The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)

If Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as a frail and uninspiring revival of a series that lead many to question the need for throwbacks to its origin, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is an equally worded title that hits back with a whopping "Indiana Jones style adventures will never die." And with the ever increasing quality of motion capture cinema, this style of film may just be here to stay.

Having not grown up with the Tintin stories, I went in to Spielberg's latest family-ready adventure a bit skeptical of my ability to latch on to the story. Sure, I had more than my fair share of blogging buddies ready at the shot of the pistol to sound off with any number of Tintin related facts or stories that I worried I may be overwhelmed. But Spielberg handles the transition for long time fans and newcomers with great precision. For those new on the scene, the core cast of characters are introduced. These introductions are swift, to the point, and lack an obtrusive nature films of its like often fall into.

Of course that's partially because none of these characters are particularly dynamic. Sure, they're a little rough around the edges - which goes a long way in making them believable and enjoyable - but by and large they each fall on one side or the other of a particular goal and its easy to determine which side of the fence they fall on. For a family film with great ambition this is understandable, and vintage Spielberg. After all it gives Spielberg the opportunity to explore this animated world in which he and his crew brought to life. And explore they do.

With some stunningly choreographed visual spectacles and action scenes that'll have you working a death grip on your arm rests, Tintin uses the three-dimensional world in which it operates to masterful success. In fact, I must say that remains my favorite component of the entire film. Granted that may be telling of the film's lacking in other areas, but by and large the action sequences more than make up for the other misgivings. I honestly felt like I was a kid, back at disneyworld, experiencing one of those simulation rides (e.g. the Star Wars Tours ride) all over again. They were eventful, constantly moving in a variety of directions, and full of sequences that made you want to jump up and yell "yes!" Of course you shouldn't, but that's because you're in a room filled with other people and that would be awkward.

But speaking of jumping up and yelling yes, how's about a big round of applause for the year of Andy Serkis. If they awarded a Most Valuable Actor (MVA) award at the Oscars each year, I believe you'd be hard pressed to find another candidate. Between this and Rise of the Planet of the Apes he has become living proof that even with just motion capture at your disposal, you can still act the hell out of a film.


Overall Score: 8.00/10

Credits:
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Written By: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish
Comic Book Series By: Hergé

Rango (2011)

Overall Score: 7.75/10

To be absolutely honest, it's not very often that I find myself turned off by a commercial for a movie and then perform a complete 180 when I finally seek it out for an official viewing. If anything, it is far more often that I am drawn in by a commercial and then sulk into a darkened corner and rant when the final product is unveiled. So, it is always a pleasant surprise to find a movie which without caution sails past my lowered expectations, and finds a place high upon my shelf of entertainment.

Last year, that movie was How to Train Your Dragon. This year, the movie is Rango. And believe me, the commercials couldn't be worse with respect to what this film is trying to do. Combining elements of Star Wars and the Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns, whose connection might be less vague than you realize, with surrealism in the vein of Hitchcock/Dali's Spellbound, Rango is a mentally entrancing experience. An experience wrapped in the fragile shell of generic loner becomes hero, family stamped and approved storyline simplicity.

With more curious head turns than a Dancing With the Stars audience at a Higgs Boson seminar, Rango is a charming, lonely soul whose infectious stories and flamboyant mannerisms can take charge of any scene. Where many films deal only with surface level, external aspects of being lonely, Rango's is tackled internally, through the use of dream expositions. We see the power of a vivid imagination and dedication to a character, mixed in with the longing for friends who both appreciate, but also idolize you. You're not just good to them, you're the best to them. And in the case of Rango, that draw means more to him than even the most basic fundamentals of his personality.

Depp delivers a whimsical performance as the sporadic protagonist lizard, Rango. Rich in layers, and heavy on quirky, the character is T-ed up perfectly for Depp's cinematic persona. Ned Beatty continues racking up the villainous vocal roles transition from a cuddly teddy bear to the turtle mayor of Dirt. A straight forward, self-interested baddy whose evil ways rely more on Beatty's strong voice command than demonstrable action. And simply put, the movie couldn't handle much more characterization than that.

The rest of the cast is a hodge podge of worthwhile characters, each with their pre-associated character quirk to maintain their usefulness throughout the run time. There's not much digging to be had here, and the film's better for it. Rango is by all accounts a character piece, living the shadow of the family genre. It's only there because the main story wants to be, but it could easily transfer to another medium without fault.

That's not to say Rango is without faults. Despite the high voltage action, the film Rango can be as unfocused as its titular star. It can turn a hilarious moment that will split the guts of audiences right into the kind of comedy you'd expect to find on some Saturday morning cartoon rehashing the same joke over and over. Taking the ride of Rango is like hoping on a beast of a roller coaster. When it's high, it's as high as any would dare go, but when it's low... well, let's just say the fall is steep, quick, and may involve nausea. But it is to the endless credit of the talent involved that those low moments are brief and far between, using every bit of inertia to keep the movie going up.

Gore Verbinski may have lost me on the last two pirate films, but he sold me hook line and sinker here. Rango is a pure enjoyment of a watch. Granted, its referential obsessions may be lost on those without the cinema knowledge to back it up. Seriously people, if you're over forty and didn't get that was Clint Eastwood, you need a good talking too!

Film Credits:
Directed By - Gore Verbinski
Written By - John Logan

Addendum - Am I the only one who went 'oh come off it' when Music By Hans Zimmer rolled out into the credits? At least half the music in the movie was The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and the Harmonica theme from Once Upon a Time in the West.

Tangled (2010)

OVERALL RATING: 6.50/10

When deriving the formula for a Disney 'Princess' film, it's often easy to forget the real factors that make them work time and time again. The way in which music, creation, and drama can be woven into our basic desires - our dreams. Disney knows better than most that the product of a great (family friendly) fantasy tale involves people rising beyond the monotony of their life. Those at the bottom realizing their dream and helping those on the top to understand theirs. In that respect Disney's 2010 offering, Tangled, knows what it's doing.

Tangled is not a unique experience. It's characters carry with them many allusions to Disney's classic - Aladdin, for example. A thief who dreams big. A princess who seeks to know and love. Cute animal sidekicks that are as defiant, as they are helpful. However, to end any analysis of Tangled there would be to sell the film short. At every turn, Tangled finds a way create something new with old Disney lore and formulate a fresh perspective on life.

It's unfortunate that Tangled doesn't start off strong. The opening is a solid setup narration, but it leads into a handful of musical numbers that are, let's be honest, dreadful. These opening musical numbers are bland, crammed together, and repetitive. Right from the start I was ready to repel the rest of Tangled, and write it off as another film I don't understand the praise for. Rapunzel's (Mandy Moore) depth felt fragile, and frustratingly trite. Her 'adventures' involve a lot of hair flying around, which makes for great CGI but not hilarious moments. Well, not as hilarious as the directors want them to be. With the introduction of Flynn Rider (Zachery Levi), everything changes.

The Rock called, he wants his eyebrow back... oh and a career if you've got it.

Flynn is your made to order thief on the run, with a somber enough back story to tie it all together. He stumbles across the tower which enslaves Rapunzel while on the run following his latest 'job,' and the rest, as they say, is history. Flynn and Rapunzel's scenes together are perfect. They compliment each other in the most dynamic of ways, delivering quality laughs and plot progression. In these moments you can really see writer Fogelman (Cars, Bolt) open up his bag of tricks and let Levi take care of the rest. Levi's portrayal of Flynn as cool, vain, and cunning keeps you guessing on his real motives, while opening your heart to his amusing ways. Fogelman perfectly swaps the straight man and comic moments between Flynn and Rapunzel, allowing both to shine. When Maximus, the royal guard horse and Flynn's mortal enemy, comes into the picture the rest of the film becomes pure Disney magic.

Directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard weave in and out of Disney norms flawlessly. They balance the pleasure with the pain, the love with the loss, and when it comes time to make us fear for the character's lives, they deliver. Intelligently using 3D sparingly, Tangled is a movie that can be revisited without worry on home systems. The 3D here accentuates, not defines, the film. It highlights the visual strengths, such as Rapunzel's hair and the lamp scene by the lake, without resorting to cheap gags (yes I'm looking at you awful Yogi Bear commercial).

The only real downside to Tangled is the lack of character exposition. Donna Murphy is fine as the evil Mother Gothel, but beyond some vanity and cinematic evilness her motivations are left entirely blank. The romantic aspect of Flynn and Rapunzel's relationship seems to grow in leaps and bounds, without solid transition moments to justify some of their sudden changes. During the middle, Tangled sprints on, requesting the audience to keep up as best they can.

By the end, Tangled does enough to leave the audience with a smile on their face, but lacks the depth to impose on them a long lasting connection. They'll remember the highs as it tries desperately to sweep past the lows, but that's a given. The best thing an aspiring audience member can do is to approach Tangled with an awareness of what it isn't (deep) and a desire for what it is (lighthearted fun). At best, it's a high quality imitation that escapes the cliche label through sheer charisma and determination. The characters may lack the fine tuning to make them Disney greats, but they do plenty for one solid outing.

Film Credits:
Directed By: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Written By: Dan Fogelman
Based on the Fairy Tale By: Jacob & William Grimm

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: DEAN DeBLOIS & CHRIS SANDERS
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: CRESSHIDA COWELL
OVERALL SCORE: 7.75/10

During a Dragon raid on the small village of Burke, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), the town reject, is able to shoot down a Night Fury, the assassin like, never seen before, dragon. But as he proceeds to kill the creature, he finds himself unable to, and begins to help its return to health. Along the way he learns the true value of Dragons, and that their violent nature may not be all it's made out to be.

The formula for making a memorable and fun family film is no secret. It's not even that hard of a formula, it just requires two things: The right talent and enough heart. Though getting those two together in a paycheck based, factory line, system isn't all that easy. How to Train Your Dragon is one of those rare cases where the studio has found that right balance, and is able to execute it, with beautifully entertaining results.

Combining subtle adult aimed humor, with wise cracks for the older children, and visual comedy for the younger generation, Dragon is a fun ride. Riddled with action, it thrusts the viewer right into the thick of its journey. Unwavering, and well developed, we get to know our different characters, no matter how generic they may be. And the vocal cast has all the confidence to really bring it home.

Craig Ferguson as Gobbler is a highly memorable, and entertaining, character. The goofy veteran, with questionable training methods, and enough heart too support Hiccup's journey. While Butler's natural charisma stands strong as the father unsure of what to do with his very different offspring. And the rest of the cast of Baruchel, Ferrera (as the romantic interest, and fighting rival, Astrid), Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, and Kirsten Wiig all deliver on their staple characters. Giving them a sense of life, and solid character quirks, to make them refreshingly original.

That's not to say How to Train Your Dragon is without its fair share of flaws. Despite its best efforts, it is still incredibly generic. As well, the dialogue feels a bit rough, and uninspired, at times, leaving an underwhelming, or "yah, right" feeling. Though these sequences don't hold the film back too much. They support the scenes, without being overbearing. It's the visuals and the story that is at the heart of the film's selling point.

Both of which are well founded, and perfectly breathtaking. Certain sequences will leave you in awe, while tugging at your emotional strings. And the use of 3D is perfectly on display here, a prime example of when it's used for benefit, and not just profit. It's that sort of dedication, and visual prowess, that helps Dragon become the well loved film it has become. It sucks you in immediately, and never lets go. The kind of film that everyone loves, because it's just so much fun.

While its plot offers nothing new, How to Train Your Dragon creates a breathtaking new world for the viewer to be immersed in. Full of fun, excitement, heart, and comedy, it's a great family film entry, for all too enjoy.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

DIRECTED BY: RON CLEMENTS & JOHN MUSKER
WRITTEN BY: ROB EDWARDS, JOHN MUSKER, & RON CLEMENTS
ORIGINAL STORY BY: ED BAKER ("THE FROG PRINCESS)
OVERALL SCORE: 6.50/10

Hard working New Orleans waitress, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is accidentally transformed into a frog when she kisses the newly arrive Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) who was transformed himself after trying to get a local witch doctor (Keith David) to provide him with unknown riches.

Oddly dark, comically amusing, dreadfully formulaic, but still reliable. That's the best summarization I can come up with for this 2009 Disney installment. Following that same formula that a women can't find love until either she, or the prospecting male, is transformed into another entity of some sort, Disney rehashes everything in its power to bring this tale to life. Of course when you're producing the first ever Disney princess film centering on the trials of a black woman in the US... you're going to play it as safe as humanly possible.

To do this Disney relies on some old school functions. The crazed witch doctor/sorcerer (ala Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, & Snow White), the plucky side kicks (Mermaid style), and of course the random evil sidekick. In fact the only thing I can say that is truly new about the film is a presence of a strong central female character. In the past Disney "princesses" (with perhaps the exception of Pocahontas) were overly reliant on the male character in order to escape their predicament. Here, the female is at the crux of most of the action, and the two work amicably to find a way out of their problem... a very nice middle ground selection I must say.

Still, like my fascination for so many olden things, I found the combining of a modern flair with jazz, and that old school Disney style just the refresher I was looking for. The film works because it intends only to tell its tale without much in the way of social commentary. It doesn't weigh itself down with unnecessary side plots, and actually takes a few moments to develop its central romance (kind of). The songs, which are at the crux of any Disney animated film, are enjoyable, but all have this overbearing feeling of deja vu. The fact that this film failed to make as much money as Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 is sadly a painful statement on the current times we live in. Princess and the Frog may not be the most original film in the world, but it has all the class you'd ever want.

Despite its overbearing lack of originality, The Princess and the Frog is just entertaining enough to get your moving and grooving, well adapting the classic Disney formula to modern times.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

DIRECTED BY: WES ANDERSON
WRITTEN BY: WES ANDERSON & NOAH BAUMBACH
NOVEL SERIES BY: ROALD DAHL
OVERALL SCORE: 8.00/10

After his wife (Meryl Streep) told him she was pregnant, Mr Fox (George Clooney) swore off his bandit lifestyle, instead taking a job as a column writer. Continuously seeking his old, more wild lifestyle, Fox decides to return to his bandit lifestyle and steal from three local farmers. But when these 3 local farmers band together to weed out Fox, he realizes his ways have not only put his family at risk, but rather everyone he knows.

With a stacked cast of Anderson regulars and critical darlings, it's no wonder Fantastic Mr. Fox was seen as a chance for Anderson to re-take the reigns on his career path. Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox is an amusing, well captivating tale, that honors the history of stop-motion in its moves, while enjoy modern techniques and just really having fun. As is a growing trend, FMF is a children's story that's not really a children's story. It deals teenage angst, trials of a middle age man, and the destruction of an entire population. Characters die (well one character), cuss (though instead of actually saying the words they just say "cuss"). It's a mature film, wrapped in shell of a childhood fable, wonderfully combining elements of both. It's no Up mind you, but it's strong enough to have fun with itself.

Though no matter what I have to admit it took me a while to get into the visual style. The opening is a bit of a throw you into the mix, and it took me some time to develop a genuine acceptance for the style. Not to mention Anderson spends basically no time on backstory, instead allowing the movie to develop over time. This is good in that we grow to understand the characters as they grow to understand themselves, but much like them we're often left in the dark on why they make the decisions they do. Not to mention there's not a lot of depth to be found, but that's hardly that big of a negative. Really what Anderson does best here, is what he does best in general, analyze, not criticize, characters.

Anderson has fun with characters, and as usual, his characters have fun (in their own weird way) within their world. He develops odd character attributes that sets them apart, while keeping them grounded to the confines of the story. It allows Fantastic Mr. Fox to be fast paced, fun, and constantly on the go. Though what makes it enjoyable is the childlike spin Anderson has applied. Fantastic Mr. Fox never takes itself too seriously, and even during its more dramatic moments there's a sense of levity, and curiosity that grabs the viewer. It keeps the viewer captivated, and allows for those silly scenes to work all the more. It's a shame this was so badly marketed. There's a lot to enjoy here, and it's sure to leave a smile on your face.

If you can buy into its style, you'll find Fantastic Mr. Fox a highly enjoyable experience, that's sure to leave a smile on your face.

The Blind Side (2009)

THE BLIND SIDE

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: JOHN LEE HANCOCK
BOOK BY: MICHAEL LEWIS
OVERALL SCORE: 6.75/10

After years of living on and off the streets, Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is admitted into a private school with the hopes of playing football for the team. With only a .6 grade point average, and severe alienation from his classmates (most of whom are white, he struggles to belong. One day Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), wife of a fast food chain owner, takes in Michael from the rain, and the two begin the slow process towards becoming a family.

I have to admit, going into this film I had about as much prejudice against it as any. I was annoyed by the marketing effort's attempts to keep the film as "white" looking as possible, but alas thankfully that fear was proven wrong. Hancock, whose directorial efforts are as Disney as they come, has crafted an enjoyable, if not unfortunately forgettable, narrative on the life of Michael Oher, current rookie in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens. Hancock has a great knack for going deep, but not dark, and in that he's managed to attract an audience. Hancock is not afraid to address the painful past of Michael Oher, but he does like to skirt around it as much as possible, and yet I found something wonderfully pleasant about the style with which the film came to life.

Part Remember the Titans, part The Rookie, The Blind Side is a well rounded film, willing to address both ends of the prejudice isle (especially white prejudice). It delves into the false belief that upper class means better class, and Tuohy is a sound representation of what it means to be a good person. Sandra Bullock is in a sense asked to bridge the gap between Michael and the rest of the white community. In that respect I can see why there has been oscar talk, but I don't think it's substantiated. Her performance is solid, but nothing necessarily special, nor does her over exaggerated southern accent inspire much in the way of votes. Granted the real heart of the film is Quinton Aaron, asked to play Michael Oher (a character I can only assume was daunting to cast for). I'll admit it took me a long time to warm up to Aaron's style of acting. It's very quiet, very unassuming, and yet he pulls off the character quite well, by the end of the film having won over the entire audience.

As for the rest of the cast, few step out of the bounds of stereotypical, and even then their importance to the film is limited. Hancock is the real worker behind the scenes. Managing to keep the film audience friendly and retain the narrative strength, it really allows the viewer to be absorbed into the story, instead of forcing them into a series of painful negative. Much like its main character, the movie concentrates on the good, often showing the kind nature of Oher, and his desire to succeed despite his obvious struggles. Of course I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the first 30 minutes does spend a heavy amount of time on the notion of being a "good Christian," which I admit got old very quickly. Luckily though The Blind Side was able to move past this, and find the importance in its message, and not the religious faith of its characters, really bringing about an entertaining last hour.

The Blind Side is an enjoyable, albeit clearly flawed, film that succeeds given the strength of its story and lead characters.

Up (2009)

UP
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: PETE DOCTER & BOB PETERSON
OVERALL SCORE: 8.50/10

Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) decides to fulfill his lifelong dream of heading to Paradise Falls in South America, following in the footsteps of childhood hero, explorer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer).

As an animated film it's hard to classify Up as a family film, giving some mature subject matter, but at the same time it still retains a certain charm and silliness directed towards more family audiences. Up surprisingly enough deals with a man's attempt to regain a long lost dream, something so important to the film they spend the first 20 minutes developing. As a family film kids will probably be detached from the opening portion as it deals with financial struggles, first love, children troubles, and loss... in the meantime their parents will probably be fighting back a river of tears. The rest of the film is far more family oriented, heavy on action and adventure, compounded with silly characters and extreme situations.

In this up finds a nice little niche for the film to work on. With the introduction of a few plot points Up manages to be silly, action packed, and maintain that subtle message it tries to bring home. Though the message is a bit clouded towards the end, it becomes apparent that Up wishes to inspire a desire to find adventure in all aspects of life, even the mundane and formulaic. As such Up walks the fine line between adventure and character piece. Carl's accidental partner in this adventure, the well meaning Wilderness Explorer (a play on boy scouts I guess) Russell (voiced well by first time Jordan Nagai), forces Carl to make tough decisions and to begin to recognize the many layers of his deep personality.

As far as entertainment goes, Up just about has it all. Talking dogs, with silly voices and actions to get the kids laughing, over the top action scenes that could only work in the animated realm, and a bunch of fun situations to get everyone into the film. That's probably why Up will be a shoe in for the best animated picture (unless it gets nulled out by a best picture nomination). Up can appeal to just about anyone, and is deep enough it provides its younger audience with intellectual challenges that exceed oh look pretty explosion. The characters provide solid morality tales that have the potential for sustaining value, giving the audience an opportunity to connect, debate, and internalize the film. In return Up becomes a more personal film for the viewer, giving it that much desired staying power, and a film that can be easily revisited with little worry of loss in entertainment.

Going beyond typical family film conformity, Up finds a beautiful medium between mature subject matter and family friendly entertainment that can appease all viewers... I hate to say it, but Pixar does it again.

G-Force (2009)

G-FORCE
DIRECTED BY: HOYT YEATMAN
WRITTEN BY: THE WIBBERLYS
OVERALL SCORE: 4.00/10

After a botched operation, and impending budget cuts, a specially trained squad of guinea pigs must use their natural skills to stop a diabolical scheme that could destroy the world.

You know I try to not judge kids films too harshly.... I really do. Alas G-Force is a movie that just begs to be insulted. Hoyt Yeatman does the best with what he has to work with, but seems incapable of going thinking outside the box, and instead relies on fun action scenes to make up for a dreadful script. As well Yeatman benefits from having a solid cast in every scene, despite them having quite literally nothing to work with. The best thing I can say about this film, and as a family film it's all that probably matters to its parental viewers, it's not boring... Yet to any educated mind, it's the equivalent of listening to Jessica Simpson talk politics (or tuna).

The Wibberlys may just take the title for worst screenwriters of the last 10 years, each movie they put their pen to is either a monster flop, filled with plot holes, or just down right awful. G-Force is no real different. Substituting dialogue for pathetic attempts at ripping off classic film lines. Characters so paper thin they're practically invisible, and a plot so pathetic the audience cries at the thought of it. Even the awesome Bill Nighy can't save their generic caricatures, and often inspires "I can't believe that's Bill Nighy" rants from the viewer.

In fact I'd go as far as putting G-Force up for worst screenplay of the year. It's just horrible... how anyone read it and agreed to do this film is well beyond my mental comprehension. Perhaps they assumed the visuals + cute guinea pigs would make up for it? Well in my eyes, they didn't even come close. The main reason I was so excited for the action scenes is because it meant the characters wouldn't talk as much... then again this is when they're most prone to spitting out their movie steal one-liners. An example of this is mid-fight the main guinea pig actually says: "Yippee-ki-yay coffee maker"... yes someone actually wrote that line. You can hang your head in disgust, it's ok, I hope they never write again.

Despite decent visuals, ok action scenes, and good casting, G-Force can't overcome one of the year's worst scripts, from the masters of awful, The Wibberlys.

Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: GEORGE LUCAS
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
TOP 100 FILMS: #64

After the death of his aunt and uncle, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) teams up with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and his buddy Chewbacca, in order to save Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from the evil Empire.

Oh you know you love this movie. You know you need this movie. You know the history of cinema as we know it would be kaput without this movie. One of the most technologically advanced and extra-universally creative films of all time, Star Wars is a movie that really needs no explanation for why it is on my top 100 films. There's really nothing to hate about this movie. It's wonderfully cheesy in its own way, and yet manages to build around itself a captivating universe, that immerses its viewers, and sucks them in to this grand space and time.

So many films try to create such a Universe, but only a handful can properly pull it off. In that respect Star Wars stands among a very few, elite, crowd of science fiction film. All of this is supported by some of the most intriguing characters ever to have been put on the screen. With heavy action, a philosophical underlying nature, and riddled with subtext on the corruption of power, Star Wars is one of those family films that just keeps on giving, despite repeated viewings. This is all a product of a vision from George Lucas, who had it in him to put together an amazing film, despite all the odds being stacked up against him.

Mediocre marketing, struggling visual effects, budgetary issues, casting selection, none of this film should have worked. Instead, through pure determination, the crew behind it built an American masterpiece, box office megabuster, and one of the most amazing visual films ever made. You could go a million lifetimes and never make a movie as influential as Star Wars has been in modern cinema, nor as successful. A true classic to its very core, you just can't deny its sheer power.

With a great list of characters, creative plot arcs, and pure perfection in the entertainment department, there's no denying Star Wars is a force to be reckoned with.

The Lion King (1994)

THE LION KING
DIRECTED BY: ROGER ALLERS & ROB MINKOFF
WRITTEN BY: IRENE MECCHI, JONATHAN ROBERTS, & LINDA WOOLVERTON
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
TOP 100 FILMS: #72

After the death of his father heir to the throne Simba (Matthew Broderick) must face the trials of becoming an adult on his own, while at the same time competing to maintain his throne from his vicious uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons).

As a kid no movie, with the exception of Star Wars, captivated me, inspired me, and put the fun in my life as much as Lion King. A testament to strong morality, the greatness of close friends, dealing with the lost of a loved one, and standing up to evil, The Lion King is the ultimate family film. Powerful, well acted, creatively drawn, with characters so fun, amusing, and over the top you can't help but love them. In fact the only thing wrong with this film is the hundreds of spin offs it inspired (with the exception of maybe it's broadway play).

There's very little not to like about this film. Visually it's outstanding, taking the time to be both creative and realistic, within its own domain. At the same time the music is as, if not more, memorable than just about any film I've ever watched. Even today, years later, I still remember many of the songs, the scenes in which they came to life, and the impact they had on me. Add to that great vocal performances from Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and of course James Earl Jones.

In the end, there's really very little to hate about this film. With every turn in the story your heart moves with the characters, up, down, and right into the gut you cheer them on, and hate to see them go. Add on top of that a beautifully mystical nature, it brings about a family film for the ages. Allers and Minkoff certainly outdid themselves when they took the helm of this 1994 masterpiece in animation.

One of my all time favorite films, The Lion King is a masterpiece in animation, and storytelling.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

THE WIZARD OF OZ
DIRECTED BY: VICTOR FLEMING
WRITTEN BY: NOEL LANGLEY, FLORENCE RYERSON, & EDGAR ALLAN WOOLF
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
TOP 100 FILMS: #83

After a tornado hits her Kansas home, Dorthy (Judy Garland) is transported to a magical place. Lost and confused, she must seek out a master Wizard in order to find her way back home. Along the way she meets, and groups up with, a Lion (Bert Lahr), a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), & a tin man (Jack Haley), all of whom seek the wizard for different reasons. Though all is not so simple, as Dorthy must escape the evil Wicked Witch of the West, who blames Dorthy for the death of her sister, of the East.

One look at the number of directors/writers attached to this project would make your head explode. By all accounts so many changes were made the movie shouldn't work at all, and yet among all the chaos, came one of the most magical and influential films of all time. Perhaps the first truly great fantasy film, The Wizard of Oz transcends these with an amazing ability to combine family magic and wonder, with an incalculable number of underlying allegories, social commentary, and psychological motif, Oz is one of the great masterpieces of all time.

70 years later, the movie has barely lost a step. Still as socially relevant, even if we'd like to claim at times it isn't, and still magical in the wonder with which it shows the power of imagination. Judy Garland is the perfect southern girl, easy to root for, and care for, with a rather dark, and yet awe inspiring beginning, that brings you into these characters. The supporting cast aren't asked to do much, but what they are asked to do they carry wonderfully, with a strong sense of comedic joy, and yet a sad darker side, showing not all those that smile are truly happy.

Really, it's just a majestic work of cinema art. Perfect for those of all ages, with such vibrant light you can get lost in the world, if only for a short while. That's the true magic of Fleming's film, it will challenge you mentally, and entertain you visually, the mark of a great all around film.


In the past 70 years everything that can be said about this film has been said, both good and bad. But through it all it's stood every test of time you can imagine, and as such it's a true blood classic.

Back to the Future (1985)

BACK TO THE FUTURE
DIRECTED BY: ROBERT ZEMECKIS
WRITTEN BY: ROBERT ZEMECKIS AND BOB GALE
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
TOP 100 FILMS: #84

When Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is forced to use his good friend, Doc's (Christopher Lloyd) time machine in order to escape men trying to kill the doctor, he is accidently sent back to the year 1955. With the machine destroyed, all is going mediocre until a chance encounter with his future parents (Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover) accidently nullifies their initial meeting, and their future relationship. Now McFly must race against time to reconnect his parents, and fix the time machine, before he causes any more damage and undoes his own existance.

Ohhhhh boy do I love Back to the Future, the entire series, they're just pure science fiction godly entertainment. I jump for joy everytime they're on TV, and they held stature as being among my favorite films throughout my late childhood and pre-Glory teens. Michael J. Fox is the utimate likable actor, and Back to the Future highlights all that 80s films leads represented. The counterpart, Lloyd is the perfect family friendly comic relief as the lovable over the top Dr. Emmett Brown. With a great supporting cast, and wonderful characters, Back to the Future is easily one of the greatest family films ever made.

The movie quite literally has everything, good mix of adult and kid humor, fun, even if absurd, action scenes that put a smile on your face, and great characters you'll remember from the very first day. Of course the movie does have some weird storylines, such as McFly's mother falling in love with him (though in her defense she's never met him). And kids might find themselves a bit lost throughout the character driven middle section, and adult subject matter, but it seldom takes away from the whole of the experience.

Zemeckis is a delight as a director, often uplifting, good with action, fun with characters, a knack for creating colorful scenes that stick with you long after the credits roll. Unfortunately for Bob Gale he never really managed to move away from the Back to the Future universe, but boy it's one heck of an exciting universe to be in if you could ever choose one. I really could never recommend this movie enough, it's just an amazing overall experience, one that should be watch and treasured over and over again.


There's nothing not to love about this exciting, all around, family film. It's as entertaining of a film as you're likely to ever find, one well well worth your time and attention.

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS
DIRECTED BY: ROB LETTERMAN & CONRAD VERNON
WRITTEN BY: MAYA FORBES, WALLACE WOLODARSKY, ROB LETTERMAN, JONATHAN AIBEL, & GLENN BERGER
OVERALL SCORE: 5.25/10

On the day of her wedding, Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon) is hit by a falling meteorite, turning her into a 40+ foot tall being with super strength. Captured by the government, and sent to a holding facility where she is forced to spend her days with oddball monsters B.O.B. (Seth Rogen), Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), and The Missing Link (Will Arnett). Though one day when an Alien probe lands, and threatens to destroy the world, these monsters are called upon to save the day.

My Recommended Caption: From the directors that managed to painfully misuse talent in Shark Tale, comes a new era in bad focus in the animated world!

I've heard lots of good things about MvA since it's release earlier this year, enough for me to bother giving it a shot, despite all evidence it was going to be exactly what it turned out to be. Another mediocre, failed attempt at a fun premise, with too much acting talent, and lack of ability to highlight the really interesting characters.

The central focus of the story is your generic, person suddenly being thrown into a top secret world, in this case we have Susan. Susan is by all accounts... annoying. Your generic marrying the famous weatherman character (paging Nicole Kidman, we need your dark killer side), who is caught in this ideal life until it is suddenly taken away. It may be that I didn't care about Susan to start with, it may be that I don't really empathize with a woman who can't think for herself until being hit by a meteor on the day she was to marry to self-centered fiancee... oh well.

As the film progresses Susan goes through the acts of her character almost as if the writers were following a rule book. The film's main saving grace lies in the dreadfully underused side characters of The President (Stephen Colbert), General W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland), B.O.B, The Missing Link, and Dr. Cockroach. These characters are all hilarious when they are allowed to flow, and manage to really bring the movie up to a watchable level.

Unfortunately for us though these characters are countered by massive over the top attempts to make them funnier, all of which end in disaster. These include random, stupid, dance numbers (do kids really need to groove to the Beverly Hills Cop theme?), cheesy diabolical laughs, and a villain so cliche your head my quite literally spin (Exorcist style). The problem with these forced humor moments is that the characters are perfectly hilarious without these gimmicky side gags, so much so that I kind of wish they'd make a sequel with that in mind.

Now with Race to Witch Mountain, another kid film I reviewed earlier, I pointed out that when it comes to Kids films you have to account for a relative entertainment value. In that respect I think Monsters vs. Aliens does succeed in bringing about a sense of heavy entertainment, good action sequences, and constant movement that'll keep children entertained. Unfortunately, once again MvsA falls into the trap of just giving kids something to watch, instead of giving them something to be inspired by.


In the end with better character management, Monsters vs. Aliens could have been as memorable a kids film as the come, unfortunately though it's just another high budget, high explosion film that'll entertain but be quickly forgotten.

Race to Witch Mountain (2009) 5.50/10

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: ANDY FICKMAN

Cab Driver Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson) finds himself thrust into the middle of an intergalactic conflict when two teens (AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig) hop into his cab one morning. Now he must team up with discredited scientist, Alex Friedman (Carla Gugino) in order to return these kids to their spaceship before all of earth is destroyed, or the government gets its hands on them... whichever one comes first.

I'll be honest and say up front, we all know this movie isn't written with a 22 year old film geek in mind, so we can get that out of the way. This 2009 reboot to the classic Escape to Witch Mountain cramps down all character development, in favor of modern day blow it up and move on style. This provides a solid entertainment base, but to be honest, if you're over 13, mentally or otherwise, you'll spend most of the film with a pale "ugh" expression watching.

That's not too bad though, recent films made for 5x the budget have failed to inspire even that much appreciation. The real plus RWM has going for it, lies in its casting. Now it may be my over bearing love for all things Carla Gugino, but I just enjoyed the casting for this film. Teen up and comers Robb and Ludwig fit perfectly into the role of overly blonde alien kids, with an over developed sense of literal speak (where's Dr. Brennan when you need her?). The Rock plays his usual likable tough guy with a dark past, and Gugino is, of course, the brains of the operation.

The supporting cast is filled with character actors, who go exactly into their basic roles. Sadly for the audience though, the "villians" are as bland and generic as they come. The over the top evil government operative (Ciaran Hinds), and the futuristic assassin who lets nothing get in his way from killing his target. These characters work because they are so generic, and the film follows the play by play format for them to be really evil and grrr and all that usual stuff. To be honest I prefer a little bit, just a little, of depth to my villains, maybe a reason why they are the way they are... oh well.

As for directing, it's by the numbers, pure entertainment, and I wouldn't expect much else from a kids film. Which is what this boils down to. An entertaining, fun, but ultimately forgettable action film, that'll do little more than mesmerize kids for 1 and a half hours without ever grabbing at their core.



In the end, it's a kids film, it does what kids films do, and that's really all I can say about it. I just wish someone would take the time to make kids films that inspire them to create, and seek out knowledge, rather than mindlessly entertain them with explosions.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) 5/10

ICE AGE 3: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS
DIRECTED BY: CARLOS SALDANHA AND MIKE THURMEIER
WRITTEN BY: PETER ACKERMAN, MICHAEL BERG, YONI BRENNER, JASON CARTER EATON, AND MIKE REISS

When the ever lovable Sid (John Leguizamo) decides to adopt 3 eggs he finds underground, he soon discovers a lost group of dinosaurs, living under the frozen world in which they habitat. But when the eggs turn out to be T-Rexs, and the mom comes to collect her babies, Sid is caught in the middle. Now Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Dennis Leary), and crew must team up with adventerous weasel, Buck (Simon Pegg), in order to save their friend.

I'll admit I loved the first Ice Age movie, the three core characters were wonderfully written, and the storyline fun and exciting. Ice Age 2 on the other hand I found a massive dud. Trying to be the same, and yet different, Ice Age 2 felt like an over stretched attempt at being edgey and funny. Ice Age 3 is sort of a return to basics for the crew. Bring back cute kids, go crazy with some dinosaurs, and retread the oddballs quest guide.

It appears to me now though that the Ice Age crew are better at developing new characters than building old ones. In both 2 and 3, Sid and Diego feal like cardboard cutouts of the same character from the first film. No real growth, or new character arc presents itself for them, and as such they're basically only antic driven. Manny is the same big, grumpy, lovable character, only this time a father in waiting, and the only one with anything to really go off of. Last time they introduced the loveably quircky trio of Ellie, Crash, and Eddie. I didn't care much for these characters but they provided some solid kid friendly entertainment.

This time around the crew have come up with Buck, who it is safe to say deserved his own movie. Simon Pegg + Buck made this movie even worth watching, it wonderfully combines Peggs hilarious nature with a catchy character and fun attitude. Filled with layers, and absurdity sprinkled on top, I really wouldn't watch this movie again except to see Buck.

Visually, the artists' creativity and nack for visuals heavily outweighs the magnitude of the writing. In fact perhaps the movie had so many writers they couldn't figure out something worth writing about. In fact almost all of the jokes worth mentioning come from the commedians nature, and artists talent, making the writers feel almost secondary to the film, sort of a necessary evil to get to the visuals.


Ultimately Ice Age 3 is an intriguing affair, with a great character in Buck, but not really worth your money and time in order to rent.