Objectively, Clash of the Titans is not a good movie. The characters are names rather than people, the action scenese are incomprehensible, and the adventure never builds to a climax. Subjectively, it feels like a classic 80s b-movie, consisting of cheese, cheese, and cheeze-whiz, and that kind of picture always hits my sweet spot.
Tag Archives: film
Review: Clash of the Titans (3-D)
The original Clash of the Titans came at the end of a long reign by Ray Harryhausen as innovator king of special effects work, with his stop-motion creations that spanned decades in science fiction and fantasy films, often considered classics. Clash was also made pre-CG, when matte paintings were still the tool of choice, compared to contemporary green screen images. The original film, limited by these technical restraints (or was it freer because of them?) also came across as sweetly innocent, made for a purpose (genre entertainments that families could enjoy) that was fitting of its era (decidedly un-ironic times, those). Harry Hamlin’s fresh-faced Perseus was aided by aging Burgess Meredith (as an actor who filled in the blanks) and a tweeting robot owl .
Opening in Dallas: 04/02/10
Limited Releases: Based on the best-selling book, the mysterious Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Magnolia, Angelika Plano) received only a mild reaction when it screened recently at SXSW. On the other hand, the documentary The Art of the Steal (Angelika Dallas) has received glowing notices so far.
The third opener is the South Korean flick Secret Reunion (AMC Grapevine Mills 30), which is described as an action / drama / comedy about two former espionage agents. We’ll have reviews up this weekend.
Wide Releases: Widely derided already for its 3-D effects, slapped on in a mad dash in post production, Clash of the Titans is the biggest, brawniest release this weekend and should steal the mint. I’m inclined to go 2-D on this one. To be frank, I get unreasonably chilled whenever I hear Liam Neeson command: “Release the Kraken!”
Miley Cyrus stars in The Last Song, which opened on Wednesday. Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too also opens wide.
DVD Reviews: 03/30/10
This week: Sherlock Holmes, The Baader Meinhof Complex, The Killer, An Education, Where the Wild Things Are, I Sell the Dead
Guy Ritchie’s lovingly rendered Sherlock Holmes is a great looking film with crisp dialogue and a sense of fun that most of the 2009 holiday films forgot. Robert Downey, Jr. is in full-on Victorian Tony Stark mode…and a bit of a head case as Sherlocks go. His Watson is portrayed by Jude Law, who actually carries the film when the more histrionic Holmes isn’t on screen, and sometimes when he is. Criss-crossing action, sleuthing, humor and thrills, Ritchie’s film is well-worth watching.
Dallas Film Now. 