movies

[ellen_datlow]

Last night I watched Lara Croft: Cradle of Life, a guilty pleasure. Angeline Jolie and Gerard Butler are great to watch and although some of the cgi doesn't quite work, it was fast moving and enjoyable if you're not looking for brain food.

The War Zone, the first movie directed by Tim Roth and adapted by Alexander Stuart from his amazing novel, this is a very dark movie about a family that has moved from London to Devon. The great Ray Winstone and Tilda Swinton play the parents (she's pregnant) and the two teenage children are both extremely unhappy (for overlapping reasons). The physical atmosphere--gray, rainy, dreary with the waves crashing onto rocks-- is representative of the emotional uproar within the characters. The novel was shocking and the movie is as shocking. No spoilers. It's a terrific movie but you might want to have a comedy handy for afterwards.

I had Liza with a Z--which I recall seeing when it was shown on television, many years ago. Liza Minelli is filmed in all her glory in a big concert hall in a production choreographed by Bob Fosse, with music and lyrics (mostly by Kander and Ebb). Good music and a lot of energy and good lungs. Enjoyable but not great. This is back in 1972 and oddly enough (as I was occasionally wearing short skirts) Minelli's dresses are soooo short that I was embarrassed for her. You know? Most women do not look great in hems that go up to their underwear. (not even most models)--it just ain't the most flattering cut. Anyway, it was an ok way to spend an hour but unless you're a big Liza fan, you won't care.

Comments

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

It's got Gerard Butler, that was good enough for me.}:P

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

LOL. Yup.

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

I found both Lara Croft movies disappointing on the first viewing, but better on the second (usually while flicking through the cable channels in search of something to watch). It's funny how some movies are like that.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Not sure how I would have felt seeing them in the movie theater--possibly ripped off. But on netflix I'm happy.

[amysisson.livejournal.com]

I liked the first Lara Croft movie a lot better than the second -- enough that I purchased it on DVD. I think I just love that big mechanical orrery at the end. ;-) Oh, and Daniel Craig. I didn't have any idea who he was then, or what the future held for him, but I thought he was really hot.

[fastfwd.livejournal.com]

I wish the filmmakers had worked just a little harder on the Lara Croft movies, as they're good fun and they could have been great fun.

I saw The War Zone. I never need to see it again. In fact, because I saw it, I may never need to see another movie about a brutally dysfunctional family at all, ever.

I remember seeing Liza With A Z. Amazing how clothing that was so this-minute can look so dated.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I don't have any desire to see or read The War Zone again, but I still think they're brilliant. Very disturbing, as great fiction can be.