THE EAGLE/PULP FICTION/CREATION

So, I took a break from my steady, Netflix-supported (notice I didn't say Qwikster) diet of Doctor Who and kung fu movies to see a couple of films.  Here's the breakdown:

CREATION - (7)
I bawled my eyes out.  I felt so sorry for the man.  Making himself sick, psychotic episodes, being British, giving up on your life's work, and forgetting to talk to your wife I understand but not allowing God to be rational and loving and bigger than the narrow-minded people (and I'm talking about scientists as well as religious folks) around you? That's just heartbreaking.  Also it's really sad when little cute things die so watch out for that.

THE EAGLE -- (6)
I don't know what determines whether a film will be a success or a failure.  This movie has great costuming, attention to detail, interesting-looking actors, folks covered in blue clay, and even does us the favor of doing everything with actual people rather than computer-generated images.  And there are worse "action stars" working today than Channing Tatum. (Just the trailer from that Taylor Lautner thing gives me a rash.)  So, I'm not sure why this thing didn't make any big waves.  Perhaps no one actually cares about how Roman society actually functioned?  Maybe no one expects the moral ambiguity resulting from the interaction between occupied and occupying cultures in a sword fighting flick.  Or maybe nobody cares about a gold eagle on a stick.  Eh. I'm not even sure I care now that I'm thinkin' 'bout it....

PULP FICTION -- (6)
Natalie insisted I watch this when I was busy being outraged that she hadn't seen SERENITY yet.  Since PULP FICTION arguably has had a greater cultural impact, I was wrong and we watched it.  I had no idea Bruce Willis was in it.  I liked it a lot and was surprised that it A) was slow, B) made John Travolta look like a complete looser, and C) didn't immediately make a bundle in merchandising from sales of "Bad Mother F-er" wallets.  I know I want one.


And in other news, this guy

Matt Smith

 is not my favorite Doctor.  However this girl

Karen Gillan

is super cool so I think everything will be okay. =)

MARS NEEDS MOMS -- (6)

Motion capture animation is kind of weird. Unless you are WETA and/or Andy Serkis, it always looks creepy and odd.   In MARS NEEDS MOMS, the same POLAR EXPRESS techniques were used to make people and so the humans in this film have similar awkward, weightless, marionette-like moves.  The animation crew chose to make the characters look like the actors which is unfortunate because Seth Green is not very attractive and changing his face to look like a hairy 10-year-old doesn't help anyone.  But, the Martians look cool.  They look and move like cartoons, with enough animated "bounce" to make them natural. 
This film is based on a book by Berkley Breathed (of Bloom County fame) and the boy in the book is kinda Bill the Cat-looking.  Its a good book and a good story.  It's almost a good movie.  What I really wish is for filmmakers to stop trying to make people look and move like creepy puppet versions of themselves and to start making them just be cartoons.  It would be a lot more honest somehow.

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU -- (6)

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU is pretty much Adam and Eve + THE MATRIX.   There's a lot of stuff happening which talks about the idea of free will but then it's based on a Phillip K. Dick short story so that's only to be expected.   What kills me about stories like this is how they never just ASK THE WOMAN WHAT SHE THINKS.   I mean, the hero eventually gives her enough information (barely) and then offers her a choice while standing at the base of the Statue of Liberty (get it? Liberty? Choice? Free will? Get it? Was that subtle enough?) but if he had asked earlier it would have saved a lot of trouble and heartache.  Sure it wouldn't have been as dramatic an ending and we wouldn't have gotten pretty shots like the photo above but I can still wish for things.  Let's just call it an exercise of my free will.