Today, South Africa… double the “W”s
I’m very excited for the 2 big movie releases hitting South African cinemas today – both of which start with the letter “W.”
First up is Wall-E, the latest animated film from Pixar and Disney. Frequently referred to as a “Masterpiece” in reviews. Wall-E seems to be challenged only by The Dark Knight as the top rated film of the year so far (coming in at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes).
In fact, some people have been suggesting that this heart-warming tale of a lonely little robot on an abandoned planet Earth is a potential Best Picture nominee come Oscar time. That’s a lot of hype to live up to... but being Pixar, I’m confident that they do.
Wall-E is my personal viewing priority for the weekend but for people who enjoy more blood, bullets and breasts in their entertainment diet, there’s also Wanted, a hyper-stylised action flick loosely based on the Mark Millar comic series.
Now I know people who have loved it as an exhilarating, leave-your-brain-at-the-door action flick, and the unusual combo of his-and-hers hotties Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy is certainly appealing. However, I can’t help but approach Wanted with a hefty dollop of scepticism.
Although I loved the first Matrix, since then I’ve developed a violent reaction to acrobatic martial arts movie gunplay. Equilibrium, Underworld and Ultraviolet did to my eyes what nails on chalkboard do to my teeth. Wanted looks like more of the same.
Plus, I’m personally over this whole “Chosen One” storyline that continually stokes that little flame of fantasy burning in every geek’s mind – that, at some point, they’re going to be whisked away from their dull, mouse-clicking life by an unbelievably hot chick, get all sexed up, develop a six pack and discover they have unique special abilities which give their life a satisfying purpose.
I’m a supporter of the following piece of brutally honest wisdom from The Incredibles: “If everyone is special, then no one is.”
Perhaps I need to see Wanted after a few glasses of wine… just to lower my barriers to the inanity I know is coming.
First up is Wall-E, the latest animated film from Pixar and Disney. Frequently referred to as a “Masterpiece” in reviews. Wall-E seems to be challenged only by The Dark Knight as the top rated film of the year so far (coming in at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes).
In fact, some people have been suggesting that this heart-warming tale of a lonely little robot on an abandoned planet Earth is a potential Best Picture nominee come Oscar time. That’s a lot of hype to live up to... but being Pixar, I’m confident that they do.
Wall-E is my personal viewing priority for the weekend but for people who enjoy more blood, bullets and breasts in their entertainment diet, there’s also Wanted, a hyper-stylised action flick loosely based on the Mark Millar comic series.
Now I know people who have loved it as an exhilarating, leave-your-brain-at-the-door action flick, and the unusual combo of his-and-hers hotties Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy is certainly appealing. However, I can’t help but approach Wanted with a hefty dollop of scepticism.
Although I loved the first Matrix, since then I’ve developed a violent reaction to acrobatic martial arts movie gunplay. Equilibrium, Underworld and Ultraviolet did to my eyes what nails on chalkboard do to my teeth. Wanted looks like more of the same.
Plus, I’m personally over this whole “Chosen One” storyline that continually stokes that little flame of fantasy burning in every geek’s mind – that, at some point, they’re going to be whisked away from their dull, mouse-clicking life by an unbelievably hot chick, get all sexed up, develop a six pack and discover they have unique special abilities which give their life a satisfying purpose.
I’m a supporter of the following piece of brutally honest wisdom from The Incredibles: “If everyone is special, then no one is.”
Perhaps I need to see Wanted after a few glasses of wine… just to lower my barriers to the inanity I know is coming.
Comments
And that is why I try real hard not to make any "Chosen One" characters. I try to just thrust my characters into terrible situations and hope that they act like regular human beings--a little scared, a little self-indulgent, a little "wrong", if you will.
Although, I do have a prophetic hero rising above all else to fulfill their destiny, which ends in what can only be termed as "epic fail".
Okay, enough about pimping my own stuff on your website. I've softened toward Wall-E and, if my kids weren't going on vacation with their grandparents and they hadn't been throwing up in that time around their birthdays, I would have taken them/would take them to see it this weekend.
Oh, and pimp away, I really don't mind :)
And Dante, people love Angelina for that kind of thing. No one ever goes to see her more serious films, where she actually shows she's a very good actress.