40Cent @ the movies

[Centurion40]

Yesterday, the Mrs and I went to see Saving Mr. Banks, as there was nothing else, upon which we could compromise.

The movie was much more emotional than I expected; as all the hype was about Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney.  But Tom was a supporting actor to Emma Thompson, playing P.L. Travers- the author of Mary Poppins.  The movie is promoted as the tale of how the whimsical Walt Disney wrangled the movie rights to Mary Poppins from a reluctant and difficult stiff British author. 

This is basically true, this is the pivotal plot of the movie.  But the movie is really about P.L. Travers wrestling with her inner demons, to overcome her emotional damage (shown through a series of flash-backs), having grown-up in a home where her father was an alcoholic (albeit a fun-loving drunk) who lost his job and died of (what seems to be) consumption while the young P.L. Travers was out buying him some pears. The Mary Poppins figure is actually based P.L. Travers' aunt, who came to live with her family, in rural Australia, after her mother's suicide attempt when her father became bedridden with consumption- in a failed attempt to save the family, and especially to save the father- a recently fired bank manager.

Walt and his upbeat team of composers and script writers try to break through to the hard-nosed and proper British author, who insists on being called "Mrs. Travers" and also insisted upon audio recording all of their discussion (because she didn't trust any of them), only to discover that her real name is Helen Goff, that she is Australian born and raised- not British and that P.L. Travers is her nom de plume, based on her father's name; Travers Goff.  Furthermore that the father in the Mary Poppins story is actually based on her own father, Travers Goff.

Clearly Walt succeeds in breaking-down Mrs. Travers, getting the movie rights and making a whimsical musical called "Mary Poppins".  The film's climax comes when they are all sitting in Grauman's Chinese Theater, watching the screen debut of Mary Poppins, and P.L. Travers breaks down sobbing when the movie family's father, Mr. Banks melts his heart and plays with the children.  The credits role while showing old photographs and playing audio tape of the actual recordings of discussions between the real-life Mrs. Travers and the Disney production crew.

A good movie, but not what I expected.

30 out of 40

[OJsDad]

I haven't seen the movie, but I thought from the commercials that Tom looked a lot like Walt. 

[Centurion40]

The whole family went toThe Lego Movie in 3D on the weekend.  What a spectacular visual experience.  It was a good and engaging story too; encouraging creativity and self expression whilst exposing the vapid, clone-like nature of usual day-to-day living.

For 40Jr & I, the only downside to the movie was near to the end, when we are taken out of the Lego Universe, coming back into human reality, complete with human actors being filmed on real-world sets.  That shift was a bummer for both 40Jr. and myself.  But Mrs. 40 liked it.  For her it gave context to the story.  For us, it messed-up the whole vibe of the movie- as we have no interest in reality.

Great movie for adults and kids alike.

33 out of 40

[Martok]

Yeah, I've heard some decent praise for that one.  If I end up not being able to see it in the theaters, it's definitely going on my list. 

[Centurion40]

The Mrs. and I went to see The Monuments Men last night.  It was fine, but it struck as something better suited to HBO than the big screen.  At first I thought that we were in for Oceans 11 set in WWII, but that phase passed.  I was a bit confused, in that I wasn't sure if the film intended to be a whimsical adventure (like Oceans 11), or a serious tale of war (like Saving Private Ryan).  It seemed to bounce back and forth between the two without really hitting a rhythm- and it was never really that whimsical.  I kept having to remind myself that it is a movie in order to suspend my disbelief at, what were to me, glaring historical impossibilities.  I guess that I expected a Band of Brothers level of historical accuracy.  That being said, it wasn't glaring.

Overall, this wasn't a bad film.  It was an interesting story covering a topic mostly unknown to me.  The acting was good, and it was a good looking movie; it just didn't seem like it should have been intended for theatrical release.  If I were you, I'd wait to rent it or watch it on HBO.

29 out of 40

[Centurion40]

A buddy and I went to see Stalingrad last night, in IMAX 3D.  It was visually stunning, but the dialogue and plot was like a Hollywood war movie from 1943.

It starts out in the modern day, with a Russian aid flight going to provide disaster relief after a tsunami in Japan.  The Russian rescue workers start to dig-out a group of German teenagers trapped in a collapsed building.  What German teenagers are doing in Japan, I don't know.  I guess they're trying to show that modern Russians can be benevolent to Germans. One of the Russians speaks German, and talks to one of the German teenagers via a video-link, to keep her calm while Russians try to save them.  The Russian tells her the story of his mother, who grew up in Stalingrad, and it was during the Battle of Stalingrad that his mother met his father.  The rest of the movie centers around that tale.

The movie shows the Russians as people who have faith in God and the motherland.  Fierce fighters, battling relentlessly for Mother Russia.  No Commissars or hammers 'n sickles in sight.  One scene shows Russians advancing through burning oil, charging the German line, clothes and flesh burning (I mean engulfed in flames) while shooting, stabbing and punching the terrified Germans.

The Germans (all Wehrmacht) are showed as immoral rapists and pagans.  There is a scene where a German Colonel picks a Russian woman and her child out of a line-up, because they look Jewish, and has them burned alive.  The Colonel explains to a Captain that, as was the way of their ancestors, a human sacrifice before battle is required.  The Captain is appalled, so he goes and rapes a pretty Russian woman.

Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety.  German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom.  I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.

But the visual and sound effects were absolutely stunning, really first-rate. Amazing battle scenes. I can't emphasize that enough.  The dichotomy between the modern cinematography and the archaic plot and dialogue was really bizarre.  It was a really weird experience.

18 out of 40.

[BanzaiCat]

Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety.  German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom.  I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.

Rather fortuitous that the Russians allow this movie to be released a few months before their little picnic in the Ukraine.

Reminds me of parts of the plot of Red Storm Rising.

I've seen some of the movie online (yes, I went looking for it), but the dialogue was truly atrocious, so much so that I couldn't watch but half or so of it; juxtapose that terrible dialogue and characterization, not to mention the transparent "Russians are German friends" crap at the beginning, and mix it with as you say some very stunning battle scenes, makes for a ride like a roller coaster that makes you want to vomit despite the fun you have with it. It reminded me a lot of the terrible movie Enemy at the Gates - I enjoyed EatG only because of the scenes at the beginning with the Russians crossing the Volga and the Stukas diving in on them - great stuff. The rest of the movie, nope.

I'd give this Stalingrad 12/40, and that 12 is only because of some splendid yet completely not rooted in reality special effects. Total horseshit when it comes to flaming men but apparently the Russian movie-going population ate this up like Borscht-flavored vodka.

[BanzaiCat]

Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety.  German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom.  I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.

Rather fortuitous that the Russians allow this movie to be released a few months before their little picnic in the Ukraine.

Reminds me of parts of the plot of Red Storm Rising.

I've seen some of the movie online (yes, I went looking for it as it's playing nowhere near me), but the dialogue was truly atrocious, so much so that I had a difficult time getting through it; juxtapose that terrible dialogue and characterization, not to mention the transparent "Russians are German friends" crap at the beginning, and mix it with as you say some very stunning battle scenes, makes for a ride like a roller coaster that makes you want to vomit despite the fun you have with it. It reminded me a lot of the terrible movie Enemy at the Gates - I enjoyed EatG only because of the scenes at the beginning with the Russians crossing the Volga and the Stukas diving in on them - great stuff. The rest of the movie, oh hell no.

I'd give this Stalingrad 12/40, and that 12 is only because of some splendid yet completely not rooted in reality special effects. Total horseshit when it comes to flaming men but apparently the Russian movie-going population is about as intelligent as American audiences and ate this up like Borscht-flavored vodka.

[Centurion40]

Took the family to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier yesterday.  It was fine.  Lots of dialogue, more so than action.  To sum it up, a 9 year-old fell asleep during the movie; that should tell you something.  Then again, to be fair, it was over 2 hours long.

I would compare it to Iron Man 3.

Great effects.

31 out of 40

[Windigo]

Lots of dialogue? Not surprised since the Captain is a low tier super hero, only above Aquaman on the power curve.

[Centurion40]

If anyone goes to see it, feel free to skip the 2nd "One Shot" which rolls at the end of the credits (the first one rolls mid-way through the credits).  It was, imho, redundant.  I shan't give details so as not to spoil anything.

[Staggerwing]

Have all the 'One Shots' been gathered anywhere? Youtube doesn't have them all it seems.  :(

[MetalDog]

Lots of dialogue? Not surprised since the Captain is a low tier super hero, only above Aquaman on the power curve.

Says the Canadian.  He's Captain America!  He upholds the ideals this country was founded on.  He is a great patriot and risked his life fighting the Nazi menace in WWII along with a host of baddies from the comic book world.  And just because Aquaman and America both start with a capital A, does not give you the right to slander that great American by equating him with the Fish guy.  So there :P

[Windigo]

[MetalDog]

:P is as close as I can get to a raspberry smiley.  And here is another for good measure :P