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So now that I'm done channeling an "Aliens" fan-girl, we'll move on. There are so many movies I want to review, but I only have so much room. I will review one VHS movie and one DVD movie at a time. If I'm not entirely lazy, I will change them about once a week. Don't be so damn picky! If it doesn't get changed, just go back and stare at the "Half Baked" pics I have up on my "Top Twenty" page. That way you can think about how much that movie sucks and rethink your video renting choices. Well, let's get on with it.
Aliens
Just kidding.
Moulin Rouge
I have rather mixed feelings about this one. I'm not sure what I was expecting. I knew I just had to see cuttie-pie Ewan McGreggor singing. That was pretty much all I wanted from this movie.
As I began watching it, my eyes started to glaze over. I hated it within the first five minutes. I hated it for the same reason I hated the remake of "Romeo and Juliet". Why does this director have this driving need to mix periods? I'm sure he thinks it's all "fresh" and "original", but it's not. It's just irritating. Well, before I even get into that, here's what it's about:
So there is this "penniless" writer(McGreggor) named Christian. He wants to write a play with this band of bohemians led by Henri Tolouse-Leutrec(John Leguizamo). Who, by the way, the original "Moulin Rouge" was centered around. He only has a small annoying part in this film. At any rate, they decide they need to get their play put on at the Moulin Rouge. The only way to do this is to set up a meeting between Christian and the seductive can-can dancer/singer girl/prostitue Satine(Nicole Kidman). Well Satine is tricked by a not-so-clever plot device into thinking Christian is the Duke, of whom she was supposed to meeting to seduce into getting funding to change the Moulin Rouge into a legitimate theater.(Breath) Well she falls in love with Christian for a song(literally) over about the time-span of 20 minutes. Then she learns he's not the Duke, but it's too late, for she's already fallen. The rest of the movie basically is about their tragic love. Tragic because they have to meet in secret, for she is betrothed to the Duke, blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah, and she has the consumption and is dying.
Amidst all of this, the director tries to wow us, by throwing in modern musical numbers. I tell you, I simply could not get enough of the love-sick Christian saying: "Love is a many splendored thing! Love lifts us up where we belong! Love is all you need!" Yes, he said it all at once like that. About the time that I had to watch the two creepiest men in the movie sing a disturbing rendition of "Like a Virgin", I shut off the movie. The next day I decided to give it one more shot and finish it. Then suddenly the movie got good. For some reason, there is not a single modern song in the second half of the movie. All the songs are original. Also, the plot becomes very dark and disturbing. The second half was really, really good. It almost made up for the rest of the movie. Not quite though. It is also ended rather abruptly, as if the writer just got tired of writing. I still do not know whether I would reccomend this movie or not. I know I won't watch it again. But, I think if you can get through the first half, the love story, albeit over-done and trite, might win you over. Also, it was somewhat worth it just for my dear, sweet Ewan.
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The Abyss Special Edition DVD
My god! Could a more packed DVD be made? I don't think so. I practically had an orgasm watching the 60-minute documentary about the making of the movie. This is a two disc-er. The 1st disc has the movie- Hi! I'm Captain Obvious!- but it has two versions. The original theatrical presentiation and the special edition version that has about a half hour more footage. A lot of that is an entire sub-plot that was cut out of the final version.The second disc has the 1 hour documentary-"Under Pressure: Making the Abyss". It is one of the most interesting making of documentaries I have ever seen. There is also a short 10 minute featurette. James Cameron's complete screenplay can also be viewed. The movie itself is obviously cinema gold. If you have never seen it, I ask that you never visit my web page again. If you have, you loved it. And finally, if you don't own it or only own the VHS copy, you need to go buy this DVD. You will not be dissapointed.
I love this movie so much that owning this DVD is just like when I was little, and my parents took me to the fair AND bought me elephant ears and cotton candy.
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