Movie Reviews

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory

The new Charlie & the Chocolate Factory is not a remake but a reimagination of a classic tale. If you are a big fan of Tim Burton you will absolutely love this film, it has definitely been Burtonified. Tim Burton directs Johnny Depp for their fifth collaboration in one of Roald Dahl's most well read children's book. The film tells the tale of the Bucket family who live in a shack outside of town. The hero of the story is young Charlie Bucket who dreams of someday visiting the gigantic candy factory in town. Charlie soon gets his chance when Willy Wonka the owner of the factory has a contest a wraps five golden tickets hidden in his chocolate. The adaptation of the book gives more of a back story on Willy Wonka as well as the Oompa Loompas and stays closer to the book than the 1971 version. Johnny Depp in true form is as eclectic as ever and his performance of Willy Wonka holds the audience attention in every scene.

Grade: B

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four is another superhero movie in the current trend of comic books brought to the silver screen. Unfortunately this film fails where movies such as X-Men and Batman Begins succeeded. It seems as if 20th Century Fox threw this film together in weeks rather than months. The story is about five people who go to space and are mutated due to a solar flare that gives them all extraordinary powers. Four of them become superheroes while one becomes a villain and it is up to the Fantastic Four to save the world. The dialogue is tired and predictable as well as the acting. The only bright spot in this film is Julian McMahon from Nip/Tuck fame who plays Dr. Doom. He isn't given a lot to work with but makes the best of his situation. Jessica Alba who as come a long way as an actress is left as nothing but eye candy since her character has no depth or emotion. This film truly gives new meaning to the term popcorn flick and leaves the audience wondering how a film can have no action as well as no story.

Grade: D

Batman Begins

The sixth Batman film to hit the big screen does so with a force that blows all the other films away. Christopher Nolan (Memento) directs the first Batman movie to feature a more human side of Bruce Wayne as well as entertain the action fans. Batman Begins starts from the beginning of Bruce Wayne as a child and the psychological torment that caused his split personality as Batman/Bruce Wayne. It tells of how he was trained to use his muscle as well as stealth to stop criminals. We see how Wayne gets his bat gadgets as well as the Batmobile. The villains in the film are the Scarecrow and Ra's al Ghul who are not major villains in the Batman universe but add a bit more reality to this story. An all star cast including Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, and Gary Oldman help perfect this film from another Fantastic Four to a humanistic tale of one man and his mission to save his city. This has been by far the best film of the year.

Grade: A

War of the Worlds

Steven Spielberg's newest film is based on the old H.G. Well's classic tale of alien invaders coming to take over Earth. Spielberg teams up again with Tom Cruise after their hit, Minority Report. This film focuses on Cruise's character Ray Ferrier who is a divorced dockworker working in New Jersey. Instead of focusing on the aliens invasion Spielberg focuses on Cruise throughout the film and how he handles the invasion. It is up to Ray Ferrier to get his kids out of New York and take them to Boston. All though the premise of this films sounds good believing Tom Cruise is a divorced dockworker is like believing dogs can fly. He has a good performance but he is unbelievable as his character. I must say I was disappointed with the film and have expected better things out of Spielberg and Cruise.

Grade: C-

Star Wars: Episode III

The sixth and final installment of the Star Wars saga answers all the remaining questions that Star Wars fans have had. We finally get to see how Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader and how the Senate becomes the Galactic Empire. Many fans were not entirely pleased with Episodes I & II but most will be after seeing Episode III. George Lucas finally goes back to his roots and tells a more emotional story with the action and flare we have come to expect. The film starts off five years after Episode II and the Clone Wars are in full effect. Anakin has become a Jedi Knight but still not in the full trust of the Jedi Council. He finds out that his wife Senator Amidala is pregnant and Anakin like most young men is confused on how to care for his new family. His relationship with the emperor brilliantly played by Ian McDiarmid takes a new turn as Anakin is seduced to the Dark Side. The climax of the film is the lightsaber duel he has with his mentor/friend Obi Wan Kenobi which ultimately ends in Anakin becoming Vader. This is the first Star Wars film to earn a PG-13 rating and you can tell why in the first 20 minutes a much darker and emotional film, it will be on the top of any fans list of top Star Wars films.

Grade: B

Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter returns in the fourth film based on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This has so far been my favorite book of the series and I was looking forward to how they were going to get 652 pages into 2 hours. This film aims to please and the third director in the Series, Mike Newell is able to do what Alfonso Cuaron could not do which is to keep the important information of the book and make it darker. The film follows Harry Potter who is entered into the Triwizard Tournament and has to complete three tasks alongside members of other wizarding schools what Harry soon learns is that his enemy and the enemy to the wizarding community Lord Voldemort has returned in the flesh and one of the darkest moments in the series takes place. It is a miracle that this film earned a PG rating, because it def boarders on PG-13 at times. The cast including Daniel Radcliffe who plays Harry Potter feels more comfortable in his role and expands his acting scope to show a more emotional side of his character. All in all the best film of the series so far and another plus in the Harry Potter franchise.

Grade: A-

The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia)

C.S. Lewis' six book classic is brought to the big screen starting with the first book in the series, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. The film is brought to you by those who know children best, The Walt Disney Company directed by Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Shrek 2) who does a great job brining his first live action film to the screen. The story follows the Pevensie children who are sent to stay with an elderly professor while Germans are nightly bombing London during World War II. While playing one of them comes across a wardrobe that takes them to a new world filled with dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, and a talking lion. The children must help Aslan the lion defeat the evil White Witch and take their places as the rulers of Narnia. Any fan of The Lord of the Rings will love this film, as it is loaded with fantasy and a great story. The special effects are fantastic and Aslan so much like a real lion that you are caught in the story. Liam Neeson voices Aslan and makes the lion feel more human as well as the terror of a real lion. If this is only the first film of the series I can't wait to see the others.

Grade: A

King Kong

King Kong returns to the silver screen after 67 years and brings the technology and grandeur of 2005 with him. Peter Jackson director of the Lord of the Rings series brings a classic back to the big screen. King Kong runs just a little over three hours but while you are watching this films the time seems to fly. The films stars Jack Black as a film director in 1930s New York who finds a map to a lost island and enlists the help of Adrian Brody to write a screenplay for a film way over budget and about to be shut down. He finds a out of work actress Anne Darrow played by Naomi Watts and together they venture to Skull Island where they meet King Kong a giant ape in a land that time forgot. Anne Darrow is captured by King Kong and senses a almost human side of him. King Kong himself is spectacular it is a marvel what CGI graphics can to these days, looking at Kong he is more lifelike than any gorilla you will see at the zoo. King Kong is brought to New York and escapes in a destructive madness looking for Anne. This film has many layers and has all the action that can satisfy your hunger for destruction. A notable action sequence is when King Kong protects Anne against two hungry V-Rexes (modern day T-Rexes). A must see film in the theatre especially on an IMAX screen it is sure to please as Peter Jackson does it again.

Grade: A