08.31.07
Festival Review: “Across The Universe”
What fun! In my opinion, the best musical of the year so far. Julie Taymor (who gave us the amazing Frida) is a visually orientated director, everything in this movie is visually fuelled and emotionally charged. The music is great, Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess had great chemistry, and to be honest, I almost cried during this film, three times.
A work of art it is indeed, with not much left to the imagination in terms of visual effects and props. It is essentially a love story set in the 60’s when a person could be anti-war, pro-war or just didn’t care.
Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a small group of friends and musicians are tossed into the anti-war movements. The young lovers are torn apart by forces out of their control, forcing them to reunite on their own terms and find their way back to each other no matter what. Artistically, the film is well done. I think Evan Rachel Wood is so talented, with so much going for her, I can’t wait until she gets her Oscar. Sturgess, who I have never seen or heard of before, pulled off the lead with ease and managed to carry the majority of the film through his onscreen vulnerability and natural capabilities. This film’s only real awards prospect is for the Artistic/Technical categories. Overall, a great musical, visual experience.
Fatac Rating: ****
Across the Universe. Directed by Julie Taymor. Written by Julia Taymor (story) , Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, T.V. Carpio and Martin Luther, featuring cameos by Eddie Izzard and Bono. Running Time: 133 minutes. USA 2007. Unique Arts Festival 2007. Rating out of five.
08.30.07
Festival Review: “In The Valley of Elah”
First of all, I just want to get this out of the way, I think Paul Haggis is great. Crash was amazing – albeit not nearly as good as Brokeback Mountain – Million Dollar Baby was a masterpiece and In The Valley of Elah was very well done. I left Flags of our Fathers out as it was the only film I know of that Paul was connected to that failed miserably, in my books at least.
The cast includes Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, Charlize Theron as well as a few actors who were once members of the actual Army. They all give impeccable performances, but I felt Susan Sarandon was wasted in a role that offered very little screen time and didn’t add all that much to the story. Charlize Theron – South Africa’s golden girl – was just as good as she has every been in any one of her other roles, just as gritty. The story revolves around a career officer (played by Jones) and his wife (played by Sarandon) who work together with a female police detective (Theron) to uncover the truth behind their son’s disappearance following his return from Iraq. I thought it was very well done, one of the better war drama’s of the year, and I think fan’s of Haggis’s work will not be dissapointed.
Fatac Rating: ***
In The Valley of Elah. Written and Directed by Paul Haggis. Music by Mark Isham. Starring: Charlize Theron, Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon. Running Time: 124 minutes. USA 2007. Unique Arts Festival 2007. Rating out of five stars.
08.21.07
Review: “Transformers”
After first hearing about this film, I was not interested. I don’t generally like Michael Boy’s films and his techniques, and I didn’t have a clue who Shia Labeouf was. Then I watched Disturbia and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints and became interested in his work. I also found out that Steven Spielberg would be the executive producer, and my interest became solidified.
