Take 4: Stuff I Wanted to See
Having done themed reviews for close to two years now, I decided that it was high time I just picked four movies I've been wanting to see for a while, and move those to the top of my rental list. My game, my rules. Enjoy.
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The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies Involving Massive Conspiracy Plots"
What's Going On Here?: A Harvard professor of symbology travels to Paris to give a lecture based on a book he just wrote. While there, his plans to meet with the curator of the Louvre Museum for dinner fall through. When the curator is found dead at the museum, the professor becomes the number one suspect. The only things that will help him clear his name are a French cryptologist and an enigmatic riddle left behind by the deceased curator that leads the pair on a chase that revolves around a convoluted conspiracy plot, involving secret societies, the birth of Christianity, and some of the greatest artwork of all time.
Familiar Faces: Tom Hanks (who plays Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbology professor), Ian McKellan (of X-Men and Lord of the Rings fame, who plays Langdon's mentor) and Jean Reno (of The Professional, who plays the police inspector who is trying to bring Langdon in). You may also recognize Audrey Tautou (of Amelie) who plays Sophie Neveu, the codebreaker assisting Langdon on his hunt. Finally, there's Paul Bettany, who plays Silas...the albino monk who is also chasing down Langdon. You might recognize him from several other films, including Wimbeldon and A Knight's Tale.
Random Trivia: To protect both the fabric of the building and the works of art it contains, the production's use of the Louvre Museum in Paris was carefully controlled. For instance, no equipment was allowed inside the Louvre during the opening hours, so filming took place at night. Since the crew were not permitted to shine light on the Mona Lisa, a replica was used to film instead. No blood or mysterious writings were permitted on the wooden floor of the museum so these scenes were shot at Pinewood Studios outside London. In the end, five replicas of the Mona Lisa were used.
And I Quote: Sophie: "It's a cryptex. Da Vinci's design. Sauniere made me one for my birthday once." Langdon: "My grandfather got me a wagon."
IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Riddle; Hangar; Christianity; Underwater Scene; Catholic Church
Curt's Take: Worth Considering - Not only had I recently read this book, but I'd also played the Playstation game of the same name (which explored locations only briefly touched upon in the book, and presented a lot in the way of new cryptograms and other puzzles and riddles to be solved). So, I moved from having the story completely play out in my mind, to seeing a version through my Playstation, that I was free to explore and control to some extent, to seeing another person's interpretation of the book. This progression leading up to the movie helped turn me on to it, I think. Apart from that, it's a clever and engaging story, with an intellectual as the hero, and brains and wit being used as weaponry rather than blades and bullets. You've got some decent starpower, too. Is there anything not to like? Well, as entertaining as the movie was, the book was still much better. If you have to choose one or the other...go with the book. It's a pretty quick read. The movie, for some reason, took liberties with certain elements of the novel, and made changes that didn't really need to be made. Also, it's a bit of a light role for Tom Hanks...and there were a few times when (surprisingly) his acting turned to be a little bit cheesy. It may have been the script, I'm not completely sure. But in the end, I think the pros outweigh the cons.
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The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies about Contacting the Dead"
What's Going On Here?: Jonathan Rivers, an architect, learns that his deceased wife may be trying to contact him from beyond the grave through EVP: Electronic Voice Phenomena. This method of capturing paranormal evidence involves finding audio and video embedded in the "white noise" of tape recorders and camcorders that have been left running (either audio-taping silence or video-taping images of static). The evidence quickly becomes more startling, and Rivers begins to think that the voices and images are directing him to find something out...but what?
Familiar Faces: Michael Keaton (who has been in too many things to list, but who I first remember seeing in Mr. Mom) plays Jonathan Rivers. Helping him out is Deborah Kara Unger (in the role of Sarah), who has also been in The Hurricane, The Game, Payback and Crash.
Random Trivia: Ah...sequels. In researching this review, I discovered that White Noise 2: The Light was released in January of 2007. Sadly, it's not available for Netflix...yet. It stars Nathan Fillion, currently on TV's Drive, and formerly on TV's Firefly and the film Serenity (as well as the movie Slither, reviewed below). I actually really enjoy him as an actor...moreso than Michael Keaton, so I'm kind of looking forward to catching it.
And I Quote: Mirabelle: "Listen to me. It is one thing to contact the dead, it is another thing to meddle...and you are meddling."
IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Young Boy; Loss of White; Able to Hear the Dead; Death; Ghost
Curt's Take: Not a Priorty - There are some genuinely scary moments in here...both startling moments, where you leap a little bit in your seat, and tense moments, where your eyes are just glued to the screen, holding your breath as the action unfolds. It's got some decent special effects, too. So if that's your thing, great. I was also afraid the acting might be a little sub-standard, but Keaton and company actually did a pretty good job on that front. I do have to admit, however, that I ended up a little lost by the story at the end. Things weren't really cleared up for me, and that didn't really leave me all that happy with the film. The movie only had me engaged during the "scarier" parts, and not really caught up in the overall story as much as I would have liked. And those things, unfortunately, kept me from enjoying this as much as I would have preferred.
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The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies About Dueling Magicians"
What's Going On Here?: After a tragic accident, two former magicians and colleagues become engaged in a bitter feud, on and off the stages of turn-of-the-century London.
Familiar Faces: There are a TON of people you'll recognize in here. Well, a ton you should recognize, and a few people I was surprised to see. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play the two magicians, Alfred and Robert. You've also got, in various supporting roles, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, Ricky Jay and David Bowie. Ricky Jay, for those of you not in the know, is an expert in magician's circles at sleight of hand, and was brought in to teach a thing or two to Bale and Jackman.
Random Trivia: The main characters' initials spell ABRA (Alfred Borden/Robert Angier), as in Abracadabra, a common word used by magicians.
And I Quote: Cutter: "Every great magic trick consists of three acts. The first act is called 'The Pledge'; the magician shows you something ordinary, but of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called 'The Turn'; the magician makes his ordinary something do something extraordinary. Now if you're looking for the secret... you won't find it, that's why there's a third act called, 'The Prestige'; this is the part with the twists and turns, where lives hang in the balance, and you see something shocking you've never seen before."
IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Murder; Magician; Death; London, England; Severed Finger
Curt's Take: Must See - I don't know what to say, other than that this film is a roller coaster ride. There are so many twists and turns...and almost each one takes you by surprise. It's just over two hours, but you get so sucked into thinking about what might happen next, that the time just flies past. I feel hesitant to not say more, but it does what it needs to do, and it does it well. It's just an entertaining couple hours. There's really not much to hate here. The story takes place in three different time periods, and jumps back and forth between them, so there was the potential for things to get confusing. It's so well written and shot, though, that it's easy enough to keep things straight. So, no real reasons to avoid this...it's got action, drama, suspense. I suppose if you only like comedies or chick flicks, then you might want to pass on this one. Oh, it is a bit graphic at a couple points...so be prepared.
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The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies Involving a OH MY GOD THEY'RE EATING MY BRAIN STOP THEM!!!"
What's Going On Here?: A strange meteorite crashes to Earth in a backwater community, carrying a strange leech/slug-like intelligence that is dead-set on taking over...THE WORLD!!!
Familiar Faces: Apart from Nathan Fillion, who fans will recognize from Firefly and Serenity, there aren't that many recognizable folks in this. I did recognize Gregg Henry, who currently stars as Eddie Izzard's boss on TV's The Riches. Jenna Fischer, who plays Pam on TV's The Office, does have a brief role, but nothing major...more of a cameo, really, given that she is the wife of the director, James Gunn.
Random Trivia: There is a mention of neighbors named "the Castevets." The Castevets were Rosemary's neighbors in Rosemary's Baby. This is just one of many references to classic horror films that are peppered throughout the movie.
And I Quote: Jack: "It's obvious the bastard's got lyme disease!" Bill: "What?" Jack: "Lyme disease. You touch some deer feces, and then you... eat a sandwich without washin' your hands. You got your lyme disease!" Bill: "And that makes you look like a squid?"
IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Family Dinner; Shot in the Foot; Community; Country Singer; Stabbed in the Chest
Curt's Take: Not a Priority - Well, for an "alien bodysnatchers" type of movie, it was pretty lighthearted. I always appreciate snappy one-liners, and I think that Fillion does a good job of delivering them. So, on the one hand, it's a fun send-off of classic B-Movies. It also delivers a few good scares, so that's a bonus. Also, it's actually got some of the most inventive and appropriate uses of the F-bomb (and other assorted swearing) I've seen in a while, so it had that going for it. It is, though, pretty disgusting. Lots of slime, exploding entrails, penetrating alien tentacles, etc. I found myself cringing at several points. And overall, the different scenes of the movie didn't really hang well together for me. There were parts I found amusing, sure, but overall, the whole seemed less than the sum of its parts. It's a fun ride that could pass the time some evening, but I can't in good conscience say that you couldn't find something more engaging and entertaining out there.
-------------------------------------------------------
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies Involving Massive Conspiracy Plots"
What's Going On Here?: A Harvard professor of symbology travels to Paris to give a lecture based on a book he just wrote. While there, his plans to meet with the curator of the Louvre Museum for dinner fall through. When the curator is found dead at the museum, the professor becomes the number one suspect. The only things that will help him clear his name are a French cryptologist and an enigmatic riddle left behind by the deceased curator that leads the pair on a chase that revolves around a convoluted conspiracy plot, involving secret societies, the birth of Christianity, and some of the greatest artwork of all time.
Familiar Faces: Tom Hanks (who plays Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbology professor), Ian McKellan (of X-Men and Lord of the Rings fame, who plays Langdon's mentor) and Jean Reno (of The Professional, who plays the police inspector who is trying to bring Langdon in). You may also recognize Audrey Tautou (of Amelie) who plays Sophie Neveu, the codebreaker assisting Langdon on his hunt. Finally, there's Paul Bettany, who plays Silas...the albino monk who is also chasing down Langdon. You might recognize him from several other films, including Wimbeldon and A Knight's Tale.
Random Trivia: To protect both the fabric of the building and the works of art it contains, the production's use of the Louvre Museum in Paris was carefully controlled. For instance, no equipment was allowed inside the Louvre during the opening hours, so filming took place at night. Since the crew were not permitted to shine light on the Mona Lisa, a replica was used to film instead. No blood or mysterious writings were permitted on the wooden floor of the museum so these scenes were shot at Pinewood Studios outside London. In the end, five replicas of the Mona Lisa were used.
And I Quote: Sophie: "It's a cryptex. Da Vinci's design. Sauniere made me one for my birthday once." Langdon: "My grandfather got me a wagon."IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Riddle; Hangar; Christianity; Underwater Scene; Catholic Church
Curt's Take: Worth Considering - Not only had I recently read this book, but I'd also played the Playstation game of the same name (which explored locations only briefly touched upon in the book, and presented a lot in the way of new cryptograms and other puzzles and riddles to be solved). So, I moved from having the story completely play out in my mind, to seeing a version through my Playstation, that I was free to explore and control to some extent, to seeing another person's interpretation of the book. This progression leading up to the movie helped turn me on to it, I think. Apart from that, it's a clever and engaging story, with an intellectual as the hero, and brains and wit being used as weaponry rather than blades and bullets. You've got some decent starpower, too. Is there anything not to like? Well, as entertaining as the movie was, the book was still much better. If you have to choose one or the other...go with the book. It's a pretty quick read. The movie, for some reason, took liberties with certain elements of the novel, and made changes that didn't really need to be made. Also, it's a bit of a light role for Tom Hanks...and there were a few times when (surprisingly) his acting turned to be a little bit cheesy. It may have been the script, I'm not completely sure. But in the end, I think the pros outweigh the cons.
-------------------------------------------------------
White Noise (2005)
The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies about Contacting the Dead"
What's Going On Here?: Jonathan Rivers, an architect, learns that his deceased wife may be trying to contact him from beyond the grave through EVP: Electronic Voice Phenomena. This method of capturing paranormal evidence involves finding audio and video embedded in the "white noise" of tape recorders and camcorders that have been left running (either audio-taping silence or video-taping images of static). The evidence quickly becomes more startling, and Rivers begins to think that the voices and images are directing him to find something out...but what?
Familiar Faces: Michael Keaton (who has been in too many things to list, but who I first remember seeing in Mr. Mom) plays Jonathan Rivers. Helping him out is Deborah Kara Unger (in the role of Sarah), who has also been in The Hurricane, The Game, Payback and Crash.
Random Trivia: Ah...sequels. In researching this review, I discovered that White Noise 2: The Light was released in January of 2007. Sadly, it's not available for Netflix...yet. It stars Nathan Fillion, currently on TV's Drive, and formerly on TV's Firefly and the film Serenity (as well as the movie Slither, reviewed below). I actually really enjoy him as an actor...moreso than Michael Keaton, so I'm kind of looking forward to catching it.
And I Quote: Mirabelle: "Listen to me. It is one thing to contact the dead, it is another thing to meddle...and you are meddling."IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Young Boy; Loss of White; Able to Hear the Dead; Death; Ghost
Curt's Take: Not a Priorty - There are some genuinely scary moments in here...both startling moments, where you leap a little bit in your seat, and tense moments, where your eyes are just glued to the screen, holding your breath as the action unfolds. It's got some decent special effects, too. So if that's your thing, great. I was also afraid the acting might be a little sub-standard, but Keaton and company actually did a pretty good job on that front. I do have to admit, however, that I ended up a little lost by the story at the end. Things weren't really cleared up for me, and that didn't really leave me all that happy with the film. The movie only had me engaged during the "scarier" parts, and not really caught up in the overall story as much as I would have liked. And those things, unfortunately, kept me from enjoying this as much as I would have preferred.
-------------------------------------------------------
The Prestige (2006)
The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies About Dueling Magicians"
What's Going On Here?: After a tragic accident, two former magicians and colleagues become engaged in a bitter feud, on and off the stages of turn-of-the-century London.
Familiar Faces: There are a TON of people you'll recognize in here. Well, a ton you should recognize, and a few people I was surprised to see. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play the two magicians, Alfred and Robert. You've also got, in various supporting roles, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, Ricky Jay and David Bowie. Ricky Jay, for those of you not in the know, is an expert in magician's circles at sleight of hand, and was brought in to teach a thing or two to Bale and Jackman.
Random Trivia: The main characters' initials spell ABRA (Alfred Borden/Robert Angier), as in Abracadabra, a common word used by magicians.
And I Quote: Cutter: "Every great magic trick consists of three acts. The first act is called 'The Pledge'; the magician shows you something ordinary, but of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called 'The Turn'; the magician makes his ordinary something do something extraordinary. Now if you're looking for the secret... you won't find it, that's why there's a third act called, 'The Prestige'; this is the part with the twists and turns, where lives hang in the balance, and you see something shocking you've never seen before."IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Murder; Magician; Death; London, England; Severed Finger
Curt's Take: Must See - I don't know what to say, other than that this film is a roller coaster ride. There are so many twists and turns...and almost each one takes you by surprise. It's just over two hours, but you get so sucked into thinking about what might happen next, that the time just flies past. I feel hesitant to not say more, but it does what it needs to do, and it does it well. It's just an entertaining couple hours. There's really not much to hate here. The story takes place in three different time periods, and jumps back and forth between them, so there was the potential for things to get confusing. It's so well written and shot, though, that it's easy enough to keep things straight. So, no real reasons to avoid this...it's got action, drama, suspense. I suppose if you only like comedies or chick flicks, then you might want to pass on this one. Oh, it is a bit graphic at a couple points...so be prepared.
-------------------------------------------------------
Slither (2006)
The Review That Never Happened: "Four Movies Involving a OH MY GOD THEY'RE EATING MY BRAIN STOP THEM!!!"
What's Going On Here?: A strange meteorite crashes to Earth in a backwater community, carrying a strange leech/slug-like intelligence that is dead-set on taking over...THE WORLD!!!
Familiar Faces: Apart from Nathan Fillion, who fans will recognize from Firefly and Serenity, there aren't that many recognizable folks in this. I did recognize Gregg Henry, who currently stars as Eddie Izzard's boss on TV's The Riches. Jenna Fischer, who plays Pam on TV's The Office, does have a brief role, but nothing major...more of a cameo, really, given that she is the wife of the director, James Gunn.
Random Trivia: There is a mention of neighbors named "the Castevets." The Castevets were Rosemary's neighbors in Rosemary's Baby. This is just one of many references to classic horror films that are peppered throughout the movie.
And I Quote: Jack: "It's obvious the bastard's got lyme disease!" Bill: "What?" Jack: "Lyme disease. You touch some deer feces, and then you... eat a sandwich without washin' your hands. You got your lyme disease!" Bill: "And that makes you look like a squid?" IMDB's Top Plot Search Terms: Family Dinner; Shot in the Foot; Community; Country Singer; Stabbed in the Chest
Curt's Take: Not a Priority - Well, for an "alien bodysnatchers" type of movie, it was pretty lighthearted. I always appreciate snappy one-liners, and I think that Fillion does a good job of delivering them. So, on the one hand, it's a fun send-off of classic B-Movies. It also delivers a few good scares, so that's a bonus. Also, it's actually got some of the most inventive and appropriate uses of the F-bomb (and other assorted swearing) I've seen in a while, so it had that going for it. It is, though, pretty disgusting. Lots of slime, exploding entrails, penetrating alien tentacles, etc. I found myself cringing at several points. And overall, the different scenes of the movie didn't really hang well together for me. There were parts I found amusing, sure, but overall, the whole seemed less than the sum of its parts. It's a fun ride that could pass the time some evening, but I can't in good conscience say that you couldn't find something more engaging and entertaining out there.
Labels: movie review da vinci code prestige white noise slither take four netflix
posted by Curt at 10:57 PM
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