Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Doesn’t look like it. As it turns out, I have been working on an Invisibility Poncho which I tested out that night, walking right past the NRG staff and taking my seat next to Hercules The Strong and our own Mr. Beaks, practically daring them to throw me out. Of course, they couldn’t see me, which made it a tad more difficult for them. I can see how someone might not like this film, and I’ll have my own review of it up tomorrow night, along with my review of SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW. For tonight, let’s see what some readers had to say who disagreed with the raves we got last week, and be aware... there may be spoilers ahead...
Hey Harry –
I saw the glowing reviews for The Life Aquatic from the screening at the Arclight the other night and was amazed by people giving it rave reviews. I thought it was a complete mess that has no story or structure or even a semblance of a plot. Now, for the record, I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson and was ready to be blown away by the movie. Instead what I saw was a few amusing scenes, several tedious bits of failed “whimsy” and about 20 minutes that could easily be lost without affecting what little plot is there.
I also take exception that this is a good Bill Murray performance. I felt like there were times he seemed clearly bored by all of the failed “nutty” characters around him. He’s basically playing the straight man but isn’t given much with which to work. The other main characters are so broadly drawn and played that they don’t resemble anything even close to real people. From Owen Wilson’s broad quasi Southern/surfer dude accent to Wilem Dafoe’s “zee German” impression, even Cate Blanchett’s tough cute girl reporter who is preggers with her editor’s baby (oh the irony!), these people don’t instill any sort of sympathy because they are merely playing archetypes and not actual people – at least not from this planet.
Now, I do agree that the look of the film is unique, and I’m sure that Selick’s creatures will probably look a bit more polished by the time the film is released. It’s not a complete disaster as there are moments here and there where the film does shine. However, there are way too many forced scenes like the aforementioned pirate fight, which is not only horribly shot but just kind of lays there despite much huffing and puffing.
My friend and I argued about how this movie will be received. We argued how it would do on the festival circuit (I think it won’t work even there) but both agreed that the commercial prospects are pretty grim. Touchstone will have a very big challenge on their hands trying to eke out even a slight amount of moolah from this very odd, very disconnected film. When your most sympathetic character is a dog with a missing leg, you’ve got some serious problems to overcome.
El Reyalto
Wow. Harsh words. I think one thing that’s undeniable about the work of Wes Anderson is that he is getting more and more set in a certain style of filmmaking. He is basically a genre unto himself now, and it doesn’t surprise me that it’s wearing thin for some viewers. Check this reaction out:
Cine-nerds who saw this Tuesday, be honest: The movie was the same old same old, silly, trite, oh so twee, emo, sadly soulless thing we've seen from Mr. Anderson. Everything was sooooo cute. Sooooooo sweet. Sooooo composed and rigid it was like reading a really really boring 200 page storybook. It was repressed and lifeless. I've never seen a movie with such wonderless awe before.
Sure, yeah, Bill Murray's funny. He's always funny. He's Bill Murray. But he's Bill Murray doing Bill Murray doing Mr. Blume doing Gene Hackman. Owen is nebbish, I expected him to look into the camera and say "I'm going to kill myself tonight" with an Elliot Smith song in the background.
The ending comes and you LAUGH at the big moment, you are not in awe as the Sigor Rus score is SCREAMING at you to feel. No, it is a joke. It is just a toy box for Wes to play in. The man is a master but he needs some new toys. Dig deeper, please. Give us a different father figure for once, a different love triangle for once. I am sick and tired of every character in Wes' movies wearing funny hats. Funny hats are not interesting characters, they are just hats. The shots were the same through out the entire film. My skin started to crawl sometimes, I just wanted to see something other than a medium shot of people perfectly centered. The movie act like its afraid of real people.
Sure, yeah, the action was fun and the ship design felt like the dream of a 12 year old with a big piece of paper, and yeah, it's funny to see pirates, but what does it mean? I get it, but I don't care. Everything was so flat and droll and melancholic. Either stop taking yourself so serious and attempt to give us some HUMANS in the story or make us laugh with your weird creatures and yellow submarine references, but you can't expect to lay heavy things on me like a legit father son relationship (which we've seen done so much better) or a pregnant woman with no father for her child (cheap, cheap, cheap). I'm begging Wes to put away the Kinks albums (yes, they are great and cinematic but thanks to you, I've heard it all) take off the funny hats, and streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch your mad genius mind to bring us something unique and new and fresh. I guess I'm saying the bloated beat just never came together for me, therefore I have deemed this film, the ultimate in mediocre masturbation which in the end only left me saying: Damn, Rushmore was brilliant.
The only way to save the ending of the film is to not show the Jaguar Shark. No special effect can take the place of what's expressed on Murray's face. That stop motion shark killed any hope I had of an emotional catharsis. Just take it out and hint at it. Please, Mr. Anderson, don't show that stupid shark. And take off that funny hat!
love always
ned kingsley
See what I mean? This last guy doesn’t flat out hate the movie, but he certainly didn’t love it, either. I’ll let him explain:
I went to a screening of A Life Aquatic (with Steve Zissou) yesterday, Wes Anderson's new film. Let me first say I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson. I think hes the best of the current generation of directors, and he has yet do disappoint me.
When we went into the theatre the film was described as a "work in progress", and it really was. Let me just say they have a LOT of work to do on this film to bring it up to the standards of his past masterpieces.
The first reel or so, in particular, was quite painful. The dialogue was mostly forced and the acting was wooden, particularly Murray. This totally surprised me, as I believe Bill Murray can do no wrong.
But then they get on the boat, and suddenly its a whole other film. The parts of the film where the bizarre and varied crew are on the boat are great, classic Wes Anderson stuff, but it seemed like every time they got off the boat the quality dropped.
But my faith in Anderson was restored, at least partially, towards the end of the film basically starting with the appearance of the pirates. From this point on, the editing, sound effects, muzzle flares and music seemed to be finalized, and man does this film rock from here on out.
My hope is that with a lot more editing they can fix the draggy wooden parts and emphasize more the parts on the boat and Zissou's quest to be a true adventurer again.
As far as acting, Willem Dafoe absolutely steals the show. He is amazing, simultaneously he increases both the humor and humanity of any scene hes in. Cate Blanchett as well is phenomenal. Not once did I say 'oh look its Galadriel' like I did with Orlando Bloom's wooden acting in Troy. "Oh gee, look, its the elf".
Now on to the creatures. Let me say this: they LOOK and MOVE fantastic! They are just really interesting. However, it seems like the majority of them have really lame super bright primary colors, which just makes them look fake and plastic. And there aren't enough of them! They crop up for a few seconds here and there, and then theres something big at the end, but thats it! I really feel this film should be TEEMING with these bizarre critters.
Overall I have to say that I liked this film quite a bit, and Murray's performance is stellar for about two/thirds of the flick, but boy do they have some work to do.
I’ve been out of town last weekend and most of this week, so I haven’t been able to put my own review together, but in a way, that’s good. I’ve had time to really think about my reaction, and I look forward to sharing it with you just in time for the weekend.
"Moriarty" out.
