January 1, 2012
I confess myself to be one of those cinematic morons complained of by the august Mark Kermode who have been brainwashed into enjoying this movie when they couldn't really have liked it because it is such unspeakable pants. Yes, it is superficial, charming, nice-looking and more than a bit manipulative.
But it is well-crafted, the stories are cunningly populated and interwoven, it manages to maintain some suspense till the end, and it is often funny and touching. It's a pleasant escapist fantasy, for when you've had enough of impending economic meltdown, grimness and debt. There are worse ways of spending a couple of hours (watching Puss in Boots for example) and I, watching it on actual New Year's Eve, was quite cheered by it.
But it is well-crafted, the stories are cunningly populated and interwoven, it manages to maintain some suspense till the end, and it is often funny and touching. It's a pleasant escapist fantasy, for when you've had enough of impending economic meltdown, grimness and debt. There are worse ways of spending a couple of hours (watching Puss in Boots for example) and I, watching it on actual New Year's Eve, was quite cheered by it.