Alice's Recent Reviews
Let the Right One In
R
Was this a vampire movie? We'll have to define the concept... and whose story was it. If this is about Oskar, the lonely kid and his love for the strange girl next door, then it isn't exactly a vampire movie. But it's a sweet young romance in a sort of spooky tense atmosphere. There is, of course, Eli's tale, the vampire plot, but I found that one quite uninteresting: there's no mystery for the viewer, she lives with blood, we know this from the beginning. Only I'm not worried for her, she's able to take care of herself, despite the fact she is only 12 years ... On the other hand, she's a nice vampires, kills just to live ... no conflict at all. Therefore, no, I don't think this was a vampire movie. More like a dream-story of a lonesome soul disturbed by his conflicts with a world he seems not to be included in... Wouldn't have been a surprise to find out in the end that Eli was only the fruit of Oskar's imagination. After all, the whole story is about Oskar.
Watch carefully how the movie opens... Oskar fighting imaginary enemies. And, of nowhere, just from his anger, takes shape a strange creature able to fulfil everything he hasn't been capable (includding the rubik cube).
Alice's Favorite Movies
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
PG-13
I'm truly grateful to the Disney studios for this one. Well, it's probably perfect for anyone to see once or twice. It has a great plot, it has adventure, action, fantasy, romance, even a little horror (if you're a kid you might be scared of skeletons). The script is excellent, all the main characters make great, meaningful entrances and you... if you don't pay attention, you can drop yourself in the fantastic world of Captain Jack and believe me, I've never been able to get out of there.
The risk is greater for adults, paradoxically, probably because Jack embodies a prototype, he's the symbol of the dream of freedom and boundlessness of any grown-up who doesn't want to give up the child inside him. ("That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs but what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom."; "Now... bring me that horizon."). Jack is the man-child for whom everything is possible because he has the nerve to do it, and he has the magic gadget (the compass) which can take him wherever he wants. I imagine captain Jack was very much loved even by the one who interpreted him, for Depp was very creative and ingenious in every little detail of his character construction. No doubt that "The Pirates" would not have been the same without Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce or any other of the crew.
The lines are funny and tonic and, you know what, being a Disney, you can enjoy a perfectly clean language and, therefore, a very subtle humor which I definitely fell in love with.
One more thing: you thought the moon is dangerous only when it comes to werewolfs? Clearly, you've never touched aztec gold.
