Fantastic Film Friday, yay! I really racked my brain trying to think of a film that I enjoyed. Then, I racked my brain harder trying to think of a film people probably have not seen before. Unfortunately, I came to the realization that I am not a movie-goer. I don't see them in theatres, and I'm predisposed to not want to watch movies. You see, when at home, movies are background noise. My father puts a movie in, then walks away and does something else. I do not know why he does this. Sometimes, he puts them a movie on the TV specifically to lull him to sleep.
So, movies get a bad rap from me, and this 'column' is going to be difficult. I will try to broaden my horizons and see more movies for you, dear reader. I could write about the films I have to watch for classes I'm taking, but finding good subtitles is hard.
Oh man, it occurs to me that I probably should not spoil the movie for everyone. In that case, the Prestige is some sort of retarded magician Batman Begins. You got Christian Bale being a bad-ass and Michael Caine being an old advisor sort of figure, so yeah, it's Batman Begins all over again. Hell, you even got Nolan directing the whole thing.
Honestly, the best part of the movie is that David Bowie plays Nikola Tesla. I love David Bowie, and Nikola Tesla was awesome. Also, the movie points out that Thomas Edison was a dick. More movies need to do this. Maybe Tesla is the real dick, but the sheer act of having David Bowie portray him removes all blemishes from Tesla.
I hold only a cursory interest in science and magic. So, this film was not amazing. It was an interesting tale, full of twists and turns and deception and trickery and mirrors and smoke and magic and dead birds, but at the end I was just like "ah yes, magic." Magicians are cool people, and seemed to lead interesting lives at the turn of the 20th century if this movie is to be believed. (I do not believe this movie is an actual portrayal of historical events.)
I guess the main character is Hugh Jackman, so this movie is probably better stated as a "uproarious romp with Wolverine and Batman duking it out over who's top magician" but I do not think some of those words accurately describe the film in question.
This movie also helped ruin magicians for me. I mean, really, revealing some of those tricks, man. I know how to saw a lady in half but the bird cage? Heart-wrenching. The bullet catch? I can't believe you've done this.
The movie, that's what I'm here to talk about I think, takes place in London at the turn of the 20th century. There are some things that happen. World Fair? Something like that. The movie boils down to a magic duel between Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale over who's better at disappearing. Real religious fanatics. Wives are stolen, lovers betrayed, diaries read, it's all fascinating stuff.
Speaking of diaries read, the whole movie is apparently based on an epistolary novel of the same name. Judging by the wikipedia entry, the two seem vastly different. I like epistolary novels, so I would go ahead and say this is a good film. No.
No, I would not say this is a good film.
This is a film.
I will try to do better next week, or at least come up with something better to do on Friday.
No comments:
Post a Comment