We met at the Regal Cinema in Conshohocken, and considering it was
Memorial Day weekend, the theater was only about half full. We'd bought
our tickets ahead of time, just in case.
Afterwards, we all agreed that the movie was more or less what we'd
been expecting: lots of explosions and special effects, with even more
robots and impressive, futuristic technology than in previous installments
of the series. There were also some nice linkages to previous movies
and even to the TV show: this John Connor, for example, is adept at
hacking computer systems, which he often does with a handheld, touch
screen device that we jokingly referred to as "the new, improved
iPhone." Since it's been previously established in other films
that he has those skills, it's easier to believe that he can accomplish
the things he does.
Christian Bale did a decent job of playing John Connor: who has now
grown into a man who has learned to accept his destiny. More than that,
he understands the importance of staying strong and finding a way out
of any situation. And he no longer questions the fact that this might
involve personal sacrifices. Even though there's no direct reference
to the just-cancelled series (curse you, FOX!) The Sarah Connor Chronicles,
I felt that we started to see John Connor coming to terms with his destiny
in those episodes, and this film feels like a natural progression.
My favorite new character was Moon Bloodgood as Blair Williams, a resistance
fighter who is tough but caring. I also loved Sam Worthington as Marcus
Wright, whose true nature has been revealed to some degree in the trailers
but whose complete story, as unraveled in the film, is nonetheless compelling.
Truly, for a movie like this to be enjoyable, you have to suspend your
disbelief. You have to go along for the ride. And while there were still
a few things, especially related to the ending, that had us geeks channeling
our inner Vulcan --"That's not logical, Captain!" -- I felt
that it was true to the spirit of the original movies. That's what we
expected; that's what we got. Plus, plenty of surprises (including some
sometimes subtle, sometimes overt links back to the original movies)
and eye candy along the way.
Rating: *** 1/2 (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
In between working on other personal projects, such as catching up
on Wild Violet e-mail, I also watched two other films: Patton,
which is part of my Oscar series and which I'll discuss in more
detail tomorrow (if all goes as planned), and Anne of the Thousand
Days, which had been recommended to me after I watched A Man
for All Seasons, which followed Sir Thomas More in his final days
before he was executed by Henry VIII for failing to sign a document
approving of the king as the head of the Church of England.
My friend, The Green Man, had told me that I was likely to find Anne
of the Thousand Days to be much easier to follow than A Man for
All Seasons. This film tells the story from Henry VIII's point of
view and shows how his obsession with producing a male heir leads him
to violate multiple social mores, including breaking the county of England
away from the Catholic Church.
Richard Burton (who was 44 at the time), is both blustery and charismatic
as Henry VIII, a man who holds a nation in his hand and yet cannot control
the will of one woman. He shows us a wealth of emotions: at times commanding,
at other times, particularly when he's alone with Anne Boleyn, desperate
and needy. Genevieve Bujold, who was 27 at the time but looked far younger,
also shows a range of sides: from calculating to fearful.
I'm not sure how historically accurate the film is, but it does show
some possible behind-the-scenes discussions. Since this movie shows
us Anne Boleyn, you could probably start with this film, then watch
the two movies starring Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I. They would
dovetail nicely together.
The attention to detail was remarkable: with period costumes, plenty
of location shooting at actual castles, and attention to detail with
the sets and props. Unfortunately, the DVD I watched did not contain
any information about the making of the film, which I would have loved
to see.
I think that history buffs will love this film, but because the story
is so easy to follow, it is likely to appeal to others, as well.
Rating: **** (4 out of 5)
On Sunday, The Gryphon did many nice things for me: fixing some things
on my computer, helping me shop for and then install a new air conditioner
in my office, and even cooking me a delicious dinner. He rocks!
I also took a walk Sunday with my doggie and got some pics on my camera
phone.
