Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Batman Review











Batman


Release Date: 30th August 1989 – Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
The Guber-Peters Company
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (produced in association with)


Genre: Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 126 minutes


Budget: $35,000,000

Box Office Gross: 
$411,556,825
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Gotham City: dark,
dangerous, 'protected'
only by a mostly corrupt
police department.

Despite the best effects
of D.A. Harvey Dent and
police commissioner Jim
Gordon, the city becomes
increasingly unsafe...until
a Dark Knight arises. We
all know criminals are a
superstitious, cowardly
lot...so his disguise must be
able to strike terror into
their hearts. He becomes a
bat. Enter Vicky Vale, a
prize-winning photo 
journalist who wants to 
uncover the secret of the 
mysterious "bat-man". And 
enter Jack Napier, one-
time enforcer for Boss 
Grissom, horrible 
disfigured after a fire-fight 
in a chemical factory...that, 
devoid of the last vestiges 
of sanity, seizes control of 
Gotham's underworld as 
the psychotic, 
unpredictable Clown 
Prince of Crime... the 
Joker. Gotham's only 
hope, it seems, lies in
this dark, brooding
vigilante. And just how
does billionaire playboy
Bruce Wayne fit into all of 
this? (Source - IMDb)


Cast
Michael Keaton – Bruce Wayne/Batman
Kim Basigner – Vicki Vale
Jack Nicholson – Jack Naiper/The Joker
Robert Wuhl – Alexander 
Knox
Pat Hingle – Commissioner 
Gordon
Billy Dee Williams – Harvey
Dent
Michael Gough – Alfred
Pennyworth
Jack Palance – Carl Grissom
Jerry Hall – Alicia Hunt
Tracey Walter – Bob the Goon
Lee Wallace – Mayor Borg
William Hootkins – Lt. Max Eckhardt
Hugo E. Blick – Young Jack 
Napier
Charles Roskilly – Young
Bruce Wayne
David Baxt – Thomas Wayne
Sharon Holm – Martha Wayne
Edwin Craig – Rotelli
John Dair – Ricorso
Christopher Fairbank – Nic
George Roth – Eddie
Kit Hollerbach – Becky
Steve Plytas – Doctor
Liza Ross – Mom
Garrick Hagon – Dad
Adrian Meyers – Jimmy

Crew
Director – Tim Burton
Based on Batman Characters/
Project Consultant – Bob Kane
Based on Batman Characters – Bill Finger
(Uncredited)
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth & The Joker –
Jerry Robinson (Uncredited)
Story/Writer – Sam Hamm
Writer – Warren Skaaren
Executive Producers – Benjamin Melniker
& Michael Uslan
Producers – Jon Peters & Peter Guber
Co-Producer – Chris Kenny
Casting Director – Marion Dougherty
Production Designer – Anton Furst
Supervising Art Director – Leslie Tomkins
Art Directors – Terry Ackland-Snow &
Nigel Phelps
Set Decorator – Peter Young
Costume Designer – Bob Ringwood
Make-up Designer: Joker – Nick Dudman
Director of Photography – Roger Pratt
Second Unit Director/Camera Operator:
Second Unit – Peter MacDonald
Stunt Coordinator – Eddie Stacey
Special Effects Supervisor – John Evans
Special Visual Effects – Derek Meddings 
Art Director: Visual Effects Unit – Peter Chiang
Visual Effects Photographer: Visual Effects Unit –
Paul Wilson
Film Editor – Ray Lovejoy
Music – Danny Elfman
Songs – Prince


Awards

1990 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction – Anton Furst & Peter Young (Won)


Review
Not as perfect as the latest movie 'The Dark Knight', 'BATMAN' was a good superhero movie. Although the acting performances of Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson were good, but I think Christian Bale does a better portrayal of Batman and the late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in my opinion. I'm well impressed with the set design of Gotham City which looks like the city from out of Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis'. The direction by Tim Burton was outstanding with the memorable score by Danny Elfman and songs by the famed artist Prince. Unfortunately, a few meddling plot points ruin the flow of the storyline.

Comparatively with the Christopher Nolan reboot, the original movie of the franchise has a more magical fantasy feeling to it, which is a result of Burton's influence as this is the genre he most commonly works with.

This film started the original Batman quadrilogy, followed by 'Batman Returns', then to Joel Schumacher's last two instalments 'Batman Forever' and the infamous 'Batman & Robin'.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Cowboys & Aliens Review









Cowboys & Aliens


Release Date: 18th August 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures (presents)
DreamWorks SKG (presents)
Reliance Entertainment (presents)
Relativity Media (in association
with)
Imagine Entertainment
K/O Paper Products
Fairview Entertainment
Platinum Studios

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi/Western

Rating: M

Runtime: 118 minutes


Budget: $163,000,000

Box Office Gross: $174,822,325 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
In the Old West, a stranger named Jake Lonergan wakes up without memory; his only clue is a mysterious shackle on his wrist. He wanders into a town called Absolution, which lives in fear. His days get more interesting when beings from another world attack this desert city. These creatures have begun abducting some townsfolk, and now these residents turn to the person they once rejected as he is their only hope for salvation.

Jake starts to remember
who he is and how he
got here. He discovers
more to his secret,
which he finds handy
to fend off these
marauders from outer
space. He's assembled
a posse of townsfolk
and former enemies,
including a shifty
traveller, Ella, the ruthless
Colonel Dolarhyde and
his boys, outlaws and
natives. They unite against
an uncommon foe,
leading to an epic
showdown for survival.


Cast
Daniel Craig - Jake Lonergan
Harrison Ford - Colonel
Woodrow Dolarhyde
Olivia Wilde - Ella Swenson
Sam Rockwell - Doc
Paul Dano - Percy Dolarhyde
Clancy Brown - Meacham
Keith Carradine - Sheriff John Taggart
Noah Ringer - Emmett Taggart
Adam Beach - Nat Colorado
Abigail Spencer - Alice
Ana de la Reguera - Maria
Walton Goggins - Hunt
Julio Cedillo - Bronc
David O'Hara - Pat Dolan
Raoul Trujillo - Black Knife
Toby Huss - Roy Murphy
Brendan Wayne - Charlie Lyle

Crew
Executive Producer/Director - Jon Favreau
Based on the Platinum
Studios Comic Book/Producer - Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Screen Story - Steve Oedekerk
Screen Story/Screenplay - Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby
Screenplay/Producers - Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof
Executive Producers - Steven Spielberg, Bobby Cohen, Randy Greenberg and Ryan Kavanaugh
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Denis L. Stewart
Producers - Johnny Dodge,
Brian Grazer and Ron Howard
Co-Producers - Daniel Forcey,
Karen Gilchirst and Chris Wade
Co-Producer/First Assistant Director -
K.C. Hodenfield
Casting Director - Sarah Finn
Historical Consultant - Paul Hatton
Production Designer - Scott Chambliss
Concept Artists - James Clyne,
Phil Saunders and Chris Ross
Illustrators - Ryan Meindering,
Andrea Dopaso and Rick Bueon
Supervising Art Director - Christopher Burian-Mohr
Art Directors - Daniel T. Dorrance
and Lauren E. Polizzi
Lead Alien Character Designers: Legacy Effects -
Ian Joyner and Scott Patton
Construction Coordinator - Chris Snyder
Set Decorator - Karen Manthey
Property Master - Russell Bobbitt
Costume Designer - Mary Zophres
Makeup Department Head - Jane Galli
Director of Photography - Matthew Libatique
Director of Photography: Second Unit - Paul Hughen
Aerial Director of Photography - David B. Nowell
Unit Production Manager - Basil Grillo
Second Assistant Director - Chris Castaldi
Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor:
ILM - Roger Guyett
Second Unit Director - Terry Leonard
Stunt Coordinator - Thomas Robinson Harper
Second Unit Stunt Coordinator - Freddie Hice
Special Effects Supervisor - Daniel Sudick
Project Supervisor/Puppeteer: Legacy Effects -
Shane Mahan
Project Supervisor: Legacy Effects -
Lindsay MacGowan
Creative Coordinator: Legacy Effects - Christopher Swift
Ships & Torture Tables Effects Department
Head: Legacy Effects - David Merritt
Legacy Effects Coordinators - John Rosengrant
and Alan Scott
Co-Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM -
Eddie Pasquarello
Visual Effects Producer - Kimberly Nelson LoCascio
Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Peter Nicolai
and Stephanie Hornish
Visual Effects Executive Producer: ILM -
Jill Brooks
Digital Production Supervisor - Michael Di Como
Visual Effects Art Director - Christian Alzmann
Creature Supervisor - Karin Cooper
Animation Supervisor: ILM - Marc Chu
CG Supervisors: ILM - Robert Weaver
and Daniel Pearson
CG Sequence Supervisors: ILM - Chase Cooper,
Leandro Estebecorena, Tom Fejes, Jeff Grebe,
Gerald Gutschmidt, Erich Ippen,
Francois Lambert, Tory Mercer, Mark Nettleton,
Gregory Salter, Stefano Trivelli and Lee Uren
Digital Model Supervisors: ILM - Paul Giacoppo
and Bruce Holcomb
Roto and Paint Supervisor: ILM - Beth D'Amato
Viewpaint Supervisors: ILM - Martin Murphy
and Ron Woodall
Digital Matte Supervisor: ILM - Barry Williams
Pre-Visualisation/Post-Visualisation Supervisor:
Halon - Daniel D. Gregoire
Film Editors - Dan Lebental and Jim May
Supervising Sound Editor - Frank E. Eulner
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -
Christopher Boyes
Sound Designer - David Farmer
Production Sound Mixer - Mark Ulano
Sound Effects Editors - J.R. Grubbs and
Scott Guitteau
Re-Recording Mixer - Lora Hirschberg
Foley Artists - Jana Vance and Dennie Thorpe
Foley Mixer - Frank Rinella
Music - Harry Gregson-Williams


Review
COWBOYS & ALIENS was a semi-decent action-packed movie that was a bit scary and blended science fiction and Western, which seemed so weird. It's a non-stop action thrill ride with many thanks to Jon Favreau for his terrific direction. I liked that Favreau refused to convert this feature into the 3D screens when he opted for 2D instead. The film has the incredible acting of Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde. These two famed actors, Ford and Craig, have paired themselves in a duet on a fascinating story about cowboys defending their world from a race of evil aliens.

This genre blend of a feature leaves the fans waiting for the excitement to see who will win the battle between cowboys and aliens. It suits people who have seen Westerns but are passionate about sci-fi films. So, which side are you on now?

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

Monday, August 22, 2011

Green Lantern Review














Green Lantern


Release Date: 4th August 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
De Line Pictures
DC Entertainment


Distribution

Roadshow Films


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action


Rating: M


Runtime: 114 minutes


Budget: $200,000,000

Box Office Gross: $219,851,172 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Hal Jordan is a talented but reckless test pilot who becomes the first human recruited into the brotherhood of intergalactic peacekeepers known as the Green Lantern Corps. Unfortunately for Hal, the Green Lanterns have no respect for humans as they have never seen a being so primitive that could wield the infinite powers of the ring before. The ring grants him superpowers. Hal has determination and willpower and has the one thing no Green Lantern has ever had: humanity. Hal has to master his newfound powers with the support of fellow pilot/childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris. He must defend his homeworld of Earth from an evil being
called Parallax, who is
intent on upsetting the
balance of power in the
universe as the fate of Earth
and humanity are both at
stake!


Cast
Ryan Reynolds - Hal Jordan
Blake Lively - Carol Ferris
Peter Sarsgaard - Dr. Hector Hammond
Mark Strong - Thaal Sinestro
Angela Bassett - Dr. Amanda Waller
Tim Robbins - Robert Hammond
Temuera Morrison - Abin Sur
Taika Waititi - Thomas Kalmaku
Geoffrey Rush - Tomar-Re (Voice)
Michael Clarke Duncan - Kilowog (Voice)
Clancy Brown - Parallax (Voice)

Jay O. Sanders - Carl Ferris
Mike Doyle - Jack Jordan
Nick Jandl - Jim Jordan
Leanne Cochran - Janice Jordan
Dylan James - Jason Jordan
John Tenney - John Jordan
Gattlin Griffith - Young Hal
Jenna Craig - Young Carol
Marcela Duarte Fonseca - Beautiful Girl
Jeff Wolfe - Bob Banks
Warren Burton - First Guardian
Salome Jems - Female Guardian

Crew

Director - Martin Campbell
Creators: "Green Lantern" Characters - 
John Broome
and Gil Kane (Uncredited)
Screen Story/Screenplay/Producer -
Greg Berlanti
Screen Story/Screenplay - Michael Green
and Marc Guggenheim
Screenplay - Michael Goldenberg
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Herbert W. Gains
Executive Producer - Andrew Haas
Producer - Donald De Line
Co-Producers - Geoff Johns and Lucienne Papon

Production Designer - Grant Major
Illustrators - Rodolfo Damaggio,
Seth Engstrom, Fabian Lacey, Michele Moen,
Paul Ozzino, Justin Sweet, Chris Ross
and Alexander Laurant
Supervising Art Director - François Audouy
Art Directors - Iain McFayden,
Scott Plauche, Andrew L. Jones and
Carl Horner (Uncredited)
Creature Design - Neville Page,
Tully Summers and Aaron Sims
Set Decorator - Anne Kuljian
Property Master - Drew Petrotta
Costume Designer - Ngila Dickson
Assistant Costume Designers - Libby Dempster
and Carlos Rosario
Special Effects Makeup Supervisors -
Richie Alonzo and David Dupuis
Special Effects Makeup Department Head -
Joel Harlow
Director of Photography - Dion Beebe
Aerial Directors of Photography: Second Unit -
David B. Nowell and Phil Pastuhov
Director of Photography/"A" Camera Operator:
Second Unit - Brad Shield
Supervising Location Manager - William Doyle
First Assistant Director - Bruce Moriarty
First Assistant Director: Second Unit - Julian Wall
Additional First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
Michael Viglietta
Second Unit Director - John Mahaffie
Stunt Coordinator - Gary Powell
Special Effects Supervisor - Clay Pinney
Visual Effects Supervisor - John 'D.J.' Des Jardin
Visual Effects Supervisor: Peerless -
Kent Houston
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor -
Gregory L. McMurry
Visual Effects Producer - Alex Bicknell
Visual Effects Producer: SPI - Crys Forsyth-Smith
Digital Effects Supervisors: SPI -
David Alexander Smith and Peter M. Nofz
Previsualisation: Pixel Liberation Front -
Kyle Robinson, Duane Floch,
Raffael Dickeuter, Michael Graweri,
Diana Velasquez, Manitoba Mizobuchi,
Simon Halpern, Faris Hermiz and
Andrew Swihart
Animation Supervisor: SPI - David Schaub
CG Supervisors: SPI - Theo Bialek,
Ryan Laney, David Seager, Terrance Tornberg,
Craig Wentworth and Robert Winter
Supervisors: SPI - Francisco De Jesus,
JD Cowles, Benjamin Hendricks,
Stephen Marshal and Gomathi Ramalingam
Editor - Stuart Baird
Additional Editor - Christopher Rouse
Supervising Sound Editors - Karen Baker Landers
and Per Hallberg
Sound Designers - Christopher Assels,
Harry Cohen, Dino Dimuro,
Scott Martin Gershin, Peter Staubli
and Shannon Mills (Uncredited)
Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Kline,
John T. Reitz and Gregg Rudloff
Additional Re-Recording Mixers - Michael Keller
and Mike Prestwood Smith
Music - James Newton Howard
Ambient Music Design - Mel Wesson
Score Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Review
GREEN LANTERN is a superhero picture that retells the story based on the original DC comic series. This movie is loaded with comedy and action sequences and got complimented by the talented acting of Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan. Unfortunately, it got brought down by mild setbacks such as a cliched plot and overproduced computer-generated visuals, especially the suit that looks fake. Director Martin Campbell has never done a big-budgeted visual spectacle like this, and he deserves better than the mediocre script and visuals.

It is a good movie despite its shortcomings. It is left suggesting a possibility for a second instalment.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Jurassic Park Review










Jurassic Park


Release Date: 2nd September 1993 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures (presents)
Amblin Entertainment

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 127 minutes


Budget: $63,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,047,644,047 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A wealthy entrepreneur named John Hammond secretly builds a theme park on an island full of living dinosaurs that got cloned straight out of their prehistoric DNA. Before unveiling the attraction, he invites a paleontologist, botanist and mathematician with his two grandkids to visit the park and help calm the investors. However, just as their park experience is seemingly going pleasant, its security system gets shut down by a disgruntled employee, releasing the dinosaurs from their cages and for them to hunt down the tourists. Can they survive and escape Jurassic Park without getting eaten?


Cast
Sam Neill - Dr. Alan Grant
Laura Dern - Dr. Ellie Sattler
Jeff Goldblum - Dr. Ian Malcolm
Richard Attenborough - John Hammond
Ariana Richards - Lex Murphy
Joseph Mazzello - Tim Murphy
Wayne Knight - Dennis Nedry
Bob Peck - Robert Muldoon
Martin Ferrero - Donald Gennaro
Samuel L. Jackson - Ray Arnold
BD Wong - Dr. Henry Wu
Gerald R. Molen - Dr. Harding
(Cameo)
Miguel Sandoval - Juanito
Rostagno
Cameron Thor - Lewis Dodgson
Whit Hertford - Volunteer Boy
Greg Burson - Mr. D.N.A. (Voice)
Richard Kiley - Jurassic Park Tour Voice (Voice)

Crew
Director - Steven Spielberg
Based on the Novel/
Screenplay - Michael Crichton
Screenplay - David Koepp
Script Supervisor - Ana Maria Quintana
Associate Producers - Lata Ryan and Colin Wilson
Producers - Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen
Consultant: Paleontology - Jack Horner
Casting Directors - Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins
Animal Trainer - Jules Sylvester
Production Designer - Rick Carter
Concept Artist: Stan Winston Studio/Puppeteer - Mark 'Crash' McCreery
Illustrators - Tom Cranham
and David Lowery
Art Directors - John Bell and
William James Teegarden
Set Decorator - Jackie Carr
Property Master - Jerry Moss
Makeup Supervisor - Christina Smith
Director of Photography - Dean Cundey
Additional Photographer - Lloyd Ahern II
Camera Operator - Raymond Stella
Unit Production Manager - Paul Deason
Second Assistant Director - Michele Panelli-Venetis
Second Unit Director (Uncredited)/Stunt
Coordinator - Gary Hymes
Aerial Unit Director - David B. Nowell
Live-Action Dinosaurs - Stan Winston
Special Dinosaur Effects - Michael Lantieri
Art Department Coordinators: Stan Winston
Studio/Puppeteers - Shane Mahan and
John Rosengrant
Mechanical Designers: Stan Winston Studio/
Puppeteers - Evan Brainard, Jon Dawe,
Jeff Edwards, Rick Galinson, Richard Haugen,
Frank Charles Lutkus III, Tim Nordella,
J. Alan Scott, Patrick Shearn and Alfred Sousa
Mechanical Department Coordinators: Stan
Winston Studio/Puppeteers - Richard J. Landon
and Craig Caton
Dinosaur Supervisor - Phil Tippett
Full Motion Dinosaurs/Visual Effects Supervisor:
ILM (Uncredited) - Dennis Muren
Co-Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Mark A.Z. Dippé
Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Janet Healy
Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - TyRuben Ellingson
Lead Computer Graphics Supervisor: ILM -
Stefen Fangmeier
Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM -
Alex Seiden and George Murphy
CG Department Operations Manager: ILM -
John Andrew Berton
General Manager: ILM - Jim Morris
Computer Graphics Animators: ILM -
Eric Armstrong, James Straus,
Steve 'Spaz' Williams, Geoff Campbell,
Stephen L. Price and Don Waller
Computer Graphics Camera Matchmovers: ILM -
Patrick T. Myers and Charlie Clavadetscher
Plate Producer: ILM - Mark S. Miller
Additional Plate Photographer - Scott Farrar
Senior Animator: Tippett Studio - Randal M. Dutra
Animator: Tippett Studio - Tom St. Amand
Computer Systems: Tippett Studio - Adam Valdez
Computer Interface Engineer: Tippett Studio -
Craig Hayes
Engineers: Tippett Studio - Nicholas Blake,
Bart Trickel, Conrad Bonderson, Stuart Ziff
and Gary Platek
Animatics: Tippett Studio - Eric Swenson,
Mike Bienstock, Kim Blanchette and
Peter Konig
Chief Model Makers: ILM - Barbara Affonso,
Steve Gawley, Ira Keeler, Lorne Peterson and
Christopher Reed
Movement Designer: 'Mr D.N.A.' Animation -
Bob Kurtz
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -
Gary Rydstrom
Assistant Sound Designer/Foley Recordist -
Christopher Boyes
Supervising Sound Editor - Richard Hymns
Sound Effects Editors - Teresa Eckton,
Ken Fischer and Tim Holland
Sound Mixer - Ron Judkins
Re-Recording/Music Scoring Mixer -
Shawn Murphy
Re-Recording Mixer - Gary Summers
Foley Artists - Marnie Moore and
Dennie Thorpe
Film Editor - Michael Kahn
Music - John Williams
Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg


Awards

1994 Academy Awards
Best Sound Effects - Gary Rydstrom,
Gary Summers, Shawn Murphy and Ron Judkins (Won)
Best Sound Editing - Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns (Won)
Best Visual Effects - Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett,
Michael Lantieri and Stan Winston (Won)


Review
JURASSIC PARK is a dino-sized blockbuster by director Steven Spielberg. The first and possibly best movie in the series, JURASSIC PARK, has a brilliant storyline set in a theme park where live dinosaurs roam free. What drew me to the film was JURASSIC PARK's frighteningly realistic scenes. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering whether the characters would survive or become dinosaurs' dinners.

The feature has its most terrifying scenes involving the Raptors and outstanding acting performances, such as Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum. Best of all, it has computer-generated effects by Industrial Light & Magic. Those visuals bring back the extinct prehistoric creatures to life, including the fiercest of them all, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. I liked the scene involving the lawyer where. Oops, he has a slight accident. John Williams's memorable music score adds to the whole experience of this sci-fi adventure.

JURASSIC PARK was a terrific groundbreaking film and is my third favourite Spielberg movie, with Raiders of the Lost Ark going on second place and Jaws first. It's a definite must-see.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, August 15, 2011

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Review












Rise of the Planet of the Apes


Release Date: 4th August 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox
Chermin Entertainment
Dune Entertainment
Big Screen Productions
Ingenious Film Partners

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 105 minutes


Budget: $93,000,000

Box Office Gross: $481,800,873 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A scientist named Will Rodman is on the verge of a medical breakthrough when experimenting with a drug he hopes will cure his father's Alzheimer's disease. Will becomes a guardian to an infant chimp named Caesar, exposed in utero to Will's drug. However, as Caesar's intelligence and emotions increase, he comes to challenge man's dominance over Earth, and thus the ape uprising begins.


Cast

The Humans
James Franco - Will Rodman
Freida Pinto - Caroline Aranha
John Lithgow - Charles Rodman
Brian Cox - John Landon
Tom Felton - Dodge Landon
David Oyelowo - Steven Jacobs
Tyler Labine - Robert Franklin
Jamie Harris - Rodney - Shelter Assistant
Ty Olsson - Chief John Hamil
David Hewlett - Hunsiker
Joey Roche - Todd Hunsiker
Madison Bell - Alice Hunsiker
Makena Joy - Alice Hunsiker (Teen)
Jesse Reid - Donnie Thompson
Chelah Horsdal - Irena - Charles's Nurse
Mattie Hawkinson - Linda - Lab Tech

The Apes
Andy Serkis - Caesar
Karin Konoval - Maurice
Terry Notary - Rocket/Bright
Eyes
Richard Ridings - Buck
Christopher Gordon - Koba
Devyn Dalton - Cornelia

Crew
Director - Rupert Wyatt
Based on the Novel "La Planète des Singes" -
Pierre Boulle (Uncredited)
Writers/Producers - Rick Jaffa
and Amanda Silver
Script Supervisors - Jessica Clothier
and Andrea Devaux
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Thomas M. Hammel
Producers - Peter Chermin and
Dylan Clark
Co-Producers - Mike Larocca and
Kurt Williams
Casting Director - Debra Zane
Production Designer - Claude Paré
Character Designers: The Aaron Sims Company -
Ceco Georgiev, Kazu Hiro, Diego Maia,
Alexander Mandradjiev, Jerad Marantz,
Steffen Reichstadt and Aaron Sims
Supervising Art Director - Helen Jarvis
Art Directors - Dan Hermansen
and Grant Van Der Slagt
Set Decorator - Elizabeth Wilcox
Costume Designer - Renee April
Head Hair Stylist - Sherry Linder-Gygli
Makeup Effects: WCT Productions -
Bill Terezakis
Director of Photography - Andrew Lesnie
Aerial Director of Photography: San Francisco/
Director of Photography: Golden Gate Unit -
Larry Blanford
Second Assistant Camera: Golden Gate Unit -
Gary Hawes
First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
James Bitonti
Second Unit Director - Brian Smrz
Second Unit Director/Director of Photography:
Second Unit - Mark Vargo
Stunt Coordinator/Movement Choreographer
(Uncredited) - Terry Notary
Stunt Coordinator - Mike Mitchell
Aerial Coordinator: Golden Gate Unit - Frédéric North
Special Effects Coordinator - Tony Lazarowich
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor - Joe Letteri
Visual Effects Supervisor - Dan Lemmon
Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Erik Winquist and R. Christopher White
Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital - Cyndi Ochs
Executive Producer: Weta Digital - Eileen Moran
Digital Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Thelvin Cabezas, Jeff Capogreco,
Mike Perry and Thrain Shadbolt
Animation Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Daniel Barrett and Eric Reynolds
Motion Capture Supervisor: Weta Digital -
Dejan Momcilovic
Digital Creatures Supervisor: Weta Digital -
Simon Clutterbuck
Creatures Supervisor: Weta Digital - Matthew Muntean
Textures Supervisor: Weta Digital - Gino Acevedo
Massive Supervisor: Weta Digital - Jon Allitt
Film Editors - Conrad Buff V and
Mark Goldblatt
Supervising Sound Editor - John A. Larsen
Supervising Sound Editor and Sound
Designer/Additional Re-Recording Mixer -
Chuck Michael
Re-Recording Mixers - Ron Bartlett
and Doug Hemphill
Additional Re-Recording Mixer - James Bolt
Foley Walkers - Alicia Stevenson and
Dawn Fintor
Music - Patrick Doyle
Score Recordist - Alan Meyerson


Review
An exciting prequel/reboot of the franchise, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, delivers a story that moviegoers will appreciate and long live to remember. It's been a long time since we've seen a Planet of the Apes movie since Tim Burton's 2001 remake, and now they finally brought back the world where apes are the inheritors and oppressors. Not only does this film contain many scenes of full-throttle action, but it has motion capture technology. It conveys the portrayal of the crazy apes resulting from the experimentation undertaken by Caesar. Andy Serkis was the perfect performer willing to become the Simian leader. He had done the same way he did with Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Remarkably, what Serkis does to Caesar is true to what apes do in their movements and expressions. It is also a career-defining choice for Tom Felton as he moves from being Draco in the recently ended Harry Potter series as one of the humans into the first and new movie of Planet of the Apes.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES was good, but it's a fantastic movie and is left open for a sequel that keeps them waiting in the future. This film is a must-see for Apes fans.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Monday, August 8, 2011

Bambi Review













Bambi


Release Date:
15th April 1943 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Productions

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 70 minutes


Budget: $858,000

Box Office Gross: $267,447,150
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
He's the "Young Prince of
the Forest," but wobbly
newborn fawn Bambi can
barely stand on his own legs.
Over the course of a year,
under the guidance of his
mother and with some help
from pals Thumper and
Flower, he grows into a
noble and courageous stag?
but along the way he is
tested by fire, fear, and loss.
It takes strength and bravery
to survive and to take his
place alongside his father,
the Great Prince of the Forest.


Voice Cast (Uncredited)
Bobby Stewart - Baby Bambi
Donnie Dunagan - Young Bambi
Hardie Albright - Adolescent Bambi
John Sutherland - Adult Bambi
Paula Winslowe - Bambi's Mother & the Pheasant
Peter Behn - Young Thumper
Tim Davis - Adolescent Thumper & Adolescent Flower
Sam Edwards - Adult Thumper
Stan Alexander - Young Flower
Sterling Holloway - Adult Flower
Will Wright - Friend Owl
Cammie King - Young Faline
Ann Gillis - Adult Faline
Fred Shields - Great Prince of the Forest

Crew
Supervising Director - David Hand
Sequence Directors - James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield & Norman Wright
Based on Novel - Felix Salten
Story Direction - Perce Pearce
Story Adaptation - Larry Morey
Story Development - Vernon Stallings, Mel Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuck Couch & Ralph Wright
Producer - Walt Disney (Uncredited)
Songs - Frank Churchill
Conceptual Designer (Uncredited)/Backgrounds - Tyrus Wong
Supervising Animators - Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Eric Larson & Milt Kahl
Film Editor - Thomas Scott (Uncredited)
Music - Edward H. Plumb


Awards

1943 Academy Awards
Best Sound, Recording - C.O. Slyfield (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Song
"Love is a Song" - Frank Churchill (posthumously) & Larry Moley (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Score - Frank Churchill (posthumously)
& Edward H. Plumb (Nominated)


Review
'BAMBI' is a funny and emotional classic movie that has a great story and the animation has realism. It has the saddest but traumatic moment where Bambi's mother gets killed by the hunter, I feel sorry for the poor little deer. 'BAMBI' was Walt Disney's favourite movie that he has ever made and is the inspiration for 'The Lion King' which is another movie made by Disney. It is an enjoyable film for the whole family.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Captain America: The First Avenger Review










Captain America: The First Avenger


Release Date: 28th July 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Marvel Entertainment (presents)
Marvel Studios


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 124 minutes


Budget: $140,000,000

Box Office Gross: $370,569,774 (Worldwide)
 

Plot Summary
Steve Rogers suffered medical problems all his life that kept getting him rejected from military service in World War II. As a result, Steve becomes a willing participant in a top-secret experiment that gives him enhanced abilities of speed and strength and turns him into the patriotic superhero Captain America.


Cast
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/Captain America
Hayley Atwell - Peggy Carter
Hugo Weaving - Johann
Schmidt/Red Skull
Sebastian Stan - Sgt.
James "Bucky" Barnes
Tommy Lee Jones - Col.
Chester Phillips
Dominic Cooper - Howard Stark
Neal McDonough - Timothy
"Dum Dum" Dugan
Derek Luke - Gabe Jones
Stanley Tucci - Dr. Abraham
Erskine
Kenneth Choi - Jim Morita
Bruno Ricci - Jacques Dernier
J.J. Feild - James Montgomery
Falsworth
Richard Armitage - Heinz Kruger
Lex Shrapnel - Gilmore Hodge
Michael Brandon - Senator Brandt
Natalie Dormer - Pvt. Lorraine
Jenna Coleman - Connie
Sophie Colquhoun - Bonnie
Anatole Taubman - Roeder
Jan Pohl - Hutter
Erich Redman - Schneider
Samuel L. Jackson - Nick Fury
David Bradley - Church Keeper
Laura Haddock - Autograph Seeker
Stan Lee - General (Cameo)
(Uncredited)

Crew
Executive Producer/Director -
Joe Johnston
Based on the Marvel Comics -
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Screenplay - Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Associate Producer/
First Assistant Director - Richard Whelan
Executive Producers - Alan
Fine, Nigel Gostelow, Stan Lee and David Maisel
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Louis D'Esposito
Producers - Kevin Feige and Amir Madani
Co-Producers - Victoria Alonso
and Stephen Broussard
Casting Directors - Sarah Finn,
Randi Hiller and Priscilla John
Military Advisor - Billy Budd
Production Designer - Rick Heinrichs
Visual Development Supervisor/Suit
Developer: Captain America - Ryan Meinerding
Visual Development Supervisor - Charlie Wen
Concept/Visual Development Illustrator - Andy Park
Concept Artists - Dan Walker, Paul Catling,
Andrew Williamson and Adam Brockbank
Supervising Art Directors - John Dexter,
Chris Lowe and Andy Nicholson
Art Directors - Dean Clegg, Phil Harvey,
Paul Kirby, Jason Knox-Johnston and Phil Sims
Lead Vehicle Designer - Daniel Simon
Set Decorator - John Bush
Property Master - Barry Gibbs
Costume Designer - Anna B. Sheppard
Costume Special Effects Supervisor -
Graham Churchyard
Hair and Makeup Designer - Lisa Westcott
Prosthetics Designer - David White
Director of Photography - Shelly Johnson
"A" Camera Operator - Des Whelan
Camera Operators: Second Unit - Peter Field
and Tim Wooster
Chief Pilot: Second Unit - Marc Wolff
Production Managers - Sam Breckman,
Suzie F. Wiesmann and Brian West (Uncredited)
Unit Production Manager - Stratton Leopold
First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
Terry Madden
Supervising Location Manager - Emma Pill
Location Managers - Tom Crooke and Ali James
and Jason Roberts
Location Unit Manager - Duncan Broadfoot
Second Assistant Director - Samar Pollitt
Second Unit Director/Director of Photography
(Uncredited) - Jonathan Taylor
Aerial Coordinator: Second Unit -
Mike Woodley
Stunt Coordinator - Steve Dent
Additional Stunt Coordinator - Rob Inch
Fight Coordinator - C.C. Smiff
Fight Coordinator: Los Angeles - Marcus Young
Diving Safety Supervisor - Dave Shaw
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Corbould
Senior Special Effects Floor Supervisor -
Ian Corbould
Visual Effects Supervisor - Christopher Townsend
Visual Effects Supervisors: Look VFX -
Anthony 'Max' Ivins and Dan Schrecker
Visual Effects Supervisor: Fuel VFX -
Dave Morley
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Charlie Noble
Visual Effects Supervisor: Lola VFX -
Edson Williams
Visual Effects Supervisor: Framestore -
Jonathan Fawkner
Visual Effects Supervisor/Producer: Whiskytree -
Jonathan Harb
Additional Visual Effects Supervisors -
Stephane Ceretti and Kathy Siegel
Visual Effects Producer: Look FX -
Melinka Thompson-Godoy
CG Supervisors - Thomas Baber and Douglas Bloom
3D Supervisor: Double Negative - Pete Bebb
2D Supervisor: Double Negative - Andrew Lockley
CG Sequence Supervisors: Double Negative -
James Benson, Vanessa Gratton, Phil Johnson,
Maxx Wai In Leong, Dan Neal, Alison Wortman,
Jordan Kirk and Rebecca Waters
2D Technical Supervisor: Lola VFX - Greg Strause
3D Technical Supervisor: Lola VFX - Colin Strause
Rigging: Framestore - Laurie Brugger and Nico Scapel
Compositing Sequence Supervisors: Double
Negative - Astrid Busser-Casas,
Michael Bruce Ellis, Pete Jopling,
George Zwier, Graham Page, Gruff Owen,
Iain Simpson, Milos Milosevic, Scott Pritchard,
Kim Jobin and Trevor Young
Editors - Robert Dalva and Jeffrey Ford
Additional Editors - Michael McCusker
and Peter Elliot
Supervising Sound Editor - Howell Gibbens
Sound Designers - Stephen Hunter Flick,
Jason W. Jennings, Shannon Mills and
Daniel Pagan
Sound Effects Editors - David Barnaby,
Jon Johnson, Suhail Kafity and Albert Gasser
Re-Recording Mixers - Scott Millan
and David Parker
Additional Re-Recording Mixers - Beau Borders
and Gary C. Bourgeois
Music - Alan Silvestri
Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan
Supervising Music Editor - Joe E. Rand
Music/Producer: "Star Spangled Man" -
Alan Menken
Lyrics: "Star Spangled Man" - David Zippel


Review
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER was a brilliant film loaded with action-packed excitement for fans of the Marvel comic books. The movie takes place in World War II, which gives a distinctive retro feel. All of this was director Joe Johnston's doing since he has previously helmed another superhero movie, The Rocketeer, set in a similar era. Johnston has cleverly concocted a storyline that mixes the right ingredients of old-school action and adventure.

The 3D aspect of this film complimented the visual effects of the movie. The acting performances were outstanding, especially Chris Evans, who endured arduous physical training for Captain America. Hugo Weaving and Hayley Atwell have also done well in their roles.

It is a privilege to see a superhero feature so finely crafted. If anyone is a fan of Marvel and superhero movies, this movie is worth watching and for you to comment on my review site.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie


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