Rebecca, the film critic (at least for a minute or two)

Writing about “An Education” got me thinking, what else have I watched over the last couple of weeks? (way too many movies I am thinking) Here is a rundown:

How to Train Your Dragon: 5/5

Hiccup, a young viking boy desperate to prove to his father and his clan that he is deserving of the viking name, wounds a dragon that everyone is deathly afraid of. He finds the dragon, still alive, and contemplates killing it, but while his knife is raised all he can see is his own fear coming from the animals eyes so he decides to let him live. The problem is that its tail has been crippled and he is unable to fly. The boy helps the dragon get back in the air and proves to his village that dragons are not the beasts that they make them out to be. This was the first (and probably last) film that I have seen in 3D, and while it was good at the time the 3 hour headache I had after I got home pretty much made the decision to go 2D from here on out. The movie itself was cute, child appropriate and very entertaining to watch. Not only has it been requested that we purchase this film when it comes out, we actually went out and bought the books it was based on. A win/win in my book!

Coco before Chanel: 4/5

I love a good foreign film and this was French with English subtitles, which I know can be a turnoff for some, but this picture was good on more than one level. The costumes and the set design were done very beautifully, there was one scene where it was a little surreal seeing the french gentry on the beach in their corsets, flamboyant hats, lacy umbrellas and pompous fluff. Personally, I was really interested in the story due to my background, but I think it could have been a little dry for someone who didn’t admire Chanel for her impact to fashion. It was for this reason why I was glued to the story, but I doubt anyone who was uninterested in fashion would even think of picking up this film.

Brothers: 3/5

Set during wartime Afghanistan, this movie tells the story of an American solider who goes to war, is captured by the enemy and does the unthinkable to get back home. His wife is told that he is killed in action however and she starts to get on with her life back at home, namely, she starts a pseudo relationship with his brother who was there helping with the children (his nieces) cope with the loss. I think it does tell a great story of what happens mentally to solders that deal with the immense stress of battle and how they are not always ready to be simply immersed in “typical” society, but the movie itself was a little dry and boring. I was watching the clock, wondering when it was going to be over, which I think was quite unfortunate because they were telling a great story. I think I shall look for the original version of this film (this was a remake) and see if they did a more entertaining job.

The Time Travelers Wife: 2.5/5

A story of a man who travels through time against his will* (how often does one little sentence sum up an entire story??) It was recommended I watch this movie by a friend and while I should have known the “greatness” was probably going to be lost on me (being mostly against sappy chick flicks) I didn’t find it horrible. It was slow, drawn out and a little cheesy at times, but the overall story was original and somewhat interesting. I wouldn’t really recommend it, nor would I ever watch it again.

* A Note to Children, Gullible Men and Women alike: If a naked man ever comes stumbling out of the woods claiming to be your friend/relative and/or romantic partner from the future do not stick around to see if they are telling you the truth, Run dammit RUN!!