Chloe and Theo (2015): Canada, Hollywood

The global warming theme on a smaller scale.

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 3-minute read.

Review:

     An independent film about a man from the Arctic who is sent by his elders to the New York City to seek a permanent solution they are facing due to the assault on the nature by the southern people. I have heard it was based on the real, but for the lack of source I can't confirm how much true it is. For the voices over the global warming and considering recently concluded 'climate change conference' in Paris, I thought giving it a try would uplift my spirit on this matter.

     Definitely a good idea for a film, a serious theme, even though it did not turn out to be as I hoped for, had a little fun watching it. A short film, not even exceeded the 80 minute mark. Since it was a low profile flick, there's no big casting or the grand spending for making it, but merely an alright film. It was dull in parts due to the stretch, otherwise could have made it a fantastic short film. And a bit it looks like a cross of documentary and feature film in the narration part.

 Life is so full of difficulties. But in my homeland, our sense of family bond us together. Like a warm coat against the cold wind. 
     What I think about the movie is, it was not bad, as well as brilliant. Very predictable, especially the end went as I expected, that's sad. But a couple of scenes in the entire film were somewhat out of the ordinary. More like it was for the children that deals on the global warming, but for the adults and their matured minds, it kind of fails to convince due to a shortfall of exploration on the subject.
     You know it only brought the serious topic on-board, but the intention was not given to explain it, or discuss them. So I feel it missed the great opportunity to open up on the debate and spread the message as what a theme like this supposed to do.
     After this I've watched a couple of other movies, but this will be the last review I'm writing on this blog for this year (2015). As a movie fanatic, I had another wonderful year and plenty of excellent films as well as so many bad ones. Finally, I wish all the WCA readers a very happy new year 2016. I'm hoping for another successful year ahead and try to keep the WCA alive utmost.

Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Happy Feet, Big Miracle, the Fox $ the Child, Grizzly Man, Into the Wild, The Hunter.


External Link(s):

         


WCA geolocation:
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Turbo Kid (2015): New Zealand, Canada

Inspired by the comics to defeat an enemy.

Genre:

Action, Adventure, Science Fiction.

Length:

Approximately 5-minute read.

Review:

     It was made in the style of the 80s movie and the story sets in the future, that mean in the late 90s. If your childhood were the 90s, probably you would have seen plenty of the 80s sci-fi films and this one is dedicated to the fans of that era. Kind of semi-superhero movie like 'Super' and 'Defendor'. Other than that this film has nothing to do with 'New Kids Turbo' and its sequel 'Nitro' as I initially presumed it might the third in the series.

     I thought it was a pretty cool flick, so much fun. Sort of replicates the recent 'Mad Max' film, but both the flicks came into the production at a same time and this one is not all about the chasing or even a road flick. So I think it just inspired by the previous trilogy from that franchise, where automobiles are replaced by the BMXes here. Kind of eco-friendly movie!

     As the many post-apocalyptic themes depicted, this one as well prioritised about a regional conflict for the source of water. A territory where a ruthless man controlled it and he kills who pose a threat to his crown. There comes an act of revenge from a boy and a girl along a man who challenge him. Who's going to that win the battle is what the finale of the movie.

 A man never knows how strong he is until being strong is the only choice he has. 

     The first impression was the movie is for all, especially for the kids, but once the action parts begin to take place, my stance has changed. There are no high-end stunts, but too much of blood and gore. Although, nothing was so serious, somehow keeps entertaining and sometimes slightly disgusting, but the momentum was held at a moderate pace throughout the film.

     The character Apple was so sweet and cute who actually lifted the movie's spirit with her funny, bubbly part, but also disappoints to learn the what's her kind is. Pretty much she helped to bring faintly a romantic atmosphere around which I was not expected. A simple story and a simple twist with the good characters and the fine supporting visuals.

     Definitely an above average, but still not that awesome, excepting it is very enjoyable for the first watch. The filmmakers were the quite newcomers, but proved enough with their abilities, under a limited budget to give an acceptable standard flick. If you are okay with the B flicks, then it won't upset you, except you are not familiar with those types. I think it will hit a cult status moving into the next decade and so on among the B movie fans.

Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Mad Max films, Waterworld, The Road, The Book of Eli, Escape from New York.


External Link(s):

         


WCA geolocation:
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Infinitely Polar Bear (2015) Hollywood

About a father and his two little girls who has been there was each other.

Also known as:

Daddy Cool (Europe)

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 7-minute read.

Review:

     Based on the real life events of the director's childhood and it is her first directional film as well. Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana as her onscreen father and mother respectively, while her character as a 12 year old girl was played by her own daughter. I think it was a great team, the mother is the director, the daughter performing under her, the father producing it and it is their story.

     I was worried that this film's going to emotionally hurt me as I'm an easy target to strike with a theme like this as what the synopsis says and the trailer revealed. But I was prepared for that, I wanted to have a tearjerker flick and in the end, I had a great time with it as the fulfillment was way beyond than what I was expected.

     It was the story of a small family, a father and a mother and their two little girls that set in the 1978 Bostan city. Because of the condition of the father, the struggling family whose children are growing up needs a financial support for their better education and care. So the mother decides to sacrifice a few years of hers to go back to college to graduate and get a job. Now its between the father and the girls, how they spend those years together, which will be their worst nightmare as well as the best years of their lives.

 We'll be braver, Daddy. Next time, I promise we'll be braver. 
     It really scared me a few times, because of the temperament of the father character, kids playing with a machete and so on. A wonderful family flick, but only for the adult members. Because of the too much cigarette smoking, I mean Mark Ruffalo smoked almost all in his screen presence and obviously the excessive usage of the foul language is the other reason.

     So it is an R rated flick, but it was so perfect, the 70s atmosphere was spot on. Except the only bothering thing was the children never grew physically, while the cars, clothing style, society, cameras, the timeline has kept changing. But it did not leap extremely forward like a decade or something. That was not a big issue, while the film and its story telling kept the rhythm always on the high. Yep, there's no dull moments, whenever it began to sink under the emotion, repelled back with the same force which is why I hooked all the way. By the way I thought those innocent family sentiments were strongly appealing in a cute manner.

     Now we talk about the roles. Mark Ruffalo definitely deserves an Oscars nomination. But I can't declare the award for him as I have to find out how the other actors performed in their films. This is his best film in a lead I have seen, probably his career best. To me it is this year's version of the last year's JK Simmons performance for the movie 'Whiplash'.

 Our dad is totally polar bear. 

     The other side, Zoe Saldana was as usual in a charming and polite character. As I know she never disappoints her fans. Ruffalo and Saldana are one of the best on screen pair, looked so real, like a real couple. The two little girls were also awesome in their debuting film. The entire movie's focus was these four members, very occasionally outside characters come into play with hardly any lines to deliver. I wondered what is the meaning of the title and if your focus is on, you won't miss the explanation, which was so cute.

     An amazing fusion between the incredible narration and the background score. The tracks (some of them are not OST) as well very good that played till the credits rolled out. I liked 'The Pirate Song' that was written by the director and 'Oogum Boogum' was funny. Many of them I heard for the first time and thinking to grab them for my movie song collection. Overall, it will surely transform your mood by the end of the movie, I mean in a good way.

     Inspiring, yes the film inspires to have our own little family with kids. Especially a perspective of a father and his great responsibility was portrayed tremendously. And also the girls who saved their father from being lost. They stayed for each other and stayed that way as how a parent and his children should be as an example, but in a little harsh human nature.

     It is a rare gem, undoubtedly completely enjoyable. This was one of those that came silently into the productions. The earlier posters were unimpressive and made me stay away, but later, now it turned out one of my favourite flick from the 2015. Obviously movie fanatics loved this heartwarming family drama and I highly recommend it. As usual like I always say, whether you like it or not, but don't miss it.

Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Father of the Bride, I Am Sam, Kramer Vs Kramer, We Bought a Zoo, The Descendant.


External Link(s):

           


WCA geolocation:
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The Little Prince (2015) France

Growing up is not the problem. Forgetting is.

Original title:

Le Petit Prince (French)

Genre:

Animation (3D), Adventure, Fantasy.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.

Review:

     I usually love the French animations, because unlike American, the stories, musics, characters that influences the thousands of year cultural history. Definitely not comparable to the Hollywood standards, but it had its own technical brilliance. All I wondered was why this film was in English language.

     It deserves to be on the upcoming's big occasion (2016 February), if it is eligible for the American Academy Awards. From the director of 'Kung Fu Panda' original movie, which was partially based on the children's novel. The book adaptation is the stop-motion animation and the remaining story's the regular 3D animation.

     Just remember the movies like 'What Dreams May Come' and 'The Lovely Bones', those magical worlds and breathtaking landscapes. Usually animations are associated with comedy genre, especially when a child character attached to it. This film was not even a comedy, more like those two titles I mentioned.

     The screenplay wise it was a very 'Neverwas' type, except this one was an animation. But appropriate for people of all ages. The kids can realise the importance of their childhood and the older people can become kids again. The film compressed the gap and erected a bridge between the two hoods, the childhood and the adulthood.

 What is essential is invisible to the eye.       I did not know what to expect from it, but I highly satisfied with the final product. The film characters had no names, but called, the Little Girl, Mother, Fox, Rose, Snake, King et cetera as what their role is and species. Barely there are only 3-4 characters where the story was focused. Obviously it had a villain, but very unusual existence time and in a crucial part of the story.      I don't remember how the 100 minutes went so fast like a ray of the light beam flashed away. The pace of narration was not a rushy, except the opening part. But once the old man character, the Aviator, voiced by Jeff Bridge was introduced, the movie turned into completely different and awesome. Yes, Jeff Bridge's voice was so good for the background narration.

     This story is about an old man who refused to grow up mentally and believes the existence of the magical stars and planets. The whole neighborhood stayed away from him and his troubles, until a new girl arrives at the next door. The little girl befriends him and falls for all his stories discarding her daily routines, but later it complicates their relationship after her mother finds out what they're up to. What happens to them and how the story concludes is the remaining part.

 She was not a common rose. She was the only one of her kind in the whole universe. 
     This story was finely fused between the reality and fantasy. Most essential storyline for the present world. In the name of education how the children were enforced by their parents to mechanical life with less time to play out and make their own friends. Especially as they were lacking the creativity to make up their own fictional worlds with their toys like the kids from a century ago were.

     It might psychologically affect their characters while becoming an adult like the Aviator in this film, but as one of lines from the movie say 'Growing up is not the problem. Forgetting is', the children are losing their innocence over the adult's reality world. Who knows, someday those kids may become the greatest writer inspired by their childhood days.

     If you ask me, I strongly recommend it for all. It is very encouraging film for the parents how not to raise their children and for the grown ups how not to get lost is the adult world. Most elegant flick of the year, along with a very few others.

     You don't have to ignore it because you have read the book, like I said it was not completely borrowed from the original material. Instead, two-third of the film was freshly established out of the same name masterpiece. I'm not familiar with the book, so I've no thoughts that differentiate between these two formats. But definitely the film deserved all the appreciation from critics and movie fanatics.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Coraline, Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells, The Day of the Crows.


External Link(s):

           


WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in