Reviewing Movies

An injury that caused writhing spasms in my piriformis muscle forced me to spend a few days near the couch. I timidly embraced the return of mobility and suggested a movie to my solo child couped up with me. Plus the weather peaked into the muggy-sphere of awful which is how I found myself at the movie theater on a recent afternoon to see Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). 

My kid, now nine, told me that the story is from the archives of Marvel Comics. I mentioned that the film for me was a mash up of Star Wars (1977) and The Fifth Element (1997) except that the conceptual design felt scattered compared to the stunning sharp visual style of the older films. The child reminded me that the costumes from The Fifth Element were done by the French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier and that Lucas got all his best ideas from Japan and in particular samurais. (Apparently my son does listen to me sometimes.) 

He then wondered if The Fifth Element had been based on a cartoon, "because it has that look you know." Turns out two French comic creators, Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières, provided inspiration, drawings, and were hired as production designers for the film. My child notices stuff that I do not.

The work of Jean-Claude Mézières, Valérian and Laureline, also served as inspiration to Star Wars--  the alien bar scene in particular per my Google research.

When a random day's events conspires to get one off the couch, you never know what you'll notice plus I'm thinking that I need to get some old comic books!

An injury that caused writhing spasms in my piriformis muscle forced me to spend a few days near the couch. I timidly embraced the return of mobility and suggested a movie to my solo child couped up with me. Plus the weather peaked into the muggy-sphere of awful which is how I found myself at the movie theater on a recent afternoon to see Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). 

My kid, now nine, told me that the story is from the archives of Marvel Comics. I mentioned that the film for me was a mash up of Star Wars (1977) and The Fifth Element (1997) except that the conceptual design felt scattered compared to the stunning sharp visual style of the older films. The child reminded me that the costumes from The Fifth Element were done by the French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier and that Lucas got all his best ideas from Japan and in particular samurais. (Apparently my son does listen to me sometimes.) 

He then wondered if The Fifth Element had been based on a cartoon, "because it has that look you know." Turns out two French comic creators, Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières, provided inspiration, drawings, and were hired as production designers for the film. My child notices stuff that I do not.

The work of Jean-Claude Mézières, Valérian and Laureline, also served as inspiration to Star Wars--  the alien bar scene in particular per my Google research.

When a random day's events conspires to get one off the couch, you never know what you'll notice plus I'm thinking that I need to get some old comic books!