Adorable
Joined May 1999
Welcome to the new profile
We're still working on updating some profile features. To see the badges, ratings breakdowns, and polls for this profile, please go to the previous version.
Reviews110
Adorable's rating
Superficially, you know when this one winds to a close that you've just spent two and a half hours with the results of an over supportive studio giving Christopher Nolan, fresh from his huge Batman successes, way too much leeway.
It's a bloated, convoluted, over-extended and ponderous film that has almost no reward in store for viewers when all's said and done. But still, even as you secretly hope it'll be the next Ishtar or Cutthroat Island, you know it's wrong to think like that. You know there was still a truckload of vision and good intentions involved in the making of Inception, and you keep thinking that maybe this is the rare summer movie to attempt delivery of an intelligent construct to generally numb and switched off audiences.
The truth lies somewhere in between. Inception suffers from some factual failings that can't be denied - it's too long, for one. Then, the plot turns out surprisingly thin, so in order to fill the runtime, Nolan and Co resorted to severe repetition, so we're put through the same sequences time and again. Yet, there's no tension. You can figure out the entire affair for yourself in advance. Do not expect any twists when going into Inception, and actually the most tense moment comes right at the end, although we suspect that's because you're worried the suspense is leading into yet another scene.
Then, we get to the performances. Nobody does a really bang up job here, although no one falls too short of the mark. DiCaprio delivers basically the same character he was in Blood Diamond and Body of Lies, except he doesn't yell at the people on the phone as much this time. Otherwise it's the same reluctant gun for hire routine. He plays the oddly named Dom Cobb, a specialist in extraction. That's not a dental reference, it just means he's a dream hacker, able to infiltrate the sleeping minds of others and steal valuable information. This dream world is presented as a virtual reality straight out of The Matrix, including hostile locals and bizarre physics.
Cobb gets hired for one more big job by a powerful industrialist (Ken Watanabe), who needs his talents to interdict a rival family (Cillian Murphy and Pete Postlethwaite). But Cobb can't do the job alone, so he puts together an entire crew, including assistant Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and architect Ariadne (Ellen Page), among others. The job becomes increasingly complicated, though, mostly because Cobb is haunted by his beloved wife (Marion Cotillard), who's somewhat of an antagonist, albeit a rather mundane and annoying one.
What ensues exposes the failings of Inception. The narrative is just too long for it's own good, and presented in a manner that promotes repetition over ingenuity, despite the vision we mentioned before. Inception takes obvious cues from previous science fiction and surrealism entries, but at least it's honest enough to not dwell on the technicalities of just how Cobb and his posse manage to penetrate other people's dreams like that. Aside from the positive, there are mostly negatives, as you're compelled out of some basic decency to keep watching, hoping for things to take a swing in the right direction. That never happens, and Inception remains a middling exercise in over extension start to finish.
Most of the effort and talent here have evidently gone towards the visual richness of the feature, which doesn't disappoint. There are some excellent effects, landscapes, costumes and settings involved, but they're not enough to distract from the overall emptiness of this movie. Were it 30 minutes shorter, then maybe Inception could have been commendable for aesthetic endeavor, but as it stands, those pluses are drowned by the lacking storytelling on show. While not a complete disaster, Inception will get you started on the path to your next movie outing real quick.
It's a bloated, convoluted, over-extended and ponderous film that has almost no reward in store for viewers when all's said and done. But still, even as you secretly hope it'll be the next Ishtar or Cutthroat Island, you know it's wrong to think like that. You know there was still a truckload of vision and good intentions involved in the making of Inception, and you keep thinking that maybe this is the rare summer movie to attempt delivery of an intelligent construct to generally numb and switched off audiences.
The truth lies somewhere in between. Inception suffers from some factual failings that can't be denied - it's too long, for one. Then, the plot turns out surprisingly thin, so in order to fill the runtime, Nolan and Co resorted to severe repetition, so we're put through the same sequences time and again. Yet, there's no tension. You can figure out the entire affair for yourself in advance. Do not expect any twists when going into Inception, and actually the most tense moment comes right at the end, although we suspect that's because you're worried the suspense is leading into yet another scene.
Then, we get to the performances. Nobody does a really bang up job here, although no one falls too short of the mark. DiCaprio delivers basically the same character he was in Blood Diamond and Body of Lies, except he doesn't yell at the people on the phone as much this time. Otherwise it's the same reluctant gun for hire routine. He plays the oddly named Dom Cobb, a specialist in extraction. That's not a dental reference, it just means he's a dream hacker, able to infiltrate the sleeping minds of others and steal valuable information. This dream world is presented as a virtual reality straight out of The Matrix, including hostile locals and bizarre physics.
Cobb gets hired for one more big job by a powerful industrialist (Ken Watanabe), who needs his talents to interdict a rival family (Cillian Murphy and Pete Postlethwaite). But Cobb can't do the job alone, so he puts together an entire crew, including assistant Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and architect Ariadne (Ellen Page), among others. The job becomes increasingly complicated, though, mostly because Cobb is haunted by his beloved wife (Marion Cotillard), who's somewhat of an antagonist, albeit a rather mundane and annoying one.
What ensues exposes the failings of Inception. The narrative is just too long for it's own good, and presented in a manner that promotes repetition over ingenuity, despite the vision we mentioned before. Inception takes obvious cues from previous science fiction and surrealism entries, but at least it's honest enough to not dwell on the technicalities of just how Cobb and his posse manage to penetrate other people's dreams like that. Aside from the positive, there are mostly negatives, as you're compelled out of some basic decency to keep watching, hoping for things to take a swing in the right direction. That never happens, and Inception remains a middling exercise in over extension start to finish.
Most of the effort and talent here have evidently gone towards the visual richness of the feature, which doesn't disappoint. There are some excellent effects, landscapes, costumes and settings involved, but they're not enough to distract from the overall emptiness of this movie. Were it 30 minutes shorter, then maybe Inception could have been commendable for aesthetic endeavor, but as it stands, those pluses are drowned by the lacking storytelling on show. While not a complete disaster, Inception will get you started on the path to your next movie outing real quick.
It's got George Clooney in it and it feels like a movie the Coen Brothers might have directed but decided against. In fact, Goats reminds us a lot of Burn After Reading, except it is a tad funnier. Nonetheless, this isn't a comic tour de force by any means, it's actually a middling motion picture with a lot of wasted talent and one of the weakest wrap-ups in recent movie annals.
The intentionally witty title puts Goats in somewhat close proximity to previous anti-war efforts like Wag the Dog, save for the lack of mature political satire here. Instead, we get a story that starts out well enough, with Jeff Bridges portraying Lt. Colonel Bill Django, who has a revelation during combat in Vietnam and decides to sell the military on the New Earth Army. This para-normal psy ops force would practice all manner of unique peaceful warfare techniques, tapping unreal forces such as positive mind control, phasing and "sparkling eyes". In short, warrior monks.
Django recruits numerous men, among them George Clooney's Lyn Cassady. Clooney's in full Coen Bros mode here, and while his facial expressions and demeanor are as funny as ever, he can't save this movie. He's not aided at all by Kevin Spacey, who does the film's principal antagonist, one Larry Hooper, who by the way introduced the goat staring. Spacey is particularly ineffective here.
While the backstory takes place mostly during the cold war, the overlaying structure is told through the point of view of Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a Michigan-based journo escaping a failed marriage through venturing to 2003 or 2004 Iraq as a second-rate war correspondent. After finally making it to the frontlines, all Wilton manages is to get involved in a re-kindled pys ops program involving the above characters. Which leads to myriad jokes about the force and jedi warriors. Probably in the script before McGregor was picked, they still come across rather cheap when told in his presence.
This is where Goats doesn't cut it. While the provocative premise of a hippie battalion of men with psychic superpowers and the disarming tenacity of true love sounds appealing, the execution falters, and the final moments are just an embarrassment, as the whole thing wraps up amateurishly like a goofy version of the finale from Three Kings. The main quartet of actors does well, McGregor is still very likable, but aside from a few hilarious moments, Goats ends up unimpressive, unmoving and forgettable. It's not like slamming your head against the wall, but it sure isn't worth walking on hot coals for.
The intentionally witty title puts Goats in somewhat close proximity to previous anti-war efforts like Wag the Dog, save for the lack of mature political satire here. Instead, we get a story that starts out well enough, with Jeff Bridges portraying Lt. Colonel Bill Django, who has a revelation during combat in Vietnam and decides to sell the military on the New Earth Army. This para-normal psy ops force would practice all manner of unique peaceful warfare techniques, tapping unreal forces such as positive mind control, phasing and "sparkling eyes". In short, warrior monks.
Django recruits numerous men, among them George Clooney's Lyn Cassady. Clooney's in full Coen Bros mode here, and while his facial expressions and demeanor are as funny as ever, he can't save this movie. He's not aided at all by Kevin Spacey, who does the film's principal antagonist, one Larry Hooper, who by the way introduced the goat staring. Spacey is particularly ineffective here.
While the backstory takes place mostly during the cold war, the overlaying structure is told through the point of view of Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a Michigan-based journo escaping a failed marriage through venturing to 2003 or 2004 Iraq as a second-rate war correspondent. After finally making it to the frontlines, all Wilton manages is to get involved in a re-kindled pys ops program involving the above characters. Which leads to myriad jokes about the force and jedi warriors. Probably in the script before McGregor was picked, they still come across rather cheap when told in his presence.
This is where Goats doesn't cut it. While the provocative premise of a hippie battalion of men with psychic superpowers and the disarming tenacity of true love sounds appealing, the execution falters, and the final moments are just an embarrassment, as the whole thing wraps up amateurishly like a goofy version of the finale from Three Kings. The main quartet of actors does well, McGregor is still very likable, but aside from a few hilarious moments, Goats ends up unimpressive, unmoving and forgettable. It's not like slamming your head against the wall, but it sure isn't worth walking on hot coals for.
The post apocalyptic parable helmed by the Hughes brothers and penned by iconic 80's and 90's gaming journo Gary Whitta manages to excel in spite of itself. To begin with, it's too short. It's one thing to leave people wanting more, another to tell an impressive story and hamper it by opting for a short runtime. Book of Eli (BoE) could have used a good added hour to work its magic, and it hurts that it didn't get it.
Then there's the setting, which is a sort of cross between recent The Road and Mad Max. This is an intelligent end of the world story, replete with little tips of the hat and clues, but the setting could have done with so much more depth. Too bad we didn't get to review more of Eli's world.
The titular character is a walker, heading west in a devastated world, ruined by "the war". Eli is on a mission, and his purpose stems from a book he's carrying, a powerful tome that's the last of its kind on earth, presumably. If the movie had any illusions that audiences would be unable to guess as to the nature of this book, of course it was way off. And here's another reason BoE succeeds despite itself – it's an altogether religious affair, but it's never preachy. The story promotes faith and the place of goodness in humanity, the role of the chosen few facing hordes of mindless, disposable, well, scum for lack of a better word. So while it's too hasty and dabbles in the taboo of religious persuasion, BoE is still a good motion picture worth the time and mind power it'll take to properly appreciate it.
Eli is played by Denzel Washington, who's always good, but shines as the humble and reclusive wasteland walker. As Eli traverses a destroyed America, he encounters bandits and ruffians, so we learn that the man is pretty handy in combat of all sorts. He also packs an iPod, has a backpack with one of those "Hello my name is" stickers in it, and carries a locked copy of the most important book in the movie's reality.
Eli tries to balance his desire to protect the good people who've survived the cataclysm with his need to be on his way, which presents dilemmas time and again, until he reaches a small town controlled by boss Bill Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Carnegie is a character, driven by power lust and a vision of reclaiming the world – and so he needs some inspiration for the slobbering illiterates he oversees. Eli's book seems a logical choice, and so Carnegie's demand that the volume be handed over puts the two into a position of conflict.
There are no easy fixes in BoE, this isn't a cut and paste action job, so don't expect a happy ending. And while the cinematography is gorgeous and the soundtrack by Atticus Ross is a moving work of brilliant verve and emotive impact, what really wins us over about this film are the numerous anecdotal insights into what or who Eli really is. The movie keeps toying with viewers, suggesting all manner of mutually exclusive ideas about the lead character, and it's delightful. It's also shy about telling us what happened to the world, which is always pleasant titillation in a genre piece like this. There are no info dumps per se in BoE – something we applaud.
Back to the acting, Eli's main ally, Solara (done by Mila Kunis) is a huge disappointment. She either doesn't get the canvass she needs to grow, or perhaps the entire character was flat from the outset. Either way, we didn't warm up to her at all, but Oldman's rendition of the main antagonist is interesting, suggesting a complex person who warrants further investigation. There's also a wonderful supporting role by Ray Stevenson (Punisher War Zone and Rome), who does Carnegie's chief enforcer in a decidedly multi-dimensional manner. Kudos to him and to Jennifer Beals, portraying Carnegie's woman with considerable skill.
Go into Book of Eli expecting to be intrigued, and you'll be rewarded. It's a tale that forces you to think about it, but at the same time it isn't epic. This last issue has more to do with the limited span and time allotted to the adventure, but it's nonetheless the way things panned out. BoE doesn't mask its religious agenda one bit, which for some odd reason feels very right because it's never hamfisted or cheesy like other movies that try to integrate faith into proceedings. However, it could have done with more room to fully develop and explain to us just why we need to listen.
As for the possibility of a sequel, since only Mila Kunis' character seems to have made it, we say, please no, no sequel. But a prequel would be great.
Overall recommended for intelligent storytelling, some great acting and a superb presentation.
Then there's the setting, which is a sort of cross between recent The Road and Mad Max. This is an intelligent end of the world story, replete with little tips of the hat and clues, but the setting could have done with so much more depth. Too bad we didn't get to review more of Eli's world.
The titular character is a walker, heading west in a devastated world, ruined by "the war". Eli is on a mission, and his purpose stems from a book he's carrying, a powerful tome that's the last of its kind on earth, presumably. If the movie had any illusions that audiences would be unable to guess as to the nature of this book, of course it was way off. And here's another reason BoE succeeds despite itself – it's an altogether religious affair, but it's never preachy. The story promotes faith and the place of goodness in humanity, the role of the chosen few facing hordes of mindless, disposable, well, scum for lack of a better word. So while it's too hasty and dabbles in the taboo of religious persuasion, BoE is still a good motion picture worth the time and mind power it'll take to properly appreciate it.
Eli is played by Denzel Washington, who's always good, but shines as the humble and reclusive wasteland walker. As Eli traverses a destroyed America, he encounters bandits and ruffians, so we learn that the man is pretty handy in combat of all sorts. He also packs an iPod, has a backpack with one of those "Hello my name is" stickers in it, and carries a locked copy of the most important book in the movie's reality.
Eli tries to balance his desire to protect the good people who've survived the cataclysm with his need to be on his way, which presents dilemmas time and again, until he reaches a small town controlled by boss Bill Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Carnegie is a character, driven by power lust and a vision of reclaiming the world – and so he needs some inspiration for the slobbering illiterates he oversees. Eli's book seems a logical choice, and so Carnegie's demand that the volume be handed over puts the two into a position of conflict.
There are no easy fixes in BoE, this isn't a cut and paste action job, so don't expect a happy ending. And while the cinematography is gorgeous and the soundtrack by Atticus Ross is a moving work of brilliant verve and emotive impact, what really wins us over about this film are the numerous anecdotal insights into what or who Eli really is. The movie keeps toying with viewers, suggesting all manner of mutually exclusive ideas about the lead character, and it's delightful. It's also shy about telling us what happened to the world, which is always pleasant titillation in a genre piece like this. There are no info dumps per se in BoE – something we applaud.
Back to the acting, Eli's main ally, Solara (done by Mila Kunis) is a huge disappointment. She either doesn't get the canvass she needs to grow, or perhaps the entire character was flat from the outset. Either way, we didn't warm up to her at all, but Oldman's rendition of the main antagonist is interesting, suggesting a complex person who warrants further investigation. There's also a wonderful supporting role by Ray Stevenson (Punisher War Zone and Rome), who does Carnegie's chief enforcer in a decidedly multi-dimensional manner. Kudos to him and to Jennifer Beals, portraying Carnegie's woman with considerable skill.
Go into Book of Eli expecting to be intrigued, and you'll be rewarded. It's a tale that forces you to think about it, but at the same time it isn't epic. This last issue has more to do with the limited span and time allotted to the adventure, but it's nonetheless the way things panned out. BoE doesn't mask its religious agenda one bit, which for some odd reason feels very right because it's never hamfisted or cheesy like other movies that try to integrate faith into proceedings. However, it could have done with more room to fully develop and explain to us just why we need to listen.
As for the possibility of a sequel, since only Mila Kunis' character seems to have made it, we say, please no, no sequel. But a prequel would be great.
Overall recommended for intelligent storytelling, some great acting and a superb presentation.