I chose Delicate 2 as today's fractal cookie mainly because it has a "2" in the title (since I'm reviewing two movies) and I don't think I've ever used it in a post before. So--on with the reviews!
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THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN
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What can I say about The Adventures Of Tin Tin? It's based on a comic series that's hugely popular all over Europe and the motion-capture animated movie is directed by Steven Spielberg so you know it's going to be a class act. The action starts pretty much from the opening credits and never lets up until the end (and that's one of the few points where things slow down a bit.) The animation is beautiful and, for once, humans don't look like weirdly-animated wax dolls (as in The Polar Express). The voice cast, Jamie Bell (as the title character), Andy Serkis (as Captain Haddock), Daniel Craig as the villainous Sakharine and Nick Frost and Simon Pegg as Detectives Thomson and Thompson are first rate. There is just the right mix of action, comedy and suspense that will keep the entire family entertained. Yes, there are a few little bits that left this sour old critic shaking his head a bit but what of it? This is just a huge tub of escapist fun--just what I go to the movies for! We saw the movie in 3D. Dunno if the 3D FX were really needed to enhances our enjoyment of the movie but they are certainly well done and I didn't find myself feeling ripped off for needing to spend the extra cash for the tickets. All in all it was the perfect movie for Christmas Day.
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FINAL GRADE: A
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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous creation gets another "steampunk" outing in the movie sequel. I really enjoyed the first movie (gave it an "A" I think) but I couldn't shake the feeling that I've seen this all before. The first time they pulled out the bag of tricks I was impressed but this time I came away with the feeling of "so--what else is new?" Robert Downey Jr. chews the scenery as the title character but just doesn't seem to be having fun. Likewise Jude Law as Dr. Watson--but at least he isn't relegated to bumbling sidekick in this role. At least he gets a bit of story for himself. Jared Harris as Professor Moriarity is pretty much one-note as the villain but Stephen Fry has fun with the role of Myrcorft Holmes. The rest of the cast was pretty much forgetable.
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The script has Holmes trying to stop Moriarity from starting a world war (for a surprisingly pedestrian reason). That was a cool idea for amping up the character but the FX and pretty much everything else are a redux of the 2009 movie. If you like that sort of thing then rush out and see this movie, if not--wait a bit and rent it. I was well and truly disappointed by this sequel.
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FINAL GRADE C+
I chose Winter Stars as today's fractal "cookie" because I never did a White Christmas (which I will be reviewing here) fractal. (Dunno why but I didn't.) So, on with the review!
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White Christmas has a long and complex history. A lot of people don't know the song came from a 1942 movie called Holiday Inn (starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire). 12 years later the movie titled White Christmas (again starring "Der Bingle"--this time with Danny Kaye) was released and the song was featured prominently. Flash forward fifty some-odd years the movie was adapted for the stage and turned into a "jukebox musical" but the addition of a bunch of Irving Berlin songs that weren't featured in the movie.
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The story begins in World War Two where buddies Captain Bob Wallace and Pvt. Phil Davis are entertaining the troops with a song and dance routine which gets interrupted by General Henry Waverly. (This sets up the plot for later.) Flash forward a dozen years and Wallace and Davis (Davis and Wallace) are a famous duo getting ready to leave for Christmas in Miami. Before they leave the duo goes off to check out a "Sister Act" (Betty and Judy Haynes) for their new review and, as it can only happen in a musical, sparks fly. Phil decides that Bob needs to fall in love. Phil hijacks Bob to an Inn in Vermont where the girls are working for the Holidays. Oh, and the Inn just happens to be run by now-retired General Waverly (and the Inn is in deep trouble). Bob hatches a plan to save the Inn by putting on a show. Misunderstandings and hijinks ensue but everybody ends up happy.
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Once you get past the plot that was old when Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were making their movies and an incident that seems very out of character for one of the girls, this turns out to be a surprisingly pleasant little diversion. Yeah, the songs are kind of stuck in there (this is a Jukebox Musical after all) but they are well done. Just to ramp up the "cheeesetastity" they even have a belter a la Ethel Merman and a "Broadway Baby" who is cute as a button with a big voice. Who could ask for more? The cast sings and dances with style and verve. The orchestra (three touring musicians supplemented by an unknown number of local players) are first rate with nary a missed note. This chorus seems large and does a fine job supporting the leads. The sets and costumes are nicely done There's even a "snowfall" over the audience to heighten the Christmas magic.
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Yes, White Christmas is an old chestnut--but it's a well-polished one. And really--isn't Christmas the time for chestnuts? There's not an ounce of irony or mean-spiritedness in the show and it just makes you feel good. I don't know if I could take this show every year but it sure got me in the holiday spirit. Check it out if you're looking for some seasonal fun that the whole family can enjoy.
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FINAL GRADE: A
I chose Gears as today's fractal cookie for my review of Hugo because the movie has quite a lot of them; a mechanical man plays a big part of the movie, the title character repairs clocks (among other mechanical things) and even lives in one. Now, on with the review.
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Hugo may be the most beautifully-realized film since Avatar. Every frame is a work of art. The sets are gorgeous, the costumes perfect, the lighting and cinematography are somber delights. Too bad they felt the need to populate this exquisite landscape with characters that move like clockwork to advance the all-too-familiar plot. Mind you, everyone involved plays their parts with the perfection of a fine Swiss watch. I found myself appreciating the performance but I could never get past the fact that all the characters were nothing more than cogs in a machine. (Still, that well may have been part of the movie's message so maybe I shouldn't complain.)
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Asa Butterfield (in the title role) doesn't exhibit a lot of emotional highs or lows in the role but he manages to rise to the challenge. Sir Ben Kingsley (Georges) is a grumpy old man with a mysterious past. Sacha Baron Cohen dials downthe crazy as Station Inspector. (He has a side story involving a cautious romance with a young lady who runs the cafe in the Paris Train Station.) Christopher Lee, Jude Law and Ray Windstone have small but well-done roles in the movie. I didn't recognize any of the rest of the cast but they all played their parts with precision.
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Now for the big bitches: I saw this is 3D (the only way it was showing anywhere close to me) and this is one of the many movies that didn't benefit from 3D technology. The 3D added nothing but $3.75 a ticket--and I could really have done without that. Likewise several times I found the script and direction seeming to shout "look at how clever I am!" and that was a bit bothersome. (I want to discover the cleverness for myself--not have it shoved in my face.) Every character, every nuance exists for the sole purpose of advancing the story and there isn't a genuine moment in the entire movie.
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I think the saddest thing I can say about Hugo is this: "I'm glad I saw the movie but I can't say I enjoyed it." Yes, the beauty of each and every shot deserves to be seen on a big screen. That being said, there's not a lot of action or drama and if I wasn't so fascinated by the shots I'm afraid I'd have been bored to tears. The movie moves slow and, in spite of the marketing campaign, isn't for families: kids won't enjoy the movie--it just doesn't move fast enough. I wanted so badly to enjoy this movie--and I just couldn't make myself do it no matter how hard I tried.
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FINAL GRADE: C
I chose Abstract Christmas Bells as today's fractal "cookie" mainly because it's Christmas-y and musical. And really--what's better than Christmas Bells right? Now on with the reviews!
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So last year I promised myself I wouldn't add a lot of new Christmas albums to my collection but the plans have a way of changing. (So far) I've gotten six new albums (and might get more. So here's the reviews of everything I got (in the order of purchase).
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WINTER CAROLS by Blackmore's Night
I found Blackmore's Night early last year on YouTube. I liked their Pop-Rock/Renaissance style and it intrigued me that Richie Blackmore Lead Guitarist for Deep Purple (the group that did Smoke On The Water) would get involved with something like this. When I found they had made a Christmas album and I could get it from Amazon for less than $10.00 I decided I'd give it a shot! What I got was pretty much what I expected--a bright blend of poppy, renaissance-infused song that are mostly up-tempo that fall nicely on the ear--especially if you like this sort of thing (which I totally do). Of particular note I found I enjoyed Ma-O-Tzur, a setting of a Hebrew poem and a mash up of Lord Of The Dance and Simple Gifts (which I don't think I'll ever get tired of). Still, there are a couple of things that bug me a bit about the album: first lyrics from traditional tunes are twisted to eliminate any reference to "Jesus", "Christ" or "the son of God". Not sure why they had to do that and it annoys me just a tiny bit. It also bugs me that they feel the need to randomly hash-up lyrics in ways that aren't beneficial to the song. Still, those are minor quibbles and I found that I have really enjoyed listening to the album.
FINAL GRADE: A-
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GLEE: the Christmas Album Volume 2
I really enjoyed the first Christmas album from the cast of Glee. This one--not so much... Like a lot of Glee songs I found a lot of their arrangements to be frankly derivative (Santa Baby is almost a note-for-note copy of Madonna's version for example) and a lot of the choices are just weird. (I haven't seen their Holiday episode so I don't know the songs are supposed to fit into a story). The album has a has several new songs that are just plain BAD and there aren't many pleasant surprises like on the last album. Sadly, this albums feels like a blatant attempt to cash in and only the most die hard of die hard "Gleeks" is gonna love it. Don't bother to buy this album.
FINAL GRADE: C- (and that's because I'm being charitable)
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THE SING OFF: Songs of the Season
I'm a sucker for acapella singing and, (in my humble opinion at least) a good voices-only choir can turn the most egregious crap into something you can listen to (take All I Want For Christmas as done by Delilah for example). Most of these are pretty darn good but a few songs take some very strange turns. Coventry Carol as done by Sonos is WAY too upbeat for the text and the wordless version of Carol of the Bells done by the University of Rochester Yellowjackets is nothing nothing short of awful (and I really liked them on the show). I could have done without the bonus track from Committed but I'm glad I got a little extra music for the money. This is a nice album and I think most people would like it.
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FINAL GRADE: A-
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CAROLE KING: A Holiday Carole
I've always thought Carole King could do no wrong since she put out Tapestry. (If you don't have it in your collection--you should!) The LP isn't the best Christmas Album you'll ever hear but it is still quite enjoyable. The album starts out with a nice version of My Favorite Things (which, IMHO, is NOT a Christmas song--no matter the mention of "sleigh bells" and "silver-white winters".) There are several new songs that are OK if not spectacular and, with two exceptions, the rest of the songs are older-ish popular tunes that she does pretty well. I was glad she included Chanukah Prayer (a nod to her Jewish faith: I found it the highlight of the album). This is a nice album for the holidays and a must-have for any fan of Miss Carole.
FINAL GRADE: A-
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LIBERA: the Christmas Album
Libera is an English Boys Choir that has made several albums. Of course it was inevitable that they'd release a Christmas album sooner or later. The mostly-traditional songs have a delightfully ethereal quality and lush orchestration but you need to be a fan of classical music to really enjoy the album. I could have done without all the extraneous material that came with the album (a cheap ornament and a lot of material on each song, each on a separate pieces of paper) and would have been happy to pay a bit less for the LP. Still, there's a certain je ne sais quois to the album that I find oddly attractive.
FINAL GRADE: A
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MISTLETOE AND WINE: A SEASONAL COLLECTION by Medieval Baebes
Robyn found this album in the Gaelsongs Catalog and thought it sounded good. (I found it for half the price on Amazon.com so I bought it.) Eight women (sometimes singing acapella and sometimes accompanied) perform a variety of holiday and winter-themed songs, equally balanced between traditional and new material. Robyn and I both enjoyed the album but if you aren't a fan of exotica or "classical" (or even pop-classical) music won't like it. Still, for those looking for something "different" this album is well worth a spin.
FINAL GRADE: A
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CHIP DAVIS PRESENTS A RENAISSANCE HOLIDAY
Frankly, I felt a bit deceived by Amazon.com where I found the album. This was marketed as a Manheim Steamroller Christmas album. I thought I somehow managed to miss one so I was quick to order but what I got was a collection of Renaissance music "presented" by Chip Davis (the driving force behind the Steamroller). That being said the album is a pretty collection of (mainly) Christmas songs from the Renaissance done in the authentic style. This album is a definite "must have" for fans of Renaissance music but fans of the poppier influences that Manheim Steamroller brings to their songs may not enjoy it.
FINAL GRADE: A
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Will I end up buying more Christmas music? You never know: if I find something I like at a good price I may just pick it up. And if I do you'll find a review on this blog. In the meantime...
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'nuff said!
