Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince is a fans only movie. If you have never seen any of the Harry Potter movies and suddenly decide to see what the fuss is about...this is not the movie to start with. Don't get me wrong - the movie is terrific! But you need to be following the story. AND it would help if you reviewed the last movie, The Order of the Phoenix, before seeing this one.
Once again the movie can stand on it's own for someone who has not read the book but just barely. You know the movie mommy rule about movies made from books - the movie has to be enjoyed without reading the book. Since I did read the books it is hard to separate myself from that BUT it has been a while since I read The Half Blood Prince and much of the narrative seemed new to me.
I would call this movie the Empire Strikes Back of the Harry Potter movies. If you saw Empire in the movies and felt that pang in your stomach of, "WHAT?!?!" when it ended, that is, with no real ending to speak of. What about Han frozen in carbonite? What about Darth Vader being Luke's father? WTF?! Well, we didn't have that last acronym back then but you get the point.
However, if you read the books, The Half Blood Prince is kind of anti-climactic. You know what happens next! Dumbledore? Harry and Ginny? Raging hormones? Ron and Hermione? Snape? Malfoy? WTF?! Well, you get the point!
This movie has all the darkness you expect plus some things you have been looking forward to seeing. Like we finally see the Weasley twin's joke shop and more cool places in Hogwarts. The set designers like to keep Hogwarts changing and that is fine with me. Plus, a great Quiddith match, wand duels, dark magic, a new teacher and excellent effects.
No, I am not going to go into the plot because you will have to go and enjoy!
As a fan of the books, you will want to read the final book again after watching this movie. As a fan of the movies - you are just going to have to wait until the next movie (which I heard will actually be two movies) to finish the final story for you.
You are just going to have to live with that Empire feeling in your stomach.
MMMM1/2Ms (out of 5 M's)
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Transformers 2
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: I don't ask a lot from a movie. I like to leave my brain at the door and be entertained. BUT I don't need the film maker to assume I did leave my brain at the door and make a movie that is well...brainless.
This movie suffers from the same problem the first Transformers movie did - The Transformers are more interesting and well thought out characters than the flesh and blood ones.
Shia LaBeouf had some obvious potential in The Greatest Game Ever Played but has since squandered any talent in material such as this and the last Indiana Jones installment. I know it isn't easy talking to a character that isn't there (special effects) but at least give it some effort. The rest of the cast are well known and reliable character actors but seem to wince their way through this lame material.
The Transformer thing never gets old, I have to admit. I totally dig those guys going from cars, planes and truck to being big bad ass robots. Maybe that is a problem as well. I would rather see a movie of just the Transformers doing their thing. It is certainly more entertaining than anything else in the movie.
In any case, Transformers 2 follows our hero, Sam, off to college where he has some post-pubescent antics and finds out he has acquired some kind of special knowledge and now the bad guy robots, Decepticons, are after it. I can't believe it would be hard to find what is in this guy's brain, anything extra would stand out. Yawn. The military now has a special unit that is dedicated to finding these Decepticons, since the last movie, and end up bumbling through a major city and tearing it up a bit. The unit is shut down and the good robots, Autobots, are mothballed. Of course, the Decepticons stir things up and our Autobots are called on again. Big battle scenes, etc. There are some references to some old time Autobots and shows pictures of them as model T's and bi-planes. I really thought they were going to resurrect some of those. Now, that would have been cool but not to be. Please hurry up and end this 2 and half hour movie!
Another problem I have with this movie, which I also had with the first one, are the amount of US military casualties. Maybe it is because we are at war and maybe it is because much of the military bloodletting is in the desert scenes of this movie but I find it disturbing. Sure the scene with a Decepticon crashing through the deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt is a stunning effect but it is also hard to watch. The ship sinks with all hands lost. We see people and planes sinking to the bottom of the ocean. I heard that kids in my son's class at school (4 and 5 year olds) were talking about seeing this movie. I cannot imagine how they felt watching a ship, much like one of their parents could be on, being destroyed. I know, I know, in most sci fi movies, such as Independence Day, the military is being obliterated left and right but something about the way this movie goes about it is different. At least for me. It also shows the military being heroic but we know this already.
This movie is not for kids. I don't want to sound like a fuddy duddy but there is some cursing (by parental types), drug references (once again by a parent) and even a reference to "cherry popping" (by a parent!). They could have called this movie, "Parents Behaving Badly."
The movie suffers on many levels and that includes - Who is the intended audience?
Yes, I am being harsh. I know it's only comic book sci fi stuff BUT after movies such as Iron Man and most recently Terminator Salvation and Star Trek - we, the fans, want more. Maybe that is my problem, the last movie I saw was Star Trek and was superior quality for sci fi and well, any movie. My suggestion is see if Star Trek is still playing and go see that.
MM (out of 5 M's) because the Transformer effects are so cool.
This movie suffers from the same problem the first Transformers movie did - The Transformers are more interesting and well thought out characters than the flesh and blood ones.
Shia LaBeouf had some obvious potential in The Greatest Game Ever Played but has since squandered any talent in material such as this and the last Indiana Jones installment. I know it isn't easy talking to a character that isn't there (special effects) but at least give it some effort. The rest of the cast are well known and reliable character actors but seem to wince their way through this lame material.
The Transformer thing never gets old, I have to admit. I totally dig those guys going from cars, planes and truck to being big bad ass robots. Maybe that is a problem as well. I would rather see a movie of just the Transformers doing their thing. It is certainly more entertaining than anything else in the movie.
In any case, Transformers 2 follows our hero, Sam, off to college where he has some post-pubescent antics and finds out he has acquired some kind of special knowledge and now the bad guy robots, Decepticons, are after it. I can't believe it would be hard to find what is in this guy's brain, anything extra would stand out. Yawn. The military now has a special unit that is dedicated to finding these Decepticons, since the last movie, and end up bumbling through a major city and tearing it up a bit. The unit is shut down and the good robots, Autobots, are mothballed. Of course, the Decepticons stir things up and our Autobots are called on again. Big battle scenes, etc. There are some references to some old time Autobots and shows pictures of them as model T's and bi-planes. I really thought they were going to resurrect some of those. Now, that would have been cool but not to be. Please hurry up and end this 2 and half hour movie!
Another problem I have with this movie, which I also had with the first one, are the amount of US military casualties. Maybe it is because we are at war and maybe it is because much of the military bloodletting is in the desert scenes of this movie but I find it disturbing. Sure the scene with a Decepticon crashing through the deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt is a stunning effect but it is also hard to watch. The ship sinks with all hands lost. We see people and planes sinking to the bottom of the ocean. I heard that kids in my son's class at school (4 and 5 year olds) were talking about seeing this movie. I cannot imagine how they felt watching a ship, much like one of their parents could be on, being destroyed. I know, I know, in most sci fi movies, such as Independence Day, the military is being obliterated left and right but something about the way this movie goes about it is different. At least for me. It also shows the military being heroic but we know this already.
This movie is not for kids. I don't want to sound like a fuddy duddy but there is some cursing (by parental types), drug references (once again by a parent) and even a reference to "cherry popping" (by a parent!). They could have called this movie, "Parents Behaving Badly."
The movie suffers on many levels and that includes - Who is the intended audience?
Yes, I am being harsh. I know it's only comic book sci fi stuff BUT after movies such as Iron Man and most recently Terminator Salvation and Star Trek - we, the fans, want more. Maybe that is my problem, the last movie I saw was Star Trek and was superior quality for sci fi and well, any movie. My suggestion is see if Star Trek is still playing and go see that.
MM (out of 5 M's) because the Transformer effects are so cool.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Graduate
Last night about 30 children marched in their white caps and gowns to collect their diplomas and graduated...from preschool. Perhaps it is not the most monumental event in their lives. I would say it is more monumental for the parents.
My son graduated.
He did not stand still, sit still or do anything else still. He used his diploma like a sword with a girl next to him. When the music didn't come on for their little number they were doing, my son decided it was time for entertainment. He stood in the back doing his own thing, which whatever it was, had him ending up in a ball on the stage. The teacher kept coming over and picking him up off the floor. The guy sitting behind me commented to his wife, "Look at that kid up there! He's a riot! He doesn't care that there is no music. He is just doing it anyway." I turned around and asked which kid they were referring to and they pointed out my son. I said, sheepishly, that was my son. And they thought he was great. I was surprised. They didn't see a little boy out of control. They saw a kid...being a kid.
My husband was mortified that my son wasn't doing what he was supposed to and sulked about it afterwards. He was proud but didn't know what happened. The teachers all told him how wonderfully our son did. I pointed out that most of the kids were rammy and not behaving. My son was the one that a teacher had to hold the hand of all the time. He has some energy. He also has autism spectrum disorder.
I thought my son did wonderfully at graduation, not just for his challenges, but compared to his peers. Most people don't know there is anything wrong with him. And for the most part, I don't think so either.
He is beautiful and smart and I watched him graduate. I was so proud!
He starts kindergarten in the fall and the world of mainstream academics. Yikes! He will be put in the cookie cutter pipeline and start his journey through school. That anyone comes out unscathed would be amazing. I hope he maintains some of his uniqueness.
He is already ahead of his peers, I feel, in regards to many things. He can count to 100 and can ad complex amounts. He can build things from the picture directions (I can hardly do that) and knows how a calendar works. He can write all his letters upper case and lower. I think he is gifted.
He does his own dance, marches to a different drummer and sees the world in his own sweet way. He dances in 3/4 time, 5/4 time and probably a Samba now and then. He is a big boy and sees the world with all it's wonder - intact.
And so, my son graduated. And as I looked at him up on stage I wondered what he would look like in 13 years graduating from high school. Will he still use his diploma as a sword, dance to his own music, see the world with wonder and stretch his arms out to his side and say, "Look at me!"?
I sure hope so.
My son graduated.
He did not stand still, sit still or do anything else still. He used his diploma like a sword with a girl next to him. When the music didn't come on for their little number they were doing, my son decided it was time for entertainment. He stood in the back doing his own thing, which whatever it was, had him ending up in a ball on the stage. The teacher kept coming over and picking him up off the floor. The guy sitting behind me commented to his wife, "Look at that kid up there! He's a riot! He doesn't care that there is no music. He is just doing it anyway." I turned around and asked which kid they were referring to and they pointed out my son. I said, sheepishly, that was my son. And they thought he was great. I was surprised. They didn't see a little boy out of control. They saw a kid...being a kid.
My husband was mortified that my son wasn't doing what he was supposed to and sulked about it afterwards. He was proud but didn't know what happened. The teachers all told him how wonderfully our son did. I pointed out that most of the kids were rammy and not behaving. My son was the one that a teacher had to hold the hand of all the time. He has some energy. He also has autism spectrum disorder.
I thought my son did wonderfully at graduation, not just for his challenges, but compared to his peers. Most people don't know there is anything wrong with him. And for the most part, I don't think so either.
He is beautiful and smart and I watched him graduate. I was so proud!
He starts kindergarten in the fall and the world of mainstream academics. Yikes! He will be put in the cookie cutter pipeline and start his journey through school. That anyone comes out unscathed would be amazing. I hope he maintains some of his uniqueness.
He is already ahead of his peers, I feel, in regards to many things. He can count to 100 and can ad complex amounts. He can build things from the picture directions (I can hardly do that) and knows how a calendar works. He can write all his letters upper case and lower. I think he is gifted.
He does his own dance, marches to a different drummer and sees the world in his own sweet way. He dances in 3/4 time, 5/4 time and probably a Samba now and then. He is a big boy and sees the world with all it's wonder - intact.
And so, my son graduated. And as I looked at him up on stage I wondered what he would look like in 13 years graduating from high school. Will he still use his diploma as a sword, dance to his own music, see the world with wonder and stretch his arms out to his side and say, "Look at me!"?
I sure hope so.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Terminator Salvation Review
The Terminator series of movies has always seemed to find itself in a time travel conundrum. Is each movie moving forward or moving back? Because the first Terminator machine was sent back in time from the future by John Connor - whom we meet in subsequent movies but isn't even born yet in Terminator (1984) but sends his father back in time to save his own mother from the Terminator. Hmmmm...and so begs the question: Is Terminator Salvation a prequel or sequel? The way it ties all the movies together - it is both.
Terminator (1984) was a sci fi movie that bordered horror (like Alien). And the violence in the movie was extreme, for it's day. There were no super special effects, as computer graphics were in the infant stage. With the debut of Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) we see the incredible groundbreaking special effects that became what people wanted from all movies, as well as good old fashioned action and John Connor. Let's not forget mega-blockbuster movie. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines(2003) goes back to the budget of the first movie but gives us more of John Connor and how his future came to be. Yes, more John Connor. It seems from the first Terminator movie, when we first see John Connor standing in the post-apocalyptic landscape, we want more! We want a movie about John Connor and future he sent the Terminators from. And, of course, more Terminators.
Well, we got our movie!
In Terminator Salvation we see a lot of John Connor (Christian Bale). He is the voice of human resistance against the Terminators, machines and Skynet. He is just another soldier at this point but we know from the other movies, and he knows, he will be the future leaderof the human race. John Connor's character is in a strange position of knowing the past and future at the same time. He listens to tapes his mother made him and she explains the things about himself that she learned from his father, whom he sent from the future - in his own future. In any case, John Connor is leading a fight against the machines and the resistance is going to make a big move against Skynet but Connor sees something isn't right about what is happening. Little known Australian actor Sam Worthington makes a stunning debut in this movie. He plays, as we know from the previews, a Terminator that doesn't know he is a Terminator. This puts his character in an interesting position to help or hurt John Connor.
I won't give much more away except that the special effects and story will be a treat for any Terminator series fans out there. And it does bring the story arch full circle - as a prequel and sequel.
The only thing that surprised me about this movie was all the fire power the humans had. They even had jets and a submarine. I guess I expected the humans to be a little more low tech. But not at all detracting from the movie. Humans kicking Terminator butt is always fun.
I recommend this movie! It IS a big screener, so please go see it at the movies.
MMMM (out of 5 M's)
Terminator (1984) was a sci fi movie that bordered horror (like Alien). And the violence in the movie was extreme, for it's day. There were no super special effects, as computer graphics were in the infant stage. With the debut of Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) we see the incredible groundbreaking special effects that became what people wanted from all movies, as well as good old fashioned action and John Connor. Let's not forget mega-blockbuster movie. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines(2003) goes back to the budget of the first movie but gives us more of John Connor and how his future came to be. Yes, more John Connor. It seems from the first Terminator movie, when we first see John Connor standing in the post-apocalyptic landscape, we want more! We want a movie about John Connor and future he sent the Terminators from. And, of course, more Terminators.
Well, we got our movie!
In Terminator Salvation we see a lot of John Connor (Christian Bale). He is the voice of human resistance against the Terminators, machines and Skynet. He is just another soldier at this point but we know from the other movies, and he knows, he will be the future leaderof the human race. John Connor's character is in a strange position of knowing the past and future at the same time. He listens to tapes his mother made him and she explains the things about himself that she learned from his father, whom he sent from the future - in his own future. In any case, John Connor is leading a fight against the machines and the resistance is going to make a big move against Skynet but Connor sees something isn't right about what is happening. Little known Australian actor Sam Worthington makes a stunning debut in this movie. He plays, as we know from the previews, a Terminator that doesn't know he is a Terminator. This puts his character in an interesting position to help or hurt John Connor.
I won't give much more away except that the special effects and story will be a treat for any Terminator series fans out there. And it does bring the story arch full circle - as a prequel and sequel.
The only thing that surprised me about this movie was all the fire power the humans had. They even had jets and a submarine. I guess I expected the humans to be a little more low tech. But not at all detracting from the movie. Humans kicking Terminator butt is always fun.
I recommend this movie! It IS a big screener, so please go see it at the movies.
MMMM (out of 5 M's)
Friday, May 8, 2009
STAR TREK
Star Trek is, in a word, GREAT! Okay, end of review. Just kidding! About the end of review part.
I am sure there are some Star Trek purists out there who are just looking for something to poo poo on about this movie. I really couldn't find anything.
I have to admit, it took me a bit to get used to it all...new Kirk, Spock, etc. But you will find yourself more than pleasantly surprised with how the movie unfolds. I was looking for more of the morality play that the usual Star Trek episode would bring - Gene Roddenberry's trademark. But there was enough story and action to cover anything I was expecting the movie to be.
I really can't say much about the movie with out giving away the whole thing. The beginning seems strained and searching for where the movie is heading but that is like that for a reason and you just gotta hang in there to find out.
We meet Kirk and Spock as children and then as young men both searching for where they belong. The rest of the crew is introduced and we are happy when the entire "family" is together. The actors do a good job with some of the biggest and hardest shoes to fill. And you will find out why Zachary Quinto had the hardest job and had to look the most like his character of Spock. Everyone knows that Leonard Nimoy is in this movie but I was surprised by how much he was in the movie and how his pivotal role is. That is all I will say about that!
I look forward to perhaps a director's cut because I have a feeling there was quite a bit cut out. I find it hard to believe that Winona Ryder would appear only in age make up as Spock's mother. We will have to wait and see.
The action is terrific and effects are right on. And there is more than a nod to the original Star Trek series to give tribute and well, accept the torch that has been passed to them. Leonard Nimoy appearing in this movie is indeed an endorsement and a torch passing.
When the cast of Star Trek: Next Generation made their first movie there was a tie in with the original series. Kirk and Picard even met, have an exchange and even fight the bad guy together. Not the best Star Trek movie but it was the end of the original series being the headliners. Leonard Nimoy had a large part in a two part Next Generation episode and even James "Scotty" Doohan appeared in an different episode (DeForest "Bones" Kelley also appeared in the Next Generation pilot but that was forgettable).
I am a die hard Trekkie and I accept that fact that in order for the Star Trek franchise to survive into another generation it must be taken over by another generation.
I look forward to the next movie!
MMMMM (out of 5 M's)
I am sure there are some Star Trek purists out there who are just looking for something to poo poo on about this movie. I really couldn't find anything.
I have to admit, it took me a bit to get used to it all...new Kirk, Spock, etc. But you will find yourself more than pleasantly surprised with how the movie unfolds. I was looking for more of the morality play that the usual Star Trek episode would bring - Gene Roddenberry's trademark. But there was enough story and action to cover anything I was expecting the movie to be.
I really can't say much about the movie with out giving away the whole thing. The beginning seems strained and searching for where the movie is heading but that is like that for a reason and you just gotta hang in there to find out.
We meet Kirk and Spock as children and then as young men both searching for where they belong. The rest of the crew is introduced and we are happy when the entire "family" is together. The actors do a good job with some of the biggest and hardest shoes to fill. And you will find out why Zachary Quinto had the hardest job and had to look the most like his character of Spock. Everyone knows that Leonard Nimoy is in this movie but I was surprised by how much he was in the movie and how his pivotal role is. That is all I will say about that!
I look forward to perhaps a director's cut because I have a feeling there was quite a bit cut out. I find it hard to believe that Winona Ryder would appear only in age make up as Spock's mother. We will have to wait and see.
The action is terrific and effects are right on. And there is more than a nod to the original Star Trek series to give tribute and well, accept the torch that has been passed to them. Leonard Nimoy appearing in this movie is indeed an endorsement and a torch passing.
When the cast of Star Trek: Next Generation made their first movie there was a tie in with the original series. Kirk and Picard even met, have an exchange and even fight the bad guy together. Not the best Star Trek movie but it was the end of the original series being the headliners. Leonard Nimoy had a large part in a two part Next Generation episode and even James "Scotty" Doohan appeared in an different episode (DeForest "Bones" Kelley also appeared in the Next Generation pilot but that was forgettable).
I am a die hard Trekkie and I accept that fact that in order for the Star Trek franchise to survive into another generation it must be taken over by another generation.
I look forward to the next movie!
MMMMM (out of 5 M's)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine: The title of this movie implies there will be other "Origins" movies but to tell you the truth, I am not really interested in any of the other mutants origins. We learn that most develop their mutant powers as adolescents. But in the first X-Men movie we meet Logan/Wolverine and he is intriguing because he does not know his own past and he is a man with mutant powers that has also been tampered with. We don't know by whom. There is some information given in the second X-Men movie but not enough to satisfy Logan or the audience.
Wolverine is supposed to answer those questions - who is Wolverine and how and why did he get experimented on?
The movie opens with us meeting young Logan and his older brother and after an unfortunate claw incident go on the run together. We see them going on the run together through time and through every major conflict up through Vietnam. This is when it is discovered that the brothers both have healing abilities and appear to be immortal. Oh, Logan's claws are not metal, they are long spiny bones - actually kind of gross looking. Logan's brother, Victor, has vampire like teeth and his already long fingernails grow into claws. After working in black ops for the government with other mutants, Logan has had enough and wants a "normal" life. Little does he know that the same nefarious government agency that used him for black ops also has other designs on mutants. Logan agrees to an experiment that will give him limitless killing powers. He wants to this to kill Victor because Victor has been doing some bad things (can't give it all away!). After Logan has his skeleton fused with metal he decides he doesn't want to be in the service of the government and just wants to hunt Victor. He finds some unpleasant things out along the way and has his eyes opened to what is happening to other mutants. I don't want to give it all away because I want you to see this movie. By the way, Victor is Sabertooth (for those of you in the know).
There are some unnecessary killing of some civilians and some unfortunate killing of some mutants we get to know and that are played by decent actors. That is what I would say are any faults to this movie.
I don't know anything about who all the mutants were in the movie and anything about the origins of X-Men characters from the comic books. I just know about the X-Men trilogy and what is introduced by those characters. Keep that in mind when I say that I really enjoyed this movie. And no, it wasn't just because Hugh Jackman has some naked butt scenes (it doesn't hurt).
What I was looking for in this movie was a worthy prequel to a perfectly established franchise. Remember the disappointment we all had with The Phantom Menace? I really didn't want to see that again with this movie. AND I didn't!
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Liev Schreiber as Sabertooth definitely make this movie. Talented or at least name actors were not always in sci-fi or fantasy movies but with the dawn of 1987's Batman, the Spiderman trilogy, Men in Black, X-Men trilogy, The Hulk and Iron Man, these ARE the kinds of movies that, what I call, real actors are going for. Jackman and Schrieber are excellent actors and they certainly chew up the scenery with their acting in what is seemingly an effects driven movie.
Great fun and worth the price of admission!
MMMM (out of 5 M's)
Wolverine is supposed to answer those questions - who is Wolverine and how and why did he get experimented on?
The movie opens with us meeting young Logan and his older brother and after an unfortunate claw incident go on the run together. We see them going on the run together through time and through every major conflict up through Vietnam. This is when it is discovered that the brothers both have healing abilities and appear to be immortal. Oh, Logan's claws are not metal, they are long spiny bones - actually kind of gross looking. Logan's brother, Victor, has vampire like teeth and his already long fingernails grow into claws. After working in black ops for the government with other mutants, Logan has had enough and wants a "normal" life. Little does he know that the same nefarious government agency that used him for black ops also has other designs on mutants. Logan agrees to an experiment that will give him limitless killing powers. He wants to this to kill Victor because Victor has been doing some bad things (can't give it all away!). After Logan has his skeleton fused with metal he decides he doesn't want to be in the service of the government and just wants to hunt Victor. He finds some unpleasant things out along the way and has his eyes opened to what is happening to other mutants. I don't want to give it all away because I want you to see this movie. By the way, Victor is Sabertooth (for those of you in the know).
There are some unnecessary killing of some civilians and some unfortunate killing of some mutants we get to know and that are played by decent actors. That is what I would say are any faults to this movie.
I don't know anything about who all the mutants were in the movie and anything about the origins of X-Men characters from the comic books. I just know about the X-Men trilogy and what is introduced by those characters. Keep that in mind when I say that I really enjoyed this movie. And no, it wasn't just because Hugh Jackman has some naked butt scenes (it doesn't hurt).
What I was looking for in this movie was a worthy prequel to a perfectly established franchise. Remember the disappointment we all had with The Phantom Menace? I really didn't want to see that again with this movie. AND I didn't!
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Liev Schreiber as Sabertooth definitely make this movie. Talented or at least name actors were not always in sci-fi or fantasy movies but with the dawn of 1987's Batman, the Spiderman trilogy, Men in Black, X-Men trilogy, The Hulk and Iron Man, these ARE the kinds of movies that, what I call, real actors are going for. Jackman and Schrieber are excellent actors and they certainly chew up the scenery with their acting in what is seemingly an effects driven movie.
Great fun and worth the price of admission!
MMMM (out of 5 M's)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Wrestler
The Wrestler is not what I expected or what other people had said about it. I think it is one of those movies that is really something different to everyone. I know that is vague but I think this movie will hit you differently depending on your experiences in life. One could say that about any movie but this movie has some elements that work on emotions that are raw - much like the wrestler himself.
Mickey Rourke does do an amazing and impressive job of playing an aging professional wrestler who still works the wrestling circuit. He used to be as big as Hulk Hogan but not works in the semi-pro, small arena or high gym shows. I would disagree with someone who would say his character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, was "washed up." I don't think the movie portrays that. He doesn't wrestle because he needs the money. A washed up wrestler would be a character like in the 1962 classic Requiem for a Heavyweight who has to become something ridiculous to make the money. The Ram doesn't see himself as ridiculous. The young wrestlers he meets respect him because he is an old pro they grew up with and can learn from. They all clap for him when he comes into the dressing room.
After going through a bypass operation, The Ram must hang it up or risk his own life in the ring. He wonders what he is going to do and at the suggestion of a stripper he frequents (Marisa Tomei in a total throw away and useless part), he decides to try and reconcile with his estranged daughter. He tries but screws it up. He also tries having a regular job and a possible relationship with the stripper but he can't.
He can only do one thing and that is wrestle. I don't find much about the movie depressing. Here is the The Ram and he loves to wrestle. If you have never heard the sound of applause for your performance then you won't get why he has to keep doing it. Applause is the most intoxicating and addictive drug there is. In the ring he is not some old dude that used to be famous - he still is famous and still The Ram that gets the cheers. The Ram looks for love in all the wrong places - except in the ring. There he finds the purist love of all and people who love him for who he really is - the wrestler.
MMM (out of 5 M's)
Mickey Rourke does do an amazing and impressive job of playing an aging professional wrestler who still works the wrestling circuit. He used to be as big as Hulk Hogan but not works in the semi-pro, small arena or high gym shows. I would disagree with someone who would say his character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, was "washed up." I don't think the movie portrays that. He doesn't wrestle because he needs the money. A washed up wrestler would be a character like in the 1962 classic Requiem for a Heavyweight who has to become something ridiculous to make the money. The Ram doesn't see himself as ridiculous. The young wrestlers he meets respect him because he is an old pro they grew up with and can learn from. They all clap for him when he comes into the dressing room.
After going through a bypass operation, The Ram must hang it up or risk his own life in the ring. He wonders what he is going to do and at the suggestion of a stripper he frequents (Marisa Tomei in a total throw away and useless part), he decides to try and reconcile with his estranged daughter. He tries but screws it up. He also tries having a regular job and a possible relationship with the stripper but he can't.
He can only do one thing and that is wrestle. I don't find much about the movie depressing. Here is the The Ram and he loves to wrestle. If you have never heard the sound of applause for your performance then you won't get why he has to keep doing it. Applause is the most intoxicating and addictive drug there is. In the ring he is not some old dude that used to be famous - he still is famous and still The Ram that gets the cheers. The Ram looks for love in all the wrong places - except in the ring. There he finds the purist love of all and people who love him for who he really is - the wrestler.
MMM (out of 5 M's)
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