2007. Dir: Gilian Armstrong. Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Saoirse Ronan and Jack Bailey. ●●○○○
On Saturday I was down in London and finally got a chance to see Death Defying Acts. I'm not sure I should have bothered.
It's a fictionalised account of the circumstances around Harry Houdini's (Pearce) debunking of paranormal claims by challenging pshychics, including Zeta-Jones's Mary McGarvie, to communicate to his deceased mother and repeat her last words.
I'm not sure about the accuracy of the story. There are some elements which could be close to the truth; Houdini's obsessions with his mother and with death generally. Whereas others must be purely fanciful such as the obligatory romance between the two leads.
This mixing of fact and fiction is symptomatic of where the film fails. Armstrong couldn't seem to decide whether this was a bona fide biopic of Houdini or an expose of the lengths that fake mediums will go to, and ultimately the film manages to fall between the 2 stools.
If I were to choose which way I would have liked to have seen to film go I think I would have preferred a story about McGarvie and her daughter, played by the superb Saoirse Ronan. Their story arcs include the comedic preparation for their Music Hall show, their desperate search for clues to Mrs. Houdini's last words as a way out of poverty (although actually their home didn't appear to quite as poverty stricken as the script suggeted) and the hinted at possibility that Ronan did actually have a gift.
If we had dropped Houdini, and his mess of pyschological tics Pearce was overplaying, then perhaps we might have had a chance to delve further into the is she or isn't she able to tell the future question that was shoehorned in the films closing scenes.
The several dream sequences with floaty angels and acute camera angles were also needlessly distracting.
Perhaps with more focus on the interesting elements of the story and a greater attention to detail by the technical team would have made the 2 hours more enjoyable.
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Death Defying Acts
Friday, 8 August 2008
Out this week (08/08/08)
It's a significantly better week than last, however there's still little to make me want to go to the cinema. Catherine Zeta-Jones is trying to point to a cinema where Death Defying Acts is showing, maybe if I find it I'll see it.
Death Defying Acts
The film of the week has to be this Houdini biopic, of sorts. Concentrating on a fictional relationship between a con-artist medium and the famous escapologist the film delves into the tricks that psychics do to fool their punters.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Elegy
More from Sir Ben Kingsley, that bastion of quality control, although this time he's backed up by an interesting supporting cast including Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson and Peter Sarsgaard. Still the films from a book by Philip Roth and he's responsible of The Human Stain, one of the worst film experiences of my life so it loses a point there.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Elite Squad
Brazilian Police Drama involving two friends vying for the top job in a ultra tough anti-drug squad. Apparently there's corruption and needless bureaucracy in the Brazillian Police - I expect that would be the same in any contry only without the favellas
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Fox and the Child
Part natural history documentary, part kiddie drama, part pants looking. The reviews say the fox is the better actor.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Make it Happen
Jumping on the dance movie craze this middling effort from Darren Grant (I don't know why I put that I don't know any of his previous films). If you were excited as a kid by Flashdance and Footloose avoid this dull retread.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Empire
Or The Proof: Law of Dimishing Returns. Not even the thought of seeing Bredan Fraser running around makes me want to see this. Am I getting old or is he?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Coming Soon (definitely)
Death Defying Acts
After a bit of a wait, since it's premiere at last years Toronto festival, this Guy Pearce as Houdini film is set to come out over here on 08 August. I've been a fan of Guy waay back since Neighbours and it'll be good to see him on the big screen agian, especially in a tuxedo. The plot revolves around an affair between Houdini and a fake medium (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The trailer can be found here.
Body of Lies
The new Ridley Scott movie has settled on 10 October. I'm not sure about this, while I accept that Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio are both fantastic actors, I'm not sold on the consistency of Ridley's work. Also I'm still not sure whether the public are ready for Iraq movies, especially one based on a source novel that blasts the US decision to go into Iraq like this one does. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
