Stop-Motion Animation Projects 2011-2015

Selected stop-motion animation projects I created from 2011-2015.

Movie Review- Run Lola Run

Originally written 1/24/16

Run Lola Run  is a fast-paced, blood-pumping action thriller with a smart and inventive story. The butterfly effect element that occurs throughout the film adds a nice element of depth that keeps the razor-thin plot from feeling flimsy. The enthralling, pulse-pounding techno score further accentuates the high-speed tension of the film. I like the fantastical elements throughout the story. You do not see that often in American films, so it is a welcome breath of fresh air. This is also one of the few instances where music video style editing works. That kind of stylization must be fully embraced with a purpose to work well. The film uses it excellently to get you caught up in the mad-dash frenzy. This is definitely a film worth checking out.

Movie Review- Dope

Originally written 1/22/16

            Dope has a lot of good things going for it, but is held back by an overstuffed mish-mash plot. There are three different movies going on here, a raunchy teen comedy, a coming-of-age drama, and a crime thriller. As a whole, these three stories diminish the impact each could have had individually. The teen comedy aspect feels out of place with the film's serious moments. Both work fine by themselves, but as a whole film they do not coalesce together well. It's hard to get invested in serious coming-of-age drama when the movie spends the first half as a raunchy comedy.

            The movie gets so lost in its multiple twists that it seems to forget that its main characters are nerds. The movie largely eschew geeky humor save for repeated references to bitcoin. In an attempt to be relevant and "real" to today's teens there are of course memes and MDMA, references that will age as poorly as all other timely references in teen movies do.  I would have like the movie to either pursue that comedic route further or play it straight. And to avoid the meme references altogether. You can still have funny, relatable characters without delving into flat-out comedy as the movie occasionally does. The three lead actors are all incredibly charming and have good screen chemistry. They could have easily carried the film as a complete drama. Their performances are the anchor that keeps the movie from capsizing. 

            The washed-out Instagram filter looking cinematography gorgeously captures disenfranchised urban California. Even if you can't relate to the youth of today, there are at least pretty shots to look at on screen. The trendy-ass thrift store chic costume design is admittedly nice to look at as well. I am not a fan of the music video style editing in the party scenes. The constant frame rate ramping in those scenes made me think of the drugged out dance scene from Cruising. Music video style editing almost never works, especially when it is done just to look cool.

            One minor thing: The main characters have a punk band called "Oreo". (Get it? Because they're white on the inside. What a dumb pun. Only a teenage garage band would think that was a funny band name.) Apparently Pharrell Williams produced the soundtrack, and his influence is painfully apparent. Oreo is the most vanilla, sanitized car commercial sounding punk band I have ever heard. I like Pharrell's music, but punk rock he is not. The fact that clearly established music geeks would consider their music punk is hilariously dumb.

            Despite its flaws, I still enjoyed Dope. I appreciate the ambition of the movie's twisty story. I like that it is teen movie for poor kids and minorities who are otherwise nonexistent in John Hughes type movies. It is a good step forward for diversity. I hope the three leads get more roles, they were all very likable. Plus the cinematography is pretty and the end credits are done like Pop-Up Video. It has its moments.

Movie Review- Curse of Frankenstein

Originally written 1/18/16

            Curse of Frankenstein is more of a study of Dr. Frankenstein than anything to do with the monster. I appreciate the direction Hammer took with their remake. Rather than retell the same story, the movie instead follows Victor Frankenstein as he slowly descends into villainy as he pursues his dream of reanimating the dead. For a horror movie, Frankenstein's descent into evil is told with excellent care. In a drama it would be a bit too obviously telegraphed, but in comparison to other Frankenstein movies it is graceful. Peter Cushing gives the best performance of his career as Frankenstein. He never delves into camp, convincingly portraying his character's decline into wretchedness. The gothic set design and period costumes are great, as well. I do not care for that era's aesthetics and I was still impressed.  

            While I was pleased with the film's overall quality, the character study did not click with me. A Frankenstein movie really needs more than five minutes of the monster. I was not a fan of the look they chose for the monster, either. The clammy mod rocker look they went with cannot beat the classic Karloff makeup. For the niche audience that likes horror remakes with an emphasis on character study, this is a great film. It is certainly better than the subgenre's sole other offering, the 2003 Willard remake with Crispin Glover. Curse of Frankenstein is slow and talky, and has that staged feel that many older movies have. I know that vibe appeals to some people, but it was not for me.

Movie Review- Westworld

Originally written 1/17/16

            In Westworld, Michael Crichton tries out the "theme park gone awry" story he would eventually revisit with Jurassic Park, but he doesn't quite hit the mark. I appreciate what the film is trying to do, which is basically Jurassic Park with a robot cowboy, but the execution is clumsy. Despite its short runtime, Westworld takes its own sweet time before anything happens. In the meantime, we are subjected to run-of-the-mill cowboy hijinks. This is intercut with the slow revelation that there is a computer virus spreading through the robots in the theme park, causing them to go haywire. This could have been a suspenseful series of scenes, but this information is largely revealed from scientists standing around and talking, which is incredibly boring to watch.

            It is not even necessary to have an explanation as to why the gunslinger robot goes haywire. Electronics go haywire all the time, that is as much of an explanation as you need. (As a side note, this movie came out before the idea of a computer virus was something the average viewer would not have been familiar with. Hearing the scientists explain the logistics of a computer virus without ever actually saying "computer virus" is weirdly amusing, like watching one of those old "How to install the internet" instructional videos.) Yul Brenner is excellently intimidating as the gunslinger robot, but he does not get nearly enough screen time. The idea for WestWorld is neat, but it just does not work. Jurassic Park is a much better exploration of the same plot and themes. 

Movie Review- Ant-Man

Originally written 1/16/16

Ant-Man is the weakest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, except for perhaps Iron Man 2. Even Guardians of the Galaxy, which I hated, was at least memorably bad. Ant-Man is forgettable. To me, the worst impression a movie can leave is none at all. ­Ant-Man is a phoned-in effort at salvaging whatever Edgar Wright was working on before Disney gave him the boot.

            The positive reviews I have read for Ant-Man all cite Paul Rudd's performance as the part they liked. I guess likability is subjective. I thought he was an ass and not a sympathetic hero. His motive of wanting to see his daughter again felt manipulative and insincere due to Rudd's lack of charm. For a movie touting itself as Marvel's next "funny" movie after Guardians, there is a dearth of actual jokes. Just weak attempts at banter and mugging at the camera that felt like sitcom material. The "It's a Small World After All" and "Tales to Astonish" gags are stupid, club-footed references that don't gel well with the movie. It is irritatingly blatant fanservice.

            The product placement in the movie is incredibly painful. Seeing Ant-Man work at a Baskin-Robbins does not make me want to buy there ice cream any more than I already did. If they didn't constantly call attention to the fact that Ant-Man works at Baskin-Robbins it would have felt more naturally integrated and would not have bothered me so much. The Lifesavers product placement and Siri "Disintegration" joke were equally dumb and took me out of the film.

            The special effects in Ant-Man are heavily stylized and cartoony like Sin City, but the giant environments feel uninspired and are not as captivating as they should have been. The creative team really missed the opportunity to showcase some inventive and stunning environments. I should be feeling a sense of wonder getting to see the world from the scale of an ant, not a hollow feeling that I could be spending my time doing something more productive than watching Ant-Man. It doesn't help that ants are generally repulsive insects, and constantly seeing them in giants swarms made my skin crawl. I am pretty sure Marvel wanted the ants to be endearing, but I was experiencing flashbacks to Them!

            The Falcon cameo/fight scene is the closest the movie came to having any fun, and the only scene that felt like something from the comics. It's fun to see the Marvel characters crossing over into each other's movies now, just like it happens in the comics. All it took was eight straight years of superhero movies. Much like the rest of the MCU, Ant-Man is forced to fall in line with the tone and continuity of the franchise, much to the detriment of the film's potential. The movie feels mechanical and insincere when it should have been exhilarating and funny. If you want a good "people get shrunken" movie, go watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids instead. At least the ant is endearing in that movie. 

Movie Review- Merantau

Originally written 1/13/16

Merantau is the first feature film from the director of The Raid: Redemption. It is not quite as brutal or snappy as The Raid, but the film has an enjoyable kinetic energy. The movie is feels like a late 80's/early 90's VHS import kung-fu movie, due to the low budget and hammy acting. The fight choreography is definitely on par with the fight scenes in both of the Raid films. The movie is nice-looking given the budget. There are lots of striking neon colors that remind me of Punisher: War Zone. If you like martial arts movies, this is definitely worth checking out.

Movie Review- Jason and the Argonauts

Originally written 1/8/16

Out of the famous Ray Harryhausen movies, I think I liked The 7th Voyage of Sinbad the most. The express purpose of this movie, like Sinbad, is fantastical escapist entertainment. Jason and the Argonauts is not as thrills-a-minute as Sinbad, therefore many of the plot and character flaws of the film become quite glaring. More action scenes or less standing around and talking could have glossed over these flaws. However, the stop-motion monsters are still great, and the climactic skeleton fight scene still stuns even after 53 years. While not nearly as fun as Sinbad, there are still plenty of memorable scenes that make Jason worth watching. 

Movie Review- Dog Day Afternoon

Originally written 1/6/16

            I know Dog Day Afternoon is a classic, but I could just not get in to it. It was really well-made and well-acted, there is no denying that. This was just not my cup of tea. I am not a big dramatic films that glorified showcases for actors. I can tell bad acting from good acting, but I cannot tell good acting from Oscar-worthy acting. Most of Pacino's scenes feel like they are there to let him show off his acting skills, rather than because they were completely necessary to the story. It feels forced. The ending is predictable if you know anything about how hostage situations always turn out, or if you were at all familiar with the real-life events on which this film is based, but there is still enough suspense to be engaging.

            I think the film feels dated, too. Pacino uses the civil unrest of the time to rally the crowd into thinking he is some sort of counterculture hero. I think the unrest that he was tapping into probably had more relevance in 1976 than it does forty-one years later, like when Pacino starts screaming "Attica!" to fire up the onlookers. I had to pause the movie and Google what he was referring to. On the plus side, the movie is gorgeously gritty-looking. I love the look of gritty urban 70's-80's films, so if that particular look appeals to you, Dog Day Afternoon has plenty of excellent scenery. 

Movie Review- Time After Time

Originally written 1/4/16

            Time After Time is a neat concept for a movie that satisfactorily delivers. If you ever wanted to see H.G. Wells chase Jack the Ripper through time to disco-era San Francisco, this is the movie for you. It is unusual to see historical figures appearing in fictional works outside of the historical fiction genre. The movie thankfully avoids most fish-out-of-water clichés, opting for more of a thriller approach. There are still some dumb jokes where Wells does not understand something modern, but these jokes are few and far between. McDowell is suitably charming as Wells, playing a more reserved approach as an optimistically curious type, rather than the more obvious route of dumbfounded reactions to various modern things.  The romantic aspect of the film is a bit too sappy for my taste, but the two leads have good screen chemistry, so it is not insufferable. From a technical aspect movie is competently made. Nothing iconic or stunning, but definitely an enjoyable film. 

Movie Review- Inception

Originally written 1/3/16

            I had not seen Inception since it originally hit home video, and I was hoping it would still hold up. I did not enjoy the last few Nolan films I had seen since then, and I was unsure if it was as good of a movie as I remembered it being. But the man, the myth, the meme actually hit one out of the park with Inception.

            In a market saturated with remakes and sequels, it is nice to see a fresh idea that delivers on its promises. Inception is taut despite its lengthy runtime, and enjoyably cerebral while still packing in excitement and action. It is rare to see a movie so intricately thought out, and one that asks the audience to keep their brain turned on. If there is any fault with the movie, it would be that it is extremely talky. There are some excellent uses of visual storytelling throughout, but I cannot help but feel that the movie could have communicated some of the exposition visually.

            Inception is a marvel. It is a big budget studio film that is unpredictable, smart, and challenging. The visuals are unique and the action scenes are coherently shot. It is an excellent story told in an excellent manner. If you have not seen it yet, I would highly recommend doing so.

Movie Review- My Cousin Vinny

Originally written 1/2/2016

            My Cousin Vinny is half courtroom movie, half cruddy fish-out-of-water comedy. It could have (and should have) been cut down to an April Fool's Day comedic episode of Law & Order. Anything other than the courtroom scenes is painful to sit through. That horrible "comedic" misunderstanding trope I hate is back again from Enemy of the State. The movie could not have progressed if it were not for the dumb misunderstanding. If only Ralph Macchio could have elaborated his situation to the police, we might have been spared from this movie. There's also a strange overuse of Dutch angles in the first act of the film, but only in the first act. I cannot fathom why the director decided to do this.

            The rest of the movie's jokes are variations on "Haw-haw, Joe Pesci is a stereotypical Yankee in a stereotypical southern town". There is a joke in which a short order cook explains to Joes Pesci at great length how to make grits. Comedy gold, I tell ya. The courtroom scenes are well done, at least comparatively to the rest of the film. The pacing and beats are still super Hollywood and predictable, but the performances save the day. It is a rare instance where good actors can save an otherwise dull script. Somehow the combined powers of Joe Pesci, Marissa Tomei, and Herman Munster work together to create a genuinely funny third act. My Cousin Vinny is half of a good movie, but the half that works does so satisfactorily.

Movie Review- Pulse (2001)

Originally written 1/1/2016

            Pulse is another atmospheric entry in the J-Horror genre. It has an interesting message of "The internet isolates us, just like ghosts are isolated from each other". Apparently ghosts got so lonely the flooded the world in a ghostpocalypse. I would be interested to see this idea used again in the context social media and its potentially harmful effects. There is some definitely creepy imagery and scenes in the film, such as when that guy appears out of a wall stain. The atmosphere of the film is superb. The scenery is largely comprised of eerie, desolate industrial locales, and it is very unnerving. There is an odd visual motif of red tape used throughout the film, although I suspect it might be a cultural thing that was lost on me as an American viewer. The movie starts to drag towards the end, and could have benefitted from being slightly shorter. Otherwise, this is a decent ghost movie with some memorably freaky scenes.

Movie Review- Enemy of the State

Originally written 12/30/15

Enemy of the State is a high-tech thriller that starts off promising but continually pushes suspension of disbelief to its breaking point. The movie was certainly ahead of its time with the NSA espionage elements, but that does not give it a free pass. Will Smith is a great lead as always, but his character is not particularly interesting. It becomes harder and harder to believe that a family man lawyer could evade government agents for as long as he did. Gene Hackman phones it in as a generic grumpy old man, which is a shame because he has played the grumpy old man character with a much more enjoyable zeal in other films. Enemy of the State also features every single geek character actor from the 1990's. If you have ever wanted to see Jamie Kennedy, Seth Green, and Jack Black sit in front of computers together, this is the movie for you. 

The rest of the movie was already highly improbable, but the ending is a trope that I do not care for due to how unrealistic it feels. It is the "Comical misunderstanding because neither party will use specific details when speaking" trope. The cliché is usually played for laughs in comedy films, but here it is played seriously, making it even harder to believe. The film is passable entertainment with more brains than the usual Bruckheimer production, but there are still too many Hollywood trappings that keep it from being great.

Movie Review- The 7th Voyage of Sinbad

Originally written 12/29/15

            The 7th Voyage of Sinbad made me feel like an old-timey little kid watching adventure serials. The movie has the same spirit as Star Wars, pure pop escapist fun. Brawny heroes, fawning dames, evil wizards, and giant monsters. The exotic mythical locales are gorgeously shot in loud, Mario Bava-level colors that have that fantastic Technicolor pop. The special effects are absolutely fantastic for 1958. Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion monsters filled me with unparalleled joy. All the action scenes are fantastic cinematic spectacle. It is very easy to get swept up in the childlike excitement of the film.

            As thrilling and engaging as the movie is, Sinbad is spectacle first and everything else second. The acting is hokey and the story expects audience involvement based on the hero's goals alone, not the charm or personality of the character. But ultimately those are trivial complaints, because it is not the film's intent. It is a fine piece of self-insert wish fulfillment. Sinbad is the blank slate clean-cut good guy so we can vicariously partake in his perilous adventures. Who cares about character arcs and the nuances of acting when there are skeletons to swordfight? 

Movie Review- The House by the Cemetery

Originally written 12/28/15

            The House by the Cemetery is best when it is indulging in ethereal ambiance. The titular house is eerie and shadowy and nicely photographed. It reminds me of Phantasm and Let's Scare Jessica to Death; they all have an ominous, foreboding dreamlike atmosphere. Unfortunately, the dreamy, haunting visuals are offset by a weak story, weak acting, and gratuitous violence. This is a visuals-first movie, so the story is not treated with much importance, but the brief attempts at a plot are nonsensical. There are ghosts and also a mad scientist who eats people to live forever or something. The screenwriter clearly did not give a damn, and it is best to share that attitude to enjoy the film. As is typical with old Italian horror movies, the dubbing is awkward at best. In particular, the dubbing for the child actors in the film is hilariously atrocious.

            I know this is a Lucio Fulci film, but the violence here is truly gratuitous. He revels in gory visuals for far too long. After a while, it stops being shocking and becomes plainly disgusting. Had he chosen some restraint and cut away from the carnage at times, perhaps the violence would have had more impact than a shameless display of corn syrup blood and fake body parts.

            If you are familiar with exploitation movies and their various shortcomings, there is some value to be had in The House by the Cemetery. The visuals are truly creepy, and there are some genuinely suspenseful scenes throughout. There are also a number of campy elements in the film, such as the ridiculously cheesy bat attack scene, that are definitely amusing if you enjoy that sort of thing.  There are parts of a good movie buried within the walls of the house if you're willing to look for them.

Movie Review- The Watcher in the Woods

Originally written 12/27/15

The Watcher in the Woods is a largely forgettable affair that is only memorable for being one of the few horror films ever directly produced by Disney. The movie is thankfully short and well-paced. A girl investigates the death of the landlord's daughter, and there are mildly spooky goings-on as she tries to solve the mystery. There are some decent atmospheric visuals occasionally throughout. I appreciate that there was at least an attempt at trying to make the film creepy. The story certainly wasn't doing it. The ending is some lunacy about solar eclipses and possession by interdimensional aliens, which comes out of nowhere and is hopelessly confusing. Apparently there were multiple endings shot, but I do not see how a different ending could save the film. It was already dead by the time the ending rolls around. The Watcher in the Woods seems to be targeted to a tween audience, but I do not think that tweens in 1980 would have enjoyed  it anymore than I did in 2015. It is an unusual but somehow milquetoast Disney outing that doesn't need to be watched.

Movie Review- The Abominable Dr. Phibes

Originally written 12/23/15

            The Abominable Dr. Phibes is an outlandish and campy movie. It is extremely colorful and brightly lit for a horror movie. It feels as though the 1966 Batman TV series was an influence in terms of the film's absurdity and vivid art direction. It was an interesting choice to give Vincent Price almost no dialog, especially since his voice is so iconic. His character is a mute who speaks through a modified gramophone like an electrolarynx (This movie is really weird, you guys).  Even odder is that his character has minimal screen time despite being the title character.

            When the film is not following Price around his villainous art deco lair, the movie plays out as more of a mystery film. A detective and the police force solve the mystery of a series of bizarre murders (Spoiler Alert: It was Phibes), and then stop him before he can kill again. The murders have an inventive, if not contrived, biblical plague motif. There are attacks with giant bats, hail, rats, and so on and so forth. The film's climax plays out like a precursor to the Saw traps, and is a graciously intense finish to an otherwise underwhelming film.

            There are many interesting ideas going on in Dr. Phibes. So many interesting ideas, in fact, that they feel crammed at times and can never fully coalesce. The police mystery parts of the movie are unremarkable and dull, and most of the biblical plague murders are more goofy than suspenseful. I still admire the creativity at play in the film, even the movie cannot quite decide what it wants to do with all its ideas. If you are looking for a horror film with a campy visual flair, or are just in it for the weirdness at play, this movie is worth checking out.

Movie Review- Borat

Originally written 12/22/15

            Borat goes for shock value over humor. The actual jokes in the movie are also heavy on offensive and/or gross-out material. I was not offended. The jokes are too dumb to be offensive. I was grossed out, however, so the movie at least accomplished its meager goal. The movie as a whole has not aged particularly well. The oversaturation of hidden-camera prank TV shows and YouTube channels has really reduced the novelty of the film. Although even for 2006, this was hardly more than a souped-up version of Jackass. Sacha Baron Cohen is great as the character in terms of performance, even if the material he had to work with was tasteless and lowbrow. The only truly funny scene in the film (and honestly it is more of a shock value laugh) is the naked fight scene. You know your movie is a dud when the high point is a naked fat man running through a crowded room. 

Movie Review- Harold and Maude

Originally written 12/19/15

            Successful enjoyment of Harold and Maude hinges on the viewer finding the characters' relationship charming rather than creepy, much like Lars and the Real Girl. While not as creepy as Lars and the Real Girl, the romance of Harold and Maude is hardly charming. The movie also relies on the viewer having a high tolerance for Cat Stevens, as his music comprises the film's soundtrack. I am not a fan of Stevens' music, and this slowly wore down my enjoyment of the film over time. It does not help that Harold is a difficult character to get invested in; he is a moody putz who looks like a Chucky doll, and it is hard to feel any sympathy or interest in his search for love.

            I appreciate the film's audacity to be different. It is quite unlike any other movie from the 1970's, both in tone and subject matter. The offbeat vibe of the film feels more at home with the modern indie comedy. The film has a dark sense of humor that is occasionally more off-putting than funny, but it is a sense of humor wholly unlike anything else from the era. The film does have some genuinely funny parts, such as Harold's one-armed uncle and the scene where Harold's mother starts filling out a dating profile for him. Unfortunately, if you cannot get invested in the titular romance, that is as far as the laughs go.

            A comedy's ultimate goal is to produce laughter, and for me, Harold and Maude did not solicit but a few sharp exhales trying to form a chuckle. I like the look of the film, especially the cinematography and the costume design. I like the strange vibe of the film, and its unusualness. Even though Harold is a hard character to like, he and Maude have good screen chemistry. I just did not find the film funny. As a gross oversimplification, it is a romantic comedy repackaged with a gallows sense of humor. If that sounds appealing to you, it might be worth watching. Personally, I was not a fan.

Movie Review- Requiem for a Dream

Originally written 12/18/15

            Terrifying, soul-crushing, beautiful. It is just gut-wrenching to watch people's lives spiral downwards like that. Strange to see Marlon Wayans in a dramatic role, but he was great. I don't normally care for music video style editing, but it works excellently here. The drug use scenes are like a sick twist on Edgar Wright's fast cut sequences. It magnificently captures the carefree dream turned nightmare feeling of the film. The score is haunting and fits the film perfectly. The film is powerful without feeling manipulative. It is a hard movie to watch, but I would highly recommend it.

Movie Review- Dark City

Originally Written 12/12/15

            I feel like Dark City's concept would have worked better as a novel. The idea of aliens manipulating a city trapped in space and constantly rewriting the memories of the inhabitants is too wordy and exposition-heavy to work well as a movie. Nevertheless, the visuals of the movie are excellent. Alex Proyas also directed The Crow, and brings with him his heavily stylized visuals. He decided to stop aping Tim Burton this time, and instead went for a retro-futuristic 1940's film noir look. There lots of striking greens and blues throughout, and they look fantastic. Unfortunately Proyas could not completely shake off his goth phase, and as such the alien villains look like wannabe vampire goth kids in fedoras and Cenobite clothes. There is also one alien who is a child, and this is supposed to be creepy, but it is more comical than anything.

            The editing in this movie is an eyesore. Proyas must have developed ADD in the editing room, because he cannot seem to hold onto a shot more than two seconds. The constant cutting kills the potential suspense of several scenes, and leads to some difficult to follow action scenes. I wish he would have held on to shots longer to give the viewer time to absorb the film's striking visuals.

            Keifer Sutherland's character is extremely irritating. He plays an asthmatic scientist who works for the aliens. He literally takes a deep breath between every sentence. It reminds me of the wheelchair-bound kid Stevie from Malcolm in the Middle. The filmmakers also decided to give most of the expository lines to Sutherland, making it very difficult to keep up with the film's dense details in between his raspy breaths.

            The ending was very disappointing. There's a psychic mind battle between the hero and villain, which basically amounts to close-ups of the actors grimacing intercut with things exploding, as if they were destroying things with their minds. It is a really lame ending to a film that had had inventive visuals, like the city restructuring scenes.

            I saw the theatrical cut of the film, which according to fans is apparently inferior to the director's cut. I do not see how it could fix the problems I had with the movie. That being said, there is still much to like about the film. The visuals and production design are unique, and a big improvement over the visuals in The Crow. And while I think there was too much exposition, the story is still inventive and has plenty of interesting ideas. Dark City is flawed, but it is still worth watching if you are a big fan of science fiction films.

Movie Review- Witches of Eastwick

Originally written 12/10/15

            Witches of Eastwick reminds me of Death Becomes Her. Both are female-driven supernatural dark comedies with a very similar zany tone. However, Witches of Eastwick is not nearly as funny as Death Becomes Her. The three lead actresses do great with the material they are given, and are the only thing that keeps the movie from being completely unwatchable. Jack Nicholson completely kills the film for me. His character and performance are utterly repulsive, and not even in a "love to hate him" kind of way. He's supposed to be alluring and charismatic, but he is not at all in the least. Even if he was meant to be perceived as more of a comedic scoundrel type character, it does not work because he is so utterly repugnant. The movie also indulges in wholly unnecessary gross-out humor that doesn't fit well with the rest of the film. I don't think anyone finds projectile vomiting amusing, but clearly the filmmakers did.

            Visually the film is extremely cinematic, with flashy angles and illustrious wide shots. For a story that's relatively low-key in scope, the visuals are unfittingly epic at times. Director George Miller (who also helmed the Mad Max films) really loves sweeping, grand visuals in his movies, but they are very unfitting with the tone of the movie.

            It's a shame this movie was so bad. Female-driven films are an unfortunate rarity, and the lead actresses were all great. I normally like Jack Nicholson too, but this is easily one of his worst performances. The story is all over the place, too. It feels like there was a lot of material lost in the adaptation process from novel to film. The ending is atrociously sloppy and hokey, too. I really wanted to like this movie, but unfortunately a good cast cannot save an unfocused story and unfunny material.