Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Mr.BadExample

Mr.BadExample

Joined
Sep 11, 2002
Messages
3,548
First off, I know a lot of people are NOT going to like this movie. It doesn't try to be like current action movies; it exists in the pulp days of serials and adventure fiction. It does resemble The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in this way, but I think it succeeds where League failed.
It does pump up the action to modern levels, but the characters, cliches and dialogue are all 30's era.
It's a lot of fun to watch, once you get used to the sepia-tone world. The sets, being digital, can be huge and expansive- showing off the art deco landscape. The only problem is it does look dark and a little soft, but I was easily lost in the picture once the "Story" - as thin as it is- gets going.
It reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark, though I think Raiders is a better movie. It's also reminscent of The Rocketeer, which I thought was underrated.
The movie is about fun- the technical aspects will be over-discussed, torn apart by some and praised by others. Personally I thought it looked as good as, if not better than the recent Star Wars prequels (probably because of the sepia tone effect). The reason to see it is because the story is DIFFERENT, it harkens back to that "sense of wonder" of the old days. So be warned, if that is not your bag, you probably shouldn't see it.
It does have a good dose of humor, it's kid-safe (but should be, unlike Alien Vs. Predator) and the actors all seem to be having fun with their parts, especially Angelina Jolie (though her part is relatively small, be warned).
8 out of 10.

Edit- two knives in the movie, a machete and a dagger :)
 
Seeing it tonight (Sunday) with some friends, I'm not expecting much but it looks somewhat intriguing. Plus it has Angelina in it. :D

Ash
 
Sounds pretty good. I'll probably just wait for the DVD at Netflix, unless it's one of those movies that loses a lot on the small screen.
 
My wife and I saw it yesterday, enjoyed it thoroughly. The "look" (when did that become a noun?) of the film, with it's grainy, not-quite-black-and-white appearance, may take a minute to get used to, but it sets the character of the film, which is a tribute to all those old serials, comics, and whatever. You can find traces of Commando Cody, Doc Savage, even King Kong in there, with many more besides.
Great fun, and a pretty remarkable effort with virtually the entire film being done in CGI.
 
thx for review as well..
Kids thought it looked too cheesy to waste a saturday on, but now its cheap tuesday at the cineplex and I'm off as soon as I log off here...'
When I was a kid I got a huge hardcover collection of Buck Rogers comic reprints from the thirties and forties. Hoping this will be more of the same.
Mr. Bad, do you take your name from the Warren Zevon song, if you don't know it, it's a hoot.
cheers
"and whisked away their workers comp and pauperized the lot"
 
mwerner
re Zevon, yep got that one too, even have old vinyl of Dancing School. Been a fan long time, and never understood why his stuff didna get more play. Too intelligent or off beat for radio maybe?
Theres a DVD of the making of his Last album, The "Wind" that's pretty neat.
Well me and Liza gotta go rake up the yard. :)
Mr Bad, sorry, just noticed your signature line, answers my question..still, check out the song...
Saw Sky Captain last night, so inthralled by art direction didna pay attention to much else. Except Angelina, more of her less of Gwynneth say I.
cheers
 
mwerner said:
The "look" (when did that become a noun?)
Click to expand...

The first known use of "look" as a noun meaning "the distinctive appearance of a person or thing" was in 1385, when Chaucer used it in his Canterbury Tales (in "The Housewife's Tale", I think, but I can't quite tell--the middle English FUBARs me pretty badly). So there's some precedent :D

...And there's a Warren Zevon "Best Of" album? Published after his death, I'm guessing? I'm gonna have to check it out. I tried to like "The Wind", but I just can't get attached to it. Fell head-over-heels in love with "Life'll Kill Ya", though.
 
Yep, my name is from the Warren Zevon song. He was my favorite songwriter. Before that it was Frank Zappa, and now Tom Waits holds the title, so I hope he's feeling well :/
The Best Of is a decent disc, but his individual albums are definitely worth hunting down.
 
Grover..
I just googled and "Genius Best Of "was 2002, while The Wind was 2003. I really liked "the Wind" but was diagnosed around the same time as Zevon so was ripe for that outlook. Don't have "Life Will Kill Ya" though, might have to order it as I never saw it in shops, even after they stocked up after Zevon's passing."
 
y'all got my attention now......off to read a few reviews....
 
Mr. Bad
Just saw your post, I am with you on Zappa and Zevon. I really like Waits too, but not enough to replace Zevon. Only have a few of Waits's, trying to remember favorite song, it was a poem to the glories of pasties, g-strings and liqour with just a snare drum for accompaniment... Just thinking about his singing makes my throat hurt.
Is Waits ill, or were you just worried about the Z's precedents?
If I spent less on coffee and blades I'd have all my favorite old vinyls and cassettes on cd by now :)
above mentioned song was appropriately titled "Pasties and a G-string(the Two O'clock Club) ", off the Small Change album.
 
I saw it Sunday night, thought Gwyneth Paltrow's character was a huge pain in the ass, but Angelina was awesome for the short time she was onscreen and even Jude Law was pretty good. Interesting movie, I wonder if the "minimal sets, maximum CG" concept will catch on as used here.

Ash
 
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