Skin flix

Director Robert Zemeckis continues his use of motion capture with his adaptation of the English epic poem Beowulf.  The basic story is preserved:  mighty warrior Beowulf shows up to defend a kingdom long terrorized by the monstrous Grendel, and in turn, Grendel's mother and a dragon.  A significant portion of the text was reworked, so there are a few surprises even for those well-versed in the original text.

The movie is something of a mixed bag.  The combination of digital RealD technology (again, I'm a sucker for 3-D glasses) and the motion capture makes for a STUNNING presentation.  I have mixed feelings about the big changes they did to the story-- the changes to Grendel's mother were lame, but the connection made to the second half of the story was a good idea, and so was the horror that Beowulf awakens to.  Winstone's delivery is odd, peppering Beowulf's monologues with brief but noticeable pauses.  A small detail I quite liked was how Grendel's Mother addresses Beowulf, making reference to the meaning behind the titular kenning, which is later manifested in a sail.

Something should be said that while it is PG-13, a factor in it not being rated more adult appropriate was the "distancing" that the motion capture creates over live-action.  Grendel's rampages into the feasting hall are quite graphic, and punctuated by flickering light.  While Angie and co. simply appear to be naked, and strategic coverings and objects are used for the nether bits, the nudity of the characters should be deemed real enough to earn back the initial R-rating.  As a whole, the movie fell short of the hype, but if a nearby theatre is offering it in 3-D or IMAX, it's worth the trip just for the visuals.

I'm not remotely familiar with Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, so I can't say anything on how good the adaptation to the screen is.  But the story is simple enough:  Fermina is a newly-widowed matriarch who comes home from the funeral of her husband to a long-lost flame proclaiming a life-long love for her, which triggers a flashback.  A young boy, Fiorentino,  is enamored with a girl, Fermina, who is out of his league, and when his feelings are categorically not returned, he goes about trying to forget his painful rejection by becoming a playboy while she gets married to Dr. Juvenal Urbino.

Filmed beautifully in Colombia, Garcia Marquez's home country and the setting for the novel, there are several great landscape shots and the creation of the town adds to the feel of authenticity.  Shakira's presence on the soundtrack was a similarly great choice, and I will admittedly see anything with Javier Bardem after seeing him in Mar Adentro. 

But what is supposed to be a great story feels flat after it leaves the page, and instead of feeling engaged, a lot of the film was a yawn for me.  Not to mention the numerous, but brief, love scenes thrown in.  The first two are actually funny, but they quickly fade into "Oooh, there's a bookshelf behind the couple having sex.  I wonder if there's anything good on it.".  I'm also a bit peeved that the movie is in English, instead of Spanish when so many members of the cast (Bardem, John Leguizamo, Catalina Sandino Moreno, etc) are fluent or native speakers.  So like Beowulf, this is very much a mixed bag, but lots of great scenery, haunting Shakira tunes, and the outstanding Javier Bardem, who I'll mention more when I get around to No Country For Old Men.