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Reviews
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
A very good surprising adventure..
It is time for Lucy and Edmund to have their adventure. Who better to have it with than Prince Caspian. Voyage of The Dawn Treader opens in war time Britain, allowing a slight glimpse into the spirit of the country's youth. The adventure begins in the home setting of the Pevensie's cousin, who is well portrayed as a constantly complaining brat of a kid and adds comedic spice to the tale. With just enough surprises and well done special effects, I found this episode to be a delightful Christmas Day movie.
Another review suggests that the Lucy and Edmund characters seem somewhat 'weak' in this episode. I found the characters to be 'spot on', given that they are somewhat older now and more mature. I agree that this film should not be seen in 3D, as it would be a complete distraction for the tale.
As a former filmography student, I can say that I left the theater smiling and pleased with the work of this film.
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Not just average - a better story.
This was a re-write, yes, but very well done. I saw this in normal format, not in 3D, and I agree with the other reviewer that there is no point in making this a 3D movie. The story with it's new twists and in-your-face action make it well worth seeing in regular format. You've never seen the Kraken like this! I say, Bravo!, to the normal format for this re-make which needed to be done. I came away from this with a sense that this is the story Harryhausen wanted to tell. It's not average, by any means. It feels more gritty than fantasy. I felt as if I could have been there in Argos at the time. Clash is the best re-make of one of my favorites from the early 80s and should be considered as a fun movie well worth seeing, but I will not be seeing it again in 3D. 3D would be a distraction for this great story.
The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)
This IS America.
If you can only see one National Park, make it The Grand Canyon. It really is another world. Then buy this 6 DVD set. This is documentary at it's finest. Ken Burns does this extremely well. It kept me enthralled through all 6 episodes. The cinematography is stunning. The history telling is inspiring and spiritual, yet accurate. I discovered some new heroes watching this. This mini-series embodies what democracy is all about. It started with the first National Park and it was an original American idea. That's right, we did it first. This is the kind of pride that shows in this production. This is an excellent addition to anyone's collection, for entertainment and value of American tradition to pass on to upcoming generations.
Star Trek (2009)
Out of place, just does not fit for me...
This new Star Trek movie I found to be a complete departure from the Original Series and does not even fit with the Original at all. I was ashamed of it! Tell me how you can have an early Enterprise with touch-panel controls? That didn't happen until The Next Generation series! The story line of this movie is extremely inconsistent, out of place, confusing as hell to people who grew up with the Original series and followed every movie and all the subsequent series. Vulcan was never destroyed in the Original series nor any of the movies. This is mis-use of creative license. I really don't think Rodenberry would be pleased at all. It is just not right! In order for anything 'Star Trek' to work it must be true to the Original history. This movie is clearly a capitalization on Star Trek theme without regard for the history created by Rodenberry's Original creation. The only enjoyment I got out of it was the special effects. I would have hoped for a true Star Trek XI, picking up where Nemesis left off.
The Court Jester (1955)
Contageously hilarious laugh fest
Born in 1954, I grew up seeing Jester on TV. It molded my sense of humor for all time. It is the single movie in my memory that causes me to break into side-splitting laughter just thinking about it. I don't even have to watch it when I need a good laugh. I just remember it vividly. Recalling a single tongue-twisting line sets me giggling. This is prime Danny Kaye stuff at his ultimate best. A must have for any collection. All performances in this film are superb. It should be counted among Master works and entered into a Hall Of Fame, posthumously awarded. Mr. Kaye and cast are sure to entertain anyone with a funny bone. What a treat it would be to see out-takes from this production. One can tell the entire cast truly enjoyed working on this film.
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
History / Fantasy crossover?
The fact that this is a Spanish movie filmed in Spanish language made it necessary for English sub-titles that cannot be turned off. I found it very distracting. I dislike the idea of being pressured into learning Spanish in this manner. The story and plot lean more toward being dismal, rather than concentrating on the child's fantasy. I found myself torn between viewing it as history or viewing it as fantasy. This, added to the forced English subtitling made the film an unpleasant experience for me. The characters were well portrayed, given the script they had to work with. The fantasy creatures were done well, but could have been better. I would like to have seen more on the legend of the Princess, rather than concentrating on the brutality of the Spanish oppression of the time. Were it not for the fantasy element, I would not have bothered with viewing this movie. It might have been better without the fantasy element and presented as a documentary drama.