"Red Dawn" (2012)

When I read the one line description of this movie, I didn't read it close enough.  I saw "Korean" and thought this movie was set on foreign soil.  Nope.  I've not seen any zombie movies, but "Zombie Apocalypse" without the zombies is sure what came to mind.  It's a war/guerrilla movie, set on American soil.  In Seattle.

It has some warm moments--there are girls--but it's more about brothers bonding and the younger growing up some.  The ending isn't a "everything comes out all right" kind of ending.  Shoot, everyone in the starting group doesn't make it to the end.  (I told you "zombie apocalypse without the zombies", didn't I?)  So, it's not a "feel good" ending.  More of

an enobling one.  I suppose.  [Is war enobling?]  Prefaced right before it with a moment that dropped MY jaw.  Didn't see that coming.  Definitely not a "good guys never die" kind of movie.

So, if you like action movies--like Bourne Identity--this might have some of that flavor of action.  Main characters die or, for other reasons, don't make it to the end of the movie in the group.  Guess that makes it realistic.  So, if you want a happy ending or want an ending where the protagonist wins, this isn't that movie.  But if you just want to see some "blow 'em up" action mixed with "we're real people" dynamics, real people that make decisions that you understand, that aren't easy, and different people making different decisions in similar situations.  That's the movie that this is.  Those decisions could be some discussion starters.

And set in near-present day American Seattle.  Yeah.  That's not "somewhere else."  That can get you thinking, too.

Favorite lines:  "We're trying to link up with a group of insurgents working in the area.  Call themselves Wolverines.  You ever hear of them?" ... "We're the Wolverines."  "I was afraid of that."

and "Marines don't die, they go to hell and regroup."  [Thanks, IMDB, but what's that comma splice doing in there?]

So, I think I recommend this movie.  It's a good movie for the right kind of mood.  You just gotta know what you're in for, though, then it will live up to it.

"Peter & the Wolf" (2006)

This is a half hour film--Polish, I believe--of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.  Now, I grew up listening to Leonard Bernstein's Peter and the Wolf.
I can't tell you how much I listened to that as a kid and how delighted I was to find that old record on a CD as an adult.  I couldn't but hear Bernstein's voice in my head.  Nevertheless, adaptations of familiar works are a good thing.  This adaptation certainly made me wonder how much of Bernstein's version was Bernstein's two cents and how much was Prokofiev's.  No dialog in this version; so you don't need to worry about Polish or subtitles.

I was pleased with this adaptation.  It's primarily puppet (no puppet strings, just orchestra ones) with digital assist.  (That's how I read it.)  I was intrigued by when she chose to start the music in this story.

And that cat!!!  Garfield has nuthin' on this fat cat.  Trust me, this is one, fat. cat.  And there are a couple of moments that made laugh out loud.  And suspense of story--even for a familiar story--came from some interesting places.  I also definitely didn't guess that ending.  Thought I knew.  Nope.  Quite the duck.  Only actor who could have carried off that part, I guess, in spite of what is typical of ducks in general (tongue in cheek).

That cat!!!  :D




[According to IMDB, this movie won an Oscar for best animated short film.  Director and writer is Suzie Templeton.]