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Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

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picture of the promotional film poster for charlie and the choclate factory
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Last night PY & I went to see Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Amazingly, even at the 9.30pm showing, it was surrounded by promotions for kids’ movies, so I ended up believing that I was about to watch a children’s movie; a remake of the classic Gene Wilder movie. Fortunately, it’s not too long before you realise the 2005 version is nothing like its 1971 sibling. Tim Burton’s world is stylish and strange at the same time. It’s dark and yet full of life. Charlie – and all the Buckets (including an appearance by Liz Smith) are superb, but it is Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka who is the undoubted star. Sure, all the golden ticket holders are as expected – exaggerated caricatures – but you know their stories. It’s the interpretation of Wonka in that Jacksonesque mode that steals every scene, and Burton’s interpretation of the story gives him a backstory that was lacking from the earlier version. Frankly, I (unexpectedly) loved the whole film (and the quirky little songs that I’d forgotten about).

On this day…

2007: The Slag Of All Updates
2006: Hello From Here
2002: The Art of the Blog

Mr and Mrs Smith

mr_smith_small.jpg

Friday night is warm across London, so we met some friends, had tapas and headed to the flicks to see Mr. & Mrs Smith. Unusually for me, I knew what it was about before I actually sank into my lovely, comfortable Clapham Picture House seat, and – therefore – I wasn’t surprised in either a good or bad way with this film.

The premise: Mr. & Mrs Smith are killers for hire, but they don’t know that about each other. You need to gloss over the huge holes in that, for they don’t matter. The ongoing lies each one has to tell to cover their other life as a hitman is ruining their marriage. So, they seek counselling and somewhere along the line – again, don’t worry about the detail – they end up trying to kill each other.

The lead-up to the assassination attempt(s) is essentially background filler and, thankfully, is over pretty quickly. When the penny drops – and Mr. & Mrs Smith head to kill the other – is the point where the movie gets better. As you would imagine for such a blockbuster, the killing spree is well covered with special effects, making the gun battles comic-book-style and certainly all the more enjoyable for it.

This film, however, is made by the unexpectedly witty dialogue that writer Simon Kinberg has peppered throughout. For plot details and suspense, then two deadly assassins trying to kill each other is – perhaps – better left to Robert Ludlum. A husband and wife couple doing the same, and you’ll laugh along to the clever use of the dialogue, which moves this film. When it really gets going, it’s great.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt keep it moving well. They are a convincing couple and have all the moves a film of this nature needs. Most importantly, they carry the dialogue convincingly as a married couple.

Don’t expect realism or a movie that takes itself seriously. Expect a surprisingly entertaining cinema experience. The fact that some in the audience applauded at the end should suggest you give this film a chance

On this day…

2005: links for 2005-06-17
2004: Football Crazy

Bruce Almighty

I seem to be spending most of my Christmas vacation watching films. We just watched Bruce Almighty and I quite enjoyed it. I have never been a big fan of the Jim Carrey slapstick roles but in this the comedy is more subtle.

Carrey plays TV reporter Bruce Nolan who hates the lifestyle oddities he is asked to report on a wants the TV anchor role. When his colleague Evan gets the gig Bruce, down on his luck, complains bitterly to everybody who listen. When God (Morgan Freeman) has had enough of the complaints he lets Bruce play God for a while (and God goes on vacation).

Predictably, Bruce uses the power to his own advantage at first before we get to the moment where he realises this isn’t the way (which is not too long after he let everybody win the lottery and watched riots unfold before him). And, despite that predictability, it’s an enjoyable way to pass an hour or two (and you hear God explain the concept of ‘Free Will’ which is a nice get-out clause for everybody).

On this day…

2006: Here We Go
2005: 2004 In Review
2004: Love Actually
2004: Review of 2003: December
2004: Review of 2003: November
2002: Why Do You Do It?

Amélie & The Italian Job

Amélie movie poster
Amélie

We’re in a hotel in West London for the New Year celebrations and we watched two movies before heading down for dinner across midnight.

We started with the original Italian Job which was shown on the television. It’s one of those classic films that you are supposed to have seen but neither of us had and so we watched it. I don’t think it mattered to either of us how much we knew (or didn’t know) about the film (‘you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off’) as I think we both came away with a disappointed feeling. It’s considered a classic British film but it didn’t come across that way. Michael Caine is excellent, Noel Coward was interesting and I don’t think I’ve seen Benny Hill act away from his TV show before. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good film, and I enjoyed it but this was certainly a case where the preceding reputation heightened expectations too much.

On the other hand, I knew nothing about Amélie except it would be the second subtitled film in as many days and I am not a big fan of them. Yet again, however, I was surprised by the film and the interesting side of Paris you see through Amélie’s eyes. And again, it’s a well shot, colourful and stylised film and I only wish I had been a little more awake to appreciate it fully: it’s full of wonderful moments as Amélie decides to help her friends in her own quiet, special way.

You have to see The Italian Job but you should see Amélie.

On this day…

2005: Dress Code
2003: Review of 2003: September and October
2003: Review of 2003: July and August
2003: Review of 2003: May and June
2002: The Lord of The Rings
2002: Would Pepys Blog?
2002: Year in Review

Shrek and Johnny English

When I was in Florida earlier in the year I went on the Shrek-themed ride at Universal but really didn’t know what to expect as I hadn’t been remotely interested in seeing the film. The Shrek experience was OK but I didn’t tush out to rent the DVD. Earlier today, however, Shrek was one of the Christmas Eve movies on the TV and I thought I would give it ago.

I have to say that I am very pleased that I did. It’s a thoroughly engaging movie of the classic fairy-tale variety that’s well animated, well-voiced and – most importantly – it’s a well-told story: a Prince called Farquaad (who’s not very nice) despatched a green ogre (are Ogre’s all green?) and a donkey to rescue a princess from a tower. See, it’s a classic fairy tale already!

If I must add Shrek 2 to the DVD rental list then you must certainly make sure you see this – it’s sure to become a classic piece of animation.

So while we were in the mood for a film we flicked to one of the movie channels to enjoy the delights of Rowan Atkinson in the James Bond spoof, Johnny English. It’s full of predictable – but well executed – jokes where English’s able assistant saves the day. Of course there are mistaken identity jokes, falling-down jokes and poo jokes. It may have been a great idea before the Austin Powers franchise but this is all a bit too weak, too late. But you might find something funny in it if you are an Atkinson fan but it didn’t really work for me.

On this day…

2003: Central London at Christmas

Kill Bill (Volume 2)

Continuing her quest for revenge, Uma Thurman is back as the unnamed bride in Kill Bill (Volume II). If you’d read my take on the first one then you would realise that I was destined to see this as quickly as Love Film would send it to me.

The bride has several members of Bill’s gang of assassins (Deadly Viper Assassination Squad) to remove and she hits the ground running. This time, however, we learn a little more of the background to the trail of blood and we get to meet Bill himself. There is, perhaps, more emotion to this film (particularly in Uma Thurman’s part) than the first and the violence is, perhaps, less stylised and more realistic. I am truly amazed how much I have enjoyed both the Kill Bill movies and I will have to reassess my opinions of Tarantino’s work.

Rent Volumes 1 and 2 and unplug the ‘phone. You won’t regret it.

On this day…

2005: Font Size

The Producers

I went to see a preview of the London version of The Producers today and was, like last night, a little taken by surprise. This time, however, it was with disappointment, not pleasure. I’ve been talking to PY and trying to explain my disappointment, but he doesn’t get it: he loved the show. I did not know the plot, nor had I seen the film, so I wasn’t let down by the story, but I had read that Nathan Lane had taken Broadway by storm.

You can’t fault Nathan Lane: he’s superb, and his comic timing is excellent. Lee Evans seems born for his role as the sidekick Leo Bloom, and some of the songs are great. Others, however, feel weak, and parts of the story just aren’t engaging. James Dreyfus camps it up in John Inman style, while Ulla, the Swedish blond bombshell, is so lost in the stereotype that any humour is lost.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a good show. I can’t imagine Richard Dreyfuss in it, and I imagine it will be hard to replace Nathan Lane in January. If you’re going to see it, I would suggest trying to get tickets now because, without Lane’s superb performance, I am not sure where this show will go. The fact that it is one of the better shows on the West End right now possibly says more about the other shows.

Sadly, The Producers disappointed.

UPDATE: Well, the reviews are out, and I may be a lone voice expressing disappointment. I wrote an updated review for the Yahoo Group: Gay Boy Musicals Fans UK (you can read it here if you’re not a member of the group).

On this day…

2003: The gay team

Down With Love

Down with Love

Supposedly, the Ewan McGregor and Renée Zellweger romantic comedy Down with Love is an attempt to recreate the New York City of 1963 (some say to recreate Doris Day/Rock Hudson’s ‘Pillow Talk‘). As I haven’t actually seen Pillow Talk, it’s hard to compare the two, but most reviewers suggest the Doris Day comedy is considerably more sophisticated.

Still, for a Saturday night on the sofa this wasn’t so bad. It had amusing moments. Zellweger is Barbara Novak, in town promoting her smash-hit book that carries the same title as the film, and they’ve tried to make her look the part of a 1960s New York girl – I am not sure if they were that successful. McGregor is Catcher Block, the cad-about-town investigative magazine journalist who has a string of lovely ladies after him. Inevitably, he is to interview her for a magazine article, and the chase is on. Both performances are confident but certainly not great. David Hyde Pierce, as Block’s publisher, seems to repeat his role as Frasier’s Niles, but that’s no bad thing, as he puts in a solid, amusing supporting performance.

There’s a great payoff (which I shan’t spoil), but suffice to say Zellweger’s long monologue is impressive and, apparently, took six takes to get right. It’s one of those films where you need to watch the credits, as there’s a musical scene (apparently shot at the request of the actors) over the end titles, which is well done.

Down With Love is amusing for the most part, but it’s kind of predictable in many places; it was a good Saturday night sofa film. See it and smile.

On this day…

2004: Links for 2004-10-23
2004: Lucky Man: A Memoir
2003: Celebrities And The Media
2002: New Look
2002: Inspirational Eden

21 Dog Years: Doing Time At Amazon.Com

It’s quite easy to get sucked into Mike Daisey’s ‘21 Dog Years: Doing Time At Amazon.Com‘ as he moves from dilettante to corporate business development guy. On the journey, we learn he is one of the (mythological?) freaks that Amazon initially wanted to help launch and then staff its growing customer service division. We learn about the training, the call-time targets, the lack of windows, the Chicken Orzo Salad and Jeff’s obsessions.

Unlike Robert Spector’s ‘Amazon.Com: Get Big Fast‘, this is a tale from the inside, but how much is exaggerated for comic effect is unclear. For sure, life in an under-staffed call centre – where if you don’t work all hours you’re seen as letting the team down – is not the glamorous side of any business, and the world of fast-growing online booksellers can be no exception. The dreams that all would be multi-millionaires on the back of huge stock rises are also not unusual to any tale of this era. Perhaps the thought of sending the free books to customers on the database isn’t typical of the dot-com boom, but the frenzied ‘1-click Christmas’ period will be familiar to many in a start-up venture.

Daisy’s book is flagged as a comic tale, but it takes a while for the comedy to warm up. In fact, it’s only towards the end that I felt there were some laugh-out-loud moments, but don’t let that put you off. ’21 Dogs Years’ in well written and compelling. You really do want to know what Mike’s going to do at the end. Don’t look for an insight into business strategies of that time, but you will get a view of the craziness of life in the trenches of rapidly growing business.

On this day…

2005: Admonished By A Snack Food Wrapper
2004: Wet London 20
2002: Everything Taboo

A Mighty Wind

So the setup of the DVD we watched last night was a television reunion of a few old folk singers who had hits in the sixties. Christopher Guest’s A Mighty Wind isn’t as good as Best In Show or This Is Spinal Tap, but it’s a passable and amusing way to spend an evening. It seemed less realistic than other spoof-documentaries, and I found some of the deleted scenes on the DVD to be funnier than the movie itself. However, there are some good performances and an interesting soundtrack, and it does make you smile.

Worth taking a chance on.

On this day…

2004: Going Outside The Canteen For Lunch Is Gooooood
2002: A Walk on the Wild Side