Edward Scissorhands Tim Burton 1990 USNth time, 1st in years; DVD A boy with artificial hands upsets his new community. Catch this in the right mood at the right time and it might just hit all the right notes too. Because Burton likes to present his worlds as if they were cartoons, his films often lack any kind of plausibility; this seems an inane criticism of a work clearly grounded in fantasy, but the problem here is Burton doesn't quite know what he wishes to do - he seems to be caught between going all out on the contemporary 'Phantom of the Opera' route, and being a loveable favourite for the kids. It looks lovely, and Elfman's score is as helpful as ever, and the ending is sour enough to be fresh, but the modern-day coda is misjudged, both in terms of delivery and the fact that it lends a distinct period to the elongated flashback narrative.
Starsky & Hutch Todd Phillips 2004 US1st time; DVD Two cops, both clumsy for different reasons, are teamed together and take on a drugs bust. A pleasant surprise indeed: it not only looks good, but it has a wonderful rhythm, which stems from good timing in a lot (not all) of the gags and a great chemistry between Stiller and Wilson, who shine at the centre of a close-knit supporting cast. The soundtrack's cool, the humour isn't too overbearing, and there seems a genuine sense of control to the whole thing. Many of the things don't work, however, and it probably won't repay a rewatch; the nod to the original actors at the end is clever, but then run into the ground with obvious, obvious winks to the viewer.
Last edited by Capo de La Cosa Nostra; 12/14/0612:16 AM.
...dot com bold typeface rhetoric. You go clickety click and get your head split. 'The hell you look like on a message board Discussing whether or not the Brother is hardcore?
