And Did Those Feet

Bob Zemeckis" 2007 I wish I'd seen this in 3D! Much better than I feared it would be, and quite an interesting narrative device to excuse the liberties they took with the story. The structure of the story telling is straightforward - it begins with the slaughter in the hall, and ends with the death of Beowulf. However, the narrative is turned from an epic warrior poem into a tragedy - of the frailty of male chauvinism. The way they achieve this is to tell the 'true' story of Beowulf, and make it clear that the poem is simply the mythical/politically corrected version constructed after the event to the glory of the protagonists. The kings of the Danes (Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone) in turn are both snared by the beauties of Grendel's mother (an enhanced (?) Angelina Jolie), the offspring of the unnatural unions are warped monsters that try to wreak revenge on their fathers. Beowulf does not kill Grendel's mother he sleeps with her - he lives an unhappy ...

2006 and Directed by Philip Noyse (Rabbit proof fence) is the straight forward telling of the tale of Apartheid through the eyes of 2 opponents. The structure is to play the story straight from beginning to end, but balancing the narrative between the lives of the two protagonists - there is just one narrative, not two equal and opposing viewpoints, but roughly equal time is given to both. Each person is also seen in the context of their own lives, the Boer Colonel is shown to be a reasonable man in his home context while the ANC member is a man with some character faults. Tim Robbins plays the calm, authoritative Nic Vos who adopts the same attitude while chatting to his kids as when torturing his victims. Derek Luke plays Patrick Chamusso, based on the real life story of an ordinary African who just want to get on with his life, until he is radicalised by a false accusation of involvement in ANC sabotage. Catch a Fire Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes