Friday, September 30, 2011

Speed Review













Speed


Release Date: 30th June 1994 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox Film Corporation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Action/Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 116 minutes


Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $350,448,145 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A revenge-seeking extortionist sets up a bomb on a bus, and Jack Traven, a specialist from L.A.P.D.'s SWAT team, is sent to disarm the explosive before all the passengers get killed. With the aid of a passenger, Annie Porter. They must speed the transport vehicle through the streets of Los Angeles and stop it from slowing down before the bomb detonates.


Cast
Keanu Reeves - Officer Jack
Traven
Dennis Hopper - Howard Payne
Sandra Bullock - Annie Porter
Jeff Daniels - Det. Harold
"Harry" Temple
Joe Morton - Lt. McMahon
Richard Lineback - Sgt. Norwood
Alan Ruck - Doug Stephens
Margaret Medina - Officer
Robin Barnette
Hawthorne James - Sam
Beth Grant - Helen
Carlos Carrasco - Ortiz
Glenn Plummer - Jaguar Owner
David Kriegel - Terry
Natsuko Ohama - Mrs. Kamino
Daniel Villarreal - Ray
Margaret Medina - Robin
Jordan Lund - Bagwell
Robert Mailhouse - Young Executive
Patrick Fischler - Friend of Executive
Patrick John Hurley - CEO
John Capodice - Bob
Thomas Rosales Jr. - Vince
Richard Schiff - Train Driver
Sandy Martin - Bartender
Neisha Folkes-LeMelle - Mrs. McMahon

Crew
Director - Jan de Bont
Writer - Graham Yost
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Ian Bryce
Producer - Mark Gordon
Co-Producer - Allison Lyon Segan
Technical Advisors: Police - Randy Walker
and Ed Arneson
Casting Directors - Risa Bramon Garcia
and Billy Hopkins
Production Designer - Jackson DeGovia
Art Director - John R. Jensen
Set Decorator - K.C. Fox
Property Master - Trish Gallaher Glenn
Costume Designer - Ellen Mirojnick
Director of Photography - Andrzej Bartkowiak
First Assistant Camera - Michael Condro,
Mikael Glattes, Vern Nobles Jr. and Steve Adcock
(Uncredited)
Second Assistant Camera - Christopher Blauvelt
and John J. Ellingwood
First Assistant Director - David Sardi
Second Unit Director - Alexander Witt
Stunt Coordinator - Gary Hymes
Assistant Stunt Coordinator - Brian Smrz
Transportation Coordinator - Randy Peters
Special Effects Coordinator - John Frazier
Visual Effects Supervisor - Boyd Shermis
Supervisor: Grant McCune Design -
Grant McCune
Computer Graphics Supervisor: SPI -
Ron Brinkmann
Director of Photography: Subway Crew -
David Drzewiecki
Film Editor - John Wright
Supervising Sound Editor - Stephen Hunter Flick
Supervisor ADR Editor - Victoria Rose Sampson
Supervising Dialogue Editor - Gary S. Gerlich
Dialogue Editors - Gregory H. Gerlich,
Elliott Koretz, Pieter Hubbard,
Marvin Walowitz and Hal Sanders
Re-Recording Mixers - Bob Beemer,
Gregg Landaker and Steve Maslow
Music - Mark Mancina
Composer: Additional Music - John Van Tongoren
Executive Music Producer - Ralph Sall
Music Recordists and Mixers - Jay Rifkin
and Alan Meyerson


Awards

1995 Academy Awards
Best Sound - Gregg Landaker, Steve Maslow,
Bob Beemer and David MacMillian (Won)
Best Sound Editing - Stephen Hunter Flick (Won)
--------------------------
Best Film Editing - John Wright (Nominated)


Review
From start to finish, SPEED was a full-throttle action sensation. It features the well-talented performances of Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock and excellent direction by Jan de Bont. It is a thrilling blockbuster movie where it is hero vs. villain as the hero has a certain amount of time to disarm a bomb in a bus, and the villain sits back and devises evil plans to cause havoc and destruction. The stunt performances were extraordinary in a limitless spectacle, especially considering the age of this feature and the limited technology that existed when it was released.

With the exclusion of the bus jump scene, which is proven theoretically as poor physics, the bus clearly could not have cleared a jump of that length, given its weight and size. That explains some of that Hollywood magic.

SPEED does qualify as one of the great action hits. It is pleasurable for movie viewers to enjoy it in an action-oriented marathon or just one viewing. This high-octane action-thriller is close to being the best film of the year, which now goes to The Lion King.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Lion King 3D Review







The Lion King 3D


Release Date: 22nd September 2011 – Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures (presents)
Walt Disney Feature Animation (Uncredited)

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 89 minutes


Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: $185,542,001 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Now in 3D. A young lion named Simba is born into the Pride Lands and is next in line to succeed his father as king. But when his evil uncle Scar has other plans to assume the throne, he tricks his nephew into believing that he caused his father's death and takes over the kingdom from him.

Now fleeing from his homeland, Simba is saved from certain doom by a lovable meerkat and warthog duo named Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him to live their carefree lifestyle of "Hakuna Matata" and ignore his responsibilities. As Simba matures, much
to his surprise, his friend
Nala returns to convince
him that he must return
to the Pride Lands to face
Scar and take his place in
the "Circle of Life."


Voice Cast
Jonathan Taylor Thomas –
Young Simba
Jason Weaver  Young Simba (singing voice)
Matthew Broderick – Adult
Simba
Joseph Williams – Adult Simba (singing voice)
Jeremy Irons – Scar
James Earl Jones – Mufasa
Moira Kelly – Adult Nala
Sally Dworsky – Adult Nala (singing voice)
Niketa Calame – Young Nala
Laura Williams – Young Nala
(singing voice)
Nathan Lane – Timon
Ernie Sabella – Pumbaa
Robert Guillaume – Rafiki
Rowan Atkinson – Zazu
Whoopi Goldberg – Shenzi
Cheech Marin – Banzai
Jim Cummings – Ed/Gopher/
Scar (singing voice) (in last
part of Be Prepared)
(Uncredited)
Madge Sinclair – Sarabi
Zoe Leader – Sarafina

Crew
Directors – Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Story – Burny Mattinson, Barry Johnson, Thorn Enriquez, Gary Trousdale, Jim Capobianco, Kevin Harkey, Jorgen
Klubien, Tom Sito, Larry Leker,
Joe Ranft, Rick Maki,
Ed Gombert, Francis Glebas and
Mark Kausler
Story/Art Director – Andy Gaskill
Story/Production Designer – Chris Sanders
Story/Animator: Adult Simba - Lorna Cook
Additional Story Material – J.T. Allen,
George Scribner, Miguel Tejada-Flores,
Jenny Tripp, Bob Tzudiker, Christopher Vogler,
Kirk Wise and Noni White
Screenplay – Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts
and Linda Woolverton
Associate Producer – Alice Dewey Goldstone
Executive Producers – Thomas Schumacher,
Sarah MacArthur and John Lasseter (3D Version Only)
Producers – Don Hahn and
Jennifer Magee-Cook (3D Version Only)
Consultant: Wildlife – Jim Fowler
Live Lion and Animal Models David J. McMillan
Live Lion and Animal Models: Cougar Hill
Ranch – Nicholas Toth
Artistic Coordinator – Randy Fullmer
Character Designers/Visual Development
Artists – Hans Bacher, Jean Gillmore,
Joe Grant, Mike Hodgson, Lisa Keene,
Sue C. Nichols, Mel Shaw, Bob Smith,
Bruce Zick and Vance Gerry (Uncredited)
Artistic Supervisor: Story – Brenda Chapman
Artistic Supervisor: Layout  Daniel St. Pierre
Artistic Supervisor: Layout, Florida  Robert Walker
Artistic Supervisor: Background – Doug Ball
Artistic Supervisor: Background, Florida –
Robert E. Stanton
Supervising Animator: "Young Simba" –
Mark Henn
Supervising Animator: "Adult Simba" –
Ruben A. Aquino
Supervising Animator: "Mufasa" – Tony Fucile
Supervising Animator: "Rafiki" – James Baxter
Supervising Animator: "Scar" – Andreas Deja
Supervising Animator: "Young Nala" –
Aaron Blaise
Supervising Animator: "Timon" – Michael Surrey
Supervising Animator: "Pumbaa" – Tony Bancroft
Supervising Animator: "Adult Nala" –
Anthony de Rosa
Supervising Animators: "Hyenas" – Dave Burgess
and Alex Kupershmidt
Supervising Animator: "Sarabi" – Russ Edmonds
Supervising Animator: "Zazu" – Ellen Woodbury
Additional Animators Chris Bailey,
Ken Duncan, Raul Garcia and David Stephan 
Artistic Supervisor: Clean-Up/Supervising
Character Lead: Additional: "Young Simba"/
Miscellaneous Characters – Vera Pacheco
Artistic Supervisor: Visual Effects – Scott Santoro
Artistic Supervisor: Visual Effects/Effects
Animator Dave Bossert
Artistic Supervisor: Visual Effects, Florida
Jeff Dutton
Artistic Supervisor: Computer Graphics Imagery –
Scott F. Johnston
Additional CGI Animation – Rob Bekuhrs,
Steve Goldberg and James Tooley
Stereoscopic Supervisor: 3D Version Only –
Robert Neumann
Supervising Editors – John Carnochan
and Tom Finan
Film Editor – Ivan Bilancio
Supervising Sound Editors – Richard L. Anderson
and Mark A. Mangini
Special Sound Effects – John Pospisil
Re-Recording Mixers – Terry Porter,
Mel Metcalfe and David J. Hudson
Foley Artists – John Roesch and
Hilda Hodges
Songs: Music/Performer: "Can You Feel the
Love Tonight" – Elton John
Songs: Lyrics – Tim Rice
Original Score Composer and Arranger/
Music Supervisor – Hans Zimmer
Additional Vocal Arranger/Composer: Additional
Music (Uncredited) – Mark Mancina
Choral Arranger/Conductor/Vocal Solos:
African Improvisations – Lebo M.
Choral Arranger/Conductor/Composer:
Additional Music (Uncredited)
Nick Glennie-Smith


Review
THE LION KING 3D is now more realistic in its aspect that keeps you glued to the screen and is still the same film. More exciting and appealing to people who have not seen the movie in its stunning form. It is still my favourite, which I would see repeatedly. I'm glad they removed the "Morning Report" song because nobody liked it, and they changed it back to the pouncing lesson scene. It started the tradition of re-releasing old movies in 3D.

If you have seen it in 2D (click here), check out the 3D version. I'm sure you'll like it. Otherwise, you prefer the movie in its original presentation.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Johnny English Reborn Review








Johnny English Reborn


Release Date: September 15th 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures (presents)
Relativity Media
Studio Canal
Working Title Films

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: $160,078,586 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Johnny English, the accidental spy of MI7, has gone into exile in Tibet after a mission gone wrong in Mozambique. Now, he is being summoned back to the agency and paired with rookie Agent Tucker in his assignment to stop a league of secret assassins from killing the Chinese premier. Johnny is back in action but soon discovers a traitor amidst MI7.


Cast
Rowan Atkinson - MI7 Agent Johnny English
Gillian Anderson - MI7 Head
Pamela Thornton
Rosamund Pike - Kate Sumner
Dominic West - Simon Ambrose
Daniel Kaluuya - Agent Tucker
Richard Schiff - Titus Fisher
Tim McInnerny - Patch
Quartermain
Mariella Frostrup - Royce (Voice)
Mark Ivanir - Artem Karlenko
Pik Sen Lim - Killer Cleaner
Togo Igawa - Ting Wang
Lobo Chan - Chinese Premier
Stephen Campbell Moore -
British Prime Minister
Williams Belle - Ling
Lobo Chan - Xiang Ping
Benedict Wong - Chi Han Ly
Burn Gorman - Slater
Josephine de La Baume - Madeliene
Eric Carte - Agent One
Roger Barclay - Agent Two
Wale Ojo - President Chambal
Paul Carr - Chinese Man in
Spectacles

Crew
Director - Oliver Parker
Based on Characters - Neal
Purvis and Robert Wade
Story/Executive Producer - William Davies
Screenplay - Hamish McColl
Executive Producers - Liza Chasin and Debra Hayward
Producers - Tim Bevan, Chris
Clark and Eric Fellner
Co-Producer - Ronaldo Vasconcellos
Casting Director - Lucy Bevan
Production Designer - Jim Clay
Art Directors - Paul Laugier and
Mike Stallion
Set Decorator - Caroline Smith
Costume Designer - Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Hair and Makeup Designer - Graham Johnston
Director of Photography - Danny Cohen
Director of Photography: Second Unit/
Second Unit Director - Martin Kenzie
First Assistant Director - Ben Howarth
Stunt Coordinator - Paul Herbert
Assistant Stunt Coordinator - David Forman
Aerial Coordinator: France (Uncredited)/
Helicopter Pilot: French Alpine Unit - Marc Wolff
Special Effects Supervisor - Mark Holt
Visual Effects Supervisor - Robert Duncan
Editor - Guy Bensley
Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -
Glenn Freemantle
Re-Recording Mixers - Richard Pryke
and Ian Tapp
Music Supervisor - Nick Angel
Music - Ilan Eshkeri


Review
An impressive sequel to the first movie (click here), REBORN has more fun and action than the original. It has elaborate stunts and elements of a conspiracy thriller, which are more suited to the ongoing trend of spy-fi movies. These include the current interpretation of the James Bond movies and the Bourne series. The film was jam-packed with outrageous humour, which appeals to audiences. I loved the movie's running gag when Johnny pursues an old female assassin and keeps attacking the wrong person.

Rowan Atkinson had easily proved his superiority in comedy movies. He is easily comparable to Jim Carrey, Steve Martin and Chevy Chase. Although not young, Atkinson handles his comical routines very well, as his character is born again in this film. Pairing the middle-aged comedian is a solid supporting cast with Gillian Anderson, Dominic West, Daniel Kaluuya and Rosamund Pike. Each of them has some talent for a hysterical piece of entertainment.

JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN is an ingenious parody that gets past its classification. Unlike the other espionage movies I've seen, this film is still a spoof of the genre and is enjoyable. I highly recommend this spy-fi comedy because it is underrated and worth watching!

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Batman & Robin Review












Batman & Robin


Release Date: 26th June 1997 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
(produced in association with)


Genre: Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 125 minutes


Budget: $160,000,000

Box Office Gross: $238,235,719 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
When a new icy supervillain named Mr. Freeze plans to hold Gotham ransom and freeze the entire city, it's up to Batman and Robin to turn up the heat and stop Freeze before he puts Gotham on ice. However, their partnership is in danger when a beautiful but deadly female adversary, Poison Ivy, charms Robin, which causes friction between the dynamic duo. Will Batman and Robin get over their differences and stop Freeze from achieving his goal while, at the same time, they must find a cure for their faithful butler Alfred as he is dying from a rare disease?


Cast
George Clooney - Bruce Wayne/Batman
Chris O'Donnell - Dick Grayson/Robin
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Dr.
Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze
Uma Thurman - Dr. Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy
Alicia Silverstone - Barbara Wilson/Batgirl
Michael Gough - Alfred Pennyworth
Pat Hingle - Commissioner James Gordon
John Glover - Dr. Jason
Woodrue
Jeep Swenson - Bane
Elle Macpherson - Julie
Madison
Elizabeth Sanders - Gossip
Gerty
Vendela Kirsebom - Nora Fries
Michael Reid McKay - Antonio Diego/Bane
Eric Lloyd - Young Bruce
Wayne
Jon Simmons - Young Alfred
Joe Sabatino - Frosty
Michael Paul Chan - Observatory Scientist
Kimberly Scott - Observatory Associate
Jesse Ventura - Arkham Asylum Guard
Ralf Moeller - Arkham Asylum Guard
Doug Hutchison - Golum
Coolio - Banker
Nicky Katt - Spike
John Ingle - Doctor
Patrick Leahy - Himself (Cameo)

Crew
Director - Joel Schumacher
Based on Characters/Project
Consultant - Bob Kane
Based on Batman Characters - Bill Finger
(Uncredited)
Characters: Alfred Pennyworth & Robin -
Jerry Robinson (Uncredited)
Writer - Akiva Goldsman
Script Supervisor - Sharron Reynolds
Associate Producer/Production Supervisor -
Mitchell E. Dauterive
Executive Producers - Benjamin Melniker
and Michael E. Uslan
Producer - Peter Macgregor-Scott
Co-Producer/First Assistant Director -
William M. Elvin
Casting - Mali Finn
Production Designer - Barbara Ling
Supervising Art Director - Richard Holland
Art Director - Geoff Hubbard
Set Decorator - Dorree Cooper
Property Master - Brad Einhorn
Costume Designers - Ingrid Ferrin
and Robert Turturice
Costume Illustrator - Miles Teves
Lead Sculptor: Costume Props Department -
Jose Fernandez
Specialty Costume Elements - Tony Gardner
Makeup Supervisor - David B. Miller
Makeup Artist: Mr. Freeze - Jeff Dawn
Nora Fries and Principal Copsicles - Rick Baker
Director of Photography - Stephen Goldblatt
First Assistant Camera: 2nd Unit - Taylor Matheson
Production Supervisor - Jacqueline George
First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
John H. Radulovic
Unit Production Manager - Barry H. Waldman
Location Manager - Laura Sode-Matteson
Second Unit Director - Peter MacDonald
Second Unit/Second Assistant Director -
Bryan Altham
Supervising Stunt Coordinator -
Ronnie Rondell Jr.
Stunt Coordinator - Pat E. Johnson
Stunt Co-Coordinator/Stunt Double:
George Clooney (Uncredited) - Alex Daniels
Special Effects Coordinator - Matt Sweeney
Animatronic Effects - Tony Gardner
Vehicle Production Supervisors - Charley Zurian
and Allen Pike
Visual Effects Supervisors - Andrew Adamson,
Eric Durst, Wendy Rogers and David Stump
Visual Effects - John Dykstra and
Mark R.R. Farquhar
Visual Effects Supervisor: The Chandler Group -
Don Baker
Visual Effects Supervisor: PDI - Richard Chuang
Visual Effects Producer - Tripp Hudson
Art Director: Visual Effects - James Hegedus
Visual Effects Director of Photography: The
Chandler Group - Tim Angelo
Post Production Visual Effects Supervisor -
Nick Davis
Digital Effects Supervisor: Cinesite -
Carlos Arguellos
Effects Supervisors: Miniature Shop - Ian Hunter
and Robert Spurlock
Production Supervisor: Miniature Shop -
Kurt Williams
Studio Head: Rhythm & Hues - John Hughes
Lighting Supervisor: PDI - Craig Ring
Film Editors - Mark Stevens and Dennis Virkler
Supervising Sound Editors - John Leveque
and Bruce Stambler
Re-Recording Mixers - Kevin E. Carpenter,
Anthony Goldschmidt, Jeffrey J. Haboush,
Donald O. Mitchell and Frank A. Montano
Music - Elliot Goldenthal
Music Supervisor - Danny Bramson


Review
As a kid, BATMAN & ROBIN used to be my favourite movie. Unfortunately, as I got older, it was too similar to the 1960s classic TV show. It comes across as campy and childish, making this movie entirely uninventive. The director was seemingly playing safe and not taking creative risks. I cannot believe it killed the Burton/Schumacher film series and nearly killed the superhero movie genre. It had unintentional humour with the suits of Batman and Robin, which has those embarrassing Bat-nipples again. Complete with close-up shots of buttocks that make them look exposed as if they were glamorous boys instead of heroic tough guys. The plotting feels inconsistent (what's the point of having Poison Ivy teaming up with Mr. Freeze as they weren't compatible as partners?).

What made the movie worse was changing the comic book character of Bane from the main villain to Poison Ivy's henchman. Each moment of the film, such as Clooney's caped avenger showing his partner his Bat credit card, was out of place because Bruce Wayne should be the character who would do this, not Batman.

The acting is mixed. Arnold Schwarzenegger's performance as the villainous Mr. Freeze is good (despite being given a poorly-written script and the character saying bad one-liners and ice-puns). I didn't want to criticise Arnold in this film because he is my favourite actor. I must withhold my integrity in being unbiased and completely honest about the facts of my observations with the reviews. George Clooney is woefully miscast as Batman but did well as Bruce Wayne. Chris O'Donnell was getting old to play Robin as he was a little over the top, and he pushed it too far. The other actors who weren't getting better in this movie were Uma Thurman and Alicia Silverstone.

BATMAN & ROBIN is my least favourite Batman movie. It put a great film series on thin ice (no pun intended) and shocked fans with disastrous results. Thank goodness! The franchise has had a rebirth in the form of director Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

Star rating: (1/5) Not Worth Watching

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Review











Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace


Release Date: 3rd June 1999 – Australia


Production Companies
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 133 minutes
                136 minutes (DVD)


Budget: $115,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,027,082,707 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
When the peaceful planet of Naboo gets invaded by the greedy Trade Federation, it's up to Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi to stop its leader, Nute Gunray, from taking control of the planet. After rescuing its Queen from the invasion, they end up stranded in the desert world of Tatooine, where they discover a young boy
named Anakin Skywalker
who has the unique power
of the Force. After winning
the podrace, Anakin joins
the Jedi, Queen Amidala
Amidala, with her trusted
bodyguard Captain Panaka
and a banished Gungan,
Jar Jar Binks, to liberate
Naboo. Confront the Trade
Federation as well as a dangerous enemy named Darth Maul.

Little did they know that the invasion was the first part of a grander scheme from an evil force shrouded in the darkness known as the Sith.


Cast
Liam Neeson – Qui Gon Jinn
Ewan McGregor – Obi-Wan
Kenobi
Natalie Portman – Queen
Amidala/Padmé
Jake Lloyd – Anakin Skywalker
Ian McDiarmid – Senator
Palpatine/Darth Sidious
Ahmed Best – Jar Jar Binks
Pernilla August – Shmi Skywalker
Ray Park – Darth Maul
Peter Serafinowicz – Darth
Maul/Battle Droid Commander/
Gungan Scout (Voices)
Anthony Daniels – C-3PO
Kenny Baker – R2-D2
Silas Carson – Nute Gunray/
Ki-Adi-Mundi/Lott Dod/
Republic Cruiser Pilot
Jerome St. John Blake Rune Haako/Mas Amedda/
Oppo Rancisis/Horox Ryyder/
Graxol Kelvynn/Mik Regrap
Hugh Quarshie – Captain
Panaka
Andy Secombe – Watto (Voice)
Frank Oz  Yoda (Voice)
Samuel L. Jackson – Mace
Windu
Terence Stamp – Supreme
Chancellor Finis Valorum
Brian Blessed – Boss Nass
(Voice)
Lewis Macleod – Sebulba (Voice)
Sofia Coppola РSach̩

Keira Knightley  Sabé
Oliver Ford Davies – Sio Bibble
Warwick Davis Wald/Pod
Racer Spectator/Mos Espa Citizen
Ralph Brown Ric Olie
Steve Speirs Captain Tarpals
James Taylor Rune Haako (Voice)
Greg Proops Fode (Voice)
Scott Capurro Beed (Voice)
Dhruv Chanchani Kitster
John Fensom TC-14
Lindsay Duncan TC-14 (Voice)
Alan Ruscoe  Daultay Dofine/Plo Koon/
Bib Fortuna
Margaret Towner Kira
Chris Sanders Daultay Dofine (Voice)
Hassani Shapi Eeth Koth
Gin Clarke Adi Galla
Khan Bonfis Saesee Tiin
Michaela Cottrell Even Piell
Dipka O'Neill Joti Depa Billaba
Michelle Taylor – Yarael Poof
Phil Eason – Yaddle
Celia Imrie – Fighter Pilot Bravo 5
Amanda Lucas – Tey How (Voice)/
Diva Funquita
Toby Longworth – Lott Dod/
Gragra (Voice)
Matthew Wood – Bib Fortuna/
Ody Mandrell (Voice) (Uncredited)
Sally Hawkins – Villager (Uncredited)
Roman Coppola – Senate Guard
(Uncredited)
Richard Armitage – Naboo Fighter
Pilot (Uncredited)
John Knoll – Lt. Rya Kirsch – Bravo 4/
Flag Bearer (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Dominic West – Palace Guard (Uncredited)
Rick McCallum – Naboo Courier (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Ben Burtt – Naboo Courier (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Paul Martin Smith – Naboo Courier (Cameo)
(Uncredited)
Dan Madsen – Kaadu Handler (Cameo)
(Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Executive Producer/Director –
George Lucas
Script Supervisor – Jayne-Ann Tenggren
Producer – Rick McCallum
Casting Director – Robin Gurland
Production Designer – Gavin Bocquet
Design Director/Visual Effects
Production Designer: ILM – Doug Chiang
Concept Artists: USA – Marc Gabbana,
Kurt Kaufman, Iain McCaig, Ed Natividad,
Jay Shuster and Terryl Whitlatch
Supervising Art Director – Peter Russell
Art Directors – Phil Harvey, Fred Hole,
John King and Rod McLean
Art Director: Second Unit – Ricky Eyres
Art Director: Tunisia – Ben Scott
Set Decorator Peter Walpole
Property Master – Ty Teiger
Live-Action Creature Effects Supervisor –
Nick Dudman
Chief Makeup Artist – Paul Engelen
Costume Designer – Trisha Biggar
Director of Photography – David Tattersall
Director of Photography: Second Unit
Giles Nuttgens
Production Supervisor David Brown
Production Manager Jo Burn
Production Manager: Tunisia Peter Heslop
Unit Manager: Tunisia Jeremy Johns
First Assistant Director Christopher Newman
Second Assistant Director – Bernard Bellew
Third Assistant Director  Ben Howarth
Location Managers – Robert Jordan
and Richard Sharkey
Second Unit Director – Roger Christian
Helicopter Pilot – Marc Wolff
Stunt Coordinator/Sword Master – Nick Gillard
Special Effects Supervisor: ILM Geoff Heron
Animatronic Model Design Supervisor
Chris Barton
Visual Effects Supervisors – Dennis Muren,
John Knoll and Scott Squires
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM
Scott Farrar
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM
Barry Armour
Visual Effects Producers: ILM – Ned Gorman,
Jeff Olson, Heather Smith, Ginger Theisen
and Judith Weaver
Visual Effects Art Director: ILM –
David Nakabayashi
Visual Effects Storyboard/Conceptual Artists:
ILM – Brice Cox Jr., Warren Fu, Jules Mann
and Noel Rubin
Effects Directors of Photography: ILM
Martin Rosenberg, Pat Turner, Ray Gilberti
and Pat Sweeney
Camera Operators: ILM – Carl Miller and
Vance Piper
Animation Director Rob Coleman
Animation Supervisor: Ground Battle, ILM
Tom Bertino
Technical Animation Supervisor: ILM
James Tooley
Lead Computer Graphics Supervisor: ILM
Kevin Rafferty
Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM – Jon &
Tim Alexander, Christophe Hery, Greg Maloney,
Patrick T. Myers, Douglas Smythe,
Euan K. MacDonald, Habib Zargarpour
and Tom L. Hutchinson
Pre-Visualisation/Effects Supervisor
David Dozoretz
Viewpaint Supervisor: ILM Jean Bolte
Motion Capture Supervisor: ILM – Jeffrey B. Light
Digital Modelling Supervisor: ILM Geoff Campbell
Model Supervisor: ILM – Steve Gawley
Chief Model Makers: ILM  Charles Bailey,
William Beck, Barbara Affonso, Brian Gernand,
Keith London, Ira Keeler, Giovanni Donovan,
Lorne Peterson and Steve Walton
Chief Model Maker: ILM/Puppeteer: C-3PO
(Uncredited) – Michael Lynch
Model Maker: ILM/Puppeteer: R2-D2
(Uncredited) – Don Bies
Editor/Sound Design/Supervising
Sound Editor – Ben Burtt
Editor – Paul Martin Smith
Supervising Sound Editor – Tom Bellfort
Supervising Sound Editor/ADR Recordist –
Matthew Wood
Sound Recordist – John Midgley
Sound Effects Editors – Teresa Eckton
and Christopher Scarabosio
Foley Editors – Bruce Lacey and
Marian Wilde
Foley Mixer – Tony Eckert
Foley Artists – Dennie Thorpe and
Jana Vance
Dialogue/ADR Editors – Sara Bolder
and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
Re-Recording Mixers – Tom Johnson
and Gary Rydstrom
Re-Recording Mixer/Scoring Engineer –
Shawn Murphy
Music – John Williams
Music Editor – Kenneth Wannberg


Awards

2000 Academy Awards
Best Sound – Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson,
Shawn Murphy and John Midgely (Nominated)
Best Sound Editing – Ben Burtt and Tom Bellfort
(Nominated)
Best Visual Effects – John Knoll, Dennis Muren,
Scott Squires and Rob Coleman (Nominated)


Review
In 1999, the most overhyped film was STAR WARS: EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE. The movie promises to take audiences on a planet-hopping adventure through the Star Wars universe and has good action sequences and groundbreaking visuals (mostly CGI). Unlike the other Star Wars movies, THE PHANTOM MENACE was not as good as many fans would have hoped.

I liked the impressive scenes, such as the podracing sequence and the lightsaber duel between Qui Gon & Obi-Wan vs. Darth Maul. The acting of Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman was good. Though, the plot is too convoluted. Not to mention, the film is overloaded with exposition. Jar Jar Binks was a comedian and probably the worst character that has ever happened in the franchise. I hate to criticise Jake Lloyd for his performance as little Anakin Skywalker. He tried so hard but did the best he could.

For the music, John Williams did not disappoint the fans and composed an iconic score that redeems what is not a favourite of mine, consisting of themes like the epic "Duel of the Fates".

The whole feature was a bit disappointing, yet it did a great job of bringing the franchise back to the big screen and launching the prequel trilogy, which leads right up to Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. If you have seen THE PHANTOM MENACE, you must check out my review of the 3D version.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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