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Reviews
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
Great Cast outshines the Script
I don't know why, but this film always has been one I've repeatedly watched since childhood. Now, I would probably be insane if I said the musical numbers were fantastic. They're not. The opening song and "A Bachelor's Life" are definitely the best; mainly because they're parodies and work fine as such. The two romantic numbers? Not only are they poor, but they seem completely out of place. Then, there's the horrible technicolor. A&C could have worked fine in color; but this and Jack & The Beanstalk are marred by really cheap technicolor along with bad editing.
Charles Laughton's Captain Kidd is fantastically funny. A treat to see such a well groomed actor enjoy slapstick. Many A-list stars hated working with comedians. But Laughton wanted to do this. And it shows.
Then, there's Abbott & Costello. Their energy, as usual, is fantastic, but you don't see them too much. Perhaps because they co-produced the film and as a result had much on their plate. But, because their screen time isn't as great as their 40s movies, each scene with them is a comedic gem. Hilary Brooke, borrowed from their TV show, brings almost more menace than Captain Kidd as Captain Bonny. She definitely helps balance the stars.
The rest of the cast treat the film as a fun parody, resulting in great energy from all. Everyone seems relaxed and maybe too relaxed, as some of the scenes are really over the top. It's like they were directed: "This is a children's comedy. Go big!!" And they really do.
As for the special effects, they still hold up quite well. Which is odd, considering they are far better than the script. Did the script just say "Captain Kidd goes to island for Treasure, and gets mixed up with two fools?" Because half the film feels ad libbed.
Anyway, it's far from Abbott & Costello's best work, but still a fun romp for all.
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
As movies go, Exodus should've gone into Exile
While I may be a Christian, I do enjoy a good movie like anyone else. And so, I didn't go into this movie expecting it to stay true to the biblical story. Ridley Scott revealed most of the miracles as semi-natural or simply as a coincidence. I was expecting that. But, here's my main critique:
First of all, God as a child. That just seemed strange that they picked the person who talks to Moses as God to be a child. There were a few times when it just seemed weird. Hearing a child say the things God says felt almost laughable. The God who inspired Moses to speak to Pharaoh is a child.
Second, Moses doesn't believe God at all. I mean, even after the plagues, he still barely believes in or follows God until the Israelites cross the Red Sea. It felt as though the filmmakers tried to make this a climatic event, but it kind of fails. I know, it's a movie.
Third, it was way too long for its own good. Too many shots of people going places, and after the first hour or so, Moses isn't even exiled yet. You could've almost had two movies because there was more of a build-up to Moses' exile than there was to the crossing of the Red Sea. Also, the editing was sloppy, sometimes scenes were cut too quickly and at other times you were left there wondering "How long is this thing?" A good movie should never make you ask that question.
Fourth, the Red Sea crossing. This puzzled me, because it felt like the filmmakers couldn't make up their mind. The sea is shown to recede because of a natural occurrence, okay. Cool. But, suddenly when the Egyptian Army starts to cross the sea, a huge wave engulfs them. Natural occurrence? Water gently recedes and then suddenly appears as a 12-story wall of water that somehow Moses survives? (Yes, Moses is still crossing. Actually he's waiting to meet Ramses one last time) So, miracle or not? The filmmakers didn't seem to know the answer to that question.
I was expecting a better told story. Exodus: Gods and Kings has a lengthy script that never climaxes, and characters you truly never care about. Character development is so little that everyone seems shallow. The only 3-dimensional character we have is Ramses, and you never once feel sorry for him. Sorry, Ridley Scott, you get three stars for story. And I was kind, because the cinematography was really good. Saved most of the movie from boredom for me.