My Thoughts on The Lovely Bones

With this film, Peter Jackson leaves behind the huge epics he was involved with during the last decade and does a film that is probably closer in tone to his 1994 film Heavenly Creatures.

The film is about a girl that continues watch her family (and her killer) and she is murdered.

The most common criticism I read about the film prior to watching the film was its portrayal of the the afterlife.  After seeing the film, I do have to agree that it was probably a little jarring seeing such a brightly coloured happy-go-lucky world (especially following the very tense and suspenseful first act).  However, I have a feeling that this contrast was intentional and as the film progressed, I didn't really mind it.

Irish actress Saoirse Ronan is pretty good in the lead role of Susie Salmon. She is definitely an up-and-coming actress and she shined in every role I seen her in (starting with a supporting role in the film Death Defining Acts, which I saw at the film festival a few years ago).  I also have to say that I thought Stanley Tucci was very chilling and disturbing in the role of the killer.

Overall, I thought this a decent film and it was a nice change of pace for Peter Jackson after all those three hour epics.

8/10 (rating scale)

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DVD Thoughts: Moon

For an independent film, I thought that Moon has a very decent DVD release.  The special features on the disc are small in number, but big in quality.

There is are usually featurettes, which include a 16 minute "Making Of" documentary, along with a 11 minute feature on the visual effects.  Those are OK for the most part.

The DVD also includes two separate commentary tracks: One with director Duncan Jones and Producer Stuart Fenegan and the other with Jone, Director of Photography Gary Shaw, Concept Designer Gavin Rothery, and Production Designer Tony Noble.  As you would guess, the second one is the more technical commentary of the two.

My favourite feature on the disc is the inclusion of two complete Q&A sessions with Duncan Jones: One from the film's debut at Sundance and the other from a screening that happened at Space Center Houston.  Being a fan of film festivals and Q&As, I think it's too bad that these aren't included as a feature more often.

Rounding out disc is the inclusion of Duncan Jone's 2002 debut short film Whistle.

Overall, I thought it was a very good disc.

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