Change Your Image
ar-thur
Reviews
A Walk to Remember (2002)
Composition movie
If there was a school composition with the theme "romance", maybe "A Walk to Remember" is perfect for being written down. Because this film is like a composition: introduction, development and conclusion, in 30 lines or less, with no vacancy for those roller-coaster events that keep your eyes on the screen. It's too closed to its romantic context, never going up and down to tell us something special. Simple plot that ends in a boring and predictable hour-and-half picture. That may explain why teenagers loved it: they identify themselves and their lives. And it's really possible to identify someone, but, being one of those people who go to the movies expecting something else to run away from my routine (and we are only few), I disliked it. Of course, there are cool events, just like the "being in two places at the same time" scene, and Shane West and Mandy Moore are a nice couple, but it gets into nothing when you compare to the obvious metaphors used and to the moments that are lost with songs that tells you nothing. I think it's a great movie to be watched by non-demanding couples that will pay more attention to each other than to the movie. Unremarkably picture, good for teens and couples because it's easy to swallow. A 5/10 for me.
Hercules (1997)
Disney's best
"Hercules" is one more triumph from directors Clements and Musker. Perfectly reproducing ancient Greece's time and culture, they produce an uninterested animation and fill it with gags without being ridiculous. But they had another advantage, which was the team that they worked with. The mix with gospel music was great, and Alan Menken songs were even greater, giving you a smile in your face and all the gospel power, combined with David Zippel happy lyrics. Voice workers were just perfect for their roles, giving the film a special life. DeVitto is a natural Phil, Susan Egan is a sexy Meg, James Woods is a delicious Hades. Animators really made a great work, not beautiful as "Beauty and the Beast" but rich in movements and valuing the essential body lines. The story adaptation is another thing that they did very well. The muses are the best narrators and probably the best Disney characters ever. You don't need to care about those stupid commenters that complain about errors and disagreements with the original legend, because this film is just a new version of the legend, an even better version of the legend. The only complain I agree with is that the joker spirit of Clements and Musker is something that has to be careful. Sometimes in this movie there are moments of tension that are almost (i said almost) broken because of unnecessary jokes or interventions. But it does not destroy the movie's spirit. It's great stuff, for children and adults, and Disney's best.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2002)
Much better than I had expected
Man, I am not a big fan of Disney sequels of the old classics, but today I watched the DVD feature of this "101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure", and I was amazed! The first quality of the film is its storyline. Great. Concrete and funny facts makes it easy to understand and enjoy. The animation is not as brilliant as Disney's best, but it is nice, beautiful and comfortable for your eyes. And the voice work! Wow, one of the best voice work ever in my opinion! Bostwick does a great work as Thunderbolt, and Martin Short as Lars is just hilarious. The film has some songs, too: "Seeing Spots" with a touch of "Dalmation Plantation" (the end song of the first film, remember?) and "Try Again". "Seeing Spots" is just OK, but "Try Again" is totally great! It freaks you out, give you an anxious of singing together while you laugh with the movie scenes. Laugh! If there is a thing that you can't stop doing during the film is laughing! You laugh of Bostwick and Short great voices and you laugh of the jokes, great and lots of jokes. They play with the situations and also do some play with English lifestyle. The film is great. Watch it and you'll like..."and if at first you don't succeed, TRY AGAIN"!
Cinderella (1950)
Could have been more
Yes, yes, it's cute, funny, a great visual, but the way the characters are used is very bad. The prince almost does not appears, the fairy godmother could have appeared in other scenes etc etc. "Cincerella" is the type of movie that, when the "The End" appears, you ask ONLY THAT? I found myself thinking that it could have a good 30 minutes more not being boring, but telling the story more interesting and detailed. If you see the DVD bonus material, you'll see some deleted scenes that could perfectly have been used with no matter. Songs are nice, colors are great, Cinderella is beautiful, but because what I have said, I don't like this movie so much. If you want a very well-told Disney's classic story, look for Snow White.
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Boring
I was very deceptioned with this movie. I went to the theater looking forward to watch a "so funny film" - as they told me - and went out very bored. The movie is a very long journey of Reese Witherspoon (ever pretty), searching for her lost happiness. The problem is that this journey is without any exciting happening. She screams, cries in the rain, fights and that is all. I almost slept. If you like an exciting movie that makes you laugh every time, watch "Rat Race" and not "Sweet Home Alabama". I'm telling you. The only "happy" event in the movie is when Reese's father uses his special chair, and it's not to make you laugh, is to say that this movie is a comedy, and it is so distant from being one. But watch it if you want to see a pretty actress.
Aladdin (1992)
Disney's second best
This one is another example of the Disney guys' ability of traducing even the darkest stories to the screen. Aladdin is originally one of those dark stories with complicated language and plot, but directors Clements and Musker look beyond the obstacle and, once again, produce a great animated movie for children and adults. This film is wonderful. From the beginning, when a mysterious merchant sings one of the greatest "onde upon a time" songs ever, passing from the romantic moment, you are so fascinated with colors, camera movements and great voices, you can't take you eyes off of the screen. Incredible characters, a strong villain, good songs and breath-taking soundtrack and scenes, it has everything a Disney classic needs to be great. And this great would not be so great if Robin Williams wasn't the genie. What a talented guy. Jonathan Freeman as Jafar is not far behind, he helps the making of the best Disney villain. The characters animation is soft and beautiful, uninterested, the way the directors like. No matter the climax concludes with a (kind of) inexpressive phrase, it's only a minimum detail, and minimum details is for Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast), who seem to only care about that. Clements and Musker are a lot of steps ahead because they are the ones who inherited Walt Disney's magic. Let's hope they stay active for a good time.
Garfield: The Movie (2004)
I did not like it...
I agree with a comment that I've readen here: Garfield is not for children. Unfortunately, they tried to do this movie with a children screenplay. And that is the only error in the movie. A fatal error. The screenplay had to be based on the comics. They did it based on a idea of adapting Garfield for children, taking the comedy of the lazy cat and putting adventure as the principal idea. That thing is that make the film boring. The Garfield old TV cartoons were very funny and they could do a very good adaptation of the comics. That first long movie, I am sure, could be a little more funny. They could put all characters animated, take some comics and adapt ate, and the success of the film would be the same with children, but the old fans of the cat, like me, would be more satisfacted.
Rat Race (2001)
A SO FUNNY nonsense!
Rat Race is a incredible movie and I really enjoyed it. It's full of the most nonsense situations that can exist, but I think that it shows, with a little exaggeration, the indiscriminated desire for money that we have today. And it's surprising. The humor is so well-timed! I remember the hilarious moments when we discover that the gentlemen called the bitch only for a bet, and when the blond (I don't remember the name) changes all her cute looking when she discover her boyfriend with another woman. It's some impossible appeal, I recognize, like the scene when the heart starts to pulse only with the eletricity, but it has so many funny and convincing moments that we forgot it and start to laugh anyway! Never the nonsense was so funny!