Quick PointsLiam Neeson
A jerk as usual.
Special Effects
I am VERY picky when it comes to CGI, but if it's done well, it can take a movie to another level. I applaud you, A Monster Calls.
Really a Kid's Movie?
Heck no! It's rated PG-13 people! Just because the main character's a little boy doesn't mean that this movie was marketed towards children!
Cry Factor
If you're not crying by the end of the movie, you're heartless.
Liam Neeson! Why must you ruin everything you touch! Actually... if we're being fair, he did a pretty good job voicing the monster in J.A. Bayona's A Monster Calls. His deep, gravely voice was almost as good Treebeard's for The Lord of the Rings. But his character was sort of harsh.
That was the whole point of the movie, though. If the monster hadn't pushed Conor (Lewis MacDougall) to his breaking point, the boy never would have been able to reveal what was truly in his heart. And as they say, the truth will set you free. Or make you ball your eyes out. Whatever.
The trailers don't do A Monster Calls justice. They make you think the story's about a boy who needs to overcome bullying, or learn to be a man, or take responsibility, or any other cliche coming of age lesson. In actuality, it's the story about dealing with loss, and if you go into the movie unprepared for that, you're going to have a bad day. Looking back on the message, though, you can see that it's a good one supported by a strong story. While I wouldn't recommend paying the money to cry in public, renting it for a private movie night at home with lots of tissues could be very cathartic.
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What did you think of the movie? Comment below!
Oh my god, I love this review by New York Times' Logan Hill! (Spoiler alert, though. If you do read it and you're planning on watching the movie, stop reading after you hit the Inside Out picture). Sometimes I wonder if I should write more in my reviews. But a)I don't have enough time and b)I think sometimes people just want something short. Am I wrong?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/movies/a-monster-calls-j-a-bayona-patrick-ness.html?_r=0
I should also note that I really like how Hill covers the writer and directors wishes that kids DO see this movie -- it IS geared for them (despite me saying it's not a kids movie) because kids should have access to the truth, even if it's scary or hurtful. Good point.
DeleteHere's a "Mini-Review." Similar to what I like to do, but I actually found it hard to understand what the writer was saying. It didn't flow as nicely as the longer review.
Deletehttp://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/movies/reviews/2017/01/26/beifuss-monster-calls---mini-review/97080312/
Ahhh! I love this website! They let children write reviews of movies! This girl is only 12 years old, and she loved A Monster Calls!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/family/kid-s-take-on-movies-a-monster-calls/article_33fa9080-4bec-51c1-82cb-8e630badfa90.html
Finally found a negative review of the movie--I sort of get where this guy is coming from, but at the same time, his article was too long and didn't offer anything new.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/12/when-a-monster-calls-just-ignore-it/511550/