Kimonos and Robots

In the past several weeks, I finally got around to watching a couple of DVDs that I’d been meaning to for quite some time. The first was Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of As You Like It. Given that this is one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies, I was really excited about the film version. And Branagh has done such wonders with film adaptations of Shakespeare plays, the best being (in my humble opinion) Much Ado About Nothing. Branagh set his interpretation of As You Like It in nineteenth century Japan, which I found very intriguing. And it certainly was visually stunning. The costumes, in particular, were gorgeous—a fusion of Victorian and Japanese garb. Bryce Dallas Howard was a vibrant Rosalind, and Romola Garai nearly outshone her as Celia. (I didn't even recognize her as the same actress who portrayed the 18-year-old Briony Tallis in Atonement!) For all its good points, however, the film never grabbed me the way I expected it to. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seemed lacking. I came away with the vague feeling that perhaps As You Like It simply works better as a play. When I read it a few years ago, I remember loving the language and thinking, "Wow, I think this may have just become my favorite Shakespearean comedy." Then, I saw Sir Peter Hall's RSC production at the Ahmanson Theatre. With a 1930s, depression-era backdrop, it was both nuanced and memorable. Branagh's version is beautiful to look at, and all the actors were extremely competent. But, the spark that truly brings a film to life and creates a deep connection between the audience and the characters on screen remained elusive.

One last note: Brian Blessed had the difficult task of portraying both Duke Senior and his power-hungry brother Duke Frederick. Blessed was excellent in both roles, but images from his stint as Old Deuteronomy in Cats kept leaping unbidden to my mind! Okay, so this picture here isn't of Brian Blessed, but my searches came up empty. This was the best I could do, but I think it gives a good idea of why the image interfered with my ability to focus on and truly enjoy Blessed's efforts in the film!

If you haven't yet guessed, the second DVD I watched was Wall-E. Yes, I know, I work at Disney. How could I have waited till now to watch this film? What can I say? 2008 was an insanely busy year! Anyway, Pixar did its usual amazing job with this film. I appreciated its lofty goals and its artistic achievement. How it gave essentially non-speaking robots such personality and soul really was brilliant. And, of course, its environmental message certainly is timely and relevant. But, just like Branagh's film, Wall-E left me not entirely satisfied. The obese humans' return to a still-toxic Earth seemed unrealistic, and I didn't understand why some live acting was injected into an otherwise all-CGI film. Because I couldn't see the purpose for doing this, it actually distracted me during the movie. Also, the messages, while extremely important, seemed a bit overhanded. Overall, I liked the film, respected what it set out to do, and marveled at what it accomplished artistically and technically. But, I didn't love the film. Perhaps I can best convey my feelings with a comparison to its Pixar predecessor: Wall-E is a more important film than Ratatouille, but I liked Ratatouille more.