As for what I saw:
Atlas Shrugged Part 1 - (6/10)
Seriously, if you didn't think I would see this opening day you don't hang out in the same GTP places I do.
Anyway, I went in with very little expectation. The film was rushed and made for $10 million. It was better than I feared but not what it could have been with the time and money to add an extra 20 minutes to make it a full two hours. For an independent film on the budget this was made the effects were passable. Better than made-for-TV movies but not great. On a few occasions the CGI stood out quite a bit. The story lacks some fleshing out to the point that some references to people will make no sense without all three parts shown together, unless you have read the book of course. A few other scenes just felt wrong compared to how I imagine them in the book. But I doubt that is a subjective POV because the personality of the character in the film doesn't mesh with everything else they do. All back story covered in the novel is removed, which leaves a lot of questions for a viewer about what this past that Francisco and Dagney had is supposed to be. Or why they call each other Slug and Frisco.
As for casting, I have heard both good and bad for Taylor Schiling as Dagney. I am ambivalent. She gets the character across, but doesn't nail it dead on. The way some lines are delivered to her brother seem more conceited than confident and matter of fact, almost like "I told you so." I felt Hank Rearden was played near perfectly. A confident attitude with a bemused and humorous look at those around him that don't get it and he doesn't understand why. But his reactions to Dagney at some points don't quite fit with the descriptions in the book. Ellis Wyatt was nailed perfectly. A businessman who fights for what is his and will stand up to anyone that attempts to stop him, but a man who will also celebrate his own successes with great joy. Everything he does is in extreme, including his own disappearance.
Overall it was decently done, but it could have used some more time and money to make it be perfect. My wife has never read the book and enjoyed it and there was an applause at the end. And if the email I received is correct it came in third over the weekend. Not bad for being on only 300 screens.
Inglourious Basterds - (9/10)
This was a straight up good film. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, but there did seem to be a jump in the middle where the Basterds go from their regular guerrilla tactics to teaming up with the British. Otherwise though it was a great film and it will stay on my DVR until I get a chance to buy it on Blu-Ray.
), but it was amazing nonetheless. Stunning psychedelic visuals interwoven with powerfully bleak story.
