Puss in Boots

Voiced by Antonio Banderas, the dauntless feline of legend goes on an animated adventure to purloin a priceless golden-egg-laying goose. To help him on his mission, Puss brings along his friends Humpty Dumpty and the super-stealthy Kitty Softpaws.

Matt
Rating: 9 out of 10

This is by far smarter, funnier, more clever, witty, and fun than any of the Shrek films. Each of its unneeded sequels got dumber and dumber, which is why I ignored this spin-off completely. That was a huge mistake.

There were moments where I genuinely laughed out out loud. I delighted in the equisite detail of the animation and the backgrounds that drip with color in a Spanish-inspired fairy tale world. And I adored the theft of classic cowboy and Spanish films that no doubt inspired director Chris Miller (Shrek the Third). There is so much love poured into this film, and it’s obvious in all the detail that layers this movie over and over again.

And the performances are great, from the self-afacing Antonio Benderas, who is lampooning himself in the title role, to Salma Hayek, Zach Galifanakis and Billy Bob Thornton. It’s an awesome cast with a compelling storyline wrapped in a wonderfully crafted film. It’s one of the best animated films I’ve seen in years.

Vic’s Review – “The Adventures of TinTin”

Blockbuster filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson team up for this 3-D motion capture adaptation of Georges Remi’s classic comic strip, centered around the adventures of fearless young journalist Tintin (Jamie Bell) and his trusty dog, Snowy. Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook and Cary Elwes also lend their talents to this action-packed family adventure.

Victor – 8 out of 10

Well, I suppose it was inevitable that one day the two Titans of Movies were bound to collaborate on something. Mr. Peter Jackson (LOTR, King Kong and Dead Alive) and Mr Steven Spielberg (Jaws, War of the Worlds and Duel). What would they come up with? A Jurassic Park sequel? An original Horror flick with Jackson’s intense flair? A space opera that takes place on another world ripe with CGI creatures and settings? Well, gang, none of the above.

What they decide to do is adapt Georges Remi’s classic and iconic comic strip called “The Adventures of Tin Tin” It was an honest decision and a way to make something so highly regarded into a huge success. So on they went and put their two massive resources together and started production on an animated motion capture film that is an extraordinary and adventurous romp that made me feel like a kid again. Something “Super 8” was supposed to do but didn’t.

I am keeping the review spoiler free and just concentrating on what I really liked about Tin Tin. I unfortunately never read the strip but was familiar somewhat from having friends who did. They would explain how TinTin is a very efficient and stalwart individual who as a journalist gets to the bottom of every story no matter the danger. He also does it with the help of his dog, Snowy. Jamie Bell (King Kong) voices the intrepid TinTin and he does a fantastic job in this great looking film. TinTin takes what Zemekis did with “The Polar Express” and raises the bar with dynamic and involving rendering. The film flows and comes to life like a living liquid full of wonder and surprise. The picture is incredible to behold as we are immersed in this photorealistic world full of airplanes, trains and automobiles.

Jackson and Spielberg supplies us with one stunt filled action sequence after another. Displays that can only be seen in this other-world dimension of animation. Displays that no live action cameras can capture on location. It never comes across as cartoony or naive. When we see creases, wrinkles and shadows done so well we are grateful for the way Jackson and old Stevie handle the realism. The set pieces are spectacularly fun and are done on the very superb level of Raiders of the Lost Ark and even The Last Crusade. Pure un-adulterated 1940’s action fare done with style and sophistication. Supporting Jamie Bell’s great VO work is Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, Cary Elwes and Andy Serkis. Each of them give very believable and inventive voice performances.

I’ve read that the film comes very close to the comics in the way some characters look and even what they wear. But some purists claim that there are some misses in the adaptation itself. They claim that 2 different comic story-lines are melded together and that some of it may be distracting. I, myself, loved every frame and minute of it. Pure fun and an energetic adventurous intensity drive “The Adventures of TinTin” and that is what is important. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

Gnomeo and Juliet

An edgy Shakespeare adaptation like no other, this animated musical transports the classic tale of forbidden romance between two star-crossed lovers from warring families to the unlikely yet hysterical world of garden gnomes. Featuring songs from legendary recording artist Elton John, this movie features the vocal talents of Emily Blunt, James McAvoy, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart and Michael Caine.

Lauren
Rating: 8 out of 10

Awwwe. Gnomeo & Juliet is so cute. These angry little garden gnomes live in neighboring English gardens and come to life whenever their owners disappear.

Just like in the original Romeo & Juliet, the two families are feuding but we don’t really know why. Gnomeo is a blue and Juliet is a red but when they first see each other they miss the color of the others hat and fall in love.

Things get complicated when they find out who the other is, but anyone who knows Shakespeare’s story knows what’s coming. Of course this is a cartoon about Gnomes so there isn’t as much sex or death, but the general components of the classic tragedy are there.

The story isn’t the only thing that’s cute. The animation is also unique and creative. The gnomes are all a little scratched and dented, which make them look lifelike.

I should admit, I boycotted the 3D version for the old-fashioned 2D, so I can’t comment there. But I don’t know that any movie needs 3D, let alone Gnomeo & Juliet.

Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer

The dark princess is up to no good! She’s snatched the Spectra — the universe’s sole source of light. Without Spectra in its rightful place, all will be plunged into gloom and dreariness unless Rainbow Brite and her friends can defeat the princess. In an animated cosmos of enchanted worlds, spunky Rainbow Brite and her magical horse, Starlite, confront evil by using color, magic, cleverness and joy as ammunition.

Matt
Rating: 3 out of 10

As a lark, I put this on Netflix streaming. The next five minutes made my wife and I crack up laughing.

The first five minutes of this movie are absolutely hilarious. They are so over-the-top cheery, from the singing rainbow-colored horse , to the bubbly song, and the obsurdly happy rainbow world. They are so funny we watched them about three times. Really, it’s just priceless. It makes you wonder where Jerry Falwell was when this came out. He missed the boat with Teletubbies.

I posted the intro song in the video clip below, which is totally worth watch. It’s just absurdly happy.

The rest of the movie, however, is pure garbage. It’s got terrible voiceovers, bad animation, a thin story, and very little to offer cihldren other than an opportunity for a company to peddle Rainbow Brite toys to them. Watching this movie was an experience, I can tell you that. But as Rainbow Brite sings, every morning is a rainbow day.

The Illusionist

Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature, this wistful tale follows the fading fortunes of aging illusionist Tatischeff , who’s forced to perform in obscure venues as his act is eclipsed by the growing popularity of rock bands. He gets an emotional lift, though, from a wide-eyed girl named Alice, who thinks he possesses magic powers. But Tatischeff’s “sleight of hand” efforts to impress her with expensive gifts may lead to his financial undoing.

Lauren
Rating: 4 out of 10

“L’illusionniste” is sad. That’s the way I felt the whole movie. Sure there’s a flash of the fun times the magician had when he had a successful act in Paris, but really it’s about his decline.

I spent the whole movie waiting for the change, for something good to happen. It didn’t. On his way down, the illusionist spends some time in Scotland where he befriends a young girl, Alice. I thought this was where some happiness would come in. But Alice just seems selfish and unappreciative of his generosity.

Sometimes I enjoy movies like this, a story that is linear seems more honest and life doesn’t always have a happy ending. So maybe it was my mood or maybe I was waiting for some of the silliness that was in their previous film, “The Triplets of Belleville,” but it just felt a little empty.

Hop

Unemployed slacker Fred (James Marsden) suddenly finds himself uncharacteristically busy after he runs over the Easter Bunny and has to not only nurse the gimpy rabbit back to health but also take over his duties so that the holiday can continue. Burdened with a cranky, cotton-tailed houseguest and a bout of intensive egg-delivery training, Fred finally begins to grow up in this hilarious and touching blend of live action and animation.

Lauren
Rating: 6 out of 10

“Hop” is cute. It does a great job of creating Easter folklore for the Easter Bunny like so many Christmas movies have done for Santa. But some of the charm of the great Christmas movies was just missing. I’m not exactly sure why.

Easter Island is as detailed as the North Pole. The chicks (baby chickens) working in the candy shop are maybe even cuter than elves, and everything is fun and colorful. Maybe an Easter movie can never be like a Christmas movie because Christmas has a special feeling or because I heard stories about Santa my whole life and those movies just brought it to life rather than trying to create something new. Or maybe “Hop” just wasn’t a great movie.

The movie starts out good as it introduces the Easter Bunny and his son, E.B., who is supposed to become the Easter Bunny on his next birthday. E.B. isn’t interested in dedicating his life to hiding eggs and wants to become a famous drummer. So he sets off for Hollywood and the home of the Bunny’s – the Playboy Mansion. After getting turned away by Hef he hooks up with a freeloader, Fred. There’s the whole part about Fred thinking he’s crazy and E.B. discovering how much fun it is and then how dangerous it is to be among the humans.

The end is where “Hop” really falls apart, though. It crams what should have taken half the movie into about 10 minutes and doesn’t really put an end to everything. And without ruining the ending, some humans seem to accept things a little too easily.

Top 5 Technologies that Changed Movies Forever

Brian

What will Superman change in now that phonebooths are all gone?

5. The Cell Phone: This isn’t really a technology that was directly made for the cinema but it changed the way movies were written. No longer are characters tied to desks, telephone booths, or home phones. All conversations can take place anywhere at anytime and are untraceable. Stop and think about how many movies in the last 10-15 years could not have been made without a cell phone. Almost every modern crime, action, and horror film completely relies on them. Also, cell phones have to be accounted for somewhere in the story. A character will almost always show that they can’t retrieve signal on their cell phone, lose it, or damage it in order for the plot to progress where they are helpless and alone or the audience’s first question is, “Why don’t they just call for help on their cell phone?”

4. Panaglide: I’m sure some of you are saying, “What the hell is Panaglide?” Well, Panaglide was a steadicam that attached by harness to a cinematographer to allow them to have isolation between the movement of the camera and the movement of the operator. This allowed them to get shots that were previously considered impossible. In the past, sets had to be created to allow for fluid movement of the camera and space for dolly tracking and cranes so that it wasn’t done handheld with the “shaky cam” effect. Panaglide solved that problem by creating smooth motion with one operator in cramped spaces. A great example of Panaglide is the opening sequence of the horror classic “Halloween”. The technology allowed the Director of Photography (Dean Cundey) to smoothly move from outside the house, inside and through it, have a murder scene, and then exit the house in one continuous shot in cramped space on location without dolly track on a very limited budget. Remember that great shot in Goodfellas where we are introduced to all the mob characters in one shot? Panaglide. Remember that great shot in Boogie Nights at the pool party that kept going for almost three minutes and underwater? Panaglide. It changed how films were made forever.

3. Surround Sound: I remember like it was yesterday the first movie I heard in full Dolby Digital surround sound. It was the terrific film Star Trek: First Contact. I was sitting in the theater and the moment the opening credits started I got goosebumps. The theater was completely alive with sound coming from all directions with crystal clear clarity. Unlike the days of stereo, when a spaceship flew by it felt like it went right over your head and through the theater. It immersed you in the experience of the story in a more complete way. Surround sound also changed the way directors and sound engineers created their movies. Effects and sounds had to be thought of in a 360 degree environment where the audience was just as invested with their ears as their eyes.

2. CGI: Love it or hate it, CGI changed movies forever. A lot of movies in the past were considered unfilmable. The ideas of large creatures, otherworldly locations, or sheer volume of fictional characters on screen at one time required such a huge financial commitment from film financers that many scripts were thrown away. CGI changed all that. For example, Steven Spielberg has said that without CGI, he would have never made Jurassic Park. After George Lucas saw what the technology could do, he decided it was time to start making new Star Wars films. And, James Cameron sat on his Avatar film for years because he knew that he needed CGI in order to achieve his vision. The technology had an even greater effect on the world of animation. The majority of films today are made through the process of computer animation. Pixar, Dreamworks, and Sony are just 3 of the many studios that are computer generated only. It has resulted in billions of dollars of revenue and been a driving force for creative flexibility.

1. Home Video: There is no single technology other than film itself that has changed cinema more than the ability for us to have movie playback in our home. It has gone through several advancements over the years: Beta to VHS to laserdisc to DVD to blu-ray and streaming. But, no matter the method of playback, the technology created new businesses through the home video rental market, movie collectors to buy and own their favorite films, and opened up a second way to get revenue for studios besides box office numbers. But, the most important thing it gave us by far is for us as film lovers to see movies we never got to see before. In the past, films would get re-released in theaters for short periods of time so that we could see films that we missed during their initial theatrical run. But, you would never know which films would come back and for how long. Today, we are so lucky to be able to see almost any film we want through services like Blockbuster, Netflix, Cable on-demand, or streaming boxes like Apple TV. It’s a great age to live in if you’re a film buff and it’s the most important technology added to movies ever!

The Ten Greatest Movies Ever Made Part 4

Every day we’re cutting ten movies from our original list of 45 of the Greatest Movies Ever Made until we’re down to ten. Brian gets to chop five, then Matt

Here are the movies that didn’t make the grade.

Matt’s Vetoes:

Goodfellas – This is an amazing movie. All the movies on this list are. But, it’s often pushed to the back of the line with gangster movies because there are so many. It’s lost in the shuffle, and it’s unfortunate, because it’s so much better than movies like Godfather that get all the love.

Taxi Driver – Great performances, gritty realism, excellent direction, but this is not Martin Scorcese’s best. There are a handful I like better.

Up – This is Pixar’s best film, hands down, and probably better than any Disney movie. It has heart, drama, and it surprised me how amazing it was. Breaks my heart to take it off the list, but we’re talking ten best ever, and it doesn’t make the grade.

Boogie Nights – Mark Wahlberg’s performance always seemed lame to me, which was the one thing that held this back. All the films have to be flawless, or really damn close. Excellent film, though.

Citizen Kane – It’s unfortunate, but this film has been dated. Newspapers are dead. The story is relevant, but the industry isn’t.

Brian’s vetoes:

Passion of the Christ — Moving, spiritual, and one of the most powerful films ever made. But, if you’re not Christian, it’s a two hour blood orgy.

On the Waterfront — Great story and contains Brando’s greatest performance on screen, but not top 10 ever.

8 1/2 — I vetoed this only because I don’t think it’s Fellini’s best film. That goes to La Dolce Vita.

Unforgiven — A powerful statement about old west violence and loss. But, again, I have to narrow the list down.

The Bridge On The River Kwai — This was the hardest film to veto on my list. Again, it’s a numbers game. Can I make this #11?

Movies remaining on our list:

Forest Gump
Seven Samurai
Wizard of Oz
Paths of Glory
Jaws
Pulp Fiction
M
Raging Bull
Casablanca
The Exorcist
The Shawnshank Redemption
The Wrestler
It’s a Wonderful Life
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Psycho

The Ten Greatest Movies Ever Made Part 3

Every day we’re cutting ten movies from our original list of 45 of the Greatest Movies Ever Made until we’re down to ten. Brian and Matt will each chop five from the list.

Here are the movies that didn’t make the grade.

Matt’s vetoes:

Apocalypse Now – There are far better films in the war genre. This one gets a little too out there and away from what the message it should have had.

2001: A Space Odyssey – I love Stanley Kubrick, and I know this is a controversial pick. However, I think for a Top 10 film of all time, it has to appeal to everyone, and this one doesn’t. A lot of people don’t like or get this movie.

Blade Runner – I just didn’t enjoy this movie. It’s one of those movies you’re supposed to like. I often don’t like those films.

Saving Private Ryan – This is another excellent Spielberg movie, but in the broad spectrum, there are far better war films. This is a beautifully shot film that feels more like war than, perhaps, any film I’ve seen, but the dialogue isn’t the best.

Dumbo – Those crows are totally racist. Hence, not a timeless film. Can’t make the list.

Brian’s vetoes:

Born into Brothels — Great film but nowhere near my favorite documentary. I’d put “Man on Wire” ahead of it.

Black Swan — A brilliant film but it’s not even my favorite film of this year.

Singin’ in the Rain — Brilliant, wonderful, and great dancing and singing. But, the plot is pretty thin at the end of the day.

Spirited Away — Visionary and wonderful even to people that don’t like animation. However, not a top 10 film ever.

Rashomon — One of my favorite Kurosawa films but not as good as other finalists on the list.

Movies remaining on our list:

Forest Gump
Seven Samurai
Wizard of Oz
Paths of Glory
Jaws
Pulp Fiction
M
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Casablanca
The Exorcist
Unforgiven
The Shawnshank Redemption
The Wrestler
Up
On the Waterfront
8 1/2
Boogie Nights
Passion of the Christ
Citizen Kane
It’s a Wonderful Life
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Psycho
The Bridge on the River Kwai

The Ten Greatest Movies Ever Made Part 2

Every day we’re cutting ten movies from our original list of 45 of the Greatest Movies Ever Made until we’re down to ten. Brian and Matt will each chop five from the list.

Here are the movies that didn’t make the grade.

Brian’s vetoes

Life is Beautiful — A comedy about the Holocaust where a father tries to convince his son that he’s having a game with the Nazis? Wayyyy too overly sentimental to even be considered.

The Kid — Brilliant but dated and Chaplin has better films, namely “City Lights” and “The Gold Rush.”

Gone With The Wind — A classic film that really comes down to being a 3 1/2 hour soap opera. She loves him but he doesn’t love her and he loves her but she doesn’t love him until later when he decides he doesn’t love her but then she decides she really loves him….boring!!

Duck Soup — Funny but forgettable. Yes, the Marx brothers were great but hardly enough to be considered a top 10 film ever.

Rear Window — A great, classic suspense film that I love but it’s not even Hitchcock’s best.

Matt’s Vetoes

Braveheart – Too sentimental, the directing wasn’t that great, and the dialogue isn’t as strong as the movies that did make the cut.

Star Wars – It’s one of my favorite movie series of all time. I love it, and hold it close to my heart. But let’s be honest, these movies have wooden dialogue, stiff acting and the series was killed by the prequels (namely Jar Jar).

Inception – Great movie. The second best of 2011. It’s original, brilliantly directed, and I love it. However, the character development was held up by too much explanation of the complex story.

Schindler’s List – It’s the kind of movie you watch once, say, “It’s great.” Then don’t go back to it again. To be in the ten best ever, it has to be a movie I can watch over and over.

Clockwork Orange – LOVE LOVE LOVE Stanley Kubrick. Favorite director ever. However, this was not his best and there are movies I hold closer to my heart on this list. Tough choice to veto.

Movies remaining on our list:

Forest Gump
Seven Samurai
Wizard of Oz
Paths of Glory
Jaws
Pulp Fiction
M
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Casablanca
The Exorcist
Unforgiven
The Shawnshank Redemption
The Wrestler
Born Into Brothels
Up
Spirited Away
On the Waterfront
8 1/2
Boogie Nights
Passion of the Christ
Singin’ in the Rain
Black Swan
Citizen Kane
Rashoman
It’s a Wonderful Life
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Psycho
Dumbo
Saving Private Ryan
Blade Runner
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Apocalypse Now