I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (5 stars), WALL-E (5 stars), The Dark Knight (4 and a half stars, and Changeling (3 and a half stars). I plan to see Milk in two weeks, and I also want to see Doubt soon, along with Slumdog Millionaire.
Changeling (3 and a half stars from me)
Technically that was the first Eastwood movie I've ever seen. To put it simply, it was good, but could have been a LOT better. Jolie's performance was good, not great, but good. It wasn't really an entertaining film, it wasn't a work of art either. It told a very intriguing story though, but I only recommend it to certain people. Music was okay, you can tell Eastwood is not a real film composer by his lack of complexity and structure, and there is virtually no themes.
The Dark Knight (4 and a half stars)
Extraordinary achievement in filmmaking, lot more than just a "comic book movie" as some would think. There's a lot of hidden layers for the characters, and of course it helps on the emotional side if you've seen Batman Begins. For those true comic book fans, this should be a joy to watch. If you'll pardon the expression, they gave the Joker his... well, I think I will leave that out LOL. Ledger inhabited that role to a tee and as one who has followed his work for a while it's honestly no surprise. I for one am very proud of him for having the courage to take this role on when it is truly frightening and psychotic in its dimensions. It's a lot more than "good vs. evil," it has an interesting study in human nature and what mankind is capable of in both good and evil. That is best showcased in the later half of the film, especially on the part of Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face. All the characters in fact have their moments where they show how multi-dimensional they are. Ledger's performance of course is one reason to see it, but I would not recommend it to anyone younger than 14. This is not your Cesar Romero Joker! So be warned! I would give this a higher rating if it had more powerful music. Hans Zimmer said that Joker was so complex all he could think of to compose for him was a ONE-NOTE THEME. Honestly, how pathetic is that. The highlight score-wise was Harvey Dent's theme, which inidentally is not by Zimmer, but his collaborator, James Newton Howard.
WALL-E (5 stars)
Honestly, this film is not for the impatient and it's not for those who don't understand allegory when they see it. This is not for those who take films at their face value, watch them, say whether it was good or bad and is done with it a moment later. The allegory of this film is what I found stimulating, along with the heart and courage of the title character. It was not as funny as I expected it to be. I saw it on high recommendation from my dear friend Marsha, and I was not disappointed. It starts out very slowly, I won't lie. You need to pay attention and think about what is going on, and if you're like me who have trouble seeing, I advise you to get a DVS version (described narration for the blind) or at least someone who can help you with describing what is happening on screen because for most of it it is a very visual film. It reminds me of silent cinema in that respect. It does take a while to get to the whole meaning of the story but when it does, hopefully it will capture your heart and mind as it did me. To my great joy, Thomas Newman's score is an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of the film and its reception. Without his score, the movie would not be as enjoyable. I recommend this to anyone patient enough and open enough to sit down with this one. I guarantee it will make you THINK! I love films like that.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (5 stars)
I saw this on Saturday at 11:40am, and the images still haunt me. I was smart enough to bring tissues, and out of the three of us I was the only one who did so, and we all ended up crying. The film reminded me a lot of Forrest Gump in many respects. I am recommending this to EVERYONE I know. The story is beautifully crafted and well filmed, well-acted as well, and well-scored by Monsieur Alexandre Desplat. I was rooting for him when I saw the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. I don't have this on alum yet but I thought it was a wonderful score befitting this film. Is it a masterpiece? I'm not sure, to be honest. It is very close to one. I really don't want to give too much away in this film, only that I advise the faint of heart to bring tissues. Everyone will be touched by this film. Never let it be said that Brad Pitt can't act.
