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Dan Owen reviews
2 0 0 7 R e t r o s p e c t i v e |
2007 Retrospective: "The Year Of The Threequels"Firstly, I apologize for the absence of Dan's Movie Digest editions since mid-2007. Other commitments have meant I'm not as able to provide weekly DMDs for DVDFever, in-between maintaining my own blog. But, I can stretch to doing the annual retrospective on the big cinema releases of 2007: the so-called "Year Of The Threequel". Join me on a monthly trip down recent memory lane. |
JANUARYThe year began with some big Oscar-contending films, like The Last King Of Scotland (which won Forest Whittaker an Oscar for his portrayal of Idi Amin). Staying in Africa, Blood Diamond was also released, starring Leonard DiCaprio. This intelligent drama about diamond smuggling was nominated for two Oscars (Best Actor/Supporting Actor) but didn't win. There was also the multi-narrative drama Babel, which won Best Original Score, but didn't really click with audiences, despite the presence of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the cast. Apocalypto was more to cinemagoers' taste, with Mel Gibson's depiction of the ancient Maya civilization proving to be a palpable mix of exciting, violent, exotic action. Just don't prove too deeply into its shaky historical accuracy! The slick production earned the film some Oscar nominations (Best Makeup/Sound Editing/Sound Mixing)… but it didn't win any. A more crowd-pleasing Oscar-nominated film was The Pursuit Of Happyness, probably because of Will Smith's charismatic performance alongside his real son Jaden, and a feel-good script based on the true story of Chris Gardner -- a man who became homeless with his son, but battled through to become a corporate highflier. Nostalgia also helped Sylvester Stallone get his first big movie success in years, with the fifth sequel to his 1976 breakthrough Rocky. It was expected to be an embarrassing turkey, but Rocky Balboa showed considerable heart and audience affection for the character helped the film make over $70 million worldwide! One filmmaker without such luck was Darren Aronofsky, whose stalled sci-fi epic The Fountain finally arrived, and was pretty much ignored by the masses. Originally conceived as a big-budget goliath in 2003, Aronofsky pared down his idea to a more manageable film, but good performances from Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz couldn't prevent this art-house style chin-stroker from flying over most peoples' heads. |
FEBRUARYAgainst all expectation, CGI/live-action hybrid Arthur & The Invisibles did strong business during half-term, despite lukewarm reviews. On the flipside, Dreamgirls was hyped as a musical smash-hit with Oscar success written all over it in late-06, but the end product was only really memorable for the star quality of singer Jennifer Hudson (an American Idol contestant) . However, while the Broadway adaptation wasn't the phenomenon we were expecting, it still won two Oscars (Best Supporting Actress/Sound Mixing). Its progenitor may have been an Academy Award darling, but Silence Of The Lambs prequel Hannibal Rising could only dream of such repeated success. This was a lazy cash-in on the Lecter brand-name, now devoid of a Anthony Hopkins iconic performance and essentially becoming a period serial-killer yarn that provided more snores than shocks. Charlotte's Web was another underachiever, which was surprising given the novel's standing in the school-going consciousness. It received generally favourable reviews, particularly for Dakota Fanning's performance, but seemed to go unnoticed by parents. The big UK hit of the year was undoubtedly Hot Fuzz, the follow-up from Shaun Of The Dead creators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. It was a loving pastiche of Hollywood cop films, transposed to sleepy rural England, and drummed up big business in the UK – where it seemed to have crossover appeal to ordinary people unaware of Shaun Of The Dead and just after some home-grown laughs (without Hugh Grant). It also did well in the States… well, considering the limited number of screens it was shown on! Visionary French director Michel Gondry disappointed many with his Eternal Sunshine follow-up, an indulgent mess called The Science Of Sleep. Beyond a few neat visual tricks, this played out like an extended 10-minute short and seemed to prove the Frenchman needs a decent script to work his magic on. That same month, Gondry's Eternal Sunshine lead actor, Jim Carrey, starred in Number 23. Carrey was reunited with his Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher for this mystery suspense, about a man who begins to realize his life is full of 23's. The intriguing idea unfortunately couldn't be capitalized on, and Schumacher's film became one of the year's most derided films. |
MARCHWith Spring looming, Ghost Rider was expected to give summer blockbuster fans an early treat. It didn't, because the entire project was an awful waste of time, with Nicolas Cage grinning his way through a tedious storyline, hindered by the charisma vacuum of Eva Mendes. Amazingly, millions were still suckered by the hype and Ghost Rider actually had the biggest opening weekend in the US of any 2007-released films so far…… until 300 arrived. Zack Snyder (who somehow managed to make a Dawn Of The Dead remake work), delivered a spectacle of machismo and CGI backgrounds, to translate Frank Miller's comic-book take on a real Spartan victory to gory life. It divided critics, but audiences lapped up the brutal, violent, eye-popping visuals. The Illusionist became another casualty of the year, primarily because it was too close in spirit to The Prestige. Edward Norton starred in this Victorian mystery as an enigmatic magician, alongside Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti. It was a perfectly good little story in its own right, but was unfortunately branded as a Prestige wannabe. David Lynch returned to befuddle audiences with Inland Empire, which didn't really get a wide enough release to reach many people anyway. Personally, I didn't like it, but others consider it one of Lynch's better films. It's well-made and stylish, but I just wish Lynch would tackle different things post-Mulholland Drive. The year's worst comedy became an extraordinary hit in March, with Eddie Murphy in another fat suit somehow enticing people to part with their cash to see Norbit. It was panned by pretty much everyone, but inexplicably made a mint. Meet The Robinsons was the year's first big fully-CGI hit animation, although it didn't really spark much interest. It was a Disney product (without the help of Pixar) and most critics seemed to like it, but it just kind of hung around and made over $153 million at the worldwide box-office without anyone really noticing. A more intriguing CGI animation arrived the same month, in the green shape of TMNT. This was an attempt to relaunch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brand, that didn't really work. While the animation was pretty good, the story was weak and only critics who had grown up with the Turtle phenomenon responded favourably. Still, it did make just under $100 million around the world, proving there's still an audience for the heroes in a half shell. The dreaded horror sequel reared its ugly head with The Hills Have Eyes 2, which somebody thought everyone wanted to see, just because the recent remake wasn't a total dud. They were wrong. It made a pitiful $37 million worldwide. Mind you, it only cost $15 million, so THHE3 is probably months away. Another inexplicably hit in the UK was Mr Bean's Holiday, which proved to be perfect half-term fare for children and their cruel parents. 10 years after Rowan Atkinson near-silent comic creation floundered in a big-screen debut, who thought this would be any good? It wasn't. But, parent power and Bean nostalgia kept the film in the UK chart for a very long time, and it's actually made over $200 million worldwide! |
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The following is a list of Dan's Movie Digests online :
2007 Retrospective: Part One 2007 Retrospective: Part Two 2007 Retrospective: Part Three 2007 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 188: August 22nd 2007 Issue 187: August 8th 2007 Issue 186: February 22nd 2007 Issue 185: January 26th 2007
2006 Retrospective: Part One 2006 Retrospective: Part Two 2006 Retrospective: Part Three 2006 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 184: December 20th 2006 Issue 183: December 8th 2006 Issue 182: November 30th 2006 Issue 181: November 22nd 2006 Issue 180: November 15th 2006 Issue 179: November 6th 2006 Issue 178: July 19th 2006 Issue 177: July 12th 2006 Issue 176: July 6th 2006 Issue 175: June 23rd 2006 Issue 174: June 16th 2006 Issue 173: June 7th 2006 Issue 172: May 18th 2006 Issue 171: May 10th 2006 Issue 170: May 4th 2006 Issue 169: April 26th 2006 Issue 168: April 20th 2006 Issue 167: April 12th 2006 Issue 166: April 5th 2006 Issue 165: March 29th 2006 Issue 164: March 15th 2006 Issue 163: March 9th 2006 Issue 162: March 3rd 2006 Issue 161: February 22nd 2006 Issue 160: February 15th 2006 Issue 159: February 8th 2006 Issue 158: February 3rd 2006 Issue 157: January 27th 2006 Issue 156: January 18th 2006
2005 Retrospective: Part One 2005 Retrospective: Part Two
Issue 155: November 24th 2005 Issue 154: November 18th 2005 Issue 153: November 11th 2005 Issue 152: November 4th 2005 Issue 151: October 21st 2005 Issue 150: October 12th 2005 Issue 149: October 7th 2005 Issue 148: September 29th 2005 Issue 147: September 21st 2005 Issue 146: August 19th 2005 Issue 145: August 10th 2005 Issue 144: August 4th 2005 Issue 143: July 29th 2005 Issue 142: July 22nd 2005 Issue 141: July 13th 2005 Issue 140: July 8th 2005 Issue 139: June 30th 2005 Issue 138: June 24th 2005 Issue 137: June 17th 2005 Issue 136: June 9th 2005 Issue 135: June 2nd 2005 Issue 134: May 25th 2005 Issue 133: May 20th 2005 Issue 132: May 11th 2005 Issue 131: April 20th 2005 Issue 130: April 13th 2005 Issue 129: April 6th 2005 Issue 128: March 23rd 2005 Issue 127: March 16th 2005 Issue 126: March 2nd 2005 Issue 125: February 23rd 2005 Issue 124: February 17th 2005 Issue 123: February 11th 2005 Issue 122: February 2nd 2005 Issue 121: January 26th 2005 Issue 120: January 21st 2005 Issue 119: January 12th 2005
2004 Retrospective: Part One 2004 Retrospective: Part Two 2004 Retrospective: Part Three 2004 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 118: December 22nd 2004 Issue 117: December 15th 2004 Issue 116: December 8th 2004 Issue 115: December 1st 2004 Issue 114: November 24th 2004 Issue 113: November 18th 2004 Issue 112: November 11th 2004 Issue 111: November 3rd 2004 Issue 110: October 28th 2004 Issue 109: October 13th 2004 Issue 108: October 6th 2004 Issue 107: September 29th 2004 Issue 106: September 22nd 2004 Issue 105: September 15th 2004 Issue 104: September 8th 2004 Issue 103: September 1st 2004 Issue 102: August 11th 2004 Issue 101: August 7th 2004
Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 4 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 3 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 2 Issue 100: Greatest Underdog Movies Part 1
Issue 99: July 28th 2004 Issue 98: July 21st 2004 Issue 97: July 9th 2004 Issue 96: July 7th 2004 Issue 95: June 30th 2004 Issue 94: June 22nd 2004 Issue 93: June 6th 2004 Issue 92: May 28th 2004 Issue 91: May 23rd 2004 Issue 90: May 14th 2004 Issue 89: May 9th 2004 Issue 88: April 30th 2004 Issue 87: April 24th 2004 Issue 86: April 17th 2004 Issue 85: April 9th 2004 Issue 84: March 27th 2004 Issue 83: March 19th 2004 Issue 82: March 12th 2004 Issue 81: March 5th 2004 Issue 80: February 27th 2004 Issue 79: February 20th 2004 Issue 78: February 13th 2004 Issue 77: February 6th 2004 Issue 76: January 30th 2004 Issue 75: January 23rd 2004 Issue 74: January 16th 2004 Issue 73: January 9th 2004
2003 Retrospective: Part One 2003 Retrospective: Part Two 2003 Retrospective: Part Three 2003 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 72: December 12th 2003 Issue 71: December 4th 2003 Issue 70: November 28th 2003 Issue 69: November 21st 2003 Issue 68: November 14th 2003 Issue 67: November 7th 2003 Issue 66: October 31st 2003 Issue 65: October 24th 2003 Issue 64: October 17th 2003 Issue 63: October 10th 2003 Issue 62: October 3rd 2003 Issue 61: September 26th 2003 Issue 60: September 19th 2003 Issue 59: September 12th 2003 Issue 58: August 29th 2003 Issue 57: August 22nd 2003 Issue 56: August 15th 2003 Issue 55: August 8th 2003 Issue 54: August 1st 2003 Issue 53: July 25th 2003 Issue 52: July 18th 2003 Issue 51: July 11th 2003 Issue 50: July 4th 2003 Issue 49: June 27th 2003 Issue 48: June 20th 2003 Issue 47: June 13th 2003 Issue 46: June 6th 2003 Issue 45: May 30th 2003 Issue 44: May 23rd 2003 Issue 43: May 16th 2003 Issue 42: May 9th 2003 Issue 41: May 2nd 2003 Issue 40: April 25th 2003 Issue 39: April 18th 2003 Issue 38: April 11th 2003 Issue 37: April 4th 2003 Issue 36: March 28th 2003 Issue 35: March 21st 2003 Issue 34: March 14th 2003 Issue 33: March 7th 2003 Issue 32: February 28th 2003 Issue 31: February 21st 2003 Issue 30: February 14th 2003 Issue 29: February 7th 2003 Issue 28: January 31st 2003 Issue 27: January 24th 2003 Issue 26: January 17th 2003 Issue 25: January 10th 2003 Issue 24: January 3rd 2003
2002 Retrospective: Part One 2002 Retrospective: Part Two 2002 Retrospective: Part Three 2002 Retrospective: Part Four
Issue 23: December 20th 2002 Issue 22: December 13th 2002 Issue 21: December 6th 2002 Issue 20: November 29th 2002 Issue 19: November 22nd 2002 Issue 18: November 15th 2002 Issue 17: November 8th 2002 Issue 16: November 1st 2002 Issue 15: October 25th 2002 Issue 14: October 18th 2002 Issue 13: October 11th 2002 Issue 12: October 4th 2002 Issue 11: September 27th 2002 Issue 10: September 20th 2002 Issue 9: September 13th 2002 Issue 8: September 6th 2002 Issue 7: August 30th 2002 Issue 6: August 23rd 2002 Issue 5: August 16th 2002 Issue 4: August 9th 2002 Issue 3: August 2nd 2002 Issue 2: July 26th 2002 Issue 1: July 19th 2002
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
