Atuatucorum Reviews

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

A gem!

[9/10 · 2 August 2011]

"Howl's Moving Castle" is, in many ways, a modern take on "Cinderella". The story revolves around Sophie Hatter, who is continuing in her father's footsteps and keeps a modest hat shop, while her stepmother Fanny lives happily on the income. Sophie's younger sister Lettie, who is widely admired for her beauty and sweet manners, has settled comfortably in a life outside the hat shop and is greatly worried about Sophie's fate. But soon, a witch appears on the scene to transform Sophie, forcing the girl to take matters into her own hands.

Like in Cinderella, Sophie visits the castle in disguise and meets its owner; unlike in the fairy tale, however, she does not enter the castle as a beautiful princess. The inhabitants of the castle are confronted with a woman in her nineties, because that is what Sophie's character has been in spite of her young looks. She dances, not with the prince, but with the broom to furiously clean the dingy rooms of the moving castle.

Appearances may often deceive, and this film elaborates on that theme with great care. Disguises abound in the story. The fireplace holds more than one secret; the terrifying scarecrow Sophie meets on her way to the castle is waiting for a kiss to reveal its true self. The Witch of the Waste uses spells to appear as the grande dame we (and Sophie) meet her as. Most importantly, the master of the castle himself, wizard Howl, is capable of stealing the hearts of all the young ladies with his dazzling smile, but on the inside, he is quite the opposite of beautiful. Sophie sees through his good looks and recognises him as cowardly and selfish. At the same time, he sees through her curse and recognises the young woman in her. In fact, their encounter is of the "Beauty and Beast" type, challenging them to see each other and themselves for what they truly are to find happiness.

Sophie's curse, we soon learn, cannot be broken even by the Witch who cast it. As the story progresses, however, Sophie gains insight into herself. At the same time, her visible aspect alternates between ages; this technique of depiction may confuse greatly, as no direct explanation is given. But there is one straightforward scene: Sophie regains her young looks at one point, only to falter and revert to her 90-year-old-self, explaining to a shocked Howl that age is comfortable.

When Sophie does find the courage to grow up, she is rewarded with true happiness. This, albeit powerful in itself, is not the only message the film wants to deliver. The country which the moving castle is roaming is at war; wizard Howl, summoned by his king to aid the forces, initially tries to run by assuming various identities. He later reveals his abhorrence of war and soldiers in strong words, although he does eventually join the battles. This aspect could have been fleshed out more; unfortunately, we do not learn why this war was started in the first place, nor do we ever see the enemy. The resolution is that Mme. Suliman and Prince Justin (whose identity may be lost on the audience) simply decide to "end this silly war". With so many serious, deep conversations (and battles!) going on earlier, there could have been a stronger impact dealt on the audience, maybe by implementing another scene at the king's palace and thereby also reducing the length of the "kissing fest" before the final scene.

The clincher, however, is very well done; Sophie is shown with her new family and the castle has gained a new feature. As it soars above the clouds, we cannot help but feel elated with Sophie. All in all, this animation film comes in the disguise of a light fairy tale but has much to offer below its pretty surface to think about. It may be telling that I was compelled to watch it again on the very next day, because it had so much to say within such a short time. If you care enough, do look into the excellent novel the film is based on. The film itself can be very thought-provoking and rewarding, so please do not be deterred by confusion. Enjoy!

Jane Eyre (2011)

It could have been so much more...

[7/10 · 22 July 2011]

This most recent adaptation of "Jane Eyre" is a visual masterpiece. The setting is carefully planned to represent characterisations and emotional states through nature or objects. Heavy rain underscores the turbulence within Jane as she runs from Thornfield. Fog mysteriously veils her first meeting with Mr Rochester, bright sunlight showcases the happiness of the couple during and after the proposal. Windows sometimes obstruct the view when Jane feels trapped. Darkness falls when she is confused or thinking. Colourful flowers and fluttering leaves frame her playful interactions with her fiancée. Yes, visually, there is next to nothing that could still be wished for.

One pivotal element of "Jane Eyre" is the mystery of Mr Rochester's past. There is a ghost at Thornfield Hall, the identity of which is crucial to further developments in the plot. Bertha Rochester, although never seen, must be felt at all times; her presence is the key to understanding Rochester's behaviour. This is one aspect where the adaptation fell woefully short. Adéle tells her new governess that a woman haunts the corridors at times, but no clues are given as to who she might be. Grace Poole, the infamous scapegoat Rochester uses in the novel to explain the terrifying events at Thornfield Hall, is not seen or even spoken of until the day of the wedding. All of this could be overlooked had the actual encounter with Bertha left more of an impact. There is a dream-like quality about that scene, aided by the sudden inclusion of echoes. I felt, however, that this decision softened the impact; meeting Mr Rochester's wife should have had a brutal effect on Jane and the watcher. It was underwhelming. They also forfeited the chance to depict Bertha setting Thornfield Hall on fire and instead had Mrs Fairfax tell Jane what had transpired. At the end of the film, we do not know who Bertha really is; her development should have aided that of Jane.

"Jane Eyre", the novel, is not a tragedy. In fact, it exudes strength, energy and a positive attitude in spite of unhappy times and circumstances. It was therefore discomfiting to see so much restraint and gloominess well after the first scene had played out. Everybody spoke in hushed voices, even the Rivers, as if they, too, had a Bertha lurking in their attic. In fact, there are only two instances where someone actually speaks in a loud voice: once at the wedding, once when St John tells Jane that they must marry. The actors are thus given little opportunity to act through their voices, e.g. by varying intonation. This is also a problem of the script. Rochester makes one joke to Adéle about her and her mother's charm; there could easily have been more instances of that. The ending, too, should have involved pronounced happiness; Mia Wasikowska's Jane shed tears where she should have been the woman in control. By the end of the novel, she has the strength to draw Mr Rochester out and alleviate his gloomy state. Here, she is toned down too much and thus misrepresented.

Another aspect that might have been handled better concerns the characters. The Reeds, Helen Burns, Bertha and Grace Poole are gone almost as soon as they are introduced. Adéle is disturbingly quiet; Mrs Fairfax is much too clever. Of the Rivers family, only St John is fleshed out to some degree; Miss Oliver was left out completely, however. St John merely relates to Jane that his struggles in the past are similar to hers. This is an unfortunate statement, as it creates the impression that he once truly loved and had his heart broken due to regrettable circumstances. A wholly different light could have been shed on him easily had his sisters been given a line or two. As it is, Jane observes that her concept of love differs from St John's, yet it is not shown how she arrived at that conclusion.

Blanche Ingram is underplayed to a point where she becomes unbelievable as a threat to Jane's happiness. In the novel, she is a foil to Jane, possessing the status and the cruel traits Jane lacks. The audience of this film is shown little more than her beautiful profile; Jane's neck fills so much of the screen that Miss Ingram gets little chance to shine. Gone is Mr Rochester's careful scheming. He openly acts in a confused manner when Jane speaks of Blanche as his love interest.

The film succeeded, on the other hand, in the depiction of a believable love story between its leads. Fassbender and Wasikowska have chemistry; especially the post-wedding scenes show how much better they could have been throughout the film had the blandness in the script not harmed them. Jane taking off her wedding dress in tears is one of the most moving scenes. It is followed by Rochester lying on the floor in a rather funny posture; there, his anxiety and his concern for her translate extremely well. It is a pity that they had so few of these opportunities; at times, I found myself wondering whether they understood their characters fully. My misgivings about the proposal scene were happily only confirmed to some extent. I would have liked to see more of an emotional outburst on Wasikowska's side, but she did handle it fairly well.

To conclude, it was certainly not the worst adaptation ever, in spite of its shortcomings. It must be stated, however, that it is a far cry from what it could have been. The limited running time does not explain everything that went wrong; I had to push my knowledge of the novel to the back of my mind, because I did not feel it was translated accurately to the big screen. As a standalone piece, it is marvellous. I will be happy to give it another chance when it comes out on DVD.

House M.D. (2004–2012)

"Excellent."

[10/10 · 29 May 2011]

A word of caution. Before you visit Princeton Plainsborough, be aware that the doctor might not treat you with kindness.

He is no Brad Pitt. He can only walk with a crutch. He is frustrated and in constant pain. He's a drug addict. He's a genius and still wrong so many times. His name is House, and he has only got one friend in the world. He is a brilliant doctor, and a pathetic human being. It takes a while to realise that a lot of his sarcasm and brutal honesty is meant kindly.

Then there is his team: sympathetic and a little more shallow, but still interesting characters, each one with a story. Their boss, House, frequently ridicules them and treats them rather horribly, but they appreciate him for the challenges he provides, and because they actually have the chance to become better doctors while with him.

The true strength of the show lies in the writing. Hysterically funny at one time, the next scene has you in tears without a warning. The actors cannot be praised enough - especially Hugh Laurie, of course, who has been limping and adopting an accent for the show for seven years now. The medical cases are apparently well researched and often come with a little (or major) twist. The show also has no problem to sometimes laugh at itself - watch out for medical soap opera within the series!

"Everybody lies" is a postulate of the show, and you quickly learn not to trust anything you hear in the first 30 minutes. The writing is rather underrated; often, there are subtle links (or parallels) between the case of the week and personal issues of the cast. The formulas that work are suddenly overthrown before you can complain about a hint of boredom. Watch "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart" for a true masterpiece that s t i l l blows you away when you have already heard the outcome.

In short, this show has made some bold decisions and continues renewing itself without becoming shallow. It draws you in and takes you for a furious roller-coaster ride. And they are not finished yet: the limping doctor is going to return for an eighth installment, so do not pass this up. It deserves all the praise it gets.

The X-Files (1993–2018)

X-Files stands the test of time. Easily!

[8/10 · 23 May 2011]

A little more than ten years ago, this show was very popular among my friends. I watched the occasional episode here and there, but started giving it a wide berth after turning off the TV midway through the infamous "Home". (It's one of my favourite episodes now, by the way.)

A little more than one year ago, this show crossed my path again. I was surprised to discover how fresh it felt, even with the odd hairstyle here and there in earlier seasons... and those glasses.

The premise is simple. Two FBI agents solve mysterious cases that often involve paranormal or extraterrestrial "foes". Agent Fox Mulder, the "believer", and Dana Scully, the "sceptic", do not always see eye to eye. As the series advances, they gradually discover a conspiracy and finally learn about an impending invasion of aliens. By the way, William B. Davis as THE villain excels from the minute he smokes his first Morley of many in the Pilot. The recurring cast is fleshed out diligently and with consistence.

The biggest forte of the X-Files is the chemistry between its leads. Until it eventually spins out of control into blandness as season 8 rolls around, Anderson and Duchovny are highly enjoyable to watch and make even weaker episodes entertaining - not that there are many of those. The writing is top-notch, so keep those seat belts at hand while you hover near the edge of your couch. The X-Files cases went in many different directions and seldom fail to entertain. The series has stories about albino humans gliding through the plumbing, ghosts, the Jersey Devil (no, not Gregory House), or demons, with a lot of humour thrown into the mix. At the same time, it never strays too far from reality. The aforementioned "Home" is one example of a case that could be happening in a place not too far away from you. When Dana Scully rattles down her scientific explanations, you should feel your spine tingling, because that monster of the week could be lurking in your sewers right now.

The moment the writers have persuaded you that they have really done their homework, however, plot holes and an increasing number of tinny episodes after the revelation of the conspiracy paint a different picture. Especially the mythological arc suffers from chronic under-planning disorder. Eventually, the show raises more questions than it could ever answer, only to discard those loose plot ends, while a much lighter tone takes over, sometimes straying into cheese. (Hollywood A.D. in season 7 is symptomatic of that development.) After several great seasons, the final tune falls flat. The last two episodes were painful to watch after so much promise; they felt reiterative and contrived. Still, it was nice to see a scene from the pilot used again in the very last minutes of the finale; the interaction between Mulder and Scully is, after all, the heart of the series.

Finally, the music is one more aspect to love. You'll find it hard to fast-forward the intro (I've only done it once).

If you have not watched X-Files yet, please do so.

Enjoy!

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Good, but not really the X-files

[7/10 · 6 November 2010]

We are definitely not in Kansas anymore. Here is how things are done in the new world. Charges against murderers are dropped entirely if said criminals are willing to come out of hiding and help with a case that does not need help solving. Doctors carry out their research on stem cell surgeries by way of Google. Is anybody else feeling a little uncomfortable now?

Some things have not changed: Russians still make good villains. And Dana Scully STILL accuses Mulder of chasing after his dead sister. How is this accusation even remotely justified, you might ask? Well, it is not, which is why there is no follow-up to it at all. Mulder has experienced closure and accepted his sister's death. This line probably should not have been there in the first place; I can only assume that it is there as a neon sign saying "Hey, this is still the X-Files you all know and love." Except, it is not.

Mulder has not changed much (except for the hilarious beard he thankfully shaves later); his boyish eyes and grin are what they have been throughout the series. He is reluctant to return to working with the FBI, but once the fire is rekindled, there is no stopping him from solving the case all by himself, if need be. He is probably a little more gullible and trusting than he used to be, but then, he might just be eager to seize this chance to get out of isolation, no matter how far-fetched the premise.

Two new FBI agents appear on the scene, one black, one female. I could not shake the impression that female agent Dakota Whitney was presented as a more open-minded Scully. One moment, she flirts with Mulder and even makes him feel a little uneasy, and then she dies, never to be of any importance again. We learn even less about the other agent, Mosley Drummy, apart from the fact that he does not believe in psychics. Skinner could have taken their parts, which might have made his appearance in the end more believable. He brought back a lot of the old charm of the X-files and his "He wouldn't do anything crazy" really saved the day.

Good to great episodes used to be made even in the absence of aliens. This film, however, strays too far from original concepts. One psychic does not a mystery make. Scully and Mulder usually approached their cases from two different ends, struggling to find balance. Here, Scully has her very own story going on, which greatly overshadows her attempts at keeping Mulder in line. She is not present as much to assist Mulder. Then again, this means that she has her own life now and is no longer walking in Mulder's shadow. She is still present in key scenes (e.g. when they find out that Father Jo does have an obvious connection with the case at hand, she visits the priest together with Mulder to confront him) but her role is altered. Of course, the woman has grown up. There are other things on her mind, and she has no reason to abandon her patients just because Mulder asks her to go on the hunt with him.

The Catholic church seems to have replaced the Synergy in this film; the Catholics in the film are often presented as cold or even cruel, with Father Jo at an extreme point. Father Jo the psychic pedophile could have been fleshed out more as a character; his "remorse" showed only in limited ways (prayer), and when he did not recognize one of "his boys", that put the final nail in his credibility for me. He was still given a key line: Scully in particular has to reassess her faith and not give up. This is a story about faith, self-reflection and trust (things that were all in the series). A change of frame is justifiable, so it makes sense to move away from the FBI and from conspiracy theories for this film.

The Frankenstein thread is a little too intricate. While the movie was never boring to watch, it could have been spiced up with a few additional details, such as more insight into the psychic bond between Father Jo and Franz, or maybe by having one of the villains work at Scully's hospital (as a threat to one of her patients, etc.). Father Jo finding his nemesis in the boy was brilliant, but this point got lost in a mass of transplanted heads. Don't have Mulder explain it in a rushed moment near the end of the film, show more of that psychic connection. Show, don't tell. What is more, Russians as villains are really, really outdated. Presenting this obsolete mindset alongside two matured main protagonists does not mesh well.

One word of advice: Do not compare to the series too much, and you should really be able to enjoy it. It is a very different, more mature experience. Most Scully and Mulder moments were great; they are living together at LAST (hear the fan-girl inside me squeal with excitement) and we find them as supportive and as critical of each other as they always have been. The script has its flaws, which harms Scully's character in particular, but their performances are still top-notch. Would watch again, it has quite a few subtle tones (e.g. the Catholic priest chasing a gay married couple) that can provide food for thought.

Although it is probably unlikely, I would love to see a third (and final) movie come 2012. If that is the case, "I want to believe" might be re-evaluated as the calm before the storm; it may not be the strongest link, but it could work as an intermission for the characters during which they, i.e. Mulder and Scully, re-evaluate what they have in each other and themselves.