Snowraven_moonstalker Reviews

In Time (2011)

more deserving of thought that some have given it...

[8/10 · 4 March 2013]

I admit I am the type of person who doesn't always see the flaws in a movie, especially if I am taken in by such things as metaphors or deeper meanings beneath the surface. I was really taken in in this movie. Imagine a world where living day to day is literal and not a metaphor. In the world of "In Time" if you are poor then you are literally watching your own personal clock and should that clock run out then your life ends. In this world time is the currency and if you are poor then there is no time for leisure because you are literally spending the time you have left. In comparison if you are rich then you have nothing but time to spare. The richest could potentially have millions of years and could potentially live forever without a single moment's fear that their life might suddenly end. I think this really added a poignant emphasis on the problems of capitalist society and the differences between the haves and the have-nots. In the real world not having enough money might mean you don't eat regularly but in the world of this movie it literally means that the next day may be your last day.

I thought the movie was fairly well executed. The writers took common phrases, "time out", "upper hand", "spare some time", "spending time" and worked them into the world and the way these meanings could change if it was time and not money that was the currency. There were feelings, very vague feelings, of Les Miserable (the "time keeper" who was almost like a kind of police force, living for the job and rather than for justice and "keeping order") and Bonny and Clyde (the male and female partners robbing banks though there is also a robin hood feel to these characters as well). I am not sure if these similarities were deliberate or simply what I picked up on.

I did not feel that one had to follow the movie too closely or pay attention as much as some movies in order to follow the story. I though it was well told and had some undertones that are perhaps easily missed under the action and more blunt aspects. As it is though, it was a movie I think deserved higher ratings than it got.

Beastly (2011)

met my expectations...

[5/10 · 4 July 2011]

I only saw this recently and I have unfortunately not read the book. Now I wasn't expecting much, especially since the movie is only an hour and a half and it is a teen romance movie but in the end I didn't hate it.

The movie itself keeps most of the important factors that make beauty and the beast (especially a la Disney) mostly intact. Alex Pettyfer played the jerk well in the beginning of the movie and I'd say his acting couldn't have been faulted for the most part. Mary-Kate was surprisingly decent. I generally don't expect much from her or her sister. I like Vanessa Hudson and the chemistry between her and Alex. I think I can say that the movie met my expectations and there were even parts where I felt moved...though being the sort of person I am that isn't saying that much. I am easily moved.

I especially liked that Alex's character was not the big furry beast as seen in the original fairy tale or the Disney movie. I would imagine it would be much harder for a beast of that sort to fade into the background in the middle of Manhattan. The make-up was breathtaking and I liked the twist on their portrayal of the "Beast".

At the same time though, I think they could have done more with the movie. I think they could have gone farther, delved deeper and explored the characters more. I didn't hate the ending but I think it could have been a bit more poignant. I was expecting Kyle/Hunter to have to save Lindy from the drug dealer...i think that would have added so much more depth to the story. In the end I find myself hoping that after the movie is released that they will release a director's cut. From the trailers I could see that there was a lot that ended up on the cutting room floor. It seems that these days unless the movie is a big name title (ie: Twilight, LotR, Harry Potter etc) movies like Beastly are not given enough running time to tell the story the way it should be and so it ends up feeling rushed. IT is a shame as Beauty and the Beast is among my favourite Fairy Tales. I also loved the Disney movie though I did not try to compare Beastly with what Disney did beyond acknowledging the drawing on of parts of the expanded story which was the work of Disney with it's version of the tale.

In the end I can't hate the movie. I might even buy the DVD when it drops in price as a sort of guilty pleasure...but I think there is so much more that they could have done with it.

I want to finish by saying that those people who are using Disney as their measuring rod I think they're making a mistake, since it was not Disney that created the original Fairy Tale, they only expanded on it. I wish more people would judge the movie by it's own value or, if they have read the novel, use the book as it's measuring rod. Disney movies are for kids and reflect that and comparing a live action teen romance to Disney is like comparing grapes and strawberries. I wish more people these days would let movies stand or fall on their own merit rather than based on what someone else has done with the same material.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)

Worth watching

[10/10 · 29 March 2007]

I've only just started watching this show and already I've bought the full first season on DVD, I just couldn't help myself. I wouldn't call it "fake" anime, since it is most certainly inspired by it, but at the same time it is completely western. There are certainly elements of anime in it, especially in the way action and humour are played off each other. The style is similar to anime as well, and yet has a distinct look that declares it to be something else entirely.

Another interesting thing about Avatar is that the humour is very western. Though it is based in a world that is clearly influenced by the cultures of the east, the jokes and humour are very clearly inspired by what we as westerners consider funny but it is combined with eastern humour in regards to expressions and reactions of the characters. (Of course many of the reactions are also more based in the west than the east. Maybe I haven't watched enough anime but I don't remember many where characters hit themselves in the forehead when someone says something dumb or strange. In most anime such a reaction would involve the characters falling over) The storyline itself is excellent. The characters themselves are round and dynamic. Even the villain at the beginning of the show grows and changes with his experiences. He has his own history and his a sympathetic character in his own right. The writers take the time in making the characters more real, in giving them their own stories and backgrounds. Few of the important characters are flat or static. Some you really can come to hate and some you can come to sympathize with. There is a sense that some of these characters could be real people. The storyline is interesting and keeps you wanting to watch and see what happens next. The writers are also clever in how they give strong characters weaknesses and creating characters that at first could seem weak but come to show that they have strengths of their own. I would say that this show, though a cartoon, takes a page out of the book of anime and makes itself accessible to children and adults. I certainly enjoy watching it and get several good chuckles out of each episode. I would definitely recommend this show to anyone. I certainly hope the writers are able to keep it up.

Hex (2004–2005)

Comparisons to other shows are a disservice to Hex.

[8/10 · 19 March 2007]

The British Buffy? No. The British Charmed? No. Buffy meets Charmed? Very no. What is this need promoters have to compare a new show to established shows? Is it laziness? Well, it doesn't matter. It is true that there are some similarities between Hex and other supernatural shows, but they hardly bare comparing. The similarities for the most part between Hex and Buffy/Angel are, in my opinion, incidental. Ideas like demonic births, forbidden love, magic and the necessity to fight the paranormal with the paranormal is hardly a new premise. To assume that Hex got its ideas from already established shows does it a disservice because in the end, Hex is nothing like them.

While Buffy/Angel and Charmed tend to rely on action to carry much of the story, Hex relies a great deal more on dialogue. This does not take away from the show but rather allows for the watcher to get to know the characters and to develop their own relationships with them. The show also is unafraid to hurt or even kill off main characters if the story warrants it. I believe this is important in a show. And since Hex has no title character it is possible to remove any character if the storyline demands it.

Those who like shows such as Buffy because of the action might not enjoy Hex as much and might find it slow, but Hex is not the first show to carry the story through the characters and their relationships. Rather, I found that it made the story more real and interesting in some ways, especially since the majority of the characters are higher class snobs with the attitudes and personalities to match. At the same time, most of the main characters are round and dynamic. They grow and change and even the Annointed One has various depths to her character rather than being the typical self righteous do-gooder, whining teen who just wants to be normal or rebellious adolescent who either gets out of control or does what she wants because she can. There are stereotypes but they are less pronounced and most of the characters are sympathetic.

I, for my part, enjoy the show. There are the occasional episodes or moments that don't bare watching, but every show that's ever existed has those moments. I for one enjoy watching it and am currently watching the show a second time. Those who are interested in action may not enjoy it but those who like to develop relationships with characters and see the change and growth in relationships and characters that seem fairly real probably will.