The Critics Speak

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

Critic: Steph Lewis
On a scale of 0 to Awesome, I rate this: Fun
Released: September 23, 2005
Director: Tim Burton
MPAA RATING: PG, for some scary images and action, and brief mild language

Synopsis: Corpse Bride carries on in the dark, romantic tradition of Tim Burton’s classic films Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Set in a 19th century European village, this stop-motion, animated feature follows the story of Victor (Johnny Depp), a young man who is whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham-Carter), while his real bride, Victoria (Emily Watson), waits bereft in the land of the living. Though life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict Victorian upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world, or the next, that can keep him away from his one true love. It’s a tale of optimism, romance and a very lively afterlife, told in classic Tim Burton style. -- © Warner Bros. --Taken from Rotten Tomatoes

My Take: This was a sweet little movie that was very "Tim Burtonesque." It had a nice pace and the plot wasn't too predictable. The animation style was quite interesting. Sometimes it was difficult to understand what people were saying, especially during the skeleton songs. I loved Scraps and I also loved the sweetness of the corpse bride and her humorous maggot friend. Overall, just a sweet little movie that was a fun time.

Riding Giants

Critic: Steph Lewis
On a scale of 0 to Awesome, I rate this: Solid & Thoughtful
Released: July 9, 2004
Director: Stacy Peralta
MPAA RATING: PG-13, brief strong language

Synopsis: There is no way of telling the story of big wave riding without telling the story of surfing itself, a sport that has become one of the world's most potent symbols of youth, romance, adventure and freedom. But in sharp contrast to surfing's vital, contemporary appeal is its history -- which goes back way further than the Beach Boys and "Surfin' U.S.A." In fact, surfing is an ancient sport, tracing its origins back over 1500 years to ancient Polynesia. This is where Riding Giants begins, taking us from surfing's early Polynesian roots to its rebirth in the early 20th Century to the development of a fledgling surf culture along the coast of Southern California in the 1940s. This new ideal, with its romantic form of dynamic bohemianism, took root on the U.S. Mainland, where the modern surfing lifestyle was born. A hybrid archetype that blended one part Polynesian waterman, one part American frontiersman and one part Peter Pan, by the late 1940s surfers soon found themselves at the cultural vanguard, kinetic Beat poets long before Kerouac, hippies long before Woodstock, adventure athletes long before the X-Games.
It was during this period that a group of extraordinary adventurers emerged: surfers who, not satisfied with the mere recreational and social aspects of the sport, began searching for bigger and bigger waves, pushing the boundaries of performance like so many watery test pilots as they explored this new "unridden realm."

Riding Giants is the story of these big wave riders, of where and how their quest began, of the classic characters who throughout the eras chased their dreams out into the blue water, and of the surfers who still do today, riding 50, 60 and even 70 foot waves in a manner once considered the realm of fantasy.

We meet Greg Noll, the pioneer, whose relentless push into Hawaii's "unridden realm" in the late 1950s and '60s earned him the nickname "The Bull." Then there's Jeff Clark, Northern California's lone frontiersman who, after discovering the massive waves of Maverick's near San Francisco, rode there alone for over a decade. And finally Hawaii's Laird Hamilton, the prototypical "extreme" surfer, a rare breed of athlete/innovator considered the best big wave rider who ever waxed a board.

In turns funny and spirited, often poignant and dramatic, their stories are the heart of Riding Giants. Yet in the telling comes a picture of not only these extraordinary characters, but authentic insight into the birth, development and ultimately the global appeal of the romantic, culturally significant surfing lifestyle itself. Riding Giants is driven by the same sense of freedom, the same love of nature, the similar discovery of self that all surfers seek -- that all of us seek, in one form or another. Experience the breathless moments of quiet grace that, for these extraordinary adventurers, are to be achieved within their elementally violent world. -- © Sony Pictures Classics --Taken from Rotten Tomatoes

My Take: This surf movie rocks! It's got the history, the documentary format, some sweet footage, some hilarous old dudes recalling the "good ol' days" of surfing (and they cuss too! That totally shocked me...). There are also these crazy, sweet shots that look all 3-D and weird. Josh and I kept going, "Sweet! How'd they get that shot! That's insane!" Greg Noll is so my hero. I also love the video footage of the antics done by him and his buddies, especially riding the storm drain in Nazi uniforms and catching the neighbor's chicken. *Sigh* Makes me wish I had the courage to live the life of a hippie and surf all day long.

Broken Flowers

Critic: Steph Lewis
On a scale of 0 to Awesome, I rate this: Solid & Thoughtful
Released: August 5, 2005
Director: Jim Jarmusch
MPAA RATING: R, for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use

Synopsis: With BROKEN FLOWERS, staunchly independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch delivers one of his most pleasing, accessible pictures. Winner of the 2005 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, the film tells the story of Don Johnston (Bill Murray), a man overflowing with wealth but void of emotion. On the day that his most recent girlfriend (Julie Delpy) has given up on him for good, he learns, through an anonymous letter, that he might be the father of a 19-year-old boy. Spurned into action by his wannabe private eye neighbor, Winston (Jeffrey Wright), Don sets off on a personal journey to visit the former partners who may or may not have mothered his child. They include the flighty Laura (Sharon Stone), whose daughter Lolita (Alexis Dziena) certainly lives up to her name; the uptight Dora (Frances Conroy), who has settled into a sterile life with her chipper husband Ron (Christopher McDonald); the strangely distant Carmen (Jessica Lange), who makes a living as an "Animal Communicator;" and, finally, Penny (Tilda Swinton), a hard-edged biker who is the least happiest to see Don. Each confrontation leaves Don feeling more lost than the last, spinning him into an even greater state of apathetic confusion.

In typical Jarmusch fashion, he wrote the script for BROKEN FLOWERS with his casting firmly in mind; only Murray could play this role. The result showcases Murray's brilliance as a less-is-more presence. Jarmusch also gives some of Hollywood's most talented female actresses roles they can relish. A hundred percent Jarmusch, BROKEN FLOWERS is a wry, tender, and bittersweet portrait of a man who is drifting aimlessly through life. --Taken from Rotten Tomatoes

My Take: Loved it! In traditional deadpan style, Jarmusch allows his actors to actually take center stage and actually bring the movie alive for us. Sometimes the camera is set on Don Johnston just sitting, looking... and we feel his thoughts pour through Bill Murray's subtle acting. I SO APPRECIATE films that don't have all of this whiz-bang sparkle all over them (a la the first three Star Wars episodes), but that allow characters to shine through. I love a director that has so much trust in his actors that they are allowed to actually convey their character as though on a stage.

In Broken Flowers, Don Johnston is trying to solve this mystery of whether or not he is a father. We get a sense of his life, how disconnected it has been as he floated from girl to girl, but was never able to commit fully to any. I love the subtle nuances shown by the characters he encounters. I also think this mystery is solvable because of some details I didn't fully connect with the first time around. I need to watch it again!

As usual, I'm thankful that Bill Murray is at his acting best when peforming with independent film makers. I am beginning to believe that his dramatic acting is far better than his comedic acting... and his comedic acting was quite good.

All around good movie, cool music, subtle acting, sweet camera shots.