I'm still amazed at how the public responds to this stuff.
While I agree that this has some redeeming qualities, it's so predictable and derivative that I could tell after 5 minutes what the developments would be. I was about 80% accurate.
Critics are easily pleased with anything japanese that uses european fantasy film structure. Funny.
In 2003, there are still people who buy these women characters who behave like... well... women film characters.
And the direction... 100% formulaic. No imagination. No innovation. Just the old recipes. I'm thankful for the sobriety, OK, but a little upset by the ripoffs. And the overacting. And the old manipulative tools. And the cheap trendy sound effects.
I liked very much the scenes with the sympathetic lawyer. Excellent actor, I'll have to watch more from him.
This has been compared to "The Shining"... Well, some can't tell the difference between fresh and canned food. Poor Kubrick!
Amenabar (Abre los Ojos), in the same genre and mannerisms, is far more interesting because he borrows from writers who had a vision (K. Dick among others). Here, what you get is the average Stephen King fast-fantasy syndrome. Well, that's the way it goes.
While I agree that this has some redeeming qualities, it's so predictable and derivative that I could tell after 5 minutes what the developments would be. I was about 80% accurate.
Critics are easily pleased with anything japanese that uses european fantasy film structure. Funny.
In 2003, there are still people who buy these women characters who behave like... well... women film characters.
And the direction... 100% formulaic. No imagination. No innovation. Just the old recipes. I'm thankful for the sobriety, OK, but a little upset by the ripoffs. And the overacting. And the old manipulative tools. And the cheap trendy sound effects.
I liked very much the scenes with the sympathetic lawyer. Excellent actor, I'll have to watch more from him.
This has been compared to "The Shining"... Well, some can't tell the difference between fresh and canned food. Poor Kubrick!
Amenabar (Abre los Ojos), in the same genre and mannerisms, is far more interesting because he borrows from writers who had a vision (K. Dick among others). Here, what you get is the average Stephen King fast-fantasy syndrome. Well, that's the way it goes.