Over the years Pixar has set the standard for CGI movies, and their level of expertise has brought to the screen some of the best known animated films and characters. Taking the idea that the monsters that we all had in our closets actually were just doing a job, and that they were more afraid of human children then we were of them, gave us all a story that almost every one of us could relate to. With the kinds of characters that Pixar and Disney are known for, enhanced with the voice talents of Billy Crystal and John Goodman, you can't do anything else but fall in love with the story.
Scaring children for their screams has become a big business in the monster world, but when a little girl stumbles into the Monsters, Inc. factory our heroes, Mike and Sully, must save her and get her home. The animation that is used here raises the bar for the next generation of films, with the chameleon like effects that the character Randle has, just shows how much can be done with this CGI technology. With Crystal and Goodman leading the way, the voice acting here is top notch and even the smaller roles become characters that are lovable. The story is fast paced and before you know it the end is at hand and your left wanting more, but isn't that what true classics are suppose to do.
I fell in love with this movie the first moment I watched it, the story is enjoyable and the characters that were created for this film were very diverse and lovable to watch. If you've never seen this movie then you have truly been missing out on a film that the whole family can enjoy, young and old alike. The issue of monsters in our closets are something that we've dealt with, or are dealing with if you have children, but with this story those monsters can become friends to our children and maybe help them see that not all things are as scary as they appear.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Long Ships
When you talk about action movies that have high seas adventure, most of the time the action happens out on the water not on the land. But here the story is more of discovery than of adventure and with two strong actors in the leading roles, I'm surprised that this film is as obscure as it is. The two actors are Richard Widmark, the Viking sailor Rolf, and Sidney Poitier, the Moorish Prince El Mansuh, both play off of each other wonderfully and together they create two memorable characters.
The search for a mythical golden bell drives a crew of Viking sailors to the ends of the Earth where they must battle nature, a Moorish Prince and themselves in order to find their treasure. For 1964 this is a very good film, with a nice blend of drama, action and a little humor to help keep things light. At a time of film making when if you needed a ship you had one built, this movie has some very nice looking Viking and Moorish ships that, obvious from the title, play a major part in the story. When the end of the journey arrives you feel the mix of emotions that the characters are facing and you almost want to reach out and help them. Poitier is a shining star in this film and it's a true joy to see him in some thing other than those cop dramas.
I had never heard of this film, so when a friend of mine mentioned it I was curious to see what it was about and if it was as good as they said. I thought it was interesting to see a story that has Moorish characters and not tearing apart the western world. From a movie goers point of view, this film is a very good adaptation of the book by Frank Bengtsson, with all the adventure and sword play that goes on through out this is one of those movies that if you get the chance to see it, watch it and remember that here was voyage that started out by looking for a myth and came home with a legend.
The search for a mythical golden bell drives a crew of Viking sailors to the ends of the Earth where they must battle nature, a Moorish Prince and themselves in order to find their treasure. For 1964 this is a very good film, with a nice blend of drama, action and a little humor to help keep things light. At a time of film making when if you needed a ship you had one built, this movie has some very nice looking Viking and Moorish ships that, obvious from the title, play a major part in the story. When the end of the journey arrives you feel the mix of emotions that the characters are facing and you almost want to reach out and help them. Poitier is a shining star in this film and it's a true joy to see him in some thing other than those cop dramas.
I had never heard of this film, so when a friend of mine mentioned it I was curious to see what it was about and if it was as good as they said. I thought it was interesting to see a story that has Moorish characters and not tearing apart the western world. From a movie goers point of view, this film is a very good adaptation of the book by Frank Bengtsson, with all the adventure and sword play that goes on through out this is one of those movies that if you get the chance to see it, watch it and remember that here was voyage that started out by looking for a myth and came home with a legend.
Tokyo Godfathers
Most animated films have some magical or science fiction base to the storyline, but there are a few that wholly grounded in reality and make very good tales that the whole family can watch. This film falls into that second category and it's a wonderful story about how far someone will go for redemption. Each of the characters start out with their own problems but as the story progresses each one realizes that the issues that have kept them from going home aren't as monumental as they thought, but don't we all come to that realization at some point in our lives.
When three homeless people discover an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve, they band together to return the infant to its parents and during the journey they learn that the term family goes far beyond parents and siblings. The hardships that are placed on the three main characters are sometimes disturbing and hard to watch but as the story continues each of them grows and comes to terms with their past actions. The extreme situations that placed on the characters are completely within the realm of possibility and that just makes them more lovable to know that they could be just as human as any of us. Since the characters are very realistic you could almost believe that this was based on some real life story, with a little bit of Christmas magic to make things a little more interesting.
This is a nice film that can be watched by the whole family, unfortunately there is no English soundtrack so everyone would have to watch it with the subtitles. That being said, this is an enjoyable story that brings the Christmas spirit home and seeing how the different sub-characters treat the little band of do-gooders, you get the feeling that there maybe some good in the world after all.
When three homeless people discover an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve, they band together to return the infant to its parents and during the journey they learn that the term family goes far beyond parents and siblings. The hardships that are placed on the three main characters are sometimes disturbing and hard to watch but as the story continues each of them grows and comes to terms with their past actions. The extreme situations that placed on the characters are completely within the realm of possibility and that just makes them more lovable to know that they could be just as human as any of us. Since the characters are very realistic you could almost believe that this was based on some real life story, with a little bit of Christmas magic to make things a little more interesting.
This is a nice film that can be watched by the whole family, unfortunately there is no English soundtrack so everyone would have to watch it with the subtitles. That being said, this is an enjoyable story that brings the Christmas spirit home and seeing how the different sub-characters treat the little band of do-gooders, you get the feeling that there maybe some good in the world after all.
Equilibrium
Sci-fi stories about our civilization becoming more enlightened, and peace loving in the future are a dime a dozen. Here the blending of four different story ideas comes together in an enjoyable, fast paced and thought provoking movie starring Christian Bale. With the society issues and ideas from Logan's Run, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451, then add in the moves and action from The Matrix films, you end up with a movie that grabs you in the beginning scenes and never lets go until the very end.
In a not so distant future, society has suppressed all emotions by a mood-limiting drug, and has done away with war and crime, but when one of the elite Cleric misses his daily dose he begins to see how wrong the world has become. The stunt work that is done here is quite amazing, some of the moves are reminiscent of martial arts films and then there are parts that look like they could have come right out of the Matrix films. The swordplay and gunfights that are throughout the film are in some cases the best action sequences that have been done in years. Bale as the top government Cleric shows how disciplined he can be in an action role and still exhibit the struggle that the character is going through with the flood of emotions.
From the moment that the movie starts you're drawn into this world that doesn't seem to far off from our own, and that is where some of the tension that feel comes from, knowing that this could possibly happen. But as far as the human race becoming completely submissive to one ruler, and willingly taking a drug to suppress our emotions, not a chance, we're to free minded to be lead by the nose. This is definitely one of those films that should be watched years down the road in film classes to examine the change in society's mannerisms.
In a not so distant future, society has suppressed all emotions by a mood-limiting drug, and has done away with war and crime, but when one of the elite Cleric misses his daily dose he begins to see how wrong the world has become. The stunt work that is done here is quite amazing, some of the moves are reminiscent of martial arts films and then there are parts that look like they could have come right out of the Matrix films. The swordplay and gunfights that are throughout the film are in some cases the best action sequences that have been done in years. Bale as the top government Cleric shows how disciplined he can be in an action role and still exhibit the struggle that the character is going through with the flood of emotions.
From the moment that the movie starts you're drawn into this world that doesn't seem to far off from our own, and that is where some of the tension that feel comes from, knowing that this could possibly happen. But as far as the human race becoming completely submissive to one ruler, and willingly taking a drug to suppress our emotions, not a chance, we're to free minded to be lead by the nose. This is definitely one of those films that should be watched years down the road in film classes to examine the change in society's mannerisms.
Man of the Year
One of the funniest comedians around today is Robin Williams, once he gets going there's just no stopping him. He's like a summer hurricane, once he's moving you get swept up in the excitement and laughter. Teaming him up with Barry Levinson is shear genesis; with Levinson's direction and Williams' natural ability to adlib you see the best of both worlds. The political satire is in your face from the opening scenes and never lets up until the end of the movie. This movie shows a true side to politics, the popularity vote and what would happen if the most popular man won the election.
When comedian Tom Dobbs decides to run for President more than a few people think that its more than just a joke, and then when he wins because of a computer glitch he's not the only one that is surprised. This movie is full of the truth in politics; the lying, the cheating and the backstabbing are just some of the highlights that are exposed here. Once the story gets going there is just no stopping it, with the energy that Williams brings to the screen its like trying to stop an avalanche half way down the slope. There are three supporting roles that stand out in this film and those are filled by Lewis Black, Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Walken. These three characters help keep the story from getting to far beyond reality, so as the story progresses it stays within the realm of believability.
There are parts to this movie that are so funny its hard to think that they the story is trying to make a point, what it is, is something that we all know but do nothing about. We are well aware that politicians lie to get into office, but once there the voting public never holds them responsible. If any of us lied to our bosses there would be no hope to us keeping our jobs, but here we allow these men and women to tell us bold faced lies and what do we do when they don't come through with what they promise. Nothing. If you passed this movie by because you aren't into political stories, you should give it a shot, with Williams as the President candidate and then President-elect its far beyond any political movie I've seen in years.
When comedian Tom Dobbs decides to run for President more than a few people think that its more than just a joke, and then when he wins because of a computer glitch he's not the only one that is surprised. This movie is full of the truth in politics; the lying, the cheating and the backstabbing are just some of the highlights that are exposed here. Once the story gets going there is just no stopping it, with the energy that Williams brings to the screen its like trying to stop an avalanche half way down the slope. There are three supporting roles that stand out in this film and those are filled by Lewis Black, Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Walken. These three characters help keep the story from getting to far beyond reality, so as the story progresses it stays within the realm of believability.
There are parts to this movie that are so funny its hard to think that they the story is trying to make a point, what it is, is something that we all know but do nothing about. We are well aware that politicians lie to get into office, but once there the voting public never holds them responsible. If any of us lied to our bosses there would be no hope to us keeping our jobs, but here we allow these men and women to tell us bold faced lies and what do we do when they don't come through with what they promise. Nothing. If you passed this movie by because you aren't into political stories, you should give it a shot, with Williams as the President candidate and then President-elect its far beyond any political movie I've seen in years.
Flushed Away
Most of the time jokes that have to do with toilet humor are crude and sometimes down right nasty, but in this film every joke is given a childish edge to it to give it some palatability. Made by the creators of Shrek and the production house who made Wallace and Gromit, this tale of rats and frogs in the London sewers tries to hard to be the lovable homey characters that were such a success before.
When the family pet, Roddy a high society mouse, is flushed down the toilet by a sewer rat, Roddy's misadventures are just beginning when he has to fight a rodent hating toad and his ninja frogs in order to save the day. Unfortunately even with high profile voice acting from the likes of Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, and Ian McKellen, it isn't enough to keep this story afloat. The plot line shifts too much for a children's story, and some of the jokes are just to far over the heads of those same children to make it much fun. The two biggest highlights in this story come from minor characters, the ninja frogs from France and the singing slugs that seem to know all the best songs and can sing in harmony at the drop of a hat.
There aren't enough good things that I can say about this movie to warrant recommending it to be watched, if you do go to see this film don't expect a good film like the Wallace and Gromit series. There are a lot of better-animated children's films out on the market then this one. But if your humor runs the gambit of wondering what the rats down with the things you flush down your toilet, this is definitely the movie for you and your kids.
When the family pet, Roddy a high society mouse, is flushed down the toilet by a sewer rat, Roddy's misadventures are just beginning when he has to fight a rodent hating toad and his ninja frogs in order to save the day. Unfortunately even with high profile voice acting from the likes of Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, and Ian McKellen, it isn't enough to keep this story afloat. The plot line shifts too much for a children's story, and some of the jokes are just to far over the heads of those same children to make it much fun. The two biggest highlights in this story come from minor characters, the ninja frogs from France and the singing slugs that seem to know all the best songs and can sing in harmony at the drop of a hat.
There aren't enough good things that I can say about this movie to warrant recommending it to be watched, if you do go to see this film don't expect a good film like the Wallace and Gromit series. There are a lot of better-animated children's films out on the market then this one. But if your humor runs the gambit of wondering what the rats down with the things you flush down your toilet, this is definitely the movie for you and your kids.
Alpha Dog
There are some actors that are born to be in the business, and there are times that they aren't given the chance to spread their wings but as soon as they're given the opportunity, they shine beyond anybody's expectations. That's the case here with Justin Timberlake, there is no argument that this young man has a wonderful singing voice, but who would have thought that his acting ability was just as skilled. This is a wonderful character driven film that is based on a true story from the 1990s about Jesse James Hollywood, one of the youngest men to ever be on the FBI's Most Wanted list.
When a young boy is "stolen" off the street by a local drug dealer, and held until his older brother pays back the money he owes, the boy's situation becomes more and more complicated as he meets different people and becomes friends with one of his captors. All of the performances are top notch from every actor that comes onto the screen, with veteran actors like Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone to lead the way, you can see that this young cast stepped up and did their very best. By the end of the film there is one other performance that stands out from the others and that's Stone's role as the grieving mother, tossing vanity out the window she dons a fat suit and heavy makeup and is transformed into a woman who has been totally destroyed by these events in her life. As the film progresses you are left with the feelings that there is going to be some what of an ending that will leave everybody alive, but this is based on real events so the ending isn't a happy one.
This movie has all the makings of a classic drama that can be watched repeated over the years, the characters are rich and the environment is modern enough to capture the interest of the audience. I was amazed at the acting skills of Timberlake and I would be interested in seeing him continue with an acting career that may take him in a direction that he never realized he could go in. This is definitely a movie to be seen, its full of high energy and once the story starts you are just drawn in and you can't help but be captivated by the characters and the situation.
When a young boy is "stolen" off the street by a local drug dealer, and held until his older brother pays back the money he owes, the boy's situation becomes more and more complicated as he meets different people and becomes friends with one of his captors. All of the performances are top notch from every actor that comes onto the screen, with veteran actors like Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone to lead the way, you can see that this young cast stepped up and did their very best. By the end of the film there is one other performance that stands out from the others and that's Stone's role as the grieving mother, tossing vanity out the window she dons a fat suit and heavy makeup and is transformed into a woman who has been totally destroyed by these events in her life. As the film progresses you are left with the feelings that there is going to be some what of an ending that will leave everybody alive, but this is based on real events so the ending isn't a happy one.
This movie has all the makings of a classic drama that can be watched repeated over the years, the characters are rich and the environment is modern enough to capture the interest of the audience. I was amazed at the acting skills of Timberlake and I would be interested in seeing him continue with an acting career that may take him in a direction that he never realized he could go in. This is definitely a movie to be seen, its full of high energy and once the story starts you are just drawn in and you can't help but be captivated by the characters and the situation.
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