Now You See Me Review

Now You See Me

Release Date: 8th August 2013 - Australia

Production Companies

Summit Entertainment (presents)

K/O Paper Products

SOIXAN7E QUIN5E

See Me Louisiana

Distribution

Hopscotch Films

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 116 minutes

Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $351,723,989 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

A troupe of illusionists known as The Four Horsemen mesmerises audiences with their dazzling magic shows while pulling off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders and

showering the audience

with stolen profits.

FBI Special Agent Dylan is determined to bring the magicians to justice and stop them before they pull off an even bolder heist. However, he must work with Alma, an Interpol detective, whom he immediately suspects of involvement in the case.

In desperation, he turns

to Thaddeus, a famous

magic debunker, who

claims the bank robbery

involved disguises and

video tricks. Dylan and

Alma can agree on

thing: the Horsemen

must have someone on

the outside. The key to

ending the wizard's

crime spree is to find

him (or her). But who is

this outside person? Is it

Thaddeus? Or Alma?

Or is this just magic?

Cast

Jesse Eisenberg - J. Daniel

Atlas

Mark Ruffalo - Dylan Rhodes

Woody Harrelson - Merritt

McKinney

Isla Fisher - Henley Reeves

Dave Franco - Jack Wilder

Morgan Freeman - Thaddeus Bradley

Michael Caine - Arthur Tressler

Mélanie Laurent - Alma Dray

Michael Kelly - Agent Fuller

Common - Agent Evans

David Warshofsky - Cowan

José Garcia - Etienne Forcier

Jessica Lindsey - Hermia

Caitriona Balfe - Jasmine Tressler

Stephanie Honore - Atlas Groupie

Conan O'Brien - Himself (Cameo)

Diego Mero - Dylan (12 Years Old)

Elias Koteas - Lionel Shrike (Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Louis Leterrier

Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer - Boaz Yakon

Story/Screenplay - Edward Ricourt

Screenplay - Ed Solomon

Executive Producer - Michael Schaefer

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Stan Wlodkowski

Producers - Bobby Cohen,

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci

Magic Inspiration - David Copperfield
Head Magic Consultant - David Kwong
Chief Mentalist and Hypnotism Consultant -

Keith Barry

Production Designer - Peter Wenham

Supervising Art Director - Thomas Valentine

Art Director - Scott Plauche

Art Director: Additional Photography -

Andrew Neskoromny

Set Decorator - Beauchamp Fontaine
Costume Designer - Jenny Egan

Directors of Photography - Mitchell Amundsen

and Larry Fong

Aerial Directors of Photography: Second Unit,

New York - Hans Bjerno and Dylan Goss

Helicopter Pilot: Second Unit, New York -

Frédéric North

Unit Production Manager: Additional

Photography - Udi Nedivi

First Assistant Director - Joe Camp III
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator

(Uncredited) - G.A. Aguilar
Additional Unit Director/Senior Visual Effects

Supervisor - Nicholas Brooks
Stunt Coordinator - Stephen A. Pope

Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - Rick Le Fevour

Fight Coordinator - Chuck Jeffreys
Special Effects Coordinator - Guy Clayton
Special Effects Coordinator: New York - Jeff Brink

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Craig Hammack

Visual Effects Supervisor: Image Engine - Andrew Chapman

Visual Effects Producer - Thomas Elder-Groebe

Executive Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks

Visual Effects Executive Producer: Image Engine -

Shawn Walsh

Digital Model Supervisor: ILM - Russell Paul

Editors - Robert Leighton and

Vincent Tabaillon

Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -

Steve Boedekker

Additional Sound Design - Will Files

Supervising Sound Editor - Jonathan Null

Re-Recording Mixer - David Parker

Foley Supervisor - Frank Rinella

Foley Artists - Ronni Brown,

Sean England and Andrea Gard

Music - Brian Tyler

Review

This film was astonishing, and I didn't expect it to be good at first. However, it dazzled me with its twists and turns. NOW YOU SEE ME is a stylish, entertaining, and compelling fusion of a heist plot with stage magic and trickery. I didn't realise how fresh the premise felt compared to the other blockbusters. The characters pull off a devilish Robin Hood-style robbery, complemented by a magic show that reflects the stylised nature of their personalities. Director Louis Leterrier crafts an engaging, complex, and intriguing storyline that combines mystery, suspense, fun, and magic, compelling viewers from start to finish. The film isn't as flawed as critics made it out to be, except for its thin characterisation and twist ending, which are the two things I can agree with.

Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman were all professionally committed to their roles and demonstrated the acting money could buy. While the leading role could have gone to Cillian Murphy or Jim Sturgess, Eisenberg was more than capable of taking it on. The chemistry among the ensemble cast is terrific, particularly among Eisenberg, Harrelson, Fisher, and Franco, whose interactions create a fun, energetic dynamic.

I appreciate this big-budget, elaborate film with its ingenious aspects. It isn't a sci-fi-themed caper like Inception, where you go into people's dreams. It just showcases elaborate illusions and tricks. If you enjoyed this film, you should watch similar magic-themed non-heist movies, The Prestige and The Illusionist, for obvious comparisons to NOW YOU SEE ME.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Monsters Review

Monsters


Release Date: 25th November 2010 - Australia


Production Companies
Vertigo Films

Distribution
Madman Entertainment


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 94 minutes


Budget: $500,000

Box Office Gross: $4,242,978
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures"...... Our story begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border. 


Cast
Scoot McNairy - Andrew Kaulder

Whitney Able - Samantha Wynden

Crew
Writer/Director/Production Designer/
Director of Photography/Visual Effects - Gareth Edwards

Executive Producers - Nick Love,
Rupert Preston and Nigel Williams

Producers - Alain Nilbo and 

James Richardson

Film Editor - Colin Goudie

Music - Jon Hopkins


Review

The 2010 movie of 'MONSTERS' was not quite the indie sci-fi flick that I was expecting as it could have been a lot better if it was a different kind of a monster feature and has horror-blazing action. Then it would have been well-liked by everyone. Instead, all the film focuses is drama and romance between the two characters and there are no scenes that are even remotely scary or intensive. Even the giant squid aliens are barely the film's main focus and they were part of the backdrop. Because of this reason, this film doesn't really live up to its title.

I'm not like the other critics that loved the movie but here’s the truth, 'MONSTERS' is by far a lacklustre movie generally. I would be better off watching 'Independence Day' because this film was a spectacle that I was privileged to watch over Gareth Edwards' boring debut. 'MONSTERS' is undoubtedly not the best representation of an alien invasion, if you want a real movie that dealt these cliches, go for Will Smith's blockbuster.

Star rating: (2/5) Bad Movie

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The Road to El Dorado Review

The Road to El Dorado

Release Date: 7th September 2000 - Australia

Production Companies

DreamWorks Pictures (presents)

DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Adventure/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 89 minutes

Budget: $95,000,000

Box Office Gross:

$76,432,727 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
While pulling off a scam, two wanted con men, Tulio and Miguel, stumbled upon a map to the legendary Lost City of Gold, El Dorado. After being lost at sea, they wind up on the shores of El Dorado. They find the hidden city and are mistaken for gods by its natives. Obstacles lie ahead for these two rogues as they must save El Dorado and make the right decision!

Voice Cast

Kevin Kline - Tulio

Kenneth Branagh - Miguel

Rosie Pérez - Chel

Armand Assante - Tzekel-Kan

Edward James Olmos -

Chief Tannabok

Jim Cummings - Hernán Cortés

Frank Welker - Altivo
Tobin Bell - Zaragoza
Duncan Marjoribanks - Acolyte
Elijah Chiang - Kid #1
Cyrus Shaki-Khan - Kid #2
Elton John - Narrator

Crew

Directors - Eric "Bibo"

Bergeron and Don Paul

Additional Sequences - Will Finn and David Silverman

Writers - Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio and Phillip LaZebnik

Additional Dialogue - Karey

Kirkpatrick
Executive Producer - Jeffrey Katzenberg
Co-Executive Producer - Bill Damaschke

Producers - Bonne Radford and Brooke Breton

Visual Consultant - John Pohl

Production Designer - Christian Schellewald
Additional Production Designer/Storyboard

Artist - Vicky Jenson

Sequence Designer - Seth Engstrom

Sequence Designer/Layout Artist -

David James
Art Directors - Paul Lasaine,
Wendell Luebbe and Raymond Zibach

Additional Art Director - Sam Michlap

Character Designer/Supervising Animator:

"Armadillo" - Nicolas Marlet
Character Designers - Carlos Grangel
and Tony Siruno
Additional Storyboard Artist/Supervising

Animator: "Chief" - Frans Vischer

Costume Designer - Kelly Kimball

Story Supervisors - Ronnie Del Carmen
and Jeff Snow

Layout Supervisor - Lorenzo Martinez

Background Supervisor - Kevin Turcotte

Background Stylist - Scott Wills

Animation Department Manager - Steve Pegram

Digital Color Production Manager - Matthew Teevan

Scene Planning Supervisors - James C.J.

Williams and David Morehead

Animation Supervisor/Supervising Animator:

"Altivo" and "Cortéz" - Kristof Serrand

Senior Supervising Animator: "Tulio" -

James Baxter
Senior Supervising Animator: "Miguel" -

Darlie Brewster
Supervising Animator: "Tulio" - William Salazar

Supervising Animators: "Miguel" -

Serguei Kouchnerov and Bob Scott
Supervising Animator: "Chel" - Rodolphe Guenoden
Supervising Animator: "Tzekel-Kan" - Kathy Zielinski
Supervising Animator: "Jaguar" - Sylvain Deboissy
Supervising Animator: "Sailors" and

"Ball Players" - Patrick Mate
Animator: "Miguel"/Supervising Animator:

"Miscellaneous" - Erik C. Schmidt

Sequence Leads: "Celebration" Sequence -

Lynette Charters and Jamie Lloyd

Sequence Lead: "Jaguar Hunt" Sequence -

Ed Coffey and Sean McLaughlin

Sequence Lead: "Crashing the Gate" Sequence -

Doug Ikeler

Sequence Supervisor: Stardust Pictures -

Robert Stevenhagen

Digital Supervisor - Dan Philips

3D Effects Supervisor - Bud Myrick

Computer Graphics Supervisor: "Creation"

Sequence - Craig Ring

Songs - Elton John

Lyrics - Tim Rice
Supervising Editors - John Carnochan
and Dan Molina

Film Editor - Vicki Hiatt
Additional Editors - Lynne Southerland
and Jeffrey C. Patch

Sound Design and Supervision - Greg King

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and Anna Behlmer

Music - Hans Zimmer and John Powell

Composers: Additional Music/Technical

Technical Music Advisors - Klaus Badelt,

Justin Burnett, James McKee Smith and

Geoff Zanelli

Score Recordist and Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Review

The full-length animated movie, THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, came out in the year 2000 when I was a kid, and I enjoyed re-watching it all the time and had so much fondness for its two main characters. The story is partial historical revisionism. According to the producers, the comical duo had the potential to be the humorous sidekicks that would steal the spotlight (like Timon and Pumbaa from Disney's The Lion King). That's how the animation team wanted to do something different: make these two characters the main heroes. The film combines classical and CGI animation to create a unique style and includes terrific background songs from the unforgettable pop star Elton John.

While I did enjoy the soundtrack in this feature, it can't be compared to The Lion King, as these songs weren't as memorable (apart from the number "It's Tough To Be a God"). More praise is due to the renowned actors Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh for their acting chemistry as Tulio and Miguel. Edward James Olmos also deserves praise as Chief Tannabak.

Bursting out loud with joyful laughter, but nearly shining as the best effort from the animation studio of DreamWorks. EL DORADO is still entertaining. Unfortunately, despite its quality, it failed to conquer the box office and would have done better if Disney, rather than DreamWorks, had made it.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Jumper Review

Jumper


Release Date: 14th February 2008 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox (presents)
Regency Enterprises (presents)
New Regency
Hypnotic

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 84 minutes


Budget: $85,000,000

Box Office Gross: $222,231,186
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
David Rice is a young man who knows no boundaries -- a Jumper, born with the uncanny ability to teleport instantly to any place on Earth. When he discovers others like himself, David is thrust into the midst of an ancient war while being hunted by a bloodthirsty band of zealots sworn to destroy all Jumpers.

Now, David's extra-ordinary gift may be his only hope for survival!


Cast
Hayden Christensen - David Rice
Rachel Bilson - Millie Harris
Samuel L. Jackson - Roland Cox
Jamie Bell - Griffin O'Connor
Diane Lane - Mary Rice
Teddy Dunn - Mark Kobold
Max Thieriot - 15-Year Old David
Ryan Grantham - 5-Year Old David
Annasophia Robb - Young Millie
Jess James - Young Mark
Michael Rooker - William Rice
Kristen Stewart - Sophie
Barbara Garrick - Ellen
Meredith Henderson - Fiona

Crew

Director - Doug Liman

Based on Novel "Jumper" - 

Steven Gould

Screenplay - David S. Goyer 

and Jim Uhls

Screenplay/Producer - Simon Kinberg

Associate Producer/Second Unit Director/
Stunt Coordinator - Simon Crane
Executive Producers - Vince Gerardis,
Stacy Maes and Ralph Vicinanza
Executive Producer/First Assistant Director -
Kim H. Winther

Producers - Arnon Milchan, Lucas Foster and
Jay Sanders

Production Designer - Oliver Scholl
Supervising Art Directors - Elinor Rose Galibrath
and Thomas Valentine

Costume Designer - Magali Guidasci

Director of Photography - Barry Peterson
Stunt Coordinators - Wade Eastwood and
Ladislav & Robert Lahoda
Special Effects Supervisor - Yves De Bono
Special Effects Coordinators - Daniel Acon and
Rob Sanderson
Special Effects Coordinator: New York - Steven Kirshoff
Visual Effects Producer/Supervisor - Kevin Elam
Visual Effects Supervisors - Joel Hynek,
Colin & Greg Strause and Andy Williams
Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital - Dan Lemmon
and Erik Winquist
Visual Effects Supervisor: Hyrdaulx - Rob Hodgson
Visual Effects Supervisor: Cinema Production
Services, Inc. - Michael Joyce
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor/Visual Effects
Supervisor: DIVE - Mark O. Forker
Animation Supervisor: Weta Digital - Eric Reynolds
Creatures Supervisor: Weta Digital - Dana Peters

Film Editors - Saar Klein and Don
& Dean Zinnerman

Music Supervisor - Julliane Jordan 

Music - John Powell 


Review

A lacklustre feature that is missing a spark, I just felt as though it was an effort to watch this disengaging sci-fi concept as revealed in 'JUMPER'. Unsurprisingly, the plot hasn't captured the novel in this film interpretation. This movie has a real Star Wars connection with two of the actors who appeared in the franchise in Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson. Talking about both actors, the underrated one-timer Christensen has yet again failed to make the main character likeable. In the eyes of some, having redeemed himself with a decent performance in 'Revenge of the Sith', I just don't think he is an appropriate actor for this role. L. Jackson and the other star Jamie Bell were significantly better than Hayden and from my perspective were the stand-out performers of this dreadful film.

Overall, 'JUMPER' has failed to please all viewers. Perhaps they were hungry for more awesomeness and power-pack to keep this product large and healthy and maintain the areas of a solid novel-to-movie adaptation from director Doug Liman and his associates.

Star rating: (2/5) Bad Movie

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Ernest Goes to Camp Review

Ernest Goes to Camp


Release Date: 17th September 1987 - Australia


Production Companies
Emshell Producers
Silver Screen Partners III (in association with)
Touchstone Pictures

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion

Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 92 minutes


Budget: $3,500,000

Box Office Gross: $23,509,382 (USA)

Plot Summary

Ernest, a handyman at Kamp Kikakee, achieves his greatest ambition of becoming a camp counsellor when assigned to a gang of juvenile delinquents from the Midstate Boys Detention Centre! Apart from wrangling these troublesome youths, Ernest has to save the camp from demolition by a giant mining company.

Cast

Jim Varney - Ernest P. Worrell

Victoria Racimo - Nurse St. Cloud

John Vernon - Sherman Krader

Iron Eyes Cody - Old Indian

'Chief St. Cloud'

Lyle Alzado - Bronk Stinson (Foreman)

Gailard Sartain - Jake
Daniel Butler - Eddie

Patrick Day - Bobby Wayne
Scott Menville - Crutchfield
Jacob Vargas - Butch 'Too

Cool' Vargas

Danny Capri - Danny

Todd Lloyd - Chip Ozgood

Hakeem Abdul-Samad - Moustafa "Moose" Hakeem Jones

Andrew Woodworth - Pennington

Richard Speight Jr. - Brooks

Jeffrey Buckner Ford - Attorney Elliott Blatz

Larry Black - Mr. Tipton

Eddy Schumacher - Counselor Stennis

Hugh Sinclair - Counselor Sparks

Johnson West - Counselor Puckett

Jean Wilson - State Supervisor

Ivan Green - Mr. Stewart

Christian Haas - Molly Stewart

Brenda Haynes - Mrs. Stewart

Crew

Screenplay/Director - John R. Cherry III
Screenplay/Creative Consultant/
Second Unit Director - Coke Sams
Additional Dialogue - Steve Leasure and
Glenn Petach

Executive Producers - Martin Erlichman

and Elmo Williams
Producer - Stacy Williams

Art Director/Set Decorator/

Property Master - Kathy Emily Cherry
Directors of Photography - Harry Mathias

and Jim May

First Assistant Director - Patrice Leung

Stunt Coordinator - Keith Tellez

Special Effects Consultant - Jaime Bird

Supervising Sound Editor - William Carruth

Supervising Re-Recording Mixer - Mark Berger

Recording Mixers - Jim Austin and

Todd Boekelheide
Editor - Marshall Harvey

Lyrics: Songs/Music Production Assistant -

Alice Keister
Music/Synclavier Programming - Shane Keister


Review

While it's not the first movie in the Ernest series, Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam takes that title. ERNEST GOES TO CAMP undeniably turned Jim Varney into a movie star and introduced his lovable character, Ernest P. Worrell, to the big screen. It has the sentimentality and glitter of accidental laughs. This family comedy is fun, especially when it is goofy and lighthearted in its story setting. Aside from the comical mischief, two things stand out: John Vernon's portrayal of the villain Sherman Krader and the poignant moment of Ernest singing "Gee, I'm Glad It's Raining."

Some of you believe the Ernest film series is corny, but I beg to differ. It's the wackiest and most refreshing movie of 1987 and the best instalment of the comedy series ever made!

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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