Monday, June 22, 2009
SurReel
Hmm... The title of this entry could make a nice title for a story too... I'm a sucker for corny puns.
Anyway, I just came across some promo pictures for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland slated for release in March 5th 2010.
I love how starkly surreal the images look, especially of The Mad Hatter and The Red Queen. I haven't yet read Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, though I should pick it up some time. The first Alice iteration I ever came across was Fushigi no kuni no Alice or Alice in Wunderland, an animated TV series. I'd catch it every day after school when I was in kindergarten. I found it really strange and surreal, and liked it a whole lot. I haven't seen it since, but it's probably nowhere near as great as I remember it to be. I saw the Disney animated classic a bit later on and wasn't as thrilled as I was with the series. Then a few years ago I saw the fuck fest Neco z Alenky or Alice, very warped, insane visuals, and the very definition of surreal. Yet, I still don't know what to make of it. Then I played the computer game American McGee's Alice, which, I mean, had fantastic visuals, and a gothic soundtrack that I listen to even up to now, but suffered from an anemic plot. It also lacked the humour and whimsy which is supposed to come with Alice's Wonderland. There was a lot of room for some pitch black humour in a dysfunctional wonderland that American McGee, (a one hit wonder who needs to put his name before ever game he produces) absolutely missed out on.
Burton's is to be a sequel to the story, and will be part CG using mo-cap. I just hope it doesn't look as stiff, wooden, and uncanny valley as Beowulf and Monster House.
Most movies by Tim Burton, I've enjoyed, whether it's a lot or just mildly, I admit that a lot of it has to do with the visuals. But then there's also the childlike whimsy and black humour-lite that he incorporates.
He's far from perfect. Some of the flaws stick out like sore thumbs, like the singing, Freudian mumbo jumbo, and corny jokes thrown into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sometimes the imperfections make the movies better, at least to me, like the quirkiness, humour, and the over-the-top performance of Danny Devito as the Penguin in Batman Returns. However, he's put out a few steaming turds as well, such as Mars Attacks, Planet of The Apes, and Corpse Bride. As for Alice, it's too early to tell, but at least my eyes will be pleased.
I generally hate movie going because most movies are manufactured. There's explosive summer blockbuster, romantic comedy, broad comedy, mediocre horror sequel/clone/remake. Every once in a while, they'll throw out the Oscar contenders, which in most (but not all) cases bore me to tears, and normally surface around the end of the year, then it's rinse and repeat. Of course there are movies that come out and get wide enough release that actually catch my attention. This year's offered me nothing.
I've gone to see Observe and Report, or as I call it, The Dark Mall Cop. It's a painfully funny movie in more ways than one. Painful in the physical sense because I laughed pretty hard throughout it, and painful psychologically because of how disturbing it gets at times, at some of the dark places it goes to, and the discomfort felt in certain situations. I can't call it great, I mean, it couldn't be called an intellectual movie, visually it's just above average, and most of the characters are 2-Dimensional. But it's unmistakeably dark, featuring a bi-polar protagonist, a dirty cop, a disturbing damsel in distress, hardcore violence, and something bordering on date-rape. It seems like it was a polarizing movie, with people either loving or hating it. I admire it for its sheer gumption, and the fact that it turns genial funny man Seth Rogen into an unsympathetic headcase. People who went in expecting it to be another Knocked Up were in for a brutal surprise.
I went to see Coraline which was better than I expected to be. It had some nightmarish visuals, and was mostly faithful to the plot. The added character of Wybie, who seems to just be there because they needed someone for little boys to root for, was actually very likeable. Coraline, however, was made to be an obnoxious brat, something she wasn't in the novel. I almost wish her eyes did get sewn over with buttons, along with her larynx. It also didn't go too far with the 3D gimmick, which I'm thankful for.
I was dragged to watch The Watchmen. Which, content wise was faithful to the graphic novel, even if it was abridged. Yet a lot more seemed to be missing. I also believe that Zack Snyder was the wrong person to direct it. He made it more about being a super hero film with a socio-political backdrop rather than it being the other way around. The unsubtle choices of music pertaining to certain eras made me cringe, I hated the speed ramp effects and over choreographed fight scenes, and the acting by some of the characters was piss poor. Also certain elements which were substantial to the plot were tiptoed over or not properly conveyed.
I also saw Crank 2 which was mindless schlock, but something I enjoyed thoroughly. I hate Jason Statham movies because they reek of machismo, and he's the same guy in everything he stars in. But in this case, it was just an over-the-top comedy, an expensive Troma movie filmed on cameras from Wal-Mart.
I saw Drag Me To Hell which was supposed to be Sam Raimi's return to horror comedy, but which I found to be pretty forgettable.
That's all I've gone to see for the year, which is more than I initially thought. I would still like to see Up and The Brothers Bloom some time.
I look forward to seeing 9, the film of The Road, Pandorum , and Zombieland. As well, there are other gems in the more obscure market that will be coming out some time too, such as Hisss, and Surveillance by David Lynch offspring Jennifer Chambers Lynch. Admittedly, it looks like she's a Lynch imitating Lynch, but I'll give her movies a fair chance. They certainly seem like they can be unnerving. Cold Souls looks pretty interesting, even though it seems like they're trying to imitate Charlie Kaufman. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Micmacs a tire-larigot is supposed to come out some time this year, though probably only in France/Europe. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Michel Gondry, and David Lynch are the top surreal film directors of this time. Oh, and speaking of Terry Gilliam, he has The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I feel a little lukewarm about that one. Terry Gilliam has been off his game lately with The Brothers Grimm and Tideland. As well, I don't respect much of Heath Ledger's acting. He hasn't starred in one movie or like or given one performance I thought to be remarkable. I will still give it a chance.
Quite a few interesting, dark and/or surreal pictures are coming out, though most will probably not be the easiest to get to. I will just have to make sure I get access somehow.
See everyone in hell!
