Wall-E
Wow! What a trip! This was definitely up among the best animated films of all time. It has an amazing story line with enough complexity for the adults and all the enjoyment for the kiddies.
I am almost tempted to call it another Disney based animation, but it has more than that. And yes, I love Cinderella, Snow White and all those classic Disney films like most, but there was a sense of something more that just was never tapped into by those classics. I'm not sure what it was. It just felt like all the stops were taken out. The villain was not a typical villain and there isn't just one person to blame. This was the first film where blame is confusing. There is no one person that embodies evil. For kids, it might be a bit confusing.
I tip my hat to all the animators. It's hard enough when characters talk, but to show simple emotions and tell a story without words is definitely a feat. And robots no less!
The downs: My mom kept saying "He looks too much like Johnny-5. I think they stole the character." Always the pessimist. My dear mother. But in all honesty, she is right. And she is a woman who knows little of what goes on behind a film and the creation behind it. So, if she noticed, I'm sure alot of other folks noticed it.
"Short Circuit" (1986) was a great film as well, and although the characters look similar and are both have a certain heir of innocence about them and they both came extremely close to 'death', there are some differences. For instance, their height.
It does make me smile. The fact that the guys at Pixar are trying to tell me they came up with this idea all by themselves and developed it for Wall-E years (I'm not sure of this, so don't quote me yet), and yet the similarities are so close.
Despite this little problem, its an amazingly well done animation. It really shows you how far we've come with technology.
And for those of you who have not seen "Short Circuit", it's highly recommended that you do and see if you can find the differences.
Labels: 2008, 3d, animation, disney, films, pixar, short circuit, summer flicks, wall-e
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
First, I love Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf. And I was happy that they brought Karen Allen as Marion back for this one. Out of all the women in Indiana's life, I think she was best suited for him. Allison Doody was a German double agent, so it would have never worked. And Kate Capshaw's character was too vain and girly to be an option for Indy. Although, Temple of Doom was my favorite out of the whole series.
Now, I'd just like to say to all those critics out there, if you want a serious movie or something that isn't cheesy, then you shouldn't have seen Indiana Jones! It's kinda the point of those films. They're supposed to be fun action films, and that's exactly what this one was. Cheesy villain, unlikely stunts, and of course Indy's flair. I don't see why the critics didn't get that.
Let's start with the villain. Cate Blanchett did an amazing job. Her character, Irina Spalko, was so hilarious and out there, I don't know how she didn't laugh through every scene. The accent didn't really bother me. Only when she said Dr. Jones did it feel funny. And you can tell in certain scenes that she was straining with it. It didn't hinder the performance at all. It might have even added to it. Irina Spalko is not meant to be a serious character. And she herself isn't meant to really scare you. Her entourage does that.
Indiana stays true to his character. I even love how they made sure that they got his fear of snakes in there. And anyone who complains about Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones getting old, come on people. He is getting pretty old, but that's the nature of life. No one gets younger and no one can stay young. People naturally get old. Don't like, too bad.
Shia's character, Mutt, was pretty classic 50's bad boy. Maybe a bit too typical, but I did enjoy the play they got out of it.
The chase scene was well done and I'm glad they didn't make the stunts perfect. I don't know of anyone who can jump onto a moving motorcycle without getting a scrape or two. There were definitely a few things throughout the film my mom pointed out that I didn't notice right off. It made it more enjoyable for the both of us. She'd point out things to me, and I return the favor.
The addition of the animals and there reaction was a plus for me. A few of the scenes took place where humans wouldn't be. There needed to be a reaction of sorts in there. And I think adding the animal factor was a plus. You can tell there was thought put into it.
The one thing I wish there was more of was the puzzle. I felt that everything was kinda just figured out. No hidden passageways with a pause to feel the draft. No real dilemmas, except for that one where they have to run down that well. And where was that scene where Indy almost fails in a fight and wins because luck was on his side? If it was there, I didn't feel it. I think there were too many group fights and not enough one on one. And that damn skull saves everyones ass.
Effects wise, I felt it worked. There were scenes you knew were 3D and some you had to ask yourself about. The animals were 3D and so was a lot of the jungle chase/fight scene. I understand why they did it, I just wish they tried more to get it to feel more real. You also really feel like the camera moves way too smoothly. It's hard to simulate a real camera move in 3D. It winds up looking too CG most of the time. I know. It's part of what I do.
Most of the time, it's better to have a locked off camera. Sweeping moves are just too grand sometimes. But it's up to the director and what they want. Let's forget what reality dictates to us. And physics can just go right out the window.
Unfortunately, this film is not the only one that breaks from reality in this way. It's being done in all sorts of films. Hopefully, we'll either get used to it or the industry will realize what really makes a great film is the tangible.
Labels: 2008, action, films, movies, summer flicks
