neonboy619's Reviews

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz (2011)

8/10

5 May 2012

Warning: Spoilers

(the review contains spoilers, but you might want to read it anyway)

Ooooh Witches of Oz. Where can I begin? I know very little of this production. My first impression was that it looked like it was made by a group of Oz Book fans who wanted to put a contemporary spin to the Oz books that wasn't as dark as Syfy's Tin Man.

The story goes like this:

Frank and Maude in the late 1800s move to Kansas with their daughter Dorothy Gale. Dorothy gets lost in a twister with her dog Toto. With Dorothy missing for days, her mother, Maude finds a crystal ball in her lost daughter's room that shows that Dorothy is fine. She is in a fantastical land called Oz. Through the crystal ball, Frank, Maude and their new daughter watch Dorothy as she remains ageless and has many heroic adventures in Oz.

Frank is inspired and writes a series of books about Dorothy's adventures. The stories are passed on down to Frank's grandson's Henry, who eventually moves to the Kansas house with his wife Emily after Frank and Maude have died.

In 1992, another twister hits. In the aftermath of that twister, Henry and Emily find a little girl asleep in front of their house. It's Dorothy.

Dorothy grows up to believe that all she has experience in Oz was a dream. She writes a series of Oz sequel books that she feels are based off of her grandfather's classical books (which are now in public domain). She travels to New York to get her series of books published. She is not in Kansas anymore.

Thus begins our story, which I think borrows a little bit from Frank Beddor's Alice in Wonderland re-imagining, Looking Glass Wars. That one needs to be a movie already.

I was immediately pulled into the story, though layered and twisted it can be. By twisted, I don't mean sick and nasty, but crazy and windy. Like a twister. There are a whole lot of twists in this 2 1/2 hour Oz outing.

Immediately, I fell in love with this new Dorothy, played here by Paulie Rojas. Paulie has these big wide expressive anime eyes that go perfect with this character. She is sweet, pleasant and very very easy to love.

Some big names make some appearances. Lord of the Rings alumni Sean Astin and Billy Boyd appear. Christopher Loyd makes an appearance as The Wizard of Oz himself.

Mia Sara makes an appearance as Langwidere, kinda. Langwidere is a Princess who has possession of many heads (Mombi from the Return to Oz movie was given this character trait). Mia Sara plays one of the heads. Sadly, she doesn't appear in the movie as often as someone like her should. I mean, come on, she was in Legend AND played Harley Quin in Birds of Prey.

There are also many cameos from Oz characters that are rarely seen on film. Off the top of my head I remember seeing Ozma, Jack Pumpkinhead, Tic Tok, The Witch of the East in her full glory and Locasta the other good witch.

I felt that the movie was borrowing a little bit from Gregory Macguire's Wicked in their characterization of The Witch of the West, but oddly enough, that drew me in even more. A major plus for me was that her look was based off of how L. Frank Baum describes her in the books while still retaining her iconic imagery that was established by MGM.

The movie is not without it's flaws, but the spirit of the piece and the pacing of the film really kept me captivated. Though the story can be a bit topsy turvy at times, that just means I get to watch it again and uncover more layers, and I love a movie that lets me do that.

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Tangled (2010)

10/10

A True Return to Disney Classics

26 November 2010

Tangled continues in Disney's animation legacy of timeless classics. Being Disney's first fairy tale outing done in CGI, it's easy to have doubts. The marketing for this film didn't really do Tangled any favors either. Originally titled Rapunzel, the name change to Tangled and the shift of focus onto the male co-star Flynn Ryder in the merchandising was done as a way to try to get more boys into the theater. Despite this faulty marketing move, Tangled is very much Rapunzel's story and Rapunzel is the star of this instant classic. Sticking very close to the roots of the original German Rapunzel fairy tale, Tangled's story is one about overprotective parental figures and the need to want to break free. Mandy Moore voices Rapunzel and sings for her. Yup, this a musical. This is a big grand musical in the classical Disney style with songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Alan Menken was the one who brought Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Enchanted to life; to name only a few. Moore really gets to the heart of Rapunzel and truly owns the part, but the real surprise is Donna Murphy as our main villain Mother Gothel. A true hero is measured by it's main villain and Mother Gothel does not disappoint.

Every great Disney classics needs supporting characters. What would Mary Poppins be with Bert and the Banks' Children. What would Belle be without the enchanted objects. Snow White is just a lost girl in the forest without those dwarfs.

An amazing supporting cast of characters that include Rapunzel's color changing chameleon companion Pascal, the scene stealing horse Maximus, and the main male co-star Flynn Ride accompany Rapunzel in her quest. Pascal and Maximus are animal companions but have more in common with Meeko and Percy from Pocohantas than Sebastian and Flounder from Little Mermaid for the fact that they don't talk. While they are without speech, they are fully fleshed out characters and you know exactly what they are trying to convey with their sometimes hilarious reactions. Maximus was especially a personal favorite of mine. Zachary Levi from the TV show Chuck voices and sings for Flynn Rider and it's easy to see why Disney would choose to up sale him in the TV ads. I would have to say that he's one of the most fleshed out Disney heroes since Aladdin.

Tangled is a big grand epic Disney musical done in the classic sense with the modern rendering of CGI animation. This is for sure to be seen for years and years to come and I can't wait to include Tangled in my Disney Collection. I highly recommend this one.

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Burlesque (I) (2010)

6/10

Christina and Cher Still Got It... Do You Want It?

17 November 2010

Imagine Chicago and Cabaret with none of the social commentary but all of the sexy, flashy fun. This movie is "almost" that.

All great musicals have songs that help to push the story forward. This is not one of them. This movie has a lot more in common with Coyote Ugly and Flashdance. Flashdance especially. Not saying I didn't enjoy myself. On top of the 4 songs that actually do push the story forward, there are really some awesome pieces that just need to be seen to be believed. When the camera isn't cutting away from the dances, some real magic happens. Even Cam Gigandet gets to do a little striptease that has to be seen to be believed. Some of the lead-ins to the musical numbers were very unnecessary. When a movie opens with Christina Aguilera wailing away to cut away scenes burlesque dancers she has yet to meet, and follows with Cher wailing away with those very dancers, I think it's safe to say that if anyone is still in the theater, they get that these two ladies will sing and dance.

Christina Aguilera plays Ally who escapes from her small town life to Hollywood and finds herself in a club called "The Burlesque Lounge" which has an exterior that resembles a gay youth center I used to frequent as a teen. There she meets the owner of the club Tess (Cher), her gay companion Sean (Stanly Tucci), a sexy metro bartender (Cam Gigandet) and the star of "The Burlesque Lounge," the villainous yet redeemable Nikki (an underused Kristen Bell).

There should be no doubt about Cher's acting ability. This woman went through Moonstruck, Mermaids and Tea with Mussolini. She's an actor people. Christina Aguilera really surprised me with her portrayal of Ally. I thought what she did with the character was very real and honest and I can only imagine how hard that is to do with all the flashy set pieces and costumes flying about.

Director and writer Steven Antin (Robin Antin's brother) really has to be praised for just diving into this material. Musical movies can be really tricky and this movie in particular straddles a fine line between movie musical and movie with music in it. A weak script full of clichés, one too many montage scenes and a rushed third act really might put a damper on this movie, but the little homages to Cabaret (Alan Cummings in a featured cameo for example) and the awesome choreography really help lift the movie past mediocre.

Definitely watch if you love the burlesque style of dance, Christina and Cher, and if not... well you read this far, I think you can safely decide. Or...... you can buy the soundtrack.

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The Tune (1992)

The Tune - Bill Plympton's Masterpiece

21 August 2010

The Tune is an animated musical made by Oscar winning animator Bill Plympton (Your Face) who also did every single drawing in this feature. A first for animated movies. With Bill Plympton's drawings and music by the talented Maureen McElheron, The Tune becomes a unique classic. The story follows songwriter Dell on a journey to write a song so he could live happily ever after with the girl of his dreams, Didi, also played by Maureen McEhleron. He travels through the wonderous place of Floobynooby and learns to write songs with his heart, and not his pancreas. Drawn solely in a style that looks like colored pencil, the look of the film tends to be uneven, but Bill Plympton's style itself is so unique and invitingly strange that one tends to ignore the style shift as each song in the story is presented with a unique look. The music is in this movie is what really makes the film. Mauren McElheron juggles so many styles that it's hard to believe that she's the sole composer. We go from Old Broadway to Country, to 60's Beach Rock. We even get some Rhythm and Blues and a Tango Piece. The music in The Tune really celebrates the old American Classics. The Tune really suffers during some long drawn out sequences and songs that do garner laughs, but many might seem to think that they detract from the story. (Namely a scene with a wise man and another scene with two business men inflicting torture upon each other's faces.) Still, even with these scenes, it's very easy for me to recommend a viewing of this film.

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Phoebe in Wonderland (2008)

Phoebe in Wonderland - Now that's Wonderland

21 August 2010

"The books are a kind of Rorschach test, a screen onto which people project their own ideas" -Jenny Wolf, author of The Mystery of Lewis Carroll- It's no secret that I love the Alice books by Lewis Carrol - all two of them - and I agree with Jenny Wolf's assertion. These books are so loved because it's different for every reader. It's why there are so many movies, cartoons, series and stage versions (soon my own) of these books. Everyone has their favorite version or versions. In other words: Your interpretation says more about who you are rather than what the books are. For that fact alone is probably why I enjoyed Phoebe in Wonderland as much as I did. Phoebe - played by Elle Fanning (Dakota's little sister) - uses Wonderland as a device to explain what she doesn't understand in the world she inhabits. Then she really gets to escape to Wonderland when she gets cast as the lead in her school's production of Alice in Wonderland along with her male friend Jamie (Ian Coletti) who gets cast as The Queen of Hearts. What really drives this story home though is not Phoebe's tourettes or even when Jamie is called a fag (the movie was a GLAAD award nominee), but in the way that adults just don't understand what it's like to be a child.

Patricia Clarkson (goddess) plays the drama teacher Miss Dodger (get it?) who seems to be the only one in the faculty that really knows how to nurture these children. The best scenes in the movie are the audition and rehearsal scenes for school play Alice in Wonderland, and I'm not just saying that because I can "borrow" their stage ideas. Miss Dodger takes these kids seriously and expects them to take her seriously and that's what children really need. Someone not condescending and someone who commands authority. She owns every scene she is in. The movie also has Bill Pullman and Felicity Huffman as Phoebe's parents. Felicity Huffman does what she does best, play the concerned mother, and Bill Pullman is pretty much Bill Pullman. Elle Fanning as Phoebe was phenomenal. People are going to call her a younger version of Dakota Fanning - and she is for obvious reasons - but she also has an acting style that is purely her own. She also gets to show off her singing voice in one of the cutest recreations of Looking Glass World's infamous "Welcome Queen Alice" scene. Directed by Daniel Barnz - who's directing the upcoming Beastly, a modern take on Beauty and the Beast with Mary Kate Olsen and Neil Patrick Harris among other famous faces - Phoebe in Wonderland is what it is: It's a movie about a little girl dealing with tourettes. The added layer of Wonderland is just a device and it never takes over the movie completely. It's complementary as opposed to distracting and really does help us to almost fully understand what's going on in this little girl's head as she deals with the frustration and confusion of her world. A world that neither she or the people around her can fully understand. I enjoyed this movie fully and plan to watch it again and again. It's beautifully filmed and very well acted, especially Elle Fanning and Patricia Clarkson. It's almost sad that it's theatrical release was limited. So go get it on DVD or Blu Ray or The Queen will have your head.

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Garden of Death (1974)

5/10

The Gardener - This One's for the Ladies (and some of you men)

21 August 2010

Gardener is a 70s Horror Film starring Joe Dallesandro as the title character, a gardener with evil powers. More importantly, gardener who never wears a shirt with evil powers. Excited yet? The movie is very pretty, filmed in Puerto Rico. Very gorgeous shots of various flowers and our title character fill the movie. It's not very believable that Carl - The Gardener - can manipulate the flowers to drive his employers and friends crazy, and that's mostly because it isn't really explained. It just happens, and they expect us to believe it because the evidence is there. He comes, he goes, they go crazy. I want to say that this movie was made to exploit the young actor (at least young at the time), but he's never really explored. He has some exploitive scenes, like when he skinny dips and seduces various female characters, but he's really not "fleshed" out. LoL. Flesh. Our main character Ellen (played by Katherine Hepburn's niece Katharine Houghton) gets most of the screen time and she falls prey to Carl's powers of manipulation. The flowers in the house start to affect her other servants, her husband, and her best friend, who just wants to bed him. (Rita Glam, stealing every scene she's in) I obviously wanted to watch the movie for some eye candy, and I kinda' get it. Joe Dallesandro as Carl struts around the movie in nothing but a pair of tight camel skin pants. We get a butt shot and some ab shots, but nothing that I can't see on an episode of Desperate Housewives or Weeds. Still, the acting of our two main actresses, (playing the typical main character and main character's horny friend that pollutes so many other films) rises above B movie status and they take the ridiculous script so seriously that it elicits some unnecessary laughter throughout. Worth a watch for cult movie fans, and gay people, but don't expect too much. Just some flesh, flowers and HORROR!!!! heheh.

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Alice in Wonderland (II) (1985)

Alice in Wonderland: The 1985 Made for TV Musical Spectacular

21 August 2010

I LOVE the books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and it's sequel Through the Looking Glass. I've read each one inside and out and have even studied The Annotated Alice which has notes in the margins so one could get a sense of the mayhem which isn't really mayhem once you understand where Lewis Carrol is coming from. For the die hard fan, one should check out the almost forgotten movie, Dreamchild. I say almost because, hey, I didn't forget it.

1985 saw the production of a big musical production of Alice in Wonderland, based off of both books, complete with acclaimed director Irwin Allen who was known for disaster movies. Poseidon Adventure being one of his most famous.

Along with a big name director came a big name cast that included Carol Channing, Imogene Coca, Ringo Starr, Sammy Davis Jr., Shelley Winters, John Stamos, Harvey Korman, and man this list could go on and on.

The TV Musical spanned two nights on CBS and was a HIT. Well, it was to me, heheh. I don't know the real stats.

Newcome Natalie Gregory played Alice and went on later to play Jenny in Disney's Oliver and Company. Like in that movie, she doesn't do her own singing here either.

Once in Wonderland, Alice meets the familiar faces and the casting goes from genius to insane.

A stand out would have to be Carol Channing as The White Queen who really makes this character her own. And she turns into a creepy lamb.

Shelley Winters in the small part of The Dodo Bird seems very wasted as they do nothing with her and she's a huge name. Come on, she's Shelley Winters, not someone with a small name. Even John Stamos had more screen time than her.

Martha Raye as The Duchess, Steve Lawrence as Tweedle Dumb and Eydie Gormé as Tweedle Dee look like they've been doing these parts of years now. It came so natural to them.

Pat Morita plays a horse.

Natalie Gregory really holds her own next to all these veterans.

The music is very energetic and some of the songs contain lyrics from Lewis Carrol's text.

That's one thing I LOVE about this production. A lot of Carrol's dialogue is contained which is what prompted me me to read the original books when I first saw this as a kid in the 80s. It was the first book I read. It's still my favorite.

If you want an old fashioned, fun, family musical, go check this out, and watch it like how Mark and I watch Bette Midler in Gypsy. Turn off all of the lights, sit in your living room as if you're in a theater and watch it and behave like how you would in a theater. Give yourself a 15 minute intermission even between acts. It's an experience let me to tell ya.

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)

6/10

The Chipmunks - Squeakquel: Chipettes Almost Steal the Show, Almost

21 August 2010

I'm a huge Chipmunk fan. It's not Jem but it never failed to please. I looked forward every afternoon to hearing Alvin and the Chipmunks do their take on modern songs at the time. My ultimate favorite is still their rendition of "For the Longest Time" and I could never forget The Chipettes and The Chipmunks singing "The Boys and Girls of Rock n' Roll" in their 2d animated feature debut.

Now The Chipmunks have made the leap from 2d to CGI. I didn't like the first CGI Chipmunks movie and it had nothing to do with the fact that Dave was out of character, the story was predictable, the villain not threatening enough and the boys really looked like real chipmunks. It had nothing to do with that. The movie just didn't come together. I could make a list of my gripes with this movie, but this review is for it's sequel, which recycles what was in the first movie, but with some very welcome additions. I'm a huge fan of Jason Lee. I can't get enough of him in "Mallrats." I thought he was perfectly cast as Dave in the first movie. I wish someone had told the writers that. Dave was oddly out of character in the first movie and that bugged the hell out of me. Gladly, this is remedied in this second outing. Kinda'. Now Dave is in the hospital for most of the film. I wish they didn't have do this, but Dave feels like Dave now. I didn't like the villain in the first movie, played by comedian David Cross. I was surprised he came back to play the same role. He was very public about how his involvement in the 1st movie was more about exposure and had nothing to do with him actually liking the material. Well, here he is again, exposed. Not the good naked exposed. He does the same exact thing he did in the first movie in this movie, but this time with The Chipettes, so I don't mind him as much.

The best thing to happen to The Chipmunk franchise: The Chipettes. The leader, Britany, is voiced by the awesome Christina Applegate, chubby and cute Eleanor is voiced by Amy Phoeler and brainy Jeanette is voiced by Anna Farris. all are perfectly cast. The boys in this one experience a rift in their relationships as they attend High School and experience how the social order can rip innocent little chipmunks apart. A highlight of the conflict is when the boys tell a bunch of bullies that they're going to build a nest in them. Creepy. But alas, I wanted more of the girls, and they get second billing in this movie. The scenes they are in however allow them to shine. The same cast that plays Alvin and the Chipmunks (Justin Long as Alvin, Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon and Jesse McCartney as Theodore) return to reprise their roles. Don't expect too much here. This movie is strictly for kids. I only gave a hoot about it because those Chipettes are so darn cute. You all should check out the CD. I barely liked the first CGI outing, but this one I'll rewatch just for those Chipette performances.

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Æon Flux (2005)

10/10

More Than Just an MTV Action Film

10 August 2010

When Charlize Theron starred as sympathetic serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster, I decided to myself that this actor can do ANYTHING! When she got cast as Aeon Flux in the live action adaptation of the MTV animated series of the same name, I was more than ecstatic. I had no doubt that this actor could do this character justice and play her believably and realistically.

Upon viewing the film, I was right. Theron's Aeon sounds and acts just like the animated version; the movie looks and feels just like the animated series, right down to the weird camera angles and all; and the storyline is multi layered and up for personal interpretation as well. Just like the animated series.

All involved obviously had a huge love for the series, but also made sure the movie stood on it's own. The movie could easily be seen as an episode of the series, as well as a stand alone feature.

As usual, Aeon is trying to kill Trevor and as usual, she can't because she loves him. The movie includes one other character from the series - Sithandra, who has two hands where her two feet should be - and introduces Aeon's sister - Una Flux - who becomes a central plot point in the movie.

What sets the movie apart from other action movies is that the action is secondary. The plot is central and really does drive the actions of the characters. While there is plenty of action scenes, they are usually set against really beautiful backdrops: a cherry tree garden, a secret minimalist room, the city of Bregna itself.

Creator Peter Chung was a little more displeased with this product, but that's expected, especially considering he had little to no involvement with this piece. Director Karyn Kusama, who also directed Girlfight, really strives for the look and feel of Peter Chung's creation. While there is talk of extra scenes that were exercised out of the film, the finished product feels like a classic all on it's own. A real treat for fans of the series, fans of action films and those looking to watch a movie that makes them think.

But a note to creater Peter Chung. How about making your own Aeon Flux film? Animated and all? http://neonboy619.blogspot.com

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Li'l Abner (1959)

7/10

Beefcake and Music. What's Not to Love?

10 August 2010

During my downtime from work and my show, I decided to sit down and watch Lil' Abner. Two theater friends of mine have been talking about it, and I've been wanting to watch it for awhile now. I mean, look at that main actor. HOT! If you haven't noticed by now, I love musicals, and Lil' Abner is a cute little musical. I was instantly pulled into this unique world based off of the comic strip of the same name by Al Capp. The main plot introduces us to Daisy Mae's (Leslie Parish) plight to catch Lil' Abner (Peter Palmer) on Sadie Hawkin's Day and finally marry him. This simple plot expands and expands to include almost every character in the little town of Dogpatch and the American Government.

Lil Abner kind of reminded me of Oklahoma, but better. Oklahoma seemed to lack focus, whereas Lil' Abner is totally focused. Most importantly, you can feel the love behind every scene. The movie is just so infectious and charming that it's hard to not be pulled into this world. There's also a few scenes with Julie Newmar playing the small role of Stupefyin' Jones. (because she can "stupefy" any man in her tracks)

Peter Palmer is absolutely delicious in his role as Lil' Abner, the title character and the original actor to play him on stage. Lil' Abner comes together very nicely. The sets are beautiful, the singing is beautiful, the men are beautiful... :-) What's not to love?

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Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–2013)

10/10

Do the Doo

9 August 2010

The Scooby Gang is back, and boy are they better than ever. Please excuse my clichéd statement, but there's no other way around it. The Scooby Gang is back, new and improved.

The original series, made in the 70s, had a very simple formula. The Scooby Gang, comprised of character archetypes, would ride around in their mystery machine, go to a scary place, and have to convince Shaggy and Scooby to aide with the mystery solving with the help of the promise of Scooby Snacks. The gang would spilt up, Velma would find clues, Daphne would always open the wrong door, or get kidnapped, and Fred would come up with a plan to catch the supernatural culprit, Shaggy and Scooby would be funny.

Over the years, the formula had been retooled, or abandoned all together. Sometimes only Scooby and Shaggy have made an appearance with the occasional inclusion of Scrappy Doo. I actually like Scrappy Doo.

Recently there was the hit live action movie, it's sequel and the prequel (which included a brunette Fred and an Asian-American Velma) along with the newest animated incarnations, What's New Scooby Doo and Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue.

I thought the live action movies were funny and well written, and Miss Sarah Michelle Gellar played Daphne in two of them so I kinda' had to watch them. What's New Scooby Doo was also cute, but I felt more could've been done with the Scooby Doo formula, especially when the re-tooled animated series came out afterward.

Now we've got Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated. A new series airing on Cartoon Network. The new series focuses more on our beloved Scooby Gang as people rather than caricatures. What used to be hinted at in the original series when it came to character relationships, is now push to the forefront. Daphne makes it really obvious about her affections for Fred; Shaggy and Velma have a few surprises of their own.

The voice work in this show is excellent, as is most productions from Hanna Barbara. Fact's of Life's Mindy Cohn, who played Velma in What's New Scooby Doo, reprises her role here as our favorite girl geek. The legendary Frank Welker does his double duty as Scooby Doo and Fred Jones. Fan favorite Grey DeLisle voices Daphne flawlessly. I almost thought she was the original voice actor Heather North. I was most impresses with Mathew Lillard's Shaggy. Being cast as Shaggy in two of the live action movies, he was a highlight in that he really just let himself get absorbed into the part. This man IS Shaggy. Aside from original voice actor Casey Kasem of course, who's voice also makes it into this series as Shaggy's father. Also includes celebrity voices Vivica A. Fox and Patrick Warburton.

I've only seen the first episode, but I am already excited for the rest of this new series. Aside from the drama our classic characters are having with each other, they're going to have to solve a huge mystery that is too big for just one episode. The show now has some continuity in it that was missing in previous incarnations.

This is definitely a show I will be watching weekly along with my regular viewings of Glee and Desperate Housewives.

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Alice in Wonderland (I) (2010)

8/10

Underland is Underplayed

9 August 2010

Writing my own version of the Alice books by Lewis Carroll for the stage, I can understand the difficulty in adapting this work for film. The books are very episodic with little to no story. On top of that, the dialogue in the books are so stylized that it's hard to really make an Alice movie without directly having to reference the original text. Also, people just hate to see their favorite books on screen. Ask any Twilight fan. Tim Burton presents a sequel, Alice in Wonderland, to the books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass, so it's hard to compare the books to his film, and that's how it should be, enough said. Alice (newcomer Mia Wasikowska) is now an adult returning to Underland, a magical place she frequented as a child, but has only vague memories of it. Things are different now with The Red Queen (an amalgamation of The Queen of Hearts and The Red Queen from the books played by Helena Bonham Carter) taking over Underland. The all star cast includes Anne Hathaway (who turned down the role of Alice to play the kooky White Queen), Crispin Glover as The Knave of Hearts, Alan Rickman as The Caterpillar and Matt Lucas in the scene stealing roles of Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Of course there's also Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter, but everyone knows he's in this one due to the massive publicity and marketing. With a script written by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, Lestat and Lion King) and costumes by Colleen Atwood (Sweeney Todd, Memoirs of a Geisha, Nine, Edward Scissorhands) under Tim Burton's direction, can anything go wrong? Sadly, a few things can. I felt the characters were a little under developed, which makes me wonder if a plethora of character development scenes were cut. I also thought the storyline was too subtle. There is a story that happens in this movie, but it's so underplayed that you can almost forget it's there. I find this sad since Burton has stated that he wants his Alice film to have a story as opposed to being episodic. He almost succeeds. While there is a definite story, it seems to take a back seat to too much spectacle. On the good side, the script does an awesome job of mimicking Lewis Carroll's writing style. Other productions simply rehash the dialogue in the book, but in the case of this film, that was not an option due to it being a sequel. The dialogue is a huge highlight in this film. I also like that as a sequel, it really works. If you know these characters, then the lack of character development won't bother you. As a stand-alone movie, it's visually stunning, but that's about it. Despite my negative feelings about the film, I have no doubt of it's status as a classic. This movie will be seen over and over again from this day on, I promise you, and not just by me. Remember that Wizard of Oz in 1939 had a less than stellar opening and even the Burton produced Nightmare Before Christmas took awhile to really gain notoriety. Jam Tomorrow, Jam Yesterday, But Never Jam Today. As a sequel I think it's also makes an awesome companion piece to anyone's favorite version of Alice. So sit down, pop in your favorite Alice movie, then watch this Tim Burton sequel.

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Alice (2009)

8/10

The Other Wonderland Reimagining

9 August 2010

Following the success of Tin Man, their modern day adaptation of the Oz books, the creators of such mini-series like 10th Kingdom, Merlin and the 1999 star studded TV movie Alice in Wonderland, comes Alice, a modern day adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Alice follows the adventures of an adult Alice (played here by Caterina Scorsone, who is every bit as kick ass as Zooey Deschanel in Tin Man if not more so) who follows a White Rabbit into a secret place called Wonderland. Wonderland has been taken over completely by The Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates) and The King of Hearts (Colm Meaney) who use Oysters (people from our world) to harvest emotions out of and sell to the people of Wonderland as Tea. In her journeys, Alice must find her kidnapped boyfriend, Jack Chase, befriend a Hatter (Andrew-Lee Potts) and find her missing father. She also meets Tim Curry as Dodo in one scene. Just one scene.

This is a very impressive production with awesome pacing. The story keeps moving along and never drags, an element that plagues most movie versions of the books. The look of the movie is also worth a mention. Alice and her friends are in a forest for the most part, but The Queen's Castle and Casino seem right out of a spy movie. The Duchess' look in this version recalls Emma Peel from The Avengers. Sadly her character is a little under developed. This version of Alice seems to have more in common with sci-fi action films, but there is definitely an element of fantasy and a love for the source material. Almost all of the characters in Wonderland appear in one form or another and they are definitely recognizable. Most importantly, the character of Alice in this version really commands your attention. I also think she really commanded my attention because she looks like my friend Chelsea. Aside from that though, her acting was very top notch for TV standards. I highly recommend this for fans of kick ass female shows and movies. Pretty much if you like Charlie's Angels, Buffy and heck even Tru Calling, you'll want to take a gander at this mini-series on Blu Ray.

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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

6/10

"It's Not Modern, It's Ancient"

9 August 2010

And that is probably one of the most thought provoking quotes said in Eclipse, the third movie in the Twilight film series based off of the books by Stephenie Meyer who has denied ever having watched a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I believe her. If Meyer had seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer the series she would have easily avoided the many clichés that sprinkle her book: the forbidden romance between a human girl and a supernatural being; werewolves as the symbol of unveiled masculinity; vampires as the symbol of the outsiders of society.

To her credit, Meyer does do some original things with the werewolf and vampire mythos. Who else would have thought to make vampires sparkly underneath the sun? And doesn't every vampire movie have their own set of rules? Buffy, Underworld and even Nosferatu both had different takes on the mythos and the Twilight Series isn't any different.

After two movies, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) seem to finally be happy with each other. If only she could still be friends with Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who's heart she broke in the previous movie. If only that darn Victoria would stop trying to kill her. It appears that Victoria (Bryce Howard Dallas) has been making an army of the undead to come and attack Bella and it's up to her vampire friends and an alliance with their enemies the werewolves to save the day. Of course, Edward is a vampire and Jacob, Bella's other beau is a werewolf. Jacob spends most of the time with his shirt off - and for a brief moment naked - in his human form. This is the heart of the story really, this never ending love triangle, not the shirtless teen.

The movie is very well paced and full of self referential humor. Edward asks Bella in one scene if the mostly bare chested Jacob even owns a shirt and Jacob in a later scene replies to Edward "I am hotter than you." The film does suffer from too many scenes of Bella and Edward conversing in what appears to be conversations they've already had a dozen times. Some of the editing seems sloppy. In one scene, it was very obvious that not all of the actors were all there at the time of shooting. The film also suffers from way too many oddly framed close-ups.

Eclipse already has a built in audience, so no matter how I review this film, it's going to make the money it has been destined to make and more. It's worth a watch, and it's very well acted compared to the first two, but personally I feel out of it's teenage demographic.

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Dead Like Me: Life After Death (2009 Video)

10/10

Minus 2 Actors, but still pretty good

4 February 2009

Warning: Spoilers

Just finished watching the movie. I really liked it. I was a huge fan of the series and was saddened when creator Bryan Fuller left. Both Mandy Patinkin and Laura Harris seemed to have bowed out from this "reunion". While Mandy Patinkin's disappearance is addressed, Laura Harris' Daisy is just replaced with another actress. Laura Harris' energy was missed.

Aside from that, this was a very enjoyable movie and one that I will watch over and over again. The film opens itself up to new fans as well. The main characters are set-up very early on.

I hope this movie is successful. A follow up would rock! SPOILERS: I think Georgia revealing herself to Reggie was a great idea, but the execution was less than brilliant. Despite this, the two characters had a lot of great scenes together and I was enjoying this new plot line.

Just when I thought everything Rube taught these reapers was in vain, Roxy starts to see for herself what happens when you mess with Death's plan. Seeing the man she "saved" die again with innocent bystanders getting injured was great. It was like when George tried to "save" a life in the series which resulted in the deaths of many.

I like that they showed more of Millie, also replaced by another actress. I thought they were totally going to forget about that aspect.

Good continuity.

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Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (2006)

10/10

Loved it

11 February 2007

Warning: Spoilers

I don't care what anyone says, I love this new star. Notice I didn't call it a movie because a movie this is not. This a new start. Ariel, Maia, Marcus, Scott, Janice, Louie, Vince, Jean, everyone was awesome.

I have been a fan of Robotech for so long. I even remember walking around my middle school with a petition for more new episodes and for the entire release of the series on video.

My sisters and I used to get up at 4am in the morning to watch this on reruns. We loved this show.

When a sequel was announced, I was the first to be skeptical. I didn't want to the same thing that happened to the sentinels to happen with this series. (Sentinel's was canceled after 4 episodes were produced.) But I don't care really if this series never gets picked up, this little movie was just so satisfying. I love that it wasn't entirely clear of a lot of the plot points. It leaves it open for more.

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A lot of stuff we don't see in this movie: 1) Lisa Hayes 2) Minmei 3) Max, Miriya and Dana 4) Annie, Rand, Lunk, Lancer and Sera 5) Bowie Grant But we do see a lot of other things that are just as interesting: 1) Ariel (I have always loved this character and the direction they take her in was magnificent) 2) Scott Bernard (voiced by the original voice actor) 3) Jean and Vince Grant (Vince also voiced by the original actor) 4) Louie and Janice (now there's a couple I should have foreseen) 5) Maia Sterling (Dana's younger sister, Max and Miriya's other daughter) What makes a Robotech story for me personally are the themes of prejudice, race, and love of all kinds and I am so glad that these themes are dealt with in here. Back are the various love triangles: I was loving how Maia was getting jealous of the robotic Janice who seems to be getting the attention of all the boys on deck. I love Scott and Ariel's relationship and am anxious to see how it grows from here.

All in all, I think it's a perfect little film to watch and if you're a non-fan, it's still a pretty good watch as well. It's proof that every good end is also an awesome beginning.

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Swan Lake (1981)

A Lost Anime Classic

20 April 2000

I first viewed this anime when I was around 9 years old. Of course, I saw it in English. I am now 19, and viewing it again, I find that this movie hasn't lost most of its charm.

A big plus in this film is how the original music from the ballet is integrated into the action going on-screen. This film actually introduced me to the music of Peter Tchaikovsky.

Aside from the music, I loved how the 6 main characters interacted with each other.

First, there are the two main leads, The Swan Princess herself, Odette, and Sigfried. You truly believe that these two are in love with each other. Odette also is not your typical damsel in distress, yet she's also not a tomboy. She's elegant throughout the whole movie while at the same time remaining the strong woman she is. The Prince grows through out the movie very subtly. The evil Wizard and his daughter are the total opposite of our two heroes. The Wizard Rothbart is very powerful, but appears to weaken while in the presence of Odette, whereas Sigfried seems to be more mature in the presence of Odette. The Wizard's daughter, Odelle, is very much like Odette in the way that they are both elegant. The differences start where Odelle is more provocative and sneakier than Odette. Her affection for the prince is also left up for interpretation.

Finally, the movie has added in two cute squirrels into this love story. They add much to the story, although I believe commentary on the drama that unfolds before them is most likely so the target audience, young children, will not get lost in all the twists and turns the movie goes through. They are a nice addition.

In conclusion, this is a really good movie to watch with your kids. A lot of heart was put into this movie and much is to be enjoyed while watching this movie.

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