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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Big Fish (2003) in Movies
May 1, 2020
Whimsical, Fantastical and Entrancing
Looking for a charming, fantastical diversion that will whisk you away from this world for 2 hours? Look no further than the heartwarming father/son story BIG FISH.
Set in the unmistakable stylings of idealic living from the mind of Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the tale of a father by the name of Ed Bloom (the great Albert Finney) who's son, Will Bloom (Billy Crudup - fresh off of ALMOST FAMOUS) has separated himself from his father for he is sick of the "tall tales" that his father tells about his life. Most of the movie is the reconciliation of father and son set against the backdrop of these fantastical stories (the younger Ed Bloom is played with whimsical wonder by Ewan McGregor).
And...it is the telling of these stories where Director Tim Burton really shines. It is a perfect match of Director, tone and style to tell the story. He uses a primary color palate (much the same way he used it in Edward Scissorhands) punctuated by "steam punk blacks and grays" that creates a world that is a wonder to look at and is instantly recognizable not only by what is familiar but also by how it is UN-familiar. If overused, this type of stylings could be a detriment to the storytelling, but in BIG FISH, Burton paints the canvas perfectly.
As I stated, McGregor is whimsical as the young Ed Bloom. You can see a young man exploring and drinking in all the world has to offer. On the other side, Albert Finney shows that he has a twinkle in his eye (even though the older Ed Bloom is battling a chronic disease). He sparkles when he tells his stories. Finney's performance draws you in while McGregor's keeps you there.
As does the performances of such terrific actors like Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito (as individuals that Ed meets along the way). They "get" what Burton is going for and embrace the charm and whimsy of it all. "Back in the real world" - a (then) unknown Marion Cotillard is engaging as Will Bloom's pregnant wife and Jessica Lange shines as Ed's wife who has "heard it all" and is still charmed by it all after all these years. There is a scene later in the film between Finney and Lange (and a bathtub) that shows that these 2 veteran actors can throw their fastball when asked.
I was entranced by the tall tales told in this film and I think you will be to.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Set in the unmistakable stylings of idealic living from the mind of Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the tale of a father by the name of Ed Bloom (the great Albert Finney) who's son, Will Bloom (Billy Crudup - fresh off of ALMOST FAMOUS) has separated himself from his father for he is sick of the "tall tales" that his father tells about his life. Most of the movie is the reconciliation of father and son set against the backdrop of these fantastical stories (the younger Ed Bloom is played with whimsical wonder by Ewan McGregor).
And...it is the telling of these stories where Director Tim Burton really shines. It is a perfect match of Director, tone and style to tell the story. He uses a primary color palate (much the same way he used it in Edward Scissorhands) punctuated by "steam punk blacks and grays" that creates a world that is a wonder to look at and is instantly recognizable not only by what is familiar but also by how it is UN-familiar. If overused, this type of stylings could be a detriment to the storytelling, but in BIG FISH, Burton paints the canvas perfectly.
As I stated, McGregor is whimsical as the young Ed Bloom. You can see a young man exploring and drinking in all the world has to offer. On the other side, Albert Finney shows that he has a twinkle in his eye (even though the older Ed Bloom is battling a chronic disease). He sparkles when he tells his stories. Finney's performance draws you in while McGregor's keeps you there.
As does the performances of such terrific actors like Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito (as individuals that Ed meets along the way). They "get" what Burton is going for and embrace the charm and whimsy of it all. "Back in the real world" - a (then) unknown Marion Cotillard is engaging as Will Bloom's pregnant wife and Jessica Lange shines as Ed's wife who has "heard it all" and is still charmed by it all after all these years. There is a scene later in the film between Finney and Lange (and a bathtub) that shows that these 2 veteran actors can throw their fastball when asked.
I was entranced by the tall tales told in this film and I think you will be to.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated The Road to El Dorado (2000) in Movies
Nov 18, 2019
The songs (4 more)
The Characters
The design
The message
No unnecessary sequel!
Catchy, heartfelt, and whimsical... suck it Disney!
Tulio and Muigel are a couple of con artists who need to make a hasty escape. Some shenanigans insue, and the pair find themselves far away from home, looking for the fabled city of gold, So Dorado.
They are mistaken for Aztec gods and must keep up their farce in order to leave with some gold, and their heads.
It comments on the way some cultures are explored by explorers and in its subtle way, teaches us to open out minds and eyes to the ways of others.
A beautiful tale of fun and friendship, the humour is great for kids, with some adult jokes in there to keep the parents entertained too.
One of DreamWorks great animated films, it is a must for all ages.
They are mistaken for Aztec gods and must keep up their farce in order to leave with some gold, and their heads.
It comments on the way some cultures are explored by explorers and in its subtle way, teaches us to open out minds and eyes to the ways of others.
A beautiful tale of fun and friendship, the humour is great for kids, with some adult jokes in there to keep the parents entertained too.
One of DreamWorks great animated films, it is a must for all ages.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Avengers - Season 2 in TV
May 19, 2020
The second season of The Avengers is a show going through a transformation following the departure of its original star. The results are understandably a bit uneven sometimes, with episodes made in a range of styles - some are very ambitious globe-trotting spy capers, others more routine detective stories, while a few approach a more recognisably quirky and whimsical Avengers style. Production values are equally variable and often primitive: there are many technical mistakes and actors sometimes appear in multiple roles.
The three Dr Keel episodes are easily the dullest; the ones with singer Venus Smith are better but still often clumsy and slowed down by musical interludes; you can tell that the producers very quickly realised that Mrs Gale was the character with real potential. All the best episodes feature Honor Blackman and you can see the chemistry between her and Patrick Macnee growing from episode to episode. Not quite yet a classic TV series, but on the way.
The three Dr Keel episodes are easily the dullest; the ones with singer Venus Smith are better but still often clumsy and slowed down by musical interludes; you can tell that the producers very quickly realised that Mrs Gale was the character with real potential. All the best episodes feature Honor Blackman and you can see the chemistry between her and Patrick Macnee growing from episode to episode. Not quite yet a classic TV series, but on the way.
Ducklady (1174 KP) rated Another World in Video Games
Jun 12, 2020
MYCARUBA
Got this game on PS Plus and one day randomly decided to download and play it when I was having a duvet day.
It didn't start off well as I continuously died, but it just made me want to keep trying and trying and trying. This game got seriously addictive, seriously fast.
When I met buddy (who I just kept calling Lester as I was convinced this was his name. NO idea why...) I was even more hooked. Now I had a Buddy to help me along the way.
The game is a remaster and there was an option to swap the graphics to nice and old skoool pixelated and to more refined look of the remaster.
Managed to complete the whole game in one day but I highly recommend this game to anyone. Its strange, kind of whimsical, kind of dark and very fun. :)
But also, I can't stop randomly saying: "Mycaruba!"
It didn't start off well as I continuously died, but it just made me want to keep trying and trying and trying. This game got seriously addictive, seriously fast.
When I met buddy (who I just kept calling Lester as I was convinced this was his name. NO idea why...) I was even more hooked. Now I had a Buddy to help me along the way.
The game is a remaster and there was an option to swap the graphics to nice and old skoool pixelated and to more refined look of the remaster.
Managed to complete the whole game in one day but I highly recommend this game to anyone. Its strange, kind of whimsical, kind of dark and very fun. :)
But also, I can't stop randomly saying: "Mycaruba!"
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Knit the Sky: Cultivate Your Creativity with a Playful Way of Knitting in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Knit the sky was whimsical and exciting. The book is quite different from the traditional knitting book, in that it doesn’t give step-by-step instructions, specific patterns, or have photos. Instead, it has colorful watercolor illustrations and beautiful inspiring text that paints a picture in the mind and leads the knitter to the place the writer wants them to be. The idea of giving inspiration for a project but not a specific pattern was challenging and new to say the least… but it worked for the book. It can be for a beginner knitter who wants the freedom to explore and not fit themselves into a pattern (just to grow as an artist) or for a free-former like myself, who doesn’t really follow patterns anyway and just wants the basic idea, or for an advanced knitter or pattern maker ready to push their creativity to the next level. It would even work for a crocheter (since most of it is make-up-as-you-go anyway).
Awix (3310 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 4, 2019)
Baffling-o remake of beloved-o animated-o Disney classic is misconceived-o on every level. Basic story remains the same: baby elephant arrives at travelling circus with freakishly big ears; the laws of physics and aerodynamics are put to one side as the small pachyderm takes to the air. That probably sounds a bit churlish-o but this is a calculated and mercenary attempt to exploit generations of goodwill towards the original film, which is charming, gentle and whimsical.
The new film blows through the plot of the old one in about forty minutes, at which point the film wanders off into a new storyline about Dumbo being sold to a grasping and exploitative entertainment tycoon who owns his own lavish theme park - did *nobody* at the Disney corporation stop to think that this kind of plot might not be the best of fits for one of their films? Everything is bemusingly dark and depressing. Many call-backs to the original, but everything that made it so special has been scoured away; not just bad, but also dumb.
The new film blows through the plot of the old one in about forty minutes, at which point the film wanders off into a new storyline about Dumbo being sold to a grasping and exploitative entertainment tycoon who owns his own lavish theme park - did *nobody* at the Disney corporation stop to think that this kind of plot might not be the best of fits for one of their films? Everything is bemusingly dark and depressing. Many call-backs to the original, but everything that made it so special has been scoured away; not just bad, but also dumb.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Woolly and Me in Books
Jun 16, 2018
Woolly and Me by Quentin Greban is a story that shows the power of a young child's imagination. This is a charming book that is packed full of playful imagination and lots of love. A little girl has a woolly mammoth for her best friend. She plays with him and nurtures him and includes him in everything that she does.
They ride in the car, go to the grocery store together, paint fun pictures, go biking outside, take ballet lessons, and teaches him how to use the bathroom properly. She gently comforts him when he is frightened of monsters at bedtime or gets scared on the roller coaster at the local fair. She bandages up his many boo boos when he has been hurt.
At the end of the story there is a twist. The twist will both surprise and delight the reader sparking both conversion and laughter. The illustrations are whimsical, witty and fun. I enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
They ride in the car, go to the grocery store together, paint fun pictures, go biking outside, take ballet lessons, and teaches him how to use the bathroom properly. She gently comforts him when he is frightened of monsters at bedtime or gets scared on the roller coaster at the local fair. She bandages up his many boo boos when he has been hurt.
At the end of the story there is a twist. The twist will both surprise and delight the reader sparking both conversion and laughter. The illustrations are whimsical, witty and fun. I enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Local Hero (1983) in Movies
Jul 5, 2020
Charming fish-out-of-water comedy drama, source of many inferior rip-offs. Sounds like a familiar story: materialistic high flier finds himself in an authentic community and begins to remember what the Important Things in Life are. However, what makes Local Hero pretty much the only film in this sub-genre worth your time is the fact it is so understated, and even subverts the form to some extent: the locals are in no illusions about how much easier their lives would be with a little more material wealth.
There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but in general this is more one of those consistently very amusing and slightly whimsical films, not at all meant to be taken seriously - there's a running joke about one character having a very abusive therapist, while the implication is that another character is part-mermaid. Well-played by a great ensemble cast (many well-known faces, although Peter Riegert doesn't seem to have had many other high profile parts), an exceptionally likeable film.
There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but in general this is more one of those consistently very amusing and slightly whimsical films, not at all meant to be taken seriously - there's a running joke about one character having a very abusive therapist, while the implication is that another character is part-mermaid. Well-played by a great ensemble cast (many well-known faces, although Peter Riegert doesn't seem to have had many other high profile parts), an exceptionally likeable film.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated I Spy a Tiger in Books
Feb 24, 2021
I Spy a Tiger by Clyde San Juan was wonderfully lyrical and filled with eye-catching detail. All the pages were covered with whimsical artwork that kids can identify and remember. I liked how the words were larger and easy to read on the pages, and that they had a lyrical sing-song quality that I really enjoyed and remembered even after I was done reading it. Plus, I loved the interactive aspect of the book and the questions back and forth on the pages (i.e., I sailed to an Island, and coming ashore…I saw the most colorful Parrot with his treasures galore!). So, as I said it is a fun book that would be a great addition to any library.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars! I highly recommend this book really enjoyed getting to read it.
*I did receive a copy in return for my honest feedback, however, I already purchased a copy for my niece! As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed within this review are my own.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars! I highly recommend this book really enjoyed getting to read it.
*I did receive a copy in return for my honest feedback, however, I already purchased a copy for my niece! As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed within this review are my own.
