Now in Cinemas: Reviews for May 10, 2007, Prague

Now in Cinemas: Reviews for May 10, 2007

Renaissance, The Painted Veil, Wild Hogs, Epic Movie

published 12.07.2007 | comments (0) | log in to post comments

Reviews by Jason Pirodsky
for Expats.cz

A breathtaking, beautiful, highly stylized animated film, Christian Volckman´s Renaissance represents the height of style over substance. But while the story is nothing special, the animation is so good - created by artists, not just computer technicians - that we are willing to forgive the story flaws. Design is a mixture of futuristic action and 1950´s film noir, using a stark monochrome black & white color scheme (with occasional details in color). Style has been accomplished using rotoscoping, a technique popularized by Ralph Bakshi in the 1970´s and 80´s and used wonderfully by Richard Linklater in Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, which traces a live actor´s movements and merges them with cell animation. This is the best and most accomplished the technique has ever looked, however, and Volckman´s film is near-revolutionary.

Renaissance

Rating:

Directed by Christian Volckman. Starring: Daniel Craig, Catherine McCormack, Romola Garai, Jonathan Pryce, Ian Holm, Kevork Malikyan (English Version); Patrick Floersheim, Laura Blanc, Virginie Mery, Gabriel Le Doze, Marc Cassot, Jerome Causse (French Version). Written by Alexandre de La Patelličre, Mathieu Delaporte, Jean-Bernard Pouy, Patrick Raynal.

	Showtimes
	IMDb link

2054 Paris: the city overshadowed by mega-corporation Avalon, which specializes in youth and beauty products. One of their researchers has been kidnapped, and detective Barthélémy Karas is assigned to the case. We follow Karas as he delves into the case, forging a relationship with the missing girl´s sister and discovering more and more about Avalon and exactly what they are after. While the story isn´t bad, it´s a bit too familiar, combining elements from the films it has taken stylistic inspiration from; it almost plays out as a combination of Blade Runner and The Third Man. Interesting throughout, but when you´re watching such a breakthrough in style, it´s a bit disappointing not to see the screenplay take similar ambition. Still wonderful - one of the best looking films in recent memory, topping Sin City in style; and not just as a standalone effort - this is much closer to Frank Miller´s graphic comics than Robert Rodriguez´s film. A real treat for animation fans.

NOTE: Above review applies to the original French-language version of the film. Catch it in English (featuring voicework by Daniel Craig and others) at Kino Světozor.

***

The Painted Veil

Rating:

Directed by John Curran. Starring Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Toby Jones, Diana Rigg, Juliet Howland, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Maggie Steed. Written by Ron Nyswaner, from the novel by W. Somerset Maugham.

	Showtimes
	IMDb link

Faithful, somber adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham´s classic novel is well-made all around, though like its characters, remains somewhat aloof for the duration. Naomi Watts stars as Kitty, a young socialite who agrees to marry bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) though she doesn´t really love him. Walter, however, is deeply in love with her, and leaving for Shanghai; Kitty makes her decision based on social pressures and a desire to get as far away from her mother as possible. Once in Shanghai, she almost immediately has an affair with British official Charlie Townsend (Liev Schreiber); when Walter finds out, he volunteers to help fight cholera in a remote village as a kind of punishment for his wife, who is more or less forced to accompany him. Source material is affecting and intriguing, and that the film stays true to the literary roots makes it worthy of admiration, even if it occasionally suffers cinematically; it´s often slow-moving, and due to the characters´ relationship, toned down emotionally. Watts and Norton are effective as the leads, though they fail to truly engage the viewer; supporting cast is better, especially Toby Jones as a civil servant Waddington, Liev Schreiber as Townsend, and Diana Rigg as Mother Superior. Stunning Chinese locations, beautiful cinematography, luscious atmosphere. Excellent, haunting original score by Alexandre Desplat.

***

Wild Hogs

Rating:

Directed by Walt Becker. Starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Durand, M.C. Gainey, Stephen Tobolowsky, John C. McGinley, Héctor Jiménez, Kyle Gass, Peter Fonda. Written by Brian Copeland.

	Showtimes
	IMDb link

Broad but mostly enjoyable, mildly entertaining comedy has its moments but mostly feels like a waste of comedic talent. John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy star as a quartet of middle-aged would-be bikers who decide to take a road trip to re-claim some of their youth. Along the way they come across the usual pitfalls and pratfalls, eventually coming across a vicious biker gang headed by an over-the-top Ray Liotta. Film might have played better with a darker edge; we know exactly where this is headed, and never believe anything truly bad could happen. Liotta is effectively menacing as the leader of the Del Fuegos, but the tension between the gang and our heroes that envelopes the second half of the film is mostly deflated. Comedy is dulled throughout; occasionally amusing, never laugh-out-loud funny. Cast still has plenty of charm, however, even in a middling effort like this one. Peter Fonda shows up late for a half-hearted cameo. Ultimately unmemorable.

***

Epic Movie

Rating:

Written and Directed by Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer. Starring Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jayma Mays, Faune A. Chambers, Jennifer Coolidge, Crispin Glover, Tony Cox, Héctor Jiménez, Darrell Hammond, Carmen Electra, Fred Willard, David Carradine, Kevin McDonald, Katt Williams, Roscoe Lee Browne.

	Showtimes
	IMDb link

Unwatchable mess follows in the footsteps of the Scary Movie series, Not Another Teen Movie, Date Movie, etc., to bring us a limp, lame, completely unfunny send up of 'epic' movies. That is, if your idea of an epic movie is Nacho Libre or Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But it's mostly a tired walkthrough of The Chronicles of Narnia, devoid of laughs. Pic can't even replicate the success of a 3-minute Saturday Night Live skit, even though it desperately tries to emulate music videos by The Lonely Island with numerous song-and-dance cutaways. Incompetent on every level: badly shot, acted, and directed, poorly and cheaply produced. Jayma Mays, in particular, is hung out to dry by the directors, with reaction shot after reaction shot of the same damn reaction; it's as if a wax figure were instructed to mug for the camera. Entirely undeserving of the 2% 'Fresh' rating it has on Rotten Tomatoes, which is far too high. Avoid.

AND: Also opening is Michael Hegner and Karsten Kiilerich's The Ugly Duckling and Me! (showtimes | IMDb), a Danish animated film based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. Film is screening in a Czech-dubbed version.

Review Archive

17.5.12: The Dictator ★★★
10.5.12: Dark Shadows ★★★ | StreetDance 2 ★½
3.5.12: The Avengers ★★★½ | Salmon Fishing in the Yemen ★★★
26.4.12: The Raven ★★½
19.4.12: Battleship ★★½ | The Lucky One ★★½ | This Must Be the Place ★★★ | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ★★½ | Hysteria ★★½
12.4.12: We Bought a Zoo ★★★ | The Cold Light of Day ★½ | One for the Money ★
5.4.12: American Reunion ★★★
29.3.12: Wrath of the Titans ★★ | The Vow ★★
22.3.12: The Hunger Games ★★★ | Bel Ami ★★★ | We Need to Talk About Kevin ★★★½
15.3.12: The Lorax ★★½
8.3.12: John Carter ★★★ | Haywire ★★★ | The Grey ★★★
5.3.12: The Chemical Brothers: Don't Think ★★★★
1.3.12: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance ★★ | The Iron Lady ★½ | The Devil Inside ★
23.2.12: War Horse ★★★½ | The Woman in Black ★★★ | My Week with Marilyn ★★½ | This Means War ★½
16.2.12: The Artist ★★★★ | Shame ★★★★ | Safe House ★★½
9.2.12: The Phantom Menace 3D ★★★ | Man on a Ledge ★★½ | The Ides of March ★★★½ | Jack and Jill ★
2.2.12: Hugo ★★★★ | Chronicle ★★★ | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ★★½ | Perfect Sense ★★½
26.1.12: Contraband ★★½ | A Dangerous Method ★★★ | Carnage ★★★ | The Help ★★★
19.1.12: The Descendants ★★★½ | Underworld: Awakening ★★
12.1.12: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ★★★½ | Machine Gun Preacher ★★½
8.1.12: A Separation ★★★★
5.1.12: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ★★★½
29.12.11: The Darkest Hour ★★
22.12.11: The Inbetweeners Movie ★★ | Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked ★½
15.12.11: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol ★★★
8.12.11: New Year's Eve ★½ | The Rum Diary ★★★½ | The Thing ★★½
1.12.11: Moneyball ★★★★ | Puss in Boots ★★★
24.11.11: Immortals ★★★
17.11.11: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 ★★★½ | I Don't Know How She Does It ★
10.11.11: Real Steel ★★★ | Tower Heist ★★½ | Anonymous ★★½
3.11.11: In Time ★★½
27.10.11: Adventures of Tintin ★★★★ | The Debt ★★½ | Larry Crowne ★★½ | Cave of Forgotten Dreams ★★★½
20.10.11: Paranormal Activity 3 ★★★ | The Three Musketeers ★ | Contagion ★★★½
13.10.11: Johnny English Reborn ★★½
6.10.11: Killer Elite ★★★ | One Day ★★ | Dream House ★½
29.9.11: Friends with Benefits ★★½ | Abduction ★
27.9.11: The Skin I Live In ★★★½
22.9.11: Midnight in Paris ★★★½ | Colombiana ★★½ | Shark Night 3D ★½
15.9.11: Drive ★★★★ | Pina ★★★½ | Crazy, Stupid, Love. ★★½ | Don't Be Afraid of the Dark ★★½
8.9.11: Super 8 ★★★½ | Final Destination 5 ★★★
25.8.11: Cowboys & Aliens ★★
18.8.11: Conan the Barbarian ★★ | Green Lantern ★★½ | Win Win ★★★½ | Womb ★½
11.8.11: Rise of the Planet of the Apes ★★★ | The Lincoln Lawyer ★★★
4.8.11: Captain America: The First Avenger ★★★ | Horrible Bosses ★★★
28.7.11: Cars 2 ★★½ | Jane Eyre ★★★½ | Bad Teacher ★½ | The Resident ★★
21.7.11: The Tree of Life ★★★★ | The Mechanic ★★
14.7.11: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ★★★½ | Submarine ★★★½
7.7.11: Hanna ★★★½ | Bridesmaids ★★★½
30.6.11: Transformers: Dark of the Moon ★½
16.6.11: Your Highness ★½
9.6.11: The Hangover Part 2 ★★★ | Paul ★★½ | Skyline ★½
2.6.11: X-Men: First Class ★★★½
26.5.11: Melancholia ★★★★
19.5.11: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ★★½
12.5.11: Priest 3D ★★ | Water for Elephants ★★★ | Something Borrowed ★★ | Tetro ★★★½
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28.4.11: Thor
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3.3.11: The Adjustment Bureau | Drive Angry 3D
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10.2.11: Black Swan | London Boulevard
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18.11.10: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
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21.10.10: Four Lions
14.10.10: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Eat Pray Love | Machete
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23.9.10: Resident Evil: Afterlife
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9.9.10: Největší z Čechů
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24.6.10: Killers | Solomon Kane
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20.5.10: Hot Tub Time Machine
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22.1.09: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Traitor
15.1.09: Burn After Reading, Yes Man, Che: Part One, My Best Friend's Girl
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2.1.09: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
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11.12.08: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Four Christmases, Paranoid Park, Make It Happen
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27.11.08: Twilight, Body of Lies
20.11.08: Death Race, Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Strangers
13.11.08: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
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30.10.08: Max Payne, Nights in Rodanthe, The Other Boleyn Girl
23.10.08: Vicki Christina Barcelona, The Forbidden Kingdom
16.10.08: Nightwatching, Taken, Juno
9.10.08: Elegy, Mirrors
2.10.08: Eagle Eye, Disaster Movie
25.9.08: 2 Days in Paris
18.9.08: Tropic Thunder, Star Wars: The Clone Wars
04.9.08: Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Journey to the Center of the Earth
28.8.08: You Don't Mess with the Zohan
21.8.08: Funny Games U.S.
14.8.08: WALL•E, Meet Dave, Then She Found Me, The Orphanage
7.8.08: The Dark Knight, Mamma Mia!
31.7.08: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
24.7.08: The X-Files: I Want to Believe
17.7.08: The Incredible Hulk, Shine a Light, Be Kind Rewind, Nim's Island, Made of Honor
10.7.08: Get Smart
3.7.08: Kung Fu Panda, Hancock
26.6.08: Wanted
19.6.08: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
12.6.08: The Happening, My Blueberry Nights
5.6.08: Sex and the City, Penelope
29.5.08: 21, Untraceable
22.5.08: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
15.5.08: What Happens in Vegas
8.5.08: In Bruges, Speed Racer
1.5.08: Iron Man, Paris, je t'aime
24.4.08: Into the Wild, Fools Gold, Wedding Daze, Superhero Movie
17.4.08: Breath, Frontier(s)
10.4.08: Horton Hears a Who, Doomsday, Vantage Point, Sleuth
3.4.08: In the Valley of Elah, The Bucket List
27.3.08: There Will Be Blood, 27 Dresses
20.3.08: Resurrecting the Champ, Reservation Road
13.3.08: Control, 10,000 BC
6.3.08: 3:10 to Yuma, Jumper
28.2.08: No Country for Old Men, Step Up 2 the Streets
21.2.08: Before the Devil Knows Youre Dead, Rambo, The Eye
14.2.08: National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie Wilsons War, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
7.2.08: Sweeney Todd, We Own the Night, The Kite Runner
31.1.08: Atonement
24.1.08: The Darjeeling Limited, Cloverfield
17.1.08: Michael Clayton, Lust, Caution, Love in the Time of Cholera
10.1.08: Eastern Promises, I Am Legend
3.1.08: American Gangster
20.12.07: P.S. I Love You
13.12.07: The Golden Compass, Hitman
29.11.07: Across the Universe, Beowolf, Balls of Fury, Halloween
22.11.07: Shoot Em Up, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
15.11.07: The Heartbreak Kid, Resident Evil: Extinction
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1.11.07: 30 Days of Night, The Invasion, Sicko, The Good Shepherd
25.10.07: Once, Superbad, Feast of Love, The Seeker
18.10.07: The Brave One, A Mighty Heart
11.10.07: The Kingdom, 1408, Becoming Jane, Snow Cake
4.10.07: Knocked Up
27.9.07: Stardust, Grindhouse, Gympl
20.9.07: I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Evening, Disturbia
13.9.07: Ratatouille, The Hoax, No Reservations
6.9.07: Rush Hour 3, Day Watch, Medvidek
30.8.07: The Bourne Ultimatum, Irina Palm
23.8.07: Hairspray, Planet Terror, Evan Almighty, Interview
16.8.07: Transformers
9.8.07: Mr. Brooks, Pans Labyrinth, Surfs Up
2.8.07: Fracture, Venus, Next
26.7.07: The Simpsons Movie, Angel
19.7.07: Harry Potter 5, The Good Night
12.7.07: Inland Empire, Factory Girl, The Messengers, Hostel 2
5.7.07: Death Proof, Oceans 13, Miss Potter, Fantastic Four 2
28.6.07: Live Free or Die Hard
21.6.07: Pathfinder, Curse of the Golden Flower
14.6.07: Shrek the Third
7.6.07: Hot Fuzz, Zodiac, Because I Said So
31.5.07: Premonition, Black Book
24.5.07: Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
17.5.07: The Number 23
10.5.07: Renaissance, The Painted Veil, Wild Hogs, Epic Movie
3.5.07: Spider-Man 3, Copying Beethoven, Sherrybaby
26.4.07: Shooter, The Reaping
19.4.07: Sunshine, Alpha Dog, TMNT, Perfect Stranger
12.4.07: The Hill Have Eyes II, Norbit
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29.3.07: Flags of our Fathers
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15.3.07: Ghost Rider, Music and Lyrics, Feast, Employee of the Month
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