A Million Ways to Die in the West Taking something that isn’t inherently funny and taking it to a ridiculous extreme can be a way to both grapple with the issue and get a chuckle from your audience. The recent spoof on … Continue reading A Million Ways to Die in the West Movie Review
Sweeney Todd’s Origins Sweeney Todd is adapted from a serialized tale called The String of Pearls: A Romance. The story took place in 1785 and was first published as a serial in 1846-47. The story has been adapted for stage and screen many times over, but in case you aren’t familiar with it, here’s the short version. Sweeney Todd is a barber on Fleet Street in London. He kills his victims (sometimes through breaking their necks and sometimes giving them too close a shave with his straight-edge razor). Then disposes of the bodies by giving them to his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett. She bakes them into meat … Continue reading Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Review
Mr. Holmes is an interesting take on the Sherlock Holmes character (played by the brilliant Ian McKellen). Based on the 2005 novel “A Slight Trick of the Mind” by author Mitch Cullin, the viewer sees Cullin’s interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth as a retired citizen. What is Mr. Holmes About? In Mr. Holmes, Sherlock is not just a little old. He’s a stubborn, crotchety soul that tests the patience of his housekeeper, Mrs. Munroe (Laura Linney) and captures the curiosity of her son, Roger (Milo Parker). In 1947, the ninety-three year old Holmes is officially retired to his Sussex estate, but despite his … Continue reading Mr. Holmes Movie Review
That’s right, there was another Sherlock Holmes movie that came out around the same time as the Robert Downey Jr. movie I reviewed last week. Didn’t hear about it? I am not at all surprised. I am a huge fan of what I call “cruddy-good” movies. These are films that you can’t help but laugh at even though they are not meant to be comedies. The Mister and I spend a lot our time wading through the sea of crappy movies out there giving them the old Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment. That is to say, we crack wise throughout at the terrible special effects, mediocre writing, … Continue reading Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) Mockbuster Movie Review
Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams are back to reprise their roles as Holmes, Watson, and Irene Adler. New additions include Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo films), Jared Harris (Mad Men, Mortal Instruments) and Stephen Fry to round out an excellent cast. The film begins a few months after the events of the first installment. Holmes is investigating a series of seemingly unrelated crimes which lead him to intercept a letter from Irene Adler. He is so deep into his case that he totally forgets Watson’s bachelor party, and multi-tasks by taking him to a place where Holmes can find the … Continue reading Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) Review
I have seen some criticism about Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of everybody’s favorite detective. Sure, he plays the violin, hangs out with Dr. Watson and solves crimes in Victorian England. Some would argue that he is missing the essence of Sherlock Holmes because he spends some of his time running around and getting blown up. I agree that Conan Doyle’s Holmes was certainly more subtle in his approach than the 2009 movie would make him out to be. But it is precisely this departure from the written word that makes this film Steampunk. More Physicality And in some ways, it is not a departure so much as … Continue reading Sherlock Holmes (2009) Movie Review
Stardust is a fabulous film both written and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men First Class). And even more importantly, it’s based on a book by my all-time favorite author, Neil Gaiman. He is best known for his off-kilter and often creepy tales such as Neverwhere and Coraline. This particular work is a bit of a departure from his normal style. I have seen others liken it to works such as The Princess Bride, and I think this is a fair comparison. As is always the case, the film is not a verbatim copy of the book. But I actually really liked the times that the … Continue reading Stardust (2007) Movie Review
The Origins of the Film “Hugo” This story was first told in a book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which was written and illustrated by Brian Selznick. He worked on several different books for children, but this one is his opus. It comes in at a whopping 527 pages. The film came out in 2011 to rave reviews. Plus, it received five of the eleven Oscars it was nominated for that year. It stars Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game) and veteran actor Ben Kingsley. The film also features excellent performances by Sacha Baron-Cohen (Borat) and Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-ass). What is Hugo About? Hugo Cabret is little … Continue reading Counting Down Family Friendly Steampunk Movies: Hugo (2011)
To the Cinema! A Review of the Movie “Winchester” Winchester opens with a scene of a fictional Dr. Eric Price (played by Jason Clarke) taking medications to deal with his troubled past. He’s just been hired by the Winchester Rifle Company to determine the sanity of Sara Winchester, and her ability to head the Winchester Rifle empire. But one immediately wonders if a man so haunted by the death of a spouse is fit to judge the mental capacity of a wealthy heiress? What’s Winchester About? A Widow’s Wild World Dr. Price arrives at the bustling Winchester Mystery House with construction workers swarming all over the … Continue reading “Winchester” Movie Review
We Steampunk fans enjoy a nice mash-up of literary references. But it takes an exceptional writer to make it all fit together in a coherent narrative. Unfortunately, this sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) shoehorns this notion between overwrought action and lukewarm family drama. What is Journey 2 About? A few years have passed since the events the first movie. Sean (Josh Hutcherson) has a new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson) and his relationship with the former Navy code breaker is rocky. When Hank helps Sean decipher a message from his wayward grandfather (Michael Caine) they find some common ground. The message … Continue reading Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) Falls Flat
