Shrek The Third

Directors: Chris Miller, Raman Hui
2003,Colour, 1h 33 min
IMDB Rating: 6.1/10
300 Words Rating: 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413267/


 

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who said they didn’t like ‘Shrek’. I happened to catch Shrek The Third on the telly the other day and found my self completely incapable of changing the channel. Although most would say that it is not nearly as good as the previous two installments of the ‘Shrek’ franchise, I found it strangely compelling. It’s hard not to laugh at most parts of this movie. It is also hard not to admit that Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas make a great comedy team. In Shrek the Third their characters are joined in by many new ones, some great some just awful. Also, I can’t say much for the character development, the film brings in a myriad of new characters and manages to ignore the old ones while not giving us the opportunity to get better acquainted with the new ones. The scene with ‘Snow White’ and the animal attack is brilliant and I think my favourite character of the movie was probably the narcoleptic Sleeping Beauty! Shrek the Third brings on a great take on some timeless characters, the idea was good but the execution, not so much. However many flaws it has, Shrek the Third kept me entertained through out and as always the choice in music was excellent. The animation is outstanding and it is overall a delightful movie to watch. In the end it isn’t a ‘must see’ but it is very enjoyable, and anyone who has seen any of the ‘Shrek’ movies will agree that it is fun for all ages. Anyone who saw Shrek Forever After (2010) however, will also probably agree that they they should have stopped at Shrek the Third.

Daredevil

Director: Mark Steven Johnson
2003, Colour, 1h 43 min
IMDB Rating: 5.4/10
300 Words Rating: 5/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287978/

‘The Daredevil’ isn’t exactly the most famous of comic book super heroes but the story of how he came about is really interesting. This movie however manages to start out quite good and make you completely lose interest after the first 30 min. Overall I think IMDB’s rating is right, the movie has some good parts but in the end it was a weak attempt at a weak character. Between the bad CGI and horribly executed fights its possible to salvage some good from the wreck that is Daredevil. Some shots, like the scene with flaming double D’s in the reporter’s glasses, are almost still shots making it seem like a frame in the comic book. Colin Farrell plays the part of the psychopath ‘Bullseye’ very well even though he is a bit scrawny in comparison to the comic book character and I thought Ben Affleck made the perfect ‘Matt Murdock’. The scene where ‘Bullseye’ kills the old nagging lady with a peanut is priceless! Also I liked Stan Lee’s attention to detail in making Elektra’s eyes green like her comic book counterpart, even if they look artificial. Little hidden gems in Daredevil are Jon Favreau’s performance as ‘Matt Murdock’s’ law partner and cameos by Stan Lee and Kevin Smith. Jennifer Garner is like marmite you either love her or hate her and I hate marmite... Elektra’s training scene is not nearly as impressive as 'Lara Croft’s' in Tomb Raider. Lastly, Michael Clarke Duncan was great in The Green Mile (1999) but casting him as ‘Kingpin’? Isn’t ‘The Kingpin’ a fat, white guy in the comics? Although, I get how it could be hard to find a good actor with that build so not really such a bad choice. Generally speaking, if you don’t see Daredevil you’re not missing much.

Sommersby

Director: John Amiel
1993, Colour, 1h 53min
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
300 Words Rating: 8.5/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108185/

Riveting performances by Richard Gere and Jodie Foster in the beautifully executed Sommersby. There are a lot of people who don’t like these two and I can’t say I was ever a big fan of Richard Gere or Jodie Foster, but the truth is this movie made me remember just how good they are at what they do. It also made me remember just how beautiful Jodie used to be in the Silence of the Lambs (1991), Maverick (1994), Nell (1994) age, and to think that she was already 31 when she filmed Sommersby. The movie is a take on the true story of Martin Guerre, a french peasant who disappeared in the 1500’s and the impostor who took his place 8 yrs later. The tale has been told before in the 1982 French classic The Return of Martin Guerre (Le retour de Martin Guerre) starring Gérrard Depardieu in the lead role. Set in post Civil War America, Sommersby is a great depiction of life in that period. Granted, there are a few historical inaccuracies, like the African-American Judge in Jack Sommersby’s murder trial. In fact it was a bit much to have the Judge be a black man in a court room where black people were segregated and had to stand in the balcony. However, this does not take away from the fact that the film is well written and executed and there are amazing performances not only by Richard Gere and Jodie Foster but also Bill Pullman, James Earl Jones and Frankie Faison. Overall an unmissable movie to fans of period dramas and it keeps you glued to the screen the whole way through. The chemistry between the two main actors is undeniable and you’ll find yourself rooting for ‘Jack’ till the very last second.