'bots on Film
Yes, it's that time again; someone rented Ellie a movie, someone else treated her to a movie yesterday (and then there's that horrible atrocious piece of retchedness Old School, which I'm -still- trying to erase from my mind. Will Ferrel's bare behind did NOT score that one points.). So anyway, we have a pair of films to look at today.
First up is Tears of the Sun
I need to confess: I'm a sucker for Bruce Willis. There's just something about him that makes me want to... er, well, never mind that. This movie stars him. So it was off to a real good start. Topic wise and pacing, it reminded me a -lot- of Apocalypse Now, with the story running on multiple levels at once. And while the performances given are solid, and the story itself is as well... the camera work proves to be a -major- distraction. My eyes don't focus as fast as they used to, and the constant barrage of 'dark scene flipping to BRIGHT scene without fadeout or warning' left me with a killer headache.
That headache is what prevents me from giving this one a full five stars. Because of the intrusive camera work, it only pulls three from me. Sorry, Bruce. You were dynamite, but the director and his camera jocks should be lined up and shot.
Three stars (out of Five)
Next up is Ghosts of Mars
Contrary to what most folks seem to think, I'm not a die hard horror film fan. What muddies the waters on this one is that I -am- a fan of John Carpenter's work. Dark Star is one of my favorite pieces, as are Big Trouble in Little China and Vampires. I was a bit worried about this one... Ice Cube isn't a top notch actor in my mind, and that colored my perceptions.
But I've been wrong before. He actually doesn't do badly in this role, and the few 'amusing' lines in the film are all his. The pacing is 'classic' John Carpenter all the way, to a soundtrack composed by him. Special effects for the train exteriors were a bit cheesy, but on the whole, not bad at all.
Three and a half stars (out of Five)
And that's me. I'm off to do other stuffus, now.
*hugs and cuddles*
~Ellie-chan
First up is Tears of the Sun
I need to confess: I'm a sucker for Bruce Willis. There's just something about him that makes me want to... er, well, never mind that. This movie stars him. So it was off to a real good start. Topic wise and pacing, it reminded me a -lot- of Apocalypse Now, with the story running on multiple levels at once. And while the performances given are solid, and the story itself is as well... the camera work proves to be a -major- distraction. My eyes don't focus as fast as they used to, and the constant barrage of 'dark scene flipping to BRIGHT scene without fadeout or warning' left me with a killer headache.
That headache is what prevents me from giving this one a full five stars. Because of the intrusive camera work, it only pulls three from me. Sorry, Bruce. You were dynamite, but the director and his camera jocks should be lined up and shot.
Three stars (out of Five)
Next up is Ghosts of Mars
Contrary to what most folks seem to think, I'm not a die hard horror film fan. What muddies the waters on this one is that I -am- a fan of John Carpenter's work. Dark Star is one of my favorite pieces, as are Big Trouble in Little China and Vampires. I was a bit worried about this one... Ice Cube isn't a top notch actor in my mind, and that colored my perceptions.
But I've been wrong before. He actually doesn't do badly in this role, and the few 'amusing' lines in the film are all his. The pacing is 'classic' John Carpenter all the way, to a soundtrack composed by him. Special effects for the train exteriors were a bit cheesy, but on the whole, not bad at all.
Three and a half stars (out of Five)
And that's me. I'm off to do other stuffus, now.
*hugs and cuddles*
~Ellie-chan