Review: The Book Of Life

The Book Of Life (3D)
Cert: U / 95 mins / Dir. Jorge R. Gutierrez




Well, there we go. Mere days after pondering about the enduring films of 2014, the 'oh, that looks quite interesting' trailer for Jorge R. Gutierrez's animated adventure, The Book Of Life, translates itself as quite possibly the most outstanding film I've seen this year. No, really. An energetic folk/fairy tale based around Mexico's Day Of The Dead holiday, this is a film which will work on levels for all audiences, and is a thing of immense beauty.

Guardians of the afterlife, La Muerte and Xibalba's tempestuous relationship is based around observing life on Earth and sharing wagers regarding the outcomes of individual stories. Watching three children playing, two boys (Manolo and Joaquin) chasing the affections of a girl (Maria), Xibalba asserts that the showy braggart Joaquin will win the heart of Maria, rather than his aspiring musician counterpart, Manolo. When La Muerte takes the bet, things spiral to a head and we learn that human nature isn't just limited to humans…

What can I tell you? I haven't had this much fun in a U-rated film since Monsters University. The character design is vibrant and varied, as is the accompanying voice acting, with a post-Burtonesque feel that manages to present a story centred around death in a way which is warm and completely unthreatening. And that's what is; a life affirming, tear-inducing*¹ triumph of a film.

A modern-day framing device wraps around the story, allowing for unintrusive narration and letting the narrative skip forward at an advanced rate when needs be. As well as the 3D computer animation, the story-in-a-story also dips into traditional 2D methods to present its own flashback sequences, both styles complementing the Mexican aesthetic perfectly. The script is as sharp and layered as any of the major players have given us in recent years (the film's producers Reel FX Animation are relative newcomers to the cinema arena, most notably giving us 2013's Free Birds). The verbal gags aren't so much subversive as outright geekish, referencing (among others) Anchorman's "I immediately regret this decision", set against a backdrop of visual and slapstick jokes.

Also shining past the visuals and bringing an unashamed smile to my face is the film's soundtrack. A mix of original compositions and Mariachi covers of (again, among others) Radiohead and Mumford & Sons, if the music to this film doesn't have you grinning then you're already living in the Land of the Forgotten…

A joy from start to finish, The Book Of Life succeeds by being bold and different without resorting to garishness. Tales of lost love and reanimation don't come much more heartwarming than this…

Largely, although it still sells the film short a little.



I did.



Undoubtedly.



Cinema for the best result, although the 3D's optional (even if it's well implemented).



I just might…



I will.



Didn't hear one, but if you did, let me know.

Come on, when was the last time you watch a U-rated movie that directly quoted Kill Bill*²?

*¹ Yup. And from both eyes, no less. #unashamed
*² After a lengthy serenade and lamppost climb to his love's balcony, potential suitor Manolo is met with Maria's almost-kiss and "You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?" … "Actually, I kinda did." A gorgeous, gorgeous moment.

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

Review: Pacific Rim (2D)

Pacific Rim (2D)
Cert: 12A / 131 mins / Dir. Guillermo del Toro



When you've got a movie where 500-foot-tall mech-suits fight hand-to-hand with 500-foot-tall alien sea-lizards, you shouldn't find yourself bored at any point, should you? Don't get me wrong, Pacific Rim isn't a boring film, but it's sure as hell got boring stretches in it. When the Jaeger suits are mobile, this film is immense. Although that's largely due to the fact that the pair of pilots are mind-melded and don't need to speak; so there's none of that godawful script for them to read.

But it's not just the script, it's the entire screenplay. So much of the downtime is spent desperately trying to flesh out characters who are so archetypal that you really don't give a damn if they live or die. One by one, they're wheeled out with their regulation back-stories and neuroses, to the point where you begin to wonder if you're just watching an extended cut-scene from a second-rate FPS game. The whole thing just feels so… mechanical. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman have their own subplot as a couple of eccentric science nerds, and while lightening the mood, they do evoke the spirit of Jeff Goldblum in ID4; and that's not something you want to be reminded of in a cinema. For all the punching, angst, and glimpses of an alien dimension, there's never any real hook that makes you wonder how it's going to end. Although, even at its clunkiest, Pacific Rim is still like The Seventh Seal compared to Battleship.

On the plus side, this film looks pretty beautiful (if you consider giant robots beating the crap out of giant lizards beautiful. I do). The production design may not be fizzing with originality, but it's executed well and everything looks as dirty/rusty/slimy as it's supposed to. There's a genuine sense of heft when the Jaeger suits go lumbering into the sea, but you're definitely left wanting more. A surprisingly high percentage of Brits bolster the cast*¹, and the presence of Sean from Eastenders, Mumbles from Rock'n'Rolla, and Gazza from Layer Cake gives the film a sort of 'Godzilla vs Eastenders' feel. That said, our main hero Becket is from Newcastle, so obviously he's the one they send in when the Cockneys can't get the job finished ;)

A typical Summer no-brainer, Pacific Rim isn't awful but it's a staggeringly missed opportunity to make something wonderful. For $180m and Guillermo del Toro, I expect more than to be beaten around the head with the Stupid-Stick for two hours…

Well, the trailer's got all the coolest bits in…



Kinda. Ish.



For me, no. Your mileage will vary.



If you're going to watch it, watch it BIG. Cinema; but y'know… Orange Wednesdays.



No.



In all honesty, I doubt it.



Not that I heard. I mean come on.

If you've seen this film, and you enjoyed it more than I did, let me know why in the box below. I'm not being sarcastic, I genuinely want to know.

*¹ Not all playing Brits, of course; one of them has to do the worst Aussie accent you've ever heard.

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.