Category Archives: Movie

Christmas Reflection

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Christmas Day, and both mom and baby are asleep, and both probably not even aware that Christmas has come, the former almost sleepwalking and the latter obviously unaware of anything except for the new sensation of food entering into his little mouth.

I spent the time watching, for what seemed to be the 10th time, Real Steel. This is quickly becoming my all time favourite. It’s mainly not so much due to the robots fighting robots. That’s not the big deal, because if I wanted robots fighting something, I’d go for the scale of like Pacific Rim.

 

I mean monsters vs robots? Man, that rocks.

Real Steel wasn’t so much of the acting as well, although Hugh Jackman ain’t bad. And of course, you’d think it’s Evangeline Lilly. I mean, seriously. Evangeline. Lilly.

Ok, Evangeline Lilly did really make it a worthwhile movie to watch again and again and again….and again, and just put in infinity times here…but the one great aspect of Real Steel was that at the heart of it, it was a Father and Son story.

And that really gets me. Hugh Jackman and that little kid, Dakota Goyo, seriously has a great chemistry. The scene when Hugh Jackman was going berserk just whacking the big robot, with his shadow robot, Atom, and doing his uppercut, and it cuts to slow motion with the amazing, amazing theme song behind. And the tear running down his son’s face. I mean, hey, that’s hollywood 101 right, but it gets me. I want my kid to grow up looking at me like that. Of course, I’ll probably not be air punching a big robot in an arena filled with thousands of people and watched by an emotional Evangeline Lilly; and I probably won’t have the biceps of Mr Wolverine….but I could be doing something else. The thing is, the way his kid looked at him: man, I want Jet to look at me like that too.

Greatest Father and Son movie ever.

Movie Review: We Bought A Zoo

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File:We Bought a Zoo Poster.jpg

Elevator Pitch:

Guy loses his wife, takes his two kids (mopey teenager and adorable 7 year old girl) out into the country to buy a home that doubles up as a zoo. Meets a cast of characters as the staff, with only one (hot zookeeper) memorable. Fights to keep the zoo from being shut down, survives inspection, and opens up the zoo to the townspeople and saves the animals. On his journey, recovers from loss of his wife, scores with hot zookeeper, and repairs relationship with son.

Good:

Anything with Matt Damon is good. Anything with Matt Damon AND Scarlett Johansson is a must-see, even if it just shows both of them baking bread. Seriously. The storyline itself isn’t too hot, it’s based on a true story. It doesn’t really have a bad guy, except the annoying zoo inspector, and of course, money. Those are the only obstacle, as well as the emotional issues the main character has with his moody son. Story arc of his son also deals with budding romance of 14 year olds, which I find a little awkward.

Bad:

The story is a little flat. The only obstacle is money and zoo inspector, and a strangely dis-engaged and moody son. Also, main character is a little too perfect; doesn’t seem to have any issues in life. His brother, Duncan is a lot more realistic and therefore has a lot more personality in him. Damon’s Benjamin Mee doesn’t really need to overcome anything, except his emotional paralysis with his son, and overcoming his wife’s death: Although if you have Scarlett Johansson in front of you, it’s a lot easier. She is hot even if she’s shovelling crap.

Family Values:

The story arc of Benjamin and his son, Dylan is well played out, and seems to address the moodiness of teenhood vs the work ethics of fatherhood. I like the part when they get into a yelling match where Benjamin goes, “Come on, man, help me out here, dammit!” and his son yells back in return. Good to see that even hollywood portrayal of fatherhood has some realism in it. They get back together and were pals after that. While it’s not “The Pursuit of Happyness”, it’s quite a good father-son story.

Best Scene:

By far, towards the end, when Scarlett Johansson’s Kelly Foster’s character, comes face to face with Benjamin in a cramp room while looking for extra tickets for the zoo and she just blurts: “I got a big crush on you and I just can’t get a handle on it.”, making the opening a door handle sign that the zoo inspector made, and also Ben made earlier (which I probably interpreted as an obscene gesture, but that’s just me…), before kissing him. They congratulated each other before he kissed her back. I’m usually not a sucker for kissing scenes, but come on. Scarlett Johansson in a cramp room, searching for tickets?

Verdict:

Watch it. The father-son arc is interesting, but definitely the visible attraction between Scarlett and Matt Damon’s character is great chemistry. The pre-teen romance between Dylan and the other girl is a little weird though.