Movie Review: The Seeker: The Dark is Rising by JR

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
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.

3 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

Movie Review: Meet The Robinsons by ME

Title: Meet The Robinsons
Starring: Angela Bassett, Jordan Fry, Tom Kenny, Harland Williams, Adam West
Directed By: Stephen J. Anderson
Produced By: John Lasseter, Clark Spencer, Dorothy McKim
Genre: Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Animation and Adaptation
Release Date: March 30th, 2007
MPAA Rating: G
Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Lewis is an orphan who dreams of finding a family. His journey takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious stranger named Wilbur Robinson whisks him away to a world where anything is possible…THE FUTURE. There, he meets an incredible assortment of characters and a family beyond his wildest imagination, The Robinsons, who help lead him on an amazing and hilarious adventure with heartfelt results. Based upon the book “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” by William Joyce.

Meet The Robinsons is the way an animated kids movie should be done. With the onslaught of CGI films in the past few years, the market has been saturated with mediocre films designed just to make a buck. Meet The Robinsons hearkens back to a day when kids movies were fun for both children and adults without having to use jokes designed to go over children's heads. Dare I say that this may be the best computer animated film since Toy Story, or at least Shrek. I really can't sing enough praise for this movie. The story is a wonderful tale of not letting failure stop you from trying. The main motto is “Keep moving forward” and that is a great lesson for our children to learn. The animation is top notch, there are reflections from glass that look like the animators inserted actual glass domes in the scenes. Textures of clothes pop without seeming repetitive. I want to mention one character design, Bowler Hat Guy. Now, I don't usually get creeped out by an animated character but there was just something about him that got to me, in a good creepy way of course.

I saw this in Disney 3-D and I must retract my statement made in my A Nightmare Before Christmas review stating that Disney's 3D didn't compare with the IMAX 3D. Well, that was a film that was converted to 3D and Meet The Robinson's was made for 3D. There is a big difference between the two and Disney 3D is just as good as IMAX. Before the film started, Carl, a robot from the film comes onto the screen to tell you to put your glasses on. He then extends his arms and various body parts out into the audience. I flinched and jerked back. No kidding. It was that good. While this extreme use of 3D isn't used in the feature, it sure impressed me.

Another great thing about the movie is that it wasn't about talent. There were no voice actors named in the opening credits and the cast wasn't listed until about a third of the way through the end credits. Most of the main cast were people who I have never heard with a few cameo voices thrown in. I really don't want to give them away as one is pretty major plot point that could be construed as a spoiler. Let's just say that I was pretty tickled. Since voices come from mouths, I will mention my only problem with the film here. To me, a lot of the mouth animations didn't sync up with the voices. Otherwise, this movie was wonderful.

Some final thoughts. With some twists that even got by me, Meet The Robinsons is a very refreshing children's film that gets almost everything right. I highly recommend this, and for those of you who are my Constant Readers, you know how much I don't like seeing a kids movie in a theater full of children but this was well worth it. Just the dinner scene alone is worth having your seat kicked for an hour and a half. Oh yea, you know that line that the T-Rex gives that everyone quotes? Well, there is more to it that makes it even funnier.

Until Lewis meets Marty McFly,
keep reading
Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com