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The characters are what make these films work for me. They appeal to my sense of humour. They really do strike the perfect balance between emotion and the ludicrous in a way that works for me. That said, I only went to see this film thanks to the good feelings engendered by its predecessor, and I wouldn't say that it was in the same league. It was great at the time, because it had been a while since I'd seen the one before it. But re-watching the original film confirmed to me my preference for it over this sequel.
Mainly, I think I find the villain in Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 a bit of a... hassle. I think that's the best word for it. Rather than providing impetus for the plot, I feel like he gets in the way of it. And that goes twofold for his orangutan sidekick. The first film only needed the villain to be a vague idea in the background; the entertainment came from watching the characters reacting and dealing with consequences. The villain in this film tried to steal the show from the main characters too much for my liking, making this film the lesser film. But what do I know? The Bassist says he prefers this one to the original (though he did see this one first).
Final Thought: "There's a leek in the boat" makes me laugh every. single. time.
Up Next: Clueless (1995)
This film was a real surprise to me in how good it was. From the title, it seemed like such a stupid film. And it is, but in a wonderful way.
I love animation, so there's a lot of animated films that I'll watch as a gamble, and this was one of them. I fell in love from it right from the start, at the moment they introduced of spray on shoes. And I kept loving it, because there's so many delightful little side moments in this film. You have to keep watching so you don't miss something. Not to mention the fact that Steve is one of the greatest sidekicks ever.
Even though this film is a ludicrous idea, it's tempered by Flint's dad, who they've made such a touching character - hairy and gruff but well meaning. And they deftly set the poignancy of this relationship early in the film and thereby give some sort of vague purpose to why Flint behaves as he does.
I think this film works for me because it embraces what it is and then takes it just a little bit further. It leaves me teary (because I'm a sap, apparently) and jubilant (because Yay Animation!), which is just great.
Final Thought: What's distressing is that Baby Brent reminds me of someone I know, and I can't figure out who...
Up Next: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (2013)
The first time I watched this film, it left me shattered. This is not a film to see when you've just broken up with someone. Though, if that is the situation in which you see this film, it is cathartic through the emotional turmoil. I don't think I knew very much about it when I first watched it, so the emotional impact it had on me was a shock. The effect has lessened with subsequent viewings, as I know what to expect, but I still find it fascinating to watch.
The script is stunning. My university drama society staged the original play around the same time, and unfortunately it didn't come close to this film. The acting is fantastic, and it's such a relief that they had the original playwright adapt it for the screen.
Final Thought: "Natalie Portman does a pretty impressive split" is a thought that occurs to me every time I watch this.
Up Next: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)
I think you need to approach this film as a piece of art that you watch. This isn't a film you seek out when you want an in depth plot, or even a plot that makes sense. The plot exists in the same way it does in an old school musical; as a means of leading from one production number to the next. If anything, the plot is even thinner than those of musicals.
That isn't necessarily a criticism. If you watch this film with that in mind, you won't feel that you've missed out on anything. And sometimes I need movies like that. A pure, escapist, visual treat. Certainly, if the focus had been the plot, something very interesting could have been created. And I'm sure I would have loved to see it. But the point of this movie is that it's a showcase of Cirque du Soleil acts from their Las Vegas shows. And I'm fine with that, when that's what I'm in the mood to see. And tonight, I was.
Final Thought: I'm jealous of her umbrella boat.
Up Next: Closer (2004)
Charade is so much more fun than I remember. I haven't watched it in my adult life before. I had completely forgotten about most of the comedy elements of this film, so watching it was a delight. As a kid, I must have thought it a much more serious movie, and yet I remember the shower-in-a-suit moment in perfect detail. I was so fascinated by all the parts I'd forgotten that I'm actually left with not much to say about it. Just wonderful.
I've found, when it comes to classic films, that I'm sometimes left wondering what it is about them that earned them that status. For example, Breakfast At Tiffany's didn't appeal to my tastes, and, other than the fashion, I do wonder a little at how it became as exalted as it is. I think I need to sit down with someone who loves it and listen to why they feel that way.
To me though, Charade is definitely a classic.
Final Thought: Nobody wears clothes as well as Hepburn and Grant. Nobody. I spent half the film wondering how Hepburn managed to look so good in what she was wearing.
Up Next: Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (2012)
The appeal of sports movies baffles me. I don't say that because I don't like them, I say that because it seems that I do like them. I don't actively go out and watch sports matches, but somehow, there is something about sports movies (ones from the 1990s in particular) that can really get me caught up in the film. There's obvious things like wanting the team/player (aka the good guy) to win, and the battle to win is usually very blatantly played out in the championship game or whatever it is that serves as the climax to the film, and the pay off of the good guy winning is satisfied with the definite acknowledgement of a trophy/medal/glory/valuable moral lesson/whatever.
But why do I, someone who doesn't remotely care about actual sports games when they're on TV, care? Good writing and acting is always a contributing factor, but the subject matter is rather removed from my interests. Perhaps I'll have this figured out by the time I watch Remember The Titans.
Recently, I watched the series "Fringe" in its entirety, which stars Joshua Jackson as a mostly concerned and problem solving character. So watching Champions was partly fascinating just to be reminded of just how damn charming he is as an actor. No wonder he was cast. As a child actor, he was pretty great and, cheesy as it is, he gives the film heart.
Final Thought: I don't understand why they thought this film couldn't be called The Mighty Ducks in the UK and Australia...
Up Next: Charade (1963)
In the year 2000, Center Stage and Coyote Ugly were both released cinematically, and though neither were brilliant films, they captured the attention of my circle of friends. We saw each of these movies at the cinema multiple times. I couldn't even tell you why, to be honest, but we just kept going back.
Center Stage, while showcasing some rather unimpressive acting, is admirable for casting actual dancers. My two major peeves in cinema are musical instruments being played with blatantly wrong technique (see August Rush) and terrible dancing being portrayed as great dancing (see The Artist). So in this instance, I am more than willing to forgive bad acting for the sake of seeing ballet danced properly.
Final Thought: Despite the multiple times I have seen this film, my memory of it pales in comparison to The Seamstress. She can quote this word for word.
Up Next: Champions (1992)
