http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 16 May 2008 04:24:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-10526 Ambival.net » Movie Reviews » Best in Show Thu, 17 May 2007 01:17:46 +0000 http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-10526 [...] This has its moments but it never really managed to grab my attention far beyond the background level. I think it comes down to the fact that I’m sure you could actually make a genuine documentary of this particular world and, if anything, it’d be funnier. In the end it felt a lot to me like that excruciating last hour of International Velvet – I mean, the majority of this movie is the dog show itself. What is less cinematic than dogs and their owners walking repeatedly over green felt? And I realise, the answer to that is that this movie isn’t about being cinematic, it’s about the laughs; but still – there is more of the dogs and the green felt than there are laughs. Seriously, this is one case where I’d seriously recommend a reality TV show on the same theme more. Eugene Levy’s great, though: it’s amazing what comedy teeth can do for a guy who pretty much always plays himself, lol. I think I’m just not a great Christopher Guest fan in the end … Spinal Tap was absolutely something else, and For Your Consideration had a little disturbing edge to it that intrigued me a little, but this one really gives me the feeling that everything since Spinal has just been trying in vain to rehash a non-existent formula. [...] [...] This has its moments but it never really managed to grab my attention far beyond the background level. I think it comes down to the fact that I’m sure you could actually make a genuine documentary of this particular world and, if anything, it’d be funnier. In the end it felt a lot to me like that excruciating last hour of International Velvet – I mean, the majority of this movie is the dog show itself. What is less cinematic than dogs and their owners walking repeatedly over green felt? And I realise, the answer to that is that this movie isn’t about being cinematic, it’s about the laughs; but still – there is more of the dogs and the green felt than there are laughs. Seriously, this is one case where I’d seriously recommend a reality TV show on the same theme more. Eugene Levy’s great, though: it’s amazing what comedy teeth can do for a guy who pretty much always plays himself, lol. I think I’m just not a great Christopher Guest fan in the end … Spinal Tap was absolutely something else, and For Your Consideration had a little disturbing edge to it that intrigued me a little, but this one really gives me the feeling that everything since Spinal has just been trying in vain to rehash a non-existent formula. [...]

]]> http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-6500 Ambival.net » Movie Reviews » My Top 100 Movies [current] Tue, 10 Apr 2007 03:12:57 +0000 http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-6500 [...] International Velvet Bryan Forbes [...] [...] International Velvet Bryan Forbes [...]

]]> http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-398 Ambival.net » Movies » Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story Tue, 20 Jun 2006 22:32:24 +0000 http://ambival.net/movies/international-velvet#comment-398 [...] Watching this after International Velvet, which brought back memories of National Velvet, I couldn’t help but notice the things this movie is missing. That’s not to say it doesn’t have enough plus points of its own though. Beyond Dakota Fanning, which I realise is just a personal thing for me, I happen to love her, I think there’s plenty to enjoy. You really need to look in the nooks and crannies of the movie. Kurt Russell is pretty amazingly cast as the disillusioned pop and there’s some fabulous facial expressions to behold from him, my favourite is when Soñodor is announced as the 14th horse at the selection place. Then there’s Luis Guzman and Freddy Rodriguez, who for me just get better every time I watch; again, a huge array of comical expressions to make you giggle, like when they are informed that they now work for little Dakota. [...] [...] Watching this after International Velvet, which brought back memories of National Velvet, I couldn’t help but notice the things this movie is missing. That’s not to say it doesn’t have enough plus points of its own though. Beyond Dakota Fanning, which I realise is just a personal thing for me, I happen to love her, I think there’s plenty to enjoy. You really need to look in the nooks and crannies of the movie. Kurt Russell is pretty amazingly cast as the disillusioned pop and there’s some fabulous facial expressions to behold from him, my favourite is when Soñodor is announced as the 14th horse at the selection place. Then there’s Luis Guzman and Freddy Rodriguez, who for me just get better every time I watch; again, a huge array of comical expressions to make you giggle, like when they are informed that they now work for little Dakota. [...]

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