tomvardin Reviews

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

Sometimes dreams really don't come true

[3/10 · 15 March 2013]

***This review may contain spoilers************************** Quickly recapping the 1939 classic: A true wonder of film, utilizing gritty realism and fantastical surrealistic innovation to deliver a charming and timeless parable of self-acceptance and gratitude. The songs, the casting, the seamless yet unworldly story arc magically combine psychoanalytic and sociological themes, not to mentioned thinly- veiled drug references coming together so perfectly that it would appear that the chance to attempt this quasi prequel in this day and age was too great a challenge to turn down for this director. Unfortunately due to several flaws it falls flat like a house on a witch. Firstly, Franco- just awful, I'm sorry, he may be a smart kid and a good actor but he isn't able to pull off the con-man who finds he has a heart called for here. Trivia claims Depp and Downey turned the role down. The former, maybe, the later quite possibly could have made a significant difference here. Secondly, Kunis. I'm sorry but I COD't get the image of Meg as the giant moon-worm out of my head as she screamed on so, ugh! and finally, I am left with an inability to connect this particular premise with the classic, which began and ended in a reality with a coma-induced delerium used to bring together all the dots. Kudos to Weisz and Williams, fine acting in what is essentially a fun kidflick.

I'm Still Here (I) (2010)

Not a doc, not a mock, but an inspired use of film and life as art

[10/10 · 29 October 2012]

This is probably the only movie I recommend going in reading the spoiler alert...I hadn't and I admit remembering the original Letterman piece and mentioning some concern about Joaquin Phoenix to my savvy 20 y.o., who laughed as if he were "in on it". I did see the brief media flurry and forgot all about it, that is until I came across it on Netflix and was intrigued enough to watch it a few hours ago. Going in clueless and not as savvy as my son, it took a while for me to catch on, I admit, until I "got it" it was difficult for me, as it would have to be for any naive viewer. Then it clicked. This film is part of a larger work of satirical performance art involving and targeting, on a smaller scale the dehumanizing relationship between film as art and banal pop culture. On a larger scale ISH sends up those who fall into believing in, or helping to create the artificial world projected onto, and opiating the masses. For me the scene with the Diddy(obviously in on it, acting) offering insincere platitudes as he tries to let "JP" down easy, gets to one of the works deeper messages - a refutation of the erroneous modern notion that "the skies the limit" for those with a dream and enough heart. If you try taking this in as an attempt at mockumentary you wonder why the artists put in the disgusting excretory parts. As in any piece of satire there is an intended audience and an intended target. Those who don't get it wouldn't do so even with JP himself "busting their teeth in and s**ting in their faces." Kudos to Affleck, Phoenix and all those who were in on this masterful piece(Diddy, "EJO", Stiller, etc.) This is only a hoax to those who were once(Letterman) or are still hopelessly out of the loop - los sientos muchos.