Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Review

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Release Date: 19th May 2011 - Australia

Production Companies
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Walt Disney Pictures 

Distribution 

Walt Disney Studios Motion 

Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: M

Runtime: 147 minutes


Budget: $250,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,045,713,802
(Worldwide)

Plot Summary

When Jack crosses paths
with a woman from his past,
he's not sure if it's love - or
if she's a ruthless con artist
who's using him to find the
fabled Fountain of Youth.
When she forces him 

aboard the Queen Anne's
Revenge, the ship of
the formidable pirate
Blackbeard, Jack
finds himself on an
unexpected adventure in
which he doesn't know who
to fear more: Blackbeard or
the woman from his past. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast

Johnny Depp - Captain Jack Sparrow
Penelope Cruz - Angelica
Ian McShane - Edward "Blackbeard" Teach
Geoffrey Rush - Captain Hector Barbossa
Kevin McNally - Joshamee Gibbs
Sam Cliffin - Philip Swift
Astrid Berges-Frisbey - Syrena
Stephen Graham - Scrum
Keith Richards - Captain Teague
Richard Griffiths - King George
Greg Ellis - Lt. Commander Theodore Groves
Damian O'Hare - Gillette
Oscar Jaenada - The Spaniard
Sebastian Armesto - King Ferdinand
Anton Lesser - Lord John Carteret
Roger Allam - Prime Minister Henry Pelham
Christopher Fairbank - Ezekiel
Paul Bazely - Salaman
Bronson Webb - Cook
Richard Thomson - Derrick
Yuki Matsuzaki - Garheng
Robbie Kay - Cabin Boy
Gemma Ward - Tamara - First Mermaid 

Ian Mercer - Quartermaster

Deobia Oparei - Gunner
Judi Dench - Society Lady (Cameo)

Crew

Director - Rob Marshall
Based on Novel: On Stranger Tides/Suggestion -
Tim Powers
Screen Story/Based on Characters/Screenplay/
Executive Producers - Terry Rossio &
Ted Elliott
Based on Characters - Stuart Beattie &
Jay Wolpert
Executive Producers - John DeLuca,
Chad Oman & Mike Stenson
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Barry H. Waldman
Producer - Jerry Bruckheimer
Casting Directors - Lucy Bevan,
Kathy Driscoll & Francine Maisler
Production Designer - John Myhre

Senior Art Director: UK - David Allday
Set Decorator - Gordon Sim
Property Master - Ty Teiger 
Costume Designer - Penny Rose
Director of Photography - Dariusz Wolski
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
George Marshall Ruge

Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor -
Charles Gibson
Sword Master/Fight Coordinator/Stunt Double: 
Geoffrey Rush - Thomas DuPont 
Special Effects Supervisor - John Fraizer

Special Effects Supervisor: UK - Neil Corbould

Special Effects Co-Supervisor: UK - David Watkins

Visual Effects Supervisor - Matt Dessero

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Ben Snow

Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Gary Brozenich

Visual Effects Supervisor: Hydraulx - Greg Strause
Visual Effects Supervisor: Cinesite - Simon Stanley-Clamp

Visual Effects Supervisor: New Deal Studios - 

Ian Hunter 

Visual Effects Art Director - Aaron McBride 

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - John Bell

Animation Supervisor: ILM - Tim Harrington

Animation Supervisor: MPC - Greg Fisher
Creature Supervisor - Kaori Ogino
Digital Supervisor - Mike Sanders
Film Editors - David Brenner & Wyatt Smith
Additional Editing - Michael Kahn
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -
Christopher Boyes
Music Supervisor - Bob Badami
Music - Hans Zimmer

Review

'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES' was simple and shorter than the last two films which I didn't get to watch both of them as I would have done it ages ago. The visual effects were advanced and stunning and the 3D aspect of the movie improved the effects of the movie. The direction by Rob Marshall wasn't half as bad as other reviewers have said it. I probably enjoy the acting of Johnny Depp and newcomers Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz. I loved the intense part of the film where it involved killer mermaids. 

'ON STRANGER TIDES' was better than the last two films or so I think it was in my opinion. Most people would disagree about the feature as they preferred its iconic predecessor. In all, Jerry Bruckheimer has done a wonderful job with the film and there's a talk of the fifth coming out and so does the sixth.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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My New Blogsite

Hi, this is Film Guru Lad here! Sorry I didn't post a review last Monday. But just you know, I have started another blog site. This one is about my trip to New Zealand last month. Here's the link to it (http://filmguruladnewzealand.blogspot.com/). I hope you enjoy it!

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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Review

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Release Date: 19th May 2005 - Australia


Production Companies

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 140 minutes


Budget: $113,000,000

Box Office Gross: $868,390,560 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
The Clone Wars have been ongoing for three years as the Jedi Knights lead the clone army in a massive struggle against the Separatists. An ancient plot unfolds, which may threaten to destroy the Jedi Order and turn the Republic into the evil Galactic Empire. The Emperor has turned Anakin Skywalker to the dark side of the Force. He is now his apprentice.

The Jedi were all but extinct. Obi-Wan and Yoda were among the few survivors from the Sith onslaught. All that remains is a spark of hope, which came into the existence of Anakin's two secret children, Luke and Leia.

Cast
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Natalie Portman - Padmé Amidala

Hayden Christensen - Anakin Skywalker

Ian McDiarmid - Supreme
Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious
Samuel L. Jackson - Mace Windu

Jimmy Smits - Senator Bail Organa

Frank Oz - Yoda (Voice)
Anthony Daniels - C-3PO/

Dannl Faytonni
Kenny Baker - R2-D2
Christopher Lee - Count Dooku

Silas Carson - Ki-Adi-Mundi/Nute Gunray

Temuera Morrison - Commander Cody

Peter Mayhew - Chewbacca
Matthew Wood - General Grievous (Voice)

Joel Edgerton - Owen Lars

Bonnie Piesse - Beru Lars

Jay Laga'aia - Captain Typho
Oliver Ford Davies - Sio Bibble

Ahmed Best - Jar Jar Binks
Keisha Castle-Hughes - Queen of Naboo

Rohan Nicol - Captain Raymus Antilles

Jeremy Bulloch - Captain Colton
Bruce Spence - Tion Medon

Wayne Pygram - Governor Tarkin
Rebecca Jackson Mendoza - Queen of Alderaan
Jett Lucas - Zett Jukassa

(Cameo)

Tux Akindoyeni - Agen Kolar
Matt Rowan - Senator Orn Free Taa
Kenji Oates - Saesee Tin
Amy Allen - Aayla Secura
Graeme Blundell - Ruwee Naberrie

Trisha Noble - Jobal Naberrie
Claudia Karvan - Sola Naberrie
Keira Wingate - Ryoo Naberrie
Hayley Mooy - Pooj Naberrie
Katie Lucas - Chi Eekway (Cameo)

Amanda Lucas - Terr Taneel
Warren Owens - Fang Zar

Genevieve O'Reilly - Mon Mothma
Kee Chan - Male-Dee
Rena Owen - Nee Alavar
Christopher Kirby - Giddean Danu
Kristy Wright - Motee
Coinneach Alexander - Whie

Olivia McCallum - Bene

Michael Kingma - Wookie General Tarfful
Axel Dench - Wookie

Steven Foy - Wookie

Julian Knazzouh - Wookie

James Rowland - Wookie

David Stiff - Wookie

Robert Cope - Wookie

David Bowers - Mas Amedda
Jerome St. John Blake - Mas Amedda

(Uncredited)
Ben Cooke - Kit Fisto (Uncredited)
Nina Fallon - Stass Allie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Nick Jamison - Aito Laff (Uncredited)

Ross Beadman - Sors Bandeam (Uncredited)

James Earl Jones - Darth Vader (Voice)

(Uncredited)

Jeremy Bulloch - Captain Colton (Cameo)
David Acord - GH-7 Medical Droid (Voice)

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Paul Davies - Meena Tills, Mon Calamari

Senator (Uncredited)

Danny Steele - Tundra Dowmeia (Uncredited)

George Lucas - Baron Papanodia (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Nick Gillard - Cin Drallig (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Pablo Hildago - Janu Godalhi (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Jill Brooks - Opera House Patron (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Rob Coleman - Opera House Patron (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Roger Guyett - Opera House Patron (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Janet Lewin - Opera House Patron (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Denise Ream - Opera House Patron (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

John Knoll - Fire Ship Pilot (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Executive Producer/Director -

George Lucas

Character Creators: Aayla Secura -

John Ostrander and Jan Duursema (Uncredited)

Producer - Rick McCallum

Script Supervisor - Jayne-Ann Tenggren
Casting Director - Christine King

Production Designer - Gavin Bocquet

Concept Design Supervisors - Erik Tiemens

and Ryan Church

Supervising Art Director - Peter Russell

Art Directors - Ian Gracie and Phil Harvey

Art Director: Additional Shooting Crew,

UK - David Lee

Assistant Art Directors - Jacinta Leong,

Damien Drew, Karen Murphy and Clive Memmott

Construction Manager - Greg Hajdu

Set Decorator - Richard Roberts

Assistant Set Decorator - Beverley Dunn
Property Master - Ty Teiger
Costume Designer - Trisha Biggar

Assistant Costume Designer - Michael Mooney

Costume Supervisor - Nicole Young

Costume Administrator - Gillian Libbert

Costume Props Supervisor - Ivo Coveney
Makeup Supervisor - Nikki Gooley

Creatures Supervisor - Dave Elsey

Fabrication Supervisor - Lou Elsey

Director of Photography - David Tattersall

Director of Photography: China Shoot - David Franco

Director of Photography: Sicily and Thailand

Shoot - Ron Fricke

Director of Photography: Additional Shooting Crew,

UK/Switzerland - Giles Nuttgens

High Definition Supervisor - Fred Meyers

Camera Operator - Calum McFarlane

Camera/Steadicam Operator - Simon Harding

Focus Pullers - Matt Toll and Tov Belling

Camera Assistants - Simon Williams

and Lee Mariano

Production Supervisor - Stephen Jones

Production Coordinator - Virginia Whitwell 

Production Coordinators: UK - Helen Gregory

and Siobhan Lyons

First Assistant Director - Colin Fletcher

Second Assistant Director - Deborah Antoniou

Second Second Assistant Director - Paul Sullivan

Third Assistant Director - Samantha Smith McGrady

Sword Master/Stunt Coordinator/

Stunts (Uncredited) - Nick Gillard

Special Effects Supervisor - David Young

Special Effects Coordinator - Rodney Burke

Droid Unit Supervisor/R2-D2 Operator -

Don Bies

Visual Effects Supervisors - John Knoll
and Roger Guyett

Visual Effects Coordinators: ILM - Nina Fallon,

David Gray, Jessica Teach, Leigh Ann Fan,

Kathleen Lynch and William Tlusty

Visual Effects & Animation Producer: ILM -

Janet Lewin

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks

Visual Effects Executive Producer: ILM -

Denise Ream

Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM - Alex Jaeger

and Aaron McBride

Effects Directors of Photography: ILM -

Carl Miller and Pat Sweeney

Additional Photography: ILM - Kim Marks

and Martin Rosenberg

Creature Supervisor: ILM - Aaron Ferguson

Creature Technical Director - Eric Wong

Animation Director - Rob Coleman

Technical Animation Supervisor: ILM - James Tooley

Lead Animators: ILM - Scott Benza,

Virginie Michel d'Annoville, Tim Harrington,

Paul Kavanagh, Virgil Manning,

Glen McIntosh and Jamy Wheless

Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM -

Russell Earl, Craig Hammack, Hilmar Koch,

David Meny, Patrick T. Myers and John Helms

Pre-Production Computer Graphics Supervisor:

ILM - Samir Hoon

Sequence Supervisors and Development Leads:

ILM - Michael Balog, Thomas Fejes,

Erik Krumrey, Khatsho Orfali, Jeff Sutherland,

Stella Bogh, Willi Geiger, Francois Lambert,

Russell Paul, Douglas Sutton, Patrick Brenman,

Neil Herzinger, Marcel Martinez, Bruce Powell,

David Weitzberg, Patrick Conran, Shawn Hiller,

Tory Mercer, Jason Rosson, Ronnie Williams Jr.,

Michael Conte, David Hisanaga, Timothy Naylor,

Anthony Shafer and Dean Yurke

Pre-Visualisation/Effects Supervisor - Daniel D. Gregoire

Digital Modelling Supervisor: ILM - Pamela Choy

Digital Creature Model Supervisors: ILM -

Paul Giacoppo and Li-Hsien Wei

Simulation Supervisor: ILM - Juan-Luis Sanchez

Viewpaint Supervisors: ILM - Ron Woodall

and Elbert Yen

Rotoscope Supervisors: ILM - Beth D'Amato

and Jack Mongovan

Layout Supervisor: ILM - Brian Cantwell

Digital Matte Supervisor: ILM - Jonathan Harb

Digital Compositing Supervisors: ILM -

Eddie Pasquarello and Patrick Tubach

3D Matchmove Supervisor: ILM - Jason H. Snell

Practical Model Supervisor: ILM - Brian Gernand

Lead Model Makers: ILM - Nick D'Abo and

Michael Lynch
Editor/Sound Design/Supervising

Sound Editor - Ben Burtt

Editor - Roger Barton

Additional Editor - Joseph Jett Sally

Assistant Editor - Cheryl Nardi

Location Assistant Editor - Jason Ballantine

Technical Supervisor - Michael Blanchard

Supervising Sound Editor/ADR Supervisor

(Uncredited) - Matthew Wood

Assistant Sound Editor - David Acord

Sound Effects Editor - Teresa Eckton

Sound Recordist - Paul 'Salty' Brincat

Sound Editor/Re-Recording Mixer - Tom Myers

Dialogue Editor/Re-Recording Mixer -

Christopher Scarabosio

Foley Mixer - Frank Rinella

Foley Artists - Ellen Heuer,

Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance

Music - John Williams

Supervising Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg

Scoring Engineer - Shawn Murphy


Awards

2006 Academy Awards
Best Makeup - Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley (Nominated)


Review
REVENGE OF THE SITH is likely darker than The Empire Strikes Back. It's a tragic movie from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In REVENGE, however, we finally see Anakin Skywalker turn into Darth Vader and the return of Chewbacca, whom we hadn't seen since the original films. I liked the character of General Grievous and enjoyed the tremendous acting performances of Hayden Christensen (say what you will about him, but his acting has improved since we last saw him in Attack of the Clones), Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Ian McDiarmid. Who could forget the incredible space battle between the Jedi, the Republic and the Separatist droids? Or the final two lightsaber duels of Obi-Wan vs. Anakin and Yoda vs. Palpatine?

REVENGE is not only better than the other two prequels, but it's a must-see for all, including die-hard fans. It is my third favourite Star Wars film and is underrated.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Raiders of the Lost Ark Review

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Release Date: 13th August 1981 – Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: M

Runtime: 115 minutes


Budget: $18,000,000

Box Office Gross: $389,925,971 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
In 1936, an archeologist/professor Indiana Jones searched for a rare treasure in the South American jungle but narrowly avoided a treacherous booby trap in accomplishing his task. After being told about a religious artifact known as The Ark of the Covenant, he sets off on a new adventure across the globe. Along the way, he must combat a rival archeologist named Rene Belloq and a group of Nazis.


Cast
Harrison Ford – Indiana Jones
Karen Allen – Marion Ravenwood
Paul Freeman – Dr. Rene Belloq
Ronald Lacey – Major Arnold Toht
John Rhys-Davies – Sallah
Denholm Elliot – Dr. Marcus Brody
Wolf Kahler – Colonel Dietrich
Alfred Molina – Satipo
George Harris – Captain Katanga
Anthony Higgins – Major Gobler
Vic Tablian –  Barranca/
Monkey Man
Don Fellows – Colonel Musgrove
William Hootkins – Major Eaton
Fred Sorenson – Jock
Patrick Durkin – Australian
Climber
Pat Roach – Giant Sherpa/

1st Mechanic
Christopher Frederick – Otto
Tutte Lemkov – Imam
Ishaq Bux – Omar
Kiran Shah – Abu
Souad Messaoudi – Fayah
Terry Richards – Arab Swordsman
Eddie Tagoe – Messenger Pirate

Frank Marshall – Pilot (Cameo)

Dennis Muren – Nazi Spy on

the Airplane (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Michael Sheard – U-Boat

Captain (Uncredited)

Frank Welker – Special Vocal Effects (Uncredited)

Crew
Director – Steven Spielberg
Story/Executive Producer – George Lucas

Story – Philip Kaufman
Screenplay – Lawrence Kasdan

Associate Producer/

Production Manager (Uncredited) – Robert Watts

Executive Producer – Howard G. Kazanjian
Producer/Second Unit Director (Uncredited) –

Frank Marshall

Associate to Mr Spielberg – Kathleen Kennedy
Casting Directors – Jane Feinberg,

Mike Fenton and Mary Selway

Production Designer – Norman Reynolds

Production Illustrator – Ed Verreaux

Production Artists – Ron Cobb

and Michael Lloyd

Illustrator: ILM – Ralph McQuarrie

Art Director – Leslie Dilley

Assistant Art Directors – Ken Court,

John Fenner, Fred Hole and Michael Lamont

Set Decorator – Michael Ford
Costume Designer – Deborah Nadoolman

Armorer – Simon Atherton

Special Makeup Effects: ILM – Chris Walas

Director of Photography – Douglas Slocombe

Additional Photography – Paul Beeson

Operating Cameramen: Second Unit –

Wally Byatt, Jerry Dunkley and David Worley

Assistant Cameraman – Robin Vidgeon

Production Supervisor – Douglas Twiddy

Assistant Production Manager – Patricia Carr

First Assistant Director – David Tomblin

Second Assistant Directors – Roy Button

and Patrick Cadell

Second Assistant Director: Peru/Hawaii –

Louis G. Friedman
Second Unit Director – Michael D. Moore

Stunt Coordinator – Glenn Randall Jr.

Stunt Arranger – Peter Diamond

Mechanical Effects Supervisor – Kit West
Visual Effects Supervisor – Richard Edlund

Art Director: Visual Effects, ILM – Joe Johnston

Assistant Art Director: ILM – Nilos Rodis-Jamero

Production Supervisor: ILM – Thomas G. Smith

Effects Cameraman: ILM - Jim Vellieux

Camera Operators: ILM – Don Diew and Bill Neil

Modelshop Foreman: ILM – Lorne Peterson

Pyrotechnics: ILM – Thaine Morris

Visual Effects Editorial Supervisor: ILM –

Conrad Buff IV

Matte Painting Supervisor: ILM – Alan Maley

Matte Artist: ILM – Michael Pangrazio

Matte Photography: ILM – Neil Krepela

Matte Photography Assistant: ILM – Craig Barron

Optical Photography Supervisor: ILM –

Bruce Nicholson

Supervising Stage Technician: ILM – Ted Moehnke

Stage Technicians: ILM – William Beck,

Dick Dova, Bob Finley III, Pat Fitzsimmons,

Edward Hirsh, John McLeod and Peter Stolz

Editor – Michael Kahn

Assistant Film Editor: ILM – Duwayne Dunham

Assistant Film Editors – Bruce Green,

Phil Sanderson and Colin Wilson
Sound Design – Ben Burtt

Supervising Sound Effects Editor/Sound Effects

Recording (Uncredited) – Richard L. Anderson

Sound Effects Editor – Stephen Hunter Flick

Sound Effects Editor/Recording (Uncredited) –

Mark A. Mangini

Supervising Dialogue Editor – Curt Schulkey

Re-Recording – Bill Varney,

Steve Maslow and Gregg Landaker

Foley Editor – John Dunn

Sound Effects Recording – Gary Summers

Music – John Williams

Music Supervisor – Lionel Newman (Uncredited)

Supervising Music Editor – Kenneth Wannberg


Awards

1982 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction – Norman Reynolds,
Leslie Dilley and Michael Ford (Won)
Best Sound – Bill Varney, Steve Maslow,
Gregg Landaker and Roy Charman (Won)
Best Film Editing – Michael Kahn (Won)
Best Visual Effects – Richard Edlund,

Kit West, Bruce Nicholson and Joe Johnston (Won)
Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects

Editing – Ben Burtt and Richard L. Anderson (Won)

--------------------------
Best Picture – Frank Marshall (Nominated)
Best Director – Steven Spielberg (Nominated)
Best Cinematography – Douglas Slocombe (Nominated)
Best Original Score – John Williams (Nominated)


Review
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is a successful collaboration between George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg, resulting in a terrific and enjoyable adventure movie with lots of action and humour. It makes you feel that you are in an underground temple in Cairo full of traps and danger. What made RAIDERS so unique was its inspiration from pulp magazines and old Saturday morning film serials, as most of you were probably too young to remember that stuff. It is due to its pre-World War II setting and the battle against the evil Nazis.

Besides the action sequences, the stunts and visual effects draw you into the adventure as Indy has to stop the Nazis from claiming the Ark. I liked the acting of Harrison Ford, who is terrific for the part of the main hero, Indiana Jones and Miss Karen Allen as the love interest Marion. John Williams' truly breathtaking music score is the other factor in RAIDERS. It evokes the atmosphere heard in the old action/adventure serials of the 1930s and the early 40s, which brings back the classical compositions of Hollywood.

This film contains memorable scenes, such as Indiana getting chased by the boulder in the opening sequence. Indy descends into the snake pit (despite his fear of snakes), and a fight scene between Indy and a bald and burly German mechanic.

RAIDERS was a brilliant start to the franchise and is unforgettable to the series' fans. It's one of my top favourites. I highly recommend watching it before you see the other Indiana Jones films.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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The Thief and the Cobbler Review

The Thief and the Cobbler

Release Date: 30th June 1994 – Australia (as The Princess and the Cobbler)

Production Companies

Allied Filmmakers

Richard Williams Productions

Genre: Animation/Family/

Fantasy

Rating: PG (Workprint/Re-
                    Cobbled Cut)

              G (Princess)

Runtime: 91 minutes
                 (Workprint)

                 77 minutes
                 (Princess)

Budget: $28,000,000

Plot Summary

The story is about a

nameless thief who

unleashes an ancient

prophecy of destruction and

death by releasing three

magical golden balls on the

top of a minaret that

protects the magnificent

Golden City, causing it to

be in danger of invasion by

an army of one-eyed men.

The only one who could

save the city is a young,

shy and poor shoemaker

named Tack with the help of

Princess Yum-Yum and her

nanny, a band of brigands

and, most unlikely, the Thief

himself. Together, they

must attempt to find the

three golden balls and

prevent the one-eyed army

and the evil grand vizier

Zigzag from conquering

the Golden City.

Voice Cast (All Versions)

Vincent Price – Zigzag the

Grand Vizier

Windsor Davies – Chief

Roofless

Stanley Baxter – Gofer/Slap
Kenneth Williams – Goblet/

Tickle
Clinton Sundberg – Dying Soldier
Frederick Shaw – Goolie
Thick Wilson – Hook
Eddie Byrne – Hoof

Voice Cast (Both Versions)

Donald Pleasence – Phido the Vulture

Joan Sims – Mad and Holy

Old Witch

Voice Cast (Original Version)

Felix Aylmer – Narrator

Sara Crowe – Princess Yum-Yum

Anthony Quayle – King Nod

Joan Sims – Princess

Yum-Yum's Nanny

Chris Greener – Mighty One-Eye

Voice Cast (The Princess and the Cobbler)

Steve Lively – Narrator/

Tack the Cobbler

Bobbi Page – Princess Yum-Yum

Ed E. Carroll – The Thief

Clive Revill – King Nod

Kevin Dorsey – Mighty One-

Eye

Mona Marshall – Princess

Yum-Yum's Nanny/Mad and

Holy Old Witch

Crew

Writer/Producer/Director/

Lead Animator – Richard Williams

Completion Producer/

Director: Los Angeles –

Fred Calvert

Writer – Margaret French
Additional Story and

Dialogue – Parker Bennett, Terry Runte, Tom Towler and Stephen Zito

Additional Story and Dialogue/Completion

Producer: Los Angeles – Bette L. Smith
Executive Producer – Jake Eberts
Producer – Imogen Sutton
Co-Producer: Los Angeles –

Jacobus Rose
Art Director – Roy Naisbitt

Artistic Supervisor: Calvert/Cobbler

Productions – Darrell Rooney

Background Styling – Errol Le Cain

Character Animation Supervisors – Neil Boyle
and Tim Watts

Master Animator – Ken Harris
Lead Animators – Art Babbitt,
Paul Bolger, David Byers Brown, Alan Simpson,

Dietmar Kremer, Denis Deegan, Gary Dunn, 

Sahin Ersoz, Steve Evangelatos, Robert

Malherbe, Mark Naisbitt, Brent Odell,

Philip Pepper, Dean Roberts,

Michael Schlingmann, Andreas-Wessel Therhorn,

Emery Hawkins, Alexander Williams,

Holger Leihe, Margaret Grieve, Jurgen Gross,

Alyson Hamilton, Mike Swindall and

Tahsin Özgür

Lead/Assistant Animator – Venelin Veltchev

Lead Animator/Animator: Calvert/Cobbler

Productions – Roger Vizard

Director of Photography – John Leatherbarrow
Lyricist: Songs – Norman Gimbel
Composer: Songs/Music – Robert Folk

Editor – Peter Bond

Additional Editor: Los Angeles –

Harry Keramidas

Supervising Sound Editor – Mike Le Mare

Sound Designer/Effects Editor –

Robert L. Sephton

Sound Re-Recording Mixers: Los Angeles –

Rick Ash and Dean A. Zupancic

Review

THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER (known as The Princess and the Cobbler in Australia) was an unfinished, bizarre animated film by Richard Williams, who animated Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I liked the film's (M.C. Escher-inspired) backgrounds, optical illusions and animation style. The latter nearly feels like CGI, except it is done in three dimensions by hand. It's a shame that it got taken from its creator after 28 years of production. Subsequently, the film was cheaply finished and edited, with half of the footage cut and turned into an Aladdin rip-off by adding unnecessary songs and dialogue for the originally silent character, Tack, which depleted the film's value.

I praise the film's surviving original content, such as Vincent Price's marvellous and final performance as Zigzag. Keeping the Thief silent and the Witch character in most scenes are effective choices. The best moments include when Tack chases the Thief for stealing Princess Yum-Yum's shoe and most of the War Machine.

Whether or not you have seen THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER, try the Re-Cobbled Cut version instead of the Australian version because this version has no forgettable songs. The Re-Cobbled Cut shows what the original version could have been if finished and is available on YouTube.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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Titan A.E. Review

Titan A.E.

Release Date: 4th January 2001 – Australia

Production Companies
20th Century Fox (presents)

David Kirschner Productions (in association with)

Fox Animation Studios

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 94 minutes

Budget: $90,000,000

Box Office Gross: $36,754,634 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Fifteen years after Earth gets destroyed by the Drej, a race of energy beings, Cale Tucker discovers that he has a genetically encoded map in his ring. It leads him to a lost spaceship known as the Titan. This ship's secret gives humanity a chance at a new home. The Drej seek to destroy the Titan, so Cale joins the crew of the Valkyrie. Together, they must find the Titan in time, as the survival of humanity depends on them.

Voice Cast

Matt Damon – Cale Tucker

Bill Pullman – Captain Joseph Korso

John Leguizamo – Gune

Nathan Lane – Preed

Janeane Garofalo – Stith

Drew Barrymore – Akima

Alex D. Linz – Young Cale

Tone Loc – Tek
Jim Breuer – The Cook
Christopher Scarabosio – Queen Drej
Jim Cummings – Chowquin
Charles Rocket – Firrikash/
Slave Trader Guard
Ken Hudson Campbell – Po
Tsai Chin – Old Woman
Crystal Scales – Drifter Girl
David L. Lander – The Mayor

Roger L. Jackson – First Alien

Crew

Producers/Directors – Don Bluth and Gary Goldman

Story/Associate Producer –

Hans Bauer

Story – Randall McCormick

Writer/Creative Consultant –

Ben Edlund

Writers – John August and Joss Whedon
Executive Producer – Paul Gertz
Producer – David Kirschner

Creative Consultant – Mireille Soria
Pre-Production Designer – John Lakey
Production Designer – Phillip A. Cruden
Art Director – Kenneth Valentine Slevin

Conceptual Artists – Oliver

Scholl, Suzanne Lemieux

Wilson, Bruce Zick, Simon

Valdimir Varela, Ron Cobb,

Steve Burg, Stephan Martinière,

Doug Henderson, James Clyne

(Uncredited) and Rob Meyers

(Uncredited)

Conceptual Artist/Digital Artist: Ice Crystals

and Wake Angels Sequences – Barry E. Jackson

Animation Color Styling Supervisor –

Carmen Oliver

Character Designers – Wayne D. Barlowe

and Louise Zingarelli
Costume Designer – Kym Barrett

Layout Supervisor – Anthony Christov

Character Layout – Chris Schouten

and Kris Pearn

Background Supervisor – Rob Nason

Action Consultant: Live-Action Reference –

Glenn Randall Jr.

Director of Animation – Len Simon

Directing Animators – Renato Dos Anjos,

Robert Fox, Edison Gonclaves, John Hill,

Paul Newberry and Troy Saliba

Animation Supervisor – Paul J. Kelly

Special Effects Animation Supervisor –

Peter Matheson

3D Animation Supervisor – Thomas M. Miller

3D Animation Director/Effects Supervisor:

Blue Sky Studios – Jan Carlee

3D Animation Producer: Rhonda Graphics –

Rhonda Sanders-Olson

3D Directing Animators – Chris Kazmier,

Charlie Breakiron, Mary Clarke-Miller and

David Satchwell

3D Lead Animator – David Munier

Visual Effects Supervisor: Ice Crystals and

Wake Angels Sequences – David Dozoretz

Visual Effects Sequence Supervisors: Ice

Crystals and Wake Angels Sequences –

Kevin Baillie and Ryan Tudhope

Picture Editors – Bob Bender and Fiona Trayler
Editor: Ice Crystals and Wake Angel

Sequences – Paul Martin Smith

Supervising Sound Editor – Matthew Wood

Supervising Sound Editor (Uncredited)/
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer –

Christopher Boyes

Assistant Sound Designer –

Christopher Scarabosio

Post-Production Liaison: Skywalker Sound –

Gloria S. Borders

Sound Effects Editor – Andrea Gard

Foley Editors – Sandina Bailo-Lape and

Susan Sanford

Foley Artists – Dennie Thorpe and

Lana Vance

Foley Mixer – Tony Eckert

Re-Recording Mixer – Gary Summers

Music – Graeme Revell

Score Orchestrator and Conductor –

Tim Simonec

Music Supervisor – Glen Ballard

Score Recordist and Mixer – John Kurlander

Review

Despite being a major box office bomb, TITAN A.E. was a good sci-fi movie by Don Bluth that blends traditional 2D and computer-generated 3D animation. It contains references to the first two Star Wars films. The aspects of the movie I liked were the action, the voice acting of Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore and Nathan Lane, and the soundtrack. The scenes that impressed me include the opening sequence when Earth gets destroyed, the Wake Angels and the chase on the Ice Rings of Tigrin.

I always loved TITAN, but Disney's similar movie, Treasure Planet, was way better than the former because it was set in an alternate universe and had a terrific storyline. However, the problem is that no one knew what kind of audience TITAN A.E. was targeting. Due to being an animated film, its obvious demographic would generally be kids. Then again, it has several adult themes and violence. Because of this combination of features, TITAN A.E. is more like a young adult film.

I recommend this film, particularly for science-fiction and animation lovers, especially those who've grown up with Don Bluth's work.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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The Benchwarmers Review

The Benchwarmers


Release Date: 16th May 2006 - Australia


Production Companies
Revolution Studios
Happy Madison Productions

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 80 minutes


Budget: $33,000,000

Box Office Gross: $64,962,629 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Three guys who used to get bullied witnessed the bullying of a friend's son and, in retaliation, started a baseball team to enter the Little League state tournament on behalf of all the losers and victims of bullying. These underdogs find themselves in several wacky situations in this goofball comedy.


Cast
Rob Schneider - Gus
David Spade - Richie
Jon Heder - Clark
Jon Lovitz - Mel
Craig Kilborn - Jerry
Molly Sims - Liz
Tim Meadows - Wayne
Nick Swardson - Howie
Erinn Bartlett - Salad Girl/
Sarah
Amaury Nolasco - Carlos

Bill Romanowski - Karl

Sean Salisbury - Brad

Matt Weinberg - Kyle

John Farley - Swimmer Boy

Reggie Jackson - Himself

Joe Gnoffo - Marcus Ellwood

Jackie Sandler - Female Costumer (Cameo)

Ray Nicholson - Kid Catcher #1 Game #2

Jared Sandler - Autograph Kid (Cameo)

Terry Crews - Poker Guy #1 (Cameo)

Rachel Hunter - Hot Mother

Patrick Schwarzenegger - Jock Kid Game #3

Dan Patrick - Poker Guy #2 A.K.A. O'Malley

James Earl Jones - Darth Vader (Voice)

(Cameo)

Max Prado - Nelson

Dennis Dugan - Coach Bellows (Cameo)

Jillian Henry - Gretchen Peterson

Garrett Julian - Mitchell

Alex Warrick - Sammy Sprinkler

Cole Hockenbury - Jarrett

Danny McCarthy - Troy

Mason Knight - Charlie Catcher

Charles Dugan - Marty

Doug Jones - Number 7 Robot

Jonathan Loughran - Brad's Assistant Coach

Judith Drake - Mrs. Johnson

Blake Clark - Umpire (Cameo)

Brooke Langton - Kathy Dobson

Mary Jo Catlett - Mrs. Ellwood

J.J. Darwish - Goth Kid

Elle King - Goth Kid's Girlfriend

William Daniels - K.I.T.T. (Voice) (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Dennis Dugan
Writer - Allen Covert
Writer/Co-Producer - Nick Swardson

Executive Producer - Barry Bernardi

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Allegra Clegg

Producers - Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler

Co-Producer - Derek Dauchy

Casting - Anne McCarthy and Jay Scully

Production Designer - Perry Andelin Blake

Supervising Art Director - Alan Au

Art Director - Jeffrey Mossa

Set Decorator - Gary Fettis

Property Masters - Timothy S. Wiles

and Max E. Brehme

Costume Designer - Mary Jane Fort

Special Makeup Effects: Marcus -

Bill Corso
Director of Photography - Thomas E. Ackerman

Production Supervisor - Daren Hicks

First Assistant Directors - John Hockridge

and Dennis M. White

Stunt Coordinator - Gary Guercio

Sports Coordinator - Mark Robert Ellis

Special Effects Coordinator - John Hartigan

Animatronic Robot Effects - Stan Winston (Uncredited)

Editors - Peck Prior and Sandy S. Solowitz

Supervising Sound Editor - Mike Wilhoit

Supervising Sound Mixers - Gary C. Bourgeois

and Greg Orloff

Foley Artists - Jeffrey Wilhoit and

James Moriana

Music - Waddy Wachtel

Music Supervisors - Michael Dilbeck

and Bryan Bonwell

Review
Those of you from Australia have never played but appreciated the American sport of baseball. THE BENCHWARMERS has comical hilarity and nerve-racking sports action with many memorable quotes and moments like the Hot Potato scene. I didn't approach this film wanting a meaningful storyline. For those who know me, I'm in it for the laughter.

The three cast members, Jon Heder, David Spade and Ron Schneider, were terrific in their leading roles. I enjoyed the cameo of baseball legend Reggie Jackson. I have not heard of him because I'm not from America. I also appreciated the presence of pop-culture figures K.I.T.T. and Darth Vader. There is an interesting minor character who is afraid to go out into the sun (agoraphobic), played by Nick Swardson. His portrayal is convincing.

As far as sports comedies go, it comes nowhere near Happy Gilmore, despite being produced by the same man (Adam Sandler) who did THE BENCHWARMERS. It is still a good film for providing a cheap laugh.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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