sadagar Reviews

Yes Man (2008)

Amusing

[7/10 · 6 December 2008]

Being lucky, I already saw "Yes Man" and was pleasantly surprised. Jim Carrey is not really my all time favorite (despite his comic talent and acting skills), but in this movie he seems to have hit the spot.

The story itself is really simple: Carl (Jim Carrey), a very negative man, goes to a meeting among the very positive Yes people, whose charismatic leader (Terence Stamp) preaches that one should say Yes to all questions and agree with all propositions. Carl is reluctantly convinced to try it out, and after meeting a girl on a scooter (the ever so lovely Zooey Deschanel) all sorts of things start happening around him. But being 100% positive might be tricky sometimes...

It is all very silly, of course - but this feel-good comedy has a small undertone of seriousness as well. And it has a great cast, many delightful scenes, a reasonably relaxed Jim Carrey and a lighthearted style. Y/N? I say Y.

Erik the Viking (1989)

Erik the Wonderful Viking

[9/10 · 3 August 2003]

"Erik The Viking" is one of my favorites. Terry Jones takes us back to old Norse mythology, where the apocalyptic Fimbul Winter has made the World an icebox, and nobody has seen the Sun for ages. But Erik wants change, only he doesn't know how. Then the goddess Freya (played by Eartha Kitt!) shows herself to Erik, and tells him that he must seek Gjallarhorn - The Resounding Horn - and waken the Gods so that the Fimbul Winter might end...

What I like about this film, is that this old mythological 'tale' is told without scorn. Instead the thing is used by Terry Jones (who obviously knows much about history and mythology) to make a somewhat 'serious' adventure movie, where the characters are both fascinating and funny in the context of the story itself.

So this is not just another Monty Python-movie; and if you're only looking for the next laugh all the time, the magic of this film will evade you. But if you want a wonderful AND hilarious story of human beings in an epic and symbolic world - with pythonesque humour and a manuscript/dialog both well and philosophically written - then this the one for you.

Tim Robbins (Erik) is as excellent as I've ever seen him. He embodies the dreamy un-vikingish Viking perfectly. Erik's farewell speech to the left-behind women is priceless. So is Terry Jones himself as King Arnulf of the absurdly pacific kingdom of Hy-Brasil, and so is John Cleese as the cruel/bored Halfdan the Black, and so is... But see for yourself, and be enchanted.