When I heard that Disney was going to make a new version of A Christmas Carol, one of my favorite Christmas books, I was enthralled and hopeful. Then, I heard that they were planning to do the movie in the faddish 3D with the added threat of IMAX; and my enthusiasm was dampened. Not enough to force me to eschew seeing the movie, but enough to make me lose just a bit of enthusiasm. Regardless of the 3D/IMAX specter, I continued to look forward to seeing the movie and planned an outing with my oldest friend, Janet (50+ years of friendship), and my favorite movie partner, Donna (35+ years of friendship). I was still eager to see the movie and finally the big day arrived (of course it was the opening day!). We met at the theater (of course the movie was my treat to celebrate our friendships). We shuffled into the theater and scouted out what we thought would be good seats (about 10 rows back from the GIANT screen). The movie started and oh man, I got dizzy immediately. Then the superfluous scenes of sliding down frosty rooftops and gutters came and I nearly had to exit for the men's room. Bottom line? I think 3D/IMAX ruined the film for me. I would suggest anyone wishing to view it simply buy the DVD and watch it on a wide screen TV. I'm sure it will be much more enjoyable from that viewpoint. All in all, it's still one of the best Christmas stories ever written, and Disney didn't ruin that, but it would have been at 10 for sure without all the bells and whistles.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Grimm Love
(2006)
Artsy-fartsy German weirdness - served with a side of guilt
30 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I hesitate to give this movie a 1 out of 10 because I actually liked the cinematography and some other of the artistic aspects. However, the sum total of the movie was, to me, "Now, aren't you a worthless, no-good, piece of trash for watching this taboo-ridden garbage?" I truly felt that the obsession the main character (the American student) had for the subject of mutually consensual cannibalism was a projection from the movie to the movie-goer. And, I personally sensed (albeit erroneously?) this was the intent of the creative development team for the film; to convey that all-too-German sense of guilt (for WWI and WWII in general and the holocaust, to be specific). I, for one, didn't and still don't need that; and I personally believe it's a waste of time for anyone to partake of this communion of self- abhorrence, humiliation and abject dehumanization.
The Walking Dead
(2010–2022)
Positively awful
19 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I was coaxed into watching the first episode by a friend who felt I would like the 'human' aspect of the characters. During the first few minutes of that episode, I was exposed to witnessing a police officer shooting a little girl at point blank range. If this was not disturbing enough, the footage included all of the blood and brain fragments spewing from the exit wound of the bullet. Can't get much more 'human' than that, huh? Why people believe it is necessary to include such disturbing scenes into the mainstream of entertainment is beyond me. Such gratuitous and needless violence simply seems to be adding to the desensitizing of the masses, augmenting the mind-numbing schlock being served up in various computer 'killing' games. Enough with the zombie stories already. I, for one, have had MORE than enough. They are boring and repetitive. Can you think of any zombie movie which is not about hordes of undead walking around trying to eat living beings... and subsequently the living beings using the undead for target practice? Ho hum.
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