Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Admiral
Admiral is not a movie that would have been made 30-20-maybe even 10 years ago in Russia, but itseems lately that the time is come for Russia to rehabilitate some of her heroes from before - or in this case during - the revolution. Alexander Kolchak (played by Konstantin Khabenskiy, in a role that did not stretch him much) was leader of the White Russians, who vied for control of the country following the downfall of the Russian monarchy. Admiral tells the love story of Anna Kapel and Admiral Kolchak against the backdrop of the 1st World War and the revolution and subsequent battle for control of Russia.
As depicted in the film, Kolchak is not a sympathetic character, and I had a hard time rooting for either Anna or the admiral. Anna was the wife of a subordinate, very well portrayed by Sergei Bezrukov, and Kolchak himself was married. The affair, although unconsummated until after the two of them had separated from their spouses, broke up two marriages and was, I thought, unconscionable. More interesting to me was the glimpse into Russian history, although doubtless as skewed as such a movie would be in America. I am moved to know more about this period.
I think Andrei Kravchuk and Ron Maxwell must have had the same teacher in film school. As I watched the story of Admiral Kolchak played out in stylish vignettes with not much connecting story, I couldn't help but think that here was an opportunity wasted. Director Kravchuk certainly has an eye for setting a scene; the movie is gorgeously shot. Costumes and locations draw you into the period. Battlefield recreations are nicely done and if Admiral had a story to match, this might have been a great film. I swear that if a scene with Admiral Kravchuk praying with a negro cook had been included, I would not have been surprised.There was in fact a scene where Kolchak leads his sailors in prayer during a battle against a German battleship. At least Admiral moves right along, where Maxwell's Gods and Generals was insufferably slow-paced.
The problem with epics is that characters get lost. To properly develop characters, the movies have to run way long. It seems most directors never quite get the balance right.
The movie I saw was in Russian with English subtitles; I could be wrong, but given the packaging of the DVD I obtained, I imagine this was probably geared to Russian-American buyers. The included MP3 CD was all Russian dialogue and so was useless to me. I had rather hoped it contained a soundtrack or something - no such luck. I got a horrible recording - I watched large chunks of the movie in stop motion and no sound. I'm hoping to return it and get a good copy. Perhaps my opinion is colored by the problems I had with the disc.
I would recommend Admiral with some reservation. It is a beautifully shot movie, after all. As I understand it, Admiral was made on a budget of $20 million. If true, it's amazing what the Russians can do with a tenth of the budget of an American flick. After I get a clean copy of the DVD, I'll try it again and maybe offer a different take.
Elizaveta Boyarskay, who plays Anna is - well - HOT! Labels: movies
Sunday, December 28, 2008
"Es lebe heiliges Deutschland!"
****
With those words still on his lips, a German firing squad ended the life of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg following a failed assassination and attempted coup. With any luck, it will also end Tom Cruise's desire to play Wehrmacht officers in otherwise decent movies. As noted below, I suspected that Cruise was miscast for the role of von Stauffenberg in the film Valkyrie. Unfortunately, I was right. His performance was a bit stiff and his accent jarring. Everyone knows that Germans speak with English accents in "B" grade WW II movies and Cruise's accent was American. Nondescript American, at that.
The film suffered from a couple of flaws - one inherent and the other not. The story could only end in one way and stay true to history, so if you are historically literate at all there aren't any surprises. The other is that there wasn't enough focus on Von Stauffenberg to draw you into his character, although this may have been exacerbated by Cruise's performance. I would have been interested in seeing a little more of the relationship between Claus and Nina, his wife - played by Carice van Houten, who was largely wasted. And Dutch. She had a better English accent than Cruise too.
I don't think Valkyrie is the definitive movie on Von Stauffenberg, but I suspect that movie will be German, directed by someone like Oliver Hirschbiegel (of Der Untergang) and acted by Germans, in German.
With American subtitles.
Or maybe English subtitles for you purists out there.
Oddly, Christian Berkel and Thomas Kretschmann, both veteran German actors who appeared in Downfall (Der Untergang) had better English accents than Cruise. No-one had a better English accent than Kenneth Brannagh, though. Not even Bill Nighy.
The movie managed to overcome Cruise and actually was a fairly engaging thriller, easily comparable to the better WW II historical dramas of the 60's and 70's. It was competently directed and well acted - Cruise excepted - and the Germans all had commendably English accents. Except for the main character.
I do recommend Valkyrie, but don't be afraid to wait for video. If you must have stars ... 3-1/2 (out of 5)
With those words still on his lips, a German firing squad ended the life of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg following a failed assassination and attempted coup. With any luck, it will also end Tom Cruise's desire to play Wehrmacht officers in otherwise decent movies. As noted below, I suspected that Cruise was miscast for the role of von Stauffenberg in the film Valkyrie. Unfortunately, I was right. His performance was a bit stiff and his accent jarring. Everyone knows that Germans speak with English accents in "B" grade WW II movies and Cruise's accent was American. Nondescript American, at that.
The film suffered from a couple of flaws - one inherent and the other not. The story could only end in one way and stay true to history, so if you are historically literate at all there aren't any surprises. The other is that there wasn't enough focus on Von Stauffenberg to draw you into his character, although this may have been exacerbated by Cruise's performance. I would have been interested in seeing a little more of the relationship between Claus and Nina, his wife - played by Carice van Houten, who was largely wasted. And Dutch. She had a better English accent than Cruise too.
I don't think Valkyrie is the definitive movie on Von Stauffenberg, but I suspect that movie will be German, directed by someone like Oliver Hirschbiegel (of Der Untergang) and acted by Germans, in German.
With American subtitles.
Or maybe English subtitles for you purists out there.
Oddly, Christian Berkel and Thomas Kretschmann, both veteran German actors who appeared in Downfall (Der Untergang) had better English accents than Cruise. No-one had a better English accent than Kenneth Brannagh, though. Not even Bill Nighy.
The movie managed to overcome Cruise and actually was a fairly engaging thriller, easily comparable to the better WW II historical dramas of the 60's and 70's. It was competently directed and well acted - Cruise excepted - and the Germans all had commendably English accents. Except for the main character.
I do recommend Valkyrie, but don't be afraid to wait for video. If you must have stars ... 3-1/2 (out of 5)
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Fall
I've been into movies a lot more than usual lately. This caught my eye at the local video store, and I'm glad it did. I'm just sorry I missed it at the theater.
The Fall is visually stunning - see it on good equipment - but it is the story and characters that carry the movie. The trailer will give you some idea of the film, but it must be seen in its entirety to really appreciate the effect of this magnificently shot work of art.
The story is relatively straightforward: A silent movie era Hollwood stuntman named Roy (played by Lee Pace) is in the hospital, paralyzed from the waist down with injuries sustained during a failed stunt (shown in a glorious black-and-white prologue.) Trouble ever comes with company, and he has also lost his lover. He plans suicide, but needs the help of an inquisitive little girl named Alexandria (wonderfully played by Catinca Untaru), to whom he tells stories of adventurers on a quest in order to manipulate her into helping him to commit suicide.
These stories are played out in the imagination of young Alexandria, and her imagination is the source of the stunning visuals, which were shot in 20 locations. The stories change during the interplay between Pace and Untaru, making for some light moments in an otherwise serious film, but make no mistake: the story is Roy's, even if it is playing out in the imagination of young Alexandria, and Roy is depressed.
The characters in the stories represent real-life people at the hospital, like the characters in the Wizard of Oz represented real people in Dorothy's life, but this is most definitely not a movie for children.
The soundtrack is outstanding. The main title is from Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, II. Allegretto, and is performed admirably, and the music written for the movie was spot on, and performed very well indeed. The soundtrack seems to be hard to come by, though. More's the pity.
Labels: movies
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
It's hard to tell from a trailer...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Horton Hears A Who
****
Took three of the grandkids to the movies Sunday; Horton Hears A Who was the movie of choice.
The Dr. Suess of memory was pretty spare with words. I don't remember reading anything to my kids that took longer than maybe 20 minutes. Horton expands on the good Doctor's story and, unlike the unwatchable How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the horrid The Cat in the Hat, Horton stayed truer to the Dr. Suess original while filling an hour and a half with silliness appropriate to a general audience.
I had actually dozed off during one part of the movie - it starts off a little slow, and I tend to drift off during kid shows anyway - so we're not talking Pixar quality entertainment here, but one thing I found noteworthy about Horton was the writing. I noticed it early on during the movie, and was later moved to comment to the wife that Horton - the Movie was as libertarian - brazenly so - a movie as I've seen in a very long time. Try as I might, I can't remember lines of dialogue, and I'd love to get hold of a copy of the script. I didn't go into the movie with the idea of reviewing it, so I wasn't prepared to take notes.
There was of course the inevitable incident where a kid comes off as morally superior to his parent, in this case the fascist Sour Kangaroo mother (Carol Burnett) - and playing like Hillary Clinton - is disobeyed by her oppressed son, who was "pouch schooled" (and, presumably, socially retarded.) There was also a contrived scene where Horton extends an olive branch to his tormentor that was less than satisfying, but the writers mocked liberal bromides throughout and got it mostly right. The scene where Mrs. Kangaroo was attempting to convince Horton to change "for the children" was particularly amusing.
In another shot across the bow of our materialistic would-be overlords, the evil Sour Kangaroo tells Horton, "If you can't hear, see or feel something, it does not exist." Of course, Horton knows different, he's heard the Whos, and, of course, "A person's a person, no matter how small." Horton's faithfulness in the face of peer pressure and even oppression by the community - Sour Kangaroo comes across as the president of the neighborhood association from Hell and it is Horton's neighbors who cage him and poke him with sticks as he strives mightily to keep his promise to the Whos to keep them safe. "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, 100 percent," says Horton, who certainly is faithful.
The tribute to REO Speedwagon's "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" was cringeworthy, and came completely out of left field, almost as if they had to emulate Shrek or something. I could have lived without that, but otherwise take the kids to see Horton.
Took three of the grandkids to the movies Sunday; Horton Hears A Who was the movie of choice.
The Dr. Suess of memory was pretty spare with words. I don't remember reading anything to my kids that took longer than maybe 20 minutes. Horton expands on the good Doctor's story and, unlike the unwatchable How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the horrid The Cat in the Hat, Horton stayed truer to the Dr. Suess original while filling an hour and a half with silliness appropriate to a general audience.
I had actually dozed off during one part of the movie - it starts off a little slow, and I tend to drift off during kid shows anyway - so we're not talking Pixar quality entertainment here, but one thing I found noteworthy about Horton was the writing. I noticed it early on during the movie, and was later moved to comment to the wife that Horton - the Movie was as libertarian - brazenly so - a movie as I've seen in a very long time. Try as I might, I can't remember lines of dialogue, and I'd love to get hold of a copy of the script. I didn't go into the movie with the idea of reviewing it, so I wasn't prepared to take notes.
There was of course the inevitable incident where a kid comes off as morally superior to his parent, in this case the fascist Sour Kangaroo mother (Carol Burnett) - and playing like Hillary Clinton - is disobeyed by her oppressed son, who was "pouch schooled" (and, presumably, socially retarded.) There was also a contrived scene where Horton extends an olive branch to his tormentor that was less than satisfying, but the writers mocked liberal bromides throughout and got it mostly right. The scene where Mrs. Kangaroo was attempting to convince Horton to change "for the children" was particularly amusing.
In another shot across the bow of our materialistic would-be overlords, the evil Sour Kangaroo tells Horton, "If you can't hear, see or feel something, it does not exist." Of course, Horton knows different, he's heard the Whos, and, of course, "A person's a person, no matter how small." Horton's faithfulness in the face of peer pressure and even oppression by the community - Sour Kangaroo comes across as the president of the neighborhood association from Hell and it is Horton's neighbors who cage him and poke him with sticks as he strives mightily to keep his promise to the Whos to keep them safe. "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, 100 percent," says Horton, who certainly is faithful.
The tribute to REO Speedwagon's "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" was cringeworthy, and came completely out of left field, almost as if they had to emulate Shrek or something. I could have lived without that, but otherwise take the kids to see Horton.
Labels: movies
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