Starring: Alexander Ludwig, Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane, Frances Conroy, James Cosmo
Directed by: David L. Cunningham
Produced by: Walden Media
Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Kid’s
MPAA Rating: PG for fantasy action and some scary images
A very normal boy, Will Stanton, newcomer Alexander Ludwig, is turning 14. He has a rather large family, five brothers and one sister, and they unfortunately appear to be more interested in getting the family together for the upcoming Christmas holiday than celebrating Will’s birthday. While his family seems to regard the day as nothing out of the ordinary (his brothers give him a sock because they forgot to get him a present), it seems as though Will is just stepping into the threshold of a new destiny for his life. Strange men are following him around with a look of hope and knowing on their faces. And then he is told that he is to be “The Seeker”: a boy who has been chosen to lead the forces of Light to overcome the impending arrival of the Dark.
Alexander Ludwig is sure to become a popular child actor, hopefully to recover from the Hollywood Child Actor Syndrome. He has mastered the art of being an awkward teen while still being a role model. Something that isn’t done too often these days. He has a crush on a girl at school and the shyness and the fear of rejection is clearly visible on his face. He’s the youngest brother and is often left out of the fun that his older brothers have, leaving him to relate more to his sister. He’s a very socially awkward boy and he just wants to fit in. When he is told that he is supposed to be “The Seeker”, he is very curious and excited to find out what exactly this entails, but he is also scared. Ultimately, he succeeds and overcomes all of the obstacles set before him to become a truly great character for kids to look up to.
Alexander Ludwig even holds his own against the supporting cast of fine, established actors in this film. It must have been nerve-racking to act alongside actors such as Christopher Eccleston (“28 Days Later”, “Doctor Who” and “Heroes”), Frances Conroy (“Six Feet Under”), Ian McShane (“Dallas”, “Hot Rod”), and James Cosmo (“Braveheart”, “Trainspotting”, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”). These four make up the group of “Old Ones” who have been chosen to pass down the knowledge of the Light and the Dark and to make sure that the Light prevails. They are a joy to watch onscreen together.
The film is based on a five book series by Susan Cooper. I have not read the book, so I cannot compare, but hopefully a little more explaining is done in the book. The film was funny and very entertaining, but dragged a bit, especially in the second half when the film was supposed to be the most exciting. But a few things would have been nice to see. More of the history of the “Old Ones” would be nice, as well as some more back story about Will Stanton’s relatives. Also, why are all of the “signs” that Will is supposed to find in his immediate area? And why are they scattered throughout time? A very cool idea, yes, but why? Why wouldn’t they be scattered throughout the entire world instead of scattered throughout a tiny town in England?
These minor plot points could cause some frustration among adults seeking more, but from the reactions of the audience, the younger crowd to which this is geared doesn’t really care. They were more interested in the powers that Will receives as “The Seeker” than the plot. They were more interested in Will succeeding than where or how he found the signs. The children in the theater were cheering for Will. There is a new hero for children, and he is brave and normal and just like your kids. Finally there is a great role model for them.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Movie Review: The Seeker: The Dark is Rising by JR
Friday, September 21, 2007
Movie Review: Transformers IMAX by CD
Title: Transformers IMAX
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Bernie Mac, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson
Directed By: Michael Bay
Produced By: Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, Michael Bay
Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Release Date: September, 21st 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor and language.
Distributors: di Bonaventura Pictures, Inc., Paramount Pictures
Ok, so I know we put up a Transformers review already, but now we get to see it in glorious IMAX. Let me tell you, it was glorious. Big @$$ robots on a big @$$ screen. When I had originally seen the movie I had a few complaints about how the “motion blur” effect was overused. At times, the action was hard to see due to the fast pace of the camera work.
All of that is gone in the new IMAX release. The picture was crisper and smoother, and the action was just plain beautiful. Of course I am sure most movies would look great on a 60 by 80 foot screen. Thats at least double the height of a normal screen.
Then you tap into the soundtrack of the movie, even Lincoln Park sounded good to me. 12,000 watts of sound from over forty speakers really helps to put you inside the film. At a couple of points in the movie Ironhide shoots off his EMP cannon and the sound just resonated through my bones and teeth.
Also there was an additional 5 minutes added to the IMAX version. Now I warn you, I dunno how much of it you will notice. Only two scenes stand out profoundly in my head that were added. Plus they slowed down one a bit so it looked a lot better.
If you have the means, go see it in IMAX. It's worth it.
Oh, I almost forgot. I saw a wicked trailer for Beowulf on the IMAX screen.
It is going to be in 3D . Thats right, get your geek on. This movie looked slicker than snot up on the IMAX screen, I can't even begin to imagine it in 3D up there.
Till we meet again,
Bong bah weep granah mini mimi nini
Friday, September 7, 2007
Movie Review: Shoot 'Em Up by ME
Title: Shoot 'Em Up
Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Greg Bryk, Jane McLean
Directed By: Michael Davis
Produced By: Michael Davis, Douglas Curtis, Don Murphy
Genre: Action/Adventure and Thriller
Release Date: September 7th 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive strong bloody violence, sexuality and some language.
Distributors: New Line Cinema
A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, Shoot 'Em Up kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith, a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlikely ally (Monica Bellucci) to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city. -Official Site
First question – Were you disappointed in Smokin' Aces? Second question – Did you like Crank? If you answered yes to both questions, then Shoot 'Em Up is the movie for you. Filled to the brim with an unbelievable amount of action and bad one liners, Shoot 'Em Up takes the best elements of both and combines them in a way that should be the template for all mindless action flicks from here on out. Michael Davis has created an almost perfect action movie. So perfect, in fact, that when screened without a lot of the bad one liners, audiences took the film too seriously. So the one liners were put back in just to lighten the movie, even if it is with groans instead of laughs.
Clive Owen does a superb job as the right guy at the wrong place and time. He has a hardness that works well in films like Sin City and Shoot 'Em Up while still showing a (slightly) softer side as in Children Of Men. He combines both along with an ingenuity as well as a dash of humor in his portrayal of “Mr. Smith”. This is the guy you want as a babysitter, but only if there is a squad of hitmen led by Paul Giamatti after you. Mr. Giamatti should come off as ridiculous in a role like this. I mean, he's Pig Vomit from Private Parts, but the man is one evil heartless son of a bitch and quashes any doubts within his first few minutes of screen time. Rounding out the cast is Monica Bellucci, who may be most recognizable as Persephone in the second and third Matrix sequels. Here she plays a lactating hooker Mr. Smith convinces to help him take care of the newborn while he goes and wreaks havoc amongst Giamatti's men. I'm not really sure what she really brings to the table here beyond being a giant milk bottle, but she doesn't detract from the overall effect.
Shoot 'Em Up is by far the most fun, if not the best action film of the year and I recommend it to action fans who just want to see some kick ass action with minimal character development, honestly. The action starts within the first two minutes! Extremely over the top, cliché, and with a chip on its shoulder the size of a log, Shoot 'Em Up delivers the action with tongue in cheek and fingers on the triggers.
Until next time,
keep reading
Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Movie Review: Stardust by JR
Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro
Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
Produced By: Stephen Marks, Peter Morton, David Womark
Genre: Fantasy/Action/Adventure/Comedy
Release Date: August 10, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for fantasy violence and some risqué humor
Distributors: Paramount Pictures
Synopsis: A fallen star catches the eye of several people who want it for their own purposes.
Neil Gaiman. I started reading the first part of the infamous “Sandman” books a few years ago and it never really stuck with me. I ended up quitting before I finished the first one. Perhaps I should give it a second chance. Then when “Mirrormask” came out I decided to give him another try. I didn’t know what to expect with that one, and got bored with it, stopping the DVD about halfway through. Perhaps I should give it a second chance. So when “Stardust” was first announced and Gaiman fans everywhere were rejoicing, I was mulled by a feeling of “meh”. By this time, I’m pretty much indifferent to the man whom so many proclaim as godlike in his writing abilities. Then the movie got good reviews by darn near everyone and my interest was piqued. Gaiman can’t possibly appeal to everyone can he?
Apparently he can.
“Stardust” is a whimsical, hysterical fairy tale that had perfect box office timing. In a summer overcome by blockbusters and sequels, “Stardust” is that refreshing breath of fresh air. Yes it looks like a blockbuster with its stellar cast and huge sets, but the story is so well-written, I don’t think it will be quickly forgotten like a normal blockbuster.
As the movie opens, we are given a quick tour of the land. The small village in England of Wall is named for its literal stone wall that borders England with the magical world of Stormhold. Nobody can venture past the wall and there is a very old guard always sitting at the wall to make sure none passes through. Then the story begins with a background of all of our main characters: A king on his deathbed and his sons vying for the crown, three old and ugly witches, and the father of Tristan, the main character. We get to see the history of his mother and father: how they met, how he was conceived, and a little bit about how he was raised. Then we get to see Tristan as a young man: where he works, where he lives, and the girl with whom he is desperately in love, Victoria. Suddenly, a star falls from the sky and all of these main characters want it for their own purposes.
The cast in this film is superb. Tristan is played by an relatively unknown Charlie Cox. I like that this character is played by someone I haven’t heard of. There are no preconceived notions about him at all. I look forward to seeing him in many more films in the future. His chemistry with Claire Danes, who plays the fallen star, is shining. They are so much fun to watch. Michelle Pfeiffer is on top of her game for the second time this summer. With her Velma von Tussle from “Hairspray” and her evil witch Lamia, she’s definitely the comeback of the year. She does evil so well! Even with the wonderful performances already mentioned, my absolute favorite in the movie was Robert de Niro as the pirate captain. I’m not going to give it away since nobody gave it away for me, but he is fabulous!
The supporting characters in the movie are fantastic: There’s a witch who has a servant girl chained up for eternity with a magical chain that cannot be broken. There are a slew of very funny ghosts. There’s a goat that gets turned into a man who retains his goat-like appearance and characteristics. The magical world of Stormhold is brimming with wonderfully well-written characters.
As a lover of fantasy, I was in my element with “Stardust”. While I understand that it's not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, I really believe that there is something in “Stardust” for every movie-goer.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 falling stars
www.stardustmovie.com
Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com
