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Movie Review: Red Riding Hood
Mar. 13th, 2011 12:29 amOkay first off this film could be somebody's thesis, for serious: it draws heavily not only on fairy tales but on fairy tale studies. Add in the direction by Catherine Hardwicke who I swear has a superpower for taking on source material that can be painfully mysoginist and then unleashing her own brand of feminism all the fuck over it? Just yum.
(Speaking of: Y'know how she directed Twilight? She recast Billy Burke, who plays Charlie in that franchise, as Cesaire, Valerie's father, in this film. YOU CAN MAKE A WHOLE 'NOTHER PAPER ON BURKE'S SPINS ON FATHERHOOD, PEOPLE.)
Most of all the film reminded me of the original Wicker Man, one of my favorite films of all time, from its sense of impending horror and suggested violence--and really, all the blood in it is not that bad, except it seems so much worse the way it's shot--to its dance of Christianity versus paganism and its hypersexuality.
Gary Oldman and Julie Christie were restrained and did not overshadow the performances of the younger characters. I don't understand why Amanda Seyfriend is in everything recently (I told my friend Candy that she reminds me of Skipper, Barbie's little sister) but let's give the girl some credit--he held her own in her scenes with Julie. Fuck yeah.
The weakest part of the story was the characterization of the boys. I'm never quite clear why we're supposed to root for Peter, aside from the fact he looks really good in tight black leather. I was also really distracted by Max Irons's Henry, as I just kept thinking THIS IS PEETA, THIS IS PEETA! for when they make The Hunger Games film. Seriously, people working on that movie? HIRE THAT BOY.
Okay, I'm gonna go conk out now. But go see this movie after you see The Adjustment Bureau. Or before. Just promise me you'll see both of them, 'kay?
(Speaking of: Y'know how she directed Twilight? She recast Billy Burke, who plays Charlie in that franchise, as Cesaire, Valerie's father, in this film. YOU CAN MAKE A WHOLE 'NOTHER PAPER ON BURKE'S SPINS ON FATHERHOOD, PEOPLE.)
Most of all the film reminded me of the original Wicker Man, one of my favorite films of all time, from its sense of impending horror and suggested violence--and really, all the blood in it is not that bad, except it seems so much worse the way it's shot--to its dance of Christianity versus paganism and its hypersexuality.
Gary Oldman and Julie Christie were restrained and did not overshadow the performances of the younger characters. I don't understand why Amanda Seyfriend is in everything recently (I told my friend Candy that she reminds me of Skipper, Barbie's little sister) but let's give the girl some credit--he held her own in her scenes with Julie. Fuck yeah.
The weakest part of the story was the characterization of the boys. I'm never quite clear why we're supposed to root for Peter, aside from the fact he looks really good in tight black leather. I was also really distracted by Max Irons's Henry, as I just kept thinking THIS IS PEETA, THIS IS PEETA! for when they make The Hunger Games film. Seriously, people working on that movie? HIRE THAT BOY.
Okay, I'm gonna go conk out now. But go see this movie after you see The Adjustment Bureau. Or before. Just promise me you'll see both of them, 'kay?
