Yet Another Post Delay...

Sorry for not posting any reviews for almost two weeks--still not set up in my new house to watch films yet. I'm confident, though, that Thanksgiving week will see time to get back into my regular stream of movie-viewing. I'm been staring at the DVD cover of The Perks of Being a Wallflower forever, it seems. So look forward to that review first.

Happy Thanksgiving (soon)!

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Ender's Game

Ender's Game (Gavin Hood, 2013)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Fantasy, Coming of Age, Future, War, Science Fiction

 

This is a film about HOW. How do I become successful? How can I succeed? How do I gain trust? How do I please my superiors? How do I win? Strategy is Ender's strongest skill and he learns throughout his training that the rules in life are bendable, changeable, and complex.

I loved this story because it is more "coming of age" than fantasy (but still definitely fantasy). Seeing as this film comes from the same director as Tsotsi (2006), I'm not surprised that it is an interesting study of masculinity, war, and fear. Ender is marvelously played by Asa Butterfield, who is quickly becoming one of the brightest new stars in Hollywood. I hope to see the story continued soon.

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Blue Velvet

Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)

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Rating: Q=6, P=3 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=1

 

Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Drama, Surreal

 

In true David Lynch fashion, Blue Velvet startles, confuses, and offers a lot to think about. I watched "Twin Peaks" several years ago and fell in love with the weird and skewed way Lynch portrays our little human environments and how he comments on the darker side of our world. "It is a strange world," as Jeffrey says in this film. Lots of symbols--like bugs and ears and flames--kept the film student gears in me moving. I especially liked the way the whole film centered around a few songs from the 1950s. Great songs in creepy situations. Dennis Hopper's character is so creepy-- and the climactic scene is so memorable, like a horrific still photograph that Jeffrey just walks into. Anyway... if you like to be surprised, watch this.

 

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Adam, Creature Comforts, Not Without My Handbag, Wat's Pig

Adam, Creature Comforts, Not Without My Handbag, Wat's Pig (Aardman Animations, 1989-1993)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Animated, Shorts, Stop-Motion, Silly, Whimsical

 

I so love stop-motion animation and these early shorts by Aardman Animations were fun to watch. Nothing totally amazed me--I especially liked "Wat's Pig" as a newer take on the Prince and the Pauper storyline. If you need a diversion and just want to be entertained, you can't go wrong with these.

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