Holy bottoms, it's been nearly three months since I did my last Alphabetical Movie Project post. That's kinda indicitive of how the projects been going recently. While we've had the Christmas and New Year holidays to delay us I've also gotten a little tired of watching so many movies one after the other. Plus, there are just soooooooOOOoooo many C's to watch! I think once we get past the C's we'll have gotten over the 'hump' and be back in to it again. At this point we have only two more C's to watch and I'm hoping that we might get to them tomorrow (if it's as wet and rainy as it has been today it will be perfect movie watching weather).
In the meantime I have six reviews to catch up on, so let's get started. . .
The Constant Gardener is from John's collection. I've watched it several times now and while I think it's very well done and very poignant, I just can't bring myself to really like it. I'm not entirely sure why.
Ralph Fiennes stars as a British diplomat living in Africa who's wife (the talented Rachel Wiesz) has been murdered. He attempts to figure out what she was working on and what she'd discovered that had turned her into a target. He finds himself following in her footsteps - trying to save millions of people, before they can get to him too.
The movie is thrilling and fast paced with never a dull moment. Even the slower and more somber scenes are laced with intensity. The scene where he is in their English backyard sobbing for his wife is spine chilling. It's a scene that is testament to the brilliant performance of Ralph Fiennes, but also to the wonderful cinematography.
Rachel Weisz shows how talented she is with her performance. She plays the investigating, hard questioning character with such intesity that it's the reason I loose a little bit of sympathy for her. She is almost to calculating to deserve the wonderful husband she has and from the very beginning you wonder if she's with him because she loves him or if she just wants to get to Africa. A question that I never really feel is answered. Meanwhile her husband show great loyalty and love for her that you can't help but wish you had a husband that dedicated yourself.
Like I said before, I'm not sure why I'm not more fond of this movie. It might have something to do with how sad I find it. I'm not very good with sad movies - generally not being able to watch them more than once because of how sad the make me feel. If it wasn't so sad I'd probably love it. Should you watch it? Yep, absolutely, especially if you aren't so vulnerable to the sad movies.
Next up was The Corpse Bride. An animated Tim Buton movie.
Victor and Victoria are getting married, but before they can do so Victor practices his wedding vows and accidently marries Emily, the corpse bride. Now he's stuck in the underworld, married to a woman he doesn't love, with no way back to Victoria.
As you can imagine, this Tim Burton film is both quirky and different from what you may expect. Of no surprise however is that the main characters are voiced by Johnny Depp (a long time Tim Burton movie starr) and Helena Bonham Carter (Tim Burton's wife). Both do a beautiful job of voicing these characters, giving them life (or the afterlife as the case may be) and feeling.
In this animation life above ground is dark, gloomy, mono-chrome and dull. It's very boring and dreary, making you wonder why anyone would possibly want to try and life a happy life there. Meanwhile the afterlife 'down below' is colourful, vibrant and musical. Everyone seems so happy and excited to be enjoying the next phase. You are really drawn the the afterlife world, giving you hopes that Victor might decide to stay there forever with the corpse bride.
While it is an animation it is aimed at the more adult among us, rather than the little kiddies. It's pretty dark and sinister for an animation, but it's to be expected for a Tim Burton movie. If you're a Tim Burton fan than this will not disappoint. I highly recommend it to all. It's a good one to watch on halloween if you're not a fan of horrors or scary movies - with this one you'll save face :)
The Corpse Vanishes is one of three Bella Lugosi films that John owns. While he's a fan, I must admit I'd never heard of him before. I'm not much a fan of the 'old school' films. I had been dreading this one - as you've probably guessed by now I am not a fan of scary movies and this one's about corpses! How pleased was I when I realised that this 'old school' film was a short one at just 64 minutes.
Virgin brides are being kidnapped from their weddings so that the crazy scientist can steal their bodily fluids. With the help of his assistant he uses the fluids to inject his ancient wife to keep her young and alive.
Filmed in 1942 in black and white (of course), it's a very simple story to follow. It doesn't skimp on the blood and guts, it's definetly a horror. The black and white works in my favor as it 'dulls' down the horror of it all somewhat. Thanks goodness, as I'm definetly not made to watch these types of movies!
From what I'm gathering Bela Lugosi was in his heyday when filming this movie. I don't recognise any of the other stars, but you might - Luana Walters, Tristrim Coffin and Elizabeth Russell.
If you're a fan of old time movies, than this is a great one for you to watch. If you like horrors and are looking for a classic then you should watch it. Personally it's not one that I will be watching again and not one that I would have watched were it not for this project. But I don't feel like I wasted my time either.
More reviews to come for Coyote Ugly, The Craft and Crimson Rivers Angels of the Apocalypse.
Movies coming up for viewing The Cup and Curious George.
And then the C's (the largest volume - at 28 - of any letter we own) are over!
In the meantime I have six reviews to catch up on, so let's get started. . .
Ralph Fiennes stars as a British diplomat living in Africa who's wife (the talented Rachel Wiesz) has been murdered. He attempts to figure out what she was working on and what she'd discovered that had turned her into a target. He finds himself following in her footsteps - trying to save millions of people, before they can get to him too.
The movie is thrilling and fast paced with never a dull moment. Even the slower and more somber scenes are laced with intensity. The scene where he is in their English backyard sobbing for his wife is spine chilling. It's a scene that is testament to the brilliant performance of Ralph Fiennes, but also to the wonderful cinematography.
Rachel Weisz shows how talented she is with her performance. She plays the investigating, hard questioning character with such intesity that it's the reason I loose a little bit of sympathy for her. She is almost to calculating to deserve the wonderful husband she has and from the very beginning you wonder if she's with him because she loves him or if she just wants to get to Africa. A question that I never really feel is answered. Meanwhile her husband show great loyalty and love for her that you can't help but wish you had a husband that dedicated yourself.
Like I said before, I'm not sure why I'm not more fond of this movie. It might have something to do with how sad I find it. I'm not very good with sad movies - generally not being able to watch them more than once because of how sad the make me feel. If it wasn't so sad I'd probably love it. Should you watch it? Yep, absolutely, especially if you aren't so vulnerable to the sad movies.
Next up was The Corpse Bride. An animated Tim Buton movie.
Victor and Victoria are getting married, but before they can do so Victor practices his wedding vows and accidently marries Emily, the corpse bride. Now he's stuck in the underworld, married to a woman he doesn't love, with no way back to Victoria.
As you can imagine, this Tim Burton film is both quirky and different from what you may expect. Of no surprise however is that the main characters are voiced by Johnny Depp (a long time Tim Burton movie starr) and Helena Bonham Carter (Tim Burton's wife). Both do a beautiful job of voicing these characters, giving them life (or the afterlife as the case may be) and feeling.
In this animation life above ground is dark, gloomy, mono-chrome and dull. It's very boring and dreary, making you wonder why anyone would possibly want to try and life a happy life there. Meanwhile the afterlife 'down below' is colourful, vibrant and musical. Everyone seems so happy and excited to be enjoying the next phase. You are really drawn the the afterlife world, giving you hopes that Victor might decide to stay there forever with the corpse bride.
While it is an animation it is aimed at the more adult among us, rather than the little kiddies. It's pretty dark and sinister for an animation, but it's to be expected for a Tim Burton movie. If you're a Tim Burton fan than this will not disappoint. I highly recommend it to all. It's a good one to watch on halloween if you're not a fan of horrors or scary movies - with this one you'll save face :)
Virgin brides are being kidnapped from their weddings so that the crazy scientist can steal their bodily fluids. With the help of his assistant he uses the fluids to inject his ancient wife to keep her young and alive.
Filmed in 1942 in black and white (of course), it's a very simple story to follow. It doesn't skimp on the blood and guts, it's definetly a horror. The black and white works in my favor as it 'dulls' down the horror of it all somewhat. Thanks goodness, as I'm definetly not made to watch these types of movies!
From what I'm gathering Bela Lugosi was in his heyday when filming this movie. I don't recognise any of the other stars, but you might - Luana Walters, Tristrim Coffin and Elizabeth Russell.
If you're a fan of old time movies, than this is a great one for you to watch. If you like horrors and are looking for a classic then you should watch it. Personally it's not one that I will be watching again and not one that I would have watched were it not for this project. But I don't feel like I wasted my time either.
More reviews to come for Coyote Ugly, The Craft and Crimson Rivers Angels of the Apocalypse.
Movies coming up for viewing The Cup and Curious George.
And then the C's (the largest volume - at 28 - of any letter we own) are over!
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