Category: Adventure

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – The Review

They say you can’t go home again. But what if the home in question is that fabled land called Middle Earth. That’s the speculation surrounding celebrated film maker Peter Jackson. His LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy broke box offices records around the globe while collecting a chest full of awards (including the Best Picture Oscar for the final entry RETURN OF THE KING). Much like Bond fans, Rings devotees have had to wait several years for all the legal and financial battles to be settled. For a time it looked like Guillermo del Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH) would be directing this Rings prequel, but as the negotiations dragged, del Toro had to move on. When the dust cleared, Jackson decided that he would not only produce but also direct this new Tolkein screen adaptation. Is the magic back? Film goers will finally find out with the release of THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.

This tale beings with a history of Lonely Mountain, the realm of the dwarves. After surviving a brutal attack from the gruesome orcs, their treasure is seized by the dragon Smaug. The kingdom is in ruin and the dwarves are scattered through the lands. But all is peaceful in the Shire, especially at the home of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (played by Ian Holm in the Rings trilogy here his sixty years younger version is Martin Freeman). That tranquility is shattered with the arrival of Gandalf the Gray (Ian McKellen). The wizard wants Bilbo to join him and thirteen dwarves on a journey back to reclaim their home and treasure. Bilbo will have none of this adventure nonsense. That night his quiet home is invaded by those warrior dwarves led by the fearless Thorin (Richard Armitage). When Bilbo awakes the next morning, the rowdy dwarves and the wizard are gone. But the hobbit has a change of heart and catches up with them. On the long journey they encounter elves, orcs, trolls, rock giants, and a cave-dwelling, ring-loving, raspy voiced creature as they near closer to the land ruled by a brutal fire-breather.

Although this is set sixty years prior to the Rings trilogy, many familiar faces do pop up (including one very welcome surprise). But it’s McKellen as Gandalf that’s the most dominant. He’s slips into this character like he’s easing into a pair of comfy old slippers. He’s funny, wise, and a forbidding conjurer. And Sir Ian plays very well against this film’s most inspired addition of TV star Freeman (“The Office” “Sherlock”) as the timid title character. Their initial meeting is a delightful bit of whimsical wordplay and banter. For most of the initial scenes Bilbo goes from exasperated to worried panic. Once he commits to the quest he truly comes alive even as he flails about with his new sword, Stinger. There’s not enough time for each of the dwarves to stake out much in the way of personality, but Armitage makes a quite impressive small-sized swashbuckler.

But what really impresses here are the breathtaking visuals. As in the previous trilogy, the main characters trudge through all manner of majestic scenery. I’m sure this film will give New Zealand another nice tourism bump. The sets are epic and grand particularly a visit to the Elf kingdom. And the special effects are state of the art, especially in an encounter with three ravenous trolls (frightening and funny). But the most spectacular sequence doesn’t involve multiple beasties and battles, but a quiet quiz between Bilbo and the glorious Gollum, who continues to be one of filmdom’s most amazing creations. He’s more expressive than ever thanks to advanced CGI technology and the wonderful acting of Andy Serkis, the maestro of motion-capture. Speaking of tech, a lot has been written about the use of HFR (High Frame Rate in select theatres). Supposedly the projection of 48 frames per second instead of the standard 24 has caused some queasiness in audiences. My eyes adjusted fairly quickly, but I noticed that any movement (by the camera or actors) zipped by very fast. As a friend pointed out, you get no blurs at 48 so your brain has less to fill in (all the details are there). It is a sharper image, but nothing like live TV as was earlier reported (oh, and the 3D’s nice, but not essential as with LIFE OF PI). Much has also been made about the decision to make three films out of this single Tolkein story. Nothing seems padded here to warrant those accusing the producers of a “money grab”. After the frenetic slapstick of the dwarves trashing Bilbo’s home, the film almost resembles an old Saturday morning serial with one unsurvivable cliff-hanger after another. Sometimes the spectacle is overwhelming with endless nasties popping up to be sliced and speared, but Jackson really makes everything work. It’ll be fun to have that holiday tradition from nearly ten years ago once again. If you enjoyed the Rings then you’ll look forward to spending the next couple of Christmases with this unlikely furry-footed hero.

4.5 Out of 5

First Tom Cruise OBLIVION Poster Debuts


(via IGN)

Here’s the first apocalyptic and expansive poster for Tom Cruise‘s upcoming film – OBLIVION – an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: LEGACY (Joseph Kosinski) and the producer of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (Peter Chernin).

On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind. Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.

From Universal Pictures, OBLIVION will be released exclusively in IMAX on April 12, 2013, one week ahead of its wide release on April 19, 2013. The action-adventure marks director Joseph Kosinski’s second IMAX release following 2010′s TRON: LEGACY. Also starring Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Melissa Leo, you can catch the first trailer for the film this Sunday at Apple iTunes Movie Trailers.

Tom Cruise will continue on the sci-fi path in March 2014 with ALL YOU NEED IS A KILL. He plays a man named Bill Cage who has to fight a battle against an alien race. The twist: Bill keeps on dying and then being reborn to fight the same battle, kind of like a videogame character replaying the same level until he gets it right.

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SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN – The Review

So, here we go again, the classic Grimm’s fairy tale take two. Earlier this year we saw the release of MIRROR, MIRROR, a farcical adaptation of the Snow White story starring Lily Collins as the heroine and Julia Roberts as a very campy, oh-so-wicked stepmother queen. Well with this version, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, all of the forced whimsy and slapstick is jettisoned in favor of dark, dark horror elements and much sword and axe welding mayhem. This is almost ” Snow White the Barbarian “. But is this the approach to make this centuries old bedtime story fresh and involving for modern-day movie audiences?

Now this can’t be a straight retelling of the Grimm tale or the Disney animated classic, of course. The film makers feel compelled to put their own spin on Snow and the gang. This version begins where many tellings do not. We meet our heroine’s mother. After a brief scene of mother and child, Mom’s out of the picture. After a brief grieving period the widower father King leads his army against an invading force. After defeating them, the King discovers a prisoner shackled inside an enemy coach. It is the bewitching blonde beauty Ravenna ( Charlize Theron ). After returning to the castle, she and the King fall in love. Soon they wed, but the honeymoon proves fatal for the King, and the Queen’s forces quickly take over the kingdom asyoung Snow is locked away in a tower. The years pass and she becomes a lovely young woman ( Kristen Stewart ), perhaps the fairest in the land. Snow eventually escapes and makes her way to the ominous dark forest. The Queen’s forces cannot find her and so they enlist the services of the Huntsman ( Chris Hemsworth ), who’s familiar with those nasty woods before. He’s been drowning his sorrows after the death of his wife  and is reluctant to take on the mission until the Queen assures him that she will use her magics to bring his bride back from the great beyond. Once he finds Snow, will he give her to the Queen or will they unite to free the kingdom from Ravenna’s evil spell. Really, you’re wondering?

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Why is this film NOT the fairest of them all ? Well, the main problem seems to be in the script and in the direction by first time feature film maker Rupert Sanders. He seems to have a problem with the big battle sequences ( as do many screen veterans ). Switching abruptly to slow-motion just doesn’t help the film flow. And the script itself certainly does not flow. Too much time is spent in the dark forest ( perhaps so the CGI artists can strut their stuff in showing the nightmare hallucinations caused by the woods’ toxic fumes ), and a stay in a riverside town only populated by women adds to the interminably long running time. The dwarvesdon’t show up til an hour has passed. At least they’re played by several familiar faces. But these mini-warriors are almost interchangeable-grungy, scruffy, scrappy dudes. Old pro Bob Hoskins is their quiet ( maybe blind ) leader while the rest of the gang ( including Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, and Nick Frost ) bicker between battles. Speaking of the cast, they really struggle with this unwieldy script. Hemsworth’s Huntsman seems to be a  vulnerable variation on his Thunder God ( his trusty battle-axe functions almost as his enchanted hammer ). I was a big fan of last year’s YOUNG ADULT, so I was hopeful that Theron could bring some of that snarky spirit to wicked Queen. While Roberts was a new drag icon, Theron is too somber, even though some scenes she seemed to be channeling the late, great Ingrid Pitt in the Hammer classic COUNTESS DRACULA ( gots to get my youthful beauty somewhere, somehow). She takes milk baths, rising from the tub like a carved, ivory statue, and knoshes on bird hearts like a Park Avenue matron tearing into a Whitman sampler ( Hmmm, lotsa’ dead birds in this flick ). Her line deliveries seem to be all over the map. In early scenes she has a quiet monotone to convey the banality of her evil. Later she’s all popping veins and flaring nostrils as she chews out brother Finn ( you’re not doing Shakespeare-in-the-Park, it’s a film so take it down a few notches ). Speaking of Finn, the pervy, pale dude ( really guys, the old Albino-like villain, again? ) quickly becomes tiresome. His fighting superiority over the Huntsman seems highly unlikely. The biggest casting problem ( and I know she gets dumped on for her other films a lot ) is Stewart as Snow White. She’s not as passive as Ms. Swan, luckily, but seems limited to a few expressions and speech patterns ( and she’s brushing back her dark mane again! ). There’s almost no rapport with her leading men and a scene of her rallying the troops to battle is almost laughable. By this time the snail’s pace of the film has destroyed any momentum this and the final fight scenes try to deliver.

So what works? Is there any magic in this retelling? Well, the costume design is pretty great especially in the Queen’s gowns some of which include avian skeletons ( again with the dead birds ). Many of the creature effects are well done. An attacking troll in the dark forest is the stuff of nightmares although the brief scene involving it doesn’t really go anywhere. At the other end of the spectrum, the fairies and sprites in the enchanted forest are indeed enchanting ( they too don’t get enough screen time ). What really impressed me were the dwarves themselves. While MIRROR, MIRROR used real ” little people ” actors, here they used digital sorcery to transform these average sized performers. It’s startlingly seamless. Hopefully there will be a bonus featurette on the DVD explaining how it was achieved. If only that same effort had been put into the plodding script and lackluster direction. Snow may be the ” fairest of them all ” in the realm of literature and animation, but she’s yet to find the live-action feature film version that lets her truly live ” happily ever after “. This Grimm tale’s just too grim,

Overall Rating: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

 

 

MIRROR, MIRROR (2012) – The Review

Last year it seemed that Hollywood was taking a short break from adaptations of toys, video games, comic books, and TV shows when two films were announced that would be live-action versions of classic fairy tales. Well, actually both would be based the same tale ” Snow White and the Seven Dwarves ” by the Brothers Grimm. The entertainment news magazines, blogs, and TV programs were all a flutter. Remember the dueling big asteroid and volcano movies from a decade ago! Would the movie-going public be interested in two versions of that raven-haired heroine? And more importantly, who would make it to the multiplex first?  Slowly photos and trailers hit the internet and it became clear that the films were quite different in tone. The darker, action-heavy SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN would fit better, perhaps, amid the big, blockbuster thrill-rides of the Summer. Spring was deemed a better time for a more lighter, irreverent, frothy retelling and so MIRROR, MIRROR is the first to hit the screens. Will this Snowy be the fairest flick of the two?

Most of us are pretty familiar with the basic story thanks to Disney’s ground-breaking first animated feature film. The MIRROR team has re-worked the plot and added bits and pieces from other fables and fairy stories. As it begins, the wicked stepmother queen herself ( Julia Roberts ) brings us up to speed with a prologue acted out by shiny porcelain puppets ( CGI, no doubt ). After the King disappeared into the dark forest many years ago, she’s ruled the kingdom ( plunging it into a constant dreary winter ) and kept lovely Snow White ( Lilly Collins ) locked away in the castle. The queen’s running out of funds and may have to marry the frumpy, older, much richer Baron ( Michael Lerner ). The villagers of the kingdom are almost taxed to starvation (shades of Robin Hood ). But then she meets the handsome Prince Alcott ( Armie Hammer ) after he and his valet are robbed by a pack of seven ( ! ) bandits in the nearby woods. Her plans go askew when he meets… guess who at the big animal-themed costume ball ( a bit of Cinderella there ). Banishment, deception, sorcery, reunions, and new friendships occur as the film hurtles towards several big reveals and the ( hopefully! ) happy ending.

This marks the fourth film of director Tarsem Singh ( he made THE IMMORTALS last year ). He gives us many of the same visual tricks ( slow and fast motion, extreme color palettes, wire-work acrobatics, rapid cutting ), but doesn’t have a light touch that this material demands. There’s no THE PRINCESS BRIDE subtlety on display here. There are opulent palace sets, outrageous over the top gowns ( hey Costume Design Oscar nominators! ), and an overly busy Allan Menkin score to capitalize every wink and grimace. And Singh seems to just be moving the cast like chess pieces ( as the queen does in an early scene ) toward the big action set-ups. Julia Robert’s drag-queen villainy and vanity, perhaps a riff on Tallulah Bankhead ( Google her kids! ), quickly becomes tedious. She’s also the mirror reflection/ witch who stares blankly, wears all white, delivers cryptic warnings, and sends killer marionettes ( huh? ) after the heroes. Collins’s Snow is a fairly vacant princess who looks lovely ( even with Peter Gallagher eyebrows ), but tends to be overshadowed in many scenes. She finally gets a bit more interesting after meeting the dwarves and gets a training montage ( surprised I didn’t hear ” Eye of the Tiger’! ) and a makeover ( ?! ) by the metro sexual member of the gang. Speaking of the seven, they’re played by actual diminutive actors ( as opposed to being “hobbit-ized” ) and are not the jewel-miners from the 37′ classic. After taking off their accordian-legs ( really !) we find that each has a name reflective of a trait or habit ( ” Grub ” loves to eat! ” Chuck” likes to laugh or chuckle! Sooo cuuute! And clever! ). One’s got a little crush on Snow and comes off a tad creepy. Hammer is pretty and prince-ly as Alcott ( should make the ladies’ hearts flutter ), but is too pompous and comes off as a teasing older brother in scenes with ” kid sister ” Snow. There’s very few sparks between the two. The very talented Nathan Lane is wasted as the queen’s put-upon aide who looks fearful as he scurries about ( literally after getting hexed! ) and peppers his royal compliments with a sarcastic snark. I was delighted to see a couple of great screen vets. Lerner get delightfully frustrated in his pursuit of the queen, while former ” brat packer” Mare Winningham as the head of castle cleaning and kitchens tries to nurture Snow while placating the queen. Most of the sets are imaginative except for the overused white-blanketed forest. Even in bare feet nobody seems cold there. The very small kiddies may find this amusing, but the pacing and tiresome attempts at wit should have the elders glancing at the time. For a wise cracking jab at story books I’ll take the first SHREK or PRINCESS BRIDE over this ( and I’ll take Jay Ward’s still fresh and hilarious ” Fractured Fairy Tales” from TV’s “The Bullwinkle Show” over all of them). I hope Charlize, Bella Swan, and Thor have a better flick with their take on this timeless tale in a few months.

Overall Rating : 1.5 Out of 5 Stars

THE HUNGER GAMES – The Review

Well, those sneaky Hollywood studios are trying to mess with the calendar once again! Or to be more specific, the start of the seasons. For several decades they’ve wheeled out their big budget, youth-oriented tentpole/ franchise blockbusters at the start of Summer ( although a few of these sneak between Thanksgiving and Christmas ). Summer movie time had started with Memorial day weekend , but slowly it has crept up to the first weekend in May ( hey the school year’s not over yet! ). Well now it looks like Lionsgate may be trying to stretch things into Spring ( or Spring break ). And what better way to test these still a bit chilly waters than adapting a popular Young Adult ( YA ) novel. After all, Harry Potter waved his wand for the last time this past year and another YA series ( which I’ll discuss later ) is sending out its last flick in a few months. And so the first of author Suzanne Collins’s trilogy, THE HUNGER GAMES directed by Gary Ross, opens everywhere ( nearly ) today. Is this the start of another money-making movie machine that will fill up multiplexes in the future?

Speaking of the future, the film is set in a near distant one. The story focuses in on Panem, a totalitarian society built up on the ashes of a postapocalyptic North America. It’s composed of 12 very poor districts governed over by the glitzy, opulent Capitol. After a failed rebellion many years ago, the Capitol established the Hunger Games as punishment to these districts ( and entertainment for the swells ). At a ceremony called the Reaping a teenage boy and girl ( 12 to 18 years old )are chosen from each of the districts to compete in a televised battle to the death. The sole winner. besides surviving, is awarded ” untold riches “.  In the impoverished District 12 lives Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) who runs the house she shares with her shy, skittish kid sister Prim and her emotionally shattered mother ( father was killed in the mines-the district’s main industry ). Times are tough, so Katniss climbs through the surrounding fences into the forest preserve where she hunts with her trusty bow and arrow. She’s often joined by her childhood pal Gale ( Liam Hemsworth ), who longs to escape the tyrannical government. Back home Prim is filled with worry that she’ll be picked for the upcoming games ( having just reached the proper age ). Sure enough when Capitol rep Effie Trinket arrives for the Reaping, she draws Prim’s name. As the Safety Patrol drags the hysterical girl away, Katniss steps forward and volunteers to take her sister’s place. She’s accepted and Prim is spared. A boy’s name is also drawn. It is Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ) the baker’s son and an acquaintance of Katniss. The two are soon whisked away via a high-speed train to the Capitol and made ready to compete in the 74th Hunger Games. ” Games ” with the highest stakes imaginable-win or die!

One of the film’s great strengths is its futuristic look which is striking after the bleak opening scenes in District 12. The place looks like a Depression ravaged podunk ( shades of COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER! ) with its grey looking clothes and homes. But with the arrival of Effie we get a taste of the ultra-modern Capitol styles. The well-to-do folks wear bright neon 40’s and 50’s retro creations. The men and women favor extensive, detailed face makeup and their punk hairstyles are dyed in fluorescent colors ( Effie herself almost looks like a kabuki actor ). The gleaming Capitol domes and skyscrapers would not look out-of-place in LOGAN’S RUN. This is a future that looks great in the main city, but is really an oppressive 1984/ BLADE RUNNER nightmare. Many are comparing GAMES to the 2000 Asian thriller BATTLE ROYALE ( but no firepower here-it’s blades, spears, and arrows! ), while I was reminded of the campy Arnold classic THE RUNNING MAN and even back to WESTWORLD ( in the almost all white GAMES TV control center ). Hopefully the art direction team will get some recognition in the next award season.

Another of the film’s strengths is its large diverse cast. For the adult roles, it’s great to see Wes Bentley back in a high-profile blockbuster, although he’s saddled with some unsubtle, ‘El Diablo’ facial hair as Crane the Gamesmaster. I wanted to know a bit more about the stylist, Cinna played with great warmth ( and a lot of cool ) by Lenny Kravitz. Stanley Tucci  rocked some great blue hair and a huge set of choppers as the Games commentator/ interviewer, but seems to stuck in smarmy, condescending mode. We’re treated to way too few scenes of screen vet Donald Sutherland as the conniving, scheming President Snow. He projects an image of a kindly grandpa’ on TV while he plots and finangle ( almost like Nixon or Emporer Palpatine ) in his lush garden with Crane. Elizabeth Banks get to flit about as Effie while modeling many unflattering outfits and makeups ( the lovely Banks usually pops off the screen ). The most interesting of the screen pros may be Woody Harrelson as mentor, coach, and former Games champ Haymitch Abernathy. With his mop of stringy long hair ( like a blond Shemp Howard ), he spends most of his screen time boozing it up, calling Katniss ” sweetheart “, and acting as her fairy godfather. Could it be the horror he witnessed ( and perhaps committed ) during his competition that has him self-medicating?

Most of the young actors portray the other district’s Game players. Many are grimacing, growling villains like a well armed version of MEAN GIRLS’s Plastiques and THE KARATE KID’s blond rivals ( including a second generation star- Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid’s son Jack as “Marvel” ). Amanda Stenberg is affecting as the sweet, pint-sized Rue. But, let’s face it, this is the story of Katniss and Lawrence commands the screen as a terrific teen heroine ( as opposed to that other YA series heroine, Twilight’s Bella Swain, she’s not a damsel in distress to be rescued. Told you I’d get to that series! ), right up there with Buffy Summers and THE MATRIX’s Trinity. I had enjoyed her work in X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, THE BEAVER, and LIKE CRAZY, but this is a real showcase. Katniss is almost a futuristic version of her WINTER’S BONE character. And here lies one of the film’s problems, her male co-stars ( and love interests ) are just not as engaging as her. There’s no heat between her and Hutcherson ( so good in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, but not very believable here ). Perhaps she and Hemsworth could connect, but their only scene together is in the film’s first few minutes. During the games we get shots of him staring at TV screens. Perhaps the author was going for a Bella-Edward-Jacob triangle, but it’s not coming together in this installment.

Which may be another of the film’s problems. Too many things are unanswered, although there’s no big THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK cliffhanger here. A film should work without having read the source material, and this seemed lacking. Ross works well with these actors and tries to keep the wilder aspects of the story grounded. He is not exploitive with the violence, although some scenes were needlessly chaotic, perhaps in order to not got slapped with the dreaded ‘R” rating. Most of the science fiction aspects are handled with subtlety ( killer wasps work, the crude CGI pit bull/ panther hybrids need to stay in the darkness and the shadows ). Their game of deadly hide and seek lasted too long ( forest fatigue ). Fans of the books will likely be pleased with the reverent treatment. The rest of us should be happy to enjoy the great star making performance of Lawrence. Perhaps the next film will serve her considerable skills better.

Overall Rating; 3.5 Out of 5 Stars

JOHN CARTER – The Review

“George Lucas is going to be sooo pissed!” This was the first thought that popped into my head after seeing JOHN CARTER. That is, until I realized he has no reason to get upset. Whether or not you’re familiar with the source material, it will become abundantly clear that Lucas drew a great deal of inspiration for his STAR WARS saga from A PRINCESS OF MARS, a science-fiction novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In fact, once JOHN CARTER hits DVD and blu-ray, picking out the familiar STAR WARS bits would make one hell of a drinking game.

Long story short, director Andrew Stanton only steals back from Lucas what he stole from Burroughs in the first place. I say stolen in a purely playful manner, as is this incredibly fun, if not entirely perfect science-fiction action/adventure film that is one part Indiana Jones, one part STARGATE, and many parts STAR WARS in it’s visual appeal, story structure and even with it’s character development, in many cases. JOHN CARTER may have been officially derived from the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story, but the concept has had plenty of attention through the years, from the original novel and other books that followed, a magazine serial, television series and comic books.

Andrew Stanton, best known for directing the Pixar hits WALL-E and FINDING NEMO, makes his live-action debut with Disney’s CGI blockbuster JOHN CARTER, which they have allegedly spent upwards of $250 million or more to bring to life. If this is true, I fear Disney may have a box office financial flop, even if the film proves to be a popular pre-summer release. In all honesty, it will take a small miracle for the film to break even, but do your part and give it a chance for having the balls to beckon your hard earned bucks before the summer season officially begins.

Taylor Kitsch plays the legendary John Carter, a ruggedly handsome man in his twenties who stumbles upon a gateway between Earth and Mars, leading him into the adventure of a lifetime that will change the course of not one, but two worlds. Kitsch, perhaps best known as Tim Riggins to FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fans, isn’t terribly recognizable beyond that somewhat cult following. Stanton is taking somewhat of a chance with a relative unknown in the leading role, but I’m sure it did shave a few million dollars off the total production cost. Kitsch presents himself on screen as the young Indiana Jones type, but with a bit more old west in his swagger. I am fairly certain there is a moment when explaining his name to the locals that he whips out a John Wayne impersonation, but it happens quickly, so don’t nod off.

JOHN CARTER is no lavishly written masterpiece of flashy dialogue or deep philosophical prose. This shows in the film, but what the film lacks in textual tact it gains in a pleasantly pulpy atmosphere and tone that makes the entire experience that much more fun. Sure, go ahead and see the film in 3D. As much as I oppose the current trend, this is the kind of film 3D is really meant for and it actually works fairly well. No gimmicks, the 3D is fully integrated and never really bares itself so blatantly as to pull the viewer from the story. As was certainly the style of pulp literature of its era, JOHN CARTER has moments of embellished heroism and sappy romance, but I encourage you to play along and enjoy the ride. One of the most fantastically absurd but equally rewarding moments is when John Carter takes it upon himself to prove his valor and worth to Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), single-handedly facing a massive horde of grumpy, savage four-armed Tharks with his name on their blades. This scene is over the top, absurd, and entirely satisfying.

Without going into any great detail, JOHN CARTER follows an otherwise insignificant former Confederate Captain as he is whisked away to Mars and becomes a legend, courtesy of a certain variance in the laws of physics. The CGI in the film is vast and ever present, from the light ships and towering architecture to the arid landscape and especially the character design. While the majority of the alien characters are merely humans with a touch more red pigment and blue blood, the Tharks could be compared to the Na’vi from James Cameron’s AVATAR, but conceptualized with far more success. These four-armed, tusked natives are a major factor in the story and provide a great deal of the excitement.

Much of the star power for JOHN CARTER comes in the way of voice talent. Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church lend their voices to the two primary Thark males, Samantha Morton offers her voice to the primary Thark female, and Dominic West and Bryan Cranston round out the cast. Mark Strong puts on the villain’s shoes once again as a mysterious Thern, stirring the proverbial pooh while standing on the sidelines. This character reminds me of a far more nefarious “Observer” for those who follow the FRINGE television series. He’s one mean dude and he doesn’t play fair.

While the action sequences may be short in duration, there are enough of them in total to give it a pass. JOHN CARTER crosses two worlds, 50 million miles and vastly different cultures to produce a movie many times more enjoyable than THE PHANTOM MENACE, minus Darth Maul, even with its slightly elongated 132-minute running time that could definitely benefit from a snip here and a cut there. The lead performances are notably Kitsch-y (see what I did there) and it works. For someone who has not read the original source material, Andrew Stanton’s JOHN CARTER has inspired me to seek it out.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN – The Review

Motion capture animation and 3D appear to be the rising stars of cinema technology, both of which have the equal shares of supporters and opponents. One thing is for sure, both relatively new technologies are still within their infancy, but there are occasionally examples of the inspiring potential of this trend toward high-tech storytelling. The most current being THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, a collaborative effort of gargantuan proportion.

While many audiences may not be aware of the film’s origin, or too young to know better, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN — which happens to be the film’s official, unofficial full title — is adapted from a comic book series from the ’30s of the same name by the Belgian artist Herge, which also became an animated television series which ran 1991-1992. Sadly, I must report I have no personal knowledge or experience with either, so you will not find me referencing the source material in this review, but, by all means… seek them out as I plan to do.

With all the history behind TINTIN, it’s no wonder the film has such an all-star team of imaginative storytellers working behind the scenes to bring the adventures to a whole new audience. Directed by Steven Spielberg, who also co-produced the film alongside Peter Jackson (LORD OF THE RINGS), THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN was written by Steven Moffat, a very talented writer behind the popular BBC series SHERLOCK and DOCTOR WHO, with assistance from Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) and Joe Cornish (ATTACK THE BLOCK). That’s a lot of creative star power, and we haven’t even introduced the cast yet.

THE ADVENTURES F TINTIN follows a clever, young report named Tintin – no, the dog is not names Tintin, that’s an entirely separate franchise – played by Jamie Bell (JUMPER). Tintin has an unquenchable curiosity, so when he happens upon a magnificent model ship, he manages to haggle a good deal. Immediately following, he finds himself the center of an immense mystery regarding that model ship, for which various unsavory and dark figures are seeking for them selves. This is where Tintin’s adventure begins, leading him to the drunken Captain Haddock, played by Andy Serkis (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), a man with a family history crucial to the mystery of the model ship. Tintin also encounters Ivanovich Sakharine, played by Daniel Craig (CASINO ROYALE), a deviously cunning and dangerous foe seeking the secret of the model ship.

One thing you will certainly not experience during the film is sleep. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is non-stop action and endlessly fun. Tintin is sort of a combination of the Hardy Boys and Indiana Jones wrapped up into a small, scrappy package, always getting into a pickle but always managing to find a way out of trouble. He and his trusty Scottish terrier – I may be off slightly on the breed — are an effective investigative team, as they work with Captain Haddock and his rum-induced amnesia to recover the secret of the model ship before Sakharine figures it out himself.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN takes the audience halfway around the globe to Morocco, where the greatest excitement of the story takes place. Tintin runs into a number of interesting characters along the way, including the bumbling Thompson twin detectives, played unrecognizably by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ). Cary Elwes (THE PRINCESS BRIDE, SAW) also makes a welcome vocal cameo as the Pilot. The most awe-inspiring scene in the film occurs in Morocco, one last massive chase sequence that resembles a deadly life-sized Rube Goldberg contraption that spans an entire ancient city. This sequence is bound to have you leaning forward, even partially lifted from your seat, as Tintin repeatedly navigates through the perils of the Moroccan streets and Sakharine’s henchmen.

I’ve never had a personal grudge against motion capture, which seems a logical marriage between live acting and animation, as we move forward into new cinematic frontiers of technology. With that said, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN does a splendid job of capturing the energy and excitement of the story using motion capture, but I am also pleased to say that the film gets the 3D right as well, integrating the often intrusive and annoying technology into the entire film, still utilizing the gimmick value of the tool, but without getting in the way. The use of 3D enhances the story without causing hurdles for the film to stumble over, which is rare indeed.

John Williams has been a busy man in 2011, having scored WAR HORSE as well as THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, but the difference between the two scores is the music’s presence. In WAR HORSE, Williams’ music n unconventional backseat, but in TINTIN his work stands front and center, making itself known with all its glory and becomes, as is usually the case, a character in and of itself.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is likely to be the most fun you’ve had in an animated family flick all year, perfectly kid friendly with plenty of visual stimulus to keep the rug rats entertained, while still creative and intelligent enough to keep adults thrilled and engaged. Personally, this is the first animated film in some time I have left the theater with an immediate desire to watch a second time.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS – The Review

Mystery fans rejoice, the world’s greatest detective returns in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, to be referred to as AGOS from here out. Guy Ritchie returns to direct the sequel to his 2009 reimagining of the eccentric, yet brilliant master sleuth. Robert Downey, Jr. (RDJ) returns as Holmes, along with Jude Law as Doctor James Watson. This film also offers the arrival of Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (from the original THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) in a major Hollywood film, as the gypsy Madame Simza Heron.

Holmes is up to his normal shenanigans, but this time he’s obsessed with what he calls the greatest case of his career, or even of all time, in his words. The problem, however, is that Holmes is working alone. Watson is about to get married, but Holmes isn’t about to let that stand in his way, managing to unintentionally involve Doc Watson in his deadly pursuit of a genius evil mastermind by way of biting off more than he may be able to chew. Also assisting Holmes this time around, but in a smaller role and with comedic flair, is Stephen Fry (V FOR VENDETTA) as Holmes’ brother Mycroft.

AGOS sees the emergence of Professor Moriarty, played rivetingly by Jared Harris, an incredibly smart and dangerous foe to rival the wits of Holmes himself. The two engage in a battle of the minds, a sort of game to determine who is superior, but a game that has the lives of many, even world peace at stake. Moriarty’s plans are merely a business venture to him, but to Holmes this is a test of his own ability, proving to be his most challenging and deadly investigation.

For fans of the first SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009), expect more of the same from RDJ, cunning and clever, witty and ill-mannered, obnoxious and reckless. With Ritchie once again behind the helm, AGOS also maintains the use of the slow-motion, or “bullet time” effects photography that allows incredible detail during epic action sequences. As before, this technique works wonderfully for the hand to hand fights, illustrating how Holmes preconceives his every move before the fight even begins. However, as spectacular as one massive scene involving Holmes, Watson and Heron fleeing an arsenal of massive guns may be, the technique is used to a point of being stretched too thin. The result is a dampening of the initially induced awe.

Aside from the slight overuse of the slow-motion tactics, AGOS involves some truly exhilarating action sequences. Hans Zimmer’s score is nothing short of a damn good time, energetic and highly appropriate, but the pacing of the film as a whole is not quite as finely tuned as in Ritchie’s 2009 film. There’s plenty of fun to be had with this second adventure, but the 129-minute sequel feels significantly longer than the 128-minute SHERLOCK HOLMES that rebooted the franchise.

Guy Ritchie continues to prove his knack from combining comedy and action, a talent Brett Ratner could only dream to accomplish on this level. Holmes and Moriarty are something like a superhero and his arch-nemesis super villain, whose quarrel with determine the fate of the world. AGOS is as much a battle of intellects as it is a physical battle, as the two characters try and gain the tactical edge throughout the film, much like the symbolic chess match they undertake in the final act of the film.

I found myself thoroughly entertained by SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, despite the slower pacing. Unfortunately, the only real complaint I have about the film is the ending, which feels a bit too much like a Hail Mary, last resort effort to wrap up the final battle while setting up a twist to follow. The ending is absurd as it plays out, requiring more than it’s fair share of demand on the viewer’s suspension of disbelief, even for a popcorn movie such as this. Regardless of the faltering finale, SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS is well worth seeing for the fun factor on a Friday night.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Watch The New DOLPHIN TALE Trailer

Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd star in the trailer premiere for DOLPHIN TALE (via Yahoo! Movies). Inspired by the remarkable true story, the film is about a courageous dolphin named Winter and the compassionate people who banded together to save her life.

Synopsis:

Based on true events DOLPHIN TALE is a family film about Winter, a young dolphin who loses her tail in a crab trap and Sawyer, the introverted, 11-year old boy who befriends her. Sawyer meets the rescued dolphin at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a marine rehabilitation center where she lives. Sawyer rallies friends and family alike to save Winter by convincing a pioneering doctor to create a unique prosthetic attachment to restore the dolphin’s ability to swim. Winter the dolphin will play herself in the movie.

From director Charles Martin Smith, the film stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Nathan Gamble. DOLPHIN TALE hits theaters in 3D and 2D on September 23, 2011

Watch Tom Hardy & Joel Edgerton In New WARRIOR Trailer

Apple.com has debuted the first trailer for WARRIOR, which stars Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte and is helmed by director Gavin O’Connor (MIRACLE). You can view it here http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/warrior/ or watch it below.

Synopsis:

Two brothers face the fight of a lifetime “and the wreckage of their broken family” within the brutal, high-stakes world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting in Lionsgate’s action/drama, WARRIOR.

An ex-Marine haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) returns to hishometown of Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the title prize, his brother, Brendan, (Joel Edgerton) a former MMA fighter unable to make ends meet as a public school teacher, returns to the amateur ring to provide for his family after being suspended from his day job. Even though years have passed, recriminations and betrayals keep Brendan bitterly estranged from both Tommy and his father.

But when Brendan’s unlikely rise as an underdog sets him on a collision course with Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront the forces that tore them apart, all the while waging the most intense, winner-takes-all battle of their lives.

WARRIOR will be hitting theaters on September 9, 2011. Be sure to “Like” WARRIOR on Facebook HERE for more upcoming exclusive content and visit the film’s official site HERE. Follow Lionsgate on Twitter HERE.