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pktechgirl
Reviews
The Wonderful World of Disney: Once Upon a Mattress (2005)
So Unfortunate about the Leads
I actually like this musical, I was in it once. This adaptation is worse than my high school production and that is genuinely sad. Both Tracy Ullman (whom I do sort of like) and David O'Hare (who I am sure was good in something) are far to old for the parts of Winnefred and Dauntless and they were both so boring in fun roles. The really disappointing character is Aggrivaine played by Carol Burnett. She could have done so many more interesting things with the role but her delivery was as flat as her emotions. She is supposed to be evil, but is instead so bland and dull, despite her costumes, that you never actually dislike her. Aggrivaine is played like a female drag queen who has discovered the Bob Mackie outfits Cher discarded in the late 80's. The character would be a mannequin if she didn't have the costumes. Oddly enough the best castings are for the minor parts. Zooey Deschanel, Matthew Morrison and Michael Boatman are all really good. As is Tom Smothers who I thought was dead but evidently he's alive and kicking and doing a pretty decent job at playing Sextemus. These four were the only ones who seemed to have any really understanding that this musical is supposed to be light and happy. The three leads just didn't get it and most of the film is about them. The production values were decent and it could have been a worthwhile project if they had gotten anyone else in the main roles. If you find yourself forced to watch it, fast forward until you see anyone who isn't them.
Red Eye (2005)
Not bad...Not good either
My friend and I saw Red Eye tonight. While neither of us would describe it as the worst movie we've seen all summer, we were both left with a sincere feeling of, well...blah. Set at a fast pace for what should have been a slow building suspense film, Craven never gives you enough time to get attached to Rachel McAdams' Lisa or her imperiled father, (Brian Cox, who is vastly under-used until the last possible moment). The lack of attachment doesn't allow for any tension to build. You feel for the villain's intended victims only in the vaguest possible way because they are quite probably the most nuclear family of all time, all they were lacking was the golden retriever with it's charmingly waggly tail. They have no depth. Probably the most interesting character is Cillian Murphy's Jackson, the villain of the piece, who is by turns charming or creepy, but never enough so that you develop anything more than a general like or dislike for him. On the whole the film is tepid and would illicit only one or two jumps from an audience highly primed for a scare.