Movie review: I Am Legend

I finally saw I Am Legend, in Imax. I liked it and Will Smith is really good in it. Good thing too, as he is often the only one on screen. The story takes place in the near future, after a deadly virus kills most of the human population. Neville (Smith) is trying to find an antidote to this virus, while living alone in New-York, with his dog. He is immune to the virus, like a very few others are, which is why he is still around.

One scene in particular was really touching and had me almost crying, because it reminded me of a sad event from my own past, which probably happened to most people as well, I imagine. I can't say more without giving it away, but what is so good about it is how Smith express what is happening, even though the actual event is off camera. All you see is his face. I just now had to stop typing for a few seconds, thinking about it again.

The story is intelligent and fairly realistic, if we accept the possibility that the virus also has a third effect on humans, besides killing and being non-effective: It can also turn them into zombie-like creatures. I heard that in the original book, they were more like vampires then zombies, which would explain why they can't stand bright lights, particularly UV and why the sun can kill them very quickly, as it burns their skin.

There is some violence, as it can be expected, but it's certainly not a gory movie. It is rated PG-13 in North America.

Besides a few standard trailers, we get to see a scene from the upcoming Batman movie. But Batman is barely seen in the main scene we are shown. This is much more about the main vilain, the Joker. Just a few days ago, I would not have been in the same state of mind while watching it, as I was this time. Of course, this is because the Joker is being played by Heath Ledger, who passed away on the 22nd, only 3 days ago. It's kinda hard not to think about that fact, when seeing him on screen, even though the heavy makeup really gives him a different look, to say the least.

Movie review: Cloverfield

My first movie for 2008 (what's wrong with me?) was Cloverfield. I didn't know much about it before seeing it, beside possibly being a Godzilla ripoff. It wasn't quite that, but there is a big monster. Unlike Godzilla, we don't see it that much and it's not a man in a suit. Another thing I knew was that some people who had seen it complained of being "sea sick" due to the camera movements of some scenes, being shot à la Blair Witch Project. What I did not know was that the whole movie is shot this way. The concept is that the military found this tape shot by someone who started recording at a party and got in the middle of the action that greatly changed Manhattan.

I found this movie fairly interesting and not too conventional, which works for this story. I don't want to give away too much, but it's not the typical fight the monster and live to tell about it, let's say. The main characters are not fighting the monster, the army is, as best as they can. For most everyone, it's a matter of survival and running away, at best. It's also about helping each other.

One thing I thought was not realistic at first was that the camera battery was lasting a pretty long time, but after further consideration, I realized that it was an uncut tape (simulated, of course!) and camera can last the length of a movie. How could bootleggers stay in business if they couldn't? ;-) It's not a one take story, but the cameraman would stop shooting when there wasn't something worth recording going on.

So, I found it to be a good movie, after thinking more about it. I wasn't too sure as the movie ended, which is not something that happens often to me. I like that, for a change!

Before the movie, I remember two previews, above the others. Hellboy 2, which was a standard trailer and a teaser for another movie that I'm really looking forward to and that I didn't figure out until the few last seconds of it: Star Trek! Really cool teaser.

Happy New Year! Bonne Année!

Happy New Year!
May 2008 be a wonderful year, with lots of good things and less of bad ones...

Bonne Année!
Que 2008 soit une année merveilleuse, avec beaucoup de bonne choses et moins de mauvaises...