P
acing is one of those magical aspects of movies that can be hard to pin down (since good pacing can be slow or fast), but for me really makes or breaks a film. Having a good sense of continuity, and of how long the various beats of the story should last in order to create the right storytelling rhythm is no mean feat. Most big budget movies do a tolerable job of this, but when a movie stands out for excellent pacing, it's a wonder to behold. In particular, I think The Matrix is an absolute masterclass in pacing, especially the first two-thirds or so. That they manage to get so many incredible scenes into a single movie, while developing a highly effective sense of mystery and bewilderment, with incredible payoff, is just a wonder (none of the sequels hold a candle).
The wife and I just watched Shrek 2 tonight; I had scene the original Shrek months earlier with my siblings. The first Shrek is a bizarre movie. Stripped of its...it's hard to call it originality, but "sudden appearance" of 3D animation mixed with pop culture references and character design, it's kind of a mess. I remember watching it and just being blown away at how quickly the plot was moving; I just couldn't catch my breath, and felt that every relationship in the film was being completely rushed. Obviously, it has many funny moments, and there's an appreciable charm to its execution, but the "sweep" of its plot is just...strange. It's hard to put my finger on.
In this respect, Shrek 2 is a much better film. Obviously, it has lost its "shock value", but its rhythm made up for it nicely. The plot is unoriginal, but originality is deeply overrated, in my opinion. What matters is that the story made nice, coherent sense (except that Shrek's friends made it 1,000 miles to Far Far Away in a matter of hours), and the beats felt well-spaced and natural. It has the feeling of "fitting", where few things feel out of place, which allows you to laugh at the jokes, say "Awww" at Puss's cute-face, and exclaim when you realize there are songs by both Tom Waits and Nick Cave featured in the movie.