I'm talking about Alfred Hitchcock's birthday and this week's new releases in my column at Towleroad. The obvious highlights from the newbies are Ponyo (sight unseen but it's Miyazaki so we're fine) and District 9, which I have seen. Katey and I will have a vodcast up soon to discuss the very bloody but very exciting alien action flick. But for now, the columnThere's quite a variety of new product at the multiplexes. Let's start with the romantic drama, The Time Traveler's Wife in which Eric Bana keeps disappearing and reappearing in Rachel McAdams life. Wait, is he playing Ryan Gosling?!? This vanishing / reappearing act is probably a great metaphor of some sort for romance, though I haven't read the bestseller so I've no idea if the concept is executed well. The faithful are angry that they've changed it to something sunnier. Hollywood is so terrified of sad endings, even in tearjerkers which are supposed to make you cry.read the rest at Towleroad
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Though I know many will love it, I must say that District 9, though amazing at times, overall left me kind of cold.
i was mixed on it but overall i'd thumbs it up -- certainly better than what usually passes for "action" lately.
Ponyo IS great (you're right, after all, it's Miyazaki), BUT it's aimed for Kindergartners. And I mean, really. Not like spirited away or Totoro, which were fascinating for all ages. Watching Ponyo in its entirety is a little challenging.
Seeing The Time Traveler's Wife and District 9 this weekend.
Nathaniel, you must read TTTW if you get a chance - and please don't base it off your movie experience - I'm sure the movie will disappoint. :(
I'm seeing District 9 and The Time Traveller's Wife this weekend. SO EXCITED.
Don't knock "The Time Traveler's Wife" until you read the novel. It's tedious reading reviews of the film when the critic is beyond ignorant of how beautiful the book is.
I know the movie won't be as good - it would have probably worked better as a mini-series, 6-8 hour running time - but I'm still excited to see the adaptation.
I'm constantly amazed by how many people love The Time Traveler's Wife (novel). The concept is really strong and the book is cleverly structured but the writing itself is very poor indeed and the characters paper-thin. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a book that sets out to make its reader cry, but it just felt a little relentless to me. The fact that the film adaptation makes it look like The Notebook Part 2 fits in with my own perceptions of the book.
Nathaniel, I end up giving D9 a thumbs up too, just not the rave one I know many are. I'd give it a solid B.
I would be more interested in "Time Traveller's Wife" if it was about Eric Bana disappearing and reappearing in Ryan Gosling's life.
I loved the novel of TTW, loved the main character of Henry (which is unusual because I don't tend to identify with male characters), and I thought Audrey Niffenegger had a great way of handling the time-travel, describing it as something akin to having a seizure (and I have epilepsy, so her descriptions of how that feels were spot-on). That said, I've been dreading the film and will wait for DVD if anything, to be honest. The ads alone have been a turn-off.
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