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Flash Movie Review: Madame X
I KNEW GOING IN THERE WOULD be a good chance my ears would be ringing by the end of the night. It was part of the event. We would be sitting with anticipation in a cavernous stadium with 20,000 people who all came for the same reason. Sometimes there would be a wall of speakers on both sides of the stage; other times, they would be hidden behind some type of fabric or paper scenery. I knew if there were added speakers suspended from the ceiling then the sound would be massive. Either way we knew we were going to hear music; we just did not know if it would be clear based on the acoustics of the arena. I loved going to concerts so much, that at one point, I was going nearly every weekend during the summer months. The places would be either enclosed or outdoor spots, though I preferred indoor so I would not have to worry about any precipitation. Those times when we could use public transportation to get to the concert, were extra memorable because the train cars were usually full of other concertgoers. There was such a festive atmosphere on the train; some people singing, others dressed up like one of the members of the band. Going to a concert was truly an event. WHAT DRIVES ME TO ATTEND A music concert is the theatrics of it. I expect to experience more than just the artist singing their songs. I once went to a concert where the singer either sat on a stool or stood up to the microphone stand and sang a list of their music hits, with little talking between the songs. It was like listening to their album, which I could have done at home. Though they had an abundance of top ten hits, I never went to see them again because their concert was boring. After attending concerts where I witnessed a laser light drawn eagle take flight above my head and where King Kong appeared with the singer draped over the gorilla’s hand like Fay Wray, I want to be totally entertained. For that reason, I have seen a few of Madonna’s concerts. Putting her singing abilities to the side; she is nothing but one of the best at marketing her brand. Full dance numbers, costume changes and acrobats are just a few reasons her concerts tend to be spectacular. Going to one of her concerts one never knows what to expect, except for a full theatrical production. And for that reason, I was excited to see this musical documentary. MADAME X, PLAYED BY MADONNA (EVITA, A League of Their Own), is a secret agent who travels the world fighting for freedom. Directed by Ricardo Gomes (Union Bay, Urban Sea) and newcomer SKNX, this concert filmed in Portugal was filled with a variety of singers and dancers who joined Madonna on stage. Both the video clips and stage productions were tight and well performed; however, I found the filming of the concert annoying. It was choppy due to the quick shots jumping from front to back and side to side. The music predominately consisted of Madonna’s more current music which was not as appealing to me as her earlier stuff. In her earlier days her political statements were fresh and heartfelt; at this stage they came off a bit to theatrical and seemed as if they were on a long list that she was checking off as the show went on. I never considered her a great singer, more a great performer; but in this concert tour, I never felt the sense of excitement like I experienced in her other ones. Maybe if the editing had been less frenetic and she had included a few of her older songs, I would have enjoyed watching this film. Standing on its own, I know I would have been upset if I had paid for a ticket to go see this show in person.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Arthur and the Invisibles
There is a whole world below you; all one needs to do is look down. As I sat outside in the warm sun, watching two 3 year olds rolling their toy cars on the ground, I was reminded of the first time I discovered the tiny world that lived below my feet. There was a line of black ants that went back and forth between a small opening in the dirt and what looked like a half eaten piece of melting candy. I was fascinated how each ant was able to carry a piece of the sweet treat as large as them without being crushed by the weight. Seeing a larger insect with multiple legs weaving between the blades of grass reminded me of an obstacle course I once saw on television. I recall how scared I was the first time I came upon a spider web that had trapped a live victim that kept trying to squirm out of the adhesive thin, silky threads. This animated award winning adventure film revealed a whole other world beneath us where the Minimoys lived. Freddie Highmore (August Rush, Finding Neverland) played Arthur, a 10 year old boy who was living with his grandmother, played by Mia Farrow (Hannah and her Sisters, The Great Gatsby). Past due with her payments on her property, Arthur was determined to find the treasure his grandfather had claimed he had buried out back before he disappeared. His search would take him to a whole different world that was filled with surprises. Written and directed by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Family), the movie’s story kept up a steady fast pace. The animation was okay though at times some of the battle scenes looked more like an arcade game version. I thought the live actors were good, each playing a somewhat cartoonish type character. The choice of musical celebrities to voice some of the animated characters was an interesting decision. I especially liked Madonna (Swept Away, Evita) as Princess Selenia and David Bowie (The Man Who Fell to Earth, Labyrinth) as Maltazard. The story had a certain charm to it though it was pretty much just standard fare. It was easy to figure out where the story was heading. The concept of the Minimoys was a creative one, but there was not much done to explain their history. I thought more detail and better animation would have helped the whole film, though I do not think it will matter to young kids; most would find this a fun film to watch. I like to explore so seeing this on DVD made me feel like a little kid again.
2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: W./E.
Forgive me Madonna fans; I really wanted to like this film. The score was a wonderful accompaniment to this stylish film and the costumes were perfect. In fact, you had Madonna singing during the closing credits. She was the director and co-writer of this schizophrenic film. There were two stories being played out in this movie. The better of the two was about King Edward VIII, played by James D’Arcy (An American Haunting, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), who abdicated the throne for the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson played by Andrea Riseborough (Happy-Go-Lucky, Never Let Me Go). The other story was about Wally Winthrop, played by Abbie Cornish (Bright Star, Sucker Punch), who became inspired by Mrs. Simpson’s life to find happiness in her own life. I have seen Abbie act and know she can be rather good; however, under this tedious and boring script, along with utterly lifeless direction from Madonna, Ms. Cornish was dreadful. Some of her scenes were ridiculous; I would have thought Madonna would have studied up on camera angles and how to set up a scene. Andrea’s performance as Wallis was the most real for me. Also, I found her looks to be quite interesting. With the curious idea of having two stories, one in the past and one in the present; it was a shame Madonna did not deliver a more fitting film. I stood on a folding chair in cowboy boots for 3 hours during a Madonna concert. Gratefully, I did not have to spend the money nor wait in line to see this messed up movie.
1 2/3 stars — DVD
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