Student life makes you watch movies you have nothing to say about, so you just sqeeze them all in one post. (It also makes you lazy.)

I guess the title says it all. My lectures began again last week after a loooooong summer, and the switch back to normal life didn't treat me very gently. I'm hoping this is a passing phase, and I'll soon be inspired to write proper posts about proper movies. Until then, here's some uninspired thoughts about movies I saw last week, with quite a hazy head. 

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

directed by Peter Jackson / starring Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey

Watched this because of Kate Winslet, of course. And because of Peter Jackson, too. BUT (I can't believe I'm saying this) I'm beginning to wonder if PJ actually is a very good director, or a director to my taste. Besides that one little trilogy, I haven't really liked any of his movies. Though I've only seen this one, Lovely Bones and Meet the Feebles, none of them really worked for me. But sure, a normal person couldn't have made Middle Earth so freaking real and amazing, so I'll always be a PJ fan. I haven't said anything about Heavenly Creatures, but I guess I don't have anything to say. Maybe I watched it in a bit indifferent mood, but I didn't get much out of it. But Kate is cool no matter what she does.

Leap Year (2010)

 directed by Anand Tucker / starring Amy Adams, Matthew Goode

 A boy meets girl and they very much dislike each other, and then they experience somtething cool together and then they are in love. The end. Someone really put some thought on the plot of Leap Year. Hope they got a rise. No, but seriously, you've seen this pattern a million times before, but it's always quite nice to see it one more time. Especially if the boy is played by Matthew Goode. And there was actually one scene I liked a lot - the ine on the bed of the motel, with Dream a Little Dream of Me playing in the background. And Ireland is of course damn beautiful.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

directed by Ron Clements, John Musker / voices by Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos

 It's becoming quite clear that Disney makes films for kids and Pixar makes films for the whole family. In case you didn't know, I ADORE Disney, so I really, really wanted to love this film, but well, I didn't. It's not a bad film, of course, but it's no Beauty and the Beast. I wonder if the kids of today will watch The Princess and the Frog twenty years from now and feel the way I do with Belle and Simba and Pocahontas... No? I wouldn't want to think that the Disney movies are getting worse, maybe I'm just getting old and boring? But I guess they are. Well, Disney had their hour (well, it lasted a bit longer than an hour) and now they have to share the stage with Pixar. And why not, they doing quite slendidly! I just don't want old Walt to glance down from his cloudy retirement mansion and frown upon what they're doing with his good name.

 But anyway. I think it's very cool that a Disney princess has now journeyed from Snow White to pitch-black - Tiana is the first dark-skinned Disney heroinne ever! Also, the frail, delicate, high-voiced, snow-skinned, ebony-haired little princess is only a long-lost bad dream, when Tiana takes the stage with that kick-ass attitude and a serious case of workaholism. And his prince is a bit of an idiot. Still, no matter how modern this princess is, she still has the mandatory annoying animal friends. Tiger can't change her stripes and Disney can't change its most sacred princibles.

The songs are alright, so none very memorable. Visually the film was stunning. That picture above is just an example. Next, Disney will do its magic to the story of Rapunzel, and despite everything, I'm kind of looking forward to Tangled. Though the prince seems silly again. I guess that's the new Disney trend.

 

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010)

directed by Paul Hoen / starring Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers (I thought they were an actual band or something... I guess not? Or are they...? Oh well.)

So why in the name of all things good and holy (I kind of stole that from Lost. Sorry, Hurley) did I watch a movie called Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam?? Here's your answer: cable open. I spent my Friday night quite cosily in front of TV, watching Disney Channel. Ah, some high-quality entertainment! And this was on. So I watched it. Duh. And it was so überly High School Musical-y that I would've felt disgusted if I hadn't been so amused. All they've changed is the setting. The songs and the characters are just the same. Though this one had much more annoying female lead. (And HSM is better. Ahem, it's just one hell of a guilty pleasure, you know.) Poor kids, having to watch junk like this. It's just so bad... that I feel ashamed saying that I had no problem sitting through it.

Dear Walt, don't look down.