Mamma Mia!… Hancock… and expectations for The Dark Knight

July 18, 2008

Mamma Mia! - OMG disappointment. The entire film felt like a grade-school theater production. When they sing “me” in the lyrics, they point or motion to themselves; when they sing “you”, they point or motion to the other person; when they sing “here”, they point or motion to where they’re standing; when they sing “there”… … …well, you get the point. The mood and music is fun, sure… but a lot of it feels forced. But like I tell a lot of people, for all its shortcomings, the film is still musical fun. Not that anyone in the cast is Broadway material… but they’ll do.(IMDB: 7.4/10, Rottentomatoes: 48%,  Me: 4/10)

Hancock - I’ve heard so much bashing on Hancock already, and I don’t subscribe to it. It’s fun. Not “cringe-worthy, but fun” like Mamma Mia! It really is pure fun and entertainment. Good combination of Will Smith’s charisma… Charlize Theron’s acting chops (and eye-candy)… plus Jason Bateman serving as the glue that holds it all together. Very good cast and performances. The failure here are gaps and loopholes within the story, which were even magnified by the flimsy execution/directing. From midway through the film and onwards, the film felt like it should have been funny when it was serious or vice versa. Sometimes, the film just felt it wasn’t as funny or serious as it should have been.
(IMDB: 6.9/10, Rottentomatoes: 37%,  Me: 6/10)

The Dark Knight - No, I haven’t seen it yet. We’re gonna see it tonight (YAY!!!) and I’m pumped. It’s an almost universal consensus that Ledger’s performance as The Joker totally pwns Jack’s version. Ledger’s Joker is now supposedly the seminal film Joker. And thank god Tom knocked-up Katie because now, she’s been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal (actually I’m not sure if that’s really the reason, but I don’t care. Katie’s out and Maggie’s in is all that matters =p). I’m not too excited about Christian Bale because he’s not really the type of actor that people should be excited about. He’s the subtle kind. He’s always good. He’s solid and consistent. Actually, if I were an actor, that’s the type of actor I wanna be: A Christian Bale.

Now, the movie as a whole has received thrilling universal acclaim. The general consensus is that the film works perfectly not only as a superhero movie, but also as an epic crime drama. It’s been compared to the best of films by Scorsese and de Palma; usually mentioned with the likes of “The Untouchables”, with Batman as Eliot Ness and The Joker as Al Capone.

As for the handful of reviewers that gave TDK negative reviews… they have that right. But when they criticize a film like The Dark Knight for being too dark, frantic and over-the-top… I wouldn’t worry too much about them. What I’m worried more about is that the film might have been so insanely hyped up already to the point that I would be disappointed even it turned out to be a masterpiece.

Still… pumped up \m/
(IMDB: 9.7/10, Rottentomatoes: 94%,  Me: OMGWTFBBQ-PUMPED!!!!)