Starring the Voices of: Nicholas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Chloris Leechman
Directed By: Chris Sanders, Kirk De Micco
Run Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
The Croods is about a stone age family. Grug is the father of a caveman family (voiced by Cage) and is very protective of his family - and with good reason. Other cavemen haven't lived as long because of the dangerous elements - living conditions and predators. His teenage daughter Eep (voiced by Stone) wants to live outside of a cave. She had adventure in her soul. She sneaks out of the cave one night and meets up with a teenage boy named Guy (voiced by Reynolds) and his pet named Belt. It is then that the family discovers that their cave isn't the safest place to be and the group heads across the land with Guy as their guide in search of a safer home. Guy and Eep both connect with their love of adventure and new things; Grug the traditionalist butts heads with Guy.
I wanted to like this movie. It seemed different. It seemed cute. Unfortunately, I think it tried a little too hard to be too different and too cute. And in an effort to be different, it completely re-invented history. And that bothered me. Perhaps there really were tusked cats that stood two stories high... but I highly doubt they were rainbow colored. If there was one out of place character, I could forgive it. But when everything but the family (and there were dynamics of the family that weren't accurate, either) was completely made up, that unsettles me. I only laughed once. I'm not sure I really smiled much, either. But the story and action did hold me, And the pre-ending did make me sad. A little tear spilled into my eye when Grug and his cave companion snuggled up during the dark and scary night.
I'm not quite sure what the message was. Um, Dads are wrong and overprotective? Dads are old fashioned and have a tough time changing with the times... but in the end, their strength and love for the family win out? Only people with ideas survive?
I did not see this movie in 3D. Not sure you have to. Nothing really struck me as would have been enhanced by comin' at ya.
This movie reminded me of Avatar with its blues and purples and its funky creatures in its funky world. Flowers that ate you if you weren't a fellow flower? Hmmmm... It also reminded me of Pitch Black with its carnivorous birds that came out at night. But unlike Pitch Black, there seemed to be too many surviving creatures to support that action. Finally, it reminded me of Ice Age (all installments), with the family moving to higher ground, moving from their home as the world changes, and the sidekick weasels. This movie's sidekick Belt was not as cute or as funny as the previews had you believe.
The acting was pretty good... although I think Grug should have spoken in more incomplete broken sentences. He seemed a little lower on the evolutionary scale. He was a little too eloquent.
All in all a decent movie. Sweet. Interesting. Action-packed. But just not quite there. Tried too hard to be different, so much so that it was off-putting. Kids might like it. It's not too scary (save the giant cat stalking and trying to eat the family).
Friday, April 19, 2013
March Movie #2: Jack the Giant Slayer (in 3D)
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane
Run Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Directed By: Bryan Singer
Jack the Giant Slayer is basically Jack and the Beanstalk. A boy gets some magic beans and they accidentally meet with dirt and water and thus the giant beanstalk begins growing to the heavens where giants live. This version alludes to the traditional Jack and the beanstalk story, as both a fairy tale told to children and as an actual historical event. It happened hundreds of years ago. As the beanstalk grows in this version, it tangles up a princess and a young man named Jack, pushing them into the giants' world. The princess gets separated from Jack and by the time Jack and the princess's guards find her, she's been captured by the giants. The crew now has to save the princess and keep their world safe from the giants.
A non-sequitur: I keep thinking the title of this movie is Jack AND the Giant Slayer because the fairy tale is Jack and the Beanstalk. That kinda changes the movie a bit. Jack giant slayer - liked it. Thought that it was sweet. Are all giants stinky and hairy? That was my take-away. Action packed. Likable hero. Likable princess, which is always a plus. And Stanley Tucci with hair. Evil Stanley Tucci with hair. Is he always evil when he has hair?
It's been a few weeks since I watched this movie and I didn't jot down my thoughts afterwards. I can't quite remember much about the movie other than I liked it. I know I wanted Stanley Tucci's character to be more evil (I love Stanley Tucci) but perhaps that he had hair (he's bald) was evil enough. I really liked the stories that both sets of parents read to their children (Jack and the princess). I liked how that formed them in different yet similar ways. And I liked that Jack and the princess had that connection, that belief in fairy tales.
All in all, a good movie. Not one I'd own but I did like it. But then, I just like to say Tucci.
Run Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Directed By: Bryan Singer
Jack the Giant Slayer is basically Jack and the Beanstalk. A boy gets some magic beans and they accidentally meet with dirt and water and thus the giant beanstalk begins growing to the heavens where giants live. This version alludes to the traditional Jack and the beanstalk story, as both a fairy tale told to children and as an actual historical event. It happened hundreds of years ago. As the beanstalk grows in this version, it tangles up a princess and a young man named Jack, pushing them into the giants' world. The princess gets separated from Jack and by the time Jack and the princess's guards find her, she's been captured by the giants. The crew now has to save the princess and keep their world safe from the giants.
A non-sequitur: I keep thinking the title of this movie is Jack AND the Giant Slayer because the fairy tale is Jack and the Beanstalk. That kinda changes the movie a bit. Jack giant slayer - liked it. Thought that it was sweet. Are all giants stinky and hairy? That was my take-away. Action packed. Likable hero. Likable princess, which is always a plus. And Stanley Tucci with hair. Evil Stanley Tucci with hair. Is he always evil when he has hair?
It's been a few weeks since I watched this movie and I didn't jot down my thoughts afterwards. I can't quite remember much about the movie other than I liked it. I know I wanted Stanley Tucci's character to be more evil (I love Stanley Tucci) but perhaps that he had hair (he's bald) was evil enough. I really liked the stories that both sets of parents read to their children (Jack and the princess). I liked how that formed them in different yet similar ways. And I liked that Jack and the princess had that connection, that belief in fairy tales.
All in all, a good movie. Not one I'd own but I did like it. But then, I just like to say Tucci.
Monday, April 8, 2013
March Movie #1: Oz the Great and Powerful
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Joey King
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It explains how how the wizard Oz arrived in the land of Oz, as well as why the wicked witches were so wicked. For those of you who have read or seen Wicked, it does not support that version at all (which was a bit disappointing). The green witch wasn't born green and she truly was wicked. She may not have started off that way, but she did turn that way.
I have a rule for myself when watching a movie - no eating popcorn until the actual movie starts. It's how I appease the karmatic cinema gods. I jinxed this movie by eating my popcorn before the movie started. I figured, it's Oz, it's got to be good. Ha! Turns out, I made the movie bad.
It carried on the stylistic tradition and had a bit of the whimsical fairy tale flare as the first, but that is where it stopped. The original was smart. This one tried too hard to keep the essence of the original.The story was interesting. The message was very powerful- trust in yourself and you can do great things. Or, if you're a good enough charlatan, you can fool the gullible or the sheltered. The opening scene in Oz (not the Kansas scene) seemed to be like a bad high school play. The dialog. The timing. The acting. It just fell short of even being good. I was bored. I wasn't impressed. It was predictable.
Over the top. Awkward. Trying too hard. Acting that just wasn't reaching its depth. These are the themes that kept resonating throughout Oz. I didn't like how they were forcing, reinforcing how good Theodora (played by Mila Kunis) was with the pleasant , wispy voice (Mila Kunis was working really hard at that pleasant voice). Her outfits, while very reminiscent of the glam of the 40s, just also seemed strange. The big hat made quite an entrance but seemed awkward the more the hat was on screen. Michelle Williams was channeling her Maryiln Monroe character. She was a little too breathy at times. It was reminiscent of the original Glenda. Also thought that the characters were a bit too "were trying to be different" looking. I liked Oz's entrance into Oz with everything being musical. But the water fairies thing were too over the top, too much of "we're trying to make something different". The monkey - isn't that what the original flying monkey looked like? And the lion. Is that how he becomes the Cowardly lion? And then later Oz fixes him? And he doesn't try to eat people again?
This movie does explain many of the original Oz tale things - the green witch. The wizard... who wasn't really a wizard. Why the witches were evil. Interesting references to things to come as well as an homage to the original with the start in black and white and the characters from Kansas taking form in Oz. Of course, some of the homages to the original just seemed too much - like the Little People. They definitely seemed like they were stuck in the 40s.
It's not bad, it's not good. And it's definitely not great. I was hoping for the magic. Oz doesn't have any and neither does this movie.
What this movie is really telling me is to stay out of Kansas during tornado season (since both movies took place originally in Kansas and a tornado sweeps the character into Oz).
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It explains how how the wizard Oz arrived in the land of Oz, as well as why the wicked witches were so wicked. For those of you who have read or seen Wicked, it does not support that version at all (which was a bit disappointing). The green witch wasn't born green and she truly was wicked. She may not have started off that way, but she did turn that way.
I have a rule for myself when watching a movie - no eating popcorn until the actual movie starts. It's how I appease the karmatic cinema gods. I jinxed this movie by eating my popcorn before the movie started. I figured, it's Oz, it's got to be good. Ha! Turns out, I made the movie bad.
It carried on the stylistic tradition and had a bit of the whimsical fairy tale flare as the first, but that is where it stopped. The original was smart. This one tried too hard to keep the essence of the original.The story was interesting. The message was very powerful- trust in yourself and you can do great things. Or, if you're a good enough charlatan, you can fool the gullible or the sheltered. The opening scene in Oz (not the Kansas scene) seemed to be like a bad high school play. The dialog. The timing. The acting. It just fell short of even being good. I was bored. I wasn't impressed. It was predictable.
Over the top. Awkward. Trying too hard. Acting that just wasn't reaching its depth. These are the themes that kept resonating throughout Oz. I didn't like how they were forcing, reinforcing how good Theodora (played by Mila Kunis) was with the pleasant , wispy voice (Mila Kunis was working really hard at that pleasant voice). Her outfits, while very reminiscent of the glam of the 40s, just also seemed strange. The big hat made quite an entrance but seemed awkward the more the hat was on screen. Michelle Williams was channeling her Maryiln Monroe character. She was a little too breathy at times. It was reminiscent of the original Glenda. Also thought that the characters were a bit too "were trying to be different" looking. I liked Oz's entrance into Oz with everything being musical. But the water fairies thing were too over the top, too much of "we're trying to make something different". The monkey - isn't that what the original flying monkey looked like? And the lion. Is that how he becomes the Cowardly lion? And then later Oz fixes him? And he doesn't try to eat people again?
This movie does explain many of the original Oz tale things - the green witch. The wizard... who wasn't really a wizard. Why the witches were evil. Interesting references to things to come as well as an homage to the original with the start in black and white and the characters from Kansas taking form in Oz. Of course, some of the homages to the original just seemed too much - like the Little People. They definitely seemed like they were stuck in the 40s.
It's not bad, it's not good. And it's definitely not great. I was hoping for the magic. Oz doesn't have any and neither does this movie.
What this movie is really telling me is to stay out of Kansas during tornado season (since both movies took place originally in Kansas and a tornado sweeps the character into Oz).
Thursday, April 4, 2013
February Movie #8: A Good Day to Die Hard
Starring: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney
Run Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Directed By: John Moore
Die Hard 4 was about John McLean's adult daughter Lucy. Die Hard 5 is about his son Jack. When John finds out that his son is in jail in Moscow for shooting someone, he heads to Russia to help his son.
Die Hard. I've loved most of the Die Hard movies (except 2). I did not love this one. Maybe it's because this one was in Russia, which seemed like a stretch to take a NY cop to a whole 'nother country. Part of liking a movie is being able to believe it. I just didn't believe this one. I didn't buy that a cop from NY, who, after running into his escaping son after a bomb exploded in the courthouse, would harass him as much he did. There was obviously something going on and a smart cop like McLean should have figured that part out. And then I don't think a cop would injure innocent bystanders in pursuit of his son. That seemed reckless and selfish. And then there's the whole Chernobyl scene. While I was fine with them breathing in contaminated air (there are animals who live there), I was not fine with falling into the water. That just seemed to be a contaminate you just should avoid. I was also not fine with the tool thing that sucked the radiation out of the air. Um, if they had that, why didn't they send it in before they started walking around?
I liked the twists. They were fun. I liked the spy son. I liked several of the references back to 1, like the bad guys fall off the building, reminiscent of Hans Gruber. But the two together were really cowboys and they should have had a tougher time and more injuries. And the injuries they had didn't seem to slow them down - like how did they stop the bleeding after john pulled thee rebar out of jacks side?
It was entertaining. It wasn't as good or as funny as the 4th one. Concept was a little far fetched. Dialog between the two Mcleans wasn't very interesting or believable. There wasn't much chemistry, even for an estranged father-son. There was an attempt at humor but most of those lines just fell flat. It was enjoyable. Stuff blew up. There was a lot of action. It wasn't a horrible experience. I was just hoping for a little something more from John McLean.
Run Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Directed By: John Moore
Die Hard 4 was about John McLean's adult daughter Lucy. Die Hard 5 is about his son Jack. When John finds out that his son is in jail in Moscow for shooting someone, he heads to Russia to help his son.
Die Hard. I've loved most of the Die Hard movies (except 2). I did not love this one. Maybe it's because this one was in Russia, which seemed like a stretch to take a NY cop to a whole 'nother country. Part of liking a movie is being able to believe it. I just didn't believe this one. I didn't buy that a cop from NY, who, after running into his escaping son after a bomb exploded in the courthouse, would harass him as much he did. There was obviously something going on and a smart cop like McLean should have figured that part out. And then I don't think a cop would injure innocent bystanders in pursuit of his son. That seemed reckless and selfish. And then there's the whole Chernobyl scene. While I was fine with them breathing in contaminated air (there are animals who live there), I was not fine with falling into the water. That just seemed to be a contaminate you just should avoid. I was also not fine with the tool thing that sucked the radiation out of the air. Um, if they had that, why didn't they send it in before they started walking around?
I liked the twists. They were fun. I liked the spy son. I liked several of the references back to 1, like the bad guys fall off the building, reminiscent of Hans Gruber. But the two together were really cowboys and they should have had a tougher time and more injuries. And the injuries they had didn't seem to slow them down - like how did they stop the bleeding after john pulled thee rebar out of jacks side?
It was entertaining. It wasn't as good or as funny as the 4th one. Concept was a little far fetched. Dialog between the two Mcleans wasn't very interesting or believable. There wasn't much chemistry, even for an estranged father-son. There was an attempt at humor but most of those lines just fell flat. It was enjoyable. Stuff blew up. There was a lot of action. It wasn't a horrible experience. I was just hoping for a little something more from John McLean.
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