I feel like there is so much going on in my life right now and it seems like everyone wants a piece of me. I'm not saying this to brag or to even suggest that I'm just so "it". It's just that I'm at a point in my life when I feel like I'm not making time for myself. I'm always on the phone with a friend or my mom or my sister and I can never get anything done it seems like. It's hard to balance time amongst so many people and I'm amazed that I'm even managing to do it. Well, I guess maybe that last statement might not be altogether true because I have to cut people off sometimes to move on to the next thing that I have to do. They get frustrated or upset but they don't seem to understand that I'm literally performing a balancing act and sometimes I drop something and sometimes I'm an expert. There's got to be a way to manage my time more efficiently, or better yet just have more time for myself. There's so much pressure to give time to each individual and I feel like I have to accommodate them because I don't want anyone to be mad at me. I'm a giving person and maybe that's my problem. I'm just too damn nice. Regardless of my time issues though, I do want to meet new people and make new friends. Radical people, someone very different from myself but has creative sensibilities. It's almost not even worth wishing for sometimes. Right, enough rambling about that...
The second film that I watched yesterday was "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy". Now, I remember seeing the trailer for this film when it was out in 2005. It didn't interest me at all really and I totally overlooked it. Needless to say, I feel like a fucking idiot for doing that. I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this film. Directed by Garth Jennings, this film is a marvel to behold. I really don't know why I suddenly became interested in seeing this film all of a sudden, but I'm so glad I did. The film stars Martin Freeman (Hot Fuzz, Love Actually), Mos Def (Be Kind Rewind, Cadillac Records), Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man, (500) Days Of Summer), Sam Rockwell (Moon, Joshua), and Alan Rickman (Sweeney Todd, Harry Potter) as the voice of a depressed robot. They are all in top form here which I really have to give them credit for because the script really called for some random quirky shit. The fact that they ran with what they were given is an amazing testament to these actors.
First off, I noticed how amazing the score was. Film scores to me are a very big deal. Music is one of the tone setters for a film. Great music can even make a bad film good and there are a lot of great composers out there that have done that. A great example of that is John Powell, he has scored films like "Gigli" and "Paycheck" and I have to say the score for "Gigli" is amazing. Everyone that I let hear it are always asking me for a copy of it. I pay attention to the music because it can really get you involved. The theme for "Jurassic Park" is a fantastic example. So the beginning of the film starts off with dolphins singing, which is just one of the many random things about this film and after that you are literally taken on a fast ride into the weird. You'll love every minute of it because it is smart and isn't weird just to be weird. Everything you learn throughout the film is essential to understanding what's going on.
Arthur Dent is saved from planet earth right before it's destruction by a friend of his who was actually an alien from another planet. Once in space the two hitchhike through the galaxy with the use of a guide and they embark on an intergalactic journey that is out of this world. I'm not going to tell you anymore than that because it will ruin it for you. Another thing that I liked about this film is it's costumes and set designs. Very detailed and very colorful. Everything about this film is original in every way and you'll see what I'm talking about when you see it. When you do a film that is based on a book, it's always risky because some fanboy blogger will trash it if there's one little thing wrong with it. I don't know anything about the book, didn't even know it was based on a book but from what I've read, fans of the book love the film. That's where I think Hollywood gets it wrong a lot of the time, they always want to sensationalize the book fearing audiences won't adapt to it. If I ever become a director and I adapt a book, I will stay true to the book. I know there are a lot of other things involved, like producers and sharks, I mean, suits and whatnot but originality in Hollywood is hard to come by these days and I'm seeing after 2009 that originality is coming back very slowly. Hollywood needs to have more respect for audiences and risk more. Don't get me wrong I like a mainstream blockbuster as much as the next guy but at a certain point, I need to be stimulated and provoked. I need a film to make me think and feel and get under my fucking skin. So much of Hollywood films today are all surface and no depth. I'm not saying all films have to be deep and introspective, we need to be entertained with brainless fare as well. I'm just saying that they should take more risks and stop looking for a quick fucking buck.
This film was a breath of fresh air for me and I laughed out loud throughout the entire running time. I am gonna have to give this one a second viewing cause it moves fast and I'm quite sure I missed some things. The special effects were also great, not "Avatar" great but great nonetheless. You can tell the actors had fun with their characters but at the same time did not overdo it. Sam Rockwell's character was the most lively out of the bunch. Alan Rickman voicing a robot that is clinically depressed was one of the highlights of the film for me. This film is a great example of great adaptation or, hell, just great smart screenwriting. Now that I think about it what I liked a lot about this film is the dialogue. I don't even have to tell you how important dialogue is for a film. I've seen films with wooden dialogue and there's nothing worse than that. The writing for this film was very natural and smart. There was never a point where I thought all the characters sound the same and trust me kiddos, it's very easy to make that mistake. That's why it's important to KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS. Quentin Tarantino is a master screenwriter but we will not go there right now. I will be here all day talking about his genius if I don't stop myself.
I highly recommend this film and you may have to watch it twice to get everything but that's just more fun for you. If you're not into sci-fi comedies then this is not for you. If you're psyche knows no bounds of film genres like me, then watch this and enjoy :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment