Kite Running Wristcutters in the Mist
This Week's DVD Releases / The Pajiba Staff
Control: Phillip seemed to appreciate Control, a documentary on Ian Curtis, the tortured lead singer of Joy Division. “It’s a film that seems made for fans already steeped in the Curtis mythos, those who have an extant familiarity with those iconic talking points in his life — the fateful Sex Pistols show, the confrontation with Tony Wilson, the apocryphal blood-contract, the onset of epilepsy, the onstage fits, the affair with Annik Honoré, the Derby riot, and then that harrowing morning.” However, he had some reservations: But in merely presenting Curtis without an attempt at understanding, Corbijn loses something to the myth, and the narrative arc which leads Curtis to stardom and then, one fateful morning after watching Werner Herzog’s Stroszek and listening to Iggy Pop’s The Idiot, to swing from his kitchen ceiling, feels like an afterthought. Still, as an accompaniment to Joy Division’s music, Control is impeccable, featuring some of the most beautiful chiaroscuro photography of the year. For fans, this accompaniment is like a love letter; for everyone else, it’s probably just another riddle.”
Kite Runner: Ranylt was mixed on The Kite Runner, writing that “the Dreamworks belts and pulleys never completely disappear from the product, though, and make The Kite Runner a film that defies a pat verdict. It hopscotches between a strong, fascinating beauty designed to engage American viewers with its alien face, and mealy movie-of-the-week contrivances. Sentiment ultimately drowns out a superior sort of affect which, by and large, sustains itself up until the final half hour of the film.”
The Mist: Aside from complaints about the way The Mist ended (an emotion-porn conclusion, complete with Dead Can Dance caterwauling), Ranylt was satisfied with the film. Everything sandwiched between the bookends Darabont selected works as it should. “Unless you’re the type of viewer who can’t forgive alterations between source and film, or who requires something in the way of Original to light your fire, The Mist connects the genre dots and draws up a decent nightmare.”
Wristcutters: A Love Story: John didn’t much care for Wristcutters, writing “Set in a purgatorial afterlife populated by suicides, it’s a shabby, sentimental indie that didn’t bother to spring for Zach Braff or the rights to the high-profile emo songs that might have drawn the audience of yearning teens it so desperately craves. Instead, it signed up Tom Waits and Patrick Fugit (of Almost Famous…fame) in a misguided attempt to rope in the aging hipster demographic, who won’t fail to find it thin, lacking in humor, and occasionally insulting.
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Comments
I am really really excited to see The Mist. That's one of my favorite Stephen King stories.
Posted by: Julie at March 26, 2008 12:11 PM
Meh.
Posted by: Trouble at March 26, 2008 12:12 PM
The Kite Runner was a decent book until the end. I hated the way that the book ended and I feel fairly certain that I will hate the way the movie ends as well. The book was already set up to end like a TV movie of the week.
Meh.
Posted by: Melody at March 26, 2008 12:13 PM
"Control"'s not a documentary, but it *is* lovely to look at.
Posted by: Jay at March 26, 2008 12:14 PM
I have a sickness that forces me to watch adaptations of Stephen King. The same sickness makes me watch most anything horror-related. I call it "sexlexsia"...wait. That's not it. Anyway, I will be watching The Mist.
I have to agree with Trouble when I give the rest of these releases a big meh.
Posted by: Dangle McGee at March 26, 2008 12:25 PM
The Mist was surprisingly good until that infuriating ending. Sweet zombie Jesus.
Posted by: Lannie at March 26, 2008 12:26 PM
Dangle,
I must have the same disease. It's the only way I can explain my complete devotion to the craptacular line up on Fearnet On Demand and why I watched all the parts to The Tommyknockers and The Langoliers while prepping for Easter brunch this weekend. God, I hope The Mist is better than than any of those.
Posted by: Jen Vegas at March 26, 2008 12:31 PM
Ok...this is way off the subject, but only you guys will understand...
A friend of mine just called me to let me know she just got a role in the new Tyler Perry movie. When I responded with "Oh, I'm sorry! Can you get out of it?", she called me a hater and hung up on me!
Hahahahahaha
Posted by: Trouble at March 26, 2008 12:36 PM
I'm one of those people who was going to see Control no matter what the reviews said on the basis of the Soundtrack alone, so yup, this will be my DVD purchase of the week.
Posted by: PaddyDog at March 26, 2008 12:38 PM
I guess I'll watch The Mist. Poo on everything else.
Posted by: Kolby at March 26, 2008 12:41 PM
wristcutterswristcutterswristcutterswristcutters. that is all.
Posted by: coveredinbees at March 26, 2008 12:45 PM
"A friend of mine just called me to let me know she just got a role in the new Tyler Perry movie."
Trouble - We need to stage in intervention for your friend ASAP before she gets a gig on the next Ice Cube family comedy. On the brighter side, she's a shoe in for a gig on a CW sitcom.
Also, I saw bought The Mist last night. Holy Hannah Montana that was an awesome flic. I highly recommend it to my fellow Pajibans.
Posted by: Manny at March 26, 2008 12:46 PM
Paddy, Sam Riley's lack of freaky light eyes is just slightly distracting. I couldn't figure out what was messing with the resemblance and had to have it pointed out to me. But that's nothing really. He can sing like him and I thought the actor band did a great job. Plus Anton's in my pantheon of photographers I'm trying to live up to, and even though he wasn't the DP it looks like him.
Oh and....damn skinny Continental homewrecker!!
I saw it twice last November, the first time in Portland the night after we saw "Blade Runner". I felt silly when I realized I'd worn a raincoat to two raincoat movies (it *was* practical but I almost looked cosplay) and then, even though I'd mostly quit and didn't have a problem with it, I really really needed a cigarette after watching those two. I'm just a casual listener but I saw it with a major fan here and she was pleased. I know it put a bug in my ear for a lot of lesser-known songs I now really like. It's hard not to keep playing "Candidate" in my head these days.
Posted by: Jay at March 26, 2008 12:52 PM
Aww, I kind of liked Wristcutters but that might just be due to a combined weakenss for Will Arnett, Leslie Bibb and buckets of quirk.
Posted by: Alex the Odd at March 26, 2008 1:00 PM
Is the "Control" that is released today the Corbjin-directed Ian Curtis biopic or a similarly titled but unrelated film? All the info I have points to a June release for the film referenced above.
Posted by: Brad at March 26, 2008 1:08 PM
I believe it's the right movie, and you're right about the date seeming different.
Pajiba staff, do you have further information? Thanks!
Posted by: Jay at March 26, 2008 1:17 PM
Note to self: go outside this week.
Posted by: Agente Provocatrice at March 26, 2008 1:43 PM
Patrickfugitpatrickfugitpatrickfugit. That is all.
Posted by: that bees chick at March 26, 2008 5:12 PM