I re-watched 3 films I’d previously seen and done reviews. I was delighted all over again and actually would rate 2 of them higher based upon the revisits. They were:
“Taken” (2009) First time 3.0***; Rewatch 3.5*** I went to see this again this past week with my wife and we both really enjoyed this movie… I even more than the first time and thus the higher 3.5***. Part of my earlier review is below:
“Taken” is a story of a desperate father’s search for his kidnapped daughter in this non-stop action thriller. The father is a former CIA Agent played by Liam Neeson. His 17 year old daughter goes to Paris with a friend on vacation, but to his horror, they are immediately kidnapped shortly after arriving by a well organized group of really bad Albanian sex slave-traders. he flies to Paris and skillfully and lethally uses his special Bourne-like skills to try to track down the bad guys . From the moment the abduction takes place, the action becomes nonstop and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of the screen. The tension and suspense just builds and builds as does the action and the body count. Neeson is well cast as a softhearted, thoughtful man who is big enough and skillful enough to be one really bad-ass dude and inflict serious damage/mayhem once he gets angry…and losing his daughter causes huge anger which lasts and intensifies as the movie plays out. He’s the avenging action hero, wreaking havoc upon those so deserving of such. Then it's over…..and a quick glance at the watch reveals that only 94 minutes have gone by and yet so much has happened
“The Notebook” (2004) The first time only 2.5*** and I don’t know what I was thinking…I missed this one badly…it is a true 3.5***film…a beautiful love story showing the power and endurance of love…the total commitment that some…..or at least the very blessed…endow with their love…and then how when it is a mutual commitment, there is nothing more wonderful. It is beautifully filmed mostly in South Carolina ( Charleston and Georgetown) and dares to be honest about how the road to such unique and special love can be qutie difficult and heart rendering. Great cast with Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and James Garner. This is one you can rewatch many times as a reminder of the wonder of love…yes 3.5***.
“Mars and the Real Girl” (2007) 4.0*** the first time and it was just as good in the rewatch. This is one of my all time favorite “feel-good” movies.. I know that is not true for some people who have seen it and were turned off by the presence of the life-like doll (“Bianca”) that Lars gets to be his companion/girl-friend. But if you can accept the fact that “Bianca” is NOT a sex toy at all to Lars but a crutch… a make-believe person, that Lars uses to emerge from his isolated lonely world, then you can begin to accept Bianca for what she is to him…it’s a strange but beautiful experience…funny at times..but touching and heart-rendering too. Some of my review is below:
This is one of the most remarkably original films that I have ever seen, providing a refreshing comment about what we can learn from one another if we approach each other's frailties with kindness and understanding. Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling), is a young man living in a small town. At first glance, Lars appears to be normal enough–he is polite and presentable–but as we soon discover, a crucial switch in his head has never flipped and, as a result, he suffers from an extreme case of shyness and isolation. Despite the fact that everyone who knows him adores him, he spends virtually all of his time hunkered down in his garage apartment, while trying to dodge nightly dinner invitations from his well-meaning sister-in-law who lives in the main house with his brother. One night Lars comes to their house to introduce them to his new girlfriend, Bianca, and to ask them if she can stay with them since he and she are deeply religious and don't believe in sex before marriage. They agree. To Lars, Bianca is a beautiful, special woman he can finally open up to; but, in fact, she is a plastic, anatomically correct sex doll purchased on the Internet. If that weren’t strange enough, Lars treats her as though she were a real person–he has conversations with her and even pushes her around in a wheelchair. The fascinating and really sweet aspect of the story is how everyone reacts to Bianca….. what happens when Lars takes Bianca to church, to the local mall, and even to an office party. Won’t tell ‘cause the joy of this movie is experiencing these scenarios and the people's reactions. As time goes on, the relationship between Lars and Bianca changes and evolves in surprising ways before concluding in a unique and heartfelt manner.
Clark
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