This film is based on the first three books of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I’m not an avid fan of the series but I have read the first book, The Bad Beginning, and it was great. Like the books, the film is filled with dreadful events yet shows a little humor – enough to make you hope for a happy ending. But don’t get you’re hopes too high.
The story is about a Happy Little Elf who happens to enjoy quirky songs accompanied by lovely birds and other lovely creatures you can think of. The film is done out of clay and shows gleeful scenes. Am I right? Wrong. The narrator goes to warn the audience that if you love happy ending go see another movie.
The story is about the Baudelaire children suffering from the clutches of an evil and greedy villain. The Baudelaire children are blessed with uncanny skills. Violet, 14 and the oldest, is an inventor. She fancies herself on machines, both simple and complex. Klaus is a bookworm and it is safe to say that he have read thousands of books and at least one for every subject, which makes him a sure winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Top this: everything he read he remembered. Sunny, the youngest , is a baby. She busies herself on biting, almost anything and like every baby, she speaks gibberish language. These are the reasons they survived every threat and the reason that makes the film interesting.
The unfortunate events starts when the wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Baudelaire died from arson. The Baudelaire children are then left in the custody of their “closest” relative named Count Olaf – the most unfortunate event and the sole reason they kept having such events. Count Olaf attempts to steal the Baudelaire’s fortune. But since Violet can’t have them until she is 18, he resorts to the most easy and practical way – killing them.
Emily Browning, one of the main characters of Sucker Punch, plays violet. Although her performance was not great, it was good enough to hold you through out the story. The most notable act was of Jim Carrey as Count Olaf. He refurbish Olaf from being dull and serious to a funny, intense and lively character – which reminds me of his The Mask. As if that was not enough, Meryl Streep plays a grammarian and paranoid character.
Some of scenes, both anti-climatic and silly, reminds us that this macabre film is still aim for children. If you start to tamper with the story’s rationale, you will end up hating yourself or hating the movie.
The picturesque setting is overwhelming, from a dingy and dilapidated mansion to the reptile room, full of snakes and one time a three-eyed Tibetan toad.
I can’t fathom why people don’t listen to children or perhaps don’t take them seriously. Maybe, that’s why Lemony created this story. We should listen to the children not because we need to but because, as a person, they too have some stories to tell or mishaps, for this matter.
One of things that merit the books authenticity is here in the movie. Probably better. Lemony Snicket, the narrator, is telling the story on his cranky type writer. His warm voices guides and excite us for what is ahead.
The film also leaves us a thoughtful ending that no matter how unfortunate the Baudelaire children were, they are, in some degree, fortunate. One more thing, don’t forget to watch the animated credits roll. It is wonderfully made.
This is film has a sequel – that is the phrase I want to be fact. Sadly, the creators found that the film achieve less in the market than they expected. But let’s get real. Whoever saw this movie wants a sequel.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWB1HGnA3tA&
PS: I never knew Emily Browning was this cute: extending my arms at full length.
Oh yeah. We need to listen to kids- to understand them and make them feel improtant 😉
Good thing your children have a considerate father. :]
I loved the credits too! Most of the people don’t pay attention to that, but many times they’re are absolutely gorgeous 🙂
Maybe I’m not being very objective because Jim Carrey is my favourite actor, but I think that nobody could have emboded Count Olaf better than him. He’s just the way you imagine when reading the books!
And yeah, I definitely would like to see a sequel, which probably will never happen anyway 😦
Actually, Brad Silberling, the director, said they will be making a sequel when he made “The Land Of The Lost”. (It was a funny movie you know. Maybe that was the reason he got attention.) However, it was last 2009 and there aren’t any news until then.
Also, there are problems. When they are going to make a sequel, they have make changes in the cast. Emily Browning and Liam Aiken is a bit too old.
I got to ask you a question. In the reviews I read, they are pointing out that the movie carried a poor direction. Is that true? I can’t find any except when Jim Carrey slapped Liam Aiken.
Oh, I don’t know Ben. I just saw the movie back then without analysing it too much (I was like 10 or 11 when I watched it!) So I can’t really answer your question 😛 Anyway, what does “poor direction” refer to? Why was it poor for these people?
That is my problem. I watched the movie then I read the review. I got confused then I watched the movie again. Then I got more confused.
I think poor direction is uneasiness in the flow of the story. For example, when Count Olaf slaps Klaus. It was abrupt and no other necessary reasons. See, that is the only part where Count Olaf gets physical. In the next trials, he didn’t do it even though he got more pissed than ever.
But who I am kidding. I am still confused XD
I haven’t read these books, and I have seen the movie only in parts when it came on TV, but what little I saw I loved 🙂
this was a nice movie…but my sister said the books were better!…like always lol
i hate the boy that acts with emily in little manhattan.
Why so?
And I search the movie title: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412922/
I can’t see Emily in the cast.
I guess I messed up. Who’s the girl in this still? http://www.imdb.com/media/rm717592832/tt0412922
Anyway, I was talking about this boy in the still.
She is Charlie Ray, a talented actor. It is too bad though she didn’t continue acting in films since she had continue her education. They said that she said it is a top priority. Well, I think it is.
About the boy, he is Josh Hutcherson and he will be playing Peeta Melark from the hit young-adult series “The Hunger Games”.
Also, I want to thank you for messing it up. I never watched Little Manhattan and now that you mentioned, I am interested in watching this film. I read some great reviews about it and I like films that is not so popular.
Where did you heard it anyway?
Hey! I watched Little Manhattan on the TV. It is so sweet and beautiful ♥ I didn’t like it completely, but still, it is worth seeing.
Thanks for the second opinion. Truth be told, this is the first film that I will see about children’s love. Is 11 considered as children?
Anyways, thanks for encouraging me :] I will watch it once I’m free ❤ ❤ ❤
But aren’t you still on vacations? xD haha
I’ve recently seen another film about children love, called Flipped. I liked it so much that I bought the book on Amazon, but it hasn’t arrived yet
For me, 11 is children 🙂
I finished watching it and although it was cheesy I kind of like it. Perhaps because I once felt that kind of feeling when I was a kid.
As of now, I am not on vacation. Classes have already started last June 8 or something like that XD. That is the reason why I can’t write periodic posts anymore or even have access to internet <_< but I am still reading books :]
My vacations (the short ones) start next week 😀 and then four months more and good-bye school! I’ll be graduated 😀 (sorry, I just had to express my happiness xD)
Now I’ll read your Animal Farm review, cause I love that book 🙂
I watched it on HBO or Star Movies, can’t remember exactly. I didn’t mean that the movie is bad. It actually has a good story. But for some reason I just don’t like the boy.
Oh yeah, I understand you. The same happens to me with Jack Nicholson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I just can’t stand those actors!
Loved this movie, they should make a television-series inspired by the books! It would be GREAT! 🙂