Movies
A neat surprise. I'm not the biggest George Miller fan (which is an understatement). Don't care for Mad Max, don't even mention the Happy Feet films to me. This was something else though. Miller comes with an inspired mix of fantasy and romance and even though the finale is a bit disappointing, the rest of the film is well worth exploring. The fantasy elements are pretty explicit but stylish, the cinematography is lovely throughout and the premise is fun and quirky. The story does start to wane in the final third, but not so much that it drags the rest of the film down. Miller shows he has talent, I just wish he'd show it more often.Read all
Fury Road was a big commercial and critical hit, but regardless of its qualities, it's impossible to see it separately from the big 80s revival that happened last decade. In that sense, it's not surprising that Furiosa bombed. The 90s are enjoying their time in the spotlight again, the 80s are back to their former cheese and kitsch. The CG and green screens are a little annoying, the styling is kitsch and pretty laughable and the action scenes aren't all that impressive. The story is also pretty boring and the runtime is beyond acceptable. There's some cheesy fun to be had here, but other than that it's a ridiculously expensive vanity project that has no place in modern-day cinema.Read all
Apparently, the first Happy Feet film was enough of a success for Miller to grace the world with a sequel. Personally, I remember Happy Feet as one of the worst films ever made, an amalgam of terribly unfunny comedy and ever worse musical bits. Well, the sequel just gives you more of the same. Miller pulls open another can of atrocious pop songs and has a bunch of animated animals sing and dance to them. The comedy is still extremely dire, there's no lack of bland life lessons and though the animation is technical proficient, the film's a real eyesore. Not that I'm a Mad Max fan, but I'm glad he ditched Happy Feet to continue that franchise.Read all
