Apollo 18 is a movie about a space mission that was hidden from public record. The movie is supposively composed of only lost footage. It's one of a long list of "lost footage"-genre films (The Blair Witch Project, Troll Hunter, Cloverfield, Chronicle, ~ Paranormal Activity, etc.).
This is important since it seems to be an integral element to the movie. Two-thirds of the movie follows basic space flight exercises and [real-time] procedures. When the "monsters" do show up, they are caught on primarily quick, shaky cameras...reducing the necessity to "flesh" them out. And lastly there are (at least one) camera shots that are impossible by the equipment designated by the movie.
This could easily be overlooked with a solid story, but here the movie fails again. SPOILER: The rocks are alive on the moon. There is no examination, no explanation, no meaningful emotional experience, and no moral. It's all a gimmick.
Life on the Moon is a very interesting concept, but this movie fails to offer any suspense, intrigue, fear, or emotion. Unfortunately poorly made.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Jingo by Terry Pratchett - East Meets West on a Disc!
Jingo is the 21st novel of the Discworld series written by Terry Pratchett.
Those of you who are familiar with the Discworld series know to expect action, intrigue, intricate stories, a magical presence, satire, humor and much more.
Jingo, centering around the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork, is no exception. The satire focuses on the differences between the "Middle East" and the "West". Knowing that this is written by an Englishman only leads one to suspect that the parallels are more precisely British vs. Indian/Pakistani. Either way the nuances of the story do not detract from the pleasure the reader experiences through the events.
However compared to the previous City Watch Discworld novels, this one pales. While it is a good Patrician, Sergeant Colon, Corporeal Knobbs story, it lacks the spice of the previous City Watch novels. One of the strongest aspects of the previous City Watch novels was their introduction of new recruits: a king, a werewolf, a troll, a femal dwarf, an undead, a gargoyle, a golem, the list goes on. They are also spiked with fantastic Captain Vimes vs. Patrician scenes, which this has few of...but still some nice ones.
If you haven't read Guards! Guards! or Men At Arms....start there. Then you will truly appreciate the beautiful novel that is Jingo.
Those of you who are familiar with the Discworld series know to expect action, intrigue, intricate stories, a magical presence, satire, humor and much more.
Jingo, centering around the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork, is no exception. The satire focuses on the differences between the "Middle East" and the "West". Knowing that this is written by an Englishman only leads one to suspect that the parallels are more precisely British vs. Indian/Pakistani. Either way the nuances of the story do not detract from the pleasure the reader experiences through the events.
However compared to the previous City Watch Discworld novels, this one pales. While it is a good Patrician, Sergeant Colon, Corporeal Knobbs story, it lacks the spice of the previous City Watch novels. One of the strongest aspects of the previous City Watch novels was their introduction of new recruits: a king, a werewolf, a troll, a femal dwarf, an undead, a gargoyle, a golem, the list goes on. They are also spiked with fantastic Captain Vimes vs. Patrician scenes, which this has few of...but still some nice ones.
If you haven't read Guards! Guards! or Men At Arms....start there. Then you will truly appreciate the beautiful novel that is Jingo.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame - Episode Phantom Mystery!
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is a standard example of the action-intense films to come out of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong films refined action to beauty. Without glorifying violence, they turned martial arts, gun fights, chase scenes, and many other standard action tropes into a deadly ballet. Martial arts inherently lends itself to beauty with all its graceful movements and counter-action interplay. Plus it has a practical use, unlike real ballet. These martial arts concepts were then integrated into other forms of action like the chase scene and gun fighting.
The first half of this film has intrigue and fast-paced fun martial arts action. The viewer is gripped.
But the second half of the film seems too preoccupied with tying up loose ends. The plot is interesting enough that the viewer is still engaged, but despite its grandeur the story is more a "generic" Sherlock-Holmes-story, rather than a "Moriarty" Sherlock-Holmes-Story.
If you enjoy Hong Kong action or would like to try one, I highly recommend Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.
Hong Kong films refined action to beauty. Without glorifying violence, they turned martial arts, gun fights, chase scenes, and many other standard action tropes into a deadly ballet. Martial arts inherently lends itself to beauty with all its graceful movements and counter-action interplay. Plus it has a practical use, unlike real ballet. These martial arts concepts were then integrated into other forms of action like the chase scene and gun fighting.
The first half of this film has intrigue and fast-paced fun martial arts action. The viewer is gripped.
But the second half of the film seems too preoccupied with tying up loose ends. The plot is interesting enough that the viewer is still engaged, but despite its grandeur the story is more a "generic" Sherlock-Holmes-story, rather than a "Moriarty" Sherlock-Holmes-Story.
If you enjoy Hong Kong action or would like to try one, I highly recommend Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.
The Rules of the Game -The Rules of French Society
Jean Renoir's The Rules of The Game is a film about French society at the onset of World War II, or so I'm told. This is not my type of film.
Perhaps I would find this film more engaging if I knew something, anything, about the French bourgeoisie of the 30-40's.
I shall have to rewatch this film to better analyze it.
Perhaps I would find this film more engaging if I knew something, anything, about the French bourgeoisie of the 30-40's.
I shall have to rewatch this film to better analyze it.
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