Archive for Lord of the Rings

MONSTROUS QUESTION – CGI WORLDS (Answer # 2)

Posted in 2011, CGI, Michael Arruda Reviews, Monstrous Question with tags , , , , , , on June 2, 2011 by knifefighter

MONSTROUS QUESTION
(Monstrous Questions provided by Michael Arruda, unless otherwise noted)

In this edition of MONSTROUS QUESTION, we asked, what’s the best CGI created world(s) you’ve seen in a movie(s) since 2000?

****

MICHAEL ARRUDA answers:

Although I’m not a fan of CGI, it’s what we’ve got these days, and some movies have actually done a good job creating these CGI worlds.

Here are some of my favorites:

From this year, even though the film wasn’t so hot, I really enjoyed the visual dream worlds created in the silly alternate reality movie SUCKER PUNCH (2011).  These outlandish lands were by far the best part of the movie.

I also enjoyed the medieval landscape created in SEASON OF THE WITCH (2011).

Going back a few years, I was impressed by the CGI interpretation of Kong’s Island in Peter Jackson’s KING KONG (2005.)  I also enjoyed the nineteenth century European scenery in THE WOLFMAN (2010).

Interestingly enough, while I loved the 3D effects in AVATAR (2009) I wouldn’t list its Pandora moon world as among my favorite CGI creations.

My top 3 favorite CGI movie worlds aren’t from horror movies.  Coming in at #3 would be the hellish world created by George Lucas for the climactic battle between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in STAR WARS:  EPISODE III-  REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005).

# 2 would be the dark but colorful superhero world from WATCHMEN (2009).  While I can’t say that I love this movie, mostly due to its long length and mediocre pacing, I do love the visuals in this one.  They’re spectacular.

At #1, I would have to agree with Dan Keohane and go with Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.  Not only does middle earth look terrific, but it has the distinction, more so than any of the other movies I’ve mentioned here, of looking like a real place.  It’s about as authentic as an imaginary land can get in a movie.

—END—

1 Comment »

MONSTROUS QUESTION – CGI WORLDS (Answer # 1)

Posted in 2011, CGI, Daniel Keohane Reviews, Monstrous Question with tags , , , , on June 1, 2011 by knifefighter

MONSTROUS QUESTION
(Monstrous Questions provided by Michael Arruda, unless otherwise noted)

Okay, we all know that today’s movies— especially genre films— are loaded with CGI effects.  Most of the time, we complain and lament at the disappointment these effects cause.  How about those TWILIGHT werewolves?  Ugh!

But love it or hate it, CGI is here.

CGI has enabled filmmakers to create amazing and outlandish worlds in today’s movies.   Some of these worlds have been impressive.  Others have looked like cartoons.

In this edition of MONSTROUS QUESTION, we asked what’s the best CGI created world(s) you’ve seen in a movie(s) since 2000?

****

DAN KEOHANE answers:

No question in my mind – Middle Earth in the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.

With a mixture of miniatures, mat paintings and CGI, Peter Jackson & company built a perfect rendition of the fan-obsessive world of Tolkien’s novels (or one really long novel, for those purists out there).  With only a few exceptions, it was hard to tell what was real and what was completely computer-generated.

Going along with that was making it look like the characters, played by similarly-sized actors, were of such different sizes (elf, man, hobbit, etc.).

—END—

3 Comments »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 80 other followers