dosomeeffingscience Reviews

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Brilliance

[10/10 · 24 August 2007]

Romeo And Juliet has been examined and appraised for over 400 years, and I have nothing to add to all that discussion. But I do know the play is such a monument that anyone bringing it to stage or screen will either do it justice or screw it up.

So, what of Baz Luhrmann's rendition? All I can say is it's wonderful. Just, wonderful.

Like any film it has its flaws, but so what? The 'modern' look and sound will please some and annoy others (I didn't like it much); but in a hundred years nobody will care for or against that.

This film should be remembered for two scenes: the birth of the love between Romeo and Juliet, and their unhappy end. Forget all the melodrama in-between, good bad or indifferent. The only thing that counts is that both those scenes are done well enough to give the other one its meaning and emotional impact.

I can't speak for anyone else of course but, for myself, I have never seen those two scenes done so convincingly as they are in this film. I don't know or care how it was done, whether it was Shakespeare, Luhrmann, or the blinding talent of Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio. What I do know is, it was done damn near to perfection.

Lost: One of Them (2006) Season 2, Episode 14

Why does Locke encourage Sayid to torture Henry Gale?

[6/10 · 28 July 2006]

Locke's actions in this episode seem completely out of character. I know he's a survivalist and has hypocritical tendencies, but he also seems to see himself as a sound moral and ethical judge. So why does he support and assist the torture of Henry Gale?

I can only assume that the writers had to make Locke do so because (1) Locke can change the combination of the armoury and seal Sayid and Gale in there, and (2) the first reason sets up the dramatic conclusion where Jack forces Locke to choose between keeping the armoury locked or entering the computer code.

Furthermore, why does Sayid go to Charlie to talk everything over, explaining that everyone else is forgetting how ruthless The Others can be (Charlie hasn't forgotten, because of his experience when Claire was kidnapped). What about discussing it with Locke, who helped Sayid with the torturing; or Jack & Ana Lucia who wanted to train an army to defend everyone against The Others; or Sawyer and Jin who faced The Others on the raft; or Kate who's head The Others put a gun to; or any of the Tailies?

Children of Dune (2003)

Childre Of Dune is boring

[5/10 · 21 May 2006]

There was a lot of good stuff in Children Of Dune, all the great characters and themes from the book, and a lot of talent went into making it. But all anyone *does* is wander around looking like they're plotting something. Who wants to watch that? It was more like Next Generation than the original Star Trek. Picard always wants to pursue a dialogue and find a diplomatic solution, occasionally raising his voice in an authoritative shakespearean manner. Yawn! Kirk would get in there and punch someone's lights out, or kiss them. Or both! Sex and violence, kiss 'em and kick 'em, that's what we want to see.

So, good to look at, if you're a Dune fan and just want to see the story told in moving pictures. Otherwise, zzzzzz....