review – Page 55

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Film Review

November 13, 2017November 18, 2023yggdrasille

I decided to catch up on Disney’s traditionally animated films I never saw, so I watched this 1996 odd duck which, along with Pocahontas, heralded the end of the early 90s Disney Renaissance and the beginning of the diminishing returns.

What We Do in the Shadows – Film Review

November 8, 2017yggdrasille

I’m not fussed to watch the latest Thor extravaganza, but its release at least reminded me to track down director Taika Waititi’s earlier film, a mockumentary about house-sharing vampires in Wellington, which he made with Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement.

New Music 11/2017 – Pixx, Agnes Obel

November 6, 2017December 3, 2017yggdrasille

A poptastic debut and a perfect soundtrack to a wintry night.

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri – Book Review

November 1, 2017March 16, 2025yggdrasille

In between book club reading, I’ve revisited one of my favourite short story collections, destined to be one of those books I take off the shelf again and again.

Cast Away – Film Review

October 27, 2017September 1, 2020yggdrasille

I must have been in a mood for one-man survival stories, because after renting I Am Legend the other week next up was this Tom Hanks drama I somehow avoided watching all these years. Except that this time there are no killer mutants and instead of a dog, Tom Hanks’ character talks to a washed-up volleyball.

I Am Legend – Film Review

October 24, 2017August 11, 2022yggdrasille

The DVD I rented offered me a choice of the theatrical cut, and the alternative version with the original ending that was scrapped after it was unfavourably received at the test screenings. While I really enjoyed the movie this story of two radically different endings is probably its most interesting aspect. The DVD menu made me feel like a character in a fairytale: shall I take the road on the left, or the road on the right? With the magic of the remote, I watched both endings, and once again marvelled at Hollywood’s willingness to ruin a perfectly fine film.

Spoilers for the endings ahead.

Good Time Girls of the Alaska-Yukon Gold Rush by Lael Morgan – Book Review

October 20, 2017February 6, 2024yggdrasille

One of the joys of travel is finding things you’re never going to encounter at home. I spotted this book at a supermarket checkout while in Alaska, and I think it’s safe to say I wouldn’t have come across it anywhere else.

Open Your Eyes – Film Review

October 16, 2017October 17, 2017yggdrasille

A mind-bending Spanish psychological thriller with Penelope Cruz, which later was remade as Vanilla Sky, an ill-received American version with Tom Cruise and, bizarrely, Penelope Cruz again. I’ve watched this in a rather groggy state of mind after a poor night’s sleep, and the movie’s twists and turns definitely perked up my brain by the end of it all.

Blade Runner 2049 – Film Review

October 12, 2017June 28, 2023yggdrasille

In my mind, the original Blade Runner was a cinematic lightning-in-a-bottle that emphatically did not call for a sequel, so when Blade Runner 2049 was announced I felt rather sceptical about the idea. I can’t say I’ve been entirely converted, but I can definitely say that Denis Villeneuve’s film is worth watching on the big screen for the spellbinding visuals alone.