Ever since I was very small my favourite films have always been end of the world esque epics. Godzilla films (I'm a King Ghidirah whore), The Towering Inferno, Jaws... Ok the last one isn't an end of the world film, but it's early and my brain is addled.
In more recent years there have been these disaster movies which I've watched diligently, Independence Day, American Godzilla (insert bleh face here), The Day After Tomorrow and the film I watched last night.... 2012.
Ignoring Godzilla (which I really only put in the list so I had a slightly longer list) these films all have something in common... They're all shit. Not shit as in bad acting, or whatever, just sickening. This is the END of the freaking WORLD. One bloke driving a limo with his deeply boring ex missus and her new husband (who the film was clearly trying to get everyone to hate, I dunno why, ok so categorically if you drive a porsche you're on the lower end of the sliding scale of humanity. But the kids obviously loved him as did boring woman so he wasn't doing that badly so why the hatred?) along with his kids, one of which was very sweet and wore a hat the other was just... meh, through mass destruction with 20 gazillionty people dying all at the same time and surviving. I mean I can suspend disbelief but SERIOUSLY!
I'm not going to offer up any spoilers (I'm pretty certain you've all seen the 5 minute clip) but I think a more realistic end of the world (ie, it actually being the end of the bloody world) would have worked well for this movie. Cos the special effects are AWESOME, and that's awesome in the proper sense of the word (mouth gaping slightly, eyes wide etc).
In another 'slightly' ranty moment. Wtf is it with the portrayal of the british in american big budget movies? It almost seems there is a stock choice of four british stereotypes which they employ from.
1) Old, wellspoken and sinister: Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen et al
2) Foppish and bewildered: Hugh Grant
3) Mad: Various obscure actors who prolly appeared in old Micheal Caine films.
4) Shaven headed and from London: Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham.
(There is actually a fifth category of british but being american which I believe was copywrited by Ewan McGregor)
Also if britain needs to be featured it will be shown to be britain by the inclusion of Big Ben in the background somewhere.
All that aside, my recomendation if you want to watch a proper end of the world movie is to go and watch Cloverfield, so long as you skip the stupid bit in the park, it's pure gold.
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2 comments:
2012 was very formulaic and generally predictable and only the amazing special effects stopped it from getting too dull. Oh and John Cusack who is awesome!
Though I'd add I am Legend to the list of disaster/end of world fillums. That broke the mold and was very very cool.
I want to see 2012 but because I have a love for these type of films. The acting and story is always meh but the effects and suspense usually get me through. I have to agree with Cloverfield, which thoroughly disturbed me as well as I am Legend which freaked me the eff out.
As for the actual 2012, we will see, we will see *muahahhahah*
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