four years later when HBC tackles Shakespeare. For the record I will always prefers Branagh's Hamlet to Gibson's Hamlet. But I do enjoy HBC in the role. This was back in the day's when Mel Gibson was not a joke, but they did have good chemistry... and thank God she didn't play Ophelia like some simpering fool. Two years later she returns to Merchant Ivory gloriousness with Howards End which is one of my favourite films. It's also the best film Helena has been in, so you should check it out. She plays the sister of Emma Thompson as middle class 19th century Londoners who deal with the injustices of their society. Helena is completely mesmerising as Helen Schlegel. Once again no Oscar love was forthcoming despite the year being VERY weak. Still, she won in my heart. She continued for the next few years playing in some low key fare, earning a Golden Globe nod for a TV movie as the wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, and then playing Woody Allen's wife in Mighty Aphrodite.
But in was in 1997 that HBC gave her greatest performance earning her only Oscar nomination for The Wings of the Dove as a complex character Kate Croy. I have only seen this film once and if you have not seen it you should, if you have a chance to buy it, do so. It's delightful. One of the best of 1997 and despite not winning the Oscar Helena did win the NBR and some other critics awards. The next year she played Morgan Le Fey in the miniseries Merlin. That movie is rather gruelling but it's good and HBC is delightful as the lisping, demonic woman/child Morgan. This was actually the beginning of a whole line of revolting/freaky/outrageoys/crazy characters. Take for instance her work as Marla Singer in Fight Club... a performance that was worthy of an Oscar nomination I might add. HBC is all kinds of hot with Brad Pitt, despite a very strange character.

She earned a second Emmy nod for her performance in Live From Baghdad (pictures here), a political thriller of sorts but a good film nonetheless. It's a pity this couldn't have been a big screen hit. She soon got involved with Tim Burton and his pet projects, some were not right for her but she was outstanding in Big Fish, Sweeney Todd and Corpse Bride. If it's possible, this is her second best performance ever for me. I know this is an animated film but her performance as The Bride is so haunting. I wish this could have been a live action film, it could have been a great career opportunity for her.
Today I have to be satisfied with snatches of my beloved in Harry Potter films or whenever Tim Burton lets her out for play. Hopefully that TV production of Enid Blyton does not suck. Who knows? Maybe it could be Emmy bound since it seems that her Oscar hopes have all but gone. Still I continue to adore... and you should too. She's brilliant.

 I don't know what became of Enid Blyton, but HBC has The King's Speech coming out this year and I cannot wait...I adore her, and today is her birthday - she turns 44. If you could only watch one incarnation of dear Helen...which would it be?
         
REMEMBER this post is automated, I'll respond to your comments on Friday.

Discussing Fish Tank

I’ve been hearing about Fish Tank for months. More often than not, it was through the words of an enthusiastic reviewer of the film. In fact, a number of important people (important to me, at least) were generally positive about it  like Jose, Hatter, Tim, Nick. I’ve seen Fish Tank for some time now, but nothing’s coming. What is Fish Tank about? A sixteen year old girl, and would-be dancer, meanders through life culminating in a crush on her mother’s latest boyfriend. I can’t write about Fish Tank, or rather my issue with it without revealing plot details so SPOILERS ABOUND. Be warned.

I also can’t talk of Fish Tank without thinking about An Education – I film I fell for last year. Both films are directed by women, both focus on a sixteen year old Briton, both girls fall for older married men and both girls believe in the infallibleness of their brains. Of course, they differ in styles – completely. An Education sedateness (often mistook for unoriginality) differs starkly when measured againt Fish Tank’s shaky camera and general penchant to impose itself on us, almost like a real person. I don’t have an issue with the style, but truthfully I’m confused as to why Arnold’s choice of shooting in “real time” makes her such a wonder. To be certain, she is skilled equally as a writer and director, but she’s far from flawless on both counts. During the film, I was often moved to doubt the validity of these characters. It’s ironic, really, Fish Tank prides itself on being as authentic as can be but I often felt it to be just as pretentious, at times. Incidentally, it’s an issue I had with Precious - sometimes in her predilection for showing the harsh reality Arnold comes off (to me) as someone intent on shocking us and failing to attach it to any narrative progression. Furthermore, a particular scene in the marshes though ostensibly thrilling does nothing that makes it particularly necessary to the narrative as far as I see.

It’s crass to focus the entire review on finding fault with Fish Tank since it’s not wholly without accomplishments. Jose was quite enamoured with Fassbender’s performance, and he is good. But my issues with the narrative prevent me from being particularly moved by him. It’s to his credit, though, of the entire cast he’s the one who’s able to portray the most while saying the least. He has a knack for adroit facial expressions which few actors could profess to. We know what he’s up to even before he makes any noteworthy decision to do it. Moreover, he manages to prevent himself from becoming a villain just as Sarsgaard before him. In the same way, can we help but compare Katie Jarvis to Carey Mulligan? I suppose, you can assume where I stand on that issue – you’d be right. Jarvis does fine, though I never believe that she’s really interested in dancing – or Connor for that matter. Perhaps it’s an inclination of her character, but she seems unmoved by everything around her, a pivotal moment of tears towards the end leaves me more confused than moved. Incidentally, it’s Kierston Wareing who emerges as the cast’s strongpoint for me – even as she’s given little do, and all in broad strokes - trumping another similarly psycho mother. She’s not a caricature and underneath her pedestrian behaviour (in more ways than one) Wareing is carving a real character – just look at her final scene.

               

It’s weird, after Hatter’s review I said that despite all the good I’d heard I didn’t think I would like Fish Tank, but I couldn’t say why. I still can’t put my finger precisely on what doesn’t work for me, though I’ve tried. But despite my issue, it’s still a fairly good venture from those involved. I wonder how you’ll feel when you see it…

             

B-/C+

         

The lone mixed review I recall was Danny...

     

Sound off below, but remember I won't be responding to your comments until Friday.

The Long Overdue Review of Cloudy With A Chance of Your Dragon Er, How To Train Your Dragon

Last year presented us with a host of animated films, two of which I’d refer to as near masterpieces. Unless I’m mistaken, Dreamwork’s How To Train Your Dragon is the first animated film of the year. The premise of the story is the eternal battle between Vikings and the dragons. This, somewhat atypical, premise is only a disguise for the timeless story of a boy coming-to-age and out of touch with his surroundings. Hiccup is a very enthusiastic, but ultimately uncoordinated boy. As fate would have it, his father is the head Viking which only maximises his inadequacy. In the wake of yet another embarrassing paternal moment he makes a discovery about the dragons, one that changes his life in more ways than one.

In many ways How To Train Your Dragon reminded me of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs), an animated film from last year I was less than impressed with. The parallels may be incidental, but they’re still striking. Both protagonists are out-of-place in their surroundings, both are motherless with fathers who don’t understand and both make a stunning discovery that leads to disaster and then ultimate triumph (yikes, spoiler). Lining them up against each other, I suppose they’re not that different – but yet, I find How To Train Your Dragon much more of a success than its predecessor. It’s not necessarily that the more recent film is more visually adept. It’s not...whereas Cloudy was beautiful to look at, but hollow How To Train Your Dragon is not that visually thrilling but in its slight story there’s a definite charm to it all. True, I could not stop thinking of Harry’s experience with the Hippogriff in The Prisoner of Azkaban...but J.K. Rowling doesn’t have dibs on taming flying wild creatures, neither does this guy...

There are some things about How To Train Your Dragon that confuse me. Why do all the adults talk with some kind of European accent, whereas the children are all American? And speaking of adults – where are the all the women? First I was trying to think what happened to Hiccup’s mother, and then I realised that there weren’t any women in the film (unless I missed that). It’s a conceit, I think, where children’s film are given a free pass when it comes to logistics, though I know I’m as guilty as anyone. But, How To Train Your Dragon was one of the few animated films I didn’t see with my young nephew. So there was no vicarious thrill of seeing a young child enjoy it, but it’s still a respectable film. Robert loves it heartily, I don’t. But it’s a good one.
               
B

                
Sound off below, but remember I won't be responding to your comments until Friday.