Green Oasis

Please make a movie about a girl who is not a princess

2009-06-10T19:18:43Z

Linda Holmes on her NPR blog says “Please make a movie about a girl who is not a princess.”

Amen!

Having daughters has changed my perspective tremendously. I want desperately for them to see that their gender won’t prevent them from seizing life by the collar and shaking it down for every last nickel of its lunch money.

Making their 2012 movie about a princess places Pixar in danger of descending into the trite. I still have faith that Pixar can turn the princess motif on its head, but…

Why does every animated heroine need to be a princess?

Short Reviews: Embrace of the Vampire

2009-01-23T19:13:19Z

A guilty pleasure for someone who had a schoolboy crush on Alyssa Milano during her Who’s the Boss? days, Embrace of the Vampire has only a couple of charms to recommend it. (NSFW)

Short Reviews: American Beauty and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-21T18:19:56Z

Two movies, one review. Both remind me that if I pay close attention, ordinary things are beautiful.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: Samurai Trilogy 1—Musashi Miyamoto

2008-09-05T20:47:45Z

I read Yoshikawa’s Musashi when I was younger. The tale of the brash young samurai seeking to perfect his skill and himself influenced a lot of my thought. Am I a human or an animal? The movie Musashi Miyamoto reminded me of the book. I liked it.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: Fitzcarraldo

2008-09-02T21:31:25Z

I don’t know what it is about the eponymous character of Fitzcarraldo, but I don’t like him and his operatic obsession. Is it because he’s ugly? Or do I think he’s ugly because he annoys me so much? Jung might have something to say about shadows or something.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: Swing Kids

2008-08-27T20:06:55Z

Swing Kids has a promising premise: the struggles of kids in Nazi Germany who love American swing. It touches on a theme that I wonder about often: how much would I sacrifice for my principles? It is regrettably overacted which distracts from the power of the story. Sometimes, less is more.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2

2008-08-25T20:59:15Z

I’m a sucker for cultural fusion, so I had a lot of fun watching Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Tarantino’s bloody goulash of favorite genres—revenge, kung fu, spaghetti western, blaxploitation—is entertaining to watch. His passion for these genres is obvious. The soundtrack is impeccable. Plus, PussyWagon = Hilarious.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: The Prestige

2008-08-25T20:39:03Z

The Prestige performs a magic trick in three parts: the pledge, the turn, and the prestige. I had fun unraveling the mysteries behind this tale of ego, obsession, and sacrifice.

Reviews in 50 Words or Less: Idiocracy

2008-08-25T02:20:09Z

The ignorant reproduce more than the thoughtful thereby turning evolution on its head and leading to an entire population of idiots. Such is the premise of Idiocracy. While I doubt this could ever be truly fulfilled, I suspect that is partially true: ignorance and superstition can perpetuate themselves through our family history.

Reviews in 50 Words Or Less: The Dark Knight

2008-08-22T15:32:00Z

This is my favorite Batman movie. I enjoy thought provocation, and this movie delivers. I could ponder on its complex ethical and existential themes for a pleasantly long time. Heath Ledger deserves a lot of praise for his turn as the Joker. And remember, Superman sucks.