Maxim’s Dogs Preview This Week’s Movies!
Our movie-loving pooches take on The Great Gatsby, Sightseers, and What Maisie Knew.
Our movie-loving pooches take on The Great Gatsby, Sightseers, and What Maisie Knew.
Out May 10, Rated PG-13
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Holly’s take:
“This doesn’t entirely seem like my cup of bathtub gin, to be honest, but it’s hard to deny the combined talent of Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Warrior’s Joel Edgerton, and the gorgeous Isla Fisher. I’m a sucker for anything epic, and this seems like it’s got that quality in spades. I suppose my lack of interest comes from having never finished the book – I was supposed to read it in school, but I had a bit of a chewing-related incident. That’s the trouble with being a dog – sometimes you end up eating your own homework.”
Dexter’s take:
“If you’re familiar with Baz Luhrmann’s films, you can probably guess what to expect from his adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Traditionally in love with spectacle over period authenticity, it’s become a trademark of Luhrmann’s to modernize certain aspects of a property, while leaving the rest intact – see, for example, his take on Romeo + Juliet, which kept the Shakespearean dialogue, but moved the action to the present day. In this case, it’s the music that’s been updated: Rather than a classic 1920s flapper soundtrack, we get a score executive-produced by Jay-Z. The idea, of course, is to give a modern audience a taste of how banging Gatsby’s parties were, which, it’s true, doesn’t really come across with a quaint-sounding jazz band. I have to wonder, though, if in relating to a modern audience, he’s sacrificed the film’s longevity – it seems like it might feel horribly dated a decade from now.
“All that said, word is that this movie is beautifully made and remarkably faithful to the source material in all other respects. Whether or not you want to see it will depend entirely on if A) You love the book and are intrigued by the sight of Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role (let’s not forget, he’s played a pretty convincing eccentric billionaire before); or B) You really, really love long, lingering shots of straight-off-the-runway flapper dresses and the sight of Carey Mulligan surrounded by acres of billowing, diaphanous curtains. I’m somewhere in between, myself. What? I’m not ashamed. I fucking love curtains.”
Billie’s take:
“I OFTEN FEEL LIKE JAY GATSBY – ABANDONED BY MY ACROBAT PARENTS, SECRETLY WAGING A ONE-MAN WAR ON CRIME, AND DESPERATE TO PULL OFF THAT BIG WIN AT THE ANNUAL SURFING CONTEST. YOU KNOW, IT’S POSSIBLE I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THAT BOOK AT A VERY FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuQhprtLJ3k
Out May 10, NR
Photo Courtesy of IFC Films
Holly’s take:
“This one’s a comedy about a seemingly meek couple who go caravanning (that’s British for ‘going on vacation in an RV’), but end up killing anyone who gets on their nerves. As my town’s foremost murderer of squirrels, I endorse this notion wholeheartedly, but I can’t say I approve of living in an RV. How are you supposed to get anything done when you’ve always got the urge to stick your head out the window?”
Dexter’s take:
“Director Ben Wheatley is still something of an unknown in this country, but it’s time audiences started seeking his stuff out. The Brit filmmaker has previously delivered grim comedy with Down Terrace, and bloody horror with Kill List, so it seems apt that he’s combined the two with Sightseers. The murderous black comedy received excellent reviews in Europe (where it came out last year), and the fact it was produced by Edgar Wright (the director of Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim) should give you an idea of what to expect – British people, for starters.”
Billie’s take:
“WATCHING THIS MOVIE WAS THE MOST EXCITING THING I’VE EVER DONE! IN FAIRNESS, I WAS WATCHING IT FROM A ROLLERCOASTER.”
Out Now, Rated R
Photo Courtesy of Millennium Entertainment
Holly’s take:
“Jesus Christ, is there really nothing out this week where dudes shoot at each other and something explodes? I give up, man. Dexter’s got his panties in a bunch about this one, but a movie about divorce, told from the kid’s point of view, sounds like snoozers to me.”
Dexter’s take:
“This one’s another literary adaptation, although nothing as well known as The Great Gatsby. Based on Henry James’ 1897 novel about a dysfunctional family and the effect their behavior has on their innocent young daughter, this modern updating feels completely fresh and painfully relevant. Having seen it, I can tell you that Julianne Moore is fantastic as the burnt out, self-centered rock singer mother, Steve Coogan is brilliantly spineless as the philandering dad, and True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard looks by turns wonderfully embarrassed and silently pained by his predicament as stand-in parent. Joanna Vanderham is very appealing as the nanny, while Maisie herself – played by Onata Aprile – is a revelation, utterly natural and believable. Thoughtful, clever, and moving, this film will seem devastatingly familiar to anyone who’s experienced a divorce, either as a parent or a child. I can’t empathize with all this family stuff personally, I’m afraid – my parents were only together for 15 minutes, and half of that time was spent smelling each others’ butts.”
Billie’s take:
“AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, THERE’S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAMILY. WELL, APART FROM MONEY. AND SANDWICHES. AND SQUEAKY TOYS. AND SCENTED CANDLES. AND BRUISE OINTMENT. AND WITCHES. AND TATER TOTS. AND WICKER. AND BEACHWOOD, OHIO. AND PATRICK DEMPSEY. AND BEES. ACTUALLY, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68pgeWPc-QI
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