I did not think the plot was confusing or ridiculous. There are a lot of bedtime story rules, like "only A if B" and "you can only do C if D", and I can see how someone could laugh as the odd fairytale words and names (like Scrunt and Tartutic and Madame Narf) keep building up, but personally I didn't think it ever got out of control. You just have to take a deep breath and go with it, if anything, for the sake of enjoyment.
I also did not think MNS casting himself was egotistical. If I were a director, I'd do the same thing, provided I could act. It would be fun to be part of your own creation and I think the director and writer has a right to participate on both sides of the camera.
What I didn't like here is the execution. The plot revolves around the idea that certain members of the apartment complex have roles to play and jobs to do, but nobody knows who is who or who will have what important purpose. I really like that idea, but the execution was poor.
SPOILERS The kid reads cereal boxes. CEREAL BOXES!! I mean I thought the symbolist would be someone who noticed certain goings ons or picked up on subtle details that nobody else could, but the idea of staring at Captain Crunch to decipher an age old ritual was just too much in outer space.
The guild of sisters didn't do anything. I would say they couldn't be more worthless, but they could have had the role of the 2 "witnesses", which was the very definition of pointless. And by the end you knew who the guardian was because there was only one character left.
Other than Cleveland Heep (the healer) none of the other characters really do much (the guardian was somewhat important, but even he was boringly executed because he comes out of nowhere and fends off the scrunt for about eight seconds). This was a let down because I was excited to see how everyone would contribute in their own important way to the goal of saving Story. However it turns out that everyone's purpose is either anti-climatic or poorly manifested.
END SPOILERS THe idea is not bad, in fact it could have been great. Many people are nagging on this movie for a lot of reasons I don't agree with, but in the end I do agree that MNS lost his touch with this movie.
I also did not think MNS casting himself was egotistical. If I were a director, I'd do the same thing, provided I could act. It would be fun to be part of your own creation and I think the director and writer has a right to participate on both sides of the camera.
What I didn't like here is the execution. The plot revolves around the idea that certain members of the apartment complex have roles to play and jobs to do, but nobody knows who is who or who will have what important purpose. I really like that idea, but the execution was poor.
SPOILERS The kid reads cereal boxes. CEREAL BOXES!! I mean I thought the symbolist would be someone who noticed certain goings ons or picked up on subtle details that nobody else could, but the idea of staring at Captain Crunch to decipher an age old ritual was just too much in outer space.
The guild of sisters didn't do anything. I would say they couldn't be more worthless, but they could have had the role of the 2 "witnesses", which was the very definition of pointless. And by the end you knew who the guardian was because there was only one character left.
Other than Cleveland Heep (the healer) none of the other characters really do much (the guardian was somewhat important, but even he was boringly executed because he comes out of nowhere and fends off the scrunt for about eight seconds). This was a let down because I was excited to see how everyone would contribute in their own important way to the goal of saving Story. However it turns out that everyone's purpose is either anti-climatic or poorly manifested.
END SPOILERS THe idea is not bad, in fact it could have been great. Many people are nagging on this movie for a lot of reasons I don't agree with, but in the end I do agree that MNS lost his touch with this movie.