Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I tried my hardest to get out and see a movie. Or two. And now I'm sick. But hey, one of these was totally worth it!
"...and then Miss Palin would charge the capital, with a helicopter."
"The Blind Side" is such a captivating story, that it's a real shame to see it told so mawkishly. Walking on an awkward line between white guilt and true charity, "Blind Side" never quite overcomes it overt sentimentality to become the thoughtful story it ought to be. The tale of a Tennessee-terror-cum-interior-designer taking a young African-America lummox into her home, "Big Mike," the adoptive son, becomes an athletic sensation, and a hot draft pick. But that's mere surface in an episodic melodrama. Is this Sandra Bullock instilling racial understanding, or southern remorse, or just piss-poor storytelling? Well, at least Bullock worked out well, and so does the soulful portrayal of Mike by Quiton Aaron ("Be Kind Rewind").
Field Goal, not Touchdown: I blame director John Lee Hancock for putting too much sugar on this tale, and never giving secure footing for character's motivations. This is such a unique and engaging story, told with Lifetime montages... But then again, college sports recruiting is never a pretty or funny thing anyways. Spike Lee or Clint Eastwood should have directed this. But, my mom loved it. So there.
Fantastic Mr. Fox. A.
"I'm a fox. Get it?"
A marvelous masterpiece of innovative animation, "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is this year's most creative concoction. Spare me the "you only like it for Wes Anderson" and "you were gonna like it anyways" lines. This is his best and most accessible work since "The Royal Tenenbaums." Using Roald Dahl's classic cautionary piece on a reflective and wild animal, this is a fitting and fun adaptation. Complete with Anderson's propensity for eye-candied minutiae, hot soundtracks and colloquial banter, this is an ostensible children's work that will age well.
Dig the life fantastic: there are many factors that contribute to this film's great successes.
- Perfect voice casting, from the eponymous Mr. Fox and George Clooney's gravelly cool, to Jason Schwartzman's squeaky, spazzy Ash, everyone fits. Even Adrien Brody as a mouse.
- The story is a thoughtful, tight look at aging and the desire to still be happy and crazy after all those years.
- Details, details, details make this a visual, audible feast. From the "Russia With Love" reference to music from Trufffaut movies, to the design of every little thing.
- Villains that are actually dark, and scary and affecting. Mean old Bean drinks and smokes and yells and well, you never see that in family animation anymore. Kids aren't that stupid ya know. I mean, they are waaay dumber than me. But not that dumb. Scare 'em a little.
- It's ingenuity works so nicely with "Fox's" overall casual demeanor. Yeah, it's type-A obsessive animation, but the movie's so cool about it.
- It fits right along with greats like Disney's "Robin Hood" and "Jungle Book."
- It's not annoyingly hipster.
- The CUSS you say? CUSS you!
- It's just as good as "Up." Not the Russ Meyer one.
- It makes you want to keep listening to this song:
Let Her Dance - Bobby Fuller Four
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