There were many times during "We Bought a Zoo" I felt like I was seeing an unfinished movie. Nevertheless, it was a movie worth watching all the way through. (Its not entirely just about the little girl being cute.)
The Bad:
Transition shots. They were too long, for instance a car driving by would be on the screen for several seconds. These things add up especially if its a family movie with restless kids.
The Profanity. Not because it was a family movie - even the most sheltered children surely have been exposed to the words in this film, and even as a family film, it still holds a duty to be realistic. However a lot of the swears I felt were simply unnecessary for there scenes, and thus took precedence.
The OK:
Acting: Matt Damon is a good actor. A good actor - sometimes great (most notably his earliest in Good Will Hunting.) He doesn't exactly carry this film, but he at least shines above his female opposite. Scarlett Johansson, in my opinion, shouldn't act. Lord knows why she was chosen in Nolan's The Prestige, the one weak spot in that film.
The Ending: If you view the ending as an epilogue, it works. A little nostalgia, a little reflection on the road they've traveled. Otherwise its just a little weird. A large keystone for the film was Damon getting over the pain. Maybe - doing what he did - symbolized this, but could it have been done better by just stopping with the Zoo? I think so.
The Good:
Cinematography: The use of the sun in the film, especially those drifting shots where the daughter is playing with the birds and the sun shines above her, were remarkable. I've been to that part of California and the lighting, framing and film stock was effective enough that I felt like I was back. The Icelandic Soundtrack (mostly Sigur Ros) also complimented these shots very well.
Story line: The one area of recycling Hollywood doesn't fail at is recycling story lines. This story is something fresh and original - much needed, and calls upon important family issues such as sacrifice, letting go, and opening up.
Overall:
Had they gone over this project a few more times (with me in the cutting room, of course ;) it could have been upwards of a 9. It had a strong foundation. But it felt like too rough of a cut. Sometimes the camera angles were choppy, sometimes they were languid and beautiful. Sometimes the script was sentimental and smooth, sometimes it was just awkward. It was nonetheless a family film worth watching and enjoying. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this review!
The Bad:
Transition shots. They were too long, for instance a car driving by would be on the screen for several seconds. These things add up especially if its a family movie with restless kids.
The Profanity. Not because it was a family movie - even the most sheltered children surely have been exposed to the words in this film, and even as a family film, it still holds a duty to be realistic. However a lot of the swears I felt were simply unnecessary for there scenes, and thus took precedence.
The OK:
Acting: Matt Damon is a good actor. A good actor - sometimes great (most notably his earliest in Good Will Hunting.) He doesn't exactly carry this film, but he at least shines above his female opposite. Scarlett Johansson, in my opinion, shouldn't act. Lord knows why she was chosen in Nolan's The Prestige, the one weak spot in that film.
The Ending: If you view the ending as an epilogue, it works. A little nostalgia, a little reflection on the road they've traveled. Otherwise its just a little weird. A large keystone for the film was Damon getting over the pain. Maybe - doing what he did - symbolized this, but could it have been done better by just stopping with the Zoo? I think so.
The Good:
Cinematography: The use of the sun in the film, especially those drifting shots where the daughter is playing with the birds and the sun shines above her, were remarkable. I've been to that part of California and the lighting, framing and film stock was effective enough that I felt like I was back. The Icelandic Soundtrack (mostly Sigur Ros) also complimented these shots very well.
Story line: The one area of recycling Hollywood doesn't fail at is recycling story lines. This story is something fresh and original - much needed, and calls upon important family issues such as sacrifice, letting go, and opening up.
Overall:
Had they gone over this project a few more times (with me in the cutting room, of course ;) it could have been upwards of a 9. It had a strong foundation. But it felt like too rough of a cut. Sometimes the camera angles were choppy, sometimes they were languid and beautiful. Sometimes the script was sentimental and smooth, sometimes it was just awkward. It was nonetheless a family film worth watching and enjoying. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this review!