I went back and forth before finally deciding to go for it since I heard it was "scary." The ever-supreme team of Scorsese and DiCaprio swayed me in. I thought that it should be more than "jump in the dark" kind of thing, right? And it's certainly not the kind of throat-slashing gory since it isn't classified as "horror."
Ah, was I thrilled! Scorsese scores again... It's ingeniously jaw-dropping, inventive, provocative filled with mystery, intrigue and psychological terror (emphasis on *psychological*). And psychological terror can actually be more terrifying. While the first half is rather slow-moving during its suspense-building where some tortured-thought scenes tend to drag on or seem excessive, the last third shocks and awes. It makes your hair stand and question which one is the 'real' deal and what to believe. Where does the hallucinations start and end? The story expounds the profound power of the human mind. The setting, score, lighting, ambiance collectively sets a bone-chilling tone, but ultimately it's the story that seizes. Pay attention to the hints. THIS is the kind of film that is made for mature audience - AND *messes* with your mind. "Shutter Island" shatters my expectations.
Light, bright, delightful. It's sweet and provides just the right amount of sugar rush.
Amy Adams is what I call a "consummate charm," who also happens to be stylishly fabulous here. Even during low moments, she comes across as cute as a doll, never haughty. Along the way, she learns that while she's got what she wants as far as life plans go, it may not necessarily be what she needs. She and Matthew Goode are absolutely adorable together. And the spectacular scenery of Irish countryside doesn't hurt. Evergreen as far as eyes could see. Sure, it's rife with cliches and ridiculousness. But the storyline, while predictable (which romcom isn't?), is filled with misadventures and mishaps, draws guffaws out loud. Seriously, this one is a riot! Nothing deep, but its serendipity nature is uplifting for those of us who believe that life is full of surprises and somehow it works out the way it's supposed to be.
Smart, engaging, witty. Dialogue-intensive, it's sharply written with elements of compassion and empathy with a great dose of reality and human implications, and humor that hit on the right notes.
George Clooney, a suave corporate downsizer, plays that single bachelor, peripatetic lifestyle to the hilt with charm and wit. As he takes to the skies, crisscrosses the country, and lives off of his suitcase, he meets his match, Vera Farmiga's character who's every bit his equal. Non-committal, secretive, alluring, intelligent, successful and sophisticated. The spark is off the charts. Oftentimes it felt more like battle of the sexes. The other supporting character, Anna Kendrick, an astute, impassionate young woman just graduating from college has a certain naivety but is evenly comparable and matches Clooney line by line with ease and sass on the firing line. She delivers even the most cringe-inducing lines with a straight face and so competently. The use of real people and real stories of getting pink-slipped in this economy is a wise move and although hits too close to home. The ending is just right. It doesn't get tidily tied with a big red bow; like most things these days, it is... up in air. DVD: http://tinyurl.com/2f6evu6
Absolutely astounding fantasy extravaganza. I was entirely immersed in this lush vortex of lively colors filled with floating mountains, living forests, glowing plants, thundering waterfalls, nimble beasts, flying dragon-birds, indigenous unicorns and Na'vis with bows and arrows.
Never before seen such photo-realistic, life-like CGIs. Simply put, we're finally there... Arguably the most celebrated, avant-garde director of our times, James Cameron really did it! Visionary and brilliant, he broke through the motion-capture tech frontier and breathes life into these tall, lithe, sparkly blue horse-cat like creatures with expressive faces and gracefully fluid movements. One of my most favorite scenes was the initiation of the young hunter into adulthood through flying navigation lessons. I felt like soaring and steering along.
Dazzling spectacles aside, the core story has emotional and spiritual connections between the characters and nature. The blazing guns and bombs and robotic machines come charging signify the intense destruction of the planet, and the struggle to preserve and protect its existence and longevity. The war of the two worlds, a hybrid of computer animation and live action, can feel a little laborious at times, but the cartoonish villain captain provides the needed relief. And "Avatar" is not just a technically stunning sci-fi, it also has an underlying love story with real human moments. You'll understand when it gets to "I.see.you" scene closer to the end.
All in all, I was immensely amazed and amused, "Avatar" is magical.
'Citizen' is morbidly, sickly, gruesomely entertaining. It's rare in movies when you're rooting for the bad guy. In this case, the "hero" (an unsympathetic one at that) could be deemed the villain as well.
And the villain's acts, of course, are not sustainable and justifiably ended eventually. But what bothers me though is the beliveability factor to pull off one asanine assasination after another. I understand that suspension of disbelief is a must, but not when it goes far beyond the borders of plausibility (something to do with the prison cell).
If you could be forever ageless and flawless, sharp and strong, living a perfectly safe life - wouldn't you want to be? Is it wrong to be super-shallow in a surreal world of highly airbrushed society? This is the basic premise of "Surrogates." An intriguing one that translates into something that may satisfy both the brawny and brainy types.
In a futuristic world where most of mankind is connected ("plugged in") via robotic version of themselves ("surrogate") - or anyone whom you envision you want to be - humans rarely, if ever, step outside their homes as they live vicariously through their alter-egos. But what happens when someone (or an entity) cracks the code and is able to do the impossible - murder the real human being through their avatar? Bruce Willis channels his "Die Hard" personality and embodies that weathered, tough cop who does the right thing in the end. The special effects not only buttress but essential to the story. If there are flaws, the short running time (88 minutes) contributes to the convoluted conspiracy storyline; it prevents the story and characters to be fleshed out and toned. Overall it's compelling, engaging, thought-provoking, yet fast-moving, action-packed - and entertaining to boot.
