Thursday, September 30, 2010

Latino Film Festival for Kids

The Association of Peruvian American Professionals, in coordination with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, is presenting the "Greater Hartford Children's Latino Film Festival" on Saturday.

The fest, made up of shorts, animated films and documentaries, will be at the museum, 600 Main St. in Hartford. All the films are in Spanish (one is in Portuguese) with subtitles, and admission is free for children. (Adults pay $5.) Part 1 of the festival, geared toward kids ages 9 to 12, begins at 11 a.m. and includes these films.

"Meditation: Then and Now," an animated short. "Chewing Gum," a Peruvian short about two street kids who meet a lost American tourist and fight over whether to help her. "Journey To Mars" (pictured), an animated Argentinian short about Antonio, a boy from the '60s, whose grandfather offers to take him to Mars. "If Eyes Can't See," a Mexican short about a blind boy abandoned by his mother, who makes friends with a bitter old man. "Scarecrow Girl," a Brazilian short about a girl who insists on going to school, even though girls aren't allowed.

"Creole Fish," a Venezuelan short about an old tradition banning women from fishing boats, and a little girl determined to fish anyway. That session will be followed by face painting, a hip-hop dance workshop, a personal empowerment seminar and a performance by the Aztec Dancers.

Part 2, geared toward kids ages 13 to 16, begins at 2 p.m., and includes these films:

"Meditation: Then and Now," an animated short. "The Nut," a short from Spain and Mexico about a little girl, a nut and a disenchanted grown woman. "Milagros," a story, made in New Mexico, about a boy who wants to play the ceremonial role of La Virgen, which usually goes to girls. That lineup will be followed by performances by Somos Peru Andean Folkloric Dance and the Zulu Bratz Breakdancers, and another empowerment workshop.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Movie Review: Despicable Me

The true measure of a kids' movie's success surely has to be its ability to also be enjoyed by adults. Otherwise, who is going to take the kids to see it. Despicable Me, the latest toon to hit movie screens in 3D, is one of those wonders that manages to get the kids laughing at fart jokes and the adults at the more high-brow humour.

The storyline follows Gru, a villain voiced by Steve Carell, who has found himself playing second fiddle to the new baddy on the scene, Vector (Jason Segel).

Vector has become the most wicked person on the planet having stolen one of the Giza pyramids. So Gru, his mad scientist sidekick (Russell Brand) and an army of "minions" - the ridiculously cute tic-tac shaped yellow creatures - get to work on stealing the moon.

The evil mission is only possible though with the shrink ray (how else are they going to make the moon small enough to hide in Gru's pocket) but Vector has it.

Hitting up the local orphanage for the help of three little girls soon sees Despicable Me take on a Grinch-like storyline with Gru's heart softening with each cutesy comment from his new daughters.

Kids aren't left short of any silly moments to get them giggling but adults may wonder if they're the real target audience when Gru seeks a loan from the "Bank of Evil - formerly known as Lehmann Brothers".

The storyline may be predictable, but try not cooing as Gru, the man who at the start of the movie popped a child's animal balloon, reads a puppet book to his "kittens".

Don't wait for this one to come out on DVD, the 3D effects are too good and used to their maximum ability with a rollercoaster scene putting the viewer right in the movie.
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Harry Potter movies influence kids’ perceptions

Harry Potter movies influence kids’ perceptionsWith only 54 days for yet another Harry Potter movie to hit theatres, the popularity of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series of children’s books and movies is a phenomenon unlike any other. While the books are valued for their ability to entertain and engage readers, the series has the potential to greatly influence children’s perceptions.

The series has contributed to promote appropriate social behavior in children with behavioral and emotional problems. It also influences children by allowing them to learn about people whose lives and experiences differ from their own.

It has been instrumental in the development of children’s conceptualisation of how they fit into and relate to society. “A series like Harry Potter gives children a scope to imagine and enhances creativity. One crucial subplot in the Harry Potter series is how Harry and friends are sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which relates to children being sent to boarding schools to learn the art of adjustment and co-operation which is not bad at all,” says Kavitha Nambiar, a mother.

“The book and the characters have a great impact on the youth. It’s easier for the kids to imbibe positive traits from the movie or book series as they relate to the characters and form an opinion of their own about the values of life,” she adds.

Since the release of the Harry Potter movie series children have developed interest towards reading. “The visual representation of the book series has appealed to youngsters as they read more to know what happens next and before you know their imagination comes to life in the movie series,” she says. “The Harry Potter books or movies open up children to adventure which is much better than playing games on play stations,” she adds.

Nikita Mishra, a 14-year-old die-hard fan of Harry who is eagerly awaiting the release of the next Potter movie, says that her world revolves around the fictional story. “I have not missed reading a single book of the Harry Potter series and neither have I missed any of the movies. I wish there were universities teaching witchcraft as it seems interesting and I would be the first one to apply,” says Nikita.

According to Anjana Ramanath a mother of an 11-year-old, children are highly influenced by series like these as it renders a different understanding and things like magic appeal to children.
“Movies have an impact on children and when they are a remake of a book the ideas segregate within young minds as they see the fictional characters coming to live and renders a better understanding,” says Anjana.
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Monday, September 27, 2010

Legend of the Guardians ultimately fails

It seems that everything How to Train Your Dragon and this summer’s Toy Story 3 did splendidly, Legend of the Guardians was able to screw up. The trailer was amazing. Absolutely amazing with pie and more pie on top. I would go so far as to name it a work of art. In fact, I recommend watching this thirty times on a loop instead of going to see the movie. Unfortunately, it also portrayed the movie’s desperately hopeful panacea: the graphics. Soaring majestically through rainstorms, carrying blazing fireballs across rough terrain, and generally being really adorable, the graphics astounded me. I knew they were going to be good, having seen the most striking images in the trailer multiple times both in theatres and on my home computer. They continued to impress scene after scene, rippling with profound and surprising detail.

Regrettably, much of the detail in the graphics came out of wild inaccuracies that were apparently thrown together out of a poorly written plot synopsis. I’m quite sure no one involved in the production of this film bothered to glance at any part of the popular book series aside from maybe some character descriptions.

Maybe I’m being unfair; maybe I went about this the wrong way. In general, it is a filmmaker’s dilemma when adapting a book for the screen; it is impossible to please everyone and get the details exactly right. Really, it could be my fault I read the first three books in the series a little too close to the movie release. However, I don’t remember the Harry Potter folks deciding hmm, maybe Harry being the only one Voldemort couldn’t kill is a little dull, maybe we should muck around in there. Ah, I know, Voldemort should instead have had fisticuffs with his parents and James is still alive, willing, and able to kick some ass.

That sounds ridiculous. The story was fine, what would be the reason to change it so drastically, and at the same time affect the rest of the storyline in all of the movies so it is markedly different from the books? That’s exactly my question for these fine filmmakers. Why change it so much? As a result of the drastic plot-altering changes, the movie turned into one huge blood clot of clichés. Oh, can’t think of dialogue for this scene? Let’s recycle a cliché! Not sure what to have the parents talk about to establish their love for their children? A CLICHÉ! WOO!

The book series, Guardians of Ga’Hoole, is a fantastic children’s adventure tale by Kathyrn Lasky. She chose to write about owls because she had been planning to write a children’s non-fiction book about them. She had compiled a lot of research about different species and behavior and this really shows in the series; the characters are developed through their species characteristics and interact with each other accordingly. I wouldn’t say the series is without cliché; after all, it does have a fourth-grade reading level, but the overarching storyline is absolutely powerful.

Some of the changes made for the movie utterly usurped this power, transforming the sturdy storyline into a weak, one-dimensional, and, above all, predictable romp through an uninspiring field of poppies. What bothered me the most were the ratios: nearly the first half of the movie was told in startling plot jumps and the makers failing to develop characters in the smallest sense.

The only thing we know about Soren is that he is a “dreamer” who wants to be a guardian of Ga’Hoole even though no one else seems to think they exist. In the books, his journey through an awful orphanage and search for the guardians takes a whole book to play out. In the movie it takes about ten minutes, and they got it all wrong anyhow. This sort of ten minutes here, ten minutes there continued for a while, but only served to confuse and rush the audience into the “exciting part.”

Imagine all three Lord of the Rings movies condensed into one hour-and-a-half-long “kids” movie. That is exactly how this felt. Perhaps making three books into one movie was just too much. But they’re small, and 2004’s Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events managed to do just fine.

Getting away from comparisons with the book series, the movie evaluated on its own still does not wow. I can see a narrow audience finding this movie great, like 10- 12-year-olds, but anyone outside of that age bracket will either be overwhelmed by the violence and strong imagery or bored to sleep by the banality of the plot.

Zack Snyder, the director, previously helmed Watchmen and 300. I think maybe he forgot that this needed to be more kid-friendly with some semblance of interest for other age groups. Maybe he got mixed up: plot must be kid-friendly and rest of movie must be 300!

Anyway, this movie could have been great if the director had chewed off a little less of the story to make into a movie and perhaps followed the great, moving tale outlined in the books even a little bit. Instead, all that came out was a clichéd, confusing jumble mixed in with attempted fratricide and bloody owl combat. If that sounds like your kind of movie, well, more power to you.
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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Movie Review: You Again (2010)

You AgainYou Again opens at Ridgefield High School, circa 2002. Marni (Kristen Bell) is the school dork that gets picked on by most pf the student body especially J.J. (Odette Yustman), a popular cheerleader that seems to derive a sadistic pleasure out of tormenting the nerdy girl.

Fast forward to present day where Marni is doing very well in her public relations career. Her braces are gone, her acne is cleared up and she no longer rocks $8 dollar haircuts. Marni is on her way back home to attend the wedding of her brother, Will (James Wolk). According to Marni’s mother, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), Will is marrying a girl named Joanna. When Gail tells Marni that Joanna attended the same high school the same year as Marni and Will, Marni wracks her brain to figure out who Joanna is. It turns out that Joanna is actually Marni’s collegiate tormentor, J.J. Now Marni struggles with the decision to either let the past remain in the past or take this juicy opportunity to get revenge on the girl that made her high school years into high school hell.

To make matters worse (well, worse for them but hilarious for us) it turns out Joanna’s Aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) and Marni and Will’s mom, Gail, have some unsettled high school rivalry of their own to deal with. It’s a double feature grudge match as Marni and Gail square off against Joanna and Ramona.

Also featuring Betty White as Marni’s grandmother, “Bunny”.

For me, You Again had so much going for it. Okay, for starters, the cast is sensational. Veteran pros Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Betty White, and Victor Garber give the film an unshakeable foundation with flawless comic timing and endearing characterizations. The “new kids” like Kristen Bell and Odette Yustman are just as attractive and witty as their senior peers. And as good as the principle cast was I would actually award the “Stand-Out Performance” honor to Kyle Bornheimer who plays Joanna’s former beau, “Tim”. Mr. Bornheimer’s emotionally unstable and slightly obsessed ex-boyfriend is a true scene stealer.

One major cast tidbit I must divulge is that there are notable appearances from Reginald VelJohnson, Patrick Duffy and Christine Lakin. ABC’s TGIF (Thank God It’s Funny) fans should remember that Mr. VelJohnson played the patriarch, “Carl Winslow”, on Family Matters (aka The Steve Urkel Show, lol. Ran from 1989 to 1997 on ABC and 1997 to 1998 on CBS). Mr. Duffy played the patriarch, “Frank Lambert”, on another TGIF series called Step By Step (ran from 1991 to 1997 on ABC, 1997 to 1998 on CBS) that was created by the same guys who made Family Matters. Ms. Lakin played Frank’s tomboy daughter, “Al”. According to IMDB (Internet Movie Database) Staci Keanan is also in You Again somewhere though I’m sorry to say that if she was I didn’t recognize her. Ms. Keanan played Frank’s eldest daughter by marriage, “Dana”, on Step By Step. Forgive my gushing on this but I used to watch both of those shows regularly so to see past cast members in a feature film and in the same cast was a big thrill for me. Plus, there’s also a quick cameo from someone that looks very much like Catherine Bach (“Daisy Duke” from Dukes Of Hazzard
).Yet another familiar face makes a surprise entrance but all I can tell you is that Grandma Bunny isn’t completely immune to the high school reunion bug her family has been smacked with.

The story is a relatable theme about how our pasts can determine our futures. Though, in the case of You Again it’s more about how a person’s past can come back to bite him/her on the butt.

The film obviously has Marni as the sympathetic character that clearly deserves justice and our encouragement to stare Joanna down until the evil cheerleader begs for forgiveness. However, when we meet present day Joanna she seems to be a completely changed female. The self-absorbed “mean girl” is now a nurse, a volunteer at a homeless shelter and an operator at a suicide hotline. Marni’s vengeance plot is then complicated by the genuine possibility that the bully may have learned the error of her ways and transformed into a compassionate human being. I loved the tension between Marni and the new and improved Joanna because it’s Marni thinking this girl is too good to be true. I was wondering along with Marni if and when the real Joanna would suddenly jump from the bushes and shove Marni’s face into the nearest toilet.

The other fight on the card has Gail and Ramona dealing with their unsettled history. The true story of their grudge isn’t revealed until later in the film but it’s fun to guess who was the tormentor and who was the “tormentee” and what was the terrible incident that split the bond between these former BFFs?

What’s most important about You Again is that it made me laugh, it made my friend laugh and it made the rest of the audience laugh. You Again was a highly enjoyable comedy with some outrageous moments that would’ve had me rolling on the floor if I wasn’t at a public theater. Nothing against the spectacular ushers that do their best to keep the cineplex clean but ain’t no way I’m going to be laying on a movie theater floor. I know what’s down there. Heck, I put some of it down there. Anyway, I thought You Again was a chuckle and a half. The best parts, of course, are the showdowns between the warring women. One of the wildest scenes takes place during a dance rehearsal for the wedding. Marni and Joanna get jiggy with it while Gail and Ramona try to out-Mambo each other. This culminates in Gail trying to recreate that iconic flying lift from Dirty Dancing (1987) with disastrous yet amusing results.

I can’t say that You Again is completely original. There are some scenes in the film that seem “inspired” by past like-minded comedies. But I liked the concept of feuding former high school students with axes to grind and I liked that there are two different kinds of past skeletons that are put on display. There’s the catty match between the nerdy Marni and the beauty queen Joanna. And then there’s the alternate situation between Gail and Ramona; two former best friends that will try to make up for the sake of the kids but it won’t be as simple as a hug and handshake.

You Again is also quite family friendly family. Amazingly, the "B" word was never uttered though I could sense the ladies just straining to use any other derrogatory term but that one. If I had one complaint it would be that there wasn't enough of Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver. By themselves it was cool but when they were together it is heavenly magic. It guess it would be equivalent to Bono and Bruce Springsteen doing a tour together. "Ripley" and "Laurie Strode" in the same movie together? Fantabulous!

But again, I say, the important thing about a comedy is that it makes me laugh and, doggone it, You Again did what was advertised so I feel that my money was well spent on this picture. Definitely one of those films you want to see with your chums so you can all spray Pepsi out of your nostrils together.

Rhymes With: Easy A (2010), The Proposal (2009), Step Brothers (2008), Julie & Julia (2009), Bringing Down The House (2003), 13 Going On 30 (2004), Death Becomes Her (1992), Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion (1997)
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Friday, September 24, 2010

Legend of the Guardians: Great fare for kids and adults

Legend of the GuardiansLegend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’ Hoole features characters named Ezylryb and Gylfie – who live in the Kingdom of Ga’Hoole, when not stretching their wings across the Sea of Hoolamer. Reading this, anyone who finds the geography lessons necessitated by fantasy an unnecessary chore will likely flee to Another Page.

Don’t. The new 3-D animated film from filmmaker Zach Snyder (Watchman, 300) is a splendid adventure sure to thrill children and fantasy buffs, while leaving everyone else passably entertained.

Legend of the Guardians opens with an owl surfing a fierce wind. The computer animation is vivid; the depiction of the sleek, soaring barn owl, intricately detailed. So far so good. Then we get into the owl’s tree house (in the Forest Kingdom of Tyto) and family time: Dad telling a bedtime story to three moon-faced owlets while mom fusses about.

Oh Lord, fantasy agnostics will shudder – two hours of owls talking in BBC accents.

Don’t worry. A minute or so later, two owls – Soren and Kludd – fall from high up in the Great Ga’Hoole Tree. A snarling wolf approaches, about to strike. But the young owls are snatched away by recruiters from the St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. The rescuers are meaner than the wolf, however – vicious birds who speak with garish Cockney accents, as if they’re auditioning for a Guy Ritchie movie.

St. Aggie’s is a factory for raising a fascist air force, it turns out. Helen Mirren’s purring seductress, Nyra, runs the place. She wants to conquer and rule the owl kingdom. Kludd is a ready disciple, while brother Soren, our hero, dreams of joining the Guardians of Ga’ Hoole and saving the day, defeating the self-proclaimed Pure Ones.

What ensues is top-notch Saturday-matinee-for-kids fare. Nothing too complicated: good versus evil, brother against brother, lots of fighting and stunts galore. And please pass the popcorn.

There are some sharp, funny bits. Geoffrey Rush gives voice to the aging Guardian hero, Ezylryb, a battered but game screech owl, as if he’s Winston Churchill rallying Britain against the Nazi menace. And to reach the Guardians, Soren (Jim Sturgess, star of Across the Universe) hooks up with a great grey owl, Twilight (Anthony LaPaglia), who fancies himself a poet hero and bashes out unshapely folk songs on a lute.

Still, it’s the 3-D stunts that make Legend of the Guardians a stirring entertainment.

The good stuff kids will replay in their heads afterwards includes a harrowing flight through frozen rain and a climactic battle, a violently swirling aerial ballet, that will have wee ones ducking into their parents’ laps for cover. So if you feed your kids sticky candy, it’s probably best not to wear good trousers.

More good news (and speaking of movie matinees of yore): Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole is preceded by a Warner Bros. 3-D cartoon starring Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. The short is called Fur of Flying. Save your kids a lifetime of frustration and tell them right off there is no point cheering for the dog.
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Thursday, September 23, 2010

A Legend of the Guardians director Zack Snyder had a hoot making A Ga'Hoole' film

Why would Zack Snyder, the director behind such clearly adult movies as "300" and "Dawn of the Dead," want to make a PG-rated movie about a community of owls based on a popular children's book series?

You might think that the father of five wanted to have a project that he could share with his kids. But you'd be wrong. "I saw a painting in the offices of Animal Logic [an animation company] and it had these owls in armor, with battling claws. I said, 'That is so cool. What is that for?' " Turns out Animal Logic was trying to get a movie made of Kathryn Lasky's "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" series.

Snyder was hooked. "I made this movie for myself. Maybe there's just too much of the kid in me," he said.

Three years after seeing that painting, Snyder is getting ready for the world to see his film. "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" opens in theaters Friday and is based on the first three books in Lasky's series.

The movie tells the story of Soren, a young barn owl who is kidnapped by an evil band of owls who brainwash captured animals to wage war against Ga'Hoole's wise, peaceful owls.

The books feature fight scenes and themes of war and family betrayal. "We actually had to tone down [some of the violence in the books] to make the movie," Snyder says.

The director was not familiar with the books when he started the project and admits he didn't know much about owls either. But he has learned a lot since then. In a scene early in the movie, an owl snaps up a mouse. "It was important to show that owls are predators, to let kids know that early." He also adds with delight that Lasky has seen the movie and is more than pleased with how her characters and world have been transformed on film. "She thought it was amazing; she was out of her mind -- and she hadn't even seen the final version," Snyder says with a laugh.

But the real audience is kids, and Snyder hopes that the 3-D world of Ga'Hoole will "seem like another planet" to them.

To get the fight scenes involving the owls just right, Snyder brought in stunt actors and had them put on cardboard wings and pretend to be owls battling. "They felt pretty dorky, but it really worked," he said.

What do his kids think of the movie? His 13-year-old son (Snyder's kids range in age from 10 to 17) "tries to be too cool for an owl movie," but while he was watching a scene in which Soren flies through a blinding storm while being pelted with rain, Snyder says, his son said, "Dad, that is inspiring."

That's just what Snyder was going for. "I wanted to make a movie with childlike qualities but one that wasn't childish."
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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

MOVIE REVIEW: The Town

The Town" is an intense, riveting bank heist film with an excellent cast and a meaty plot. While the story is familiar - four men robbing a bank - this movie stands above other films in its genre.

Ben Affleck stars as Doug McRay, one of the robbers, but he also directed this fine film. Like in his directing debut "Gone Baby Gone," Affleck has set this film in his native Boston. His understanding of the city and its diverse population really comes through when watching the films he has directed.

The movie begins with our four robbers quickly and deftly taking over a bank. They wind up taking a hostage, a bank manager named Claire. Claire is released unharmed but quite shaken. However, Claire saw more of one of the robbers than she told FBI agents because she is fearful of her safety.

McRay decides to set up a chance meeting with Claire, talk to her, and find out what she knows about the identity of the men involved in the heist. While this was supposed to be a quick interview to learn what Claire might know, they quickly develop a good relationship. There is a great scene early in the movie where he apologies for her feeling uneasy, and she innocently replies, "It's not your fault.

Of course, as with all heist movies, Doug wants out of the bank-robbing game, but he's forced to stay in for one more payday, against his better judgment. This cliché hampers bank caper films, but it worked here.

Claire is played by Rebecca Hall, a fairly new and unknown face in Hollywood. Hall had an impressive standout performance in the 2008 Woody Allen film, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Beyond that movie, she hasn't been seen in a lot of other films.

Jeremy Renner, who earned an Academy Award nomination for last year's "The Hurt Locker," is one of the four robbers, and he brings an intensity to his role that shows he was deserving of that Oscar nomination. Also in the cast is an FBI agent played by Jon Hamm (TV's "Mad Men"), and he is a great foil for our villainous main characters. Academy Award winning actor Chris Cooper (he won for "Adaptation") has a small-but-vital turn as Affleck's father.

Average movie-goers have beaten up Affleck for so long for some of his bad movies that they forget he's had some decent roles too, from "Chasing Amy" to "Hollywoodland" to the Academy Award-winning "Shakespeare In Love." While many critics disliked "Daredevil" and bashed Affleck for the film, I think it is one of the better comic book adaptations - and there have been several! -- in the past decade. As a director, Affleck has proven again that he knows what he's doing.

Boston has been the setting of other huge crime dramas in recent years, from the Academy-Award nominated "Mystic River" to the Academy-Award winning "The Departed." This film falls just a step short of those two excellent films, but it deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence.

Shot on a $37 million budget, "The Town" grossed $26 million in its opening weekend, and with the great reviews it's received, it will be profitable in another week. Top critics at www.rottentomatoes.com gave it an impressive 91 percent approval rating. Average movie-goers were equally impressed, with a whopping 67 percent of viewers giving it an ‘A' grade, and another 22 percent giving it a ‘B' grade,I've given out very few 'A' grades this year, but this film is deserving.
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Friday, September 17, 2010

Capsule movie reviews

In the animated kiddie movie "Alpha and Omega," sometimes the wolves look like wolves and sometimes they look and move like humans; some bear an uncanny resemblance to Dora the Explorer. That in itself should tip you off to the target audience for this unexceptional 3-D offering, which is also available in 2-D for those looking to avoid paying a ticket surcharge for low-budget animation. But the movie's visual flatness would work best at home on the small screen, where young girls (and maybe their big sisters) would enjoy the film's gentle, romantic shadings.

"Alpha and Omega" tells the story of the emerging love between Humphrey (voiced by Justin Long), a goofball omega wolf, and Kate (Hayden Panettiere), the foxy alpha wolf that he's been crushing on since he was a pup. Alphas and omegas can't marry, though, and, besides, Kate has been promised to an alpha wolf from another pack in order to settle a turf war.

A golfing goose (Larry Miller) and his British caddy (Eric Price) add a little humor, and the late Dennis Hopper turns up, voicing the menacing leader of the rival pack. But the story comes off as patchwork, with a climax cribbed from "The Lion King" and odd musical sequences that seem inspired by … ahem, classic Mariah Carey. It's not quite the vision of love intended.

Get breaking entertainment news, delivered to your mobile phone. Text ENTERTAIN to 52669.

—Glenn Whipp

"Alpha and Omega." MPAA rating: PG for rude humor and some mild action. Running time: 1 hour, 27 minutes. In general release.

For those whose knowledge of the Korean War doesn't extend beyond what they learned watching repeats of "MASH," the new documentary "Chosin" will be an eye-opener. Though it's a bit short on context and detail, the movie boasts a host of riveting interviews with the men caught behind enemy lines in the brutal winter battle at North Korea's Chosin Reservoir.

The men, most of whom have never shared their stories before, recall the 17 days in 1950 when 15,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines were surprised and surrounded by Chinese troops. The losses were terrible and the temperatures reached 40 below, conditions that produced scenes as cruelly surreal as any you could possibly imagine.

First-time director Brian Iglesias and his co-writer and co-producer Anton Sattler, both combat-decorated Marines and Iraq War vets, possess an obvious empathy with their subjects and a perspective on the horrors they faced. The interviewed vets seem gratified that someone is taking an interest in their efforts during this pivotal battle.

Left unanswered: Why has no one asked them to share their memories before?

—Glenn Whipp

"Chosin." Unrated. Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes. At Laemmle's Sunset 5, West Hollywood.

"Heaven's Rain" is a delicate, frequently profound drama based on the 1979 home invasion murders of an Oklahoma minister and his wife, whose two children were brutally shot and terrorized in the process. Unfortunately, the resulting film needed a more objective eye and, frankly, a grittier take than the victims' son — producer, co-writer (with Paul Brown) and costar Brooks Douglass — was able to provide.

Hampered by Brown's pedestrian direction, the film turns cloying and heavy-handed, particularly during its excessive, overly beatific flashbacks to Douglass' idyllic youth. Furthermore, its faith-oriented themes, although pivotal, are often writ so large they tend to encroach instead of enlighten. Really, how many beauty shots of the heavens do we need?

Mike Vogel, a sharp, appealing young actor ("She's Out of My League," TV's "Miami Medical"), plays Brooks Douglass circa 1993 as the then-freshman senator and his still-shattered sister, Leslie (Taryn Manning), hit an emotional crossroads just before the state execution of one of their family's attackers.

Vogel and Manning ("Hustle & Flow") rise above the exposition-heavy material, even if Vogel is less effective in flashbacks as the teen Douglass. But the rest of the otherwise low-wattage cast, which includes Brooks Douglass, playing his saintly father, and Erin Chambers as an unconvincing newbie journalist, is uniformly bland.

Nice use of the Who's "Love, Reign o'er Me," though.

—Gary Goldstein

"Heaven's Rain." MPAA Rating: R for disturbing content. Running time: 1 hour, 46 minutes. At Laemmle's Fallbrook 7, West Hills.

In "Hideaway" ("Le Refuge"), one of François Ozon's finest films, a young couple, Mousse (Isabelle Carré) and Louis (Melvil Poupaud), seem to have everything — great looks, money, passion, an upscale Paris apartment — and a powerful addiction to heroin. One night their dealer apparently cuts their drugs with valium, leaving Louis dead and Mousse in a coma.This decidedly downbeat prologue, however, deftly gives way to a seductively beautiful and subtle film revealing the power of a flowering friendship between Mousse and Louis' gay brother, Paul (singer Louis-Ronan Choisy in his film debut). After learning that she is pregnant and embarking on a methadone program, Mousse takes refuge in a former lover's spacious beach house in a secluded, woodsy setting. Not long after she settles in, Paul drops by for a visit on his way to Spain. He lingers, and the two people try to help one another find direction in their lives.

The bond that grows between them sustains Mousse's brief flash of jealousy over Paul's affair with a man he meets on the beach; Paul in turn is drawn to Mousse's maternity in her blossoming pregnancy. (Ozon and Mathieu Hippeau wrote the script to incorporate Carré's actual pregnancy.)

"Hideaway" is a spellbinding film, and Ozon, who is perhaps best known for the much darker "Under the Sand" and "Swimming Pool," both starring Charlotte Rampling, continues to be an inspiring director of actors.
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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

There are just enough effects-driven laughs but a bit too much talky dead space in this not-at-all-anticipated sequel to the tepid, poorly animated 2001 film.

In the buddy movie tradition, two rival agents must work together to bring down a villain. Secret K9 agent Diggs (voiced by James Marsden from Enchanted) reluctantly hooks up with feline agent Catherine (Christina Applegate) to outsmart and out-claw the evil, hairless Pussy Galore (Bette Midler).
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Under the Mountain' Is One Of Those Movies You Won't Mind Watching With Your Kids

More kids movies need to be like Under the Mountain. It’s inventive, action-packed, and, at times, downright scary. There are adventures, monsters, danger, and humor. It stands head and shoulders above many movies in the genre that have none of the things kids actually want, and it doesn’t insult their intelligence, which is a novel concept. Under the Mountain gets extra points for being directed by Jonathan King, who is responsible for New Zealand’s zombie sheep extravaganza Black Sheep.

Rachel and Theo (played by newcomers Sophie McBride and Tom Cameron) are happy-go-lucky twins who share an uncommon psychic bond. They are closer than close, but that changes when their mother dies in an accident. Theo backs away from his sister, unable to face his grief. Their father has a breakdown and ships the pair off to stay with their aunt and uncle in Auckland, a city ringed by seven dormant volcanoes. King makes full use of the unique physical attributes of the city, introducing it largely with sweeping aerial shots that capture the breathtaking beauty of the place.

Things are not as idyllic as they appear on the surface. The creepy neighbors, the Wilberforces, are actually shape shifting otherworldly creatures determined to take over the planet with their army of giant monsters, the Gargantua. Only Rachel and Theo have the power to stop them. With the help of grizzled neighborhood weirdo, Mr. Jones (Sam Neill), who likes to hang out in the park and play with fire, and cousin Ricky (Leon Wadham), who is more interested in losing his virginity than helping his relatives, they set out to fulfill their destiny and save the world.

Under the Mountain follows in the footsteps of movies like Goonies and Monster Squad. It lets the kids be the heroes, which is what kids really want to see. They get to have the adventures. The fate of the world lies in their hands. Grown ups only stand in their way. Under the Mountain is one of those rare movies that doesn’t talk down to kids, where the adults don’t swoop in at the last moment and save the day, and it gives the target audience their due.

The story can be a little bleak, and the heroes are in actual danger. There are times when you’re not sure that everything is going to work out. They might fail, and everything might not be okay. In order to defeat the Wilberforces, Rachel and Theo will have to put aside their problems and work together, and there is a very real possibility that won’t happen.

In addition to being beautiful photographed, the creatures look great. Once again WETA Workshop (The Lord of the Rings, The Host, Black Sheep) delivers and shows that they are the current gold standard for movie monsters. Their creations are spooky and intricate, and they find the perfect balance between applications, puppets, and physical effects, and digital additions. They blend the two elements well, and it shows on screen.

Under the Mountain is based on a beloved New Zealand children’s book that both King and his co-writer Matthew Grainger have wanted to adapt into a movie for years. I’m not familiar with the book, but there are a few moments where it is obvious they had to gloss over some things that the novel delves into further. This doesn’t impact the story, the pace, or the enjoyment of the film, but if you look closely there are a few minor things taken for granted. King and Grainger talk about this in the commentary track that accompanies the DVD release. They wanted to capture the feel of the book, but didn’t want to force an audience of children to sit through a two and a half hour long movie, which is understandable.

The DVD also comes with 50-minute collection of video that is part making-of, and part behind-the-scenes. The stuff at WETA that captures the creation of the monsters is the most interesting, but there are some fun moments with Wadham, who spends most of the movie driving, learning how to drive a car for the first time.

The villains are frightening, the stakes are high, the danger is real, and so is the fun. Under the Mountain is well acted, beautifully shot, and achieves everything it sets out to do. It is one of those movies that you won’t mind watching with your kids.
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

End-of-Summer Grab Bag

I see a lot of movies—more than most people. So many, in fact, I hardly have time to review them all. I’m often asked, “Who picks the movie you have to review?” Many are surprised when I inform them that I have free editorial reign over what I choose to review weekly.

I try to review movies that will appeal to a broad audience of readers. In choosing them, it’s safe to say that sometimes they don’t inspire 1,000 words. Here are three of which fall into that category:

“The Karate Kid”

The original “Karate Kid” is a favorite of mine. It’s a great fish-out-of-water story about a kid who moves from New York to California, gets his ass kicked and has to learn karate not just to defend himself but to learn a valuable lesson about life and friendship. Sure, it was hokey, but Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi was excellent. And like the greatest films of the 1980s, it featured Zabka (if you have to ask, don’t bother) as the villainous Aryan who just had to be taken down a notch or two.

The remake does a nice job of taking the story and moving it to China. Ralph Maccio gets replaced with Jaden Smith (son of Will Smith) who travels east only to discover kids with cornrows get frowned upon. Soon, he’s getting the crap kicked out of him. Instead of Pat Morita, we get Jackie Chan. Most of his American films have him sputtering out broken English that is sometimes comedy, and often times barely removed from the days where Mickey Rooney would pop in some buck teeth and squint to portray “the Orientals.

I’ll say this much: Jackie Chan is an actor capable of greater depth than for which many give him credit. He has some wonderfully heartbreaking scenes, and he pretty much makes the movie watchable. As for the product of Will Smith’s sack, I am less-than enthusiastic. Sure, the kid is in shape—to an almost bizarre level. How many pre-pubescent kids look like they just completed day 89 of P90X?

I would imagine if I was 12, I would have loved this movie. As an adult, I am pretty indifferent. I was amused by its location in China. Would it have been any less successful if they would have called it “The Kung Fu Kid”? For a kid’s movie, it could have been a lot worse.

“The Last Airbender”
Speaking of a lot worse…

M Night Shyamalan, what the hell happened to you? You used to be this awesome filmmaker who knew how to create solid, well-paced thrillers. “The Sixth Sense” is a brilliant movie. “Unbreakable” and “Signs” may be uneven, but they are still excellent films. No, I didn’t care for “The Village” when I first saw it, but upon subsequent viewings, I found it more tolerable. For awhile it seemed like people were unfairly bashing Shyamalan. Turns out those people were right.

High holy hell! I can’t imagine a worse theatrical experience. Wait, I can: “Lady in the Water” and “The Happening.” Shyamalan has done a lot of creative “about face,” from “inspired genius” to “hack of the highest order,” in just over a decade. Maddening!

This big-screen adaptation of the Nickelodeon cartoon is visually stunning. But the characters who inhabit this magical world are so poorly written and directed that audiences won’t get into their story, nor care about their plight. The dialogue is so laughable, I don’t understand how the movie made it out of the editing bay. This is a career-ending moment caught in 3D.

“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

Unlike Shyamalan, the career of Nic Cage will not and cannot die. I’m a Nic Cage apologist. Though even I have limits. After seeing him play Big Daddy in the most excellent “Kick Ass,” it was only a matter of time before the inevitable “curse of Cage” took hold. It is scientifically impossible for Nic Cage to be in two good movies back to back. If he did, the world might crack in two.

I went into “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” assuming I was in for something miserable-to-mediocre. To be fair, it’s more mediocre than miserable. Co-star Jay Baruchel (“Tropic Thunder”) has been popping up a lot onscreen. This year alone he’s been in the romantic comedy “She’s Out of My League,” as well as voiced the lead character in the Dreamworks-animated film “How to Train Your Dragon.” He seems to be an actor who casting people love but audiences don’t. His squishy face is in a perpetual mug to the camera. He’s fine in supporting roles, but his life expectancy as a lead actor can be measured in nanoseconds—something I am now referring to as the “Michael Cera Syndrome.” I like Michael Cera, but like Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and, now, Jay Baruchel, there’s a saturation point. 2010 showed me that I’ve already had enough of Jay Baruchel. Even saying his name right now is making me wince.

Now with the summer movie season officially over, we can look back on a few cinematic tragedies (“Sex in the City 2,” I’m looking at you), some greats (“Scott Pilgrim,” “Inception”), a few good ones (“Iron Man 2,” “Predators,” “A Team”) and far more 3D than any one person should be forced to witness.

If I was grading the summer 2010 movie season, I’d give it a C+. Better than average but very little to celebrate.
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Monday, September 6, 2010

'Machete' review: Danny Trejo, Lindsay Lohan try to make Robert Rodriguez's imitation B-movie pop

Anyone with a soft spot for cheesy '70s actioners had to love the fake trailers included in "Grindhouse," the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez tongue-in-cheek double feature from three years ago. One, "Machete," seemed to have the makings of a real movie. So now we have a full-length "Machete" movie, and it turns out that, as usual, less is more.

This feature-length exploito-rific action-drama follows Machete (Danny Trejo), a tough Mexican federale whose family is slaughtered by an evil crime boss (a bloated Steven Seagal). Years later, Machete - his nickname comes from the giant blade he carries with him - is eking out an existence as an itinerant worker in Texas. An oily businessman (Jeff Fahey) in cahoots with a racist politician (Robert De Niro) hires Machete to be the patsy in an assassination attempt, but naturally, they're messing with the wrong man.

Meanwhile, Machete's friendship with a sexy federal agent (Jessica Alba) brings him into contact with a fiery female revolutionary (Michelle Rodriguez) working to form a movement to battle the politician's anti-illegal-immigrant stance. Then there's the businessman's daughter, a drugged-up mess played by Lindsay Lohan, who may or may not have read the script before her brief topless scene. However, for those eager to see LiLo in a nun's outfit blowing bad guys away, this is your movie.

It's a movie filled with girls, guns, splattering blood and cheesy dialogue, which would be great if it was as fun as the flicks it's aping.
Rodriguez, co-directing with Ethan Maniquis - an editor on some of Rodriquez's earlier films (including "Desperado," "From Dusk Till Dawn" and "Sin City") - wants "Machete" to be both a present-day thriller and a loopy throwback. But the retro shoutouts feel like add-ons. The best examples of wit are film-stock scratches and glitches that occur right at the moment a head or hand gets sliced off.

As for those whose heads stay on - at least for a while - Alba continues her evolution toward full-time tough chick, while Rodriguez, who's been there a while, wears an eyepatch and machine gun beautifully. De Niro does a mean Lyndon Johnson imitation, though Seagal, wearing Eddie Munster's hair, never rises above parody.

Trejo, an ex-con and ex-boxer with a face as craggy as Monument Valley, can certainly hold the plot together as an anti-hero. But pushing this real deal to "act" in the B-movie style of Bronson, Svenson or Roundtree is, frankly, cutting the ground out from under him.
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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Movie Goers Remember Tulsa's Admiral Twin Drive-In

Many lifelong memories have been made at Tulsa's historic Admiral Twin drive-in since it opened in 1951 as the Modern Aire. First dates, holiday celebrations, a way to show off a brand new car and much more took place at the landmark to leisure.

It became the Admiral Twin in 1952 when a second screen was added, and Oklahomans remember both the movies - and the fun - they had as the movies played.

Who can forget pulling the metal speakers into the windows of the car? Or walking through the rows of vehicles to get popcorn from the concession stand?

Whether you skipped the admission cost by hiding in the car trunk or paid admission at the gate, the Admiral Twin was a part of many lives.

Here are a few memories NewsOn6.com users have shared with us:

Tim Carroll: I remember seeing the complete "Planet Of The Apes" series there. Funny, every time I went it seems I was with my sister , she let me tag along on her dates. I'm sure her dates were thrilled.

Tulsan: "It's five days older than me. I snuck in from every place there was a place.
Watched Annette Funicello and Elvis Presley from the seats in front of the concession."

Kara said: "I've seen so many (movies) there I can't even remember them all to list. It was always so much fun, and it breaks my heart to see this. I had assumed this would be someplace I could take my kids to in the future."

Karen: "Back in the 60s, it was so much fun playing on the swings up front and then running to our cars when the movie started. The swings were gone when I took my kids there, but it was still a magical place for them. Probably, wishful thinking but, I hope they rebuild it."

9/3/2010 Related Story: Fire Destroys Screens At Tulsa's Admiral Twin Drive-In

Lisa Hensy Hughes: "I can remember my folks taking us kids (5 or 6 of the 8 of us at that time) in the station wagon with the back seats down. We wore our pj's and had blankets and pillows. Mama made a giant bowl of popcorn and brought kool-aid to drink. After the cartoon was over, we had to lay down and sleep so Mama and Daddy could enjoy their date movie. We will surely miss the Admiral Twin."

Judy Pannell Terry: "This is so sad. I feel like a part of my life is gone. Many many fond memories of Admiral Twin Drive In."

Sarah Robinson: "I am so sad! This place has so many memories for my husband and I. It is where we had our first date and where we have spent every Anniversary since than. Good Bye Old Friend, I hope they re-build you better than ever!"

Nancy Henderson: "I'm sitting here...just shattered...I feel like my Dad has died all over again. Just received word that the Admiral Twin Drive-In screen is no more. My Dad was the projectionist on the West Side from the 50's to the late 70's. I grew up there. I saw every show and went there to see the man who ran the show and never had a day off. Dad had COPD because of the fumes from burning the carbon sticks that backlit the film. Dad, I'm glad you missed seeing it burn, I wished I hadn't seen it."
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Thursday, September 2, 2010

Movie Review: Machete

Robert Rodriguez is one of those rare filmmakers whose movies -- for better or worse -- always come alive with his sheer enjoyment of making them. In the case of Machete, that's a good thing. Unlike his corny kids' movies (Spy Kids, Shorts), Machete bleeds pure entertainment. Returning to the crank-it-up style Rodriguez brought to his half of the vastly underrated Grindhouse, Machete comes out swinging -- and usually what it's swinging includes an extremely sharp blade.

In fact, "Machete" was first glimpsed as a coming-attractions trailer between the two halves of Grindhouse. With its delicious catch-phrase, "You fucked with the wrong Mexican," it promised over-the-top action and a dizzying cast that ran the gamut from Jessica Alba to Lindsay Lohan, built around character actor Danny Trejo in the title role.

Rodriguez delivers on the promise of that trailer and then some. Indeed, the first 10 minutes of Machete contains more wild action than the climax of most ordinary action films.

No doubt there will be those critics who don't appreciate Rodriguez's gory aesthetic. His style here is pure drive-in exploitation film, circa 1973, right down to the choppy edits. Everything is overstated and takes the action two notches farther than you'd expect. Rodriguez is like a kid with a new toy (or an old favorite), amping things to suit his own pleasure center, perpetually asking the question, "Wouldn't it be cool if ...?"

Like, wouldn't it be cool if Machete, a Mexican federale played by the menacingly scowly Trejo, attacked a drug lord's headquarters, chopped off the hand of a guy with a gun in it, then picked up the gun, and used the severed hand to squeeze the trigger?

Or: wouldn't it be cool if Machete mounted a pair of gatling guns on a motorcycle, then flew it off a ramp, shooting bad guys as he soared through the air?

Or ... well, put it this way: If Rodriguez could think of it, he has included it in this film.
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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hollywood's 3-D Movies Drive Sales As Fans Resist Prices

Hollywood’s focus on big-budget films and 3-D effects that command higher ticket prices will likely drive box-office sales to a record $11 billion this year even as some fans shun the rising cost of a night at the movies.

A surcharge for 3-D movies may push revenue past last year’s $10.6 billion, Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com Box-Office, said in an interview.

Studios and theater owners are looking to holiday-season releases like Time Warner Inc.’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I” and Walt Disney Co.’s “Tron” to reverse declining attendance, Dergarabedian said. Attendance is down 1.5 percent this year, while revenue is up 4.1 percent to $7.53 million, according to Hollywood.com.

“We could be looking at the first $11 billion year,” Dergarabedian said. “That doesn’t mean attendance will be up. Maybe the holiday season will be the savior.”

Revenue for the summer season, from the first weekend in May through the U.S. Labor Day holiday, is forecast to reach a record $4.35 billion, Hollywood.com said yesterday. Attendance will drop to 552 million tickets sold, the fewest since 540.3 million were purchased in 1997. Theaters charge an extra $3 or more for three-dimensional films.

‘Paranormal Activity’

Studios released seven sequels this summer, fewer than the 10 that came out in 2009, Hollywood.com said. This year, 13 films generated more than $100 million each, down from 15 last year.

“The movies just didn’t excite people the way they needed to,” Dergarabedian said. “When you raise prices and perceive that quality goes down, you have a major problem.”

There have also been fewer surprise hits this year to compare with 2009 releases such as “Paranormal Activity,” the horror film that generated $107.9 million in U.S. ticket sales for Paramount Pictures on production costs of $15,000, Dergarabedian said.

In 2009, studios saw revenue jump 10 percent and attendance rose 5.4 percent as fans turned out for movies including “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” “Transformers” was the calendar year’s biggest film with $402 million, and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” was second with $302 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

The top-grossing film this year is “Avatar,” from News Corp.’s Fox, with $466 million in ticket sales. The movie, from director James Cameron, is the highest-grossing film of all time and has taken in $753.8 million in the U.S. since Dec. 18.
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