SUCKER PUNCH -- Review

What happens when a guy falls asleep playing a video game - say Resident Evil or Lara Croft - who had previously spend the early morning hours playing an old throwback version of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter? Well most likely he's dreaming of girls who can kick ass... but might somehow resemble Sailor Moon. Yeah I said it.  The Sucker Punch trailers gave off the appearance of being something cool like a post-apocalyptic version of Annie, however the reality of the film had it being nothing more than a lame attempt at creating a "hot action flick".  The lead character Baby Doll (Emily Browning) looks like the female version of Draco Malfoy in a Sailor Moon costume and although she seems to be able to fight, the over abundance of visual effects completely takes away any necessity to truly know how to act, let alone fight.  With her hair color changing from scene to scene and the "film tricks" used to transition between realities the film becomes more of a bore than an entertaining "pretty" action film.  I know this sounds harsh... BUT if you give off the appearance of being nothing more than a one trick pony I'm sure people will eventually see through the "cool" blind have up to hide the lack of... story... acting... talent... ummm dare I say lack of everything?

Sucker Punch should have been a film full of eye candy, but it left me constantly checking my watch to see how much longer I had to stay until the end.  Granted the cast of ladies was not a complete waste (and shockingly enough Vanessa Hudgens who plays Blondie did not bother me as it was a role that she did little and almost never spoke) as Emily Browning and Jena Malone hold their own throughout the film and Scott Glenn as the Wise Man starts out cool but then turns into a running joke with horrible one liners before sending the girls off into battle.

With a backdrop that changes from World War II to the set of Lord of the Rings as the ladies battle orcs (which I'm surprised Peter Jackson didn't try to sue because I'm sure they were designed by the exact same team of WETA developers used for the LotR series).  It was a cool concept, although not completely thought through.  The "bosses" that needed to be defeated in each level were interesting however not well developed as some of the story just did not connect.  I almost wish Zach Snyder had given up the film-making side and just created an amazing video game because then I would at least feel like I'm achieving something by interacting with the characters and story.

I'm sorry but all in all I can't even say that Sucker Punch is a film strictly meant to be nothing more than eye candy, because it could have been so much better.  Yes there are a few AMAZING scenes (although completely created by CGI).  Over all it felt like a better attempt at making Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (and if you've seen that movie I'm sure you get what I'm hinting at).  Sometimes an idea is better left alone and I personally feel that this is one of them.  The only thing I can say is that if you do not believe me now... go see the film and let me know what you think after you see the crap they dished out as the ending.

I give the over all film a 1 out of 5.  Visuals for Sucker Punch are a 2.5 out of 5.  Soundtrack is a 4 out of 5.  So maybe to spare yourself the pain I just endured you'll just go buy the soundtrack and wait til the film comes out on DVD.  I wished that's what I had done. 

The Lovely Bones - Review

Death is a funny thing. Well, not really. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the way people, living people, think about death may not leave you with the best taste in your mouth for what your thoughts might be on the subject. I do not mean this in a suicidal way, but from a creative stand point. Take film and literature. Storytellers in both mediums have been telling various stories about life and death for hundreds of years. We have stories about the after life, stories about those places in between, stories about hell, and some that just leave us scratching our heads. Over the last month, I myself have been considering death and what that experience might be like. I recently finished a book I have been working on, and my main character has to go through that very experience. I have read many versions of what death is like for things like supernatural creatures such as vampires. We of course are in a vampire whirl wind romance at the moment and love reading and watching what it is like for that specific creature to go through, and if we are lucky enough to be shown what their death was like sometimes we can catch a glimps of what the author finds important or interesting about living. At least that seems to be where my thinking currently stands. But what happens when we write about "real people" and death. Murder mysteries, serial killer stories, thrillers, and things of that nature. What happens when we take away the supernatural and fantasy? What are we left with then? Truth -- Unknown....

The Lovely Bones is ultimately the story of a young girl that is murdered, and her time spent in "the in-between" from the time of her death until the point at which she lets go of her earthly ties. I have not read the book and although the story is compelling, I walked out of the theater confused. I couldn't quite figure out what it was I had just watched. I understood the concepts and storylines, but the "in-between" left me with a odd after taste in my mouth that I just couldn't seem to get rid of.

Having a director with such an amazing reputation, I am not sure if it was simply because it did not feel like a "typical" Peter Jackson film, or if because I had not read the novel that there was something missing that the film adaptation just could not grasp. Visually the film was amazing. The "blue horizon" where our main character is telling the story from truly is a place of beauty that would put any haven to shame. However, the merging of the worlds was hard for me to follow. I kept getting distracted by my own wondering thoughts and ideas, that her "in-between" no longer felt realistic for me. Maybe I had gone into the film expecting something, and not having those expectations fulfilled has left me with a sour taste for this film. Or maybe there was just too much for me to feel comfortable with.

The story that takes place in real time and real space was by far my favorite part of the film. You would have edited the entire "heaven" concept out of the story and The Lovely Bones would stand strong on its own two feet. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, and Stanley Tucci drive the ball out of the park the entire 135 minutes of the film. Even Rose McIver, who plays Lindsay the main character's younger sister, gave a great performance. I could not stop myself from cringing when she took it upon herself to find the proof that the cops had given up on that would finally put away her sister's murderer. And since I do not want to give away too much of the story I will say that the end of the film will leave you with a feeling as though your skin is crawling. But it would not be fair if I were to leave out Saoirse Ronan. She gives a great performance and my heart went out to her each time she appeared on screen. I just would have been happier if the film had kept her naration for her story, but left the film in real time and real space. The "in-between" or heaven that was portrayed for me just did not leave me believing.

All in all, the film was about a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion. Peter Jackson, you better deliver the next time around.