Yesterday I had mission - to sit on my arse and watch as many dvd's as I could. My attention span in the morning was a bit short so I went out, got some fresh air on my mountain bike, went to the video store - got my stash and came home.
The ADD was still in effect and the sun was out for the first time in weeks so I decided to some D.I.Y round my house for a few hours so I could truly earn some couch time.
So by 5 oclock it was time to sit, pizza was eaten and beers were consumed so here goes:
LEATHERHEADS
It took me a while to get into this movie, I much prefer Clooney doing comedy though so I really enjoyed his performance in this movie. I still don't how he can objectively direct his own performances but he does a fine job.
The story centres around the birth of professional football (or gridiron as we call it)in 1920's America with beautiful period production design really selling the time period.
This film has all the elements of a great comedy - a scandal, a romance, sport all begin to take shape in Clooney's ode to screwball comedy. Desperate to legitimize the sport he so loves, reckless Dodge Connelly (George Clooney) hatches a plan to bring college football superstar and American war hero Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski) to his team of Duluth Bulldogs – as well as the crowd of thousands that will follow. Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune assigns equally relentless reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) to uncover the truth behind The Bullet's wartime accomplishments and bring down his charade of heroism. Things get even more complicated when both Dodge and Carter fall for Lexie and the game of football must take a backseat to the game of love.
Clooney has all but nailed the performance of the male lead in the classic screwball comedy, however his supporters and the too-serious dilemmas detract from the presentation's overall mood. Clooney's wide-eyed, smooth-talking Dodge Connelly charms with his on-screen presence and go-getter charisma, but John Krasinski's Carter Rutherford rarely provides a worthy opponent. The prize, Renee Zellweger's (who for once doesn't squint her way through a film)Lexie Littleton,who tries too hard to be the fast-talking, hard-edged businesswoman, and then never becomes one worth winning. Her chemistry with Clooney is hit-or-miss, and George is clearly the victor in their exchanges. The minor characters provide a laugh or two but barely stand out, even Krasinki, who is dead pan brilliant in the US version of The Office tends to not quite know what to do half the time.
While Clooney may not be able to perfect the laughs and romance of the genre, he does do an excellent job in recreating the times. A jazzy, swinging score from Randy Newman complements and humorizes period events like prohibition raids, as well as the bar-room fights and on-field rivalries. The upbeat, piano-heavy tunes are a definite highlight and truly work well to accent the lighthearted atmosphere. Stock footage, sepia tones, and steady pans across still frames accentuate the feeling of watching a piece of history, and the costumes and set designs appear meticulously crafted.
Chronicling the advancement in professional football from the 1920's, Leatherheads attempts to re-imagine the fast-talking screwball comedies of the '30s - but with only partial success. The dialogue is inventive and amusingly brusque, but oftentimes the conversations are too abrupt. Falling back on waggish expressions and lengthy fistfights (in particular a very amusing bar fistfighy), Clooney's homage to classic comedies unfortunately has as many stale moments as engaging ones. Ultimately this fiml has a few failings but is definitely worht a look for fans of Clooney, screwball comedy or light sports entertainment.
SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
Unlike the recent flock of fantasy epics including The Golden Compass and The Seeker, which conclude feeling wholly unsatisfactory due to an abrupt resolution that suggests further films in the series, The Spiderwick Chronicles easily stands alone as a complete story. With sensationally mirthful creature designs and likable human characters, topped with state-of-the-art special effects, The Spiderwick Chronicles is another big win for Paramount and a high bar for family films of 2008.
The moment the Grace family moves into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate, strange things begin to happen. Jared (Freddie Highmore) is a curious, adventurous boy who quickly seeks out the hidden cob-web-covered remains of great great uncle Arthur Spiderwick's laboratory. He unleashes a mysterious force when he locates a field guide full of the secrets of the magical creatures that inhabit the forest surrounding the mansion. His twin brother Simon is calm and reserved and very much the intellectual one, but is rapidly drawn into the fantastical world of fairies and goblins. Older sister Mallory and their mom are harder to convince, but after the almighty and ruthless ogre leader Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) begins to attack the home, everyone must band together to combat the hordes of goblins and other creatures that lurk outside.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is, on the surface, an alluringly delightful fantasy that blends the very best of character designs, both human and CG, into a story that effortlessly engrosses without stumbling out of the realm of suspended disbelief. Everything within the story makes sense as it unfolds, and we don't question why certain things are feasible – because as the world of goblins and boggers is defined, we have no reason not to become completely immersed in the fantasy.
The pacing is fantastic for a family film, and doesn't fall into the three hour trap that The Lord of the Rings sets.
The children have more appeal and charismatic personalities than those of the Narnia kids, and the creatures are more lovable and waggish than those in Harry Potter. Each computer animated monstrosity and cuddly ally beautifully blend into the forested environment, and never reach a level of utter annoyance. The designs themselves are ingenious, with a mix of gelatinous abominations like Redcap, the angry henchman goblin, a furry old hamster-like man (Thimbletack, voiced by Martin Short) who speaks in rhyme, and a mighty griffin that soars above the picturesque clouds. Eloquently wispy faeries and an enormous horned ogre are also substantial parts of the Spiderwick mythology, and many other exciting creatures frequent this action-filled fairyland.
The Spiderwick Chronicles undeniably makes fantasy and magic fun. While a few scenes may scare young children, the film also manages not to be overly preachy, even with its many positive messages and abounding morals. With pleasing characters, family-friendly magical adventure and a mind-bogglingly fantastical world of faeries, goblins and ogres, The Spiderwick Chronicles is extraordinarily entertaining fantasy fun.
DEFINITELY MAYBE
For some people, the romantic comedy genre is there to be sneered at. It's a lower art form subscribed to by the uneducated masses, the same plot regurgitated through a word processor with names, dates and locations changed: ("Girl meets boy, she's feisty, he's snobbish, they don't see eye to eye - How oh how are they ever going to end up together by the end of the movie?"). Admittedly, I'm not the biggest advocate of the ol' romcom, but this film falls into the "watchable" category of romantic comedy. Of course it's phoney and sugar-coated. Of course it has no resemblance to real life -
For goodness' sake it's a romantic comedy! If it wasn't shallow and improbable it'd be called a "drama"!
Ryan Reynolds is a solid enough lead, with enough comic talent to keep things ticking over. Abigail Breslin is charming too. Kevin Kline seems to growing gracefully into more senior roles, and Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks and Isla Fisher are all comfortable enough as Reynold's love interests.
The script isn't belly-laugh funny but it has it's moments, there's some good use of news footage from the time in which the story is set, and the plot ticks over nicely. There's also a bit of guessing for the audience too, and my bet is you'll stay to end if only to find out how it finishes.
So there it is: a better than average romantic comedy. Not weighty. Not cerebral. Not challenging. Just a mildly diverting story, about a nice bunch of nice looking people having a nice time and getting their nice little lives sorted out. Nicely.
That is to say this film is not meant to be "food for thought" it's just a snack.
Trust me, as a man that's been dragged to more than his fair share of romcoms, this one is by no means bad
VANTAGE POINT
A great idea ruined by this simply being loud, rushed and retarded.
Plus Matthew Fox still acts like he is on Lost.
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