Recommendations for Halloween
Posted on | October 25, 2011 | 5 Comments
Every holiday and season we’ll say our movie picks to watch as you celebrate. Whether it’s Super 8 for Summer or It’s A Wonderful Life for Christmas, there’s always something to see. We’ll also give descriptions and say why we like it. Not all of these are our 5 star favorites, so if they’re not we’ll tell you why we think you might like them and why they’re appropriate for the holiday.
It’s almost Halloween!!! The films listed below are either scary, have a scene with Halloween in them, or have a fun yet creepy style that reminds you of the holiday.
Our Picks:
Monster House (2006): This film is produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis and uses motion capture animation. The story doesn’t get interesting until the end, but Steve Buscemi leads a great voice cast. The story is about a couple of kids and the adventure they have, on Halloween night. It’s not a classic (don’t forget Spielberg and Zemeckis only produced it), but it’s enjoyable. Little kids could be scared but there’s nothing too gory. Rated PG
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): This lively stop action film has an exhilarating story, fascinating characters and great songs. Although Tim Burton didn’t direct the movie it feels like many of his other films. The movie is interesting because it merges the two worlds of Halloween and Christmas. Rated PG
King Kong (1933): A classic of horror cinema, King Kong is a film you’ll want to watch again and again. The story is intriguing. It is rare to see a movie about movies. The special effects are dated but think, just think, what it would have been like to have seen the film in 1933 and how an uncountable amount of movies have been inspired by the story and effects. The actors aren’t that great and it’s a while before Kong is revealed but once he is the film becomes magical. Classic adventure at it’s best. King Kong (1976) is a horridly unwatchable mix of bad acting, effects, story, length, and direction. King Kong (2005) is three hours but it develops the story in a way the others did not. However there’s a few too many battle scenes not including the awesome climax. Watching the three films together would be an amazing Halloween festival, even if it would take 7 hours. The ’33 version is Not Rated, the ’76 one is PG, and the 2005 remake is PG-13.
Ghostbusters (1984): Ivan Reitman and Bill Murray combine their talents to create this wonderfully hilarious, sci-fi, horror, action, adventure, comedy, romance. Dan Akroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis and Rick Moranis help Murray form a fine ensemble cast. The special effects are fun and while some may think it’s a guilty pleasure, in our thoughts it’s an enjoyable, entertaining movie that will make you laugh. Rated PG
Monsters Inc. (2001): The scene where Sulley, Mike and Boo are being chased by Randal while clinging onto the doors is so utterly engrossing that you feel like you’re clinging on to the doors with them. Pete Docter’s direction is pitch perfect and all of the monsters have different characteristics. Some of the best monsters are the ones that are only on screen for a few seconds. John Goodman, Billy Crystal, and Steve Buscemi lend great voice talent and the music is catchy, especially the theme and the song “If I didn’t have you” This Pixar gem beats Monster House any day. Not really for Halloween, except that there’s monsters, it’s still fun and kid appropriate. Like all Pixar, adults will love it too and although it seems oddly semi-forgotten there’s a prequel called Monsters University (about Mike and Sulley’s hard arguing early days). So hey, it’s time to get watching!!! Rated G
Beetlejuice (1988): Tim Burton has made movies more emotional (Big Fish) and technically more dazzling (Alice In Wonderland). But for pure laugh value this one beats ‘em all!!! Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Micheal Keaton as the title character are all hilarious. Burton handles the comedy, spookiness, and drama excellently. Fun, fun, fun!!!! Rated PG
E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982): This is one of our favorite movies!!! The Spielbergian classic may not remind you of Halloween but the best scenes including the bicycle climax (not the one on the poster) are near, if not on the holiday. They actually go trick or treating in the movie. You may not remember the brilliant (Oscar-worthy) performance from Henry Thomas or just how good the special effects are, so it’s a good idea to revisit this classic. Exiting. Funny. Sad. Brilliant. This film manages to be all of those. Rated PG
These films could pair well together, too. A King Kong festival or Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice comedy/ horror double feature are all great ideas. Corpse Bride, Frankenstein (1931), and Dracula (1931) all look good, but we haven’t seen them yet. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a good half-hour special that is one of our annual traditions. We might see Frankenstein this weekend, so when we do our picks next year maybe it will be one of them.
Agree or disagree, like our picks or don’t? Don’t forget to comment and tell us what you think, ask questions, and tell your suggestions.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our first holiday/season picks!
Real Steel (Flick’s Review)
Posted on | October 17, 2011 | 6 Comments
4.1 Stars
Real Steel is about Charlie Kenton, a retired boxer who now trains robots to box. Charlie abandoned his son Max when he was born, but now that Charlie’s wife is dead it’s his responsibility to either sign over custody papers to the boys aunt and uncle or to care for the boy himself. In the end Charlie decides to take Max for the summer, because Max’s uncle gives Charlie $50,000. Charlie buys a Japanese robot, but he loses in one of the robot boxing matches and the robot breaks down. In a junkyard Charlie and Max find an old and unused robot named Atom. Atom is more than he seems and Charlie and Max become winners. But will Charlie, Max and Atom be remembered forever as champions and will Charlie become a responsible father?
With just the right amount of action and drama, Real Steal is an enjoyable blockbuster. The cast is incredible. Hugh Jackman is great as the drunk and debt owing father Charlie Kenton and Dakota Goyo is believable as eleven year old Max. The director Shawn Levy is known for recent comedies such as Night at the Museum and The Pink Panther. However, this time Levy adds drama and subtracts most (not all) of the comedy. The boxing scenes aren’t very intense because the robots are the ones boxing not the humans, so you never think that the humans will get hurt. There is one scene though where Charlie and Max get beat up by some other men. The CGI robots all have different personalities and they all box in different ways. Real Steel is an entertaining film that is satisfying but not classic.
My favorite character is Charlie Kenton, because even though at the beginning of the film he is irresponsible, by the end of the film he is redeemed and he becomes a loving father.
My favorite scene is when Atom boxes for the first time at the zoo, because it showed that Charlie and Max had a chance at winning even though nobody thought they could.
Real Steel is rated PG-13 and I agree.
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Produced by: Shawn Levy,Susan Montford,Don Murphy and Robert Zemeckis
Written by: John Gatins
Cast:
Hugh Jackman: Charlie Kenton
Dakota Goyo:Max Kenton
Evangeline Lilly: Bailey Tallet
Anthony Mackie: Finn
Kevin Durand: Ricky
Hope Davis: Aunt Debra
James Rebhorn: Marvin
Marco Ruggeri: Cliff
Karl Yune: Tak Mashido
Olga Fonda: Farra Lemkova
John Gatins: Kingpin
Sophie Levy: Big Sister
Tess Levy: Little Sister
Charlie Levy: Littlest Sister
Gregory Sims: Bill Panner
Moneyball (Flack’s Review)
Posted on | October 11, 2011 | 3 Comments
Moneyball is about Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. When they lose the World Series and their three best players are traded, it means they have to rebuild the team. But then Billy meets Peter Brand. Peter has a game-changing idea about how to play baseball. His idea is that the best players are not the ones that bat the most but the those that get on base the most. Together Peter and Billy create a team of usually ignored (but actually very good) players. But will Billy overcome his personal problems, is his team actually any good, and will they make it to the World Series??? It is based on a book.
Moneyball is an absolutely perfect film. Brad Pitt is excellent as Billy Beane and he makes the move entertaining, very believable, and incredibly sad all at the same time. Jonah Hill is funny and serious. Hill was hilarious in Night at the Museum:Battle of the Smithsonian, but now he’s toned it down for his first dramatic role. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the angry coach, Art Howe, Chris Pratt as an injured yet excellent new player ,Scott Hattenberg, Kerris Dorsey as Billy’s daughter, Stephen Bishop as older player, David Justin, and Robin Wright Penn as Billy’s divorced wife, all give terrific supporting role performances.
I thought the decision was interesting to not show much of the actual baseball games because Billy Beane didn’t watch them. However I do think it was necessary to show a bunch of their big winning game. By doing that it gave the scene a higher emotional impact. Meanwhile Bennet Miller makes everything flow magnificently and directs the actors to perfection.
The music by Mychael Danna is good at keeping the story going and stay for the credits to listen to it by itself. Aaron Sorkin doesn’t make the dialogue fast paced, as people said he did for The Social Network. Instead he teams up with Steve Zaillian and writes some excellent yet considerably slow dialogue (although it’s not the standout thing of the movie.)
The story is very emotional and you may be surprised by the ending, which is not the usual Hollywood kind. I am glad the filmmakers stuck to the real story instead of glamorizing it and ruining the movie. I think this film is one of the best of the year. The story is emotional, the acting is stunning, the directing is spot on, and Brad Pitt gives a sure to be Oscar nominated performance. You have to go see it, even if (like me) you don’t like baseball.
My favorite character is Billy Beane because Brad Pitt is amazing and he makes the character the heart and soul of the film.
My favorite scene is when (SPOILER ALERT EVEN THOUGH IT’S A TRUE STORY) the Oakland Athletics beat the record of winning game streaks with 20 games, because it’s a cheerful happy, moment that makes you root for the team (even though you probably already were).
The movie is rated PG-13 for brief language, but if you can handle those words, it’s o.k. for younger kids.
I give the film 5 stars. Look out during Oscar season.
Here is the link to IMDB.
The Lion King 3D (Flick’s Reivew)
Posted on | October 3, 2011 | Add Comments
5.0 stars
The Lion King 3-D is about Simba, a young lion cub who lives with his father, mother and a number of other animals. Simba’s father (Mufasa) is the king. Simba’s uncle (Scar) wants to be king so he kills Mufasa. However Scar kills Mufasa by telling his hyena friends to scare a herd of antelope which causes a stampede. Simba gets stuck in the stampede so Mufasa comes to save him. Mufasa saves Simba but as they climb up a mountain to safety Scar pushes Mufasa back down the mountain when Simba is not looking. Mufasa is dead. Scar blames Simba for Mufasa’s death and tells him to run away. Simb runs away. But when his childhood friend comes looking for help (because Scar is starving the lions and hyenas) he must choose what he believes in.
The Lion King is one of my favorite Disney films. It’s tied with Beauty and the Beast. A few years ago a movie theater showed Beauty and the Beast. It was the Sing Along Song version where they put the words from the songs on the screen when the characters sang. But for The Lion King 3-D Disney has actually converted the whole film into 3-D. Don’t’ worry you can still see it in 2D. I saw it in 3D to see what it was like. The 3-D isn’t great because the film is drawn. Disney fails to make the drawings better by making them 3-D so I recommend you see it in 2D. However the story is why its so good. In my opinion it’s roughly based on Hamlet. For the most part its very original The jokes are hilarious, the voices are great, the songs are catchy, and the characters are unique. Every thing’s perfect (except for the 3D). Whether you see it in 2D or 3-D at the theaters or at your house, today or thirty years from now, it’s a feel good family film that you won’t want to miss.
My favorite character is Simba because despite his father’s death and his evil unable he does the right thing.
My favorite scene is Hakuna Matata because it’s not only a great song, it also shows how Simba changes.
The Lion King 3-D is rated G. I think it should be PG for brief action.
Directed by: Roger Allers and Rob Minkof
Produced by: Don Hahn
Written by: Irene Mecchi and Jonathan Roberts
Cast:
Matthew Broderick: Adult Simba (voice)
Niketa Calame: Young Nala (voice)
Jim Cummings: Ed (voice)
James Earl Jones: Mufasa (voice)
Nathan Lane: Timon (voice)
Ernie Sabella: Pumbaa (voice)
Jeremy Irons: Scar (voice)
Robert Guillaume: Rafiki (voice)
Rowan Atkinson: Zazu (voice)
Moira Kelly: Adult Nala (voice)
Whoopi Goldberg: Shenzi (voice)
Zoe Leader:Sarafina (voice)
Cheech Marin: Banzai (voice)
Madge Sinclair: Sarabi (voice)
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: Young Simba (voice)
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