Review: District 9

I had been looking forward to this film for a long while – longer than most people even knew about the movie. After reading the premise almost a year ago, I watched Alive in Joburg, the short film that is the basis for the feature. I was thoroughly impressed and wanted more. Well, now I’ve seen it. I really enjoyed it and thought it was a very good film. It has its flaws, of course, but I was not disappointed.

In the world of the movie, an alien mothership settled over Johannesburg around two decades ago and has been sitting there ever since. The aliens that were found aboard were in horrible conditions so they were moved onto the ground into “District 9″ which has degenerated into a slum. Relations between the prawns, as they are called, and the humans are tense. This basic premise is obviously a critique on the apartheid system of racial segregation that was in effect in South Africa until 1994. However, this social commentary takes a back seat to the real story – the story of Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a bureaucrat in charge of overseeing the relocation of the prawns into another camp.

The movie starts off as basically a documentary, complete with interviews with experts and ordinary people. The best use of this documentary feel is when the humans make first contact with the aliens. This is shown through fuzzy archival footage from inside the ship and works beautifully. The film does lose most of its documentary feel, but the cinema-verite style of a handheld camera continues. I really enjoyed this fresh way of shooting. It really gave the film a raw quality that helped bring these aliens into the real world. I did notice, however, that towards the end the style got closer to a polished look. It never quite got there, the camera continued to shake, but the feeling that you were right there in the middle of it all died down a bit. The end fell back on the documentary aspect to tie things up, even including some text at the end of the movie. Overall, this was a very promising feature debut from Neill Blomkamp and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

Those who complain that the movie didn’t focus enough on the prejudice against the aliens have a point, but I liked the way the movie went. Instead of making a documentary about the social injustice during the apartheid years, the film focused on a single character. This gave it narrative structure that could hold up for almost two hours. I felt that the story found a nice balance between social commentary and action, although the climax felt a little too much like a traditional popcorn action flick. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they watered-down the true heart of the film for mainstream audiences, but the filmmakers definitely chose not to force the message of the film down the audience’s throat. My favorite point made in the movie is when a young Nigerian says something to the effect of, “We only hate them because they’re alien – they are from another planet, if they were human we wouldn’t treat them this way.” Of course, in the real world we see how we only wish this statement could be true.

The script was excellent. As soon as Wikus starts to discover what is happening to him, the movie flows beautifully. Rather than having distinct scenes, the story constantly moves forward. Also, Wikus learns a lot through the course of the movie and changes for the better. This is a key for any good character-driven piece: the character must grow. Speaking of Wikus, Sharlto Copley is fantastic. I would have never guessed that this is his feature film debut. His character goes through a lot in the film and Copley portrays his journey excellently. Relying on a non-actor to drive the entire movie was a huge risk that payed off in the end.

The special effects, while not the best, fit in with the rest of the movie, which is all they had to do. The director showed his skill at blending real environments with CGI once again. By showing these obviously fictitious aliens through his handheld, constantly shifting camera, Blomkamp takes us into this world and makes us believe in it, despite any logical problems with the aliens.

So, while the story was not what I was expecting, District 9 paid off in the end. The film consistently amazed me with its style while still telling the story a man forced out of his element. Most importantly, though, the movie delivered fantastic images. For example, the ominous mothership sitting above the city was a constant reminder that this world portrayed in the movie was not entirely like ours.

I really enjoyed this film. It provides a compelling story, told through fresh cinematography, with a great performance. All of this combined with undertones of racial prejudice and social commentary on the apartheid that isn’t too overbearing makes for a thoroughly compelling, entertaining, and thoughtful film. District 9 feels like a breath of fresh air during this generally disappointing summer.

Going to District 9

In about 15 minutes, I’ll be leaving to see the midnight showing of District 9. I’ve been looking forward to this since the first time I heard about it. Alive in Joburg was cool, but this should be even better. The social commentary behind the film should give it that edge that so few mainstream movies have nowadays.

Anyway, I’m pumped to see this movie. Expect a review at around 5 tomorrow morning.

Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

First of all, let me say that I have never considered myself a Harry Potter fan. I’ve always enjoyed the movies, but had only seen them once. That is, until this week, when I watched the first five films over the course of three days. I never realized how much I enjoy them. It’s amazing how much better the movies are when you go in with the knowledge of the previous ones. After soaking in the previous movies, I was now prepared for the “Half-Blood Prince”.

Once again, I loved the movie. The magic carries on, even though so much has changed since our heroes were just little kids running around an enchanted movie set. Thematically, the series has definitely evolved. A storm is brewing as Voldemort prepares his army and Harry must be ready to fight back. Dumbledore steps up to prepare the young wizard, instead of hiding as he did in “Order of the Phoenix”. At the same time, we see the complex nature of teen relationships as Harry, Ron, and Hermione discover love. The film moves completely away from the episodic nature of the early movies and becomes much more focused – Voldemort is coming and we must be ready.

This movie has bridged an important gap, created by “Order of the Phoenix”, between the enchantment of the first films and the brooding darkness of the two most recent installments. “Half-Blood Prince” successfully combines the magic of the early movies with the ever-increasing tension of Voldemort’s return.

The acting is better this time around. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) loosens up and starts to embody his character’s conflicts while Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) remains funny throughout and Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore) steps up to become a much more active player in the movie. As always, Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) is delightful, but I was surprised to see Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) in such a big part. While I will forever hate his character, I have to admit that it was nice to see him in a bigger role. Instead of serving as a simple, all-evil antagonist, Draco becomes torn between his family ties and his personal convictions. Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) adeptly depicts the ups and downs of Hermione’s growing feelings for Ron. One of the best moments in the film happens when a distraught Hermione shares her feelings with Harry. It’s great to see how these young stars have matured and become actors in their own right.

The newcomer in this film, Horace Slughorn, returns to his position as Potions Master after being persuaded by Harry and Dumbledore. As the story wears on, Harry struggles to find out what happened between Professor Slughorn and the mysterious Tom Riddle. Harry must persuade Slughorn to give him his memory of that night so that he can view it with Dumbledore’s pensieve, a device that visualizes memories. The character is portrayed excellently by Jim Broadbent, who really brings depth to the character.

Another surprise is the comedy. This is definitely the funniest Harry Potter film to date. It was definitely a risky move, but it paid off. The comedy gave the movie a fresh feeling that really livened the potentially droll middle portion of the movie.

Thanks to both the direction and cinematography, the film really shines visually. I don’t remember another movie where I was so consistently impressed with the visuals. Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography is top-notch. From the opening Death Eater attack to the race through the wheat field and up until the thrilling climax, the movie consistently provides fantastic images. I’ve seen movies with good shots, but this one kept coming with excellent scenes over and over. Be sure to see this in the theater – you won’t get the full impact at home.

The special effects only added to the fantastic look of the film. CGI has come a long way since The Sorcerer’s Stone’s ragdoll effects, but the deciding factor is how the technology is utilized. Instead of constantly bombarding the senses, the effects are subtle and only serve as a tool to tell the story. What stood out to me were the quidditch sequences. In “Half-Blood Prince”, they are vastly superior to any of the previous films’ quidditch due to the combined effect of great cinematography and special effects.

Where this installment falls short, unfortunately, is the plot. First of all, I imagine it will be nearly impossible to watch this without any knowledge of the preceding events, but I don’t consider this a fault. This is now the sixth movie in the series, so don’t expect to be able to jump right in. The main problem is that the entire story feels unfulfilled. For example, we see the Death Eaters attack sporadically, but nothing ever comes of it. Just as we start to learn more about Tom Riddle, we realize that hardly any new information has been added. The worst offender in this category is the Half-Blood Prince. You would think that the title of the movie would be given some significant time, but this part of the story consists of a potions book with his name in it and a single line at the end of the film – “I am the Half-Blood Prince.” Well, that’s just great, but what does that actually mean?!

Another oddity was the absence of Voldemort himself. I didn’t realize this until shortly after the movie, but Voldemort was inexplicably absent. At first, I was a little mad, but I soon came to the conclusion that this was a very smart move. First of all, it shows that the film can hold itself up without him, but, most importantly, giving the Dark Lord very little screen time increases his mystique exponentially. By hiding the main antagonist for the majority of the movies, he becomes a much better villain. Even so, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the “Deathly Hallows”.

In spite of these faults, the story builds well and leads to a thrilling climax that doesn’t disappoint. The overall structure of the film is good, it is in the details where things get dodgy.

Even with its plot’s minor faults, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is another great addition to the Harry Potter franchise. With its rich visuals and solid performances, HP6 shows how a big-budget summer blockbuster should be made. Now, I hope that this movie goes on to make as much money as possible, just to show that audiences do know a good movie when they see one.

My Rating: 8.6/10

Ryan Reynolds Selected to Play Hal Jordan

Whew! Those scary rumors of Justin Timberlake as Green Lantern can be gone. Still, though, I’m not terribly excited about this choice either. I really hope that this doesn’t interfere with his Deadpool film, which he is perfect for.

Variety reported earlier today that Ryan Reynolds has been selected to play Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, in the upcoming film. Production is set to begin January.

This has potential to be great. Green Lantern, one of my favorite heroes, can be translated into a great movie – but only when done right. But with Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) directing, maybe this could work out very well.

What do you think? Are you getting excited for the Green Lantern movie?

Mario Marathon Now Playing Super Mario 64

After speeding through the first four Super Mario Bros., the guys are now playing Super Mario 64. Go to mariomarathon.com where you can watch, chat, tweet, and, most importantly, donate to Child’s Play. Child’s Play is a charity that provides sick children with toys and games in their hospital. So far, $3,261 has been raised for this good cause.

Mario Marathon Starting NOW!

Right now, head over to mariomarathon.com and watch the second Mario Marathon. For those of you who didn’t watch last year, these three guys are playing all seven major Mario games and raising money for charity. Last year they raised about twelve thousand dollars.

Head over and check it out. They’re gearing up for the first game now.

Technorati Claim Post – Ignore This

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Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a sheer mess. I really want to like it, but it’s impossible – the movie has a horrible plot and is way too long. The only reason there even is a plot is to set up a lot of cool robot fighting.

This time around, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) finds a piece of the All Spark in a hoodie from the first movie (Why he hasn’t touched that sweatshirt in two years is never explained.) which causes him to have visions of ancient symbols. Megatron (Hugo Weaving) comes back and our hero is joined by his girlfriend Mikaela (Megan Fox) and Leo (Ramon Rodriguez), who is introduced as an alien/robot conspiracy theorist, but only uses his knowledge once. (In order to get Agent Simmons (John Turturro), who knows more than him.) Sam and the gang finally end up in Egypt looking for the Matrix of Leadership. (Which turns out to be incredibly easy-to-find item, considering it’s been hidden for about 20,000 years.) Of course, an enourmous battle ensues. Besides the logical dilemmas such as the seemingly endless supply of robots who were mysteriously missing in the first movie (I guess it was their day off.), the fundamental problem is that the story leaves absolutely no room for any character development or underlying themes. Sure there’s enough story to fuel copious amounts of cool robot fighting, but there is no meaning or question explored by this film (at least the first hinted at humanity’s capacity for good). This is especially atrocious considering the two lead robots – Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and the Fallen (Tony Todd).

The first is Optimus Prime, an extremely wise, very old alien robot who has been through a lot. Basically, he’s the Autobots’ philosopher and everything he says sounds world-shattering thanks to Peter Cullen’s fantastic voice work. Why not use this asset to explore more of human nature? The second, the Fallen of the film’s title, has been described as “the Lucifer of the Transformers universe.” No he isn’t – at least not in the movie. The film begins in 17000 BC as the Fallen is working on a huge machine on Earth. Now, I’d figure that a trip back almost 20,000 years would be pretty important. Not in this film. The only purpose that scene serves is to set up the title card and to establish that there is a huge machine underground in Egypt. Essentially, the movie skips right over the Fallen’s “fall”. The pivotal turning point that establishes this titular character’s motivation for 20 milleniums is glazed over.

Throughout the film, there is a feeling of manufactured epic-ness. Of course, the movie spans continents and cost around $200 million, but every potential emotionally-charged scene is overdone almost to the point of losing any real effect. For example, Sam cries out “OPTIMUS!” in a moment clearly overblown to make the scene seem important (and to beef up the trailer). The audience is smart enough to choose for themselves what characters they care about, Optimus Prime included, without the movie spoon-feeding them.

Now for Sam and Mikaela’s relationship. During the hiatus between films, the couple have been dating, but have a difficult choice coming up. With Sam going off to college, Mikaela decides to stay with her ex-con father working on automobiles. Maybe these kinds of things are just not my cup of tea, but I cringed every time they had a serious conversation with each other. I just don’t buy their relationship at all.

At two-and-a-half hours, “Transformers 2″ is not a short movie but I’m not against a long movie. A feature film should be as long as it needs to be, but this movie doesn’t need that much time – in this form, anyway. If any meaningful subjects were explored or the characters were developed on any real level, then I could excuse such a runtime.

So, without a decent story, is there anything left? Basically, there’s a whole lot of alien robots fighting and it looks amazing. The special effects are the movie’s high point and the folks at ILM have really given us a spectacular showcase of amazing visuals. The transformers are an incredible sight when they fight and even more so when they actually transform. Another strong point is the humor. There are many funny moments that create a fun atmosphere for all the action. We see much more of Sam’s parents, who are hysterical but start to lose their edge by the conclusion. Still, special effects and some laughs alone cannot carry an entire movie.

How about the direction? Surprisingly, director Michael Bay isn’t too bad this time around. Setting aside numerous gratuitous slow motion shots and a dismal climax, the action is frenetic yet discernible.

From an acting point of view, Shia is not his best. This could be due to the poor script, but he is not up to par with his performances in Disturbia or even Holes. Other than him, Peter Cullen is (once again) perfect as Optimus, Megan Fox replaces her looks for any superb acting (actually, her performance gets better as the movie goes on), and John Turturro does well as an exiled secret agent.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is full of missed opportunities and mindless fighting. Surprised? I didn’t think so. In any case, you should enjoy the spectacle, at least until you realize how much better the film could be.

My Rating: 4.3/10

My Mission: Getting European Fanta to America

During Spring Break ‘09, my family and I went to Italy. Aside from the beautiful sights and amazing artwork, I fell in love with European Fanta – it’s amazing. My mission is to get European Fanta to America.

First of all, why is the European version so much better, anyway? Well, I started researching online and found that the ingredients in Fanta vary significantly from country to country. Furthermore, the percentage of orange juice also varies. In the US, no orange juice is used while in Europe varying percentages from 0-12 are used. I needed to find out why and what I could do to change this.

First, I called 1-800-GET-COKE, Coca-Cola’s main number. Surprisingly, I was greeted by a real person after only two computerized messages. I asked why the ingredients change so much from region to region, specifically with regards to the orange juice. After clearly shocking the poor lady with my question, I was put on hold. When she came back, she informed me that, while the base is manufactured at Coke’s headquarters, the final mix is under the control of the individual bottling companies. After looking up the Philadelphia Bottling Company’s phone number I called them and was informed that their Fanta “contains no juice.” I should have asked why, but didn’t and am considering calling again.

Now I needed to contact a bottling company that uses orange juice, so I looked up the bottler for Great Britain so I could speak to someone in English. Unfortunately, they were closed, so I couldn’t contact them immediately.

Then, I set out to contact as many bottlers as I could.

First, I called the largest bottler, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and never got through.

The next bottler I tried to contact was Swire. On accident, I called an unrelated company owned by Swire who promptly hung up on me. After getting the correct number, I called Coca-Cola Swire and left a message and am awaiting a reply.

Next, I called Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated and, after failing at one phone number, they informed me that they put 3% orange juice in their Fanta Orange. Now how can I get some from their plant? I’m in Delaware and they serve North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia. Since I wanted to find this 3% Orange Juice myself, I decided to contact retailers in Virginia to see if they got their Coke products from CCBCC so I could go and get myself some. I called a Wa-Wa in Upper Marlboro, MD and the kid had no idea so he told me to call the WaWa Corporate Office. They told me to call individual stores, which makes sense because different areas use different bottlers. I called a WaWa in Woodridge, VA and they get their Coke products from Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc., the company I couldn’t get through to before, so I called them and left a message. Now, I still needed to find a store that received Coke products from CCBCC. After calling many WaWas, I decided I needed to call CCBCC and get a list of their clients closest to me, but, by that time, they were closed.

Next, I found a store called Trilini Imports in Brooklyn that carries a variety of European products. They must have closed because I didn’t get an answer.

Also, I read an article dated April 17th that says Fanta is going 100% all-natural in the US. Does this mean that they will now use orange juice?

Things to do tomorrow: Get the closest CCBCC-supplied store. Find out what Fantas Trilini Imports has and how much they cost. Find out what this 100% natural deal really means. Call Great Britain Bottling Company and get % orange juice and ask about a shipment to the US. Research importing laws and regulations.

See some videos of the calls on my youtube page.

Summer Movie Preview ‘09

As the end of the year approaches, one’s mind turns to only one thing - summer. Summer is a wonderful time: no school, warm weather, and movies. Summer is when Hollywood sends out the big guns, and this year is no exception. From familiar series (Harry Potter, Transformers, X-Men, Terminator, Star Trek) to new ideas (Up, District 9); from book adaptations (My Sister’s Keeper, Angels and Demons) to TV adaptations (Land of the Lost); from familiar directors (Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee, Tony Scott) to familiar stars (Jack Black, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Ben Stiller, Johnny Depp) – all in all, this summer’s movies should be great.

With all of the movies coming out soon, it will be virtually impossible to see all of them. Film-going teens must narrow down which movies to see and which ones to skip, especially with ever-increasing ticket prices (‘08 ticket costs were, on average, 30 cents more than ‘07). High-schoolers have to take this much more into account than ever before because they will have a much harder time finding work due to the shaky economy.

This list is an overview which includes most of the major films (with some hidden gems), a short synopsis, and whether or not they will be worth the cost.

Lights, camera. Action!

May:

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1) is Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) backstory and takes place before he becomes a key member of the X-Men. Don’t expect a Dark Knight. This should be a good action movie, but go into the theater expecting anything more, and you’ll be in for a disappointment.

Star Trek (May is the reboot of the familiar franchise. The movie goes back to the beginning and reexamines the origins of the main cast of characters of the original TV series, and stars Chris Pine (Just My Luck) as James Kirk and Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as Spock. This is a must-see for any fan of science fiction, but may also appeal to the uninitiated because it reintroduces the characters and doesn’t require any foreknowledge of the series.

Angels and Demons (May 15), the follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon who investigates the Illuminati’s scheme to gain revenge against the Vatican. The story should be excellent considering it is an adaptation of Dan Brown’s bestselling novel. Just like The Da Vinci Code, the movie has met with some resistance from Christian groups, most significantly the Catholic Church. These people claim that the novel and movie are represented as fact, not fiction, which even the author denies himself. He says that the book is based on historical fact, but ultimately is fiction. Just because an idea is represented in a movie doesn’t mean it is being endorsed as fact by the creators. In any case, fans of adventure or mystery should definitely see this.

Terminator Salvation (May 21), the fourth installment in the Terminator series, is sure to be one of this summer’s box-office hits. Set in 2018, John Connor (Christian Bale), encounters a resistance soldier (Sam Worthington) who has only vague memories of his past life, which leads to a shocking discovery. When it was first announced, this new Terminator movie was not met with optimism by all, but the trailers have been getting better and better, causing confidence and excitement to rise.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 22), the sequel to Night at the Museum (2006), has the Museum of Natural History closed for renovation, which causes the pieces to be moved into storage in Washington. While the first was funny, and this one is sure to have its moments, there is absolutely no reason for a second film. The first movie was an original, self-contained story that doesn’t need to be expanded upon. The biggest advantage the sequel has, however, is that even more historical figures come to life such as Einstein (Eugene Levy) and Amelia Earheart (Amy Adams). Also, most of the original cast is back, including Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, and Dick Van Dyke. In any case, “Smithsonian” should be a very fun comedy, but may not live up to the original.

Up (May 29), Pixar’s tenth feature film, is the story of Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), a retired balloon salesman, who sets out to fulfill his dream by using balloons to lift his house. His plan is to fly to South America, but he is interrupted when he realizes that an eight-year-old has lifted up with him. Considering that most of Pixar’s films have been fantastic, expectations are high and Up should meet the challenge.

June:

Land of the Lost (June 5) is the first film adaptation of the 1970’s TV series of the same name about a family trapped in a prehistoric world of dinosaurs and other fearsome creatures. Will Ferrell stars as Dr. Rick Marshall in what is looking to be a great family comedy.

Tetro (June 11), set in Argentina, is about “the rivalries born out of creative differences passed down through generations of an artistic Italian immigrant family.” This sounds insignificant, but it is writer/director Francis Ford Coppola’s (The Godfather) first original screen play since The Conversation. Although the premise seems bland, movie fans should not miss this one.

Dead Snow (June 12) is the thrilling story of a group of students who stumble across Nazi zombies during their vacation. This Norwegian flick should be a welcome addition to the zombie genre and also provide some fun action.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (June 12) is director Tony Scott’s (Top Gun, Enemy of the State) remake of Morton Freedgood’s 1973 novel of the same name. The film features Denzel Washington as Zachary Garber, a subway dispatcher negotiating with a group of hijackers, led by Bernard Ryder (John Travolta), who is holding a subway train and its passengers hostage. While John Travolta’s 70’s era mustache is a little worrisome, hopefully “Pelham” will be a good hostage film.

Whatever Works (June 19) marks Woody Allen’s first film set in his hometown, New York, since Melinda and Melinda (2005). It stars Larry David (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) as an eccentric man who “abandons his upper class New York lifestyle to live a more bohemian existence.” Hopefully Woody Allen gets out of his recent slump with this quirky comedy.

Year One (June 19) stars Jack Black (Nacho Libre, School of Rock) and Michael Cera (Superbad) as lazy hunter-gatherers who, when exiled from their village, encounter numerous biblical figures including Adam and Eve and Abraham. I was very unenthusiastic when I saw the first commercial (during the Superbowl), but my interest was sparked when Black compared the style of the movie to Monty Python, specifically Life of Brian. If Year One is anywhere as funny as Monty Python, then it will surely be the best comedy of the summer.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24) is the second live-action installment in the “Transformers” series. While plot details are scarce, all one needs to know is that the Decepticons are, yet again, at war with the Autobots and that both Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are back. With the success of the original, a sequel was inevitable, so all we can hope for is another exciting, action-packed robot slam-down.

My Sister’s Keeper (June 26) is the story of Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin), who was conceived only to be a match for her sister, Kate, who is suffering from leukemia. For her entire life, she has been used as an organ donor for her sister, but when she is thirteen, she sues her parents for the right to choose whether to give her sister a kidney or not. The movie looks very intriguing as it contains challenging moral questions, most importantly the parents’ choice to bring a child into the world simply to harvest her organs for another.

July:

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July 1) is the third installment of the franchise. After “the meltdown,” dinosaurs start to appear, leading to more looney adventures with Manny (Ray Ramano), Sid (John Leguizamo), Ellie (Queen Latifah), Eddie (Josh Peck), and Crash (Seann William Scott). Of course, Scrat (Chris Wedge) continues his seeming never-ending quest for acorns. As one of the few kid’s movies this summer, “Dawn of the Dinosaurs” should perform well at the box office.

Public Enemies (July 1) is the story of an FBI agent’s (Christian Bale) quest to apprehend John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and other Depression-era gangsters. “Enemies” has the potential to be fantastic considering the all-star cast and its director, Michael Mann.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 17) is the sixth movie in the Harry Potter realm and once again stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. Set during Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort is becoming more and more powerful, so Dumbledore is intent on preparing Harry for the coming battle. Meanwhile, Harry also learns more about Voldemort’s dark past. Originally set for release on November 21, 2008, the movie was delayed until the summer, sparking a huge uproar among the fans. In any case, a new Harry Potter film is something worth anticipating.

In the Loop (July 17) is a British satire that focuses behind-the-scenes when the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom want to declare war (a thin guise of the War on Terror). The movie shows the battle between those who support the war and those who oppose it and should have a interesting comedic view on a current event.

The Cove (July 31) is a documentary that shows a cave in Taiji, Japan, in which over 2,000 dolphins are killed annually. The meat is then sold throughout Japan even though it is toxic. During filming, the crew had to secretly infiltrate the cove to avoid being arrested or possibly killed. As one of few documentaries being released this summer, this should be enlightening. In January, it won the documentary Audience Award at Sundance.

Funny People (July 31), writer/producer/director Judd Apatow’s latest project, stars Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen as stand-up comedians. The film is interesting because it includes more dramatic elements than seen in Apatow’s previous comedies. Surprisingly, the movie has encountered extremely positive reactions from test screenings, even leading to some very early Oscar buzz. Can it live up to the hype?

August:

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (August 7) is the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the extremely popular toy franchise. As the title implies, the movie portrays the origin of Cobra, the G.I. Joe team’s nemesis, and the entry of two new members, Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). The film also stars Dennis Quaid as General Hawk and Ray Park (Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode 1) as Snake Eyes. Other than long-term fans, there is little anticipation for this action flick, but kids should boost it to at least moderate box-office success.

Julie & Julia (August 7) features two true stories. The first is Julie Powell’s (Amy Adams) quest to cook all 524 recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and is based on her book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. The second shows Child’s time in Paris during the 40’s and 50’s and is based on her memoir, My Life in France.

District 9 (August 14) is the interesting story of a group of aliens who land in Africa, only to be forced into labor by MNU (Multi National United). Told in a documentary style, 9 explores the relationship between the humans and aliens in the region and is a social commentary on the racial prejudices in many parts of South Africa. It is director Neill Blomkamp’s first feature and is based on his fantastic short film, Alive in Joburg. 9 is one of the most original movies of the summer and a must-see.

Taking Woodstock (August 14) is the true story of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin) who volunteered his parents’ motel and a music festival permit to the organizers of the now-infamous Woodstock Festival. This is director Ang Lee’s first movie since 2007’s Lust, Caution.

The Time Traveler’s Wife (August 14) stars Eric Bana (Munich, Troy) as a librarian who, due to a genetic disorder, involuntarily time travels. This obviously causes some serious problems and especially disturbs his marriage. The concept is a new take on time travel because it is uncontrollable, rather than a time machine that the creator can use whenever he chooses. Like District 9, TTTW should give a unique spin on a familiar sci-fi element.

This summer has a bit of everything: Comedy (Year One), Sci-Fi (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation), Action (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Family (Land of the Lost), Horror (Dead Snow), even Documentary (The Cove) plus many more too numerous to note here. Clearly, the summer of ‘09 is bound to be a time of great films. See you at the movies!

10 Theaters to 2,890: The Story of Slumdog Millionaire

(This is an article I wrote earlier in the year for another publication. I have estimated a date and added it here late so please excuse any time discrepancies.)

Three months ago, a relatively small film opened in only ten theaters. As of March 9, it has earned 222 million dollars worldwide and is playing on 2,890 screens in the US. How did a movie with such humble beginnings go on to become such a smash?

Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal Malik, who grew up in the slums of Dharavi, India with his brother Salim. He is one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India’s version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? when he is arrested under suspicion of cheating.

The movie debuted at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30. On September 7, it played at the Toronto International Film Festival where it won the People’s Choice Award.

After playing at several other festivals, “Slumdog” opened on November 12 and earned 33 thousand dollars on opening day. As positive word-of-mouth spread, the film was expanded and, by Christmas, “Slumdog” was playing in 614 theaters and had grossed 15 million dollars. Positive reviews and many awards, including four Golden Globes, generated even more buzz and it continued to perform well throughout January, even though theaters had begun to drop off. On January 22, it was still playing on 582 screens. Then it was nominated for the 81st Annual Academy Awards – ten times. The very next day, “Slumdog” expanded to 1,411 screens and grossed almost 3 million dollars. So what was the key to its success?

Let’s get one thing straight. Slumdog Millionaire is a fantastic movie. Beyond the intriguing story, the editing and score really make this film stand out. However, there are many great movies that did terribly at the box office. What made “Slumdog” different?

First of all, there are four major groups of people that saw this movie. First are the committed independent film fans who try to see any good movie outside of the mainstream. This group would have seen “Slumdog” either at a film festival or early in its theatrical run. The second group contains the movie buffs. This group just loves movies and probably started to hear about SM in November or December. The third group are the more casual movie fans who went to see the movie as award season really picked up. The fourth group is composed of the “normal” people who heard about “Slumdog” on the news or the internet and were intrigued enough to see the movie. This group is most interesting due to the fact that they usually don’t see anything outside of the mainstream. What special qualities caused so many people to go see this at the theater?

The unique storyline is definitely the prime contribution to this “X-Factor.” The use of flashbacks is particularly well-designed in the film, unlike many flashback sequences. Usually, flashbacks break continuity or appear too corny. On the other hand, a well-implemented flashback is hard to come by. Citizen Kane, Forrest Gump, and The Godfather Part II all use the tecnique to great effect.

Further, the blend of a mainstream, English movie with the novelty of a foreign film makes “Slumdog” much more accessible to a mainstream American audience. Finally, a much more Hollywood-esque story [a classic romance], while still a good one, separated Slumdog Millionaire from many other independent films that focus on more complex subject matter.

These factors not only led to fantastic box office performance, but to a stunning eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Slumdog Millionaire is a unique movie that blends independent filmmaking with a captivating storyline, foreign elements, Hollywood-style romance, and one Bollywood-style musical. It is also an example of a relatively small movie which blossomed into both a critical and box office hit.

44

(This is an article I wrote earlier in the year for another publication. I have estimated a date and added it here late so please excuse any time discrepancies.)

“The National Guard had been called in and were standing post (armed) on almost every street corner. A number of the streets were shut down and throngs of people were literally strolling down the middle of what normally would be a busy street filled with cars and buses. Although I have never been in a country during a military coup, I would imagine it would look something like this,” says Rachel Cook [Mrs.' Gumienny's niece, who currently resides in Washington, D.C.], painting a very interesting picture of a most historic Inauguration Day, 2009.

On January 20, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States in front of a record crowd. Two million people gathered at the nation’s capital, nearly 38 million viewers watched at home, and as many as 51 million tuned in online. Though merely rough estimates, it is clear that this was the most-watched inauguration in American history.

Rachel’s sister, Elizabeth Gumienny says, “Walking through the streets was crazy… people were everywhere… the amount of people in the streets around the capital was so intense, I’ve never experieced anything like it. It was overwhelming and a little scary. There were times that it felt like I would never get out of the crowd.”

After hours of waiting in the cold, the crowd of millions was given what they had been waiting for. The moment had arrived. Barack Obama rose and faced Chief Justice John Roberts to be sworn in. Roberts then proceeded to butcher the oath by pausing after “I, Barack Hussein Obama,” saying “President to the United States” instead of “of the United States,” and misplacing the word “faithfully.” Ironically, the oath is written in Article 2 of the Constitution, the document on which Roberts is supposed to rule.

Traditionally, the new President delivers an address after being sworn in and President Obama was no exception. In his speech, the President began by recognizing that the U.S. is indeed facing tough times, saying “That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened… Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

President Obama then reflected on the strength of the American people saying, “Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.”

Further, Obama called for Americans to recognize their responsibilities to themselves, America, and the world. In this “new era of responsibility,” what is required is a return to the values which have been the “quiet force of progress throughout our history -  hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism.”

President Obama then made a statement not only to the American people, but to every nation, including a warning, “To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.” Along with a promise that, “we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” He went on to say, “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

On January 25th, President Obama commissioned George Mitchell as a special envoy to the Middle East and held his first interview with a Muslim television station, Al Arabiya. He said, “What we want to do is to listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years. And I think if we do that, then there’s a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs.” The President also vowed to follow up on his promise to speak in an Arab capital within the first 100 days of his presidency.

In regards to the economy, the President promised swift action to help the economy and more jobs for the unemployed. [President Obama's economic stimulus package recently passed through Congress, with 60 votes in the Senate, the minimum to pass, and 246 to 183 in the House.] Another key economic statement was that, “a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.” To back this up, the President  has created a Middle Class Task Force, headed by Vice President Joe Biden, to help middle-class working families during the economic crisis.

Another major issue mentioned was energy as the President promised cleaner, healthier energy, which is important to the economy as it will reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and is also a key to protecting the planet. The President has promised to double the production of alternative energy during the next three years.

A key issue among Obama’s supporters was health care costs. The President  pledged to “raise its quality and lower its cost.” Many believe it is going to be very tough to fix the nation’s health care system without sacrificing the freedom of the people. Raja Abou-Rahme says, “I have no problem with health care, but sometimes the government handles things badly.”

As for our common defense, President Obama said, “We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” Thomas Jefferson said, “No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another…” To back up his statement, the President signed an executive order on January 22 closing the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay within one year, and another that established standards for lawful interrogations and created a special task force to review interrogation and transfer-of-prisoner policies.

Finally, the President reaffirmed his intentions for a responsible transition of power in Iraq. This was another key point in his campaign and one in which Obama differs greatly from President Bush.

At the end of his address, President Obama quoted from Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis, “Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”

One characteristic of the speech was that it was very practical, particularly in the phrase, “The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works.” Another key was creating a feeling of change, as this was his primary campaign point. This is what many wanted – something new. 

To close the ceremony, Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery delivered a unique benediction. He began with, “God of our weary years, God of our silent tears….” quoting from the Negro National Anthem (James Weldon Johnsons’ song, Lift Every Voice and Sing). The prayer focused on equality and unity, and says, “Help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.” It also included references to Isaiah 2:4, Amos 5:24, He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final speech, ”I’ve been to the mountaintop.” After asking for God’s blessing upon Barack Obama and his family, Dr. Lowery concluded by rewording an old, rascist ryhme into, “We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back; when brown can stick around; when yellow will be mellow; when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.”

Regardless of political beliefs, this historic Inauguration seemed to bring the country together for a short time. Even though sophomore Austin Barrington doesn’t agree with the new President on some political issues, he seemed to sum up the thoughts of many when saying, “It’s a major step for America that we have a black President. It shows just how far we’ve come since slavery and, also, that we can learn from past mistakes.”

Now that the festivities are over, it is time for President Barack Obama to get down to business. There are many challenges facing our nation today and America will be watching with very high hopes.

Review: Twilight

(This is an article I wrote earlier in the year for another publication. I have estimated a date and added it here late so please excuse any time discrepancies.)

It’s 12:01 a.m., November 21 and the theater is packed. The anticipation is tremendous as the movie begins. Teenagers, young girls, and their moms all squeal with excitement. This is Twilight.

Based on the book by Stephenie Meyer and directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown, The Nativity Story), Twilight is the story of Isabella Swan (Kristen Stewart), and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), who happens to be a vampire. After moving to Forks, Washington, to live with her dad, Charlie, Bella meets Edward and “instantly” falls in love.

Edward is weird, yet he is the best-looking guy at school. He stares at her, acts like a jerk, and follows her, even when she goes to a larger city with her friends. When she confronts him, he insists that they should not see each other. After a little detective work and a quick Google search, Bella deduces that he must be a vampire. The rest of the film deals with Edward’s “conflicted” feelings – he loves Bella, but he’s worried that he won’t be able to control his urge to suck her blood.

Twilight has created an enormous amount of hype in the months leading up to the movie. Breaking Dawn, the fourth in the Twilight series sold over 200,000 copies on its first day, August 2. As sophomore Kellie Wood puts it, “People are obsessed with immortality… or something like that.”

Fans have gotten even crazier upon the release of the movie. “Nothing is weirder than a 45-year-old lady coming in to watch the movie and she has every book with her,” says senior Alex Hall, an employee at Movies 10.

After all the hype dies down, after all the anticipation is satisfied, after all the screaming fangirls have left the theater, does Twilight deliver? Is it enjoyable to those who have not been en(twi)lighted?

First of all, is Twilight a action-packed vampire movie? While there are doses of action here and there (and a surprisingly good fight scene during the climax), Twilight is definitely a love story.

The main problems with the movie are the poor directing, shaky soundtrack, horrible special effects, and the overall cheesiness of the film.

The directing was not blatantly horrible, though. However, there were virtually no appealing shots or interesting angles. For example, in one scene, Bella and Edward are in a tree and the camera tracks away from them and sweeps in a circle around the tree. Then it is cut off prematurely, only to be followed by another shot with the same basic motion. In another scene, Edward and Bella are lying in the grass and the camera flies from directly over them and zooms back into the sky. This would have been a great way to conclude the scene, but instead it cuts back to them lying down. Lastly, another mistake is the overuse of slow motion. Several scenes contained slow motion, although only one use of the effect had any real impact.

Also, the soundtrack did not quite fit in with the visuals onscreen during most of the movie. There were some scenes which were enhanced by the soundtrack, such as when Edward and Bella look at each other across the schoolyard, but overall, the music seemed as if it were picked mainly to sell CDs, which it did well when the Twilight soundtrack debuted at number one on the album charts.

In addition, the special effects were awful! The worst effect was the super-speed that the vampires possess. Every time they ran at warp speed, an ugly blur followed them. It was on par with a low-budget, sci-fi TV show, not a 35 million dollar movie. Even worse than the super-speed was when Edward climbs up a tree with Bella on his back. It’s surprising that the special effects team even bothered to paint out the wires. His hands didn’t even touch the tree when he climbed. He just shot up like he was Superman.

Finally, the general tone of the movie was flawed. A large percentage of the movie was unintentionally humorous. The worst offenders were the rival vampires (who actually eat people, not just animals as the Cullens do). When they arrived and confronted the Cullens, they did not come off as a serious threat. In addition to the involuntary cheesiness, there were a few genuinely funny jokes. The movie would have been better had it taken itself more seriously.

However, after these problems there were a few redeeming qualities. The best part of the movie was definitely the Cullens, the coven of vampires that includes Edward. From their first appearance, Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), Esme (Elizabeth Reaser), Alice (Ashley Greene), Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), Rosalie (Nikki Reed), Emmett (Kellan Lutz), and Edward just emanate weird. From their pale skin to their blank faces, they are excellent as the “outcast family that no one likes.”

In addition, Pattinson (Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) did a fantastic job as Edward. He talked in a particular way, stared at Bella just right, and, overall, projected Edward’s peculiar nature perfectly. Also, the supporting cast of Charlie (Billy Burke), Bella’s dad, along with Jessica (Anna Kendrick) and Mikey (Michael Welch) – her school chums – did well in creating the world in which the main characters live. On the other hand, Kristen Stewart didn’t really flesh out Bella’s character as well as she could have. Most of the time, her acting seemed forced, which took away from the story.

While the vampires in Twilight definitely aren’t the vampires of old, they were an intriguing take on an old idea. For example, the Cullens live in Washington because of the heavy cloud cover and therefore, see very little sun. Small details like that were clever and added to the realism of the story. Sophomore Becky Ronan said, “The vampires aren’t stereotypical. You can relate to them.”

However, even these glints of hope cannot rescue what is ultimately a second-rate teen romance. There is so much fertile ground for really intriguing questions that are never explored. Twilight could have been a much better movie had it spent more time on Edward’s internal conflict. Instead, it is given the back seat to Bella falling in love with him. The audience is never shown Edward’s side of the story.

The bottom line is that, while most fans of the books will enjoy the movie, judged solely as a movie, it was only a mediocre teen romance with some vampires thrown into the mix.

Taking into account the 69.6 million dollars of tickets sold domestically during its opening weekend, Summit Pictures announced that they had green-lighted New Moon, the sequel to Twilight. Maybe fans of the book are all the franchise needs after all.

Review: The Dark Knight

(This is an article I wrote earlier in the year for another publication. I have estimated a date and added it here late so please excuse any time discrepancies.)

After leaving the theater over 74 million people were amazed. This sequel was even better than anticipated. Unheard of!

On June 15, 2005, Batman debuted on the big screen for the first time in about eight years. Batman Begins was a great re-introduction to Batman and far surpassed any previous Batman film. Exactly 1,029 days later, its sequel, The Dark Knight, was released. Months of anticipation and hype, which were even more fueled by Heath Ledger’s death on January 22, made it seem impossible that The Dark Knight could live up to its expectations. In the months since, critical acclaim and word-of-mouth catapulted The Dark Knight to 27 on the box office chart (adjusted for inflation) at $525,904,700.

While Batman Begins is a fantastic movie about how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, The Dark Knight focuses on the criminal underbelly of Gotham and how Batman and the police department strive to fight it. In this way, The Dark Knight becomes a much deeper movie than Batman Begins because it raises questions of what is right, and “how far is too far?” Other thought-provoking dilemma the film explores are “Should Batman fight crime?” and “Is the world better off without him?”

In an interview with David Halbfinger of The New York Times, the director and co-writer, Christopher Nolan said, “As we looked through the comics, there was this fascinating idea that Batman’s presence in Gotham actually attracts criminals to Gotham, [it] attracts lunacy. When you’re dealing with questionable notions like people taking the law into their own hands, you have to really ask, where does that lead?” This leads to the Joker.

“I love that dynamic between The Joker and Batman,” says Christian Bale (Batman) in an interview with SuperHeroHype.com, “He completes him in a sense that he finally has a really worthy challenge, a worthy opponent that challenges him in a way that nobody else ever has.”

Originally portrayed by Cesar Romero in 1966, the role of the Joker was then passed on to Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989). In July 2006, Heath Ledger was confirmed to play the Joker in The Dark Knight. To prepare for the role, he spent a month living in an apartment in London where he developed the character. Eventually, he settled on an anarchic interpretation that fit the feel of Batman Begins. Even though Heath Ledger’s iconic voice and laugh for the Joker are excellent, the most impressive aspect of the performance is that in every scene, the Joker’s body language and small nuances in his face tell you more about his character than any amount of dialogue can. The most frightening aspect of the character is that all he cares about is “seeing the world burn.” He couldn’t care less about money or power. Most criminals want something, so they can be negotiated with, however, the Joker cannot be dissuaded. After filming concluded, Heath Ledger tragically died from a prescription drug overdose on January 22, 2008.

“The Joker, he sort of cuts through the film – he’s got no story arc, he’s just a force of nature tearing through,” says Christopher Nolan, in an interview with The LA Times, “Harvey Dent is a tragic figure, and his story is the backbone of this film.”

In The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, has recently been elected District Attorney and is starting to crack down on crime in Gotham. Dubbed “The White Knight,” he contrasts with Batman, because while Batman, “The Dark Knight,” fights crime by his own rules, Dent attempts to fight crime through the court system. Dent’s presence causes Batman to question his motives and ask himself whether or not he should be fighting crime in this way. However, what makes Dent a centerpiece of the film is what he does in response to the Joker, not the affect he has on Batman.

The Dark Knight is definitely the best film of the summer, not only because it is a great superhero movie, but also because it is a very complex morality tale. We eagerly anticipate what is next for the record-shattering “Dark Knight.” Is there a posthumous Oscar in store for Heath Ledger? What conflicts and villains await our hero? Can Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film surpass the first two? Only time will reveal all… and eager fans will certainly be in line.

The Best Summer Movies You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

(This is an article I wrote earlier in the year for another publication. I have estimated a date and added it here late so please excuse any time discrepancies.)

In addition to the box office hits featured above, this summer featured some excellent “indies,” films not funded by the Hollywood studio system, which weren’t as widely viewed. Among my personal favorites were Encounters at the End of the World and Son of Rambow.

Encounters At the End of the World:
On June 11, Encounters at the End of the World opened in select theaters. It was directed by Werner Herzog (Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, Grizzly Man), who was inspired to travel to Antarctica after seeing footage from beneath the ice taken by his friend, a diver in Antarctica. After joining the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, he and his cameraman were flown to Antarctica. The movie consists of Herzog’s narration, interviews, and breathtaking cinematography of Antarctica.

“Encounters” is an unusual documentary because it has very little plot to tie it together. It’s amazing how a skilled director such as Herzog can skillfully pull together interviews from a variety of people and still get his message across to his audience. Among the interviewees are a philosopher/fork-lift driver, a linguist on a continent with no languages, and a reclusive scientist studying penguins. In addition to the amazing images of the continent and interviews with the people that live and work there, Herzog’s comments are intriguing. I would highly suggest that you see this movie on DVD November 18.

Son of Rambow:

On May 2, Iron Man debuted to kick off the summer movie season. What you probably don’t know is that, on the same day, Son of Rambow, an indie-comedy written and directed by Garth Jennings (The Hitchiker’s Guide To the Galaxy), also opened in limited release. The movie focuses on two boys, Will, whose parents don’t allow him to watch TV or movies, and Lee, the school bully. They are inspired by Rambo: First Blood, and decide to make a movie. As word of their movie gets out, more and more kids want to help, and eventually their project gets out of hand.

Son of Rambow is a heartwarming tale about friendship and how two very different friends can help each other, despite disagreements. It is currently available on DVD.

 

While this summer was full of big-budget, box office hits, there was also a fantastic selection of films that, unfortunately, missed their proper respect at the ceneplex. In addition to “Encounters” and “Rambow”, check out these other indie films of note: American Teen, Baghead, The Promotion, and Mongol.

Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

 

• Directed by Dave Filoni
• Written by Henry Gilroy
• Starring:
  • Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
  • James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
  • Tom Kane as Yoda
• Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

 

Let me start by saying that I am a huge Star Wars fan and have been for a long time. I went into the theater very nervous. I had heard negative things about the movie and I was worried that the continuity between episodes II and III. Also, (1) Anakin having a padawan, and (2) Jabba the Hutt’s son scared me. There was a lot of potential for The Clone Wars to be a very disappointing movie, especially after the wonderful Clone Wars cartoon by Genndy Tartakovsky.

Once the title card appeared and retreated into the distance, I was relieved. Star Wars was back. How could I be disappointed? I loved the intro (even though there was not the familiar crawl) because it was very reminiscent of the old action serials that Star Wars and Indiana Jones were both inspired by. Basically, we were told: “Jabba the Hutt’s son has been kidnapped and needs to be rescued so that the Republic can be allowed to use Jabba’s hyperspace lanes.” and we’re thrown into the action. As the movie rolled on, I enjoyed it. The action was essentially non-stop and I loved the visual style. The characters were very well designed and I liked how it wasn’t too “real” looking. The filmmakers could have decided to make the animation look almost as good as live-action, but what would be the point? We accept the fact that it’s a cartoon and I think that the story only works with animation, and would have failed were it live-action. I liked the overall style of the movie and I thought the character design was excellent.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I found myself cringing at some of the acting and writing. At some points you could tell that it was just actors reading lines. It didn’t feel natural when one character would say something and a split-second later the other character knew exactly how to react. Some lines were cheesy, but it is Star Wars, so you can’t complain. Overall, the story felt like a stretched TV show (which is basically what it was). With a feature, there was so much potential for an epic, galaxy-spanning story, but instead the writers chose to elongate a mediocre episode idea into a movie, which was disappointing. More character development and backstory that we haven’t heard before would have been great, but I can’t gripe too much about the story because the movie and subsequent TV show are obviously geared towards a new generation of Star Wars fans. (not that that should stop you from enjoying either) Also, you should remember that the promised TV series between episodes III and IV (which should debut “later this decade”) will probably be darker and, hopefully, geared toward an older audience.

In my opinion, the best part of the movie was the cinematography and lighting. My favorite shot is when the camera is running behind the clones in the opening battle. Another great scene is when Anakin, Ahsoka, and R2 are walking through the desert. The twin suns in the sky created some very interesting silhouettes and made for some breathtaking shots. The lightsaber duels were just as good as in the live-action movies. The use of color in the movie was very well done, especially when Anakin is riding in the Republic gunship. The only thing that annoyed me slightly was that almost every shot in the movie was canted (not level with the ground). While this provided some interesting perspectives, I felt that it was used too much, detracting from it’s affect.

Now, back to my two concerns before-hand. I thought that Anakin’s padawan was handled semi-well. She was slightly annoying and I’m not sure how they will get rid of her, especially in a kid’s show. (She’s never mentioned in Episode III and Yoda and Mace Windu won’t make Anakin a Jedi Master because he has never trained a padawan, so something must happen.) All I’m going to say about Jabba the Hutt’s son is that it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Another thing I didn’t like was that everyone had a nickname for absolutely everything. For example, I hated when Ahsoka called R2-D2 “R-2eey.” There’s no reason for it! I mean, count the syllables: R2-D2 (4), R2 (2), R-2eey (3). It’s just a failed attempt to show that the characters are good friends, but we already know them, so it’s pointless to make up stupid nicknames.

While The Clone Wars has it’s faults, all-in-all I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great introduction to the TV series, which I think will be much more satisfying than the movie because the simple stories will work better as individual episodes instead of a stretched movie. I still would reccomend that you see it in the theater, though, just to experience the magic of Star Wars on the big screen once again.