引言：游戏IP的银幕跃迁

　　当全球销量突破3亿份的《我的世界》从像素方块跃入IMAX银幕，这场跨越十年的文化迁徙注定成为影游联动史上的标志性事件。由贾森·莫莫亚、杰克·布莱克领衔主演的这部奇幻冒险片，其首周1.55亿美元的票房成绩印证了游戏IP的强大号召力，但专业影评人仅63%的烂番茄新鲜度，也暴露出改编作品难以规避的叙事困境。

　　视觉奇观：像素美学的电影化重生

　　影片最令人惊艳的莫过于对游戏美学的精准还原。导演运用动态捕捉技术将方块世界的物理特性转化为电影语言：当主角们用钻石剑劈开苦力怕的瞬间，爆炸方块以0.5秒的延迟飞散，这种刻意保留的"游戏感"处理，让玩家会心一笑。Nether维度中流淌的岩浆采用流体粒子模拟技术，每帧包含超过200万个独立运算的粒子，在保持像素质感的同时营造出震撼的视觉奇观。

　　叙事困境：开放世界与线性结构的矛盾

　　作为沙盒游戏改编作品，影片在叙事架构上遭遇双重挑战。游戏赋予玩家"创造即自由"的核心体验，而电影必须遵循传统三幕剧结构。为此，编剧团队设计了"寻找末影之眼"的主线任务，但这种强叙事导向与游戏本体精神存在微妙冲突。当主角团在沙漠神殿解谜时，镜头刻意展示的TNT陷阱机关，更像是为游戏玩家设计的彩蛋，而非推动剧情发展的必要元素。

　　角色塑造：明星阵容与模板化角色

　　杰克·布莱克饰演的史蒂夫以夸张肢体语言和即兴台词贡献了全片80%的笑点，其标志性的"Notch式"幽默成功复刻了游戏角色的精髓。但其他角色则陷入类型化窠臼：贾森·莫莫亚的战士形象缺乏成长弧光，艾玛·迈尔斯饰演的学者角色沦为工具人，这种角色配置暴露出改编作品对游戏多人协作体验的简化处理。

　　文化隐喻：数字原住民的集体记忆

　　影片在娱乐性之外，巧妙植入了对数字文明的思考。当主角团用红石电路建造自动农场时，镜头特写中闪烁的二进制代码，暗喻着现代人对技术依赖的双重性。这种将游戏机制升华为文化隐喻的处理，使影片超越了单纯的宣传片属性，成为观察Z世代思维方式的窗口。

　　结语：瑕不掩瑜的IP改编典范

　　尽管存在叙事节奏失衡、角色深度不足等问题，《我的世界大电影》仍以89%的观众满意度证明了其作为游戏改编作品的标杆地位。当片尾字幕滚动时，影院里此起彼伏的"Herobrine"惊呼声，或许正是对这个跨越十年的文化现象最好的注脚。对于非玩家观众而言，这可能只是一部合格的奇幻冒险片;但对于全球2.3亿月活用户来说，这场银幕之旅终究是一场关于集体记忆的仪式。

　　The Minecraft Movie (2025), directed by Jared Hess, attempts to bring the beloved sandbox game to life on the big screen, blending action, family-friendly humor, and a nostalgic dose of pixelated aesthetics. While it delivers on some fronts, the film ultimately struggles to balance its ambitious scope with a cohesive narrative, leaving audiences with a sense of familiar yet underwhelming entertainment.

　　Visual Spectacle: A Faithful Adaptation with Limitations

　　The film’s greatest strength lies in its visual fidelity to the game. The blocky, pixelated world of Minecraft is meticulously rendered, from the rolling green hills to the ominous Nether realms. The use of 3D modeling alongside traditional pixel art creates a unique aesthetic that feels both retro and modern. Fans will delight in spotting iconic elements like diamond swords, TNT, and creepers, which serve as delightful Easter eggs. However, the visuals occasionally feel constrained by the game’s inherent simplicity, lacking the depth and fluidity of live-action films in similar genres.

　　Plot: A Generic Adventure with Shallow Characters

　　The story follows a group of misfits—Garrett (Jason Momoa), Natalie (Emma Myers), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—who are transported into the Minecraft universe. There, they team up with Steve (Jack Black) to defeat a villain bent on destroying creativity. The plot follows a predictable hero’s journey, with little deviation from standard Hollywood adventure tropes. While the premise is fun, the characters lack depth, often reduced to exaggerated stereotypes. Steve’s over-the-top antics, for instance, feel more like a series of gags than a fully realized arc

　　Humor and Tone: A Double-Edged Sword

　　The film leans heavily on humor, with Jack Black’s Steve stealing scenes as a chaotic yet endearing guide. The jokes, often rooted in meme culture, hit the mark for younger audiences and Minecraft enthusiasts. Yet, the tone wavers between goofy and forced, especially in moments where the script attempts to infuse deeper themes about creativity. The result is a uneven experience—some sequences are genuinely hilarious, while others drag under the weight of generic dialogue

　　Cultural Impact: A Niche Appeal with Broad Limitations

　　A notable aspect of the film’s reception is its polarizing effect. While it has garnered a dedicated fanbase, particularly among children and gamers, critics have criticized its lack of originality. The movie’s reliance on game mechanics (like crafting and combat) over narrative depth mirrors the struggles of early video game adaptations. Yet, it’s this very simplicity that makes it accessible to its target audience

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　　Conclusion: A Fun Ride, But Lacking Depth

　　The Minecraft Movie is a visually pleasing, action-packed romp that will entertain fans of the game. However, its shallow characters and formulaic plot prevent it from being a standout in the adventure genre. If you’re seeking a lighthearted, nostalgia-driven experience, it delivers—but don’t expect a cinematic masterpiece. For now, it’s a solid addition to the Minecraft universe, best enjoyed as a shared family outing rather than a critical darling.

　　‌Final Verdict‌: 6/10 – A colorful, crowd-pleasing adaptation that’s more about fun than substance.

　　当电影《南京照相照相馆》的镜头缓缓掠过南京老城区的青石板路，画面中斑驳的墙壁、褪色的招牌，以及被岁月打磨光滑的石阶，仿佛都在无声地讲述一段关于记忆、变迁与身份的故事。这部以南京为背景的影片，借助一家老照相馆的兴衰历程，将个人命运与城市演变紧密相连，令观众在黑白影像与彩色现实的交织对比中，体验到一种既亲切又疏离的情感共鸣。

　　一、照相馆：记忆的容器，时代的缩影

　　电影中的“南京照相馆”不仅是一个拍摄照片的场所，更是一座承载几代人回忆的“时空胶囊”。

　　黑白与彩色的隐喻：片中，老照相馆珍藏的黑白照片与主角手机中随手捕捉的彩色影像形成强烈反差。黑白照片里的笑容庄重而凝固，彩色照片里的生活则鲜活而即兴。这一对比引人深思：在快节奏的当代社会，我们是否正逐渐遗失对“仪式感”的珍视?

　　照相馆的“消失”与“重生”：当老照相馆因城市改造面临拆除时，主角的坚守与抗争，不仅源于对一间老屋的眷恋，更是对某种生活方式的捍卫。影片结尾，照相馆以“影像博物馆”的形式获得新生，仿佛在向观众传递：记忆或许会被封存，但永远不会被遗忘。

　　二、人物：在变迁中寻找自我

　　影片中的角色，无论是固执的照相馆老板，还是向往自由的年轻摄影师，都在城市变迁中经历着身份的迷茫与重塑。

　　老板的“执念”：照相馆老板始终坚持使用老式相机拍摄，拒绝数码技术的侵入。他的固执背后，蕴藏着对传统手艺的尊崇，以及对“慢生活”的深切怀念。当年轻人讥讽他“落伍”时，他只是默默展示老照片，轻声说道：“这些照片，能让人记住自己是谁。”

　　年轻人的“逃离”与“回归”：年轻摄影师曾因对城市的失望而远走他乡，最终却因一张老照片重返南京。那张照片记录了他幼时在照相馆前与父母的合影。这一细节暗示：无论我们漂泊多远，记忆中的“根”总会将我们唤回。

　　三、南京：一座城市的“双面”

　　影片中的南京，既是历史的见证者，也是现代生活的积极参与者。

　　老城的“呼吸”：镜头下的南京老城区，既有秦淮河的桨声灯影，也有新街口的繁华喧嚣。这种古今交融的景象，让观众感受到：一座城市既能保留历史的厚重，又能焕发现代的生机。

　　方言的“温度”：片中南京方言的运用为角色注入了地气与温情。当老板用方言叮嘱“侬拍照片，要开心点”时，观众仿佛能嗅到南京街头巷尾的市井气息，倍感亲切。

　　四、结局：记忆的延续，未来的可能

　　电影的结局中，照相馆以新的形式延续存在，主角也寻得了与城市和解的途径。这一结局并未提供明确的“答案”，却抛出一个开放性的问题：在瞬息万变的时代，我们该如何在记忆与未来之间找到平衡?

　　结语

　　《南京照相馆》是一部洋溢温情的城市题材电影，它用影像记录了一座城市的蜕变，也记录了一代人的心路历程。当观众步出影院，或许会想起故乡的老街、旧店与泛黄的照片，然后情不自禁地举起手机，定格眼前的瞬间——因为，我们每个人都在以各自的方式，延续着记忆，书写着未来。

　　当“即兴谋杀”四个字以猩红色字幕在银幕上炸开时，观众便被拽入一场失控的狂欢。这部颠覆传统的犯罪片，以一场突如其来的密室谋杀为起点，用即兴表演的荒诞逻辑解构了凶杀案的严肃性，让真相在笑声与惊悚的夹缝中不断变形。

　　一、即兴表演的“失控”：规则与暴力的荒诞共生

　　影片的核心设定极具颠覆性：一群演员在即兴表演中“意外”杀死了一名观众。这场谋杀并非预谋，而是即兴规则与人性失控的产物：

　　‌规则即暴行‌：当演员被要求“必须完成即兴任务”时，推搡变成殴打，玩笑升级为致命攻击。导演用镜头反复强调“即兴”标签——演员们举着“即兴表演中”的牌子，却将谋杀变成一场“即兴创作”，让观众在荒诞中反思：当规则被绝对化，暴力是否成为必然?

　　‌即兴的“多米诺效应”‌：从第一个“即兴推搡”到最后的致命一击，每个动作都看似随机，实则环环相扣。影片用快速剪辑的蒙太奇，将即兴表演的失控感转化为视觉冲击，让观众在笑声中感受到暴力的蔓延。

　　二、角色塑造：荒诞面具下的真实人性

　　影片中的角色既是演员，也是暴行参与者，他们的双重身份构成荒诞与真实的张力：

　　‌“即兴杀手”的挣扎‌：主角马克在谋杀后试图用“即兴表演”解释自己的行为，却逐渐陷入自我怀疑。当他对着镜子练习“即兴道歉”时，镜头特写他颤抖的双手，暴露出荒诞面具下的恐惧与愧疚。

　　‌受害者的“即兴反抗”‌：被杀的观众在临终前突然说出一句“即兴台词”，让凶手瞬间愣住。这一细节暗示：即使面对死亡，人类的本能仍是“即兴求生”，而凶手的“即兴表演”在此刻显得苍白可笑。

　　三、社会隐喻：当娱乐至死成为暴力温床

　　影片通过即兴表演的荒诞性，暗讽当代社会对“娱乐至上”的盲目追求：

　　‌媒体的“即兴审判”‌：谋杀案发生后，媒体将事件包装成“即兴表演事故”，用娱乐化语言消解暴力的严重性。记者在直播中调侃：“这可能是史上最‘即兴’的谋杀案”，让观众在笑声中忽视对暴行的反思。

　　‌观众的“即兴共谋”‌：影片中，观众在观看表演时不断起哄，甚至鼓励演员“即兴更狠一点”。这一场景暗示：当社会将暴力视为娱乐，每个人都可能成为暴行的推手。

　　四、结局反转：荒诞背后的真实救赎

　　影片的结局出人意料：凶手最终选择自首，却在法庭上再次“即兴表演”，用荒诞的台词揭露自己的内心。法官打断他：“这不是表演，这是犯罪。”这一瞬间，荒诞与真实的界限被打破，让观众意识到：即兴表演可以成为逃避责任的借口，但无法掩盖暴行的本质。

　　‌结语‌

　　《即兴谋杀》是一部充满黑色幽默的犯罪片，它用即兴表演的荒诞性，解构了暴力的严肃性，却也让观众在笑声中感受到人性的复杂。当“即兴”成为暴力的遮羞布，我们是否该停下脚步，思考：在娱乐至死的时代，我们是否也成了“即兴谋杀”的共谋者?

　　当银幕上斑驳的“吉祥照相馆”招牌在1937年的血色中浮现，观众被拉入一场跨越时空的凝视。这部以南京大屠杀为背景的电影，却将镜头对准一家小照相馆的暗房——那里浸泡的底片，成为历史真相的容器;而蜷缩在暗房里的普通人，以颤抖的双手完成了对暴行的无声控诉。

　　一、小切口与大历史的互文：照相馆作为“记忆之场”

　　影片摒弃了传统战争片的宏大叙事，转而以“吉祥照相馆”为微缩舞台：

　　‌暗房的隐喻‌：红灯摇曳下的显影液，逐渐浮现的残垣断壁与百姓惊恐的面孔，成为历史真相“艰难显影”的视觉化表达;

　　‌普通人的“罪证保卫战”‌：邮差阿昌从“多洗一张照片多活一天”的求生本能，到冒死藏起底片的决绝，照相馆老板老金用相机对准日军时的颤抖双手，戏曲演员毓秀将底片缝进旗袍的针线——这些细节让“大历史”具象为个体的生死抉择。

　　二、克制的暴力与留白的震撼

　　导演对暴力的呈现极具匠心：

　　‌侧写策略‌：通过小窗映出的扭曲面孔、突然溅上窗户的血迹、此起彼伏的惨叫与枪声，暗示屠杀的残酷，让观众想象力填补画面空白;

　　‌双重曝光的心理创伤‌：宋连义在暗房看到弟弟被枪决的照片时，瞳孔中反射的影像与掀翻的冲印台，将历史创伤内化为角色与观众的共情印记。

　　三、方言与职业尊严：苦难中的“软抵抗”

　　‌方言的在地性‌：南京话的软糯中带着不屈，常州话的质朴里藏着温暖，这些市井对话让苦难中的相互扶持更具真实感;

　　‌职业作为武器‌：老金用相机镜头对准侵略者，毓秀用戏服藏匿底片——普通人以职业尊严筑起的防线，比口号更撼动人心。

　　四、暗房微光与民族魂的显影

　　影片结尾，当幸存者捧着底片走向国际法庭，暗房的红光逐渐褪为晨光。这束微光，既是历史真相的昭示，也是平凡人在绝境中守护的“民族魂”。正如那句“我们不是朋友”的轻蔑否定，比任何控诉都更让侵略者崩溃3。

　　一、镜头里的时代切片

　　当老式相机的快门声在南京的街巷响起，镜头捕捉的不仅是人物肖像，更是一个个被时代折叠的瞬间。照相馆里褪色的布景、老式闪光灯刺目的白光，与窗外梧桐树影交织，构成一幅流动的市井长卷。影片中，照相馆老板的镜头像一把手术刀，剖开南京的肌理：民国时期的旗袍女子、改革开放初期的青年工人、新世纪举着自拍杆的游客……这些影像在暗房中显影，最终拼贴成一座城的集体记忆。

　　二、沉默的见证者

　　照相馆本身成为最有力的叙事者。斑驳的墙壁上挂着不同年代的相框，玻璃罩下的照片早已泛黄，却依然能看清人物眼角的皱纹与嘴角的笑意。当镜头扫过那些被遗忘的角落——抽屉里未寄出的情书、柜台下压着的旧报纸、暗房角落堆积的底片——观众仿佛听见时光在低语。这种“物”的叙事，比任何台词都更具穿透力。

　　三、记忆的悖论

　　影片最深刻的矛盾在于：照相馆试图定格永恒，却无法阻止记忆的消逝。当年轻一代举着手机匆匆走过，与老顾客在相馆里久久凝视的镜头形成对比，导演巧妙地提出了一个追问：在数字时代，我们是否正在失去“凝视”的能力?那些被手机滤镜美化过的瞬间，是否还能承载真实的重量?

　　四、南京的隐喻

　　作为一部城市题材纪录片，《南京照相馆》没有刻意强调地标建筑，而是通过市井生活展现城市的灵魂。从乌衣巷口的老茶馆到新街口的霓虹灯，从秦淮河的桨声到地铁站的喧嚣，影片用镜头完成了一次对南京的“非典型”书写。这种书写拒绝宏大叙事，却让城市的温度在细节中悄然流淌。

　　当孩子们为小妖怪的滑稽取经路捧腹大笑时，成年人却在银幕前沉默——这部影片最残酷的真相，是它揭穿了“努力必有回报”的谎言。四个小妖怪的冒险，本质是一场注定失败的“自我证明”，而他们的悲剧性，恰恰在于连“失败”都未被历史铭记。

　　一、身份伪装：普通人的“生存策略”

　　小妖怪们假扮唐僧师徒的设定，是当代社会最精准的隐喻：

　　‌职场代际‌：黄鼠狼精从“话痨”到“沉默”的转变，像极了新人被职场规训后的失语;

　　‌家庭角色‌：小猪妖的葫芦从“空”到“满”，实则是中年人对“被需要”的表演——母亲以为他听话喝水，却不知他从未真正“解渴”;

　　‌社会标签‌：蛤蟆精的工号牌、猩猩怪的“齐天大圣”呐喊，都是弱者试图在系统中留下痕迹的徒劳。

　　二、英雄主义的解构：太阳升起后的虚无

　　影片结尾的“一切如常”，彻底粉碎了励志幻想：

　　‌牺牲的廉价‌：四小妖耗尽修为击败黄风怪后变回原形，暗示普通人倾尽所有的壮举，可能只是大局中的一粒尘埃;

　　‌记忆的脆弱‌：村民的祭拜与悟空的擦肩，构成残酷对比——小妖怪的善举被民间铭记，却从未进入“正史”的视野。

　　三、水墨下的荒诞：传统美学的现代性

　　上美影的水墨风格，在此被赋予双重意义：

　　‌视觉怀旧‌：浪浪山的层峦叠嶂，唤醒80后对《大闹天宫》的童年记忆;

　　‌现实刺痛‌：手绘的质朴线条与“无名之辈”的命运形成互文——越是精致的艺术，越凸显角色的渺小。

　　作为伴随上美影经典动画成长的一代，80后观众对《浪浪山的小妖怪》的共鸣，早已超越简单的“怀旧”。影片以四个小妖怪的荒诞取经路，精准戳中了中年群体在职场、家庭与理想间挣扎的生存状态——我们何尝不是那只背着空葫芦的“猪妖”?表面是妖，实则是在KPI与房贷间疲于奔命的凡人。1一、浪浪山：80后的“舒适圈”困局

　　“浪浪山”的隐喻直指中年危机：

　　‌职场规训‌：黄鼠狼精的功利、蛤蟆精的世故，像极了职场中为生存妥协的我们;

　　‌家庭牵绊‌：小猪妖的葫芦从“空”到“满”，暗喻80后对父母“多喝水”的叮嘱从敷衍到理解，却始终在“被需要”与“被忽视”间摇摆;1‌理想幻灭‌：影片结尾的“太阳升起，一切如常”，撕碎了“逆天改命”的童话——我们终其一生，或许只是庞大系统里的一颗螺丝。3二、取经路：一场注定失败的“中年叛逆”

　　四小妖的取经之旅，本质是80后的“中年叛逆”：

　　‌荒诞性‌：没神通、没背景的妖怪，却要挑战“取经”的宏大叙事，像极了中年转行、创业的冲动;

　　‌悲剧性‌：他们的挣扎最终被“太阳升起”消解，暗示普通人对抗系统的无力感——所谓“成长”，不过是从一个浪浪山跳进另一个浪浪山。2‌觉醒性‌：蛤蟆精从“贪恋工号牌”到“舍生取义”，映射了80后从“求稳”到“为理想豁出去”的蜕变，哪怕这种觉醒注定不被铭记。4三、水墨风：80后的“童年滤镜”与时代眼泪

　　上美影的水墨风格，是80后集体记忆的钥匙：

　　‌视觉符号‌：浪浪山的层峦叠嶂，像极了童年《大闹天宫》里的云海，却多了几分现实的沉重;

　　‌声音彩蛋‌：两代“小猪妖”配音的交替(蔡壮壮→陈子平)，恰似80后从“被呵护的孩童”到“负重前行的中年人”的身份转换。6结语：我们终将走出浪浪山，却带着它的烙印

　　影片的残酷在于：它不提供“逆袭”的爽感，却让80后在小妖怪的眼泪里，看见自己的影子。那些关于“理想”的执念，关于“安稳”的挣扎，关于“被看见”的渴望，最终都化作浪浪山的一缕烟尘——但正是这些“无名”的坚持，构成了平凡人的英雄主义。

　　《哪吒2：魔童闹海》延续了前作“我命由我不由天”的精神内核，将反抗的火焰从个体命运烧向更广阔的社会秩序。影片中，哪吒与敖丙的冲突不再是简单的正邪对立，而是两种生存哲学的交锋：一方是“打破规则”的叛逆者，一方是“维护秩序”的守护者。这种对立在“水淹陈塘关”的灾难中被推向极致，让观众在视觉震撼之余，不得不思考一个尖锐的问题：当反抗成为本能，我们是否正在走向另一种暴力?

　　一、反抗的代价：从“破局者”到“施暴者”

　　影片通过哪吒的成长轨迹，揭示了反抗的悖论。前作中，哪吒以“魔丸”身份对抗天命，最终赢得尊重;而在续集中，他因对规则的彻底否定，险些成为毁灭世界的推手。当哪吒怒吼“我要让所有人都知道，我哪吒不是妖!”时，他的愤怒已从自我证明异化为对无辜者的伤害。这种转变让人联想到现实中的“极端叛逆”——当反抗失去边界，它便从解放工具沦为压迫武器。

　　二、秩序的困境：规则是枷锁还是保护?

　　敖丙的角色设计极具隐喻性。作为龙族复兴的希望，他背负着“打破偏见”的使命，却因对规则的绝对服从，最终成为压迫的帮凶。影片中，他因“龙族不得上岸”的祖训，被迫与哪吒为敌，甚至不惜牺牲陈塘关百姓。这种矛盾揭示了秩序的复杂性：规则既是保护弱者的盾牌，也是束缚进步的枷锁。当敖丙在结尾处选择与哪吒共同对抗天劫时，他完成了从“秩序维护者”到“规则挑战者”的蜕变，暗示真正的成长在于对规则的辩证思考。

　　三、和解的可能：在对抗中寻找共生

　　影片最动人的场景，是哪吒与敖丙在对抗天劫时的背靠背作战。两人从对手到战友的转变，不仅是对抗的终结，更是对“非此即彼”思维的超越。这种和解并非简单的妥协，而是在对抗中认识到：真正的自由不是彻底打破规则，而是在规则与突破之间找到平衡。正如哪吒最终选择承担水淹陈塘关的责任，而非逃避，这种“有原则的反抗”才是成长的终极答案。

　　四、现实映照：我们都是“哪吒”与“敖丙”

　　影片的深层意义在于对当代社会的映射。在信息爆炸的时代，我们常陷入“打破规则”与“维护秩序”的两难：年轻人渴望突破传统，却因经验不足而碰壁;长辈坚守规则，却因僵化而阻碍创新。哪吒与敖丙的冲突，正是这种矛盾的缩影。影片通过他们的故事提醒我们：反抗需要勇气，但更需要智慧;秩序需要尊重，但更需要革新。

　　结语：在对抗中寻找自我

　　《哪吒2：魔童闹海》不仅是一部视觉盛宴，更是一部关于成长的哲学寓言。它告诉我们，反抗与秩序并非对立，而是同一枚硬币的两面。真正的成熟，是能在对抗中保持清醒，在规则中寻找突破，最终在与他人的和解中，完成对自我的超越。正如影片结尾，哪吒与敖丙携手对抗天劫，他们的背影既是反抗的火焰，也是希望的曙光。 ()

What do you do for a third act?

If he were told the world were ending tomorrow, Martin Luther once said, he would plant a tree. Werner Herzog would start a film. In "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," Steve Carell plays an insurance salesman but finds little point in selling a whole-life policy. An asteroid 70 miles wide is on a collision path with Earth, and governments have announced it will slam into its target in three weeks' time.

To me, even worse than this catastrophe would be foreknowledge of it. To die is one thing. How much worse to know that all the life that ever existed on this planet, and all it ever achieved, was to be obliterated? Dodge (Carell) looks a little gloomy at the best of times. Now life is really piling on. A space-shuttle mission to destroy the asteroid has failed, and to make things worse, Dodge's wife has walked out on him and joined the man she really loves.

The end of the world is hardly a rare subject for movies; recently we've had "Melancholia" and "Another Earth," and who could forget Don McKellar's bittersweet "Last Night" (1998)? Lorene Scafaria, the writer-director of this film, approaches the subject as an opportunity for melancholy satire and some gentle romance. It amounts to sort of a romanic comedy, although it makes no promises of providing a happy ending. www.130q.com

Some people riot in the streets. There are looters, determined to have a new big-screen TV, no matter how few days are left to watch it. There are orgies and mass baptisms. Cable news inevitably attaches a catchphrase and some theme music to the apocalypse. Radio stations have countdowns. Dodge, alone and lonely in his apartment, unexpectedly finds himself caring for a dog. That's when I realized what I would do if I knew the world was ending. I would find a homeless mother dog with puppies and be calmed by her optimism.

Dodge meets Penny (Keira Knightley), a woman who lives in the next building. They begin to talk and become kindred spirits. She talks him into a road trip that would bring together two of their desires. He can look for the girl he's always thought he should have married, and she can seek her family.

The destination of this trip isn't really the point. Road trips are about who you meet along the way. They meet a man (William Petersen) who has hired a contract killer to shoot him and a survivalist (Derek Luke) who unreasonably believes all of his preparations will help him, and they come across a chain restaurant named Chipper's. The shtick at this place is that the staff are all your best friends. The approaching Armageddon has cranked this routine into high gear, and everybody in the place is so desperately friendly, it borders on madness.

How do you end a movie like this? I mean, before the inevitable end, which logically must be a blank screen? How does Scafaria as a filmmaker create a third act? She produces a couple of unexpected characters who inspire some moments of truth, and there is a Hemingwayesque flight in a small aircraft that is supposed, I guess, to indicate that we face the worst with stoic endurance. These scenes are good enough in themselves, but aren't really adequate to bring a sense of closure.

The best parts of this sweet film involve the middle stretches, when time, however limited, reaches ahead, and the characters do what they can to prevail in the face of calamity. How can I complain that they don't entirely succeed? Isn't the dilemma of the plot the essential dilemma of life?

The story of a plucky honorary boy

"Brave" is the latest animated film from Pixar, and therefore becomes the film the parents of the world will be dragged to by their kids. The good news is that the kids will probably love it, and the bad news is that parents will be disappointed if they're hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker. Unlike such brightly original films as "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo," "WALL-E" and "Up," this one finds Pixar poaching on traditional territory of Disney, its corporate partner. We get a spunky princess; her mum, the queen; her dad, the gruff king, an old witch who lives in the woods, and so on.

The princess is Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald), seen in an action-packed prologue as a flame-haired Scottish tomboy whose life is changed by an early birthday gift of a bow, which quickly inspires her to become the best archer in the kingdom. Then we flash forward to Merida as a young lady of marriageable age, who is startled by request from Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) to choose among three possible husbands chosen by her clan.

Nothing doing, especially since all three candidates are doofuses. Merida leaps upon her trusty steed and flees into the forest, where her friends the will-o-the-wisps lead her to the cottage of a gnarled old witch (Julie Walters). She begs for a magic spell that will change Queen Elinor's mind, but it changes more than that: It turns Elinor into a bear. Witches never know how to stop when they're ahead.

Luckily, the magic spell comes with an escape clause. Merida has exactly two days to reverse the charm. After she and her mother absorb what has happened, they begin to work together and grow closer than ever, even though the queen cannot speak. There is a tricky complication. King Fergus (Billy Connolly) had his leg bitten off by a bear (in the prologue), and has been indisposed toward them ever since. Unsurprisingly, when he sees his wife as a bear, he fails to recognize her.

And so on. This is a great-looking movie, much enlivened by the inspiration of giving Merida three small brothers, little redheaded triplets. The Scottish Highlands are thrillingly painted in astonishing detail, and some action shows Merida's archery more than equal in assorted emergencies. www.130q.com

"Brave" has an uplifting message about improving communication between mothers and daughters, although transforming your mom into a bear is a rather extreme first step. Elinor is a good sport, under the circumstances. But Merida is far from being a typical fairy-tale princess. Having flatly rejected the three suitors proposed by her family, she is apparently prepared to go through life quite happily without a husband, and we can imagine her in later years, a weathered and indomitable Amazon queen, sort of a Boudica for the Scots. "Brave" seems at a loss to deal with her as a girl and makes her a sort of honorary boy.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is without a doubt the best film we are ever likely to see on the subject — unless there is a sequel, which is unlikely, because at the end, the Lincolns are on their way to the theater. (You know what happens then.) It's also a more entertaining movie than I remotely expected. Yes, Reader, I went expecting to sneer.

The story opens with young Abe witnessing the murder of his mother by a vampire. He swears vengeance, and some years later is lucky to be getting drunk while standing at a bar next to Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), who coaches him on vampire-killing and explains that it is a high calling, requiring great dedication and avoiding distractions like marriage.

There's an early scene in which Lincoln tries to shoot a vampire, but that won't work because they're already dead. Then whatever can he do? "Well," he tells Henry, "I used to be pretty good at rail-splitting…" This line drew only a few chuckles from the audience, because the movie cautiously avoids any attempt to seem funny.
Lincoln's weapon of choice becomes an axe with a silver blade, which he learns to spin like a drum major's baton. That he carries this ax with him much of the time may strike some as peculiar. I was reminded uncannily of Buford Pusser, walking tall and carrying a big stick.

Against Henry's advice, Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) marries Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and the story moves quickly to his days in the White House, where he discovers that the vampires are fighting on the side of the South. This seems odd, since they should be equal opportunity bloodsuckers, but there you have it. Still with him from is childhood friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie), a free black man whose mistreatment helped form Lincoln's hatred of slavery. Also still at his side is Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson), who hired him in his Springfield general store; Johnson and Speed join Lincoln in Civil War strategy sessions and are his principal advisers, roles overlooked by history.

The film, directed by Timur Bekmambetov and written by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on his novel, handles all these matters with an admirable seriousness, which may be the only way they could possibly work. The performances are earnest and sincere, and even villains like Adam (Rufus Sewell), the American leader of the Vampire Nation, doesn't spit or snarl overmuch. It regrettably introduces but does not explain Vadoma (Erin Wasson), a statuesque woman who is several decades ahead of time in her taste for leather fetish wear. Are vampires kinky? I didn't know.

Although we do not attend "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" in search of a history lesson, there's one glitch I cannot overlook. In the first day of fighting at Gettysburg, the Union sustains a defeat so crushing that Lincoln is tempted to surrender. This is because the Confederate troops, all vampires, are invulnerable to lead bullets, cannon fire and steel blades, and have an alarming way of disappearing and rematerializing. Over breakfast, Lincoln confides his despair to his wife and says conventional weapons are of no more use against them than — why — than this fork! As he stares at it, he realizes it is silver, and vampires can be killed by silver weapons, as he has proved with his axe-twirling.

Now try not to focus too much on the timeline. After his realization, Lincoln mobilizes all resources to gather wagonloads of silver in Washington, smelt it, and manufacture silver bayonets, bullets and cannon balls. Then we see him, Johnson and Speed on board a weapons train en route to Gettysburg. It is night again, so apparently all of this took less than a day.

Never mind. What comes now is a genuinely thrilling action sequence in which the vampires battle with Lincoln and his friends on top of the speeding train, which hurtles toward a high wooden bridge that has been set alight by the sinister Vadoma (pronounced "Vadooma," I think). This sequence is preposterous and yet exciting, using skillful editing and special effects. Somehow Benjamin Walker and his co-stars here are even convincing — well, as convincing as such goofiness could possibly be.

www.130q.com

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" has nothing useful to observe about Abraham Lincoln, slavery, the Civil War or much of anything else. Blink and you may miss the detail that Harriet Tubman's Underground Railway essentially won the war for the North. But the film doesn't promise insights on such subjects. What it achieves is a surprisingly good job of doing justice to its title, and treating Lincoln with as much gravity as we can expect, under the circumstances.