Kids films and films with a little edge

Ah Easter, a lovely bank holiday full of kids movies and lots of people off work. Of course that’s not really an issue when you’re unemployed. It’s been an interesting week for film, I have seen quite a lot and kids movies are a big part of that. I watched Tron midweek, I couldn’t resist as I had just read a brilliant feature about it in an issue of Empire magazine. The feature showed just how ground breaking it was and after watching it again I would have to agree. The CGI was well ahead of its time, it looked like an 80’s arcade game but then that’s what it would have looked like in the story. It’s that it was made and that it was made so well that counts, of course now they are doing a sequel and you can check out the little sneak peak here on youtube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPGWYAUF3v4



Another family feature I watched this week was Over the Hedge, a CGI animated tale about furry creatures taking on the world of humans. As usual any CGI animated film that isn’t Pixar never really hits the spot, Over the hedge is very much the same. It does have some funny characters. Its laugh out loud moments are usually down to Steve Carells bonkers squirrel that clearly has ADHD. I also had a week of classic movies, watching Truman Show; I had forgotten just how good it was. Its hard to think anyone ever thought Jim Carrey could do anything serious before it but he is amazing in this film. The Truman show is funny and moving and covers so many themes, from religion to media and what was to becomes the huge rise of reality TV, its all there.

Another controversial film I saw this week was Starship Troopers. Not often though of like that but very much so. The whole film is a statement about neo nazism, to the point where one of the characters appears at the end draped in what clearly is supposed to be an SS uniform. It was controversial in that viewed from a certain point of view it can be seen as a pro nazi film, it glorifies young adults using violence to gain what they need and clearly shows propaganda working its way into the populace. Of course apart from all that it is a fun movie and is supposed to be viewed as a satire of all things nazi but what the hell, do you want to know more?

Finally I watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the new version. It’s a good film in its own right but when compared to the original there really is no competition. Lets compare Willy Wonka’s, Johnny Depps’s Wonka is funny and weird in an endearing way, you warm to him straight away and even though he tries to be sinister it just doesn’t work. On the other hand we have Gene Wilders Wonka, who not until the end are you really sure of him, half the time he seems sinister, the other half your not entirely sure just how same he is.

That’s it for now, over 500 words! Wow there was a lot to say and no time to say it.
So keep reading and keep watching…