The Adventures of Tintin (Flick’s Review)
Posted on | December 30, 2011 | Add Comments
3 1/2 stars
After buying a model ship labeled Unicorn at a street market, Tintin, an intrepid reporter and his faithful dog Snowy, are intrigued by a series of clues that include a man being murdered by a passing car, a mysterious drunk sea captain descending from a long line of Haddocks and their grudge against the Rackhams. Tintin and Snowy set off with Captain Haddock who they find, drunk on the boat, Karaboudjan. The Karaboudjan’s crew includes Sakharine, who is trying to solve the mystery and get Red Rackham’s treasure before Tintin, Captain Haddock and Snowy do. The rest of the crew includes gunslinging seamen who want money. Tintin, Captain Haddock and Snowy must race Sakharine and his crew so that they can get the treasure and solve the mystery first.
A French comic book in 3-D? It doesn’t sound like your average blockbuster, but then add names to it like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson and you’ve got a deal. The humor is the biggest problem that I have with the film. None of the Captain Haddock jokes are funny and most of the other jokes are ridiculous. The beginning and all the other scenes when Snowy and Tintin are alone start to drag, simply because Tintin is telling and Spielberg isn’t showing. For your information I would rather be shown than told. In the books Tintin, at many times tells us how he solved the mystery instead of Herge (the author and illustrator of the books) showing us with his drawings. I think that Herge had no choice than to tell us rather than show us because of the complexity of the mystery. In the film the mystery s toned down. In a movie adaptation, I would think the storytelling would be more visual, which it is at times, except when Snowy and Tintin are alone. I also think Snowy was a complete distraction from the plot. Instead of commenting on key moments in the films, Snowy makes strange sounds. This mainly happens when Snowy and Tintin are alone. This however stops midway through the film. The film isn’t dreadful however; the effects are marvelous and the 3-D makes the film the best film with an added third dimension. The acting is a marvelous. Jamie Bell acts as Tintin as if he’s an english gentleman, Andy Serkis turns Captain Haddock into a drunken wreck and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost give comic relief to Thompson and Thomson. The story is surprisingly good for an action film for kids. It’s just that next time I hope Snowy and Tintin aren’t alone.
My favorite character is Tintin because of his bravery, loyalty, wits, and friendship. I also think that Jamie Bell did a good job acting as Tintin.
My favorite scene is when the plane flies by Tintin, Captain Haddock and Snowy because of the use of 3-D and the way the action plays out.
The Adventures of Tintin is rated PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking.
It’ll work for younger kids and hardcore Tintin fans, but it won’t work from someone who wants an all around good film. The Adventures of Tintin is out now in 2-D and 3-D in wide release.
The Adventures of Tintin (Flack’s Review)
Posted on | December 30, 2011 | Add Comments
4 stars
The Adventures of Tintin tells the story of a boy reporter named Tintin. He goes on a journey with the drunken Captain Haddock and together they must find a lost ship called the Unicorn. Out to stop them is Sakharine and a gang of criminals. They travel around the globe and go from a massive cargo ship to a burning airplane. But will they unlock the secret of the Unicorn?
Steven Spielberg directs this Indiana Jones-ish animated family film. Compared to War Horse this is nothing. Compared to Alvin and the Chipmunks this is Oscar-worthy. The movie does not have much of a story and one scene involving a pirate battle flashback goes on forever. Even though the scene is essential to the plot it could have been cut shorter. However with the brilliant motion capture animation and some of the funniest scenes of the year, this is a movie you won’t want to miss. The action scenes are dizzingly exciting and the CG is very realistic. Jamie Bell as Tintin isn’t nearly as iconic as Harrison Ford, but he does an O.K. job. Andy Serkis, the master of mo-cap (motion-capture) is memorable as Captain Haddock. Other action movie actors lending their voices to characters include Daniel Craig and Toby Jones.
The animation is some of the best I’ve ever seen and the pace is so relentless that you won’t care that you don’t ever get emotionally attached to any of the characters. The battle scenes are awesome and the mo-cap is miles better than the 2009 Disney A Christmas Carol‘s video game-ish style.
My favorite character is Tintin because he is the classic adventure hero. It’s also cool when he swings into your face in 3-D.
My favorite scene is when Tintin and Captain Haddock battle the bad guys on the boat because it’s one of the most exciting battle scenes of the year. It’s also just very fun to watch in 3-D.
The Adventures of Tintin is exciting and it has great CG mo-cap Animation. It’s a must see in 3-D and there’s a great John Williams score. Sure, it’s nowhere as good as E.T.but it’s still loads of fun. The story’s not great or emotional, but if you think about it Raiders of the Lost Ark’s story wasn’t amazing either. However this movie copies Indiana Jones a little and none of the actors are as iconic as Harrison Ford which means it’s not as great as Indy 1. But if you want an animated movie then this a good one. However early hopes of being nominated for the Best Picture Oscar will soon be diminished. I do think that Spielberg has crafted a movie good enough to definetly win the Best Animated Movie Oscar. Thrilling, hilarious, gorgeous, and with a great opening credits sequence, this a movie that’s fun for the whole family. All those people begging for a Indy sequel that’s as good as the first can watch this movie and have a great time even if this time Spielberg makes the action that’s not gory a bit more important than the story.
The Holidays of Spielberg
Posted on | December 24, 2011 | Add Comments
Over the years he’s proved his worth and now he’s come back to prove it to us more. Steven Spielberg has currently directed over twenty feature films. He already has two more planned for the next two years (Lincoln, an Abraham Lincoln biopic staring Daniel Day Lewis as the big man himself being released 2012, and Robocalypse, a sci-fi epic based on the novel entitled the same being released 2013). If one word could describe the man it would be unpredictable; he’s directed films ranging from war epics to action manifestos. This month he gives us both.
Let’s start with the action film. Based on on Herge’s French comic book series, The Adventures of Tintin could have been titled Indiana Jones in 3-D, digitally animated and based on a book from another country. Tintin, an intrepid reporter is on the case of a mystery. Red Rackham, a long dead pirate’s ship’s model is found by Tintin in a market. But Tintin is not the only one is interested in the model. The game is afoot. Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, and Andy Serkis will be playing motion capture characters. In case you haven’t heard of motion capture here is a quick definition: it’s a way of making CG animation look more real. The actors wear suits with little balls that look like golf balls. The animators animate the characters before hand so that they are ready. Special computers read the suits and the characters on the computers move the same way the actors do. When on screen the characters move more realistically. I’ve read a few of the books including the three the film is based on which are The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackhams Treasure. Although Spielberg has never directed a fully CG film it’s no surprise that the animation looks great because Peter Jackson who directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong is producing and Andy Serkis, the master of Mocap acting is playing Captain Haddock. Serkis has collaborated with Jackson many times before including on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong. And then there’s the 3-D. I will definitely be seeing the film in this format. Before you continue reading watch the official Tintin trailer.
Originally I was going to break down the two trailers but that would take the fun out of having your own opinion. My breakdown of the trailer could become persuasive and after all this a news article not persuasive text. The action in the trailer is so intense that you literally forget where you are and are instantly sucked into Tinin’s world. John William’s score sounds like Raiders of the Lost Ark’s and I mean this as a good thing. The score is very orchestral and rhythmic. The last fifteen seconds of the trailer are the most jaw dropping because of the quick editing. There is not much shown here but action however I am expecting quirky characters because the book is full of them.
The war epic, War Horse is certainly epic. According to the news Spielberg has chosen to replace gritty war violence with subtle yet disturbing takes on war. I guess you could say it’s not exactly original: based on the book, which became a Broadway play, but that doesn’t mean Spielberg can’t strike gold. In fact I predict it will be nominated for the Oscar nomination of all Oscar nominations: Best Picture. The book is sad, horrifying and brilliant all at the same time. The play also fits those descriptions. However the best part about the play is the way Joey, the war horse is presented: when he is young , he is made out of fabric and other material and when he is older he is made out of the same materials and is large, actors stood inside it at all times. The plot is simple, yet complex. Albert, a farm boy, lives with his to the point mother (in the play) and drunken father. Not long after they get Joey “the horse”, he is sent off to the war, becoming a war horse. Joey goes from owner to owner. By the end he has seen everything. Before you continue reading watch the official War Horse trailer.
The opening shots of the trailer hint at very sad,somber themes. John William’s score is melancholy, yet by listening to samples of other songs from the film on iTunes there are definitely lighter tunes probably played during scenes with Albert riding Joey. The war scenes showed are very realistic yet as I said before there is no gore. Another notable key feature is the cinematography which is aided by the lighting. Take the last shot for example: Joey looks out onto the sunset. The sky is bright orange and the camera is still. The camera doesn’t do much here but the lighting is extraordinary. If you want mouth watering cinematography look at Joey jumping onto a tank and then jumping onto the muddy ground. If the cinematography wasn’t filmed in this way the shot could easily have become a waste of film.
Now that you’ve read the news go see the movies. Tintin was released on the 21st and War Horse is coming out tomorrow. You can also look forward to my reviews of at least one of these films. Happy Holidays!
flickflack news
Posted on | March 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
Rango: Although this film is already out in case you have not seen it, here is a trailer: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/rango/ and see art from the film on Empire’s website.
Hollywood is planning on making lots of superhero movies in the upcoming years. Here is a list of them:
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) (about Batman)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Green Lantern (2011)
Thor (2011)
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Superman: Man of Steel (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Some of these films we will not be able to see and some of them we do not want to see but the ones I am looking forward to the most is The Dark Knight Rises and The Man of Steel.
In 2011 and 2012, two Three Musketeer films (remakes not sequels) will be made. We will definitely check these out.
If you are a fan of the Shrek films you might want to look at a teaser of the upcoming Puss in Boots film: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30335
Kung Fu Panda: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/kungfupanda2/
The Oscars have come and gone. Here is a list of the winners of 2011: oscars.com
The 2011 Providence Children’s Film Festival (PCFF) awarded Lolly awards this year. Here are the winners:
1st Place:
Film: Eleanor’s Secret
Short: Lost and Found
2nd Place
Film: Crocodiles
Short: Gus Outdooors
3rd Place:
Film: Louder Than a Bomb
Short: Woodpecker
2011 Providence Children’s Film Festival: Day 3
Posted on | February 19, 2011 | Add Comments
Flick interviews Flack about the NYCFF Kids Flix Mix.
Flick interviews Flack about Summer Wars.
Flack interviews Flick about Summer Wars.
Flick interviews Flack about LOUDER THAN A BOMB.
2011 Providence Children’s Film Festival: Day 1
Posted on | February 18, 2011 | 2 Comments
Flack interviews local director Graeme Steller. Watch his new short, New Spirit. Yo-yo with him at his POW Science yo-yo club.
Flick interviews Steve about Your Shorts are Showin’.
Flack interviews Simon about Your Shorts are Showin’.
Flick interviews Steve about Eleanor’s Secret.
Flick interviews Flack about Eleanor’s Secret.
The Lion King (Flack’s Review)
Posted on | February 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
The Lion King is about Simba who is the son of Mufasa, the current king. When Mufasa is killed Simba runs away from his home. On his journey he meets Timon and Pumba and is reunited with his old friend Nala. Meanwhile at the Pride Lands (Simba’s old home) all the animals are starving because of Scar, Simba’s uncle who has become king. When Nala reminds Simba that he is the rightful king he must choose. Will he return to the Pride Lands and claim that he is the king or never go home?
My favorite character is Simba because I think the animation,voice,and singing of him is very good. I also like what he does in the story. My favorite scenes are the songs Hakuna Matata, The Circle of Life and I Just Can’t Wait To Be King because I like the music.
The songs, animation, voices, story, and characters are all excellent. If you have not seen this movie you should definitely watch it. And just because the animation is traditional doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely stunning. The voices are all terrific especially the voices of Simba and Mufasa. The story and characters are well fleshed out too. The film is a Disney classic and a treat for all ages. If you like it you might want to see the equally equexcellent Broadway show. If you want to know about this and other movies that Disney struggled making you should see the amazing documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty. The film is rated G but I think it should be rated PG for a sad scene, brief scary images, and some accessional action scenes. I give the movie 5 out of 5 reels.
The Incredibles (Flack’s Review)
Posted on | February 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
The Incredibles is about Bob Parr aka Mr. Incredible who is a superhero. After saving a man who tried to kill himself Bob is sued by the man who didn’t want to be saved. Superheroes are then told to stop saving people and be regular or go away. Fifteen years later Bob is working at an insurance company and living a normal life with his wife Helen (who used to be Elastigirl, a superhero) and their three kids, Dash, Violet and a baby named Jack-Jack. After being fired from his job Bob gets a mysterious message. He puts his suit back on and travels to an island where he becomes captured. So his family must save him and together they must work together and defeat the bad guy, Syndrome. But can he and his family win? Watch the movie and find out.
My favorite character is Dash because I like that he can run fast. My favorite scenes are when Bob visits Edna (a fashion designer), when Helen visits Edna, and the forest battle. The first two I like because they’re funny and I like the third because I like the action.
The Incredibles is an excellent movie and one of Pixar’s best. The characters are well developed and the story is good. Some scenes are witty and funny while others are fast paced and action packed. I like how the movie combines genres (comedy, action, adventure, superhero movie) but is not messy. It seems like it is still all part of the movie. The voices are good especially Edna who the director Brad Bird voices. The animation is amazing and the characters are believable. I also love how the superhero’s powers are like the characters. For instance Violet is always very shy so she can become invisible. If you want to buy the movie be sure to check out the second disc full of awesome bonus features like the excellent features “The Making of the Incredibles” and “More Making of The Incredibles.” The movie is 115 minutes long and is rated for PG for action and violence. I agree with the MPAA rating system and also rate it PG for action and violence. I give the film 5 out of 5 reels. So if you have not seen this animated classic watch it as soon as you can.
Website Link: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/incredibles/
flickflack news
Posted on | December 14, 2010 | 2 Comments
We are starting flickflack news that is about everything related to film. You can get an inside look at the best new movies, and we have given you links to interviews and interesting web sites to give you the behind scenes look at interesting film news.
NOTE: The DC comics’ books are about comics not movies but we have decided to include the books because there have been many DC comics turned into movies.
Books:
Learn about the new book written by Paul Levitz, 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking: Wham! Wow!: DC Comics at 75 with Tom Ashbrook on NPR’s On Point Radio.
Book: DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle
Book: The Sounds of Star Wars. Listen to an interview with Ben Burt about ‘The Sounds Of Star Wars,’ Now At Fans’ Fingertips on NPR’s Weekend Edition.
Awards:
American Film Institute (AFI) announces top 10 movies of 2010
Upcoming Films:
Tintin: The Tintin comic book series is being turned into a movie, directed by blockbuster directors Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. Due out at the theaters 2011. Learn more about Tintin on Wikipedia and in Empire Magazine.
Tron Legacy: The sequel to TRON will be in theaters Friday. Visit the official website to look at games, videos, cast, characters, and everything else you can possibly imagine about the new movie, TRON Legacy. Read about it in Empire Magazine.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, On Stranger Tides will be released. Watch the trailer here: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=29718
Save the date:
Providence Children’s Film Festival will be in Providence February 18 – 22, 2011.
2010 Oscar Academy Awards will air on ABC on February 27, 2011. The hosts will be Anne Hathaway and James Franco.
RIIFF: Flick talks animation
Posted on | August 13, 2010 | Add Comments
Flack interviews Flick about animated film shorts from the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
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