Catching Up, Part 3

Three days in a row! This is promising. I've been very excited this week knowing that I finally got my rear in gear and gave this whole thing another try. I'm optimistic that I can keep it going.

I just realized that you can play the "in bed" game with every sentence in that first paragraph.

My beautiful and movie-adoring wife, Shauna, made a great comment to me about my first part of the Catching Up series. She commented on how my blog-talk varies between two distinct styles. The "Tom" style, where I pretty much just say what I'm thinking and write more naturally, and the "review" style where I tend to use a lot of review-talk and cliche descriptions of movies. I had never really noticed it before but after re-reading a few of my own posts, I realized that she's absolutely right.

She challenged me to focus more on my own style and not worry so much about providing a run-of-the-mill review. After thinking about this for a few days I've decided to take her up on that challenge. I enjoy my writing a lot more when I'm just being me. That probably means that my "reviews" will provide less factual information about the quality of a film and will likely focus more on my own thoughts, observations and tangents.

"Time for a switch."

However, since I actually pre-wrote all my "mini-reviews" for the 20 films in my Catching Up series, you won't see the full switch happening today. Or tomorrow. But after that I promise! No really!

Anyway, on with Part 3...

Avatar

I can’t really talk about movies from the last couple years without talking about Avatar, can I? Whether you liked it, loved it, hated it or missed it completely, the facts don’t lie; Avatar is now the single-most successful film of all time. Surpassing even Titanic and Return of the King, it managed to gross more than $2.7 billion worldwide. It also revolutionized 3D film technology and (perhaps unfortunately) started a Hollywood obsession with all things 3D. I have a standing rule about seeing films in the theatre, which I’m sure I’ve ranted about before. But I broke the rule for Avatar since I had a feeling it was going to be something new that had to be experienced on the big screen. I think I was right. Plot, characters and writing aside, the visual experience of Avatar was breathtaking, especially in 3D on the IMAX screen. 3D films up to that point were all about making things jump out of the screen into the audience’s lap. Avatar did the opposite, grabbing the audience and pulling them into the world of Pandora. It was a unique experience, one that I’m not convinced has been, or will be, repeated. Personally, I did enjoy the story and the action and the Blu-Ray is probably the best looking home-theatre candy I have in my collection. This film looks gorgeous! Love it or hate it, Avatar deserves some applause.

Ultraviolet

This film makes the list for one reason. It was the single worst film I have seen in a long, long time. Certainly the worst I have seen in the last two years. Don’t waste your time on it. I’m not going to waste any more of mine writing about it. Blech!




Appaloosa

I love most movie genres, giving equal consideration to blockbusters, indies, documentaries and yes, even the occasional rom-com. Horror films do nothing for me, however and they are appropriately under-represented in my movie collection. Westerns, on the other hand, are movies that I have come to appreciate more and more in recent years. Appaloosa is based on the book written by Robert B. Parker and tells the story of two long-time friends and partners who attempt to bring their form of law to the terrorized town of Appaloosa. This is definitely another character film with some great dialogue and a unique friendship at its centre. The gunfights, showdowns and Indian attacks are still here and they work together with a well-told story to result in a finely crafted film. Worth a look.


The Book of Eli

Apparently ‘The Book of Eli’ is also based on a graphic novel, but I don’t feel it quite has the same feel as a film like 300 or Watchmen. It feels much more like a mainstream, apocalyptic film. Which is good if you enjoy mainstream, apocalyptic films. The film is centered around Eli who is on a quest to bring a very important book to a safe place “somewhere” in the west. Or is it east? I honestly can’t remember, but like most things in life it’s the journey, not the destination, that is most important. Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman show their acting and action chops in this bleak, yet hopeful view of the future. And there’s a bit of a twist ending that turns the film into a completely different movie on subsequent viewings. I was pleasantly surprised at the film’s message; not what one expects from a mainstream, apocalyptic movie. There wasn’t a single killer robot.

Shutter Island

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are at it again in this adapted screenplay about a U.S. Marshal who is sent to a hospital for the criminally insane, on Shutter Island, to investigate a mysterious disappearance. And as you would expect, things are not what they seem. In fact, the whole genre of this movie is not what you would expect. I don’t want to give anything away, but all I’ll say is that I’ve mentioned before my dislike for horror/thriller films and I found Shutter Island very intelligent and entertaining. And like The Book of Eli, the twist ending will make you want to watch it again as everything will have changed. Great script, superb acting and a cleverly told story make for a highly satisfying film.

I'll wrap up my Catching Up series tomorrow with Part 4. Stay with me!