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Disney/Pixar

May 29, 2009

Children's, Animation, Dramedy?

DVD
D+

I think more than any Pixar movie, this made me loathe the company, especially as I found the whole "marriage in a minute" montage incredibly manipulative.  Watching the first quarter hour today, I just found the movie, well, bland, especially the character design.  But, yes, I didn't detest it, so I've mellowed.  Peter Docter and Bob Peterson co-directed, and co-wrote with somebody else.

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music

20th Century Fox

April 1, 1965

Historical Drama, Musical, Romance

DVD
B-

I watched this often as a child (it's where I first heard of pink lemonade) and a few times as an adult.  The songs (well, the famous ones) remain catchy and the movie doesn't drag as much as some three-hour movies do.  But, well, I've never fallen in love with the film.  And this time I'm going to say it's because of Christopher Plummer.  I don't know if it's his acting, or the direction, or the writing, but I just don't buy his character, especially his dramatic turns, like changing his whole personality in the course of one song.  That said, the kids are pretty good and Julie Andrews is marvelous, and there's the scenery and set design.  So, yeah, B- and I'll probably watch it a couple more times before I die.

This is based on the book by the real Maria Von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, and directed by the prolific Robert Wise.

Remember

Remember

Serendipity Point Films etc.

December 17, 2015

Drama

DVD
C-

Relatively intriguing for a movie I'm not interested in.  I mean it's kind of suspenseful but I didn't care about where it was going.  Atom Egoyan directed.

The New World

The New World

New Line etc.

January 20, 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Once again, Hollywood fails to present Pocahontas as the little girl she was, but I like the scenery and Plummer is good of course.  Terrence Malick wrote and directed.

Must Love Dogs

Must Love Dogs

Warner Bros. etc.

July 29, 2005

Romcom

DVD
D+

Gary David Goldberg wrote and directed, but this doesn't even rise to the level of a sitcom.  I found it predictable and unfunny (OK, one joke worked in fifteen minutes), although the leads are likable as usual.

The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be King

Allied Artists

December 19, 1975

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I was leaning towards a D+ but things perked up a bit on the train.  This is based on the Rudyard Kipling novella and directed by John Huston, who cowrote the screenplay.

The Last Station

The Last Station

Warner Bros.

December 4, 2009

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I found this uninvolving, and I say that as someone who's read Anna Karenina multiple times.  Director Michael Hoffman based the screenplay on Jay Parini's biographical novel of Tolstoy.

The First Emperor of China

The First Emperor of China

IMAX?

Documentary, Historical Drama

January 5, 1990

DVD
C-

An odd blend of narration (by Plummer) and reconstructed events.  I watched fifteen minutes, which is over a third, but wasn't interested enough to continue.  Tony Ianzelo and Liu Hao Xue co-directed.