I am a book purist. I consider myself a young expert on the things of C.S. Lewis, and entered the movie theater playing this film with high hopes. Hopes that, I'm afraid to say, were dashed. With similar carelessness to the atrocity of "Lord Of The Rings" (in which the nobility of Aragorn, Faramir, and others was destroyed for the advancement of the story), Adamson has taken a beloved book from my childhood and turned it into a fantastical piece of eye candy, but void of C.S. Lewis' true story. The closest they came to the book was the very beginning, as the children sit in the train station; from that point onward, everything -and I mean, everything- was changed. Nothing remained the same! I found it hard to enjoy because I know the book inside and out and was absolutely horrified that a man's life's work could be tossed aside so easily for the sake of gaining audience. The only reason I even gave it a five is because this movie (crime though it is) still bears C.S. Lewis' name. Although, next time, when filmmakers decide to stray so far from the book, perhaps they ought to just make it a new movie entirely. Congratulations Hollywood: you've destroyed Narnia.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Mrs. Winterbourne
(1996)
Why it's a five...
4 May 2008
Because Brendan Fraser and Shirley Maclaine make it surprisingly bearable. Ricki Lake, God bless her, was, in a word, miscast; without the strength of Fraser and Maclaine, this movie is a two, at best a three. She's brings no life to the role, no reality. At best, she was an over-actor. At worst... well, she was a bad over-actor. A really, really bad over-actor. Still, for a movie that had so much potential (if not for the sometimes unbelievable -yet entertaining- storyline, then definitely for the two aforementioned lead actors) that was lost beneath the looming shadow that is Lake, I'd watch it again. If it were on cable TV... and if nothing else is on.
Awake
(2007)
Rated R For Intense Sequences- and rightly so
1 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
My largest concern about seeing "Awake" was wondering if it could really live up to the hype surrounding it. So while my expectations for this movie were high, I was concerned about being disappointed. I wasn't. "Awake" went above and beyond my expectations; it exceeded them with an interesting plot, intriguing characters, and a few serious twists that took my breath away. However, those with weak stomachs be warned: this film spares no detail in the surgical scenes. (I found myself alarmed and queasy during these moments) But it is a beautifully crafted piece. Hayden Christensen is wonderful, and Jessica Alba plays her role well. Lena Olin is incredible also. I was most impressed with Terrence Howard; one can only watch to really understand how talented this man is. And of course, major credit goes to Joby Harold for writing and directing; he will be one to watch out for in the future. All in all, an enjoyable movie... if you can stand the intensity.
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