10-24-2005, 11:12 PM
My first post on this phoenixed site. Thanks to Greg for helping pull me aboard, and for not requiring me to change my name to rotten egg.
I saw Ebert and Roper's review of Wallace and Grommit. Ebert was appalled when Roper gave it the thumb's down. I was actually pleased by it. No, I don't entirely agree with Roper. It's well above Hollywood's norm, and I'd give it a thumbs up. However, 5 years in the making? Nick Park needs to get a life!
I do agree with Gene about Wallace. When he came down the chute and landed at the breakfast table, I felt slightly ill just looking at him. It's more than the wide mouth. It's the lack of a forehead. Something unsettling about that. And the big bloated rabbit was also disturbing. As for the whole movie, it did have its moments. I think Nick's forte is the vignette, the little scene. But the movie as a whole just didn't grab me (though Greg did a heck of a job on the sets!). The Wrong Trousers is probably my favorite, because it was short, tight, and clever every step of the way.
Chicken Run disappointed me as well (though again I'd give it a thumbs up). In that case, I just didn't like the Mel Gibson character. I've seen it so many times before. The macho posturing lie-out-his-ass dude who gets all the girls, until he's found out and shunned. But then he saves the day and all is forgiven, girls again fighting for his lap. I suppose it harkens back to watching the dating game when I was a teenager. The lady would ask 3 bachelors questions, and based on their answers she'd choose one for a date. Invariably one bachelor would be a loud-mouth. He'd just blather away, saying nothing, cutting into the other guys' time -- even insulting the others. And like clockwork the lady would choose the rude loudmouth idiot. Because, well, I suppose he sounded like he knew what he was doing. And oh, how I hoped all those ladies would end up miserable on those dates -- though I suppose every one of them married the dude and lived happily for-effing-ever after.
Ummm. No, I don't have issues. Really, I'm fine. I'm effing fine.
But Nick Park needs to rethink the long format. He dilutes the deftly-orchestrated daffiness when he goes long. I prefer his small gems.
--cranefly
I saw Ebert and Roper's review of Wallace and Grommit. Ebert was appalled when Roper gave it the thumb's down. I was actually pleased by it. No, I don't entirely agree with Roper. It's well above Hollywood's norm, and I'd give it a thumbs up. However, 5 years in the making? Nick Park needs to get a life!
I do agree with Gene about Wallace. When he came down the chute and landed at the breakfast table, I felt slightly ill just looking at him. It's more than the wide mouth. It's the lack of a forehead. Something unsettling about that. And the big bloated rabbit was also disturbing. As for the whole movie, it did have its moments. I think Nick's forte is the vignette, the little scene. But the movie as a whole just didn't grab me (though Greg did a heck of a job on the sets!). The Wrong Trousers is probably my favorite, because it was short, tight, and clever every step of the way.
Chicken Run disappointed me as well (though again I'd give it a thumbs up). In that case, I just didn't like the Mel Gibson character. I've seen it so many times before. The macho posturing lie-out-his-ass dude who gets all the girls, until he's found out and shunned. But then he saves the day and all is forgiven, girls again fighting for his lap. I suppose it harkens back to watching the dating game when I was a teenager. The lady would ask 3 bachelors questions, and based on their answers she'd choose one for a date. Invariably one bachelor would be a loud-mouth. He'd just blather away, saying nothing, cutting into the other guys' time -- even insulting the others. And like clockwork the lady would choose the rude loudmouth idiot. Because, well, I suppose he sounded like he knew what he was doing. And oh, how I hoped all those ladies would end up miserable on those dates -- though I suppose every one of them married the dude and lived happily for-effing-ever after.
Ummm. No, I don't have issues. Really, I'm fine. I'm effing fine.
But Nick Park needs to rethink the long format. He dilutes the deftly-orchestrated daffiness when he goes long. I prefer his small gems.
--cranefly
I'm nobody's pony.