Bitching About Cinematic Media Forms

[delga]

Today's post to you was brought to you by Without a Trace, 13 going on 30 and King Arthur. Today's rant is courtesy of myself. Have fun!

Without a Trace.

I like Vivian Johnson so much. The character is badly underused. Of all of the team, she’s the most levelheaded, the most straightforward and the least contrived. She comes to work, does her job, keeps her head and goes home to her family. Every now and then there’s wit and intellect too.

Also, Marianne Jean-Baptiste? Rocks.

13 going on 30.

Yes, yes, it’s not an arts film. But really, does it need to be? I mean, every now and then, you want to go to a movie and just let loose. 13 going on 30 is just that kind of movie. The laughs are quick (as is the plot) and pretty obvious (ditto). But it’s a feel-good movie; it’s a happy-go-lucky movie; it’s a movie about learning lessons, making choices, growing up and that pivotal all-important moment that can make or break your life.

It’s also an eighties-music lover’s dream.

Seriously! There’s Madonna and there’s ‘Love is a Battlefield’ and there’s ‘Jesse’s Girl’. Well, it pleased me anyway :o)

King Arthur.

King Arthur…oh dear. First off, let me just say that it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t even not bad. It was good. It was a good, watchable movie. It was funny, it was dramatic, it was…well, there were pretty people… I guess.

Ok, it didn’t really fit. I mean, yeah, the story made sense, the story had historical footing blah blah but you know what? Who the hell cared? I didn’t care. I did not care for the characters. Something in that movie just didn’t fit properly and I think it’s the fact that you just couldn’t engage with it. I mean, was it Arthur’s story? Was it supposed to be this man’s battle to save his dream? Or was it Lancelot’s story? Was it supposed to be a bout his loyalty to a man he believed in or the fact that he was trapped in a place that required honour and dignity?

Seriously, what the hell was the movie about? Because it wasn’t strong enough to sustain itself: there were too many plot lines and not enough time to explore them. Did Arthur love Guinevere or did she use him? Was Lancelot fond of her? What exactly was the relationship between Lancelot and Arthur – why were they two in particular more friendly than, say, Bors and Arthur? What made Lancelot more accessible for the Roman? Did something in their past make them that way? Why was that interaction filmed the way that it was?

I think that the directors were counting on the audience’s previous knowledge of the legends to influence their opinions of the film but then why express that this version of the film was supposed to be more historically based? Why express that it’s so different from the legends?

Hypocrites.

One last gripe: because of the numerous threads, when Lancelot dies, do you really give a damn? I tried really hard to give a damn and managed to gasp pretty well when it happened but as soon as he told Arthur (at the beginning) that he knew he would die in battle, I knew he was going to die in the film. So that was boring. This man was supposed to be the audience’s narrator. We were supposed to connect with him. We didn’t get a chance to connect with him.

You should watch the film if you want something enjoyable but if you’re looking for depth, this just isn’t the movie for you. It’s a poor-man’s version of Troy and even that doesn’t say a lot because if you remember correctly, Troy and I didn’t get along famously. Better than Arthur at the very least.

My tip? Go see 13 going on 30 and just be happy that you’re not that age anymore.

[Note to self: update new lj icons. Soon.]

Comments

[crouchingmajor.livejournal.com]

Word!

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Heh. Is that all I'm gonna get? Also, 'word' is not the...word you wre looking for, methinks...I thought you liked the film?

[crouchingmajor.livejournal.com]

i did but that doesnt mean i dont agreee with u. besides all ur other points were spot on so 'word' was the word i was looking 4!

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Hee. :op

[wliberation.livejournal.com]

Also, Marianne Jean-Baptiste? Rocks.

Aye, darling. I want to do more Vivian stuff, icons and fic, but they just won't give me enough material to work on, even though she's just magnificent. Maybe we should write angry feedback. ;)

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Putting bad thoughts into my head is so very devious of you ;o)