Gulliver's Travels

First off, I hope you all had a Happy Christmas and would like to wish everybody a Happy New Year.  For those looking for a family activity during the festive season then a trip to the cinema might be an ideal event.  The popular children’s story adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels hit cinemas this week, starring funny man Jack Black as Lemeul Gulliver.

Mr. Lemeul Gulliver is lazy and unambitious who’s going nowhere fast as a mail room worker in a New York newspaper.  His career takes a change though when he tries to impress the woman of his five year crush, travel-section editor Darcy Silverman, by claiming to be an experienced travel writer.  His fib though gets him sent to the Bermuda Triangle where he ends up being washed up on the shore of Liliput, the island of the Liliputians.

He befriends the inhabitants, who are ruled by King Theodore (Billy Conolly), particularly one in Horatio (Jason Segel).  He feeds them lies to order to earn their respect and adoration, such as claiming to be President Awesome of the island of Manhattan, but it’s not long before his lies unravel and it’s up to Gulliver to try and save the day.

There isn’t much character development and the plot is played at a fast pace but it’s fun and creative which makes it ideal for kids.  Being primarily a children’s movie, the humour is light; such as Jack Black adorning a dress or repelling cannonballs with his stomach.  It is a loose adaptation of the book made suited for modern times so those who know the story shouldn’t expect something too similar but should take it for what it is and be entertained.

Little Fockers

This Christmas, we are treated the third instalment of the ‘Meet the Parents’ franchise but much like the American Pie series, the franchise has grown stale and weaker with each release and the jokes are beginning to wear thin.

Things are going well for the Fockers; Greg (Ben Stiller) has done well in his career since we last saw, being promoted to the head of nursing at his hospital and himself and his wife, Pam (Teri Polo), are about to celebrate the twins sixth birthday at their home in Chicago with the entire family.  But now that the in-laws are in town, things start becoming a little more complicated.

Jack Byrne’s (Robert De Niro) health is not what it used to be; he is now nursing a heart condition and he has become worried for the future and who will carry the mantle as the head of the family.  Greg becomes his choice of successor but to follow on from Jack and take up the role as the family’s patriarch, there are new expectations that must be met and tests that have to be passed.  But Greg’s struggling to cope with the new set of standards and on top of that, he’s been invited to become the spokesperson for the new drug “Surlengo” which is a proposed rival for Viagra which only adds to his stress.  Especially when he begins working with the gorgeous Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba), who is very interested in Greg, much to Jack’s disapproval.

As well as Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, the whole cast is back, including Owen Wilson, Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman.  Hoffman though was underutilised this time round due to his initial decision to sit out on the movie which may have been a wise decision and one he probably should have stuck too.

The humour was more crude than funny and there wasn’t a fundamental plotline with story, and even the cast, looking tired.  Sexual performance jokes are the main humour theme this time around which may appeal to some but the apple has fallen a long way from the tree from the original ‘Meet the Parents’.

Tron: Legacy 3D

Twenty-eight years on, and the sequel to the original Tron has arrived.  It is one of the years most anticipated movies but was it worth the hype and its reported $200 million budget?  It is a sequel that has managed the rare achievement of surpassing the original and doesn’t disappoint as a spectacle however the story lacks a little in substance.

In the original, Kevin Flynn, (Jeff Bridges), is the programmer who designed the Grid (which is the digital world that the movie is set in), and has become trapped within the program.  His son, Sam Flynn (Garett Hedlund), is left in the care of his grandparents, unaware of what has become of his Dad and grows up with the misguided belief that his father has either died or abandoned him.  Like his father, he is a computer genius, but he is also a thrill seeker who unknowingly is about to take a path similar to the one his father took many years ago.

After being directed to his father’s secret hideout by an old family friend, he is transferred to the Grid.  Sam is soon battling in gladiatorial style games before he is whisked to safety by Quorra (Olivia Wilde) and reunited with his father Kevin Flynn.  Their plan is to escape but first they must overcome Kevn’s most advanced program, Clu, who is out of control and has no intention of letting them leave.

Tron: Legacy is displayed in 2D until the moment when Sam is propelled into the Grid where it then plunges you into the graphically beautiful 3D world and is on par with Avatar as one of the most visually stunning movies of the past decade.  The hero of Tron; Legacy is played by Garett Hedlund but the true star of the movie is Jeff Bridges who reprises his role as Kevin Flynn and delivers an excellent performance.  The ending leaves an opening for a sequel which may be the beginning of a new sci-fi franchise.

Animals United 3D

Animals United takes the next step from the Madagascar movies by taking advantage of the 3D technology and is a good movie to bring the kids to for the Christmas season.  The story is simple enough; a collection of animals are facing an environmental disaster as water supplies are dwindling.

It is a German Production that is re-voiced with a British cast, including the likes of Stephen Fry and the popular James Cordon, who take on the roles of Billy the Meerkat (Cordon) and Socrates the Lion (Fry).  They deliver hope to the animal community by rallying them for the mission of destroying a water damn.

The plot is disjointed and only a vague explanation to why a Polar Bear and a Tasmanian Devil are in the middle of Africa is offered.  In saying that, it is a kid’s movie and such details need no explanation.  It is amusing and children will find plenty to enjoy.  Even though it’s not quite on the same level as Ice Age and Madagascar, it will still appeal to their fans while also delivering a good environmental message about the other inhabitants of our planet.

Burlesque

If you liked Moulin Rouge, Chicago, or are just a big fan of Cher or Aguillera, then this is probably right up your street.  It follows a tried and trusted plotline – a small town girl dreams big, goes in pursuit of her dreams and eventually succeeds after overcoming the obstacles placed in front of her.  Throw in several vocal performances with burlesque dancers, the fact that it’s Cher’s movie comeback after a near ten year absence and Aguillera’s on screen debut and you have Burlesque the movie. 

Ali (Aguillera) is from a small town with a heart of gold.  Early on, she demonstrates her aspirations by belting out a performance in an empty diner.  Ali has dreams and she wants to make it big.  She makes the move to LA to pursue her ambitions but has to start off waitressing at a burlesque club that is co-owned and managed by Tess (Cher).  It’s not long though before she is the star of the show and saving the club from going out of business.

The story isn’t what you would call complicated or gripping but Burlesque is never dull and with all its big productions, is visually fabulous.  While Aguillera’s acting skills aren’t quite on the same level as Cher’s, she more than holds her own with her vocals.  This is a movie that will split opinions and you should follow your instinct on it.  Those that enjoy musicals should attend while those that don’t might want to give it a go if they’re just looking for a festive event to attend this Christmas.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader book is cited by many as the best of the Narnia chronicles.  It is the third entry of the fantasy franchise on the big screen and fans of the Narnia saga should go see it as they will more than likely enjoy it.

Britain is still at war as Lucy and Edmund are taking refuge with relatives while Peter and Susan are residing in America.  Britain isn’t the only country under threat as Narnia once again has an ominous cloud of evil looming.  Peter and Susan are too old to answer the call so the responsibility of help rests on the young shoulders of a Lucy and Edmund.  However they haven’t travelled to Narnia alone as they are joined by their snotty cousin Eustace and are rescued from a watery grave by an old ally, Prince Caspian, who is now King.  They join him on a journey across Narnia’s treacherous waters in his quest for the seven lost lords and their swords which is necessary to prevent the fall of Narnia.

This swashbuckling family adventure is a perfect festive activity for the family and definitely one for the kids.  With his disbelieving snobbery, Eustace provides the entertainment while the movie tells a gentle tale of the journey Lucy and Edmund take in dealing with their own inhibitions on their path towards adulthood.  As in the previous two instalments, the cast comes across as a little wooden, making it hard to have empathy for them but there is enough magic and action to put that aside and enjoy the movie for what it is.  For the fans of the series, whether in book or movie format, you won’t be disappointed and should enjoy this family adventure.

The Tourist

The Tourist is a visually beautiful movie; from the stunning locales of Venice and Paris, extravagant hotels, prestigious balls and exquisite wardrobe along with the dream pairing of the leading couple, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.  It is a romantic thriller that is pleasing on the eye yet lacks substance that such settings demand.

Elise (Jolie) is a beautiful elegant woman who is mixed up with an individual by the name of Alexander who is under investigation from Interpol.  In an effort to evade the clutches of the police, Alexander instructs Elise to board a particular train and mislead those chasing him by making them believe that he is in fact someone else.  Frank (Johnny Depp) is the lucky guy that Elise chooses to unknowingly play the part.  An intriguing conversation with an enchanting woman followed by a public kiss soon finds Frank jumping across rooftops in an effort to escape those that believe they are chasing the real Alexander.  Lesson to be learned; don’t trust a beautiful woman who shows an interest.

It takes a while for the movie to really get going and once it does get past the stages of setting up the plot, you’ll find yourself seeking more than what is delivered with the action scenes played out at a lethargic pace.  Needless to say, The Tourist had so much promise but was burdened from the very start with an A-list cast which set expectations too high.

Last of the November Movie Reviews

Unstoppable

                Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott are reunited for the fifth time in this enjoyable action thriller, Unstoppable.  For those that saw their last movie, ‘The Taking Of Pelham 123’, breathe a sigh of relief because it is a step up from that train wreck.

                Frank (Washington) is wise and experienced after working 28 years on the railroad and has been put to work with Will (Chris Pine) who is fresh out of training, half Frank’s age but his superior which creates friction between the two as Frank questions his experience for such a position.  However, a spanner, a very large spanner, is thrown into the works to change what was meant to be an every day job into anything but.

                The plot is simple; there’s a runaway train.  A runaway train that happens to be a half-mile long freight train.  It is on a rampage and has the potential to destroy the city due to the high level of explosive chemicals that it is carrying.  Oh and on top of that, there is also a train of schoolchildren that are in danger which just adds fuel to the drama.  To be honest, there’s not much more you need to know other than the fact there is an unstoppable train that needs to be stopped.  Simple, but enjoyable.

                There are gripping moments and the stunts are well performed in a story that is helped made believable by the fact that it is actually based, loosely it has to be said, on true events that took place in 2001 in Pennslyvenia.  All in all, not epic but highly enjoyable.

Megamind

                How many of you have often dreamt and imagined yourself as the superhero saving your local city and adored by all?  Apparently even the villains have.

                Two infants drop from the sky and into our world but both have two completely different upbringings; Metro Man (Brad Pitt) was taken in by a loving family who raised him to be the loved and adored protector of Metro City while Megamind (Will Ferrell) went through the experience of being raised in prison which leads him along the path of evil, becoming Metro City’s very own super villain.  Just goes to show that it really is nurture over nature.

                The two fight it out for supremacy over Metro City, with Megamind always losing because that’s what villains do, until one day when he wins and finds Metro City is his to rule.  But with no opposing force stopping him at any turn, he is left feeling unsatisfied and without purpose until another villain emerges.  Metro City needs a hero and that hero is Megamind.

                If you liked the recent ‘Despicable Me’ animation, which is still showing for those that haven’t seen it, then you’ll like Megamind.  The US box office smash hit is both clever and hilarious that is filled with action and also has a good story that develops well throughout. 

London Boulevard

                London Boulevard is the directional debut of William Monahan who was the screenwriter for Scorsese’s ‘The Departed’ but unfortunately, London Boulevard isn’t in the same league.

                Ireland’s own Colin Farrell stars as Mitchell, who has just come out of Pentoville after three years in for GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm) and he’s hoping to put the life of crime behind him as he attempts to go straight.  However, luck has seemingly deserted him as he gets anything but as he becomes the bodyguard of the reclusive neurotic movie star Charlotte (Keira Knightly) but feels the pull of his former life.

                This is not one to bring the kids along to as the characters are saturated in profanity and the body count rises to phenomenal heights.  It does a good job of showcasing the underbelly of London’s worst and the cinematography of London at night is excellent but the romantic chemistry between Farrell and Knightly fizzles instead of sizzles and the story starts off slow without ever really getting going or becoming riveting.

The American

                An American stereotype is loud and brash which ironically is everything the movie isn’t.  Jack the steely, introspective assassin, also known as the American, is George Clooney in this suspense thriller.

                Jack is hiding out in Italy awaiting new orders but his past is starting to haunt him and paranoia is setting in and intensifying as the story progresses.  It is evident in the early scenes that the years of such a profession are having an emotional toll and when a job in Sweden goes horribly wrong, Jack decides that it’s his time to call it a day.  The only problem is, how can you walk away from such a profession alive and that’s what Jack discovers as enemies start to hunt him down.

                Used to living a recluse live, in this reminiscing period of his life, he creates bonds with a few of those in the village, including a romantic connection with Clara (Violante Placido), a local brothel girl which intensifies too quickly. 

                This is a slow burning, intelligent and well crafted movie that is short on thrills.  There is a story here to be told so for those looking for over the top action, you should go see Unstoppable or London Boulevard, while those that want to sit back and fall under the spell of a methodical and thoughtful movie should see The American.

A Great Dose of Magical Entertainment

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Review

                Muggles, it has begun.  The end is here and the greatest children adventure of our generation is set to wrap up in spectacular style.  I do stress though that this is the end and I wouldn’t make this your first Harry Potter movie.  If you never read the books or watched the previous movies, you could still enjoy it, but you’ll be constantly thinking ‘the who-what-where-what now?’ which would take away from the magical experience.

                Technically, this is stated as the first part of a two part production but in reality, this is actually the unofficial second part of a trilogy.  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was really the first part because the Deathly Hallows literally picks straight up from the end of the last movie so see that first if you can.

                Dumbledore is dead and Harry Potter (Radcliff) is on a quest; to defeat he-who-must-not-be-named …. but I’m going to risk it anyway, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), but first he must survive long enough to do so.  From the very start, we are stung by the sinister element of the movie and this trend continues throughout.

                With his friends in tow, Ron (Grint) and Hermionie (Watson), they embark on their own plan; to take down Voldemort; scouring for the Horcruxes;  the items that each hold a part of the Dark Lord’s soul and must be destroyed if Harry is to defeat Voldemort.  A mission that leaves our favourite wizard and his unfortunate friends, who must have often thought ‘why did I sit next to him on the first day’, facing constant moments of peril.  Their path leads them to uncover the secret of the Deathly Hallows; three of the most powerful items in the magical wizard world.  However, they’re unknowingly in a race against Voldemort who is also on the search with the Dark Lord seemingly a step ahead of our young trio.

                 For those that aren’t so keen or haven’t read the books, you may feel that the middle is dragged out while those that know the story will be glad that the movie kept for the most part in line with the book.  Those that love to get lost in the world of magic should see this movie.  While it is darker than the previous Harry Potter movies, it is how it was intended and there is enough light humour to keep it from becoming too intense.  Particularly from Ron and it must be said that for any women watching, they will identify with Hermionie as she takes on the role of having to do everything as the other two prove to be quite incompetent without her.  Fans of the Harry Potter series will love it.  Those that aren’t so fanatical and are just along for the ride will enjoy it.

Skyline Weaves in and out of Complete Irrelevance

Skyline

                ‘Stay out of the light’ would be a good tagline for Skyline.  Literally.  Since we were invaded in 1996 by Independence Day, we’ve been waiting for a movie about life from another planet looking to eradicate the human race and when it seems like all hope is lost, we manage to overcome the odds and send those pesky extraterrestrials packing.  With Skyline, there was potential, but it fell short.  Very short.

                It drags you in from the very start when the two main characters, Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and Elaine (Scottie Thompson), are woken up by strange lights that are descending from the heavens and making people disappear.  Instantly you’re intrigued but instead of continuing on from there, it brings you back to earlier in the day and spends about twenty minutes explaining to you exactly why they’re in Los Angeles (why that mattered, I’m still trying to figure out) and trying to establish a rapport with the characters.  Except all this does is lower your interest and it’s hard to raise it back up after that.

                During the next thirty minutes after the lights appear, we learn that humans are being sucked up at  an alarming rate into the massive spaceship and that those that are hiding are being hunted by aliens.  This is the time when usually a hero, or several, would stand out but we didn’t seem to get any in the ones we were forced to watch as they spent their time creeping down halls and making sure the blinds were kept closed.  All while you could hear gunfire coming from outside the apartment that they had chosen to hide in.  There was a line in the movie which said ‘Don’t you get it? We’re at war!” I wish somebody had mentioned that fact to the director and the writer.  If the characters weren’t going to be involved in it, then I would have at least liked to have seen it bar the few snippets through a telescope.

                Because there was no moment of heroism by any of the characters, rooting for them to succeed, or even caring about them was hard.  There was one moment in the movie where a hero did stand out and you got that sense of, ‘all of our hope rests on him if we’re going to get through this’.  This came from a fighter jet, who we never see the pilot for and is only on screen for a minute, which weaves in and out of alien fire as it tries to shoot down the mother ship.  The fact that the jet was the inspiring hero in Skyline says it all.

                Without giving the end away, needless to say, it wasn’t the most inspiring.  The very end is actually probably the best bit of the movie and no, not just because it was over, but unfortunately it leads absolutely nowhere.  If it had come maybe thirty minutes earlier, maybe some of its potential might have been reached.  However, it sets it up for the sequel which is currently in the works and, if it takes up directly from where this movie finished, then it has potential to be a blockbuster.  However, potential is one thing.  Living up to it is another.

                 Visually, Skyline was stunning.  The cast, even though they were B-list actors, didn’t do a bad job so the blame for the disappointment that accompanies Skyline has to be laid at the feet of the writers and the director.  For those that just want a good action movie, or some sort of action movie, or want to at least watch it so that they can watch the sequel when it is eventually released, then give it a go.  For me, it gets a two out of five rating at best.  One mark for managing to make it to cinema and a second for brief moments of entertainment and great visual effects.