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Thor (2011)
Thor: The God Among Us
I really enjoyed watching 'Thor' and thought it was an appealing film. I can't think of anybody better to have played Thor than Chris Hemsworth, I truly thought he fitted the role perfectly. In addition, Tom Hiddleston's performance as Loki was outstanding and I just love Natalie Portman, so the movie was quite compelling right from the beginning for me.
Firstly, I really appreciated that Loki wasn't the antagonist throughout the whole film. His character was particularly relatable because his underlying motives were to prove himself worthy to his father whilst Thor was receiving all the attention. Despite Thor's arrogant, reckless nature at the beginning of the film, Loki still ventured with him to Jotunhelm, exemplifying their reputable relationship with one another. Their relationship really is similar and relatable to anyone who has a brother, just theirs is in the context of being Gods who live in another dimension, but the message is still noticeable regardless of the circumstances.
I thought the humour was embedded nicely and it didn't feel as if it was forced, which gave the film an appreciated light-heartened feel at times. In addition, when Thor was first banished from Asgard and arrived on Earth, it was so amusing to watch him adapt to the culture on Earth and that by the end of the film it was really evident that his character had grown and became more dignified.
From a more critical perspective, I really wanted to see more action/fighting scenes with Thor. Primarily I'm satisfied with the balance between the amount of action to dialogue in the film, but the fact that Thor is just so powerful sees the demise of his opponents too quickly. For example, at the beginning when Loki, Thor and his companions travel to Jotunhelm to confront King Laufey, Thor kills that humungous troll monster in one hit by merely flying though his mouth. I was expecting an intense, epic battle, not just a one hit kill. Furthermore, when Thor regains his powers on Earth and protects everyone from The Destroyer, he takes about 30 seconds to kill him. I know it's all meant to portray how dominant, powerful and strong Thor is, but come on, the battle scenes could have lasted a little longer. Nonetheless, it was still a very fulfilling scene to watch Thor dominate his opponents.
In essence, I enjoyed watching this movie a lot. I thought the characters were flawless and the development within the characters themselves, mainly Thor, was very satisfying to see. The humour was embedded well and didn't seem forced, which I enjoyed, and I really appreciated that they didn't portray Loki as some heartless, pitiless antagonist. There was a considerable amount of time watching his character develop and because of this you felt some sympathy in the end for him, well, at least I did and I genuinely appreciated this. In so many films the 'bad guy' is always portrayed as someone so evil the viewer just wants him dead, and I'm truly glad that Loki was different. Despite the unfortunately short action scenes, there is still a good ratio of action to dialogue within the film and I cannot wait to watch the sequel 'Thor: The Dark World'.
Oblivion (2013)
Similar to 'The Island', just not as good
Okay, I'm going to be as concise as I can.. 'Oblivion' had really high potential when i first heard about its release, yet i don't think it was completely 'finessed' in its execution. Firstly, I really liked the movie's portrayal of creating a futuristic post-apocalyptic world which I thought looked really striking and impressive. Also, I didn't see the revelation coming when Jack discovers that Julia is his wife, there is no civilization on Titan and that Jack is a mere pawn, of many pawns being "bred" to supervise the extraction of Earth's remaining resources and repair drones. However that's all i can really recall that surprised or impressed me.
From a critical perspective, I didn't feel like I could really relate to any of the characters in the film, not even the protagonist Jack, which isn't very satisfying as the viewer. In addition, I didn't feel like Beech and the survivors got enough screen-time to really make me feel some sort of attachment to their characters. For example, I didn't feel sympathetic when the drones attacked the survivors' base and nearly wiped everybody out, which I got the sense that I was meant to feel some sort of sympathy there, but because I didn't get to see much of Beech or his group I couldn't force myself to feel this way. Similarly, when Jack and Beech destroy the Tet (the massive space station) at the end of the film, I didn't really feel fulfilled or reverent for the characters. I mean I understand they had to do what they had to do but if the film just spent more time developing their characters further I would have felt more satisfied with the ending. This leads me to recapitulate that there wasn't all that much character development by the end of the film; none of the characters changed much from the beginning of the movie. It just felt like an apocalyptic-adaption of the movie 'The Island' when you discover that Jack and Victoria are clones, just 'Oblivion' wasn't as good. I didn't feel any sentimental connection with the characters, and i think that if they had dedicated more time with dialogue between the characters for growth the movie would have been more potent.
In conclusion though, the movie wasn't horrible, yet it wasn't amazing. It has its pros and cons but for every pro, there are two cons, which held the movie back. It's worth watching but there's no need for haste.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
A Love Story from a Different Perspective
'Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind' is a love story that differs from the norm. I really like the unique approach of guy falls in love with girl, they fight, breakup, but then the opportunity arises to erase the memory of each other from their mind. The thought of this actually being feasible in real life makes you question your understanding of what is ethical and morally right. I mean imagine some of the consequences of a procedure such as this.
Joel and Clementine are the polar opposites of one another; she's impulsive, spontaneous and unstable, whilst he's reserved, quiet, unforthcoming and circumspect. This is what makes their relationship distinctive because she challenges him and makes him do things he wouldn't usually do - she brings him out of his shell.
It's not until after erasing most of the memories Joel has of her that he really begins to love and appreciate her as a person, despite her obvious insecurities. I enjoyed seeing this and is what I took away from this movie. Their relationship is not perfect, in fact far from it, but it's through those difficult times that you realize how much you need each other. The idea of erasing memories from the mind is not one I personally condone. The ongoing effects can be harmful to the individual, for example Clementine's spontaneous behaviour with Patrick and Mary's perpetuated attraction to Dr.Mierzwiak. These are the results of recollecting subtle perceptions of the person they erased, which demonstrates that no matter how much you try to forget someone from your mind, there'll always be some fundamental part that prolongs.
This movie embodies some really important ideas that can be explored meticulously after the film ends which I really appreciate. It's an engaging, romantic love story that entails a bit of thinking, but a love story none the less.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Ultimate Ending to an Unforgettable Trilogy
'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' is the concluding chapter in the 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy, and i must say, it concluded amazingly.
The movie starts off with a dark backstory of Smeagol, which when I say dark, I mean dark. You see Smeagol murder his friend Deagol (or lover?) in which you realise how quickly the ring will poison men's minds - even to the point where one would murder a friend to have it. From here you see Smeagol deteriorate and become what we know as Gollum and it's just a really dark segment, but it provides a necessary backstory to the character.
I must mention that there is one character in this movie that I despise of more than any character i have seen in any movie: Denethor, Boromir's father who pretty much scorns his second born son Faramir. It's obvious that Faramir has been trying to prove his worthiness to his father for some time, but when Denethor says to his son that he had wished he had died instead of Boromir, you can't as the viewer help but feel as broken-hearted as Faramir. I mean, imagine your father said that to you; that he had wished you had died instead of your brother. You'd feel grief-stricken. The look on Faramir's face in conjunction with the sorrowful music playing in the background makes it such a powerful scene. With watery eyes Faramir then says, "Since you were robbed of Boromir, I will do what I can in his stead", so then Faramir gathers his men to ride back out to Osgiliath in a fruitless battle to reclaim the city. It's such a sad scene because you know Faramir does not have enough men to reclaim the city, but he goes anyway to uphold the honour he has for his brother and halfwitted father. The whole scene is in slo- motion with Pippin singing sadly in the background as the Orcs draw their bows to kill Faramir and his men charging towards the overrun city. It's just all so sad and I'm pretty certain this scene will be very potent and indelible in my mind.
In the battle for Minasterith Aragon saves the day with his army of the undead, which to me pretty much felt like him putting in a cheat code and just demolishing every Orc, Troll and Mumakil on the battlefield. And this leads me to another point - Gimli and Legolas's friendship. I loved watching their friendship grow stronger and seeing these two characters learn to tolerate each other over the three films. I also cherish the humour in their relationship, I mean how can you not laugh after Legolas impressively takes down a Mumakil all by himself and Gimli, apathetically comments, "That still only counts as one!" I love scenes like this that lighten-up the mood of solemn situations.
One of the stand out performances, however, in the entire movie is by Samwise Gamgee. As the voice of reason in Frodo's head, Sam tries to tell him that Gollum is plotting to kill both of them and take the ring for himself, but because Gollum can empathise with Frodo, he believes Gollum's stories. When Frodo is poisoned and paralysed by Shelob (the giant spider) I really enjoyed seeing Sam battle her and be all courageous and brave and dexterous. As Frodo becomes weaker Sam needs to become stronger, and that's exactly what happens. When the two Hobbits finally reach the volcano Sam determinedly carries Frodo up the mountain to the entrance that really demonstrates his development as a character, in which the ring is later finally destroyed. It was interesting to see Gollum hold the ring close to his chest as he falls down into the pit of lava, yet even as he's sinking and burning and dying his one thought is to try save the ring. It just shows how evil can be tenacious and follow people to their death.
In essence, I felt this movie was the perfect way to end such a memorable trilogy. Peter Jackson did a superb job to make all the characters unique and significant in their own way and encapsulate what life is like during Middle Earth. The setting, the costumes, the characters, the CGI and the story were all presented perfectly in a trilogy that will never be forgotten.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Two Towers Transcends its Antecedent
'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' is everything I could have hoped for in the second movie in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. In this film the fellowship has broken and the film now follows three different adventures taking place - you have Aragon, Legolas and Gimli fighting to protect Rohan, Pippin and Merry occupied with the Ents, and of course, Frodo and Sam lead by Gollum to fulfill their quest to destroy the ring. I really liked how these concurrent endeavors were told without feeling, as the viewer, disengaged from the main idea of the story. For example, it didn't feel like there was intolerable jumping between different scenes to follow these different adventures, so I thought the movie proceeded at a good pace.
Hats must be taken off to a perfect embodiment of Gollum's character and it is probably one of the most memorable performances I have ever seen in a movie. This twisted, tortured and disturbed creature is the epitome of the consequences of holding the ring for prolonged periods (500 years in Gollum's case). The ring is so evil and corrupted that Gollum represents the end result of it's control, which should signal to Frodo to make haste of his quest or else he'll end up just like Gollum.
The amount of action and fighting in this movie has increased compared to 'The Fellowship of the Ring', and I loved it. It was so satisfying to watch Legolas and Gimli kill Orcs so proficiently to the point where they keep a running tally of how many they kill. This form of humor embedded in several fighting scenes was much accepted and it wasn't too excessive to the point where it felt like the humor was forced.
Just like the first movie there are some epic panning shots as Aragon, Legolas and Gimli cross some stunning terrain, and I feel that just the mere scale of this movie is so much bigger in magnitude to that in 'The Fellowship of the Ring'. In the previous film, there was a lot more dialog and felt like more of an introduction to the characters and the 'culture' of the 'Lord of the Rings' film, which isn't condemned, but 'The Two Towers' steps up the fighting scenes to another level without losing the dialog and character development. The sheer size of Saruman's army sent a shiver down mine when I first laid eyes on it. You think to yourself, "hold on, how are 300 'good guys' supposed to defend themselves against 10,000 of these brutal and viscous Orcs?" Thoughts like this that leave you wondering what's going to happen next or how are the 'good guys' going to deal with this crisis is one of many reasons that kept me engaged in the film from start to end.
Furthermore, I loved Gandalf's return as 'The White', and the scene at the beginning where he battles the Balrog was an epic way to begin the movie. In addition, when the Ents destroy Saruman's headquarters was just insane to watch. I loved that feeling of gratification, yet also some sorrow, when you see the Tree Beard begin to lose it after what Saruman has done and the Ents just unleash chaos on Saruman. It was satisfying to see the 'good guys' (I dislike referring to them as this) finally overpower Saruman as he has been the one with supreme power and authority throughout the film (excluding Sauron). You can't also help but feel when the Ents take revenge on Saruman for destroying their 'friends', that one day, in today's modern, developed society, nature will reclaim what is rightfully theirs one day. The idea of conveying the trees as having emotions and allowing them to feel anger and sorrow just like humans do, makes you condemn things like deforestation around the world and the negative impact human consumption is having on the earth. In essence, this is one of the best movies I have ever seen and cannot wait to watch the final film in the trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
An Unforgettable and Compelling Story
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an experience that'll keep you engaged and amazed for the whole 2 hours and 51 minutes running time. Not once did it feel like the movie became tedious or dull at any time. The film arouses a concoction of feelings such as exhilaration, fulfilment and anticipation, yet also sadness, compassion and despondency at times. This is all made possible through admirable characters such as Aragorn, Frodo, Boromir, Legolas and many more, in conjunction with a compelling story so engaging it makes you wish you could turn back time and engulf yourself in the world of middle earth first-hand. Furthermore, the movie executes a fantastic representation of the power of The Ring and what it does to people. The Ring is this small yet enormously powerful evil entity that feeds off people's desire for power and uses this against them to corrupt their mind, ultimately, to return to it's creator Sauron. This is seen through many characters, one example being Gollum as he has held onto the ring for so long that it has corrupted every part of his mind, body and soul. Similarly, Bilbo Baggins finds it extremely difficult to banish the ring from his possession because it has begun to corrupt him also. The ring's potential power and its mere capabilities are an unwanted burden that becomes an addiction to anyone who adopts it. From epic battles to sedative traveling, utopian landscapes to dark mountain mines, mighty enemies to initially deficient hobbits, the movie is a compelling story of bravery, friendship, and an unforgettable adventure that will leave you yearning to see the next movie in the trilogy immediately.
Skin (2008)
Skin Overview
This film follows the tragic story about a girl named Sandra Laing attempting to define who she is as a person during the repressive time of apartheid. Born into a white family, yet having a dark skin tone, commonly referred to scientifically as polygenetic inheritance, Sandra is constantly questioning her sense of identity and belonging amongst people that, supposedly, love her. The film powerfully encapsulates this woman's struggle throughout her arduous life, and as a viewer leaves you inspired by her courage and effort to simply live a happy and liberated life. In essence, it's a tragic yet inspiring story that should be heard and acknowledged by all people.