As luck would have it, I've viewed two very new releases within the past few days -- "Enchanted" and "The Golden Compass", however, it is a 'no contest' to tell you which I preferred.
"Enchanted" as the name would have it is a totally enchanting movie from Disney which draws on the Disney heritage, but with a post-modern spin. Our cartoon heroine from the old-fashioned, hand-drawn opening section is banished by wicked stepmother Susan Sarandon and finds herself adrift in New York City; as embodied by Amy Adams in a totally inappropriate bouffy dress, her naive and childish approach to life does not prepare her for the real world -- but cope she does, and brilliantly. This is not just or not even a story for kiddies, but a hip take on fairy tale conventions which should please even the sourest of adults with its clever updatings. Here she meets cynical lawyer Patrick Dempsey who ultimately finds her as irresistible as the rest of us, while her fairy-tale prince, handsome but extremely dim James Marsen, has followed her to this alternate world to 'save' her. The film is awash with Disney references for the film buff, but more importantly embodies a truly feel-good aura for the general viewer. Very, very highly recommended.
I have not read the trilogy on which "The Golden Compass" (the first of the three) is based, although I now think it is incumbent upon me to do so, despite being somewhat disappointed with this first cinema effort. A lot of money seems to have been thrown at the screen with frankly variable results -- there just doesn't seem to be the air of wonderment appropriate for the tale. Existing in a parallel world to ours, the young heroine travels afield when one of her playmates is captured by the wicked child grabbers who aim to destroy their daemons (their accompanying animal spirits). She travels North to the land ruled by CGI bears (they have a wonderful way of galumping along) for a section which sags badly and which seems to go on forever, before the picture grinds to a halt to make way for the next installment. There is a horrible Darth Vader moment when her true parentage is revealed, but that too seems something of an anti-climax. With Daniel Craig and Eva Green and Nicole Kidman in attendance, one did hope for something a little better and more involving and definitely something rather more magical
3 comments:
I think I will give both of these a miss.
I think it has been a long time since Nicole Kidman has done anything worthwhile. I doubt this offering will do anything to further her career.
'The Golden Compass' made a good fist of adapting the novel though the latter is
more complex and a number of the earlier scenes were omitted. Why it was
then thought necessary to show Daniel Craig being captured is beyond me as this
occurs off-screen, so to speak, in the book. Nicole Kidman almost captured the
role but did not really leave one accepting she had the power she has in the book.
Sam Elliot was just right as was Eva Green though the latter's role is not an easy
one to define. It certainly left me looking forward to the second installment.
'Enchanted' was a delight, and an unexpected one at that. Amy Adams could not
be bettered in her role as the heroine and Patrick Dempsey brings just the right
level of cynicism to his part. Timothy Spall was annoying but perhaps he was
meant to be and Susan Sarandon was delightfully over the top.
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