#1101511
- Thu Jan 14 2010 12:26 PM
the Book of Eli
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the G-man
Lawyers Guns & Money
Registered: Fri May 16 2003
Posts: 34298
Loc: the right
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'The Book of Eli' -- 3 stars
- This week brings a lean, stark, surprisingly effective headliner in Hollywood’s ongoing apoc-a-pa-looza. “The Book of Eli” marks a return to form for co-directors Allen and Albert Hughes, who bill themselves as The Hughes Brothers. Their resume includes the vivid, juicy “Menace II Society” and “Dead Presidents,” and what they’ve made here, from a script by Gary Whitta, is a sly Old Testament “Mad Max”-y sort of Western, pitting star and producer Denzel Washington as a high plains drifter with God on his side against Gary Oldman as the entrepreneur ruling a makeshift dirty town somewhere in what’s left of the Southwestern United States.
It’s 30 years after the big blast, or whatever it was caused the trouble. Armed with bow, arrow, rifle and machete, Eli is making his way west, because he has been told this is where he must go, to save what’s left of humanity. (Poor Viggo Mortensen in “The Road” — he was told to head south!) Oldman’s character, Carnegie, the old-timer who controls the water supply, is searching for a certain special book, the one being protected by Eli. It’s not much of a spoiler: Early on you figure it’s either the Bible or “Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body.”
What I appreciate about “The Book of Eli” is its scale. Shot on nimble, lightweight Red digital cameras, the film may traffic in familiar landscapes and archetypes, but it allows its cast the space and time to make the characters breathe. The dirty town’s inhabitants include Jennifer Beals as Carnegie’s blind mistress; Mila Kunis as her daughter, a reluctant tool of Carnegie’s and eventually an acolyte of Eli’s; and in a deft supporting role, Tom Waits as the local “engineer” and pawnshop owner, thrilled to pieces when Eli shows up bearing KFC moist towelettes.
Establishing its storytelling rules clearly and well, the film simply is better, and better-acted, than the average end-of-the-world fairy tale
"It’s kind of sad when normal love of country makes you a super patriot."--John Wayne
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#1101527
- Thu Jan 14 2010 03:33 PM
Re: the Book of Eli
[Re: Pariah]
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thedoctor
Timelord. Drunkard.
Registered: Sat Jun 22 2002
Posts: 19680
Loc: In the T.A.R.D.I.S.
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Yes, because Fallout was the first one to do post apocalyptic in the Southwest US.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet." Our Friendly Neighborhood Ray-man said: "no, the doctor's right. besides, he has seniority."
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#1101531
- Thu Jan 14 2010 03:37 PM
Re: the Book of Eli
[Re: Pariah]
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thedoctor
Timelord. Drunkard.
Registered: Sat Jun 22 2002
Posts: 19680
Loc: In the T.A.R.D.I.S.
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If post apocalyptic movies were tranny porn, you'd be better versed in them.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet." Our Friendly Neighborhood Ray-man said: "no, the doctor's right. besides, he has seniority."
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#1101534
- Thu Jan 14 2010 03:41 PM
Re: the Book of Eli
[Re: Pariah]
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thedoctor
Timelord. Drunkard.
Registered: Sat Jun 22 2002
Posts: 19680
Loc: In the T.A.R.D.I.S.
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Well, the last two Mad Max movie were close....
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet." Our Friendly Neighborhood Ray-man said: "no, the doctor's right. besides, he has seniority."
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#1101550
- Thu Jan 14 2010 05:07 PM
Re: the Book of Eli
[Re: thedoctor]
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Captain Sammitch
returning cheapion
Registered: Fri Sep 20 2002
Posts: 16082
Loc: BGSU
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the postman, on the other hand, was not. although general bethlehem was pretty badass.
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