The week in film

Due to a lovely rental deal at the local Blockbuster, we brought home 5 movies for the week for the rock-bottom price of $10. Yay us. I'll give my $0.02NZD worth to the following: A History of Violence, Apocalypto, Batman Begins, Treasure Planet, and last (and certainly least) Barbie Fantasia - Mermadia.

A History of Violence

This was simultaneously what I expected, yet not what I expected. The storyline was good. The actors involved are all fine actors. And certainly popular opinion and critical acclaim are all there. I couldn't help but find the whole thing a bit disjointed. The actors didn't really seem to compliment each other, and the overall flow...well...it didn't actually flow in my opinion. It jerked along in fits and starts that were enough to kinda keep reminding me that I was watching a movie, instead of just letting me be absorbed. I'm sure there are many reasons why I'm wrong about this, or how this was intentional and that's what gives it some sort of edgy feel or something, but there you have it. If I'd rented it with lower expectations, I would've probably enjoyed it more. As it was, I expected something great, and had to settle for ok.

Apocalypto

I've seen rumblings about the historical inaccuracies and such of this flick. Well...duh! Whaddya expect?!?! The people who made the film weren't there, nor is this particular plot and characters documented in the ancient ruins...it was fabricated. Yes, there was the pain taken to use a language nobody understands, but this does not a documentary make. So, I watched, and I enjoyed. It was violent. It was brutal. It was an action movie about a guy doing what he must in order to save those he loves (and about one hell of a tough woman as well). I enjoyed it, enjoyed the character development, enjoyed the suspense, the action, all of it. I'm sure there are probably problems with it, but I was too busy hanging on to the edge of my seat to notice them! I'd recommend giving this a watch! (if you can stomach the gore that is)

Batman Begins

Yes, it really took me this long (Dark Knight is already in cinemas) to see the first installment. Before seeing it, I wasn't sure why I'd waited so long, and after seeing it, I feel like a fool for waiting! This was brilliant! A very well done and acted movie. I much preferred this to the more cartoony feel of the Tim Burton version, and now can't wait to see the next installment. The action, the story, the pacing...all just excellent. Can't recommend this enough.

Treasure Planet

This one was ok. I do generally enjoy kids' movies, Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, etc., and this was ok, but nothing spectacular, and not particularly memorable. The kids liked it, and did take in a repeat performance, but didn't have any interest really in making this a permanent part of the collection. Might be worth a rental...better yet, if you know anyone who bought it, borrow their copy.

Barbie Fantasia - Mermadia

I only watched the bits and pieces I had to in order to get from my computer through the living room to the kitchen and/or bathroom and back. This really holds no interest for adults and is really for fairly young children. My daughter of course loved it. If you have young daughters, they stand a good chance at liking this thing...as an adult, should you be forced to sit through it with your child, it's a good opportunity to catch a little shut-eye. That said, this movie did have something that floored me. The closing credits. For the quality and thought that went into this thing, there are LOADS of people involved in bringing this thing to light!

There you have it...the weekly movie roundup.