Tag: 3d

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD to Return for an Additional Fathom Events December 7th, 17th, and 18th

By popular demand, Fathom Events and Warner Bros. will bring director Peter Jackson’s remarkable World War I documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLDback to movie theaters nationwide for three days only this December, offering audiences another chance to see it on the big screen and in 3D.

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD will play on Saturday, Dec. 7, as well as Tuesday, Dec. 17, and Wednesday, Dec. 18, and these special encore presentations (also available in 2D in select locations) will include both an introduction to the film by Jackson as well as a post-film exploration of how it was made. Tickets are available now at the Fathom Events website or at participating theater box offices.

One of the most acclaimed and highest-grossing documentaries ever made, “They Shall Not Grow Old” is director Peter Jackson’s extraordinary look at the soldiers, the events, the sounds and the sights of World War I. After hearing from moviegoers nationwide who wanted to relive this unique cinematic experience in 3D, Fathom Events and Warner Bros. will bring “They Shall Not Grow Old” back to movie theaters across the country for three days only this December. The film will also be available in 2D in select location

On December 7, 17 and 18, more than 800 cinemas throughout the U.S. present the film the New York Times called “a brisk, absorbing and moving experience,” and about which Rolling Stone wrote, “You won’t believe your eyes.” Initially released by Fathom Events and Warner Bros. in December of 2018, “They Shall Not Grow Old” has become one of Fathom’s most successful and most requested titles. The December presentations will include both an introduction to the film by Jackson as well as a post-film exploration of how the film was made.

For generations, World War I has only been experienced through grainy, silent black-and-white footage. With unprecedented digital restoration, meticulous colorization and revelatory use of sound, “They Shall Not Grow Old” was nominated by BAFTA and the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Documentary, and won the Motion Picture Sound Editor’s Golden Reel Award. “They Shall Not Grow Old” opens a window to the past in a way that has never been seen or heard before. 

* Saturday, December 7, 2019 – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time)
* Tuesday, December 17, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. (local time)
* Wednesday, December 18, 2019 – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time)

Tickets for “They Shall Not Grow Old” can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.com or participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).


THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD – Review

A restored and colorized image showing a moment from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed WWI documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

When director Peter Jackson, the director and visual effects wizard behind the LORD OF THE RINGS series, was asked by the folks at the British Imperial War Museum if he could do something with old archival footage of World War I to mark the 100th anniversary of the war’s end, Jackson was unsure what he could do. Everyone was familiar with the grainy, sepia toned images of what was then called “the Great War” so what could he add. But he told the historical foundation he would try to come up with something. Boy, did he!

That “something” was the documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, an eye-popping, brilliant cinematic exploration of ordinary British soldiers’ experience of the war, which Jackson created through a magical transformation of old faded, scratchy black and white images into glorious 3D color images with sound. The images that bring back to vivid life the British soldiers pictured in these mix of home movies and newsreel footage. The transformation is so remarkable that the documentary has become a huge popular hit in Britain, and plans are developing to bring it across the pond to us.

You really want to see this remarkable documentary in 3D and on a big screen, as that is part of the “wow” in seeing Peter Jackson’s brilliant magic with this old archival footage. I took a couple of friends to a preview of the film, friends who were not sure they were interested in seeing a film about WWI. Both came away impressed and big fans.

Part of the reason is that Peter Jackson tells this story as “one non-historian to another.” There are no dates, no list of battles, no experts talking. Instead the film focuses entirely on the experience of ordinary British soldiers. The only voices we hear are theirs, from recordings made around the 1960s, so that the voices, of men in their 50s and 60s, still sound strong.

The film is both technically impressive and emotionally moving. Jackson points out that while we are used to seeing silent black and white images of the war, these young men did not live in a silent black and white world. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD goes far beyond colorized black and white film. Jackson lets the audience see enough of the un-restored film footage that when he makes the switch, to full-color, sharp, 3D sound film, there are gasps. Jackson used his considerable technical resources, the ones used to create the “Lord of the Rings” movies, to update the old film footage. He corrects the exposure of too-light or too-dark film stock, cleans up and restored scratched images to create sharp, clear images. He also found the right running speed for the film, which was variable in that early time of hand-cranked cameras. That step eliminates the too-fast or too-slow movement one often sees in old silent footage, so that the movements become natural and realistic like modern film. He colorized the footage, but went to extreme steps in doing so, matching the color of actual uniforms and even the tones of local foliage. Then, he further transformed the film to 3D and added dialog. Yes, the soldiers speak, thanks to lip-readers and actors reading the transcribed text in the correct regional accents.

We see the world of these ordinary young Brits from shortly before the war begins until shortly after. One of the most striking details is how young they were, as many of the speakers enlisted underage, even as young as sixteen. We hear them joke and kid around as they describe training and how they kept themselves amused in long days in the trenches. But the film does not shy away from the brutality of war, with emotional descriptions of lost comrades and stark footage of war’s carnage.

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD was shown last month at special Fathom Events screenings around the country. In addition to this astounding film, there was the added bonus of a short “making-of” documentary, which Jackson reveals his production tricks and all the other amazing historical touches he added to make these long-gone soldiers spring back to life in the muddy trenches of France and Belgium. Unfortunately, this new theatrical run does not include the excellent “making of” feature, but you are going to want to seek it out after you see this amazing film, because you will wonder how Jackson did that. However, don’t wait for a DVD or online release to see this film. This is the kind of 3D film that demands a big screen, as well as being one of the best uses of 3D seen in years.

Even if you don’t think you are a WWI buff, this remarkable film is an experience you do not want to miss. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD opens Friday, Feb. 1, at Marcus’ Ronnies, Des Peres, and Chesterfield Galaxy, AMC’s Chesterfield and Creve Coeur, Regal’s Gravois Bluffs, and B&B’s Wildwood and Wentzville Tower.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

 

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD to Return for an Additional Fathom Event January 21st

On the heels of its already record-breaking release, and in response to popular demand, a third Fathom Events date has been added for Warner Bros. Pictures’ much-heralded WWI documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” from Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson.  The film will be screened at more than 1,000 locations in the U.S. on Monday, January 21, 2019, taking advantage of the holiday weekend.  The announcement was made today by Jeffrey Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events.

“They Shall Not Grow Old” debuted in North America at 1,122 locations on December 17, 2018, taking in an impressive $2.327 million.  As anticipation grew for the second Fathom Events release date, on December 27, several locations were sold out more than a week in advance.  Playing on 1,007 screens, the film earned an astounding $3.375 million for a record-shattering two-day total of $5.702 million.  It is the highest-grossing U.S. cinema event to date, for both Fathom Events and the event-cinema industry.

In making the announcement, Goldstein stated, “The response to ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ has been overwhelming.  Peter Jackson’s documentary is a towering achievement of film restoration that has conquered the ravages of time and stands as a fitting tribute to all those who fought and died in what was then called ‘the war to end all wars.’  We are so proud to be part of bringing this film to audiences across the U.S. and Canada.”

“This project has been a historic and record-setting journey for Fathom, Warner Bros., our exhibitor partners and the event cinema industry,” said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt.  “We are honored to give audiences another chance to experience this groundbreaking documentary as it should be seen — in 3D and on the big screen.”

Tickets will be available soon at www.FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices.

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings”Trilogy, “The Hobbit” Trilogy) comes the groundbreaking documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” presented on the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Applying state-of-the-art restoration, colorization and 3D technologies to century-old footage — carefully chosen from hundreds of hours of original Great War film held in the archives of the Imperial War Museum (IWM) — Jackson has created an intensely gripping, immersive and authentic cinematic experience. The only narration comes from Great War veterans themselves, selected from over 600 hours of BBC and IWM archive interviews, resulting in a gripping account of “The War to End All Wars,” told by the soldiers who experienced it.

By restoring the original footage to a standard never seen before, the human face of WWI emerges with vivid clarity through the fog of time. Jackson captures the day-to-day experience of its soldiers and reveals the reality of war for those on the front line: their attitudes about the conflict; their camaraderie and their need for humor amidst the horror; the functions of daily life in the trenches; and what their lives were like during periods of rest.  Using cutting-edge techniques to transform the images of a century ago into footage that could have been shot today, Jackson both remembers and honors a generation changed forever by a global war.

“They Shall Not Grow Old” was directed by Peter Jackson and produced by Clare Olssen and Jackson, with Ken Kamins, Tessa Ross, Di Lees and Jenny Waldman serving as executive producers.  The film was edited by Jabez Olssen.  The music is by David Donaldson, Janet Roddick & Steve Roche.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Wingnut Films Production, co‐commissioned by 14‐18 NOW and Imperial War Museum in association with BBC. This film has been rated R for disturbing war images.

 

THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD – Review

A before-and-after shot from Peter Jackson’s WWI documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD. Courtesy of Fathom Events and Warner Bros.

When director Peter Jackson was asked if he could do something with old archival footage of World War I to mark the 100th anniversary of the war’s end, the visual effects wizard behind the LORD OF THE RINGS series was unsure what he could do. He told the historical foundation he would try to come up with something. Boy, did he!

That “something” was the documentary THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, an eye-popping documentary about the ordinary British soldier’s experience of the war, through the transformation of old faded, scratchy black and white images into glorious 3D color images with sound. The images that bring back to vivid life the British soldiers pictured in these mix of home movies and newsreel footage. The transformation is so remarkable that the documentary has become a huge popular hit in Britain, and plans are developing to bring it across the pond to us.

Local audiences will get a chance to see this miraculously transformation in 3D at a special Fathom Events encore screenings on Dec. 27 at AMC Chesterfield, West Olive, Creve Coeur and Edwardsville, IL at 1pm and 4pm. A regular theatrical run is also planned for later in January. Tickets are available through FathomEvents.com. You really want to see this remarkable documentary in 3D as that is part of the “wow” in seeing Peter Jackson’s magic with this old archival footage.

This goes far beyond colorized black and white film, and Jackson lets the audience see enough of the unrestored film that when he makes the switch, there are gasps. Jackson used his technical resources to correct the expose of too-light or too-dark film stock, clean up and restored scratched images. He also found the right running speed for the film, which was variable in that early time of hand-cranked cameras, a step that eliminates that too-fast movement one often sees in only silent footage, so that the movements become natural. He colorized the footage, matching the color of uniforms and even local foliage. Then, he transformed the film to 3D and added dialog. Yes, the soldiers speak, thanks to lip-readers and actors reading the transcribed text in the correct regional accents.

The film is astounding, but be sure to stay after the film for Jackson’s making-of short documentary, which reveals his production tricks and all the other amazing historical touches he added to make these long-gone soldiers spring back to life in the muddy trenches of France and Belgium. Even if you don’t think you are a WWI buff, this remarkable film is an experience, one you do not want to miss.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

THE NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE – Review

(Left to right) Surly (voiced by Will Arnett) and Andie (voiced by Katherine Heigl) in NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE. Photo courtesy of Open Road Films / Distributor: Open Road Films ©

THE NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE brings back the characters of the 2014 animated film THE NUT JOB for another round of puns and slapstick, in a sequel that is a bit better than the original. It works as a summer afternoon’s distraction for young kids but this unoriginal 3D animated movie won’t impress their parents much.

Instead of another heist plot, this time the animals are fighting to save their home from development. Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett), his wordless pal Buddy the rat, pug dog Precious (Maya Rudolph), and the other animals of Liberty Park in Oakton are living the easy life feasting on the contents of the town’s nut shop, even though red squirrel Andie (Katherine Heigl) thinks they should go back to a more natural life of foraging for food in the park. When they lose the nut shop, it looks like they will have to do just that – until Oakton’s evil Mayor decides to turn the open spaces and trees of Liberty Park into a money-making amusement park. The animals decide to fight back to save their home.

The first film was directed by Peter Lepeniotis, written by him and Lorne Cameron based on Lepeniotis’ short film SURLY SQUIRREL, with a voice cast that included Brendan Fraser and Liam Neeson. The first one was not a big hit (nor was expected to be) when released in January 2014 but apparently made enough money to spark a sequel. Neither the original writer/director nor some of the voice cast are back for this film. Cal Brunker directs the 3D animated sequel, which has some nice animation and inoffensive kid-friendly humor (and refreshingly free of potty humor for a change). But this is not the kind of animated film to really charm adults the way MINIONS, ZOOTOPIA, or other animated kids’ films did.

NUT JOB 2 has enough slapstick humor and general mayhem to entertain young kids but not much to offer the adults accompanying them. Adults do get a few jokes, mostly about corrupt greedy politicians, thanks to the film’s villain, the Mayor (voiced by Bobby Moynihan), and his obnoxious little spoiled brat daughter Heather (Isabela Moner). Heather’s pet is a none-too-bright Boston terrier named Frankie (Bobby Cannavale) who becomes smitten with the park animals’ pug pal Precious (Maya Rudolph), and becomes a pivotal part in the plot.

NUT JOB 2 might be a slight improvement on the first one. Will Arnett’s Surly has settled down into a bit of smart-mouthed rogue rather than the more unlikable character of the first film. He and Katherine Heigl’s Andie argue and don’t agree on how the animals should gather food – Surly thinks that living off the nut shop is fine while Andie thinks they should return to a more natural way of eating and living. Surly tries to impress Andie and get her attention, but is undermined by his own stubbornness and tendency to argue. Meanwhile, Moynihan’s rotund little Mayor tosses off lines like “Yeah, I got your bribe, I mean campaign contribution” and has decided to turn the park into an amusement park because parks full of trees and grass don’t make profits. To make even more money, the greedy Mayor is cutting corners by installing dangerously rickety rides.

The characters and plot are familiar stuff but both are more focused this time and the voice cast manages to add a little fun. Arnett and Heigl generate some charm as the bickering pair, where Surly undercuts his own attempts to flirt with Andie by arguing with her constantly. Surly’s funny-looking silent sidekick Buddy adds a touch of classic slapstick humor, rescuing the over-confident Surly from his own bad ideas and adding a touch of pathos at one point. Bobby Moynihan gives his over-the-top villain his all, aided by Isabela Moner as pig-tailed little monster Heather, who is so awful she’s scary (a variation on the spoiled girl in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”). Peter Stormare adds a bit of humor as Gunther, the German pest control expert the mayor hires to take out the pesky wildlife in the park.

The star addition to the cast for the sequel is Jackie Chan. Chan throws a lot of energy into his part as a furious kung fu mouse – “don’t call me cute!” is his tag line. But the character is cute – pure white and fuzzy, with big blue eyes, and looking a lot like the fuzzy, white domesticated bunny in SECRET LIFE OF PETS. It seems the filmmakers took a short cut to cute but audiences may be puzzled why the mice living in an alley behind a Chinese restaurant all look like refugees from a pet shop rather than normal gray/brown wild mice. Still, Jackie Chan’s voice work helps redeem the character a little, although the phrase “weapon of mouse destruction” gets repeated a lot. Actually, the film’s funniest moment is in the closing credits, shots of Jackie Chan energetically doing his voice work.

Fans of the first film may like this more coherent sequel but otherwise THE NUT JOB 2 is pretty forgettable stuff, and seems unlikely to generate a third movie. Still, it is not the year’s worst movie and parents who are looking for a summer movie young kids will enjoy but will not convey any bad messages are in safe territory here.

RATING: 2 out of 5 stars

 

MAN OF STEEL To Fly Into Theaters In 3D, 2D and IMAX On June 14, 2013

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that director Zack Snyder’s upcoming action adventure MAN OF STEEL will be presented in 3D in select theaters, as well as in 2D and IMAX, so fans of the iconic superhero will be able to experience the much-anticipated movie in their format of choice.

Snyder stated, “The film is going to be a visually exciting experience in all formats: 2D, 3D and IMAX. Anticipating how audiences today embrace 3D, we designed and photographed the movie in a way that would allow ‘Man of Steel’ to captivate those movie goers, while respecting fans who prefer a more traditional cinematic experience. We’ve taken great measures to ensure the film and the story come first, and 3D is meant as an enhancement.”

The film stars Henry Cavill in the role of Superman/Clark Kent, alongside three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams (“The Fighter”), Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road”), Academy Award winner Kevin Costner (“Dances with Wolves”), Oscar nominee Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”), Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”), Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, Harry Lennix, Michael Kelly, Richard Shiff, and Academy Award winner Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”).

MAN OF STEEL is produced by Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment. Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters are the film’s executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Zack Snyder Film, MAN OF STEEL. The film is slated for release on June 14, 2013 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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FRANKENWEENIE – Fantastic Fest Review

What was your relationship to monsters as a child? Were they the boogeymen under your bed, or were they the things of wonder that fueled your imagination? My experience growing up follows the latter, filling my young mind with freakish fascinations. Clearly, the same goes for Tim Burton, who has taken his popular 1984 short film of the same name and expanded it into his newest feature film. FRANKENWEENIE (2012) is still a stop-motion animated film, in 3D this go ’round, adding even more of Burton’s uniquely dark charm to the semi-autobiographical story of a strange loner of a boy and his undead pooch.

FRANKENWEENIE is shot in glorious black and white, capturing the moody universe of Burton’s imagination. Much like the original short, the story begins by painting a picture of young Victor’s daily life, his time at school, his personality. Victor, voiced by Charlie Tahan (CHARLIE ST. CLOUD), is an intelligent loner with a knack for science. His best, and only friend, is his dog Sparky. Mr. Rzykruski, voiced by Martin Landau (ED WOOD), is the new science teacher whom has the town of New Holland’s parents and Mayor up in arms, proves to be a major influence on young Victor.

Victor’s father encourages him to get outside and try sports, but in doing so results in a tragedy that will forever change Victor’s life. Poor little Sparky meets his unexpected demise, but after Mr. Rzykruski demonstrates an experiment with electricity, Victor’s focus immediately becomes applying this new knowledge to bringing his beloved Sparky back from the dead. His success sparks a chain of events amidst his schoolmates and neighbors that slowly spirals out of control and provides a hilariously enjoyable, nostalgic adventure through multiple eras of monster movies classics.

As always, the animation in Burton’s film is awe-inspiring. The pace of FRANKENWEENIE is charged with energy and kept my eyes fixed on the action and the antics of the loyal Sparky. Combined with Danny Elfman‘s quirky trademark style of composing, the film resembles a fun house amusement ride of Gothic proportions. Seeing Burton’s creativity and love of monster films take shape in this film is a real gem. Inspirations varies widely, but I can say that it spans from the gargantuan in 1954 to the reptilian mischief of 1984, and beyond.

FRANKENWEENIE comes full circle in a fairly conventional fashion, lacking any significantly jaw-dropping moments, but the film as a whole is a marvelous experience for fans of the horror genre of all ages. Backed by Disney, Burton provides another film to the pool of monster films suitable as introductory fare to the youngest of blossoming fans. While the story is obviously most connected to that of FRANKENSTEIN, and Mr. Rzykruski is clearly inspired by Vincent Price, be prepared to pick out all the other winks and nods to genre classics.

In addition to Landau, FRANKENWEENIE also features Burton regulars Wynona Ryder as the voice of Elsa van Helsing, and Catherine O’Hara voicing Victor’s mother as well as two other characters. Having failed to keep Sparky’s return a secret, Victor must overcome the Mayor’s hatred for his dog and the bigger danger of classmate Edgar E. Gor’s irresponsibly fiendish plot to win the science fair by employing Victor’s experiment for selfish purposes. In the process, Victor learns a valuable lesson.

FRANKENWEENIE is being presented in IMAX 3D — as well as in 2D — but the 3D provides an added dimension to the film that is welcome, blending in rather than popping out as merely a gimmick. The short running time of 87 minutes also lends itself well to younger viewers.

FRANKENWEENIE opens nationwide on Friday, October 5th, 2012.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

WRATH OF THE TITANS – The Review

*** Fair warning, this review may contain some very, very MINOR spoilers. ***

It’s a rare thing that a sequel surpasses it’s predecessor, and in the case of WRATH OF THE TITANS, the theory wavers slightly. CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010) was a remake of the 1981 Ray Harryhausen classic that had action and lots of CGI special effects but did little to honor the original, nor did it compare to the thrill and excitement the 1981 original still offers fans. With this sequel, loosely based on the the 1981 screenplay written by Beverley Cross, who also wrote the 1981 original CLASH OF THE TITANS, the film ponies up a more fluid story with better special effects, but the pacing differs greatly from the 2010 CLASH OF THE TITANS.

WRATH OF THE TITANS takes place a decade after Perseus (Sam Worthington) defeated the Kraken. Having turned down his god-father Zeus’ offer to rule by his side from Olympus, the demi-god [half human/half god] Perseus now attempts to live a normal, human life with his son in a small village. Perseus devotes his life to his son now, but when Zeus returns asking for Perseus to fight once more to save the world, Perseus sticks to his guns and stays with his son… at first. Perseus doesn’t realize the severity of his father’s need for his help.

Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, Hades (Ralph Fiennes) has something up his cloak and is secretly plotting to dethrone Zeus (Liam Neeson) and free their father Kronos from the prison within which Zeus and Hades once confined him. The key to this story is that the gods are growing weaker as humanity no longer prays to them, which means the safeguards they have placed in the world to protect humanity weaken along with their power, threatening to unleash the Titans on the world. This is bad news, but it takes nearly losing his father to bring Perseus around once more and step into his big boy shoes to save the day for all mankind.

WRATH OF THE TITANS is directed by Jonathan Liebesman, who’s last outing was in last years BATTLE LOS ANGELES, a film I would describe as great looking but story lacking. While the story itself was a plus in WRATH OF THE TITANS — and it did look great, with cinematography from Ben Davis — I do see some pacing similarities between the two films. Both have some extremely intense action sequences that are well constructed, but the time spent between these high-octane moments tends to falter a bit, losing some of the momentum, requiring a fresh buildup to the next round of excitement, acting as a slow, unnecessary buffer.

Sam Worthington has hair this time around, which I consider a good thing. His quasi-miliatry buzz cut from CLASH OF THE TITANS always bothered me, as if he just came off the set of AVATAR to shoot CLASH. Leading man aside, the cast was one of the high points in this sequel. Neeson and Fiennes aside, both of whom were naturally enjoyable, Danny Huston returns for a short time as Poseidon and Edgar Ramirez plays Ares, the god of war. Queen Andromeda features a new face, played this time around by Rosamund Pike, replacing Alexa Davalos.

However, the real acting treat in WRATH OF THE TITANS comes from Bill Nighy, who plays the “fallen one” Hephaestus and whom serves a vital role in the quest of Perseus. Nighy, a veteran actor not unaccustomed to fantasy and genre films, is usually a fan favorite, from his roles in SHAUN OF THE DEAD to the UNDERWORLD franchise. Covered in long, gray hair and a ratty beard, it’s difficult at first to recognize the actor, especially when he attempts to disguise his voice, but the tell-tale vocal trademarks and mannerisms do still shine through, resulting in a pleasant “hey, I know him” epiphany. Nighy delivers a fun time in the middle of a movie that mostly takes itself very seriously.

As I mentioned, the special effects are better in WRATH OF THE TITANS than in the CLASH remake. From the monstrous double-bodied soldiers called the Makhai, wielding a relentless onslaught of death and destruction onto the human army, to the fire-breathing bat-dog things and the Chimera, a small band of giant Cyclops, the creature design and effects are the true stars of the film. In this way, WRATH feels like a Harryhausen film, but not it’s equal. Kronos, in particular — albeit lumbering and slow — is quite the eyeful of coolness and scary to boot when you consider what he is and what it would be like in real life. The one creature design I was disappointed in was during the labyrinth segment — a very well designed segment, I might add — when Perseus confronts the minotaur, which I felt lacked greatly, resembling little more than THE GOONIES’ Sloth with horns stuck to his head.

Overall, WRATH OF THE TITANS is a solid film, a true summer blockbuster that will draw crowds and makes lots of money. WRATH is slightly more accomplished than the CLASH remake, enough so to be noticeable and enjoyable. Perhaps it was just me, but beware the down time between the action sequences. These would be good times to sip freely from your caffeine tank, nestled closely in your cup holder. Finally, I suppose I’ll mention the ever present 3D, which is a far cry better than the virtually non-existent 3D of CLASH OF THE TITANS, rendered pointlessly in post-production. The 3D is there in WRATH, visible and effective, if you’re into the blatantly self-conscious, somewhat gimmicky style of 3D in film. My recommendation — as usual — go old school and see the film in 2D.

Overall Rating: 3 0ut of 5 stars

JOHN CARTER – The Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN – The Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars