Scribblings from the Mitchy Side

So I went to the movies yesterday and ended up seeing "Carnage" because it was the last showing at my local Cineworld. It was the cast that drew me in - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C Reilly. I knew that it was based on a theatre play and that the 4 main leads were the only performers, and that it was directed by Roman Polanksi. The plot was basically two New York couples meet to discuss their sons getting into a fight. I figured if any cast could pull this movie off it was this one so I gave it a watch.

( The review in full )

It must sound as if I hated the whole thing. I didn't, I just felt disappointed. I don't necessarily want a movie of this type to preach to me or beat me over the head with a deep and meaningful message, but I like it when it says something (anything) pertinent and/or makes me think. This didn't do that. What it DID have, however, was 4 superb actors at the top of their game and that's the reason I stuck it out to the end. I don't recommend paying cinema prices for this, or even buying the DVD unless it's like a couple of quid or something, but I'd definitely suggest it as a DVD rental because it isn't often you get a powerhouse cast like that and that alone is worth a watch.

Verdict: 3 stars out of 5 (for the cast).

Went and saw "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" again on Tuesday. Now I feel ready to write a review!

( Massive spoilers )

( CAST AND LOCATION SPOILERS FOR THIRD MOVIE!! READ NO FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANNA KNOW! )

Overall, I think the movie was a lot darker than the first one. I have to say, I've seen some very young kids being taken to see this and yes, I know it's a Disney movie and yes, it's a 12 and yes, it's cartoonish in a lot of ways, but there was some damn grim stuff in this, like that prison scene early on with the ravens pecking out the eyeballs. I'm not sure I'd want to take a 5 year old to see it, meself. *shrugs* But that's me. Things that bothered me - the water wheel fight. Very clever, I'm sure, but no, didn't work for me. Too cartoonish, I felt and just a smidge OTT, even compared to the OTT that is the whole franchise. The whole film felt "busier" than the first, but that could just be middle movie syndrome, I guess, but it needed trimming. I never felt it was too long but it wouldn't have hurt to be shorter, either. It still got me back into the cinema to watch it again, so it did more things right than wrong and you can't ask for much more than that from a summer blockbuster.

So, who hasn't seen it yet? And why not? Go! Go! At once!! :)

And I need a pirate icon :P