Reviews
Mirrormask (2005)
MirrorMask: EyeCandy
"MirrorMask" was a terribly disappointing film for me. I had expected much from a Jim Henson production and had found favourable reviews comparing it to "The Labyrinth" and "Alice In Wonderland". Unfortunately, the film ended up in one of those "style over substance" pile of movies.
Whereas most kids dream about running away from home to join a circus, Helena is a kid who has grown up in a circus (child labour, anyone?) who wishes to run away to join Real Life. Helena wishes that her mother drop dead, which is a bad move for a spoiled brat with a princess complex in a kid's fantasy movie. Next thing you know, Helena's mother flops over, and for some reason, she is suddenly transported to another world.
Meanwhile, I felt as if I was transported to the Museum of Contemporary Art with a pair of foggy sepia-tinted glasses.
The showcase of CGI-generated creatures and backdrop was interesting at first, and I liked the Orbiting Giants. It got a little too tiresome after a few minutes though, and I felt my mind wandering ...
With no sense of narrative and MTV-style clips and soundtrack (the sphinxes reminded me of Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At"), I did not feel involved in the plight of the protagonist and also frustrated, as we waited for the film to lead us wherever it wanted, hopefully towards the "Exit" signs of the theatre ...
Thumbsucker (2005)
Two thumbs up!
"Thumbsucker" doesn't suck, at all! It's also not just another teen-angst flick. It is a funny, thoughtful, and enjoyable movie. I would give this two thumbs up! Although the movie revolves around Justin, a thoughtful, sensitive, teenager who happens to have a rather nasty habit of sucking his thumb, it also shows his relationship with his parents, brother, teachers, his peers and his dentist, who all undergo their own personal development during the course of the movie.
Justin and his brother call their parents by their first names, and in the case of the Cobbs, this doesn't seem to increase or decrease the level of respect or obedience teenagers have for their parents. Justin and his mother Audrey seem to be alike - they both have crushes: he, for a girl in his debating class, and she, for an actor on daytime TV.
"Thumbsucker" shows that teenagers with a lot of parental love and support can also end up feeling alienated anyway. The path to adulthood is often fraught with anguish, mostly self-inflicted. But sometimes, meeting a mean girl who'd break your heart in a second can do that too.
The casting is excellent - I hadn't checked the cast list before watching it, and was pleasantly surprised to find so many known and good actors in it. Keanu Reaves was a surprise, and a hoot to watch. Tilda Swinton is one cool lady, and I will certainly be looking out for her other movies.
Corpse Bride (2005)
The Lively Dead! (moofie review)
Only Tim Burton can make the world of the dead seem like a fun place to be! Which is why I think the movie is titled "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride", rather than just "Corpse Bride", which might be mistaken for a schlocky gory flick.
The Corpse Bride is about the misadventures of the shy son of a wealthy fishmonger, Victor, as he is accidentally married to a corpse bride. The corpse bride, although dead and blue, is not cold, unlike some of the living (who have grey skins). Rather, she is passionate but bears a heavy heart.
The movie also features dancing skeletons, and a worm who tries to pass off as the Corpse Bride's conscience.
The combined efforts of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and the other talented voice actors make this a highly enjoyable movie. Also being filmed in stop motion greatly benefits the film as it gives it more depth and texture than one that relies heavily on CGI. The narrative is also good, and the characters are livelier and more believable than some movies with real actors.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
Me and You ... and ... human connections
"Me and You and Everyone We Know" is a touching, funny, enjoyable and uplifting film about the human need to connect to each other.
Richard (played by John Hawkes) is undergoing separation from his wife and kids, tries to connect to his sons ... but in a manner that I found to be terrifying, at first. Until we find out what he was really trying to do!
Christine is a performance artist, and tries to form a connection with Richard and an equally impossible connection with the stiff art curator at the Contemporary Art Museum.
Richard's sons, Peter and Robby, tries to form a connection with their new neighbours -- Peter finds that he has more in common with the little girl with a chest full of household appliances than his two promiscuous classmates. Meanwhile, all Robby has learned about human connection is through the chatroom, as his brother has taught him.
Although "Me And You" feels like a movie that sees the light side of life, the dark side IS there, but only if you dwell on it. As it features children in adult situations, I would probably not recommend it to some adults (especially easily offended ones). Children might have a more open mind (if they're not the impressionable type). Miranda's character is like Peter Pan, and still has a childlike enthusiasm about life (and believes in her lucky pink dots), and her breeziness contributes to the mood of the movie.
A highly recommended American film ('tho it FEELS Canadian because of the characters' dress sense)!