Where The Wild Things Are (2009)
Directed by Spike Jonze Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of Max who after a rather distressing conflict with his mother runs away to a place where giant monsters live, and tries to help them find happiness.
It’s an intriguing film and if you read the book as a child or an adult you’ll most likely want to see it as soon as possible. It’s a simple story dealing with all the emotions and worry that some children (and even adults in this case) have to overcome and control. Max is that child and with the help of some rather surreal looking friends he realises his mistakes.
I was always interested to see how this story would play out on the big screen. Turning a 10 page (or so) story into a 100 minute long feature film isn’t an easy task but Spike Jonze managed to pull it off to some extent. Story wise it’s very similar to the book which isn’t very deep on first glance, but it’s an entire story of this single boy’s liberation via his imagination. He redeems himself once he realises he cannot help these creatures who are almost reflections of his own emotions.
For me though I was somewhat disappointed by it. Visually it was a feast for the eyes but I felt the movie’s issues of hardship and family bonds where a little to overpowering for its target audience, (which I gather are children.) It tries to deliver characters which reflect Max’s emotions but in fact they’re never explained in such a way where the audience is aware of this. I can see the direction in which Jonze was going for but the film comes off much like its lead, confused and muddled.
A good film none the less, it does have some visually stunning moments and wonderful shots followed by some amazing “wild things” but the film seems lost in what morals it’s trying to say. Oh and the violent hand-held camera work wasn’t needed for this.
Paranoid Park (2007)
Directed by the (so called) acclaimed Gus Van Sant, Paranoid Park tells the story of a teenage skater whos life is turned upside down when he deals with the murder of a security guard.
It sounds like a simple plot (which it is) and sounds like your typical indi flick; driven by its characters and unique cinematography. But that couldn’t be more from the truth. The reality is a film which is so “Anti-hollywood” that it just comes across as annoying and in the process the story is subsequently lost. Paranoid Park tries to deliver something that has never been seen before; lengthy slow motion shots with an abstract score to match are here there and everywhere but why? It makes no sense, especially when these shots show the protagonist (whos name I didnt know until I looked it up) walking down a corridor after nothing happens.
Its a boring mess of a film whose attempt to be the opposite side of the pond to Hollywood renders the film moot. It makes films like Transformers 2 or Snakes on a Plane look like works of art, because at least they’re films which stick to the plot and have characters who blink.
The actors are lifeless and dull. The main character might have well been a face painted onto a plank of wood, he never even lifts an eyelid even after hes cut someone in half, who in turn just stares blankly back! I never usually get angry with films but Paranoid Park hits the nail on the head.
In summary: This is exactly why I trust Hollywood to entertain me. It’s a film which tries too hard to be a cool out there picture which breaks all the fundamental rules of film making but really they should have stuck with them. Boring and lifeless, I never want to be within 100 yards of it again.
2012 (2009)
2012 is the ultimate disaster movie surrounding the future prediction of the end of the world, which will occur on the 21st of December 2012. It follows a simple family who learn that the government have a plan to save humanity and its a race against time to join the survival.
Roland Emmerich is known for his love of disaster films. Ever since audiences viewed the city of New York getting obliterated by the alien ships in Independence Day we knew he had an eye for it. But this is his last and boy does he go out with a bang. The scale of this movie is huge! The wide views of the earths destruction are phenomenal, the effects are brilliant and you can tell thats where all the budget went and its money well spent it looks amazing.
The story line is alittle thin but what more is there to expect from an Emmerich disaster movie. Emmerich revels in keeping alive the classic genré following the likes of the Towering Inferno or The Poseidon Adventure, its full of cheesy lines and toungue in cheek moments but thats what we paid to see. If anyone walked into the cinema expecting the next Citizen Kane they went for the wrong reason.
2012 is a film you’d imagine in your head when you were 8. Its explosions left right and centre with crumbling buildings and erupting volcanoes its Emmerich’s Piéce de resistance and you could tell he was having a lot of fun with it. I knew the tongue in cheek factor in this film would be a lot and I thought that would be a let down but to my surprise I was entertain throughout its lengthy 158 minutes and that is why Roland Emmerich is one of the worlds most perfect entertainers.
