Flicka: Not Perfect, but See it Anyway
Title: FlickaREVIEW RECOMMENDATION: EXCELLENT SEE
OUR TAKE: Just go see it. It’s lovely.
In the second film adaption of the O’Hara favorite classic 1941 novel My Friend Flicka, Director Michael Mayer avoids corniness or “family film” neutrality with a strong sense of drama. Working to a tight screenplay, Flicka comes alive in unexpected ways, steering away from the path first carved by the TV series in the fifties or the old 1940s Roddy McDowall movie. A solid choice of cast, and a credibly played lead help make this an EXCELLENT SEE instead of a Good See. This contemporary retelling of the American classic might have rated a MUST SEE except for some uneven dramatic pacing.
Although Flicka may be supported by countless fans of O’Hara’s book, lack of marketing may impale its box office potential. However, true to our prediction, Flicka is churning along nicely in receipts.
20th Cnetury Fox
Producer: Gil Netter
Director: Michael Mayer
Screenplay: Michael Rosenthal, Lawrence Konner
Original Novel: My Friend Flicka, Mary O’Hara
Cast: Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw, Maria Bello, Ryan Kwanten, Dallas Roberts, Nick Searcy, Danny Pino, Kaylee DeFer, Jeffrey Nordling, Dey Young
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The Prestige Obsesses but Doesn't Possess Us
Title: The Prestige
REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: GOOD SEE
OUR TAKE: A trip into obsession that fails to possess audiences and doesn’t live up to the uniquely gothic novel that inspired the journey.
LOGLINE: Two obsessed magicians duel in historic London.
Thematically and visually marvelous, The Prestige fails to achieve the brilliance of Nolan’s earlier works Momento, the cult hit, and the dark comic book Batman Begins.
There is no doubt this is a delightful feast for the visual senses, a sensational film that ultimately suffers from characters who are – perhaps too obsessed? Yes, obsession is the theme, but these characters become thin and wooden in the end because of their all-consuming pursuit of one goal. And, in the end, this is what makes The Prestige less memorable than it could easily have been.
Ultimately, the movie adaptation of Christopher Priest’s novel fails to capture the complexity of the book. Where Priest’s novel revealed complex characters who feel ashamed of their envy, the movie remains focused only on revenge and obsession. In the quest to remain mysterious, the screenplay opts to keep the viewers in the dark after a dramatic incident creates a obsessed rivalry between two magicians who trained together. When Robert Angier’s (played by Hugh Jackman) wife dies during an act, he blames Alfred Borden (the rival magician played by Bale) who tied the knots that causes her death.
The two magicians are rivals for life, engaging in stage warfare: sabotage, espionage, betrayal. The plot unravels into a soap opera of tricks and betrayals. Backed by magnificent production, this dark film is a visual feast, but fails to entirely satisfy.
Executive Producer: William Tyrer, Chris Ball
Producer: Christopher Nolan
Producers: Aaron Ryder, Emma Thomas
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screen Writer: Christopher and Jonathan Nolan (brothers)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, Piper Perabo
MPAA Rating: PG-13
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Grudge 2: Been There, Done That
Title: The Grudge 2REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: FAIR SEE
OUR TAKE: It’s spooky, but not as creepy as original
The Grudge 2 opened with the number one daily take on – of course – Friday the 13th. It scared up some good sized audiences who want to be scared. Unfortunately, an unoriginal story, empty thrills, and a slow pace turn this highly anticipated sequel into a “wait for DVD” recommendation. The visual power of the original is missing, or perhaps its just that we have seen it before. About 30 minutes too long.
Credits
Columbia Pictures
Cast:
Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, Jennifer Beals, Edison Chen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Joanna Cassidy, Takako Fuji
Executive Producers: Joe drake, Nathan Kahane, Roy Lee, Doug Davison
Producers: Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Taka Ichese
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Screenwriter: Stephen Susco
Running Time: 87 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13
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Interesting Literary, Book and Publishing, Book to Film Adaption Articles
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