All sentiments aside about the film’s director, After Earth exists as an elegant and pensive examination of the power of human emotion. While it fails to elicit the proper excitement and suspense often required of its chosen genre, the poignant tale of a young boy transforming into his own hero is a unique and thoughtful statement on one’s ability to surpass insurmountable obstacles.
Category: Film Reviews (Page 2 of 2)
The Great Gatsby unfolds upon the screen like a cross between two of Baz Luhrmann’s earlier films — the sparkly romance of Romeo + Juliet met with the hypnotic bacchanalia of Moulin Rouge. In typical Lurhmann tradition, the stories contain familiar themes: tragic lovers, missed connections, and societal and/or economic obstacles that prevent such love from blossoming. The visual spectacle is captivating, excelling at what Luhrmann does best — elevating his viewer to that shimmery cinematic plane where lights, color, sound and love are so bright and loud and real that it seems no strip of canvas could contain them. This is the magic that is The Great Gatsby.
Oblivion is the result of too much story and not enough canvas. Think of a house with a tiny frame, or a painting wadded up into a crumpled ball. The story — trust me, it’s in there somewhere — is a compelling work of creative fiction that both reveals and represses human nightmares of technological development. A speculative creation of a sweeping, gothic variety, Oblivion is too ambitious and in its efforts to say too much all at once, its message becomes lost in a frenzied shout of sound and fury.
In the beginning, there was spectacle. The novelty of moving pictures was enough to satisfy audiences who hurried into theaters to catch a glimpse of the newest blockbuster — usually something as mundane as a horse eating hay or small girls having a pillow fight. Little by little the abilities of film as a storytelling medium developed, and audiences were treated to such classics as “A Trip to the Moon” (1902) and “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligiri.” (1920). Sound was another milestone, then color. Digital animation and 3D imaging have been among filmmaking’s most recent technological advancements, and regrettably, in many occasions have continued the tradition of sacrificing story for spectacle.
Oz: The Great and Powerful reminds us strongly of this time. Unlike its predecessor, Victor Flemming’s 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, this prequel lacks the magic and wonder of the earlier film. Oz favors flash over substance, immersing its viewers in a dazzlingly beautiful world of emerald spires, ethereal sunsets and glowing (yellow brick) roads. But sadly, that’s all we have to look forward to.