Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Film Review

Trailer:



Overview:

I really enjoyed this film. It was plenty exciting, didn't cram in too much like the last few films, and I felt had most of the important parts and very few of the annoying parts of the book. Plus, Neville rocked! I couldn't ask for much more than that in the film There were a few inconsistencies that rankled me a little but overall I'd recommend it.

Spoilers:

Okay, I'm sorry, I have very little sympathy for those that haven't read the books so I'm just gonna plunge right in. I liked that they did not include the scene from the book where Harry inflicts the Cruciatus curse on one of the Carrows just because they spit on McGonagall. But I wish they hadn't then gone and just thrown all the Slytherins in the dungeon. It rather negates the message at the end where Harry claims it doesn't matter what house his son's in.

The non-verbal magic in all the films bugs me, but somehow I'm not too heartbroken that Voldemort wasn't killed with Expelliarmus.

The Librarian: Film Review

Trailer:

Overview:

This is a cute movie if you just want to turn your brain off for a couple hours. My biggest qualm is that Flynn is not, in fact, a librarian. They could call him whatever they like but if we look at facts he's not one. I wasn't expecting accuracy, but I didn't even get stereotypes.

5 / 10 Stars * * * * *

Spoilers:

This movie actually should have been called The Curator. Basically, Flynn discovers he's been employed by a magical library. How is it magical? Why, it has a magical museum in the basement! That's right, a magical museum. Soooo... what actual library work does Flynn do? None. He discovers he's in charge of a magical museum, something gets stolen from the magical museum, and he goes on an adventure in the jungle to save this magical artifact.

It's true he does use a book but the important part is he translates it, still not the job description of a librarian.

Now I get someone not thinking that a librarian's work would make an interesting movie. But if you're going to have a magical library, why not have the adventure take place in the stacks? The subjects of the dewey decimal system could come to life, tigers and lions and bears could be found roaming the 590s section! Or you could seek the aid of famous people from history in the 910s! Or, better yet, a librarian could use his general knowledge to solve a mystery. A good librarian has to know a lot of really random stuff. Flynn did know a lot of things, but that's because he'd been a student for so long.

The only scene that had a hint of truth in it was the long line Flynn had to wait in for his job interview and seeing everyone running away crying. While that's still not exactly acurate as no real library interviews every possible candidate, and you don't usually get a chance to see people cry afterwards, sadly, with the current economy, that's what getting a library job feels like.

But other than that I felt I was just watching a poorly named Indiana Jones knock-off.

X-Men: First Class
Film Review

Trailer:



Overview:

I was excited for this movie but trying not to get my hopes up. I was pleased to discover it far exceeded my expectations. At first I was dubious of James MacAvoy as Professor X, but he did an excellent job. I also enjoyed the actor who played Magneto, and I was impressed with his French, but I was NOT impressed with his complete lack of a British accent! I could not see this guy transforming into Sir Ian McKellan just because of the accent. It doesn't make sense. Does he just develop a British accent in old age? Just too much of stretch. Otherwise, a great actor. I enjoyed the plot and felt the main characters and even some of the minor ones were well developed. The 60s atmosphere actually felt a little downplayed though. I thought some of the clothes and hairstyles, while reminiscent, were adapted to a modern aesthetic.

All in all a good face paced plot and exciting effects make this the best X-Men film since X-Men 2.

But don't bother staying after the credits. There's nothing after them.

8 / 10 Stars * * * * * * * *

Little Miss Sunshine: Film Review

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Overview:

I know I'm several years late on watching this movie but here goes. I loved it. Mostly I just wanted to watch a movie that was different from what I normally watch. Not only did it fulfill my need for something different, but it was also an excellent study in character development. When I listened to the film commentary, they said it was hard to explain to people why they should see the film because the characters were the most interesting part while the plot wasn't. I agree. Although, I did really like the fact that it wasn't really about the beauty pageant in the end but rather the development of the family dynamic.

Steve Carell and Abigail Breslin are hands down the best performances. It doesn't hurt that I have a soft spot for Carell as a Denison alum, but I really did think this is easily one of his best roles. Breslin didn't have any over-exaggeration in her role that I normally see in child acting. When she was excited, it was so absolutely genuine, yet I feel she must have been playing a character very different from herself because it's also generally easy to spot if children are playing themselves because they're simply being but not projecting the character. I may be dissolving into incoherency, but even while the performance was so believable, I also feel that a performance of that complexity could not have simply come from accident.

Favorite Scenes:

I love the scene in the beginning where the word "Sunshine" is transposed over Steve Carell's depressed face.

I love Breslin hopping up and down as she listens to the answering machine. It's such a happy scene and she does it so well. I actually wondered if they had a trampoline under her as the hopping was so impressive.

8 /10 Stars * * * * * * * *

Spoilers:

The grandfather was the hardest character for me to feel sympathetic towards but I loved how the family came together over his death. I was actually talking to the screen, telling them to steal the body!

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides
Film Review

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Overview:

For a movie with 4 in the title, it was actually pretty good, which isn't to say ground-shaking, but it was a lot better than I expected. Although, one should keep in mind I've never been a huge fan of the franchise. I don't hate the movies but they're nowhere on a list of my favorites. Mostly I only watch them to see Johnny Depp dance around in a pirate outfit and see special effects. This movie delivers very well on those two, so I had nothing to complain of. The story was good in that it was easy to follow, made sense with the characters, and allowed Johnny Depp to dance around in a pirate costume. To be honest, I liked the story better than a few of the others in the series because I felt like they weren't trying to do too much or be too weird or abstract. On a random note, I was a bit surprised that Amanda Seyfried agreed to such a bit role in the movie.

7 / 10 stars * * * * * * * A good enough distraction.

The Conspirator: Film Review

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Overview:

I found it interesting that the movie was about due process of the law and not necessarily innocence or guilt. Obviously, they lean toward one assumption but the point is that the method of the trial is wrong. I wanted to find out more about the lawyer Frederick Aiken, afterwards, but I think it would take a bit more in depth historical research than I'm used to doing.

Review Friday
The King's Speech

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Overview

Great as both a historical and character drama. I think it was brilliantly acted, particularly by Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush. Not only did I believe they were these characters but I cared about what happened to them. Firth excels at being simultaneously unfriendly but lovable. Carter is regal and somehow even gives the air of the Queen Mum. Her dress and make-up is spot on. Whereas no amount of make-up or costuming will make Firth look like George VI. But his acting was excellent, so it doesn't matter. Rush is the perfect addition for both fun and seriousness.

8/10 stars. * * * * * * * * A thoroughly enjoyable and well-made film.

Review Friday
The Green Hornet

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Overview

Kato is awesome.

I loved this movie based on that alone and you should too.

Spoilers

Um...Kato is the awesome? Seriously, the Green Hornet has no super powers, it's all Kato. Even thinking back on the story, I would not have cared at all if notfor Kato. Kato makes this movie but that's why it's worth seeing just to see him.

Review Friday
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1

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Overview

In my personal opinion this is the best Potter book to film adaptation. The third film is still my favorite, but this one captured all of the most important parts of the 7th book, as well as being pitch perfect on the tone of both the book and the characters. Fans have often lamented than Ron's best lines from the book are given to Hermione in the film. But this was Ron at his best.

Overall, the pacing, which I feel has been the biggest problem in the last two films, was perfectly executed. I never felt things were to slow or too fast. In pacing, it's actually even better than the book, as I did feel the camping dragged on too long, but in the movie it was great character building and well integrated with excitement and suspense.

There were a couple quibbles I had with things being confusing if you hadn't read the books, but I actually saw the film with someone who had never read the books and had only seen the first film. And the only thing she said she didn't understand were the horcruxes.

Finally, the part where they chose to cut it worked surprisingly well. Many fans had been speculating they might cut it at Dobby's death but that it would be really depressing. By having Vodemort stealing the wand be the very last seen they balance that bleakness with suspense. I am eagerly looking forward to part 2.

Spoilers

Okay, so the mirror shard that Harry carries and sees what he thinks is Dumbledore's eye through, was my biggest complaint. They never explained it in any of the films and they didn't in this one either! The girl I was with who hadn't seen them probably assumed it had been explained and perhaps that's why she wasn't confused. But I knew they hadn't, so that annoyed me. But honestly I don't think it's that important. I think they could have left it out entirely. Many fans claim there's no other way to explain how Aberforth knew to send Dobby to help them. But trust me, there's always another way. But I'll reserve final judgement in the hopes they explain the mirror in part 2.

A change I loved was Hedwig saving Harry instead of simply exploding. At least she went out heroically and not trapped in a burning cage.

I also loved Dobby's speech. Only seriously maim. Golden. Some fans seem to feel it was too comedic, but I think it was just right. You can't have the entire film be dark, it would be too much. Plus, considering that we haven't seen Dobby since the second film, I think it was crucial to remind us why we love this little elf before he gets killed. Cruel, yes, but necessary to make us care.

Review Friday

Tangled

Trailer

Overview (No Spoilers)

8/10 stars * * * * * * * *

Tangled is hands down the best film since Tarzan ended Disney's golden age. On a list of my six favorite Disney films (based solely on their stories), Tangled is my third favorite. That list is: Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, Tangled, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid.

Like these other Disney films, Tangled has a great story, fun characters, and breathtakingly beautiful animation. There's only one snag that prevents it from being utterly perfect, a disappointing bug in an otherwise tasty porridge. No, it's not the fact that they changed the name from Rapunzel to Tangled because they thought the latter would attract more boys. Really, Disney, did Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, or Mulan do poorly just because they had prominent female leads? Still, the name change was a minor annoyance, easily overlooked since it was overall a great film. No, there was something else that bugged me far more. But first I want to go over all the reasons why I loved it and why you should go and see it. What are you doing still reading this? Go now!

Story: The story was fantastic. I know the original Rapunzel tale pretty well, so I could spot the changes. But if I was a fairytale purist, I wouldn't like any of Disney's films. Besides, the changes made, in my opinion, worked very well. They added just enough life and detail to the story to keep up the pace and emotional depth over the course of a full length movie, while still staying close enough to the plot of the original tale. I'll elaborate more in the spoilers section. I am tempted to just do so here. I mean, if you don't know how Disney movies all end by now, then there's no hope for you. But I'll hold back. I do talk about a few specifics in the character section but nothing earth-shattering. You could figure out most of it from watching the trailer.

There was also a good balance of serious emotions and and humor, even though the trailer might indicate otherwise. It might be a little more comedic than the Disney classics, but what I liked is that even the comedic characters had serious sides. Pascal worries for Rapunzel and is her only friend. Maximus may always seem funny, but if you think about it, it's because for most of the film, he's out for Flynn's blood. Humor that involves wanting to kill or maim someone is always the best kind in my book. Same goes for the Vikings they encounter. Good tone is one of the first things I look for in a cartoon and Tangled delivers.

Characters: Rapunzel manages to be a very interesting character for a girl trapped in a tower for 18 years, which also makes her the first Disney princess to reach the age of consent before falling in love! She doesn't let being bored out of her mind make her a boring character, which is a tall order. She's had nothing to do but teach herself things like astronomy, guitar, and painting. She also has the drive and determination to question the woman she thinks is her mother, even though this is the only person she's ever known. And when the chance to escape her tower comes, Rapunzel grabs it (and hits it over the head with a frying pan). I also really related to her when she escapes from the tower. There's an excellent montage of her feeling alternately elated and morbidly guiltily which is absolutely hilarious.

Flynn is a more fleshed-out character than the traditional Disney male leads, like the princes from Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. But he didn't have quite the character depth of Aladdin, the Beast, or Tarzan. Still, it felt like he did have a good backstory, just like they couldn't fit it in the film. He mentions it a little bit, just not as much as I would have liked. Still, he's the perfect foil to the repressed Rapunzel and the chemistry between them works very well and keeps you invested in both their characters.

Pascal, Rapunzel's chameleon sidekick, is easily on my list of top five Disney animal sidekicks: Mushu, Pascal, Sebastian, Abu, and Zazu—in that order. Pascal doesn't talk, but his expressive face says it all. He's clearly the enforcer of the group.

Maximus kinda reminded me of Phoebus's horse from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but I still enjoyed his stalwart and honest nature that suffers no fools, particularly not thieving ones. And you have to admire a warhorse willing to pick up a sword and fight his battles himself!

Animation: The lantern festival when all the lanterns started to light easily gave me the same chills I felt when the crowds at the Imperial City bowed to Mulan, visually stunning and emotionally moving when you think about how the lanterns represent love and longing. I also think Disney's made the right decision to do the whole movie in the style of a Rocco painting. Rocco was a reaction to being freed from the oppressive rule of Louis XIV, and this movie is all about freedom. Plus, it's just a pretty and whimsical style of painting, perfect for a cartoon. I could wish that the style of the characters had been a little more organic so it would look more like the actual Rocco style. The backgrounds did feel Rocco, particularly, Rapunzel's tower. But the characters, while charming and cute, look more like the standard plasticine doll-like versions of computer animation which would have looked right at home in Toy Story. But this would be my criticism of all computer animation. Regardless, I still thoroughly enjoyed the 3D, and it fittingly emphasized the action rather than being a gimmick. It makes the lantern scene that much more magical.

The Snag...

Okay, so after all this, you're probably wonder what I possibly couldn't like about this movie. What more is there than story, characters, and amazing visuals?

Well, from most movies, nothing. But since this is a Disney musical, there's one more element. The music. This is where this movie was a big disappointment. The songs aren't bad, but they are not anywhere close to Disney standards. They were supposed to be a musical mix of 1960s rock and medieval music, which is a great idea. I love modernized medieval music. But while the first song, When Will My Life Begin, starts well with a catchy beat, it fades away in a completely incongruously mellow way that makes it feel like two different songs sewn reluctantly together. The reprise, on the contrary, ended on a very good note but left out too much of the original bouncy nature. All in all, Out There, from the Hunchback of Notre Dame remains Disney's best song about being stuck in a tower.

Plus, other then the faintest possible Irish-like hint in the acoustic beginning, I fail to hear anything medieval about either of these songs. Rather than mixing the two genres, which could have been really fun and original, it seems Alan Menken decided to do one or the other. Although, honestly, none of the songs with lyrics had any medieval flair to them. I'm also not personally a fan of story songs, and all of them, except the love song and the one one the end credits, were tied too closely to the story to be a song that you can later turn into a radio classic.

Mother Knows Best was yet another story song and too musically repetitive, once again, with no good hook, not enough variety to the sounds or build in the middle and end of the song. The whole time she's mostly talking along to music rather than singing. Which I know is actually something they sometimes did in the 60s, but I'm not a fan of it, and the tune isn't strong enough to carry a lack of singing. Plus, it doesn't sound like a 60s song; it sounds like it's from the 50s or from a not very good theater musical.

As for the love song, after several listenings determined to like it, I've managed to appreciate it a bit more than when I first heard it, but it's still nothing special. It doesn't build enough or have a powerful enough hook to make you want to sing it, and I really don't think it challenged the singer's voices enough.

I'm usually not a fan of silly songs, but I've Got a Dream was the one that I actually liked most when I first heard it because it's got the best beat, is the most melodic, the overall tone is consistent, and it is actually sung!

Don't even get me started on the flower song. Musically, it's really pretty if a bit too short. But I can't see myself singing it. It's a song about a flower!

The instrumental score is actually quite good but not so good where I noticed it the first time around (with the exception of the excellent dance music in the town) because I was too busy being disappointed in the other songs.

Finally, the end credits song is good but sorta just stolen and not made for the film, so it doesn't really count. Though, it might have been better if they'd just stolen all the songs.

This is why, sadly, Tangled does not even make the list of my top twenty favorite animated musicals. Now, this list is strictly for the music, not the stories. I like most of their stories, but not all. Tangled doesn't even make it ahead of Lilo and Stitch (not listed), who stole all their music from Elvis. And I'm not even an Elvis fan! Yes, even a few lame Disney sequels had better music. * Note that the 1st, 4th, 5th, 14th, 15th, and 16th movies are NOT even Disney films. They are often mistaken for Disney, but they are NOT.

1.)* Anastasia 2.) Mulan 3.) Tarzan 4.)* Road to El Dorado 5.)* Quest for Camelot 6.) Aladdin 7.) Beauty and the Beast 8.) The Little Mermaid 9.) The Hunchback of Notre Dame 10.) Pocahontas 11.) Hercules 12.) Lion King II 13.) Toy Story II 14.)* The Prince of Egypt 15.)* Thumbelina 16.)* The Swan Princess 17.) Pocahontas II 18) Lion King 19.) Cinderella 20.) Sleeping Beauty

Yes, these are exactly in the order starting with my most favorite and going down from there. Yes, I am a strange person (more evident at the later ones--the first few are pretty standard). But hopefully this gives you an idea of my musical taste so you have something by which to gage my opinion.

Spoilers

Notable differences between this and the original tale:

The whole sun drop turning into a magic flower was completely Disney, but I liked it. Actually far more epic than the original lettuce that Rapunzel is named after.

They reversed Rapunzel and Flynn's social statuses. In the original story Rapunzel, is a commoner, and the man who saves her is a prince. But I was fine with Rapunzel being the lost princess. I know how Disney loves its princesses.

Mother Gothel isn't actually using Rapunzel for any magic in the original tale. She just wants a child to love. Which actually makes her evilness rather more ambiguous. Sure, kidnapping and dropping the prince from the tower was wrong, but otherwise Gothel is more the archetypical over-protecive parent than evil stepmother. I actually wished Disney had played this up more, but I realize Disney villains rarely have that kind of nuance. I didn't feel they played up her evil nature enough either. I wish there had been more hints that she didn't really love Rapunzel. I don't think her constantly making fun of her really cut it because some parents do that. It makes them bad parents, but at Gothel's level, it wasn't even really verbal abuse. It easily could have just been someone who was too selfish to know better.

The prince gets his eyes gouged out falling from the tower into a bunch of thorns, but Flynn just gets stabbed.

In the original, Gothel cuts Rapunzel's hair but here obviously she couldn't because then it would be useless to her.

Rapunzel's tears do actually heal the prince in the original, but I really wish it had been her hair in this one since it was healing hair and the whole time I thought: “This is perfect because she could use her hair to heal Flynn when his eyes get gouged.” I always thought the tear thing was cheesy in the fairytale. But at least Disney didn't have to change it for a happy ending. The prince always lived at the end of Rapunzel. Interestingly enough, the witch doesn't die in any version I've ever read. The closest she comes is getting stuck in the tower.

Rapunzel has twin babies by the prince in the original. In some it's even how Gothel figures out what's happened. Then Rapunzel wanders the desert for years with her babies until she finds the blinded prince. But I get why they didn't want to explain that to the kiddies.

Review Friday (on Saturday)
Morning Glory

Trailer



Overview

From the trailer I expected a diverting but pretty standard girl-power comedy and that is what I got. I enjoyed it but nothing much seems to have stuck with me other than wondering if the beginning was meant to start small and get bigger or if that was a glitch with the projector.

Spoilers

The angry banter in pleasant voices between Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford was highly amusing. I quite enjoyed Ford's performance as a humorless news curmudgeon. It seemed both similar and yet worlds away from the characters he normally plays. He was clearly a man's man who enjoyed hunting and solitude and had very inflexible values, but he's not the noble hero.

The romance between Rachel McAdams and what's-his-face, however, didn't really do it for me and I can't even recall how it ended or even how the movie in general ended and I just saw it Tuesday. It was happy but forgettable.

Review Fridays
The Frog Princess

Trailer

Overview (No spoilers)

When I still had my free Netflix trial I watched The Frog Princess on instant streaming. As I suspected from the trailer, it wasn't my favorite Disney film. There wasn't a good enough balance of humor and dark, even with the voodoo guy, there was an overabundance of comic relief. And with the exception of The Lion King and Lady and the Tramp, Disney films about mainly animals are all like this. The problem is that animals in Disney films are always the plucky comic relief, and in this film they were practically all animals, so they were all plucky comic relief. Overall, it wasn't the worst Disney film I've ever seen (that's still The Black Cauldron), but its claims of bringing back the Disney magic are highly overrated. However, I do have high hopes for the newest Disney film, Tangled. It annoys me that they didn't call it Rapunzel, but it looks really good otherwise. I've been waiting for them to do Rapunzel since I was eight years old. But my feelings for that are for another post.

Spoilers

I liked the theme of hard work not being the only thing important in life because it is so valued and even though we shouldn't be too lazy, like the prince, it was a good idea to point out that it could be just as much a waste to think that your work is the only thing important in your life. It sounds cheesy and cliché but love is the most important thing in life. Still, 'I think it would have served the theme better if they had fleshed out the characters a little more.

I would also be very disappointed if I was an African American girl and I had been waiting this long for an African American Disney Princess--just to have them turn her into a frog for 90% of the film! To be fair, I don't think Disney did this on purpose for any actual racial reasons. I think it was just a stupid decision and would have been regardless of race. But it also means that Nala remains just as much an African Princess as Tiana (And Nala's the cooler of the two).

None of the songs did it for me either, and those are a big part of any Disney film. On one hand, it's not really my type of music. But nor was the kind in Toy Story, and I still loved You've Got a Friend in Me.

Despite this film being overly humorous, I will admit the shadow voodoo creatures were probably one of the scariest things I've seen in a Disney film. So that was cool. There needed to be more of that and less talking animals and bugs. Although, I confess, I did cry when Ray died.

Despicable Me Mini Review and A for Effort

My sister and I saw Despicable Me and I thought it was cute but nothing fantastic UNTIL the end credits. This movie is worth the money just for the end credits alone. Ever since the 3D craze hit I've been complaining that none of the 3D pops out of the screen anymore. I don't care if they think depth is more "artsy." I want stuff flying in my face! And Despicable Me delivered--just not until the end credits.

I also didn't have the most spectacular start to working on my writing again but I get an A for effort because I went all the way back to my house from the movie theater to get my computer. We live quite close and our movie didn't start for an hour and a half and I hadn't done any writing so I felt I needed to do something. So I got a little bit of editing in before the film but hopefully today will be better.

Eclipse Mini Review

Girl hearts sparkly vampire. Sparkly vampire wants to marry girl but not turn her into eternal vampire he'd have to spend the rest of his life with... Girl wants to spend rest of her sparkly eternal life with vampire but not marry him. That's just silly. Lots of vampires and werewolves fight. Vampires also stand around and look cool. Hang out in a meadow full of miracle grow flowers. The end.

Hope I didn't spoil anyone.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Film Review

So I loved the book The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and was excited when the Swedish film finally came to America. I went to see it this Sunday. (That's right, I celebrated Independence Day by seeing a foreign film). I really enjoyed the film and felt it captured the important essence of the book. Also, despite having to condense such a long and complicated novel, I think the movie was very coherent while still staying true to the story. The only changes I noticed were clearly for time and I think they were done artfully. Visually, it was very close to what I imagined in my head, which is always what you want from these types of adaptations.

I was trying to explain to a friend why I was glad to see the original Swedish film and not an American adaptation, but I had to eventually confess that it wasn't an objective thing. I just picture the characters as being Swedish and the story as taking place in Sweden. In the book it's more important, but in the movie it's just an ambiance.

I would recommend reading the book first just because it's brilliant, but if you do just see the film (and do see it if you can!) the only warning I give are there are some pretty violent rape scenes. If you're really sensitive to that sort of thing you may want to steer clear of both book and film. But I think that would be a shame because in the end it's a very empowering story with beautiful and vibrant characters.

Spoilers!

So I did love how Blomkvist slept with three different women through the course of the book but I understood why they would take that out. Not only does it save time but it also helps focus his relationship with Lisbeth. In the book you have time to understand that regardless of sleeping around, Blomkvist does genuinely respect and care for the women he's with. But in the film that would be tough to get across.

Clash of the Titans Review

Okay, so there actually isn't much more to the review other than monster, monster, monster. But that's what I paid to see, so it was good enough. The 3D wasn't the best I've seen. I felt like to was 2D with some depth when people were just standing around but my sister ducked some harpies and it was still better than 2D, so I was happy. I also liked the guy with blue eyes. He amused me.

And Io rocks.

Alice in Wonderland

I saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D and with all the 3D movies out recently, I feel this movie should come in two parts. One on the actual story and plot and the other on the 3D special effects and use thereof.

Story

Alice Kingsley has had the same nightmare since she was a child: a land full of strange creatures and people--a land called Wonderland. At the age of 19 Alice is far from Wonderland, about to be forced into a horrible marriage, when she falls down the rabbit hole once more. She finds a Wonderland plunged into war between the Red and White Queens--and Alice is the one prophesied to end the feud!

Story Review

When I described the story to my sister before we saw it, I said it was a sequel to Alice and Wonderland where Alice returns to fight in a war for the freedom of Wonderland with the Mad Hatter as a daring general.

My sister seems to think my description was better than the actual story but she felt the plot was still far better than Avatar's and I did as well. I've actually never read the original, but I think the basic story is part of everyone's general psyche if they grow up hearing about it. In that sense, I felt this movie was in keeping with the general tone of Alice in Wonderland--being sufficiently surreal and wide open to interpretation.

With just the story I give 6/10 stars. I would have liked a little more background and depth to the characters since so many of them were so bizarre. You can't just assume they're like normal people. I also would have liked a little romance for Alice, but I respected the ending they had for her.

3D Review

I wish things would pop out of the screen. I know they can do it. I've seen it before. But modern 3D movies seem to think that depth is more artsy or something. Either that or it's easier to do on a mass scale because the best 3D I've seen has been for IMAX specials--not Blockbusters. True, it's cheesy to write a story for 3D. But if there's a monster flying at the screen I want it to pop out! The Jabberwocky should have come flying right in my face. There was one scene where the smoke was coming off the Mad Hatter's hat and it was coming out of the screen but everything else but me in mind of seeing a play and the "stage" had a depth so it looks more like the actors are really standing down there. This wasn't always bad. I thought it was really well done when the Mad Hatter was standing in the burned out pit. But in the action scenes I just don't feel they use the 3D to its fullest.

There were even some parts in the beginning that I wasn't sure were in 3D at all. But I would say the 3D gets a 7.5/10 stars overall.

Total Ranking

7/10 stars * * * * * * *

I know it probably doesn't make mathematical sense, but the combination of 3D and decent story made me feel that the movie overall was 7/10 stars. For me this means I'm not disappointed that I saw it but I wasn't blown away and it could have been better.

Percy Jackson: Film Review

Last night I saw the Percy Jackson movie and very much enjoyed it. It did leave a few things out that I wish had been left in. But, overall, I felt it stayed true to the spirit of the book, and that's always the most important thing to me in movie adaptations.

In the first book Percy finds out he is the son of Poseidon and accused of stealing lighting from Zeus. Percy must find the real thief before war breaks out among the gods.

The movie follows this basic storyline. The first Percy Jackson book is very campy with a lot of pop-culture. Since this is usually how I feel Hollywood ruins books, I didn't have to worry about it with Percy. They actually made the gods slightly more serious than they are in the actual book. But I suppose they felt the need to give them a certain amount of gravitas, so this didn't really bother me. And there was plenty of campy adventure and action to enjoy.

I was both happy and sad to see that this movie is clearly self-contained. They dropped all the running storylines from the series. I feel this means they probably don't expect to make the money to do a sequel which makes me sad. If they really can't do another one, I would prefer this one be self-contained. But I plead with you all to see the film so that they do make another!

I give The Lightning Thief: 8 / 10 stars! * * * * * * * *

Oh, and in completely unrelated news: Happy Year of the Tiger!

Now beware the spoilers all ye who read below!

The Good:

Grover: I didn't think he would match the Grover I had imagined, but the actor did an excellent job. They honestly even made Grover more satyr-like than he is in the book since he was more interested in flirting with women. They didn't overdo it, and Grover's more charming personality traits are more prevalent, but I think a healthy interest in females is actually more accurate to the satyrs of Greek myth.

The Minotaur: Ack! That thing scared me! I'm almost never scared of monsters in movies so that's pretty good.

The fast pace: You do not have time to get bored.

The chemistry of the actors: I think the kid who played Grover was actually the best actor, but together they made a believable team of friends.

The Lotus Hotel: This was a pretty spot-on representation and probably the best use of Lady Gaga's Poker Face song.

Persephone: She actually gets pretty shafted in the books, but I liked their portrayal of her in the movie. Once again, even though she's not the same as in the books, it was in impovement to flesh her out.

The humor: Even jokes they added were very similar to the jokes in the books and very in keeping with the characters. My favorite added joke was probably Grover complaining about Medusa's head in the sink of their hotel. I was also pleased that they kept the part from the book where Smelly Gabe gets his comeuppance...

The Not-so-good:

No Dionysos: My favorite god in general and he plays an excellent role in the books as their unsupportive camp counselor. I do understand where they probably didn't have time in the movie. But, alas. I would have happily watched another hour if they'd added Dionysos.

Luke's depth: The actor who played Luke was good, and I felt his portrayal was accurate. But I felt they lost a lot of character conflict by making Annabeth indifferent to Luke. His betrayal in the end has less punch.

Hades as a baddie: I rather like the fact that Hades isn't necessarily bad in the books (at least, not any more than the rest of the gods). But I get that they had to drop Cronos for time (and probably special effects) reasons. Having Luke as the primary lightning thief was also fine. Like I said, I just would have preferred he have a bit more of a relationship with Annabeth.

Stupid lady: Medusa sorta explained it, but why is it people in movies always do stupid things. Like look at the gorgon even when they know what will happen?!

But you'll notice that the things I liked is a longer list than the ones I didn't! And all the things that made me sad could be fixed if they would make another film! Sigh...but with the economy being what it is, I don't have high hopes.

Avatar: Film Review

Okay, so I was sorta wrong that there wouldn't be any lines at Avatar. There was a big line when we went to see it at the IMAX, but I still contend that this was NOT a nerd line. Nerd lines involve dressing up and camping out for days in tents. Now, this wouldn't really be necessary at the IMAX since seats are assigned, but I doubt anyone was camping out all day with their face painted blue anywhere else. But if anyone can prove me wrong, I'd be interested to hear it.

However, Avatar is undoubtably a sell-out blockbuster. I won't argue about that. My sister and I didn't have the forethought to buy tickets in advance, so we were stuck in the very front row of the IMAX watching the movie with our heads tilted back and a stupid rail obscuring the bottom few inches of the screen. But it wasn't actually as bad as it sounds and I could still see it all right for the most part. Some of the scenes might have been better further back, I think being too close can sometimes blur the 3D a little. But it was clear 90% of the time. So I was able to appreciate that the effects were very good. However, people may call me crazy, but I can still tell the difference between computer animation and reality most of the time, even with today's effects. The reason being that the textures in computer animated worlds are often too pretty and clean. Even when they add dirt, I think it's beceause all the grime and imperfections of the real world are too unpredictable to entirely replicate. Still, other than that one problem that I have with all computer generation, it was definitely photorealistic.

As for the plot. Do any of you remember Fern Gully? For any who never saw it, Fern Gully was a cartoon from my childhood where a fairy teams up with a human to save the rainforest. Well, as the man behind us in the IMAX accurately summed up, Avatar is Fern Gully in space. Not the worst plot, but by no means the most original.

Still, it's probably the only movie I'd recommend seeing on the strength of the visual effects alone. If you can, see it at an IMAX in 3D and it'll be more like an amusement park ride than a movie, so the plot won't matter much. The plot also wasn't so bad as to ruin the "ride." It just would never have been a blockbuster just on the strength of the plot alone, and I'm interested in how that will affect DVD sales for this film.

Spoilers

And then Christa and the guy whose name I don't remember saved the rainforest. The end.

Okay, not exactly but not far off. I have to say one of the biggest highlights to this film for me was when Jake adjusted his thong after first becoming part of the tribe.

The Enterprise on Star Trek has been said to move at the speed of plot. The dang Tree of Souls in this movie felt the same. After Jake and the alien chick have bestiality alien sex under this one tree that looks and acts remarkably like the Tree of Souls, the tree is bull-dozed.

However, later in the film they are, once again, protecting the Tree of Souls? Is this just part that escaped bull-dozing, or is it another Tree of Souls? If it's another Tree of Souls, how many are there? Because if there's a lot, then it's pretty weird to put all your energy into protecting just one. And if there were two, why are there two? Is one a back-up tree?

And it seemed rather serendipitous that the aliens were just close enough to human to be sexy. But this is not the first sci-fi to do that and, sadly, it's highly unlikely it'll be the last.

Clearly, though, this plot was not made for too much logical scrutiny.

But as environmental parables go, it was okay. I was actually rooting for the humans to lose. I'd like to say this was because the story did a good job helping us sympathize with the aliens. But this would be patently untrue. In reality, I'm afraid it's quite likely that a part of my psyche just hates humanity and wants to see its butt kicked by dazzlingly attractive, CGI, blue people. I take comfort in the fact that clearly I'm not the only one.

Harry Potter and the
Obnoxious Bike-Tire-Puncturing Plant

The following review DOES contain SPOILERS and non-verbal spells.

So my sister and I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince last night. I will address that far more pleasant part of our escapade first. So, we had a pleasant ride to the theater because we went at night so it wasn't the unbearably oppressive 101 degrees it has been in the day. It's possible it got as cool as 80 degrees which was very nice. I also got to see a very quick trailer to Percy Jackson which was awesome. I'm really hyped to see that.

Now, a review of Harry Potter:

I would like to establish that I did enjoy this film. The trouble is I always complain more in reviews than remark on positive things.

That being said, none of the Harry Potter movies have been able to include everything from the books, nor would I want them to. But ever since the fourth film I've had the sense that they're very disjointed visual cliff-notes versions of the books. This film did not improve on that. The pacing is so off at times that I can often be completely unaware how much time is supposed to have passed from one scene to the next. I was frequently confused and wondered if I'd missed something vital whenever I would look away from the screen for a few seconds to glare at someone on their cell phone. (By the way, I officially hate anyone who cannot sit through an entire movie without using their cell phone and wish I had X-Men super powers to short circuit any phone opened within several feet of me. Yes, even those expensive iPhones. Especially the expensive iPhones. Would serve them right...). Anyway, the point is, the pacing was off.

The characters, however, were all right on the spot. With the exception of strange nameless twins brought in (possibly to replace the Patils?), I loved all the characters, both big and small. Snape, of course, is always great, which was particulalry important in this film. Got to love pwning Harry too. Snape just flicks his wand and Harry goes flying. Brilliant. Though I wish they'd had the "Don't all me a coward!" line.

Even Dumbledore was great, though. That's saying something for me because, while I liked Micheal Gambon's performance in the third film, his portrayals of Dumbledore in the fourth and fifth film struck entirely the wrong cord. He was alternatingly too aggressive or too weak. But in this film, ala Goldilocks, he was just right. A shame it's the one where he dies. But at least he finally got it right. Maybe someone just needed to tell him Dumbledore was gay a long time ago. Perhaps that was the breakthrough he needed.

As for Harry, I found him to be a bit funnier in this one than the last two ones. Not that he's been without humor but I felt like I laughed out loud more in this one than I have in a while. I found his comment about Aragog's pincers and subsequent miming to be particularly amusing. I think they wasted a bit of time on having him flirt with a waitress, and that part seemed a little off and unnecessary. But otherwise Harry was fine.

I've never cared much for Hermione's character but I feel Emma Watson's acting has improved immensely. At least, I didn't have to watch her amazing dancing eyebrows this time. I even found myself enjoying several Hermione bits. I was actually really looking forward to the bird scene and was very glad they kept it in but I do wish more of the birds had actually hit Ron....

Speaking of Ron, he was also right on the money for how he was in the book. Which means he continues to be a disappointment to me as a character. Ron was my favorite character for the first four books, one I even related to. But he started going drastically downhill the last three books to the point where, even though I don't like Hermione, I think she deserves better. Why? He's insecure, jealous, and possessive. Besides that, he and Hermione don't share any common interests. Yes, there is the possibility that they can balance each other's personalities--Hermione giving Ron some sense and Ron making her relax more. But I always felt that Hermione became more relaxed over time on her own and didn't really need Ron. Anyway, we won't go too far down that road. I'll just say I'm NOT a Harry/Hermione shipper either. I just got really annoyed with Ron in the end.

Lavendar was perfect. Breathing on the window. Priceless.

So getting away from that controversial topic, I will also say Horace Slughorn was great. My sister felt he was even better than in the book, but I felt he was just as good. The armchair thing was well-done.

I was disappointed about them skipping the end battle in exchange for using their wands for what looked like lighters at a rock concert. Strange as well that Aragog got a funeral and Dumbledore didn't. I also wish the waitress scene could have been exchanged for Merope Gaunt's scene. But overall I had a good time and all the really important things were there.

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Now for the adventure that commenced after the movie. Preceeding the movie we had pushed our bikes over a place without sidewalk. It was dark and we couldn't see well and ended up pushing our bikes through the sticker bushes of doom! My sister had encountered these many times before but we couldn't see them in the dark. They flattened the tires on both our bikes and we had to walk two miles home at 2AM.



GAH! Crush! Kill! Destroy!