(Back 2 Back) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO: Oplev's or Fincher's?

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.

          (2009) Directed by:  Niels Arden Oplev                              (2011) Directed by:  David Fincher
        Starring:  Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace                        Starring:  Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
                  Running Time: 152 mins.                                                         Running Time:  158 mins.

It's rare to find a movie adaptation that is as good as the book, or better. What's even rarer? A Hollywood remake that is as good as the original film, or better. I'm actually already partial to the film adaptations even before seeing them since I was mildly disappointed with Larsson's novel (or the translated one). While its plot was intriguing and the context & themes explored provocative, somehow the manner it was written was at times off-putting. Here's my book review, if anyone's interested.

Now let's talk about the movies! 


Michael Nyqvist vs. Daniel Craig:  Who's the real Millenium's Don Juan?  

Gravity (2013)

"Clear skies with a chance of satellite debris"

What makes Gravity one of the best in the history of space exploration-themed sci-fi movies? It pulls you in. The visuals will enrapture you, the score will mesmerize you, and aside from that, there's an emotional pull - you're not just feeling the action, but you're also feeling the terror & threat that Bullock is experiencing. At last, a space movie that deserves to be recognized for its grandeur alongside Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. I won't compare the two because that's not fair, all I'm saying is that after all these years, finally we have a movie in this era that has a vision pretty much like what Kubrick did in 1968. And I'm so happy I have witnessed this in the cinema (and in IMAX). I thought it's gonna be a sucky movie experience because behind me, there were three girls with foreigner boyfriends chatting non-stop, and passing the vinegar (yes! you heard me!) for their isaw (chicken intestines) or chicharon (I'm not even kidding), but when the movie started - complete silence. And not another word about the damn vinegar all throughout the film. That's how powerful the opening sequence was. It makes you forget about vinegar.

A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.

Directed by:  Alfonso Cuaron

Written by: Alfonso Cuaron and his son Jonas 

Music by:  Steven Price

Cinematography by:  Emmanuel Lubezki

Starring:  Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

Running Time:  91 minutes

BOOK REVIEW: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption.

Author: Stieg Larsson

Country:  Sweden (2005)

Published in English: 2008, translated by Reg Keeland

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Series:  #1 of the Millenium Series

Pages:  590

"It was uneven stylistically, and in places the writing was actually rather poor - there had been no time for any fine polishing - but the book was animated by a fury that no reader could help but notice." -(Berger, describing Blomkvist's book)

Maybe it's the translator's fault, I don't know, but that quote above is how I will describe Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Now, now, before you flare up and start to defend this book like how I would defend my secret stash of Twix candy bars - Battle Royale style - I'm not saying this book is not good. It is. But it's overrated. In my opinion, it really is. While reading, once or twice I said to myself, "Surely, the film versions are better than this. Hopefully." (I haven't watched its film adaptations yet)

Pitch Perfect (2013)

Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.

Directed by:  Jason Moore (his debut film)

Screenplay by:  Kay Cannon 

Starring:  Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Britanny Snow, Skylar Astin

Running Time:  112 minutes

"Get Pitch-Slapped"

This is Glee... in college. I won't say more on that subject.

Forget about the story - it's typical.

Forget about the song choices - it's average, and it seems they blindly picked songs from the Billboard 100 or whatever you call it. Okay, they added some 80's flavor (which I love), so, good move!

Forget about the performances - because they are, again, average at best. Although that last perfomance of The Bellas entertained me a lot.

But, I kinda liked the movie.

Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting much before pressing PLAY. But seriously,

A Mortician and A Lame Giant Slayer

I rarely do this now but for some reason I was able to watch 2 movies in 1 day (I used to watch more than 5 movies a day. *nostalgic sigh*).  Anyway, the first movie I watched is about a man who dresses/prepares a corpse, and the other is about an acrophobic boy who has slayed one giant, "killed" another one with the help of bees, definitely not a giant slayer.

Evil Dead (2013): Why this remake is so DEAD but not EVIL

In the much anticipated remake of the 1981 cult-hit horror film, five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

Directed by:  Fede Alvarez (his first feature film)

Screenplay by:  Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, Diablo Cody (for polishing)

Starring:  Jane Levy (Mia), Shiloh Fernandez (David), Lou Taylor Pucci (Eric), Jessica Lucas (Olivia), Elizabeth Blackmore (Natalie)

Running Time:  92 mins

"The most terrifying film you will ever experience."

That's actually the most deceitful movie tagline of all time -- and I'm not amused. Using a gazillion gallons of fake blood is not terrifying. A deadite basically knocked-off from The Exorcist isn't terrifying. A series of quick "scary inserts" and loud sound effects supposedly meant to make the viewers jump off their seats isn't terrifying. Lots of severed limbs and vomiting isn't terrifying. NO. NO. NO! Not one bit in this movie is terrifying! 

Okay, I'm not at all a biased reviewer. So let me start with the good points. First of all, the cinematography/photography & lighting is really good. It definitely has that eerie atmosphere fit for a horror movie, and there are great shots that add to the visual quality of the film. But then again, there's a shot somewhere which greatly reminded me of The Walking Dead, is that a good or bad thing? I don't really know, but it makes it less special.  Secondly, it's really nice to see a movie which utilizes practical effects rather than an overload of CGI (that to me is the bane of today's film industry), which is also a nostalgic nod to the Raimi original. Third, is the smart decision not to do a FULL REMAKE of the original. Alvarez did a slightly different take on the story and mood, and that to me is his advantage - because seriously, who could ever replace Bruce Campbell or remake the original Evil Dead? 

So now, please let me compare just a little bit & tell you what makes the original ED (1 & 2) 10x better than this hugely disappointing 2013 remake.