Change Your Image
smccaarth
Reviews
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
Darkly phantasmagorical!
Well, what a pleasant surprise. Having never read the books that this film is based on it was with a mild trepidation that I entered the cinema...only to have all my doubts erased, locked up and incinerated by a truly fantastic film.
One could speak of the wonderfully macabre art-direction, the Dali-esquire cinematography, the near faultless direction and rowsing obscure score...but that would be only missing what a superb job the actors and writers have done.
Across the board the performances are strong and convincing, moving you from
out and out twisted laughter (no real guess as to whom sources out most of that...) to genuine moments of sympathy and sadness for the poor Baudelaires...Issues of parental loss, sibling bonding, and children vs adulthood have rarely been better handled on screen and it is a tribute to the filmmakers that issues are the impressions the films leaves on you, rather than thrusting the selfsame issues down your throat like an unwanted fish.(Such as some other children's movie series.)
All round, a great film. One that will make you laugh out loud, and hold your family just that little bit tighter.
Love and Other Catastrophes (1996)
One Dimensional Rubbish
I took this movie out for a lunch time laugh and instead was forced to suffer through some of the most amateurish writing and acting I have ever seen.
The plot (in it's thinnest of definitions) is riddled with meaningless moments that are sad little attempts at humour. The acting, especially by Matt Day, is truly despairing to watch and brings a new meaning to "Flat". Having said that Frances O'Connor does show the potential which eventually led to her being noticed by Steven Spielberg for A.I.
All in all, one dimensional rubbish. I gave it 3/10 because it deserves two points for inspiring any person wanting to make a film: ie, if this can get made, then there's hope for you.
If not, then watch "Strange Planet". It's by the same director and is just a much, much better film.