Today's Netflix recommendation is an underrated movie starring the Looney Tunes. This was their second attempt at combining Bugs and company with live action; the first was the regrettable "Space Jam," when Michael Jordan proved once again that he should really stick to basketball. I enjoyed "Space Jam" at the time, because I love the Looney Tunes and I thought Michael Jordan was the coolest. Also, I was eight years old.
Looney Tunes: Back In Action sets up a world where cartoon characters wander freely around the "real" world (similar to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"). Daffy Duck, tired of Bugs getting all the attention, quits his job. He teams up with a recently fired stuntman and they set off to search for the plot device.
They don't refer to it as the plot device, although the movie is almost self-aware enough that they could have pulled that off. I guess that would be a little too meta, though. Anyway, all of the classic Looney Tunes characters are back. They sort of team up to have a major battle between all of the good guys and all of the bad guys. Among other things, they find a flying car that takes them to Area 52 (not Area 51); run through the paintings in the Louvre (easily one of the best scenes) and even end up in outer space for the return of Duck Dodgers In The Twenty-Fourth-and-a-half CENTURY!
*KABOOM*
It has been a while since I last saw this one, so the plot details are a bit fuzzy, but I still remember the jokes. And really, when it comes to the Looney Tunes, that's what it's all about.
Showing posts with label Netflix Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Netflix Friday. Show all posts
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Netflix Friday #1: Dawn
Today's Netflix streaming recommendation is for a movie I discovered a couple years ago, back when instant streaming was brand-new. At the time, I was looking for anything I could find with vampires. I came across this little independent gem simply by scrolling through all of their horror offerings.
"Dawn" is not your typical vampire movie. It is the story of a man and his daughter, Dawn. They are forced to forever wander from place to place to hide their secret: Dawn is a vampire. Technically, she is half-human, half-vampire. However, rather than this making her a super-speshul miracle baby, this means that she has all of a vampire's desire to kill along with all of a human's compassion for her victims. Their solution to this is to drive around until Dawn senses a human who is dying; she will only kill those who are terminally ill. However, this doesn't stop a would-be Van Helsing from setting out to avenge his mother.
If you are looking for tons of action and blood, "Dawn" is not for you. The movie is more of a character study of Dawn and her father. It's clear that they love each other very much, in spite of everything. The character development is excellent, particularly Dawn's struggle to meld her vampire and human halves. It builds to a tragic but inevitable conclusion. Despite its overall dark tone, there are a few funny scenes. My favorite is the conversation between Dawn's father and a goth chick.
There are a couple of caveats: first, the film is shot entirely in black and white. I think it was used effectively here, but it is another thing that sets it apart from other movies. Also, the acting isn't always the best. If you can overlook that, however, "Dawn" is a haunting little film that will stay with you for a long time.
"Dawn" is not your typical vampire movie. It is the story of a man and his daughter, Dawn. They are forced to forever wander from place to place to hide their secret: Dawn is a vampire. Technically, she is half-human, half-vampire. However, rather than this making her a super-speshul miracle baby, this means that she has all of a vampire's desire to kill along with all of a human's compassion for her victims. Their solution to this is to drive around until Dawn senses a human who is dying; she will only kill those who are terminally ill. However, this doesn't stop a would-be Van Helsing from setting out to avenge his mother.
If you are looking for tons of action and blood, "Dawn" is not for you. The movie is more of a character study of Dawn and her father. It's clear that they love each other very much, in spite of everything. The character development is excellent, particularly Dawn's struggle to meld her vampire and human halves. It builds to a tragic but inevitable conclusion. Despite its overall dark tone, there are a few funny scenes. My favorite is the conversation between Dawn's father and a goth chick.
There are a couple of caveats: first, the film is shot entirely in black and white. I think it was used effectively here, but it is another thing that sets it apart from other movies. Also, the acting isn't always the best. If you can overlook that, however, "Dawn" is a haunting little film that will stay with you for a long time.
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