Home
Sucker Punch
Movie Blurb by Shale
March 25, 2011
I have been watching the trailers to this movie for some while and it looked like another graphic novel put on screen. I had no idea what it was about except it was an adventure story with all female protagonists and the CGI scenes looked good so I had to see it.
And, I was blown away by the visuals. Art on screen as I like to describe it - whether the purely CGI scenes or the more realistic portrayal of an old psych institution in the early '60s. The movie magic was not only what computers did but what the camera did with angles and focus. Sometimes it reminded me of those beautifully shot 1940s movies, where the camera stays on a somewhat insignificant object in the room before moving to the real action. I found it to be a really beautiful movie.
Strangely, on Rottentomatoes only 20% of the aggregate critics liked this movie. However, 76% of audiences liked as well as our local movie critic Rene Rodriguez with The Miami Herald who gave it a 3 stars out of 4 and a gushing review of its fine qualities and that of its co-writer and director Zack Snyder. In fact, Rodriguez wrote many of my feelings that I was mentally planning to use in this blurb, so please do not accuse me of plagiarism if it looks like I am writing what he wrote. He gets advanced screening - ain't fair!
The story starts with the tragic life of Baby Doll (Emily Browning) and how she came to be put in an insane asylum by her evil stepfather. The soundtrack was as dynamic as the visuals with The Eurythmics Sweet Dreams being sung (by Browning) on these opening scenes, which told the story without dialogue.
Evil stepfather arranges for Baby Doll to get a lobotomy so she cannot talk about what he has done. He pays off Blue (Oscar Isaac) the corrupt attendant to see that it is done.
The New Boss of Baby Doll
They take a preliminary tour of this "Shutter Island" style facility and you see that it is bleak. But then it shifts to a cabaret/brothel where all the inmates and staff take on new roles - very similar to those in real life. Blue becomes a gangster pimp and all the girls dancers.
Baby Doll New Reality
From there it becomes a dream within a dream as Baby Doll goes into trances when she dances and this is where all the action takes place - she and four other inmates/dancers planning an escape - guided by Baby Doll who has advice from a Wise Man (Scott Glenn) who tells her what she needs and needs to do to escape.
Old Master Guide
The Wise Man initially gives Baby Doll her weapons and the CGI battle scenes get under way immediately as she battles huge robot ninja's with Swords, Lances & Gatling Guns.
Baby Doll with Weapons
In and Out of the First Dream of the Bordello ...
Our team of girl warriors; Rocket (Jenna Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung) and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), with help from the Wise Man, fight surreal battles in WWI, the Middle Ages with dragons and on some other planet against robots - all in a very fine graphic novel style.
All Girl Strike Force
As you can tell, I really liked this movie. It was a visual experience, and tho the story did not always make exact sense, it was the journey that mattered. Despite all the violence, it is a PG-13 rated movie (They pulled a trick like Twilight where decapitated and hacked up vampires turned to clay. Here they let off steam or light rather than blood). However, it is a dark tale like Watchmen or Sin City. I may end up seeing it again before it goes to DVD.
One Imaginary Battle Scene
Movie Blurb by Shale
March 25, 2011
I have been watching the trailers to this movie for some while and it looked like another graphic novel put on screen. I had no idea what it was about except it was an adventure story with all female protagonists and the CGI scenes looked good so I had to see it.
And, I was blown away by the visuals. Art on screen as I like to describe it - whether the purely CGI scenes or the more realistic portrayal of an old psych institution in the early '60s. The movie magic was not only what computers did but what the camera did with angles and focus. Sometimes it reminded me of those beautifully shot 1940s movies, where the camera stays on a somewhat insignificant object in the room before moving to the real action. I found it to be a really beautiful movie.
Strangely, on Rottentomatoes only 20% of the aggregate critics liked this movie. However, 76% of audiences liked as well as our local movie critic Rene Rodriguez with The Miami Herald who gave it a 3 stars out of 4 and a gushing review of its fine qualities and that of its co-writer and director Zack Snyder. In fact, Rodriguez wrote many of my feelings that I was mentally planning to use in this blurb, so please do not accuse me of plagiarism if it looks like I am writing what he wrote. He gets advanced screening - ain't fair!
The story starts with the tragic life of Baby Doll (Emily Browning) and how she came to be put in an insane asylum by her evil stepfather. The soundtrack was as dynamic as the visuals with The Eurythmics Sweet Dreams being sung (by Browning) on these opening scenes, which told the story without dialogue.
Evil stepfather arranges for Baby Doll to get a lobotomy so she cannot talk about what he has done. He pays off Blue (Oscar Isaac) the corrupt attendant to see that it is done.
The New Boss of Baby Doll
They take a preliminary tour of this "Shutter Island" style facility and you see that it is bleak. But then it shifts to a cabaret/brothel where all the inmates and staff take on new roles - very similar to those in real life. Blue becomes a gangster pimp and all the girls dancers.
Baby Doll New Reality
From there it becomes a dream within a dream as Baby Doll goes into trances when she dances and this is where all the action takes place - she and four other inmates/dancers planning an escape - guided by Baby Doll who has advice from a Wise Man (Scott Glenn) who tells her what she needs and needs to do to escape.
Old Master Guide
The Wise Man initially gives Baby Doll her weapons and the CGI battle scenes get under way immediately as she battles huge robot ninja's with Swords, Lances & Gatling Guns.
Baby Doll with Weapons
In and Out of the First Dream of the Bordello ...
Our team of girl warriors; Rocket (Jenna Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung) and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), with help from the Wise Man, fight surreal battles in WWI, the Middle Ages with dragons and on some other planet against robots - all in a very fine graphic novel style.
All Girl Strike Force
As you can tell, I really liked this movie. It was a visual experience, and tho the story did not always make exact sense, it was the journey that mattered. Despite all the violence, it is a PG-13 rated movie (They pulled a trick like Twilight where decapitated and hacked up vampires turned to clay. Here they let off steam or light rather than blood). However, it is a dark tale like Watchmen or Sin City. I may end up seeing it again before it goes to DVD.
One Imaginary Battle Scene
» NEW ADDRESS: http://conversationchamber.ipbhost.com/
» New project
» st pattys day
» White smoke signals cardinals have selected a new pope
» Red?
» Do You Look Like a Celebrity?
» Canned Foods
» English Muffins or Toast?