RSS feed for Vagner's Blog

• Now I understand Virginia Woolf.

  2008 Jul 10

  It's tough. It's the only way.
  

• Kung Fu Panda Review

  2008 Jul 09

  
  
  
  
  
  REVIEW – Kung Fu Panda
  
  
  Date watched: July 9th, 2008
  
  5 out of 5 STARS
  
  Prepare yourselves for an amazing, purely-commercial, movie extravaganza!
  
  
  Why watch it:
  
  

  
  
  • Balanced, commercial, entertainment movie;
    
  
  
  • Colorful, beautiful to watch;
    
  
  
  • Good use of medium; innovative montages;
    
  
  
  • All-audience appeal: adults, children; to those who like action, to those who are more character-oriented; it caters to all of those. It tends to action (there's a lot of it), though, turning it into a unpretentious, relaxing movie to watch just for fun.
    
  
  
  • Fast-pace, event-focused plot: it shares only pertinent events and don't leave the viewer hanging on needless scene of atmosphere build-up.
    
  
  
  • Straight to the point: it does not rely on exaggerated mystery to keep viewer interested; instead, the fast-paced flow makes you eager to know what's coming next while you get to know important details about the plot in the right time; no mysteries or needless suspense, just a positive tension to know how it is all going to be solved in the end;
    
  
  
  • Humane characters: easy to connect to. They are not super fighting machines that never get affected by anything and never get tired. It is pretty cool to see them panting and get tired, upset or intolerant; they're just like us, which causes an immediate connection and absorption into their fantastic world;
    
  
  
  • Fun: a good laugh is guaranteed; the fast-pace development does not let the plot fall into boringness;
    
  
  

  
  Why not watch it:
  

  
  
  • Purely commercial. This means clichés from start to end. Besides visual exuberance, the movie is very flat. You won't have that feeling of "idea well thought" as long as plot and characters are regarded. The movie is, indeed, creative in its own construction, be it visual (with a mixture of 2D, dynamic cameras and colorful montages) or inside its own clichés of commercially-sellable, all-audience-appealing themes. It is a gorgeous and fun movie for relaxing times, but devoid of life of its own; it does guarantee a hearty laugh though.
  
  
  • Violence. I cannot stress this too much. Violence is old fashioned. We have reached a consciousness level that allows us to depict conflicts in abstract and more expressive ways. Not to mention the message is always "it's okay to be violent… only in certain circumstances." If you are concerned about personality-formation stories, this is definitely a no-no. Not that many people worry about it anyway.
  
  
  • Unpractical messages. Only if you are concerned about personality formation stories. It does have its "moral" but unpractical and it discredits itself. SPOILER – Tai Lung is the pivot of this message, and still he is left aside when the moment for the moral comes, when Po finally understands and expresses the meaning of the message (quite abstractly and confusingly, but the point of the movie is not share insightful messages; it only has it as part of this commercially sellable cliché).
  
  

  
  CRICTIC:
  
  
  This movie is beautiful. Colorful, dynamic and exciting. Finally animation studios are taking advantage of the medium and making movies that actually benefit from the freedom (and ease of use) of dynamic cameras to create interesting scene montages; it brings a whole new dimension to the movie!
  
  It also has GREAT timing. Emotional passages are very short and do not get in the way of the action and jokes, being long enough just to state the overall emotional state of characters and the atmosphere of a given moment, then going on to some more action and jokes. It is amazing – in no moment the emotional passages get in the way; when they seem to be tending to go to banalization or overemotional moments (that do not fit well in action-packed, comedy movies) they surprise you with an unexpected joke that – at least – makes you grin and still it does not make less of the emotional moment that just took place.
  
  That said, it is a very well balanced all-audience movie. People who like character development will have their share in the movie, as the characters are very humane and easy to like, as the situations they are in are easy to relate to, and their connection – as well as story – is very personal and creates a bond of intimacy and secrecy between viewer and character. Even though it is an action'n-jokes movie, you get your share of consistent, lively charismatic characters.
  
  Also, it is good to point out that the movie is very well planned in the sense of technical construction, too. Very well elaborated scenes, and simple plot, with simple characters, yet with great depths. Plot-wise, this is a refreshing movie. No "climatic-build" or "atmospheric" scenes to create tension or keep you interested in the plot till the end. The simple premise of a panda meant to become the greatest kung fu fighter is enough for you to sit at the edge of your seat to know what's going to happen, as the enemy is coming and certainly you don't expect the panda to become a master in such a short time. That's why I say the movie is technically well built; everything in it is pertinent. Even though it is made of clichés, it does not appeal to low and degrading techniques to keep viewers interested. It is an intelligent movie, very well crafted so it keeps you interested for itself, no need to beg the viewer to consider it. This is something that, for itself, defines the movie as 5 star already, as many still appeal to these low tricks to keep you hanging on the plot even though sometimes it is so boring and uninteresting (just because writers are too lazy to plan plausible reasons for people to keep watching it until the climax or resolution of it). No scene will go wasted in this movie – everything amounts for fun and action and a little bit of empathy in a very engaging story.
  
  Totally surpassed expectations, and worth the try. Definitely worth the try. I wasn't going to watch it, because I thought "oh, just another animation jackpot aimed at cheap jokes and devoid of any meaning at all." I get very frustrated to see the potential of animation movies being wasted on simplistic and sometimes lazy designs, quite often because of commercial implications. This one though is not simplistic, and it was refreshing to see that people actually care about making good movies, even if they are meant for commercial reasons. This one is commercial from head to tail, but it is so well constructed it made me proud to have invested my money on it.
  
  CONCLUSION: Among the computer-generated animation movies so far, this is one I consider to be the one better constructed. It does not have emotional depth, but to see the creators considers the viewers worthy of their effort for making interesting movies in their short range of commercially sellable themes is very refreshing. It has distinct, emotionally realistic characters, a flowing plot, refreshing jokes, and is accessible to a general crowd. There is a little something for (almost) everyone.
  
  PERSONAL OPINION
  
  
  FROM THIS POINT ON, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
  
  First of all, I just want to make it clear that these are my personal feelings about the movie and do not affect at all the technical quality of it.
  
  Personally, I would change only the destiny of Tai Lung. It is a little hard to deal with movies with villains, especially when you give them emotional personality. In Lion King, for example, Scar dies, but we think he deserved that because the movie did not show a reason why he was so selfish and violent. In Panda, however, we learn the emotional side of the villain, creating emotional bonds with him. The villain is no longer a villain per-say; he is just a character driven by strong emotions.
  
  A good example of "villain" character development is in "Horton hears a who!" The villain is taken in and understood, allowing her to change and become better because she has seen something that made her change her attitude, thus no longer being the "villain" (more like an antagonist), but a character now in harmony with the goals of the plot.
  
  Here, Tai Lung reaches this growth point, but still he is eliminated, just for convenience. His drive is based on the thought the scroll contains the ultimate power, but when he realizes the truth about the scroll and the power it contains, his strong emotions would certainly taken a different direction (some sort of desperation, if the same character construction was followed). Especially after he is asked for forgiveness by his adoptive father for feeding him with thoughts of always being the destined and the only deserving of the scroll. It is a very touching moment, and it was very frustrating to see him being dealt like any kid of "inhumane villain." He had a very touching personality development that was simply discarded in the end. Why did Tai Lung had to die? (or at least be extinguished in some sort of unclear way?)
  
  However, I congratulate the makers on the ending It is such a fast-paced movie you don't feel the end coming, and when you realize it, it suddenly has ended. This is such a feel good! Because the worst part for me in a movie that I like is when I fear they are closing the concluding the story as the characters and situation seems to have reached their goal. Very frustrating because in that moment you must disconnect from that reality and somehow face it was just a story, while in Panda it lingers on because the movie didn't end. The plot merely expressed the main conflict, but the characters and the world keeps on, just like we do. Very cool.
  
  I also miss a fundamental message. They do share it, and it is a refreshing and very thought-inducing one: "there's no secret ingredients in special dishes; it is the thought that makes it special, the intention, the way you consider it." As a commercial movie, I do understand why this so cool insight is dealt with in such a superficial way; it wouldn't be commercially attractive otherwise, but just imagine the abstract plot construction this premise allows! It is very exciting… showing people a more concrete and practical version of this message, how people can actually apply that in their lives to overcome their inabilities or difficulties. Tai Lung could be used to express that in a "mundane" way, as he is the most "concrete" and easy to understand character (in the sense he is the character most developed in the plot; his emotional side is explored with details in a very clever and clear way). They could have used this same clearness to show how Tai Lung found peace and understanding for his troubled soul of frustrated expectations and let it all behind to become someone happy.
  
  In psychological terms, I also think the message is a little blurred. It does not add to improve people lives, but it is the perfect mixture to make people relate to it immediately. That's why I say this movie is so good. As a commercial initiative, Panda is one of the most well-thought projects I have seen so far. So, 5 stars for it.
  
  I just regret that such good ideas sometimes lose some of their amazing potential to change the lives of the people for the better because of a strictly commercial implication. I am a firm believer that a movie can be gripping, interesting and still a commercial success even when avoiding clichés and focusing on clear plots that show practical messages for a better life. Take Brother Bear, for example! One day in the future I am sure this is going to be the main goal of most movies, (for movies have the greatest potential to do that), but right now they still remain, somewhat, an instrument for fun only.
  
  But enough of this. This movie is good and surpassed my expectations. I know my movies will be good as this too, but in a different way. They are not commercial, but the message and insight they share… leaves even the hard-believer speechless.
  
  ;) Vagner
  
  THINGS THAT MAY HAVE TURNED MY REVIEW BIASED:
  
  
  FAVORABLE:
  
  

  
  
  • Furry critters. I love animals, and including them in any sort of movie generates, most of the times, a 50% approval rate for me. This one, however, generated much more because there was an emotional connection with Tai Lung (and I am an avid lover of big cats; come on! It was about time tigers and leopards were featured on a movie!). So, this discredits the credibility of my review on 75% on this movie.
  
  

  
  UNFAVORABLE:
  
  

  
  
  • Commercial movie. Clichés, action-oriented. Little plot. I have little interest in commercial initiatives and clichés. If there's any art in that… is the art of making money! But I do recognize their effort in making a worthy commercial initiative, and they must be praised for that. This credits the credibility of my review on 25%.
  
  

  
  REVIEW CREDIBILITY:
  50%
  
  FINAL CONCLUSION: Watch it. It is a different movie. It might not seem as wonderful to you as it is to me if you're not into animals like I am, but still it is an interesting, very well-thought of movie.
  

• Movie reccomendation for the weekend

  2008 Jul 04

  
  
  So, enjoying a summer/winter (it's winter in Brazil now) weekend alone? I have a good suggestion for you. If there is one single movie I'd like to have written myself, this is the one. I want my stories to be as powerful as this one. Mine are expressive, but in a different way. This one reaches to the heart of people and still is so true in its message, something that is very hard to find nowadays. :)
  
  Brother Bear tells the story of Kenai, a boy who desperately wants to become a man. His brother Sitka dies, and Kenai blames a bear for it. He swears revenge, and kills the bear. Sitka is very displeased and to teach his brother a lesson, he transforms Kenai into a bear, forcing him to journey to the place where the lights touch the earth so he can regain his human form. But this journey will not be easy: Denahi, Kenai and Sitka's brother, is unaware of the transformation, and thinks the bear Kenai had become killed his remaining brother. Denahi is going to go through whatever it takes to avenge his brother, finding in the process the true meaning for his soul.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  .
  

• New edition of THE WOLF AND THE TIGER and other stories

  2008 Jul 02

  

  
  
  Yes! I am working on a new edition of THE WOLF AND THE TIGER and other stories. It shall have a completely new short story and a few minor changes in layout. I may remove one or two stories too, and add a few bonuses like notes on a few stories and other general curiosities. There will also be a new cover.
  
  Release date is still undefined, but it shouldn't take long to be ready for sales.
  
  Stay tuned! :)
  
  Vagner
  

• Wall-E

  2008 Jul 02

  
  
  Went to see Wall-E today. Very touching and refreshing. It's good to see a movie in which you don't have to worry too much about the dialogues. I'm an avid believer that a good story doesn't need dialogues to explain itself...
  
  Innocent and pure, a worth watch.
  
  Meanwhile, O ALENTO progresses... slowly, but good stories don't need to be rushed out, right? LOL ;)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  . Vagner