A Series of Unfortunate Events

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What can I say? I was amused despite myself. I wanted not to like it. I wanted to be able to pooh-pooh it. But I wasn't able to. It was so darkly amusing and so odd that it was endearing. Meryl Streep's character was particularly amusing, and the children, particularly the youngest were quite endearing.

Not great cinema, but very amusing. Samuel saw it and loved it. His one reaction was, "Count Olaf is worse than Vicki/." (Vicki is the babysitter on The Fairly Oddparents who is constantly plotting to take over the world and make Timmy's life miserable.) As a result, we've promised to change our babysitter from Vicki to the Count Olaf Child-Care Service. Meeting all your needs for unpleasantness since 2004.

Anyway, an amusing little film. I can't get enthusiastically behind a recommendation, because I suspect that enjoyment of such a film is an acquired taste. But for those who have acquired the taste: highly recommended--good light-brained fun.

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I liked it, but I desperately wanted to like it from the start, especially after that bit with the stupidly happy elf. Classic.

Steven,

The books show adults as bad guys. Forthat reason I closed us off from them and the movie. Did you see that, too, in the movie? Or are there some adults taht are worthy human beings?

Dear Katherine,

I haven't participated in the books as yet; however, someone who knows both says that the books are much darker. My perception is that while some of the adults were wacky and strange, they weren't all uniformly evil and one of them (obssession with snakes aside) was quite loving and caring. I think the best word for the adults is "oblivious." For whatever reason they can't recognize Count Olaf even when he's obviously Count Olaf in disugise.

So, overall the movies may be a somewhat different experience from the books and the film didn't trouble Samuel at all. He was readily able to recognize who was bad, who was good and who was just plain strange.

shalom,

Steven

While I have never met this wonderfully handsome Count Olaf that you speak of, I'm sure that he would only have the children's best interests at heart... :-)

We loved it. It's one of those movies we, the whole family, goes around quoting all the time. I just used "and all that jazz" today. The kids were reenacting the Professor Stefano ("mustache a tad eschew", and "I am an Italian man") in the back seat today. I often will say to the kids, "Oh really!" the same way Olaf says it to the kids during the "where's the roast beef scene". We are constantly saying something is the Swedish term for something (insert anything). It was a fun movie.

"Nothing can keep the count from his beloved, bride.
"Nothing can keep the count from his beloved, bride.
"Nothing can keep the count from his beloved, bride.

"Nothing.

"Nothing."

We would drive you nuts with it in our house. LOL!!

"Oh I know, I get the good parking spots." LOL!!

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This page contains a single entry by Steven Riddle published on June 6, 2005 7:08 AM.

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