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hallowShade
Reviews
Supernatural (2005)
Worth the time
I'll start reviewing the title by saying that, until Supernatural, I wasn't what people would call "a fan of the type", but rather the opposite. And perhaps this is the only ghost story that I will ever watch with such a great interest.
First thing that caught my eye, since I'm a girl, was, obviously, Dean Winchester, whose looks can't let anyone down. So the premise was: pretty brothers get back together driven by the same motive, although their personalities are completely mismatch. Pump it up with some action, ghost busting kind of thing, and you get a show, regular, the kind of thing you would watch when you get bored. But it wasn't the case, and what came, I didn't expect. I watched through the first season, and as the plot developed, I saw I had my premises wrong. Very wrong.
The characters are likable and quite realistic, and I soon came to realize that, leaving aside the adrenaline-pumped action, it was a story that went deeper than just that. Their motives are one unique feature. While most characters have "heroic" reasons, like responsibillity, duty, Sam and his father are driven by revenge, while Dean is the so called "perfect soldier", whose main motives are to keep his family safe. At some points the story is so impressive that it literally brings tears to your eyes. Then there are the witty replies and funny moments that break off the tension, as if the show itself told you not to take it too seriously. At this chapter is worth mentioning Dean's funny monologue in the episode "Yellow Fever".
Although this may sound incredible, but I found certain similarities between Supernatural and another show I really enjoy: House M.D. They both are basically about solving cases; both of them have similar structure: they start off by showing what's wrong and where, the intro, then the "team" that tries to solve the case. But Supernatural brings an extra sense of humanity,that I have rarely see in the movie industry.
All in all, I give this a whole-heartedly 10, and that's only because they made the scale go so little.
Wuthering Heights (2009)
Wuthering Heights and its best adaptation
I'm hardly ever thankful with book adaptations, because they hardly ever match the beauty of reading this book, and after having my dreams smashed with "Eragon"'s adaptation I had almost lost hope in movies of this type.
At first, I felt reluctant to watch "Wuthering Heights", because I didn't want to see one of my favorite books mocked in a Hollywood making. It had kind of a sloppy start, and I was almost ready to stop watching, when I saw Heathcliff. He was as close as he could get to what I thought he looked like, and this kept me watching. The story was different, of course, but these differences aren't bothering, on the contrary, many of them add some flavor.
Emily Bronte wrote a book that can hardly be translated into moving picture, since the complexity of the characters, and the bond between Cathy and Heathcliff goes so deep beyond love, up to a point that it isn't a love story anymore. But they managed to surpass that. At least Heathcliff's actor is beyond great, since he honored what I believe to be one of the most complex characters in literature. He shows accurate enough his character, his sufferings, his emotions; at times, he's ugly, other times, he looks perfect, he's awkward, he's diabolical, he's ironic, strong, weak, in pain, loving and ignorant. The storyline keeps to the book, as much as possible, but I wish they could make a better Cathy, and emphasize on their bond, not as a love story, but as a longing story.
The only flaws I've seen is that they made a bit too physical contact, and that they skipped some scenes, like Heathcliff's departure, or their moment together before she dies. But all in all, it's a really good adaptation, best I've seen since The Lord of the Rings. Despite its flaws, it gets a whole-hearted 10.
It even ended as I imagined! (SPOILER!) With their ghosts seen at the windows of Wuthering Heights, finally together. You don't get this comfort in the book!
Avatar (2009)
Sumptuous, superb.
Cameron's latest piece of work is what some would call a moving piece of art, imaginatively brought to life by the best technology available. I find it to be extremely interesting from several points of view, and the first thing I said after watching it was: "Wow!..."
First, and the feature that jumps into thought is the imagery. Viewing this movie is like watching an ever-changing work of art. The colors, the creativity, everything! They create a surreal world, dream-like, phantasms form corners of imagination, which you only half remember, pictured in very deep and vibrant colors. At some point, the exotic feeling seems to be too much, and the visual impact of the movie is so great, that only one word can be spelled: pompousness. But instead of being overrated, the whole thing is even more luring, this is the beauty of it. Even the Na'vi, although I am completely unaware how they are created, seem to be more expressive than the humans!
Blockbuster? No, a lot more than that. The film brings up a lot of history, digs up a lot of forgotten wounds, in American history. The Na'vi are a sad reminder of the indigenous population of America, and they also are somewhat alike. During the movie are some scenes, that, surpassing the usual love story, have a deep meaning. I must confess, that several feelings, such as loss, were pictured so beautifully, that I found myself crying. And Cameron's biggest move was to make the Na'vi more human than us, and to turn us into oppressive tyrants in a rightful manner.
All in all, Avatar is not only a blockbuster movie, but a luxurious piece of imagination, though, perhaps Cameron ought to have remembered the strength and the depth of simplicity in some scenes. Because simplicity is the last word to describe this film.