"Fantomas III: The Murderous Corpse" (1913)--revisited

Part of the definition of "classic" should be the ability to enjoy it just as much--if not more--on subsequent viewings.  I enjoyed this more the 2nd time now that I'm more familiar with the characters--having now watched Fantomas I & II.  And I still like the use of bassoons and feel that they have been underused in cinema soundtracks.  The first time I was greatly confused on who was who, especially since Juve and Fantomas used different disguises, but having gotten used to who was who and this concept from the first time I watched III, then I, & II, I could make a lot more sense of it now.  And even with know what was going to happen this time, I still enjoyed the movie.  Or concert with pictures.

"Fantomas II: Juve vs. Fantomas" (1913)

I don't have any way of knowing how close to the original the sound track is--or even if the original had any live sound accompaniment--but for the sound track that was included with this version, I have this to say:  Soundtracks should use bassoons more like this one did.  Maybe we'd have a few more bassoon players if we did.  I've also decided that silent films are best watched in the morning when you first wake up.

Wondering why silent films have such a strong association to "simple stories", at least for me?  There's nothing "simple" about it.  It's just as good as any current day story, if not better then at least some.  Is it the sound of dialogue that makes stories seem more complex?  And if it is, why don't we talk about it more?  Or maybe it's the idea that it's "simpler" to just listen to a movie than to watch and read one.  And in the process of thinking about what's "simpler" for ourselves, we mix the two up and think that movies are what's simple and that we're getting a more complex experience by watching something we can also hear.

Surprises in this film:  the fake arms--I didn't see that coming, and I didn't understand what cause the final explosion--I know that we were shown, but I didn't understand it.  And who the "silent killer" was.

And Lady Belmont--does she love the guy out of fear?  Or is she so surprised to see him that she doesn't know what to think?  Or is it realizing that she loves a guy that's capable of murder and she's just now figuring this out?

"Journey to the Christmas Star" (2012)

At first, I thought the dubbing was a little out of sync.  (That happens on rare occasions for streaming at my house.)  It wasn't until the credits rolled that I realized it wasn't out of sync or bad dubbing.  It was dubbing English over onto a movie initially made in another language.  Since the credits read "Disney Studios Norway", I'm assuming that's Norwegian.

There's just enough fancy to keep this fun--"just give blueberries to the bear and say hi"--and who wouldn't find it fun to hop onto the North wind for a ride--and yeah "jump onto what?" kind of adventurous-scary, too.  The "bad guys" are bad but the one bumbles just enough that it's a "safe" bad.  And as I said, there's enough magic and whimsy to keep it a lighter movie.  The lead is a girl.  That's nice.  I'm taking the character "Mose" (sounded like "Moss") as one, too, but I'm not entirely sure there.  (My apologies if I'm wrong there.)

So, this story could be subtitled a Christmas Cinderella Adventure.

And if you do decide to watch this movie, hang in there through all the credits.  :)

Also known as Reisen til julestjernen.

"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013) [extended version]

I liked it.

I usually try to watch the theater version first before the extended, but that didn't work out that way this time.  With the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I have found that my personal preference was for the director's cut.  I like pacing of the story much better in the director's cut versions.

I read somewhere to the effect that Peter Jackson felt he let Tolkien fans down because there wasn't a fresh take on the films, that new ideas were brought, by having a new director.  Personally, I am glad for the continuity.

I don't have any criticisms or accolades to express with this first viewing.  I just thoroughly enjoyed myself by allowing myself to be immersed into the world of "The Hobbit 2".

"The Brooke Ellison Story" (2004)

An amazing story (that I'm assuming is true) about the journey of a girl (along with her mother and the rest of her family) from age 11 to college graduation from Harvard.  [I just spoiled the ending there for you.]  Amazing lady.  Amazing mother and family.  Brooke Ellison is a quadrapelic (or maybe it is paraplegic).  Brooke Ellison is a summa cum laude Harvard graduate (or maybe that was just her senior thesis?).  At the time that the film was made, she was working on her doctorate.

I think that qualifies for "inspirational story".

The movie is biographical.  End messages connect to the Christopher Reeves Foundation (which makes sense since it was directed by Christopher Reeves).

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday evening.  Just not much more to say about it.  Maybe that means the movie speaks for itself.

Maybe watch it on Mother's Day.

"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.]