adventure | Fifth about The Seventh

Rio 2

April 10, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Rio 2: the weakest link in Carlos Saldanha’s film is the story, which is excessively busy; the messages that are supposed to be conveyed, however relevant they are, end up being poorly displayed. The voice cast is very diverse, but Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway (not trying to do too much and being perfect fits for their characters) are the highlights. That is not to say, however, that the film is not a pleasant journey; the animation is beautiful and colorful (Busby Berkeley being […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, animation

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Noah (2014)

April 5, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Noah: even thought it would be basically an opposition of terms, this film is not a particularly subtle epic. The brutal, allegorical story is pure Old Testament, but some of the undertones inserted by Darren Aronofsky (preservationism and religious fanaticism chiefly among them) are a product of our time. Well-done, with solid special effects and good performances from the cast (Russell Crowe, with the most conflicted character, is the stand-out). However, at the end, the heavy hand ends up being somewhat excessive.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, drama

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The Incredibles

March 17, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

The Incredibles: an immensely fun film. It all starts with the great story by director Brad Bird, which has recognizable elements but is also very fresh; it’s also rather layered. The sense of humor is low-key; it’s present in the dialogue, character design and in the frame, and much of it comes from references about culture in general, superheroes, Pixar itself. It’s extremely well-done, drawn in a clean, retro style that fits the story being told; the character design is […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, animation, pixar, super hero, top

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

December 31, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: this upbeat story has been told many times before; however, the mix of genres and the specifics make this a pleasant journey. It is a bit too on-the-nose on its themes, however. The film is visually slick and interesting; the locations, in particular, are great to look at and very distinctive. The cast is in fine (if not spectacular) shape and sells the concept well; Ben Stiller registers well by avoiding, both as an […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy

The Man Who Would Be King

September 1, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Man Who Would Be King: a grand old adventure which includes enough subtext to go beyond simple entertainment. After all, John Huston is behind it. It all starts with an engaging, interesting story that mixes both usual and unusual elements; the main characters are a joy to watch, partially because how they were written and partially because they are played by Michael Caine and Sean Connery. Beautifully made, top to bottom; the locations in particular are incredible.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure

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Epic (2013)

June 18, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Epic: a solid, if unspectacular animated film. The story is above average (it seems to be a bit inspired by Studio Ghibli’s works) and avoiding cheap jokes as well as pop culture references was a good choice. Character and world design are well done, in particular the way one integrated with the other; the exception is that some of the textures are a bit off. Voice acting is, for the most part, good; Christoph Waltz is expectedly the high point.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, animation

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Kon-Tiki (2012)

May 21, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Kon-Tiki: there’s not much space in this film for any characters to really show up. The story, however, is a good one, as “based on fact” stories tend to be, particularly when they are inspirational tales of faith and persistence against (apparently) insurmountable odds, but it lacks a stronger punch. It certainly looks pretty and is well done. It does not, however, address the intrinsic differences of a journey which you know the destination and the path and a journey which […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, biopic / historic, drama

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Only Angels Have Wings

April 21, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Only Angels Have Wings: entertaining adventure, with the sort of story that Howard Hawks perfected during his career. The core of the film are the rich relationships between the large cast of hard-nosed characters, for the most part organic and real. The particulars of the setting are well-used, which makes it feel like the story belongs there instead of being tacked in a exotic corner just for the sake of it. Well shot and well acted.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure

Von Ryan’s Express

April 15, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Von Ryan’s Express: With a story that starts of as a carbon copy of some far superior films (in characterization, visually, musically) and by the time the adventure veers to something more unique, the damage is already done. There is no second chance for a first impression. Perhaps looking at the film in that light is too harsh, but it is too by-the-numbers in most ways. Frank Sinatra plays his part in a low-key manner that is actually a good surprise.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: adventure, war

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