New releases that I read about today on RogerEbert.com to add to my "To See" and "Maybe" lists:
Documentaries
Friedkin Uncut (documentary)
3 stars by Matt Zoller Seitz. With lots of interviews.
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (documentary)
2.5 stars by Nick Allen. Looks interesting, with interviews with Flea, Herbie Hancock, and others.
Drama/Comedy
Hot Air
Only two stars by Nick Allen, but looks like it could be interesting, about a right wing talk show host (played by Steve Coogan). Judith Light plays a Senator.
Brittany Runs a Marathon
Three stars by Monica Castillo. About a first-time marathon runner (Jillian Bell).
Note: Out there in The Dark blogged about this movie recently, and a friend of mine saw it and recommended it.
Give Me Liberty
2.5 stars by Matt Fagerholm. "An unpatronizing portrayal of people with disabilities"; the lead is a medical transport driver.
Thrillers/Horror
Burn
2.5 stars by Brian Tallerico. A single-setting thriller with Josh Hutcherson. "this is a film that kept me uncertain of what would happen next and affirms Gan as an interesting young filmmaker to watch."
Tigers are Not Afraid
3 stars by Brian Tallerico. Supposed to be del Toro-esque, set in a Mexican city with a gang of boys. In Spanish. Looks interesting.
Tone-Def
Only one star by Simon Abrams, but this look like it could be an interesting horror-comedy with an intergenerational twist. Robert Patrick and Amanda Crew.
Showing posts with label Guillermo del Toro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guillermo del Toro. Show all posts
8/26/2019
7/26/2019
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
It's dark. And blends fantasy and politics very much like his other films Devil's Backbone and Shape of Water. The girl's stepfather is a military officer who often tortures or kills any spy or anti-fascist warrior that comes near him or his home.
Meanwhile, the girl discovers fairies and other mythical creatures, which may or may not be real (is it all just in her head?) But my interpretation is that they are real and interact only with her, and the new world she enters is also a real one, only open to her. I thought it was an imaginative world, at least what we see of it.
Interesting to note: The book version is this month's #1 best-selling book in Germany (source: Publishing Trends): https://www.publishingtrends.com/2019/08/international-bestsellers-july-2019/
Interesting to note: The book version is this month's #1 best-selling book in Germany (source: Publishing Trends): https://www.publishingtrends.com/2019/08/international-bestsellers-july-2019/
2/24/2018
The Shape of Water (2017) - an original story or an adapted story?
Last summer I saw a trailer for the film The Shape of Water, which really piqued my interest, as it seemed to be a mysterious and visually intriguing movie, with actors I really enjoy (Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer).
I watched the film in December, and though I found it watchable for the most part, I didn't think it was very a original story; as it was essentially a new twist on an old tale. One thing that especially didn't sit with me well was the dialogue; it felt as if the actors were all using language and speaking as if it were modern times and not early 1960s, and that was a bit distracting. I imagined what the film would be like if it were in a foreign language with subtitles, or set in another country, as it may have worked for me a bit better.
I was surprised that the film received so many Oscar nominations this year; it may win some technical awards, and possibly best picture, director, actress, and possibly Best Original Screenplay - emphasis on "Original".
Leading up to the Awards ceremony, there's been some controversy surrounding the film, with questions being raised as to whether the filmmakers are guilty of plagiarizing the story from another work - a play called Let Me Hear You Whisper by Paul Zindel. The play was also made into two films - 1969 version and a 1990 version.
I was not familiar with the story or the films, but people who have been pointing out the similarities on Twitter and other social media since last summer. In this article from Hollywood Nerd, the similarities are pointed out, and they are remarkable. There's also some people who are questioning that director Guillermo del Toro was influenced to write the film based on a story idea he heard from novelist Daniel Kraus who may have been familiar with the Zindel story (article here). A few other similar court cases about plagiarism are noted in this article here.
According to a recent Deadline article, del Toro claims he's never seen nor heard of the original play, which may be true but quite a coincidence because the two stories are so similar. One would think that at least a credit such as "Inspired by a Story by Paul Zindel" would be appropriate. If the film wins Best Picture, I may be a bit miffed not so much because of this controversy, but because I still feel that in 1992, Beauty and the Beast should have won the Best Picture Oscar, and feel that was a far better fairy tale film.
I was surprised that the film received so many Oscar nominations this year; it may win some technical awards, and possibly best picture, director, actress, and possibly Best Original Screenplay - emphasis on "Original".
Leading up to the Awards ceremony, there's been some controversy surrounding the film, with questions being raised as to whether the filmmakers are guilty of plagiarizing the story from another work - a play called Let Me Hear You Whisper by Paul Zindel. The play was also made into two films - 1969 version and a 1990 version.
I was not familiar with the story or the films, but people who have been pointing out the similarities on Twitter and other social media since last summer. In this article from Hollywood Nerd, the similarities are pointed out, and they are remarkable. There's also some people who are questioning that director Guillermo del Toro was influenced to write the film based on a story idea he heard from novelist Daniel Kraus who may have been familiar with the Zindel story (article here). A few other similar court cases about plagiarism are noted in this article here.
According to a recent Deadline article, del Toro claims he's never seen nor heard of the original play, which may be true but quite a coincidence because the two stories are so similar. One would think that at least a credit such as "Inspired by a Story by Paul Zindel" would be appropriate. If the film wins Best Picture, I may be a bit miffed not so much because of this controversy, but because I still feel that in 1992, Beauty and the Beast should have won the Best Picture Oscar, and feel that was a far better fairy tale film.
6/17/2016
The Devil's Backbone (2001) and The Boy (2016)
I first saw The Devil's Backbone in 2012. It was the first Guillermo del Toro movie I had seen, and I really liked it. I liked how the film's supernatural element blends with the political story. It's not just a ghost story, but a ghost does lurks in an all-boy's orphanage/school during the Spanish Civil War. At the center of the story is a young boy who befriends other classmates. The adults in the film have differing political loyalties, which adds further tension. Pan's Labyrinth was similar in some ways but I like this film better.
I watched The Boy in January of 2016, and I was reminded of The Devil's Backbone. There were some similarities that really stood out to me. In this movie, a woman is hired to be a nanny to a porcelain doll. The elderly owners of the house treat it like a real doll. It's a very creepy situation. Sometimes the doll moves on its own - or does it? Sometimes we hear strange noises. Sometimes other things move on its own - or do they? Is it a ghost? Is the doll possessed? It's pretty creepy. Directed by William Brent Bell. There's been some talk of a sequel but it hasn't happened yet.
I watched The Boy in January of 2016, and I was reminded of The Devil's Backbone. There were some similarities that really stood out to me. In this movie, a woman is hired to be a nanny to a porcelain doll. The elderly owners of the house treat it like a real doll. It's a very creepy situation. Sometimes the doll moves on its own - or does it? Sometimes we hear strange noises. Sometimes other things move on its own - or do they? Is it a ghost? Is the doll possessed? It's pretty creepy. Directed by William Brent Bell. There's been some talk of a sequel but it hasn't happened yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)