Captain_Video
10-13-2006, 05:50 PM
SO.
I checked out a film by Mr Neil Gaiman and Mr Dave Mckean ( apparently they are somewhat fondly thought of on the comic magazine circuit ).
This movie has probably the most fantastic production design of any since...oh say Moulin Rouge, beautiful to look at.
It is an interesting parable for adolescence and runs with similar themes to a little movie back in the 80s called "paper house" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098061/ which you should probably check out after Mirrormask as it is an even darker version.
The best thing about Mirrormask is seeing Jim Henson's creature effects crew being put to work again and tellingly as you would expect the creations are imbued with an immense amount of character and fantastical whimsy, although you, like me will be wishing they where muppets rather than CGI creations.
Lots of underrated British performers such as Rob Brydon, Gina Mckee and the lead girl Stephanie Leonidas does a hard task effortlessly making you interested in a slightly whiny and stroppy teenage girl.
Also the British seaside is shot in quite gorgeous fashion, the wonders of digital grading.
Ullllltimately the film doesnt quite work as the characters slightly take a backseat to the spectacle ( though it is a big spectacle ) and is an inspiring display of what a fairly modest budget can achieve ( by Hollywood standards ) .
It is flawed it is not great, but in the same vein as "The Dark Crystal" it has enough inventive imagery and an honest sense of being in another place that I felt I needed to share it with the good folks of CBR.
Mirrormask is well worth your time if you are bored with the current movie scene and want to be transported to a flawed quaint paradise for a while.
Check it out I beg of thee.
I checked out a film by Mr Neil Gaiman and Mr Dave Mckean ( apparently they are somewhat fondly thought of on the comic magazine circuit ).
This movie has probably the most fantastic production design of any since...oh say Moulin Rouge, beautiful to look at.
It is an interesting parable for adolescence and runs with similar themes to a little movie back in the 80s called "paper house" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098061/ which you should probably check out after Mirrormask as it is an even darker version.
The best thing about Mirrormask is seeing Jim Henson's creature effects crew being put to work again and tellingly as you would expect the creations are imbued with an immense amount of character and fantastical whimsy, although you, like me will be wishing they where muppets rather than CGI creations.
Lots of underrated British performers such as Rob Brydon, Gina Mckee and the lead girl Stephanie Leonidas does a hard task effortlessly making you interested in a slightly whiny and stroppy teenage girl.
Also the British seaside is shot in quite gorgeous fashion, the wonders of digital grading.
Ullllltimately the film doesnt quite work as the characters slightly take a backseat to the spectacle ( though it is a big spectacle ) and is an inspiring display of what a fairly modest budget can achieve ( by Hollywood standards ) .
It is flawed it is not great, but in the same vein as "The Dark Crystal" it has enough inventive imagery and an honest sense of being in another place that I felt I needed to share it with the good folks of CBR.
Mirrormask is well worth your time if you are bored with the current movie scene and want to be transported to a flawed quaint paradise for a while.
Check it out I beg of thee.