Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death, 2008, Comedy
Plot: A baker and his companion are trying to stay alive after a recent “baker killer” has struck the scene and is trying to make Wallace the next in the “bakers dozen” by offing him.
Thoughts: This film is exactly how a film should be made. Nick Park does it again by creating a great balance of humor and suspense. You know exactly what’s going to happen but Park wields the sense of predictability like a Knight of the Round table would a sword. Wallace is still the guy with his head in the clouds that takes forever to come back to reality. Meanwhile, Gromit is the loyal dog that always puts Wallace ahead of himself to save the day time and time again while not saying a single word.
The animation was beautifully done and the creators proved that films don’t need to be live action or an animated Disney movie to be successful. I’m not a huge fan of claymation, but this series makes me want to see it again and again (also, major props for the patience factor).
The only thing that irked me (and this is a very minor thing) was that the film seemed to be a little longer than it needed to be. It didn’t drag out, I just wish that more could have been packed into say 25-27 minutes. But that’s just me being nitpicky.
Honestly, this is probably in my top 20 films. I loved everything from the directing, to the voice acting, and even the storyline. I LOVED this movie and definitely will watch again. Check it out!
4.8/5!
The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009, Comedy (at least that’s what it was supposed to be) viewed: 1/19/2011
Plot: A small-town reporter attempts to research a secret government program founded during the Vietnam War that used strange methods and tactics to confront the enemy.
Review: The movie was made honestly, which pains me to say how honestly bad it was. Everything about it seemed forced from the writing to the editing. I never got a good sense of chemistry between any of the cast. The concept, while not totally original, was fairly interesting. But that wore out soon after I stopped trying to keep my eyelids open.
George Clooney was on the bill to put audiences in their seats but the only actor that was entertaining was Jeff Bridges. I did enjoy the bout about “cloud bursting” and must say that I’ve tried it since then (I just know I did it yesterday).
I didn’t really know what to expect when I watched this. I just know that during the film I realized that I would rather stare at a goat than stare at any screen showing this movie. No offense to the makers of this film.
2.1/5
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