Sucker-Punched

Clearly, a lot of movies are starting to adapt to the idea of "style over substance." Thankfully some are still able to meld the two just fine ("Rango" being a prime example), but sometimes I'm amazed at how so much attention can be put into set designs and style, yet so little in the actual substance. Despite some lavishly over-the-top action designs, everything else was underdeveloped (acting, character development, the story... you name it). Although not to much surprise, this was directed by Zack Snyder, the man behind "300" and "Watchmen" (as the advertisements so proudly proclaim), extremely stylized films that were very appreciated for their set pieces and design. In terms of substance, these films have met with mixed results, but fared much better in comparison.

The plot focuses on a girl dubbed "Baby-Doll," who is sent to an insane asylum after she accidentally shoots her sister in an attempt to defend her their step-father (the very person she was trying to shoot). There, a plan is instrumented by an orderly and the step-father to have her lobotomized in order for her to prevent him from being pointed out by her. While there, she escaped into a fantasy world in which she and several others attempt to escape the asylum before the time comes. In this alternate reality, they are basically dancers/ servants at a burlesque house. In a deeper level of the subconscious, a heist is instrumented between the girls to find several objects in order to free themselves and escape. It becomes unclear as to whether or not this is indeed an attempt to escape the complex or simply escape reality.

Unfortunately, this movie is all smoke and mirrors with no fire behind it. While it may look big, there is no reason behind everything. Granted, it all looks amazing, with an either colorful palette or high-contrast sepia tone behind most of it. However, nothing seems to drive it. Unlike previous Zack Snyder films, he found a way to balance the substance and design to match certain thematic elements. In "Sucker-Punch," it's explosive for the sake of being explosive. It ranges from a vast, snowy, Japanese fortress to a vast WWI battle ground to a vast futuristic city (Although most of it is restrained to a train). It's basically a desert: there's simply a cast stretch of land with no life-sustaining substance behind it.

The characters aren't developed and all have the same personality. Although "Baby-doll" is given her reason for being where she is (shown in a very well done opening in the real world), the other characters aren't really given any back-story or differentiating personalities. They're all trying to be sexy bad-asses who basically have a "why the hell not" attitude towards the escape. What little differences they do have fall under cliche characters: the lone dissenter who shows no faith in the project, the token racial member, a person who tried to be a rebel, and a person who has no real point in the movie to begin with. Of course, with cliche characters come cliche plot points, basically hitting every sour note from character deaths, sacrifice, and progression (and unfortunately a directorial choice to basically point towards how it'll end kills some of the wonder as well).

It's ironic that for a film that is about the escape from reality, it's the brief segments of reality that spark the most interest, sporting darkness in the substance that matches the high contrast and (practically) washed out sepia tone. It is perfectly paced, with the distress behind everything lingering. Even with it killing the "dream" sequences, when it eventually reverts back to it, the same distress returns almost instantly. I wish this could have stayed with the majority of the movie, but at the very least, it was the real segments that worked quite well.

Despite some great art and set design, as well as well done reality segments, the movie unfortunately collapses under it's own wait. It's try to be a grand spectacle without anything fueling it from the background. Even those who simply try to take it for what it is will have a hard time enjoying this film. For those who want a tip on design (as well as those who want to listen to some great, high energy covers of some popular music), I recommend it. For those of you who want any semblance of substance, simply stay away.

Japan's Long and Lonely Road

word of the week: accentuate - to give emphasis and prominence to

Japan is best known for being a rather dense country... dense in the sense that there's a large populous in a relatively small area. It is usually quite busy and productive. However, the recent earthquake has set the country back in productivity, destroying parts of the city and cause tsunamis that flooded the country along the coastline. Although the damage in this photo is relatively minor, what portrays is subtly disturbing in what the effects caused were. Even the damage suggests something more to what is possible.

Physically speaking, the bridge in the center of this photo should be completely devastated. Yet, here it is, representing what this earthquake was: something unexpected, stopping everything from miles around. It not only stops it, it's to the point where the damage prevents anything from being done. The road is somehow perfectly divided right down the middle, separating the lanes. The road is left uneven, stopping everything for miles. It more or less accentuates the power of nature and how it can do the seemingly impossible, ranging from ultimate destruction to a simple disruption that comes in the strangest forms. The damage to the bridge is technically minimal, and it's surround seems fine, yet somehow the simple changes in elevation disrupt the entire path that is there and actions that people will take.

Although I do feel a more destructive picture of the damage in Japan would make better sense of what mother nature can do when we don't respect it, I feel it's more important to see what we don't expect, and that we must expect EVERYTHING.

Rango

Word of the week: gimcrack: a showy but useless or worthless object.

Animation is a field that's constantly evolving. In terms of overall quality, it's constantly journeying through new territories and technologies to impress it's viewers. Case in point is "Rango," directed by Gore Verbinski (the "Pirates of the Carribean" trilogy), and animated by the special effects powerhouse company of George Lucas, Industrial Light and Magic. Admittedly, there was worry that this movie would be a gimcrack, based on the director's latest films, but thankfully the movie avoids these, due to a well-written script and some interesting characters, while doubling up as a faithful homage to westerns and the spirit it embodies. However, the quality of the film is not important in this instance, as I'm here to focus more on the animation.

One thing that stood out right from the beginning was the of the style used. First off, the contrast was fairly high, sporting very little different in-between values. Of course, this was meant to accentuate the effects of the beating sun, which was gradually drying up and destroying the land of the setting. Secondly, the there was a very specific color palette of accentuated interest. Many primary colors were somewhat desaturated, with select colors being emphasized. Yellows, oranges, and blues were heavily saturated, not only as a means of contrast, but also to emphasize the important factors in the environment, like the fiery sun and the dwindling water that the people so desperately needed in the time of a drought. Also heavily emphasized was a faded brown palette that was attributed to the environment.

In terms of the detail in the characters and the environments, the quality was staggering. The textures were sharp and detailed, matched with high polygon count characters. The variance in design and characters was also commendable. Every character had distinct features in their outfits, physical attributes (i.e. missing appendages), and animations. The movements, although exaggerated at times, had a smooth flow to everything, never feeling choppy or robotic.

Visually, it's quite an impressive piece. Regardless of whether or not one enjoys the plot, it's hard not to be impressed with the production values. An interesting style in color choices and contrast help enhance the narrative and emphasize the direness of the situation at hand, while sporting high quality animations that will definitely impress those who want to study how to properly do it.