Wah-wah! Here comes the sun.

Watchmen and few others…

// April 15th, 2009 // Uncategorized

Must see:
Watchmen
Paramount/Warner Bros

In Rotten Tomatoes website, it only has around 64% freshness, while the other supposedly the best of comic adaption ever on the screen, The Dark Knight got 94%. In other word, it’s almost perfect.
I like The Dark Knight but like I said before I don’t think it as great as many people said. So, how on earth Watchmen which I know nothing at all will be ended up better than that Batman movie?

First of all, when I said I know nothing about this, I am totally honest. Since I never read the comic (even heard about it until recently), so it wasn’t on my must-see movie list. I did went to see it anyway because apparently it’s on my husband must-see list.

It begin with a character of middle-aged man watching some television only to be interrupted by someone with the mask. He hit him hard and after some pretty impressive fighting scene, the middle-aged guy is thrown from a window of his apartment to his tragic death on a street.

He isn’t just some random character in the movie. He is part of the main character actually. His story behind his death that actually triggered the main story that telling in visually amazing the whole movie. They called him The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan)

Then, the credit starts to roll. I don’t recall how exiting the opening credit can turn be. This isn’t just a regular opening, it has the background story that you need to watch it. This isn’t a bathroom break, this is a must see credit.

I have a hope now that maybe it’s gonna be great. Then it is! The story just so fascinating and interesting. Since I view it on imax, so the special effects, cinematography and all that technical stuff maybe looked 10 times greater, so I enjoy that experience so well too.

But, it isn’t that what makes me just want to pay more attention to the movie. The characters are one of the best that coming from comic book. I like that we, as the audience, got a chance to get to know their background stories as well. It has many flashback but not in the way that as confusing as watching The Lost Highway. It was actually easy to understood and most especially to have sympathy with the character, on even how bad or good they used to be. The credit to the cast who knows how to deliver themselves in the screen.

With the exception of Silk Spectre 2 (Malin Akerman). I don’t say she’s bad, but since ALL the other casts are just amazingly united with their characters, I sometimes feel like she’s not really belong there. I wish they cast other actress that can fit the role more. To my surprise, Hilary Swank was considered to play the role. I wish it happened, then the movie will be perfect.

Different with other superhero story, the characters here mostly just human with a good fighting skill and smart of course. With the exception of Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), who I personally think is a very fascinating character. Well, basically everything about him just amazing. Maybe he’s one of the most interesting comic character I’ve ever seen.

In the movie, he becomes like God alike. Having great power, including being able to fight (or to explode, just like shown in the screen) many people at once, multiply himself or even becomes a giant. He is like the American hero, for example he was responsible of winning the war in Vietnam.

He’s the only one who actually has super power. However, that also start drown him to different world of his own. Including break the heart of Jenny Slater, his first love after becoming Dr. Manhattan and her recent girlfriend Silk Spectre 2.

The superhero in this movie aren’t perfect and that’s one of the reason why I think it’s amazing. They cheated, killing innocent people or killing bad guys in the most violence way you’ve ever seen and of course the most shocking when The Comedian actually shot a pregnant woman. It’s not like I like when innocent people die, I like it because they allow to have flaw.

That’s why the story is more humane compare to other movie in this genre.

But the main story actually about who’s behind the killer of The Comedian. Is he know somethings that the others doesn’t know that makes him the target? Unfortunately, another character called Rorschach accused as the killer. He also a very interesting character even though the scene where he is on action makes me has to turn my eyes away sometimes.

Then there is Ozymandias (Matthew Goode), which the only superhero that has revealed his true identity to the world, and last but not least Hollywood’s next best thing, Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II, a person where Silk Spectre II finds a comfort after breaking up with Dr. Manhattan.

The story itself taking place in 1985. There are several historical event scene where it show how the Watchmen involvement in some. Including World War II, the Vietnam war and the assassination of John F Kennedy. So, if you want to learn about history, you shouldn’t refer that from this one. So, yes they like to mix this suppose to be fictional with some real events even the real people.

Another great thing, is the soundtrack. This movie full with brilliant and familiar songs that shouldn’t be missed as well.

Lastly, I am confident to say that this one is BETTER than The Dark Knight, Hulk or Iron Man and I am not even a fan of the comic (maybe I would if I read it).

Mild recommendation
Mamma Mia!

Universal Pictures/Playtone

Yes, it’s fun to see the movie, it’s fun to hear Merryl Streep sings, it’s great to know that Pierce Brosnan can actually sing and it just exiting to hear familiar songs in the movie.

I am not a fan of ABBA, but I like many of their song. It’s easy to like their song, the melody is so catchy and timeless.

That’s one of the reason why we rent the movie. The other reason is Meryl Streep of course. Streep just never disappoint me, including this one.

The other plus side of the movie is the scenery. So colorful and fresh.

I do have some problem though and this isn’t Meryl fault at all. I find out that some scene seemed being force to be exist in order to fit the song. I think that’s the problem when making a movie (or play) based on existence songs. So, the most convenient way to choose a story that can fit the song instead of fit the whole theme of the movie itself. However, it’s totally understandable that they don’t want to miss any ABBA hit songs.

I think that people who like ABBA song (like me) will probably like and enjoy the movie more and can “forgive” some of the forcing storyline. I am not sure with people who never heard ABBA at all on how they will think about this.

The movie itself is about a young woman, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who is planning to get marry with her real father walks her in the isle. The problem is she doesn’t know him. She finds the diary of her mother Donna (Streep) and learning the possibility of three men are his father so without her mother knowing she sends invitation to all three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and
Stellan Skarsgård)

Don’t bother…

Southland Tales

The idea seemed great. It’s about the life after nuclear attacks which has sent America into World War III. For some reason they introduce the movie as serious, but then you see that this is more to comedy than drama. Only, it isn’t that funny.
The only thing that looked good is the cinematography and maybe the editing. Other than that it just felt so long and boring.

Videodromme

This is also start with the good premise. It’s about a underground TV station that show real torture. I thought that it’s gonna be a story where the main hero try to find his girlfriend who interested in audition for that show then gone missing. Nope, it’s about a show where when you watched it you start to hallucinating and then you became the killer tool of whoever behind “this” show. Still sound interesting, right? Only that it isn’t. It becomes too long, complex and leave you simply don’t care about this anymore.