The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Criterion Collection (2-Disc Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Criterion Collection (2-Disc Special Edition)
Movie Review: A Two-hour Unfunny Comedy
Summary: 1 Stars
Don't get me wrong. I love Bill Murray and I'm so happy to see him get the critical attention he's deserved.
But these Wes Anderson "comedies" are just lame. RUSHMORE started out with a lot of promise but fizzled out. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS was a two-hour set-up without ever starting any story (it felt like two-hours even if it wasn't). And now THE LIFE AQUATIC.
All of these films feel like colossal wastes of great casts. I don't think there's been a good comedy since A FISH CALLED WANDA in 1988 (although parts of THE BIG LEBOWSKI are hilarious) so I don't think we have a good scale of reference when it comes to comedies. Most stink. Maybe the current generation of moviegoers have no idea what makes a great comedy. That might explain the glowing reviews here.
Although Anderson's films are competently made, they feel stuffy and pretentious. Humorless. I chuckled once per hour. Not a good average.
I don't think this movie ever makes up its mind.
And I'm so sick of Owen Wilson that I wish Hollywood would give him a paid vacation. Does he have to be in every single movie ever made?
Movie Review: "Sea Oddity" worked for me
Summary: 4 Stars
I actually enjoyed this much more than I expected to.
At one level. this is a 2-hour "what's wrong with this picture" game. Much of the humor is a matter of out-of-place or quirky things that just show up on screen, often for reasons that have not much to do with the plot. It isn't necessarily subtle humor, on the whole, but it isn't loud either; this isn't much like Airplane! in feel, despite some formal similarities. So you have a female crew member who walks around the ship topless, with no one remarking on it (Airplane! would have 20 jokes about it). You have a crew member who sings David Bowie songs in a samba style, in Portuguese. The underwater creatures are CGI'd to quasi-cartoon effect. And Bill Murray, just by being what you'd expect him to be (though not in the sense of being overly predictable), is often not what you'd expect a character like the one he plays to be. He's a Jacques Cousteau who has a suspect knowledge of marine biology and wants to pursue a new species of shark out of revenge, to kill it.
Much the same point could be made by saying this is a parody of Cousteau, with a bit of James Bond and human interest thrown in, but it's the kind of parody, like Galaxy Quest, that's also a fairly earnest example of what it parodies, though never completely so. It's this mixing of earnestness and off-kilterness that gives the movie its peculiar chemistry. The characters are close enough to real that we care about them and their concerns, and enjoy the film as parody, human drama and adventure. Low-key parody, human drama and adventure, for the most part. There is attention to detail, plenty of odd or just right characterization, set decoration, and other points to hold interest.
It may have helped that I came to this film with low expectations. It's the kind of oddity that leaves many people cold, as you can see from the reviews. But it has its charm, more overtly funny than Lost in Translation and less offensive to your higher sensibilities than a typical Leslie Nielsen comedy. I hope I haven't spoiled it for you by giving it a positive review, but I want to make it sound interesting enough to check out for yourself. I know I'm going to want to see it again.
Movie Review: Enjoyment of this odd movie is about capturing the details
Summary: 5 Stars
I didn't fully appreciate The Life Aquatic until I watched the extras (on disc 2). Then each viewing became increasingly pleasurable, as the little details fulfilled their role in making a movie into an experience. There is a story behind the individualized red hats, the life size profile of the ship, the use of actual sound crew as cast, the Portuguese renditions of David Bowie songs, and so much more.
Watch the extras then enjoy this story of a Cousteau-esque documentary team who has seen better days (one of their crew has recently been eaten, the team is concerned about a wealthy competitor, and rivalries flare up internally when their leader's son appears). Outstanding cast, beautiful colors, unique stylings of Wes Anderson.
Movie Review: As close to a real life aquatic as it gets
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a Professor of marine biology, and i have to say, that this is as close as it gets. Part fantasy, part oddball, but so close to the reality of how it is... it is amazing. I am stunned by the backlash from movie reviewers. As Antonia Cook would say "they just didn't get it". For the rest of us it's easy, relax and enjoy what life and its screwups, marine biology, being at sea and fathers and sons are all about.
This movie makes the universe a better place to be, something I would not say of most.
Movie Review: Trust me, don' t be a fool...
Summary: 1 Stars
It's a disgrace they charge money for this DVD. Producer and actors should be ashamed this is sold.
Fine if people want to experiment with filmmaking, but to release this film with big name actors and charge consumer, unforgivable.
I prefer to have rated this with no stars.