by Felipe Rosa
The Secret World of Arrietty: a great example of how stunning the hand drawn animation style still can be; it’s rich and detailed, full of life. The sweet, touching story complements the visual aspect perfectly, oozing charm and magic. There is a reason (many, indeed) for the Pixar artists to hold Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in such high regard, and they are in display here.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: animation, fantasy
by Felipe Rosa
Thin Ice: this film struggles hard to finds its own identity. What is it, a comedy or a crime movie? There have been many that have been both, but they embrace the duality instead of switching the tone like this one. At the end, we have somehting that is so out of left field, so artificial, that indeed we feel cheated. What a waste of this cast.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, crime
by Felipe Rosa
Bullhead: credit is due that the film turns out to be something different than it starts as. However, it’s also heavy-handed, both in some of the acting and in its writing.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama
by Felipe Rosa
This Means War: one should not be surprised when the trailers sell a movie that looks bad and the movie turns our to be exactly that. Part of the hurdle is that Reese Witherspoon is the most annoying screen presence this side of Renée Zellweger. There are (very) few moments that are funny, saving this from being a complete disaster.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, romantic comedy
by Felipe Rosa
Rampart: this film follows the “rule” that, if the main character is despicable, it must also be interesting. Here we have a typical Ellroy cop, played strongly by Harrelson. But the movie comes and goes leaving something amiss.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama
by Felipe Rosa
Night Train to Munich: clearly the product of another era, more naïve and steadfast (but by all acounts, accurate to its time and place). It’s an ingenious story, well and simply told, with enough charm from its principal players.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: thriller
by Felipe Rosa
W.E.: while trying to make a beautiful, stylish movie, the story seems to have been thrown overboard. The two different settings are joined artificially, and neither is appealing to start with. The jumpy editing doesn’t make anything easier to relate to.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic, drama
by Felipe Rosa
Bridesmaids: as a comedy, it’s painfully unfunny; as an investigation of a stressful moments in one’s life, it’s shallow as a puddle; even as a “raunchy comedy with women”, it’s tame. The whole proceeding was artificial and boring.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
by Felipe Rosa
Safe House: nothing new here. Not the standard story, the editing style, Denzel Washington in full villainous mode, the car chases or the roof chases. Reasonably well-done for what it is, thought.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: thriller
Fifth about The Seventh