QFLW Blog

Splendid music but little else

QFLW — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:50:00 GMT

Not strong on the drama nor any "action" at all; the center of the film is the performance of Beethoven's stirring third symphony, the "Eroica." And while the music is excellent, there's little else to sink one's teeth into. I'm sure the film meant to give an idea of how the symphony was originally received and touch on what was happening in the composer's life at the time, etc., but these all seem to be tidbits tacked on to give the actors something to do besides stand around listening to the orchestra. I loved hearing the the music but my attention kept wandering. I might as well have been playing the CD of the symphony that I own.

Ill-managed mess

QFLW — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:24:13 GMT

Bewildering, at times dumbfounding dialog; uninteresting, unconvincing characters. Hard to follow what's going on. But it seems to be that a present-day woman (Sadie) is channeling an ancestress (Anna) and re-living the other woman's love life. Meanwhile she has a crush on the local handyman but is so tongue-tied she can't even speak to him. The time periods interweave (causing the bewilderment) and the ending lamely, vaguely ties things together but doesn't make the viewer any happier about sitting through the nonsense.

Rufus does Judy and he's great

QFLW — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:17:12 GMT

But he was already a great performer and singer, so perhaps it's no surprise that his rendition of Garland's songs (and some of them are pretty great songs) comes off wonderfully. He has a strong voice that can belt as well as evoke tenderness, poignancy and romance. He can't dance and doesn't tell stories well, but it doesn't matter--the voice, the songs are all. He well earned his ovation at the end.

The disappointment is that on the disc I got from Netflix, there were no extras. I'd have loved to see some backstage footage, an interview, something.

Soldier's Girl

QFLW — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:01:45 GMT

I don't have cable so hadn't heard of this film till I saw The Fall and listened to the director's commentary. He said he'd chosen Lee Pace for Fall on the strength of Pace's performance in Soldier's Girl. Curiosity piqued, I rented it from Netflix. And was disappointed. Not in the performances or the tragic story itself but in the writing, which I thought was clumsy and disjointed; that just sort of ruined it for me.

Soldier's Girl

QFLW — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:47 GMT

Pffft

QFLW — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:39:58 GMT

Oh I hate to say this, because I do like James McAvoy (the main reason I watched this), but "Wanted" is mostly just a head-shaker. Unbelievable, which takes the intended thrills out of it. So many slo-mo bullet-through-the-head shots that they became tiresome. The story is preposterous rather than hip. One more instance of a good cast wasted. But at least I got to see a lot of McAvoy.

One of the best of Masterpiece Theatre's recent offerings

QFLW — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:45:58 GMT

Adapted from three Elizabeth Gaskell stories and set in the fictional Victorian town of Cranford, this series is a delight. Drama, comedy, engaging characters, excellent cast--I just loved it. Not so much sentimentality or stuffiness as with Dickens (though I do love his stories). A series I'd like to own & watch again.

Saw the series on DVD

QFLW — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:10:22 GMT

just a couple nights ago. Story set in and around a large family reunion at a posh hotel in London. Intriguing mysteries surrounding a few family members on the fringe, but the answers to these mysteries were a little disappointing. Not juicy enough, perhaps; certainly not entirely convincing. Still--good cast, dry British humor, well written.

There weren't many of us in the theater

QFLW — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:25:15 GMT

and I was the only one audibly laughing. Puzzling me no end. How could anyone not find Ricky Gervais dead funny? He makes this movie click, lifting it above the annoying silliness which usually emerges from such plots. OK, the writing helped. I enjoyed Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni. The one vague disappointment was not getting to know a little more of the other ghosts' stories, particularly the nurse and the naked guy. But never mind. I'll probably see this a few more times and get the DVD. Just to watch and listen to Gervais in action.

Am sorry I bought this film on DVD

QFLW — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:05:25 GMT

Even for the pre-viewed price of $5. Really should have rented it, but there it was in the supermarket and I'd been wanting to see it for awhile. Part of me knew better: Kiera Knightley is almost never worth watching and the movie had gotten a lot of gushy hype, which more often than not is a signal that the film will disappoint. It did, despite the engaging James McAvoy. The writing is cold and clipped; the characters cold and clipped; the story unsatisfying on any level. Made me think of The English Patient, another gushed-over, remote disappointment, apart from the delightful Juliette Binoche.

Ah well. You pays yer money and you takes yer chance.