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Reviews
The Dreamers (2003)
Provocative and engaging, but ultimately disappointing
Bertolucci picks a volatile time and place - Paris in the late sixties - and follows three young, bohemian and idealistic characters in its midst. There's a lot of potential for romantic and political intrigue. The problem is, these characters choose remain aloof to their milieu for almost the entire film, preferring to hole up in a labyrinthine apartment to pursue a unique brand of hedonism.
The best scene of the film is when Matthew is first invited to dinner with the family. The political position of each of the characters becomes very clear, and Bertolucci subtly undercuts each of them, driving home the point of the film. But after that, the bulk of the plot revolves around the threesome's erotic diversions and petty jealousies, inter-cut with scenes of the street protests in a seemingly arbitrary fashion.
The film deserves credit for a nostalgic portrayal of Paris in the sixties, as well as delightful camera-work, intimate and voyeuristic, peering around corner after corner in the apartment to find new eye candy for the viewer.
Overall, however, the film fell short for me; it fails to properly situate its characters in their context, and deprives them of enough emotional depth to make their trysts more than surface entertainment. 6/10
Happy Feet (2006)
Fantastic movie. Great fun.
Lately, I have avoided the spate of CGI films featuring anthropomorphized animals (Madagascar, Ice Age 2, etc.) Most of them go after cheap laughs and sentimentality, which I guess is okay for the kids but I want something a bit more.
This movie delivers. The musical numbers are great fun, there are some exciting action (!) scenes, and the themes of ecological responsibility and self-realization are sophisticated enough for adults to appreciate.
It's well paced and the quality of the CGI animation is superb. I highly recommend this film - you'll leave the theatre with a smile and your toes tapping.