Search
Search results
TacticalPad Coach's Whiteboard
Sports and Education
App
- Used by the greatest clubs in Brazil, Portugal and Europe. - More than 500 thousand users - #1 in...
Le Monde diplomatique, English
News and Magazines & Newspapers
App
Le Monde diplomatique is the place you go when you want to know what’s really happening. This is a...
Quidd: Stickers, Cards & 3D
Entertainment and Lifestyle
App
Collect, trade and show off officially licensed, limited edition stickers, trading cards and 3D...
WWII Military History Magazine
Education and Magazines & Newspapers
App
World War II Military History Magazine is a monthly collection of expert articles charting the...
The Square Magazine
Lifestyle and Magazines & Newspapers
App
The independent Masonic magazine brought to you by the world’s oldest Masonic publisher. The...
Christmas Song Collection - Xmas songs for Kids
Education and Games
App
~~~ 6 wonderful Christmas spirited, animated and interactive children songs inside! ~~~ ~~~ Child...
Monkey Math School Sunshine
Education and Games
App
From the creators of the #1 Preschool App “Monkey Preschool Lunchbox”! Join your child’s...
MMA Crossfit School
Sports and Health & Fitness
App
Are you ready to become better?! Are you ready to enhance your body, spirit and consciousness?! ...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Soul (2020) in Movies
Dec 30, 2020
Soul is Pixar at its most cerebral
In the last few days I've seen Pixar's latest animation - "Soul" - described by various reviewers as a cross between "Inside Out", "Coco", "La La Land" and "Whiplash". I'll add to that some older movies with more obvious parallels with the story: 1946's "A Matter of Life and Death" with David Niven; 1941's "Here Comes Mr Jordan" with Robert Montgomery and its 1978 remake - a personal favourite of mine - "Heaven Can Wait" with Warren Beatty. For these all tell the story of someone plucked from the world a tad too early.
In "Soul", Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a talented jazz pianist always dreaming of getting to be a big time session musician. He is stuck though in a worthwhile but unappreciated job as a high school music teacher. But his luck is - temporarily - about to change when an old successful student (nice touch) recommends him to provide backing to the fearsome jazz star Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett).
Just as things seem to going his way, an open manhole cover has other ideas, and Joe falls to his 'death'. Feeling his soul has exited the world too early, and just before he gets his big shot, Joe's spirit struggles to return to the world with the help of reluctant soul/recruit "22" (Tina Fey).
Pete Docter seems to have done it again with "Soul". The man behind Pixar's hugely successful "Up" and "Inside Out" has the magic touch with these animated classics. He's had more than his share of Oscar success. (Although having gone straight to streaming on Disney+, does it qualify for the Oscars this year? Or have they relaxed the rules?) Assuming it is eligible, you'd be a brave man to bet against "Soul" winning Best Animated Feature this year.
For there are some sequences of this movie that are breathtakingly effective. The fall of Joe from the "stairway to the great beyond" to the pre-life domain (as shown in the trailer) is a masterpiece of graphic design. (And do I detect in there a tribute to the "stargate" in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?) What makes these sequences distinctive is not the afterlife soul's or the "great before" souls, who resemble blue variants of Casper. It's the 'counsellors' of the realms. They are surreally drawn Picasso-style in 2D and - although easy to draw for preschooler's with a crayon - might be a bit of a stretch for them to relate to.
But will the kids get it? I know that my 6-year old grandson enjoyed watching it. But ultimately, this is principally a Pixar film squarely targeted at adults to enjoy. Indeed, the themes of death and afterlife might be disturbing for younger children (as in "Coco"). They will certainly struggle to understand the land of lost souls, where those obsessed with their work or hobbies (metal detecting! LOL!) are almost beyond reach. And surely the message of 'enjoying the everyday here and now' rather than getting too wrapped up in career or life goals will only be relatable to adults.
"Soul" is brim-full with Pixar quirkiness. As per normal, the movie has a lot of detail that will need multiple watches. And I can confirm that the pause button helps! For example, "22" has been an earth-apprentice for so many millennia that he has had just about every mentor who's ever passed through. His 'den' is wallpapered with "Hello, My Name is ...." badges, and a pause at that point reveals mentors as varied as Gandhi, Aretha Franklin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking! And in the end titles, the usual list of babies born during production are "Recent You Seminar graduates"!
The movie also features two of the most distinctive voices from UK television. Graham Norton plays Moonwind: a sign-spinning hippy and lost-soul-sea piratical captain (I've honestly not been taking drugs). And Richard Ayoade, a UK TV regular but familiar to US audiences from his role in "The IT Crowd", plays Counsellor Jerry (well, one of them!). Alice Braga, as another Counsellor Jerry and most recently seen as the doctor in "The New Mutants", is another familiar voice
For once, Michael Giacchino doesn't get the scoring gig. Instead, this went to the "Nine Inch Nails" partnership of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. (The soundtrack for "Mank" was their most recent work). The music is perhaps not as immediately accessible as some of the previous Pixar scores. But I think will be a 'grower'.
I have a "but" in my review. I sobbed like a young child during parts of "Up". And similarly, I was a mess as 'Bing Bong' faded away in "Inside Out". And yet here, my tear ducts remained stubbornly unchallenged. Perhaps this is a personal thing, and others were a soggy mess after this movie. But, for me, it simply didn't connect with me at the same raw emotional level that Docter's other work (and indeed other Pixar movies) have done. So, for that reason (only), I'm going to hold off my highest rating.
It's highly recommended since, notwithstanding this, it's a magnificent effort. (At the 11th hour, it made my "Number 7" slot in my Top 10 of 2020). It's also worth noting that it's mildly groundbreaking in being the first Pixar movie with a black leading character.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the full review in One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/12/30/soul-is-pixar-at-its-most-cerebral/).
In "Soul", Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a talented jazz pianist always dreaming of getting to be a big time session musician. He is stuck though in a worthwhile but unappreciated job as a high school music teacher. But his luck is - temporarily - about to change when an old successful student (nice touch) recommends him to provide backing to the fearsome jazz star Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett).
Just as things seem to going his way, an open manhole cover has other ideas, and Joe falls to his 'death'. Feeling his soul has exited the world too early, and just before he gets his big shot, Joe's spirit struggles to return to the world with the help of reluctant soul/recruit "22" (Tina Fey).
Pete Docter seems to have done it again with "Soul". The man behind Pixar's hugely successful "Up" and "Inside Out" has the magic touch with these animated classics. He's had more than his share of Oscar success. (Although having gone straight to streaming on Disney+, does it qualify for the Oscars this year? Or have they relaxed the rules?) Assuming it is eligible, you'd be a brave man to bet against "Soul" winning Best Animated Feature this year.
For there are some sequences of this movie that are breathtakingly effective. The fall of Joe from the "stairway to the great beyond" to the pre-life domain (as shown in the trailer) is a masterpiece of graphic design. (And do I detect in there a tribute to the "stargate" in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?) What makes these sequences distinctive is not the afterlife soul's or the "great before" souls, who resemble blue variants of Casper. It's the 'counsellors' of the realms. They are surreally drawn Picasso-style in 2D and - although easy to draw for preschooler's with a crayon - might be a bit of a stretch for them to relate to.
But will the kids get it? I know that my 6-year old grandson enjoyed watching it. But ultimately, this is principally a Pixar film squarely targeted at adults to enjoy. Indeed, the themes of death and afterlife might be disturbing for younger children (as in "Coco"). They will certainly struggle to understand the land of lost souls, where those obsessed with their work or hobbies (metal detecting! LOL!) are almost beyond reach. And surely the message of 'enjoying the everyday here and now' rather than getting too wrapped up in career or life goals will only be relatable to adults.
"Soul" is brim-full with Pixar quirkiness. As per normal, the movie has a lot of detail that will need multiple watches. And I can confirm that the pause button helps! For example, "22" has been an earth-apprentice for so many millennia that he has had just about every mentor who's ever passed through. His 'den' is wallpapered with "Hello, My Name is ...." badges, and a pause at that point reveals mentors as varied as Gandhi, Aretha Franklin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking! And in the end titles, the usual list of babies born during production are "Recent You Seminar graduates"!
The movie also features two of the most distinctive voices from UK television. Graham Norton plays Moonwind: a sign-spinning hippy and lost-soul-sea piratical captain (I've honestly not been taking drugs). And Richard Ayoade, a UK TV regular but familiar to US audiences from his role in "The IT Crowd", plays Counsellor Jerry (well, one of them!). Alice Braga, as another Counsellor Jerry and most recently seen as the doctor in "The New Mutants", is another familiar voice
For once, Michael Giacchino doesn't get the scoring gig. Instead, this went to the "Nine Inch Nails" partnership of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. (The soundtrack for "Mank" was their most recent work). The music is perhaps not as immediately accessible as some of the previous Pixar scores. But I think will be a 'grower'.
I have a "but" in my review. I sobbed like a young child during parts of "Up". And similarly, I was a mess as 'Bing Bong' faded away in "Inside Out". And yet here, my tear ducts remained stubbornly unchallenged. Perhaps this is a personal thing, and others were a soggy mess after this movie. But, for me, it simply didn't connect with me at the same raw emotional level that Docter's other work (and indeed other Pixar movies) have done. So, for that reason (only), I'm going to hold off my highest rating.
It's highly recommended since, notwithstanding this, it's a magnificent effort. (At the 11th hour, it made my "Number 7" slot in my Top 10 of 2020). It's also worth noting that it's mildly groundbreaking in being the first Pixar movie with a black leading character.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the full review in One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/12/30/soul-is-pixar-at-its-most-cerebral/).
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Honeymoon (2014) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
Okay, so I watched Honeymoon a while back (before my hospitalization), but it’s still been lingering at the edges of my mind – more with a what the fuck sort of connotation than anything else. You’ll have to pardon my lack of screenshots, as my Shudder account has lapsed and because of current going-ons (including surgery within the next two weeks), I haven’t had the chance to resubscribe – though I desperately want to.
I don’t really have a huge gripe with the characters in this one. The acting isn’t what bothered me; rather it was the plot. I don’t do so well with WTF moments when they seem to be way out of the ballpark and that appears to be the case here.
Honeymoon is a romantic horror – if such a genre even exists. I mean, you’ve got this newlywed couple set up in a beautiful, rustic cabin in the middle of the woods. (It even has a VCR!) Anyways, wife goes off in middle of the night, claims to be sleepwalking, but oddly enough earlier in the film we meet a childhood friend. From there, things spiral out of control. Paul tries to confront Bea, but she’s all hush-hush about what is going on with her. Turns out, alien things are involved and that, my friends, is where the movie lost me. Well, between that and the marks that show up on Bea’s inner thigh, which makes it all too obvious what really happened to her.
Of course, Paul continues to play dumb for a while. At least, until he finds Bea in the bathroom stabbing herself in the privates over and over. Because apparently this is something a person would do. I mean, I totally would(n’t). This… I honestly don’t know why I was still watching at this point. Normally I’d have turned to something more intriguing, but you know when you simply can’t pull your eyes away? Yeah, that happened here and let me tell you, the next scene in the movie… just no. Nope.
Unrealistic to a fault and messed up beyond measure, Paul shoves his arm up in there, and yanks out what Bea is so desperately trying to pull out. Because… ANATOMY boys and girls. This movie, seriously, crosses into animated porn territory, complete with fisting and pulling worm-like beings out of a woman. I just… no. It’s not even hot.
The conclusion of the film? Stereotypical false happy-ending bullshit that you see in a lot of horror movies. Someone survives, or so it seems, and then of course at the last minute the bad guy goes for the kill. I honestly have not been able to simply let this one out of my mind. It’s just hovered there, like an itch you can’t quite reach, and I’m hoping this little tirade will finally give me the freedom from it I need. Yet somehow, we’ve got semi-decent ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for this film.
I don’t really have a huge gripe with the characters in this one. The acting isn’t what bothered me; rather it was the plot. I don’t do so well with WTF moments when they seem to be way out of the ballpark and that appears to be the case here.
Honeymoon is a romantic horror – if such a genre even exists. I mean, you’ve got this newlywed couple set up in a beautiful, rustic cabin in the middle of the woods. (It even has a VCR!) Anyways, wife goes off in middle of the night, claims to be sleepwalking, but oddly enough earlier in the film we meet a childhood friend. From there, things spiral out of control. Paul tries to confront Bea, but she’s all hush-hush about what is going on with her. Turns out, alien things are involved and that, my friends, is where the movie lost me. Well, between that and the marks that show up on Bea’s inner thigh, which makes it all too obvious what really happened to her.
Of course, Paul continues to play dumb for a while. At least, until he finds Bea in the bathroom stabbing herself in the privates over and over. Because apparently this is something a person would do. I mean, I totally would(n’t). This… I honestly don’t know why I was still watching at this point. Normally I’d have turned to something more intriguing, but you know when you simply can’t pull your eyes away? Yeah, that happened here and let me tell you, the next scene in the movie… just no. Nope.
Unrealistic to a fault and messed up beyond measure, Paul shoves his arm up in there, and yanks out what Bea is so desperately trying to pull out. Because… ANATOMY boys and girls. This movie, seriously, crosses into animated porn territory, complete with fisting and pulling worm-like beings out of a woman. I just… no. It’s not even hot.
The conclusion of the film? Stereotypical false happy-ending bullshit that you see in a lot of horror movies. Someone survives, or so it seems, and then of course at the last minute the bad guy goes for the kill. I honestly have not been able to simply let this one out of my mind. It’s just hovered there, like an itch you can’t quite reach, and I’m hoping this little tirade will finally give me the freedom from it I need. Yet somehow, we’ve got semi-decent ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for this film.