Tag Archives: Fantasy

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

13 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Thirteen-year-old Kiki’s a young novice witch
Who eagerly begs both her parents for trust.
It’s time that she left to go find her own niche
By herself for a year, as all young witches must.
 
With her black cat named Jiji, she flies on her broom
Over beautiful country to find a new town.
She locates a fine seaside city quite soon
And startles the citizens as she floats down.
 
At first she cannot find a good place to stay
Until bakery owner Osono permits
The girl to stay with her for some work each day
And helps her to find a profession that fits.
 
Her one skill is flying so she makes a job
Out of flying deliveries for a small fee.
Delivering loads for both sweetheart and snob,
She flies high above this large town by the sea.
 
Though some people seem rather cold to the lass,
That’s untrue for Tombo, a boy who’s impressed.
At first she dislikes him and gives only sass
But warms up to him at Osono’s behest.
 
When Kiki begins to just feel out of place
Around Tombo’s rich friends, she feels sad and dejected.
She turns down a blimp tour and leaves in disgrace
But finds that her magic’s no longer connected.
 
She doesn’t know why, but she simply can’t fly
And can’t understand Jiji’s cat conversation.
A woman who paints has the sense to imply
That this block may mean Kiki must find inspiration.
 
When Kiki is shocked to see Tombo in danger,
Hanging down from the blimp, which is out of control,
She grabs up a broom from a neighboring stranger
And finally flies, drawing deep from her soul.
 
The blimp crashes into a nearby clock tower,
And she seizes Tombo at just the last minute.
Her business “takes off” since she has back her power;
She likes this new town and her newfound place in it.
_______________________
 

I have very mixed feelings about Kiki’s Delivery Service, another lovely film from animation master Hayao Miyazaki. Witchcraft is not something I am fond of in movies, and I will say right now that there are no Harry Potter films on my list. I don’t mind films in which witchcraft is seen as evil, such as Hocus Pocus or Sleeping Beauty, but any attempt at normalizing or promoting it seems wrong to me. That being said, Kiki’s Delivery Service has much to like, and its good points outweigh the problematic foundation.

While there are references to other witches making potions or fortunetelling, Kiki’s only skill is flying on her broomstick, and this being her one talent makes her pretty innocuous, like Glinda the Good Witch or Wendy the Good Little Witch. On top of that, she is kind, friendly, helpful, and respectful of her elders, in sharp contrast to a thankless teenage girl to whom she delivers a grandmother’s gift. Plus, upon seeing this witch flying overhead, most people are more awe-struck than fearful, and witches are spoken of in a universally positive light, as if this is an alternate world where witches are on the level of fairies.

Kiki’s Delivery Service was Disney’s first dub of a Studio Ghibli film, and though some dialogue was added or changed, I think they did a good job providing the characters with distinct voices, with Kirsten Dunst as Kiki, Matthew Lawrence as Tombo, Tress MacNeille as Osono, and Phil Hartman in one of his last roles as Jiji. The animation is lovely, especially the expansive vistas seen from Kiki’s birds-eye view. The climax is also exciting, making this the third film this past week to feature a balloon-related finale. The story is light on plot but has enough charm and likable characters to make it entertaining, and it boasts a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

While Kiki’s ”inspiration” isn’t really made clear, her discussion with Ursula, the painter, about figuring out your unique reason for doing something can apply to any young person finding their place in the world. Kiki’s loss of her flight ability may even have influenced Peter Parker’s similar lack of inspiration in Spider-Man 2, which again is only resolved when he has someone to rescue.

While I have tried to downplay the magical elements of the film, the fact remains that I do not approve of this witchcraft subtext. Nevertheless, Kiki’s Delivery Service is just one of those movies that I can’t help but enjoy.

Best line: (Ursula to Kiki) “We each need to find our own inspiration, Kiki. Sometimes it’s not easy.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 6
Watchability: 6
Other (witchcraft element): -5
 
TOTAL: 35 out of 60
 

Next: #267: Hercules

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Rocketeer (1991)

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The year is 1938.
An L.A. airfield sees
The handsome pilot Cliff Secord
Take off into the breeze.
 
But down below two thieving thugs
Are fleeing from the feds.
They try protecting what they stole
As lead flies round their heads.
 
When Cliff’s new plane is shot and wrecked,
The feds simply maintain
The gear was trashed, but rather it was
Hidden in a plane.
 
Then Cliff and his pal Peevy learn
What every viewer knows:
They find that it’s a jet pack, which
Might solve their money woes.
 
An air show headed for a crash
Prompts Cliff to join the fray
By strapping on the rocket pack
To bravely save the day.
 
But Neville Sinclair, an acting star,
Desires that rocket pack
And tells his gangster henchmen to
Directly bring it back.
 
Unsure that they can do it,
Sinclair calls one of his staff
Named Lothar, who is very skilled
At folding men in half.
 
But Sinclair learns Cliff has the pack,
And, skilled at being fake,
He starts to woo Cliff’s girlfriend,
The most lovely Jenny Blake.
 
The FBI and Lothar start
To close in on the pair,
Who flee with their new rocket pack,
Which Peevy can repair.
 
While Cliff enjoys the jet pack,
Being dubbed the Rocketeer,
His friend insists the risks demand
They get it out of here.
 
Confronted by the mobster gang,
Cliff’s friends defend their chum.
He flies off with a bullet hole
Patched up with chewing gum.
 
He reaches Jenny, on a date
With ever suave Sinclair,
And warns her to escape posthaste
Before the mob gets there.
 
Cliff’s almost trapped but breaks away,
Yet Jenny’s caught nearby.
When she awakes, she’s shocked to learn
Sinclair’s a Nazi spy.
 
The feds take Cliff to Howard Hughes,
Who built the rocket pack,
But Cliff says he must save his girl
Before he gives it back.
 
The planned exchange, the girl for it,
Becomes an odd affair.
The gangsters dislike Nazi spies
And turn against Sinclair.
 
A shootout ends up with Sinclair
And Lothar in a blimp,
With Jenny as their captive still,
But Cliff Secord’s no wimp.
 
He flies aboard yet gives Sinclair
The rocket for his dame.
When Cliff takes off the chewing gum,
Sinclair bursts into flame.
 
The airship quickly burns away,
Erasing Sinclair’s crime,
But Hughes and Peevy hover in
To save them just in time.
 
Since Cliff and Jenny are both safe,
Hughes gives a new plane back,
And Peevy plans perhaps to build
Another rocket pack.
____________________
 

The Rocketeer is unique among superhero movies because it is also a period piece, complete with vintage art and antique cars and planes. Indeed, the only similarly retro superhero film I know of is the much more recent Captain America: The First Avenger, which coincidentally enough shares the same director, Joe Johnston. Basing the characters and several scenes off of The Rocketeer comic book, Johnston (who must like rockets, having also directed October Sky) managed to weave together the nostalgia of the 1930s with some interesting action scenes and a surprisingly complex plotline. The motives of Neville Sinclair, played by the ever sophisticated Timothy Dalton, are not immediately evident, and the final reveal does come somewhat as a surprise. The final showdown with the awesome destruction of the dirigible is the best set piece of them all, and the last action scene is truly breathtaking.

The acting is serviceable at best. While Billy Campbell as Cliff Secord, Jennifer Connolly as Jenny Blake, and Alan Arkin as Peevy do a decent job, the characters themselves are rather forgettable and don’t really measure up to those in Marvel’s films. That being said, (Lost alert!) I loved seeing Terry O’Quinn as Howard Hughes, having seen him as John Locke in all six seasons of Lost. Typical of comic book films, Dalton as the villain is the most memorable of the cast.

As with some other recent movies on my list, the pacing is a tad slow. Heck, Cliff doesn’t actually take off with the jet pack until 41 minutes into the film! The sheer number of characters also makes the plot hard to follow at times. I nevertheless applaud Disney for not filling the movie with unnecessary language or violence; their absence made it much more enjoyable to watch. While it certainly isn’t among the very best superhero movies, The Rocketeer has enough action, humorous moments and lines, and singular nostalgia for the old pulp serials of yesteryear to deserve a place on my list.

Best line: (Cliff, putting on his rather silly-looking helmet) “How do I look?” (Peevy) “Like a hood ornament.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 4
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 7
Watchability: 7
Other (pacing): -4
 
TOTAL: 34 out of 60
 

Next: #270: Atlantis: The Lost Empire

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

21 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

When sickly young Shawn comes to visit
His Aunt Jessica in the woods,
He sees a small lass
Swiftly pass in the grass
With an armful of miniature goods.
 
This “Borrower” is named Arrietty,
Who lives with her mother and dad.
They live under the house
As discrete as a mouse,
But Homily’s scared of the lad.
 
Pod calms his poor wife and her worries
And leaves with his daughter to borrow.
Arrietty is quite
Animated tonight,
But excitement soon changes to sorrow.
 
She loses a gained sugar cube,
And much worse, she is sighted by Shawn.
The girl’s disenchanted
And leaves empty-handed,
But Pod comforts her once they’ve gone.
 
From then on, Shawn tries to leave gifts,
Like the sugar cube he’d seen her drop.
Her dad is suspicious,
For humans are vicious,
So she tells the boy he should stop.
 
When a crow almost gets Arrietty,
Shawn saves her and earns growing trust.
He donates some wares
From a dollhouse upstairs,
Which leaves the girl’s parents nonplussed.
 
Pod feels that they now have to leave.
Arrietty then tells Shawn goodbye.
He tries to impart
That he has a weak heart,
But the girl says to live, or to try.
 
But Hara, Aunt Jessica’s maid,
Has suspected small people for years.
She searches with care
And finds Homily there
And grabs her, confirming their fears.
 
She puts Homily in a jar
And calls Pest Control to catch more.
When she sees her mom’s gone,
Arrietty, with Shawn,
Sneaks out from behind a locked door.
 
She locates her mother and frees her.
The maid later searches in vain.
Any vestige or trace,
Shawn was quick to erase
So that Hara looks rather insane.
 
The Borrowers quickly depart
With help from a boy of their race.
Arrietty and Shawn
Say farewell at the dawn.
Shawn suspects they found some safer place.
__________________
 

The Secret World of Arrietty, one of Studio Ghibli’s more recent efforts, is a sweet film that successfully shrinks the audience to see an ordinary house as a place of danger and wonder. Staples become ladder rungs; pins become swords; roly-polies become balls; and a single bay leaf can last a year. Ghibli’s typically whimsical imagination is given free rein here to create an almost magical world within our own.

The animation is almost on the level of Howl’s Moving Castle, and the studio continues to deliver beautiful hand-drawn films with amazingly detailed backgrounds. The Borrowers’ home is especially well drawn. The English dub is pretty good as well, though it doesn’t have as many big name stars as other Ghibli films. Bridget Mendler as Arrietty, Will Arnett as Pod, and Carol Burnett as Hara particularly fill their roles well, though characters go “hmm” a bit too frequently. Also, while it’s based on an English book series and the location has been moved to Japan, the music has a distinctly Celtic air to it that is quite lovely.

While there are some who will have a problem with the fact that the Borrowers steal for a living, it is not much of an issue for me since (a) their size and vulnerability warrant it, and (b) they make a point of only taking things that will not be missed. (Others have delved deeper into the moral implications, such as film critic Steven Greydanus.)

A good point that makes up for this ambiguous aspect is Arrietty’s respect for her parents. Several times, she compliments her mother and father and shows them the honor that is noticeably lacking in Western cartoons. In the end, both of their views on humans are vindicated; Arrietty is proven right in that not all humans are bad (Shawn), but her parents’ fears are clearly warranted since others (like Hara) are not as trustworthy. This end stands in marked contrast to the kid-is-always-right mentality of most American animation.

One minor issue is the film’s pacing. While it’s fascinating to explore Arrietty’s miniature world, the film borders on becoming boring at times. Thus, some kids and adults who require constant jokes or explosions in their entertainment won’t be able to stick with it. Still, it has better visuals and more of a plot than Ghibli’s more acclaimed but less interesting children’s movie My Neighbor Totoro.

Offering new perspectives and touching on some more mature subjects like death and survival, The Secret World of Arrietty is a charming recent reminder of the magic that hand-drawn animation can achieve.

Best line: (Arrietty, when Shawn talks about resigning oneself to fate) “Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for the things that are worth fighting for. You have to survive. That’s what my papa says.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 7
Watchability: 5
Other (slow pace): -6
 
TOTAL:  32 out of 60
 

Next: #290: The Quick and the Dead (1987)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Sinbad the sailor’s a scoundrel at heart,
Or so goddess Eris may think.
This villainous goddess has chaos to start
And sends a beast into the drink.
 
As Sinbad is robbing an old but dear friend
Named Proteus, parted for years,
He finds he must help his old chum to defend
‘Gainst a tentacled fiend that appears.
 
They dispose of the monster, but Sinbad is swept
From the ship, so that Eris can pitch
An offer to him he can’t help but accept:
Steal a book and she’ll make the rogue rich.
 
In Syracuse, Proteus unloads the book
That brings peace to the cities around.
But sly Eris frames the notorious crook,
And leaves the whole kingdom unsound.
 
They all accuse Sinbad, but Proteus asks
That he stay while Sinbad finds the book.
The thief at first balks at this hardest of tasks,
But he leaves since he’s now off the hook.
 
Marina, Prince Proteus’s fiancée,
Stows away to ensure Sinbad goes.
A bribe proves enough to allow her to stay,
But they don’t like each other (it shows).
 
But, when Eris sends several Sirens to sing,
Who bewitch both the thief and his crew,
Marina takes over to narrowly bring
The ship and its company through.
 
They next hook a line to an island-sized fish,
Which gives them a turbulent ride.
Marina then almost becomes the main dish
For a giant bird Eris supplied.
 
Once Sinbad saves her, they all sail for a star,
And he unveils his love for the girl.
As they near Tartarus after coming so far,
They sail off the edge of the world.
 
Marina and Sinbad swing to Eris’ realm,
A lost kingdom of ruin and death.
Meanwhile, his faithful first mate takes the helm,
And everyone’s holding their breath.
 
In Tartarus, Eris taunts Sinbad to lie
And say he’ll return when he won’t.
He swears, book or no, that he’ll go back to die.
They try to retrieve it but don’t.
 
At the moment when Proteus thinks he’ll be slain,
Sinbad comes back to him just in time.
He is empty-handed; the trip was in vain,
But he’s there to be killed for his “crime.”
 
Yet Eris had sworn that, if he said what’s true,
He’d then have the book that she took.
His promise was genuine; he followed through,
So she grudgingly gives him the book.
 
His name somewhat cleared, Sinbad plans to depart,
And Marina is silently sad.
Yet Proteus tells her to follow her heart
So she voyages off with Sinbad.
__________________
 

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is both a homage to the ancient Arab tales (and the old movie featuring the character) and a thrill ride that is sure to buckle anyone’s swash. With some of the best action set pieces involving traditional animation, Sinbad seems like a precursor and inspiration for the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. While Curse of the Black Pearl came out the same year as this DreamWorks film and shares the hero/thief dichotomy of the main character, the other three seem to borrow key scenes from Sinbad. The attacks of the Kraken in Dead Man’s Chest are similar to Cetus’ assault at the beginning, the edge of the world scene in At World’s End seems directly borrowed from this film (complete with the characters who continue on finding themselves suddenly in a desert with the remains of a ship), and the vampiric mermaids of On Stranger Tides are akin to the Sirens. The other action scenes may not have direct comparisons but are still just as thrilling, such as their escape from the giant roc.

Another similarity is the fact that, while Sinbad and Jack Sparrow are both murderous thieves when you get right down to it, the films aren’t actually about them doing the despicable acts that have earned them infamy in the movie’s world. This allows the film to redeem these characters in a way that makes them heroic, even if they probably continue their old lifestyles after the film’s events.

The adventuresome Harry Gregson-Williams score is perfect, though it’s got nothing on Hans Zimmer’s classic theme for Pirates. The animation, again a mixture of hand-drawn animation for the characters and CGI for the giant creatures, is quite good as well and extremely fluid, such as Eris’ ethereal comings and goings. The voice acting is also top-notch, and it remains the only Brad Pitt film my VC can bring herself to watch, mainly because Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michelle Pfeifer do so well in their respective roles. As the last of DreamWorks’s traditionally animated films, Sinbad offers some great action and a predictable but nicely developed romance, and I think it deserved a sequel. I like many of DreamWorks Animation’s CGI films, but it’s a shame that wonderful hand-drawn films like this have nearly gone extinct in the U.S.

Best line: (Marina, while hiding from the roc after Sinbad pulls out a single knife) “Great, he can pick his teeth when he’s done with us.” (Sinbad) “Yeah, you see, in the hands of an expert, a good knife has 1,001 good uses.” (Sinbad then proves his lack of expertise.)

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 6
Watchability: 6
Other (I just like other films better): -6
 
TOTAL: 32 out of 60
 

Next: #292: The Impossible

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

When England’s left without a king,
It seems that swords will likely ring
For a successor to be named,
And yet a method is proclaimed.
 
A sword is set within a stone,
And he who frees it gets the throne.
The sword becomes the nation’s judge.
Though many try, it will not budge.
 
The wizard Merlin says a sooth,
That he will welcome soon a youth,
But Archimedes, Merlin’s owl,
Scoffs and mocks him with a scowl.
 
But sure enough, that very day,
An arrow search for grumpy Kay
Has scrawny Arthur crashing through
Their cottage roof, as Merlin knew.
 
He stays for tea, and it is stated
That Arthur must be educated.
When Arthur says that he must leave,
He sees a thing he can’t believe.
 
The wizard shrinks his many things
To fit in one bag, which he brings.
Then, carrying his magic goods,
He leads young Arthur through the woods.
 
They go to Arthur’s home, a castle
Where the “Wart” is but a vassal
For his foster father Ector,
Who’s more employer than protector.
 
The wizard tries to teach the boy
And thinks his student would enjoy
A different view. He grants a wish
And turns the lad into a fish.
 
He shows the small fry how to swim,
And, when attacked, he cheers for him,
As Arthur’s hounded by a pike,
Which tries to eat the little tyke.
 
Once Archimedes saves the day,
The boy must work and walks away,
But Merlin’s magic does his chores
And washes plates and sweeps the floors.
 
When Merlin turns them into squirrels,
Young Arthur learns the world of girls,
And things he’d never reckoned of
Like gravity and the woes of love.
 
Still later, Wart becomes a sparrow,
Flying higher than an arrow,
But when a hawk tries snatching him,
He finds the home of Madam Mim.
 
This wicked witch plays cat-and-mouse
With Arthur all around her house.
But Merlin saves him (he’s in school),
And fights with Mim a Wizards’ Duel.
 
They change themselves to varied beasts
And try to make their foe deceased.
Though Mim breaks rules, she’s left infirm
When Merlin beats her as a germ.
 
When Arthur’s glad to be Kay’s squire,
Merlin’s mad he won’t aspire
To bigger, more refined pursuits.
Thus, to Bermuda Merlin shoots.
 
In London, Kay fights for the crown
But needs a sword that’s not around.
So Arthur finds the stone-held sword
And pulls it out; the town is floored.
 
He pulled the sword from out the stone
And must be destined for the throne.
He’s frightened to be chief of state,
But Merlin tells him he’ll be great.
________________________
 

The Sword in the Stone, based off of the book by T. H. White, is a lesser-known Disney classic that nonetheless is a whimsical fantasy that kids and adults alike can enjoy. My dad once called it a perfect drive-in movie, the kind to keep the kids safe in the car and glued to the screen while the parents got popcorn. The plot is episodic and so seems rather weak, considering that the actual Sword in the Stone is only at the very beginning and end. Still, these comical vignettes featuring a young Arthur transformed into various creatures are quite entertaining and nicely merge Arthur’s wide-eyed wonder with Merlin’s anachronistic, curmudgeonly wisdom. The duel with Madam Mim is also both funny and exciting, and Arthur’s pulling out the sword is a truly classic scene.

It also has some references to other films, such as Merlin cleaning up with animated brooms like in Fantasia. His ever-spacious travel bag is also reminiscent of Mary Poppins, which actually came out the next year. While the songs are less than memorable, they are some of the early work of the Sherman Brothers, who went on to write much better songs for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Jungle Book. One song in the film did stick out because of its similarity to Andy Serkis’s ad-libbed tune in the Forbidden Pool scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Perhaps he was subconsciously inspired by this much earlier Disney ditty.

The Sword in the Stone may not be able to claim the iconic depiction of these characters, but I much prefer its portrayal of Arthur and Merlin than some other films’, like the awful Shrek the Third. While it certainly isn’t the best Arthurian film adaptation, it is nonetheless a classic of childhood that teaches the age-old lesson of brains over brawn.

Best line: (Merlin, speaking of Archimedes the owl) “When he stays out all night, he’s always grumpy the next morning.”  (Arthur) “Then he must stay out every night.”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 4
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #310: The Karate Kid

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

23 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

Max is feral; Max is free,
As wild as he wants to be.
He much prefers his fantasy
To real-world life and pain.
He’s jealous of his sister’s friends,
Who crush the igloo he defends.
He wrecks her room but then he mends
The mess he made in vain.
 
His mother has a handsome guest,
But Max’s rage won’t be suppressed.
He screams and runs and is a pest
And bites his mom as well.
Alarmed, he flees and yells a while.
He sees a boat, sails to an isle,
Finds some natives to beguile,
And thinks of lies to tell.
 
These Wild Things are in conflict,
But Max insists he can evict
All loneliness and has them tricked.
They make the boy their king.
His first directive to impart
Is that the wild rumpus start,
And everybody plays their part
In one big wild fling.
 
His first friend Carol’s feeling blue
For some girl named KW,
Who’s left her old friends for some new,
And Carol now is jealous.
But Max insists they build a fort,
And so they do; they then cavort
In one big dirt clod-throwing sport,
And some are overzealous.
 
KW gets Carol hurt,
A joke that stings much more than dirt.
The fighting tends to just subvert
What ought to bring them closer.
They all are sullen once they’ve played,
And their respect for Max degrades.
The worried Carol feels betrayed
When Max is called a poser.
 
Then Carol rips off someone’s arm
And tries to do the young king harm.
Max flees the monster in alarm.
KW protects him.
Max sees himself in Carol’s rage,
And chooses then to disengage
From his unstable island stage
Where everyone suspects him.
 
They mourn their loss while he’s in sight,
Including Carol, who’s contrite,
And Max sails on into the night
Upon the ocean’s foam.
When he returns, Mom can relax
And with a hug forgives his acts.
She gives him dinner warm, and Max
Is glad to be back home.
____________________
 

Where the Wild Things Are is a rather odd movie. It’s based off the classic children’s picture book by Maurice Sendak (which my mom read to me growing up), but the tone of the entire film has a distinctly adult sensibility. Except for a few scenes, I can’t really see a kid enjoying it, since even my VC couldn’t hang with it and disliked the dysfunctional family and out-of-control kid (whose behavior probably stems from too little parenting). The film is often boring and wordy and is honestly pretty depressing, what with all the talk about the sun dying and the messed-up relationships that aren’t really resolved.

From this film and what I’ve heard of his others, I would say that director Spike Jonze tends to take seemingly outlandish plotlines and turn them into artistic films that can be taken seriously. He certainly has done just that in Where the Wild Things Are, which may not be meant for young kids but at least avoids the adult content of his other films, like Being John Malkovich and the recent Her.

The appeal of this movie is in its depth and insight into Max’s psyche, which is broken down and given life in the form of the Wild Things he meets. Ira represents his desire to be appreciated; pessimistic Judith is his angry insistence to be taken on his own terms, accepting only love and understanding as an answer; Alexander is his fear of him being ignored and his pain not understood; and Carol is his jealous selfishness and his ferocious temper. Seeing the Wild Things’ relationships break down and particularly Carol’s going “out of control” (as Max did in the beginning) is like Max looking in a mirror and resolving to change. His goodbyes and departure from the Wild Things were actually surprisingly touching.

Unfortunately, Max’s “change” only goes so far. In the final moments with his mom, I kept expecting him to say “I’m sorry,” but those magic words are left unsaid, with only knowing and sympathetic looks to take their place. However, the CGI-enhanced puppets from the Jim Henson Creature Shop are some of the most life-like puppets I’ve ever seen, making the film notable for its visual effects as well. All in all, it’s a well-made but divisive film that is worthy of a much more detailed analysis than I’ve given and one that will only appeal to those who “get” its underlying message.

Best line: (Douglas, when his arm is pulled off during Carol’s vicious tantrum) “That was my favorite arm!”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 3
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 3
Other (slow parts): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #311: The Sword in the Stone

© 2014 S. G. Liput

The Secret of Kells (2009)

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Apprenticed to illuminators,
Ancient Christian illustrators,
Brendan is a boy within a monastery’s walls.
His uncle Cellach is the abbot,
Who obsesses in his habit,
Building up the wall around before their culture falls.
 
For Vikings threaten day by day,
Not caring what they crush or slay.
A refugee who’s fled from them is Aidan of Iona.
Young Brendan’s heard of Aidan’s skill,
Drawing wonders from his quill.
Brendan is excited by this new and fresh persona.
 
When Aidan shows the boy the Book,
On which the sinners dare not look,
Brendan wants to aid completion of this awesome text.
He sneaks into the outer woods,
To get for Aidan needed goods,
Berries used for making ink, though Uncle will be vexed.
 
With Aidan’s feline Pangur Ban,
Brendan quickly comes upon
Wolves, that stop their hunting when a white-haired girl appears.
This Aisling treats him with suspicion;
Nonetheless, she aids his mission,
Showing him the forest’s wonders and its deadly fears.
 
While Aidan’s glad to have the ink,
He’s lost the Eye, a precious link
To sages past, a crystal that improves an artist’s sight.
When Brendan’s locked inside the tower,
Aisling frees him with her power.
Brendan finds Crom Cruach’s cave and takes its Eye that night.
 
The pagan god consumes his tail
And Brendan draws for him a jail.
The Eye of Crom helps Brendan to begin the Book’s next part.
Though Cellach isn’t pleased at all,
Many just ignore the wall
To watch as Brendan practices illuminating art.
 
But soon the Viking hordes attack,
And Cellach’s wall can’t hold them back.
The abbot’s wounded as the Northmen raze the town of Kells.
Escaping from the cruel combat,
Brendan, Aidan, and the cat
Take the Book from Viking hands, which Aisling’s pack repels.
 
The three depart the ravaged land,
And Brendan wields his steady hand,
Illuminating every page as many years take flight.
When Brother Aidan’s laid to rest,
And Cellach’s tired and depressed,
Brendan comes to show the Book that turns the dark to light.
_____________________
 

The Secret of Kells is an Oscar-nominated, independent, mainly Irish animated film that is highly unique in its animation, drawing from ancient Celtic art and scriptural illuminations. To be honest, the animation takes some getting used to. I didn’t care for it at first, but, within 20 minutes or so, I grew accustomed to it and could better appreciate its detailed beauty. My VC tends to dislike most non-Disney/Dreamworks animations, like this one, viewing them as inferior and often too symbolic, but I don’t think it’s inferior at all, just different. In certain brief scenes that are given a moment of stillness, the hand-drawn animation looks like an ancient work of art.

As far as the story, there’s the oft-used cliché of the overly stern authority figure squelching the young protagonist’s imagination and eventually realizing his mistake (seriously, too many animated movies include this in their plots). Yet the story as a whole is quite fascinating with its fusion of beings from Celtic paganism and the religious monks who kept knowledge alive through the Dark Ages. While some of the references don’t make sense to a casual viewer, the filmmakers’ use of historical tidbits is actually quite clever (Crom Cruach was an ancient god worshiped with human sacrifice and ousted by St. Patrick; an Aisling is a type of poem involving a Faerie encounter; Pangur Ban was a white cat to which an unknown 9th century monk dedicated a poem in the margin of his manuscript).

As with Rise of the Guardians, however, The Secret of Kells seems to be avoiding any mention of God or the actual contents of the Book of Kells, the Gospels. There are some welcome scenes of generic prayer and talk of how strong the monks’ faith is, but these religious aspects have little substance. The latter half is also surprisingly dark, killing off nearly every minor character (offscreen), and the last scenes are touching, but not quite as grand and epically bittersweet as it tries to be. Overall, it’s certainly a film worth watching, one that uniquely presents the monks whose work helped to preserve light in darkness.

Best line: (Brendan) “You can’t find out everything from books, you know.”  (Brother Aidan) “I think I read that once.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 4
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
Other (animation takes getting used to): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #313: War of the Worlds (2005)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

The famous Willy Wonka is
A master in the chocolate biz.
This misanthrope of candy stars
Has hidden things in chocolate bars.
Five golden tickets are dispersed,
And thousands flock to be the first
To find them, for they mean, you see,
A tour of Wonka’s factory.
 
Poor Charlie Bucket is a waif
Who nonetheless feels warm and safe
Because he loves his family dear.
He’s sweet, kind-hearted, and sincere.
He sighs as kids around the earth
Discover tickets and their worth.
But then he spots some cash alone
And finds a ticket of his own.
 
The claimants bring their tickets in
To see what they have chanced to win.
They’re met by one disturbing song
And Wonka, who’s been shut up long.
He leads them through his wonderland
With lots of candy close at hand,
But quickly they all see he’s weird,
And one by one the crowd is cleared.
 
Augustus Gloop, a chocolate pig,
Is first to go because he’s big.
He falls into a chocolate stream
And makes a nightmare of a dream.
Within a pipe, he will not budge,
But soon he’s off to turn to fudge.
The rest then take a river ride
Past rooms where odd techniques reside.
 
Miss Violet Beauregard is next,
Succumbing to the strange effects
Of gum. She chews it, so unwary,
And swells into a Violetberry.
Veruca Salt (her parents’ fault)
Demands a squirrel, but an assault
Of nutty rodents throws the brat
Into a smelly garbage vat.
 
At last, the violent Mike Teavee
Becomes the world’s first transportee.
Because of Mike’s hostile high jinks,
He teleports but also shrinks.
With that, young Charlie’s left, and so,
With Wonka and with Grandpa Joe,
He’s overjoyed, and, moments later,
They soar in Wonka’s elevator.
 
Then Charlie learns the big surprise,
That Wonka’s factory is his prize.
But Charlie balks when he does find
He’ll have to leave his folks behind.
When Wonka doesn’t know what’s next,
With Charlie’s help, he reconnects
With Dad, a dentist off the grid
Who traumatized him as a kid.
 
So Wonka, in the end, relents
And learns what family represents.
He lets the Buckets move inside
The factory he built with pride,
And Charlie helps the chocolatier
With new ideas to pioneer,
And everyone lives happily
In Willy Wonka’s factory.
_____________________
 

I’m a big fan of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but I must admit that this remake improves on it in many ways. There is so much that rivals or exceeds its predecessor, from the casting of the bratty kids and showing their ultimate fates to the Oompa-Loompa-that-is-many to the extravagant special effects that bring the chocolate factory to life. The songs, drawn from the book and sung by the versatile Danny Elfman, are at least just as good as Willy Wonka’s ditties and, as performed by Deep Roy, are much more varied and entertaining. (These songs also inspired the meter for the above poem.) While I prefer the first film’s Grandpa Joe, I actually like Freddie Highmore as Charlie better than Peter Ostrum. The minute changes in his character make him more noble and sweet, such as insisting they sell the golden ticket to help with the family’s finances. Indeed, he is the main draw as far as characters are concerned, making the change in the title from Willy Wonka to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fitting, especially because Willy Wonka is the film’s main hang-up.

I cannot get over how Johnny Depp (and, by extension, Tim Burton) ruins so many parts of this film. His portrayal of Willy Wonka as not just eccentric, but as an effeminate, traumatized weirdo makes me appreciate Gene Wilder’s performance even more. Every scene Depp is in, from his initial disturbing song introduction to his bizarre flashbacks, is undercut by his strange mannerisms and wimpy laugh. His eccentricity works in some roles, such as Captain Jack Sparrow, but here it’s just plain annoying and creepy. While I can appreciate the film despite Depp’s strangeness, my VC finds him and the overly bratty kids a little too hard to ignore and dislikes the film as a whole. Still, the great musical numbers, special effects, and endearing depiction of Charlie Bucket make Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the only Tim Burton film to make it on my list.

Best line: (Grandma Georgina, when the glass elevator lands in the middle of the Buckets’ residence) “I think there’s someone at the door.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 7
Watchability: 5
Other (Johnny Depp’s weirdness): -8
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #316: Chicken Run

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

10 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

In England, there’s a Doctor John Dolittle,
Who would rather be with animals than men.
He learns just how best to greet them
And comes up with ways to treat them,
And refuses too to eat them,
Though he’s tempted now and then.
 
This doctor earns the scorn of many people,
Such as Emma Fairfax, who believes him rude.
Emma’s uncle just abhors him,
Doctor Dolittle ignores them,
But one Matthew Mugg adores him,
Thinks the doctor’s wise and shrewd.
 
The good doctor seeks a giant pinkish sea snail,
Whose existence many scholars disbelieve.
Though he’s friend to fowl and bunny,
And the bees could offer honey,
All his patients don’t have money
So he can’t afford to leave.
 
Then a colleague ships to him a pushmi-pullyu,
Quite a rarity with two connected heads.
To the circus he displays it,
And they cannot help but praise it.
Any price, the public pays it,
And to John the money spreads.
 
Then the doctor sees a seal that seems unhappy;
She is homesick (this he knows because he heard her).
So he hides her with devotion,
And then, singing with emotion,
Doctor throws her in the ocean,
Which onlookers think is murder.
 
Though he proves that he is innocent of bloodshed,
An asylum still the justice recommends.
Of the charges, he’s acquitted,
But he’s nonetheless committed,
But his escorts are outwitted
By his animalian friends.
 
When the Doctor finds that Emma has decided
To go with them once their voyage has set sail,
He does not at first approve her,
But by then he can’t remove her,
So he thinks work will behoove her,
As he searches for the snail.
 
Once a thunderstorm destroys their flimsy vessel,
They all make it to a nearby floating isle.
Though each native’s educated,
All their laws are sadly dated,
And, for Dolittle, it’s stated
He must die in dreadful style.
 
But a whale he spoke with moves the floating island
Till it merges with the mainland once again.
There’s a ruling for this portent,
And it does not call for torment
So the punishment is shortened,
And they free the girl and men.
 
Doctor Dolittle then finds the fabled sea snail
And insists his friends go back beneath its dome.
News from home, for him, is splendid:
For his sake, beasts are offended
So his sentence is rescinded,
And he rides a moth back home.
___________________________
 

Doctor Dolittle is an old musical featuring Rex Harrison, not a forgettable Eddie Murphy comedy. This original 1967 version of Hugh Lofting’s classic book series comes closest to capturing the spirit of the books and manages to be a decent musical as well. True, Doctor Dolittle is nothing compared with other classic musicals, such as The Sound of Music, Oliver!, or even Rex Harrison’s My Fair Lady three years earlier.

The story tends to ramble and the Oscar-winning special effects look rather dated, but, nevertheless, it excels in one area in particular – the lyrics. Since I already love poetry, I enjoy musicals for their poetic use of lyrics to move a story along, and Doctor Dolittle definitely has some of the best. Whether delivering an ASPCA-worthy harangue over man’s inhumanity to animals (which inspired the above poem’s rhyme scheme) or crowing a jubilant ditty about the uniqueness of a two-headed llama (my favorite song in the film, sung by Richard Attenborough), lyricist Leslie Bricusse of Willy Wonka fame really outdid himself, and the songs well fit Anthony Newley’s Irish lilt and Rex Harrison’s speaking-with-rhythm style of singing. Granted, the slower tunes are less successful, like Samantha Eggar’s song and the song where the doctor realizes his (somewhat mismatched) feelings for Emma. The humorous script is also outstanding.

The best word to describe the film as a whole would be charming, even if it is a tad silly and overly long and a definite step down for the great Rex Harrison. My VC, on the other hand, loves almost everything about it, the film being a lifetime favorite of hers. Anthony Newley is particularly well cast, in her opinion. While there are many musicals I like better (as continuing readers will see), Doctor Dolittle definitely deserves a spot on my list.

Best line: (Dolittle) “If one place is as good as any other, it’s high time we decided. Otherwise when we get there, we won’t know we’ve arrived.” (a maddening line that could easily have been uttered by Captain Jack Sparrow)

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 5
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 3
Originality: 6
Watchability: 4
Other (songs): +2
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #324: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

09 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Movies

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

On a frigid winter’s night,
A boy arises from the ice.
He can’t remember anything,
But he can fly without a wing
And play with ice, but at a price:
No one sees him or his plight.
 
Years go by, and poor Jack Frost,
Who has not gained his memory back,
Causes blizzards, ice, and snow.
None believe in Jack Frost, though.
One day, Jack’s thrown in a sack,
And, through a portal, he is tossed.
 
Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy,
Easter Bunny and Sandman,
The Guardians of Childhood,
Protecting kids both bad and good,
Have summoned Jack to help their plan
And join their group so legendary.
 
The Boogeyman, Pitch Black’s returned
To threaten children everywhere.
The Moon has chosen Jack to be
A Guardian, surprisingly.
Jack doesn’t care for such fanfare
And tells them all he’s unconcerned.
 
Nonetheless, Jack tags along
When Tooth is raided by bad dreams
That Pitch has sent, so that the sprite
Cannot fulfill her rounds that night.
As morning gleams, to kids it seems
Their hopes for fairy gifts were wrong.
 
Tooth reveals kids’ memories
Are hidden in their pearly whites.
So Jack thinks, if they stop Pitch fast,
The teeth he stole will show Jack’s past.
The latter night, the whole team fights
To gather teeth, which one boy sees.
 
The Sandman falls to Pitch’s blade,
And, though they all help to prepare
For Easter, Pitch beguiles Jack
By giving him his ivories back,
And fills the hare with great despair
By crushing all the eggs he made.
 
Children round the world begin
To think our heroes are not real.
Their powers fade as Pitch’s grow,
And they cannot defeat the foe.
Pitch seals the deal with evil zeal,
Finds a hole, and drops Jack in.
 
There Jack opens up his tooth
And sees his boyhood way back when.
He fell and drowned beneath the lake,
For his fretting sister’s sake,
He saved her then, can save again,
And learns his purpose with this truth.
 
Helping children not to grieve,
The Guardian’s efforts start to pay.
Sandman returns to beat up Pitch,
On whom the tables start to switch.
His fears that day drag him away,
And all the kids can now believe.
_______________________
 

Another box-office disappointment on the list, Rise of the Guardians turns the most beloved characters of childhood imagination into a legendary A-Team. The CGI animation and voice acting are excellent, and the filmmaker’s own imaginations run wild with clever concepts applied to explain the “secrets” of these mythical Guardians. Such innovations include an army of hummingbird-like fairies to gather teeth for the Tooth Fairy, wormhole-producing snow globes to justify Santa’s one-night travel around the earth, and magical “tunnels” summoned by the Easter Bunny as if he had an Aperture portal gun. All these concepts and the fantastical worlds of the various characters are introduced at such a rapid pace most of the film just washes over the viewer, creating a sense of wonder, the obvious goal of the entire film.

I’ll admit that, for the most part, the climax seems to repeat what came before, and, by then, the prolonged scenes of “wonder” start to drag. After the poignant revelation of Jack’s tragic backstory, the action and wonder seem recycled from previous scenes, with the exception of Pitch being dragged to hell(?), a la Ghost. It also falls prey to a cliché I notice in a lot of movies, particularly animated ones: the he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind conceit involving the Sandman. The most glaring fault, though, is that it completely ignores the true meaning of Easter and Christmas, mentioning “hope” and little else. Granted, the Man in the Moon stands in for God in many scenes and this is a secular film, but it seemed obvious that the filmmakers were trying to step around that elephant in the room.

Though the Tooth Fairy fares best in this regard, Rise of the Guardians creates a version of these characters, not the iconic version that it might have been. Still, with some funny lines, impressive animation, and that all-important foundation of wonder, it’s a worthy family film that should have performed better in theaters than it did.

Best line: (Santa) “Merry Christmas!”  (Easter Bunny) “Happy Easter!”  (Tooth Fairy) “And don’t forget to floss!”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 5
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 9
Originality: 4
Watchability: 5
Other (ending drags) -4
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #325: Doctor Dolittle (1967)

© 2014 S. G. Liput