Monday 19 April 2010

(500) Films of Empire - Day 214

190 - Big - 3 stars
Who didn't fantasise about this scenario when they were a kid? Although I would have preffered to have the Weird Science story become reality myself.
The film of a young boy waking up one day to find that he's 'big', works thanks to Tom Hanks who convincingly portrays the childlike enthusiasm trapped within the older body, but also shows the pain (witness the tears of fear he feels on his first night alone in NYC).
It balances the initial highs of life as an adult whilst still highlighting the need for childhood.
Most famous for the piano sequence, which never fails to raise a smile. Also one of the movie collectables that I would love to have in my flat would be the Zoltar Speaks machine.
Now I don't want to put a downer on the review but it occured to me that at one point a 13 year old boy has a sexual relationship with a woman, albeit while he is in the body of a 30 year old man. I'm just wondering what the reaction would have been if it had been a 13 year old girl involved with a 30 year old man?

350 - Planet Of The Apes - 3 stars
Boy this has dated a lot... but still better than Tim Burton's 're-imagining'. One of the definitive movie twists but I always preferred The Simpsons version.

68 - Annie Hall - 5 stars
Another film that I had only seen clips from '100 Greatest Comedies', etc. For me this is the ultimate Woody Allen film, a perfect blend of everything that makes his movies great; New York, Woody's sense of humour, Diane Keaton, etc.
I loved the use of breaking the fourth wall and Woody's conversing with the audience in an attempt to understand the situation which is so familiar to many of us.
The ending is realistic and non-Hollywood yet offers some hope in the form of Allen's character writing a play based on the relationship with a happy ending.
How could I not love this film? Because without it, I wouldn't have had two of my all-time favourite rom-coms When Harry Met Sally and (500) Days Of Summer, both of which are heavily influenced by Annie Hall.

Days remaining - 151 Films remaining - 192

1 comment:

  1. Hey hey, good to see a fellow daily blogger in the 'deen! :)

    ReplyDelete