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Jordan Binkerd (567 KP) rated Charlie's Angels (2000) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019  
Charlie's Angels (2000)
Charlie's Angels (2000)
2000 | Action, Comedy
7
6.5 (16 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
The Angels are hot. That's what this is really about, after all. (3 more)
Crispin Glover
Bill Murray
Tim Curry
Fight scenes don't hold up, or at least some of them don't. (3 more)
Characterization is inconsistent
Matt LeBlanc's character should have been named Joey so you could headcanon him as the same character from Friends. (This is mostly a joke. Mostly.)
Tom Green
Inconsistent but fun
You watch a Charlie's Angels movie for one thing: hot women kicking ass. And so far as that goes, this movie mostly delivers even if some of the fight scenes don't look as good today as they should. But looking beyond that, there are some cracks in the facade - the characterization of the Angels, for instance, is that they're tough, confident professionals....who devolve to giggling schoolgirls at the prospect of meeting their boss? Feels awkward. The plot is straightforward, no complaints there, and most of the casting is on point with the exception of the bizarre addition of Tom Green's character. Overall, good fun despite it's flaws.
  
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies

Apr 5, 2019  
Dumbo (2019)
Dumbo (2019)
2019 | Animation, Family, Fantasy
6
6.5 (81 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
In a word...bland
There are many words that you can use to describe films by Tim Burton: Gothic, Bizarre, Dark, Interesting, SteamPunk, Unique, Visual.

With the live action DUMBO, you can add another word to describe a Tim Burton film: Bland.

Based on the 1941 animated classic character of Walt Disney, DUMBO tells the tale of an animal, shamed for having a deformity...over-large ears...but when the young elephant discovers that these ears can save the circus he is in - and will help reunite him with his mother - a journey to redemption begins.

Sounds like a pretty good premise for a film, right? Unfortunately, this isn't really the theme of this film. Unlike other Disney "live action" versions of classic animated films (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the upcoming ALADDIN and THE LION KING), DUMBO is a live action remake only in the fact that Director Burton uses the baby elephant, separated from his mother, with over large ears who can fly. This film shows no signs of the earlier, beloved, children's film. It eliminates the songs (except as background music) and it tacks on a family drama of a returning army veteran (who's wife died while he was away) and his 2 children and a rival circus trying to steal the famed flying elephant.

Is it a children's movie? Is it a Tim Burton eerie, scary, visual delight? Well...yes...and no...on both parts and that's the problem of this film. Burton straddles a line between the two, never committing to a fun, stylistic children's film (like PADDINGTON 2) or an eerie, bizarre Tim Burton film (many, many to name but the closest I can come is BIG FISH). He restrains himself to the bland middle and it shows.

He has assembled a strong ensemble of actors to populate this world - Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Michael Keaton and Alan Arkin are all in this film - and are all bland. While, at times, this film felt every minute of it's 1 hour and 52 minute run time, I was longing for more from each of these characters, fleshing out what was the BEGINNING of interesting characters, but never getting past that. Each one of these characters are bland, bland, bland and you can see each actor trying harder and harder to push some sort of character to the screen, but never succeeding.

The only interesting characters, ironically enough, is that of Dumbo and his mother, Mrs. Jumbo. These are 2 CGI, non-speaking characters but they say more in facial expressions and movements than all of the human characters combined.

And that's the other problem with this film. Much like another Disney Live Action film, TOMORROWLAND, a large part of this film is given to showing the world that is lavishly made by the Director, Production Designer, Art Director and Cinematographer - and it is impressive indeed - but the action and characters inhabiting this world are...well...bland and that makes for a lackluster film.

One thing to note - this film is not scary, nor is it overly sad (things that I heard that this film was), so I'd be interested to hear if you have younger children (ages 7-10, say) and they saw the film - did they enjoy it? I think they just might.

I didn't, I thought this film was bland.

Letter Grade: B- (for the interesting visuals put up on the screen)

6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)