Monday, April 25, 2016

Cine Beaverhausen: Legend and The Mermaid

Two recent sleepers here in the US have not, to my knowledge, been in any kind of wide release and may be headed directly to video. They both deserve to be seen by discerning audiences.

The Mermaid, arguably the best of these flicks, is from China. It's a Disney-esque family film, released theatrically in 3-D, and its a cutie. Kids will adore this ~ as long as it's dubbed and not subtitled.

The plot has a strong message at heart as the mermaids and mer-man struggle to foil a greedy tycoon and save our eco-system.

It's a wonderfully made modern fantasy feature with several memorable moments and plenty of laughs.

Legend is not a fantasy, as its title might suggest, but a dark, brooding crime drama about the Kray brothers of England. Their notorious real-life story has been told before, best in 1990's The Brothers Kray.  In that film, the twin brothers were portrayed by twin actors.

The new film stars one actor ~ Tom Hardy ~ in both roles. He is amazing as the dominant Reggie who draws his brother Frances into a life of violent crime.

Great special f/x help pull off this amazing performance feat. The support cast is superb, production values are all strong, as is direction by Brian Helgeland. 1960s period detail is spot on.

Both Legend and The Mermaid are on my updated "recommended viewing" list.








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