Change Your Image
andrewjkd
Reviews
Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008)
Hmm...
Okay, I know at this point Miley Cyrus is probably on the upper hand of morality in comparison to other teen icons. But am I the only one who gets sick of this type of thing? Various companies (in this case Disney) overly promote an up-and-coming teenage singer or actor, sucks the originality out of it, then makes us sick to our stomach with it. During this period of time, millions of preteens look up to them with little puppy dog eyes, then they pull something off that's really dumb, and then look at the example kids look up to. Let's go through teen stars. Hilary Duff is seen occasionally, but look at "Material Girls". Not exactly a movie to be proud of. Jamie Lynn Spears got pregnant at 16. While this is quite common and I'm not saying they're bad people, but they've made mistakes. Next, Lindsay Lohan. Britney Spears. Enough said.
Wasn't there a point when most every one of these stars was Ms. Teen Incredible? Now don't we frown up them? I'm not saying every child star hasn't had a major earth-shattering problem, but these days, aren't more child stars turning into pretentious teens with babies that grew up listening to the same music their parents grew up listening to? I pray every night that in 10 years we won't be watching our kids' icons shave their head and end up in rehab before they can legally drink, but aren't the odds going against them. Is there a parent out there right now that can't be imagining this while they watch this movie?
As for the film itself, I'm not going to say that Miley Cyrus doesn't have a better voice than a large number of celebrity teens that try and start careers with lackluster talent, but is this anything special? I can't help think the same thing with the Jonas Brothers. You've got people like LeAnn Rimes and Jodie Foster that started at least this young an moved on to multi-Grammy and Oscar winning careers. There are few worse things to do than watch wannabe stars parade around pretending they're kings and queens of their worlds. What'll happen when the novelty of these Disney-made stars wears off? They'll never shake that image. 3D special effects were excellent, but the things they effect are so depressing that they're wasted.
I know I'm blunt and agree with the cynical speculators that question what'll happen to these kids, but I can't apologize for what I think.
The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)
Intriguing
I must admit, I had never seen any version of an Edgar Allan Poe work. I had not taken as much interest in the subject at school, when we read "The Black Cat", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Fall of the House of Usher". Each was eerie and haunting in its own way. But I never payed much interest in the creepy Poe-like stories. Then I stumbled on this film version when I was on the Internet. It was available via Google Video, and, as I had nothing else to do, I spent 15 minutes watching it. And I was very impressed. The film captures the very essence of all Poe's work. His theme of insanity is excellently illustrated. Live burial, a signature Poe plot line, is illustrated also.
The film takes into account the original story, but makes it its own. A few minor points of interest were changed. Main character Roderick Usher, lives in the frightening house with his wife Madeline. This was changed from the original story, as in the original story Roderick and Madeline were brother and sister. In the original story, Roderick was portrayed as a raving madman, while in this film Roderick more or less trapped by his fears as opposed to insanity. Madeline is a very convincing, creepy character in her own right.
The special effects, very impressive for the time period, pervert the main point of interest enough to brace yourself and keep you guessing. Various scenes are perverted in dimension and angle for added horror and intrigue. Most of the movie features the plot line in the center, with either a never-ending staircase or tall pile of books on either side. The musical playing in the background was skillfully composed and performed. It has an eerie, haunting tone.
This film is a not-miss for anyone who enjoys horror films, and Poe in general.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
A beautiful cinematic achievement
Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle, an unusual but beautiful girl, who goes in search of her inventor father and comes across a mysterious castle. She enters the castle in search of her father, to discover it is occupied by a beast. She becomes his prisoner. The beast is loveless and thankless, but she soon begins to fall in love with him, and he with her. The film's end is happy, satisfying, and inspiring, showing what the power of love can do.
Beauty and the Beast is a charming story of love and magic. It features lovely music. Songs like "Beauty and the Beast", "Be Our Guest", and "Belle" are catchy and fun to listen to. It features first-class characters: the quirky Belle; Gaston, the hateful attractive villain; the Beast, a character one can't help but feels sorry for; the enchanted objects - Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere, characters that bring a lighthearted quality to the movie. Beauty and the Beast also features excellent executed animation. It isn't hard to tell all the talent, the sweat, and the heart that was put in this film. The ballroom sequence, and the sequence that shows when the beast becomes human are among the most outstanding animated sequences in recent cinema.
Beauty and the Beast is great in another aspect: it's ageless. Although it appears to be a children-oriented film, it doesn't take much for an adult to find it extraordinarily appealing. It's a fabulous film for the whole family to watch and enjoy.
When I first saw Beauty and the Beast, I fell in love with it. It's a beautiful tale, an engaging musical, and wonderful fable of romance. One of the greatest examples of traditional animation in recent years, it will go down in history with other beautiful Disney masterpieces, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, and Cinderella.