Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Ghostbusters (1984) Review













Ghostbusters


Release Date: 15th November 1984 - Australia


Production Companies
Columbia Pictures

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Comedy/Fantasy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $296,578,797 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Three parapsychology doctors, Venkman, Stantz and Spengler, have been fired by the University after delving too many times into studying the occult. Intent on proving them wrong, they decided to go into their own business as investigators and exterminators called "Ghostbusters" that will catch any supernatural pests lurking in New York City for a price. As their business is booming, our heroes come face to face with an ancient demon named Gozer. Will the
Ghostbusters save Manhattan
from the evil entity, who
comes from an inter-
dimensional gateway with
sinister plans to raise any
unspeakable evil?


Cast
Bill Murray - Dr. Peter Venkman
Dan Aykroyd - Dr. Raymond Stantz
Harold Ramis - Dr. Egon Spengler
Ernie Hudson - Winston Zeddmore
Sigourney Weaver - Dana
Barrett
Rick Moranis - Louis Tully
Annie Potts - Janine Melintz
William Atherton - William Peck
Slavitza Jovan - Gozer
Paddi Edwards - Gozer
(Voice) Uncredited)
Ivan Reitman - Zuul/Slimer (Voice)
David Marguiles - Mayor
Steven Tash - Male Student
Jennifer Runyon - Female Student
Michael Ensign - Hotel Manager
Alice Drummond - Librarian
Jordan Charney - Dean Yeager
John Rothman - Library Administrator
Ruth Oliver - Library Ghost
Kymberly Herrin - Dream Ghost
Norman Matlock - Police Commissioner
Reginald VelJohnson - Jail Guard
Kathryn Janssen - Mrs. Van Hoffman
Roger Grimsby - Himself (Cameo)
Larry King - Himself (Cameo)
Joe Franklin - Himself (Cameo)
Casey Kasem - Himself (Voice) (Cameo)
Billy Bryan - Stay Puff Marshmallow Man
(Uncredited)
Mark Bryon Wilson - Slimer (Uncredited)
Eldo Ray Estes - Redheaded Man (Uncredited)

Crew
Producer/Director - Ivan Reitman
Writers - Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
and Rick Moranis (Uncredited)
Associate Producers - Michael C. Gross
and Joe Medjuck
Executive Producer - Bernie Brillstein
Casting Director - Karen Rea
Production Designer - John DeCuir
Creature Design Consultant/Animation
Supervisor: EEG - Terry Windell
Art Director - John DeCuir Jr.
Set Decorator - Marvin March
Costumes - Theoni V. Alderage
Director of Photography - László Kovács
Camera Operator - Robert M. Stevens
Unit Production Manager: New York -
Patrick McCormick
First Assistant Director - Gary Daigler
First Assistant Director: New York -
Peter Giuliano
Second Assistant Director - Katterli Frauenfelder
Special Effects Supervisor - Chuck Gaspar
Mechanical Effects Supervisor: EEG -
Thaine Morris
Visual Effects - Richard Edlund
Visual Effects Art Director: EEG - John Bruno
Head of Ghost Shop: EEG - Stuart Ziff
Ghost Shop Advisor: EEG - Jon Berg
Sculptor: Librarian/Onion Head, EEG -
Steve Johnson
Sculptors: Staypuft, EEG - Billy Bryan and
Linda Frobos
Model Shop Supervisor: EEG - Mark Stetson
Chief Cameraman: EEG - Bill Neil
Camera Operators: EEG - Jim Aupperle
and John Lambert
Assistant Cameramen: EEG - Clint Palmer,
Pete Romano and Jody Westheimer
Matte Department Supervisor: EEG - Neil Krepela
Chief Matte Artist: EEG - Matthew Yuricich
Matte Artists: EEG - Constantine Ganakes
and Michele Moen
Animation Supervisor: EEG - Garry Waller
Dimension Animation Effects: EEG -
Randall William Cook
Optical Supervisor: EEG - Mark Vargo
Visual Effects Editor: EEG - Conrad Buff IV
Film Editors - David E. Blewitt and Sheldon Kahn
Sound Designers - Richard Beggs
and Tom McCarthy Jr.
Production Sound Mixer - Gene S. Cantamessa
Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Alexander,
Les Fresholtz and Vern Poore
Writer/Performer: Song "Ghostbusters" -
Ray Parker Jr.
Music - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1985 Academy Awards
Best Visual Effects - Richard Edlund, John Bruno,
Mark Vargo and Chuck Gaspar (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Song "Ghostbusters" -
Ray Parker Jr. (Nominated)


Review
G'day filmgoers, here's a review of a movie that, believe it or not, is a supernatural comedy. Who you're going to call? Why it's GHOSTBUSTERS, and it's great that you're watching a movie about catching ghosts rather than seeing scary horror flicks in your home theatre. I re-watched this movie and understood the humour I hadn't laughed at since childhood. Like some of the old unforgettable comedies, it was timeless, with a few jokes that had become increasingly dated. Still, older viewers who have previously seen the original GHOSTBUSTERS will look at this farce with memories and laughter.

The original actors, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, were marvellously funny and memorable enough to have stand-out performances and publicity. Other actors like Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver were also terrific in their roles, and both characters get tangled in these superstitious events. Most of the effects still hold up as an achievement in this film. In noticeable ways, its stop-motion animation has now become outdated.

I conclude from this review that GHOSTBUSTERS was ghoulishly entertaining. I am not a big fan of it like my brother. It is an enjoyable feature as it has some frightening parts.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

Monday, October 28, 2013

Godzilla (1998) Review









Godzilla


Release Date: 11th June 1998 - Australia


Production Companies
TriStar Pictures
Toho Film Co. Ltd
Fried Films
Centropolis Film Productions
Independent Pictures

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 139 minutes


Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $379,014,294 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After the French had
tested their nuclear bombs
in the South Pacific, an
unknown creature was
spotted moving westward
through the Panama
Canal. The U.S.
government called in an
expert on the effects
of radiation on animals
named Niko Tatopoulos
to investigate the matter.
The scientist quickly
concludes that the
creature was a giant,
irradiated lizard created
by the explosions.
Godzilla(r) then makes
its way to New York City,
where he terrorises the
city by wreaking havoc,
and a massive battle with
the military begins. Will
this be enough to stop
the monster from causing
more rampage?


Cast
Matthew Broderick - Dr. Niko
"Nick" Tatopoulos
Jean Reno - Philippe Roache
Maria Pitillo - Audrey Timmonds
Hank Azaria - Victor "Animal"
Palotti
Kevin Dunn - Colonel Hicks
Michael Lerner - Mayor Ebert
Harry Shearer - Charles Caiman
Arabella Field - Lucy Palotti
Vicki Lewis - Dr. Elsie Chapman
Doug Savant - Sergeant O'Neal
Malcolm Danare - Dr. Mendel Craven
Lorry Goldman - Gene - Mayor's Aide
Christian Aubert - Jean-Luc
Philippe Bergeron - Jean-Claude
Frank Bruynbroek - Jean-Pierre
Nicholas J. Giangiulio - Ed
Robert Lesser - Murray
Ralph Manza - Old Fisherman
Greg Callahan - Governor
Chris Ellis - General Anderson
Nancy Cartwright - Caiman's Secretary (Cameo)
Richard Gant - Admiral Phelps
Jack Moore - Leonard
Steve Giannelli - Jules
Brian Farabaugh - Arthur
Stephen Xavier Lee - Lt. Anderson
Bodhi Elfman - Freddie
Glenn Morshower - Kyle Terrington
Gary A. Hecker - Creature Vocals
Frank Welker - Creature Vocals

Crew
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer/
Director - Roland Emmerich
Story/Screenplay/Producer - Dean Devlin
Original Story - Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Executive Producers - Ute Emmerich
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager:
Hawaii - William Fay
Co-Executive Producers - Robert N. Fried
and Cary Woods
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Kelly Van Horn
Co-Producer - Peter Winther
Casting - April Webster and David Bloch
Production Designer - Oliver Scholl
Illustrators - Mauro Borrelli,
Sean Hargreaves, Patrick Janacke and
Tom Lay
Supervising Art Director - William Ladd Skinner
Art Director - Robert Woodruff
Set Decorator - Victor J. Zolfo
Property Master - Doug Harlocker
Costume Designer - Joseph A. Porro
Director of Photography - Ueli Steiger
Director of Photography: Falls Lake Unit - Chuck Shuman
"B" Camera Operator: New York Unit - Florian Ballhaus
First Assistant VistaVision Camera - Evan A. Neisbitt
First Assistant Director - Kim H. Winther
Second Assistant Directors - Lars P. Winther
and Paul F. Bernard
Second Unit Director - Josef Rusnak
Second Unit Director: New York Second Unit -
Peter Ramsey
Stunt Coordinator - R.A. Rondell
Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - Troy Brown
Aerial Coordinator/Pilot - Kevin LaRosa
Animal Wrangler - Jules Sylvester
Mechanical Effects Supervisor - Clay Pinney
Mechanical Effects Main Unit Supervisor - Hans Metz
Mechanical Effects Supervisors: Second Unit -
Al Broussard and John Baker
Mechanical Effects Coordinator: New York Unit -
Steven Kirshoff
Godzilla Designer and Supervisor -
Patrick Tatopoulos
Paint Supervisor: Patrick Tatopoulos Designs -
Gino Acevedo
Sculpting Supervisors: Patrick Tatopoulos
Designs - Jose Fernandez and James Kagel
Visual Effects Supervisor - Volker Engel
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor - Karen E. Goulekas
Visual Effects Producer - Terry Clotiaux
Visual Effects Producer: Miniatures - Bob Hurrie
Executive Producer: CFX - Marc Kolbe
Visual Effects Supervising Art Director - Steven Legler
Visual Effects Director of Photography:
Miniatures - Anna Foerster
Miniature Special Effects Supervisor - Joe Viskocil
Miniature Visual Effects Supervisor - Don Baker
Flatiron and Chrysler Miniatures: Hunter/Gratzner
Industries, Inc - Matthew Gratzner, Ian Hunter
and Shannon Blake Gans
Model Shop Supervisor - Eugene P. Rizzardi
Supervisor: Stirber Visual Network -
John K. Stirber
Supervisor: Cinema Production Services -
Michael Joyce
Digital Effects Supervisor: SPI - Jerome Chen
Digital Effects Supervisor: VisionArt - Joshua D. Rose
Digital Effects Supervisor: Digiscope - Dion Hatch
Supervising Digital Artist: Digiscope - Grady Cofer
Digital Effects Producer - Fiona Bull
Digital Effects Producer: SPI - Julia Frey
Animation Supervisor: CFX - Andrew R. Jones
Animation Supervisors: VisionArt - Daniel Kramer
and Carl Hooper
Lead Animator: CFX - Matthew Hackett
Computer Graphics Supervisors: SPI -
Jim Berney and Scott Stokdyk
Supervising Technical Designers: SPI -
Kee-Suk 'Ken' Hahn, Michael J. Travers and
Thomas Hollier
Line Producer: CFX - Craig A. Mumma
Compositing Supervisors: CFX -
Cornelia Fauser-Ruemelin and Mitchell S. Drain
Director of R&D: VisionArt - Rob Bredow
Editors - Peter Amundson and David Siegel
Supervising Sound Editor - Per Hallberg
Co-Supervising Sound Editor - Wylie Stateman
Production Sound Mixer - José Antonio García
Re-Recording Sound Mixers - Kevin O'Connell
and Greg P. Russell
Music - David Arnold
Music Supervisor - Peter Afterman
Scoring Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Review
I never watched any of the old Godzilla movies except for this film. Roland Emmerich's version is not just disappointing and more to say. It's at its lowest acclaim that it needs checking. While the monster's design is nothing like the Godzilla we knew, the rest of the feature taking off Spielberg's Jurassic Park and The Lost World is not a joke. Badly-written humour and some choice of actors like Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria being miscast aren't the only ones that weaken the film. The movie's moments are nauseous and make you want to leave. Jean Reno may be the only actor who accurately plays a French general. He's likely the only one in this unspectacular dud.

I used to see the feature a long while back in years, for now, and I completely forgot how much this film introduced me to the Godzilla lore. GODZILLA is just an atrocious and mindless abomination everyone doesn't want. It's very disappointing that the director did not use the old movies' faithful material to make the 1998 interpretation. For older Godzilla fans, this is an in-name-only version. For those new to the character, it's just your typical monster movie and nothing more. Don't see this one at home or with your mates, and wait for the reboot till' it comes out.

Star rating: (2/5) Bad Movie

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Monday, October 21, 2013

Fast & Furious 6 Review









Fast & Furious 6


Release Date: 6th June 2013 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Relativity Media (in association with)
Original Film
One Race Productions
Dentsu (presented in association with)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 130 minutes


Budget: $160,000,000

Box Office Gross: $788,680,968 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Since Dom and Brian's 
Rio heist toppled a 
kingpin's empire and 
left their crew with $100 
million, our heroes have 
scattered across the 
globe. But their inability 
to return home and 
living forever on the 
lam have left their lives 
incomplete. Meanwhile, 
Hobbs has been tracking 
an organization of lethally 
skilled mercenary drivers 
across 12 countries, 
whose mastermind is 
aided by a ruthless 
second-in-command 
revealed to be the love 
Dom thought was dead, 
Letty. The only way to 
stop the criminal outfit is 
to outmatch them at 
street level, so Hobbs 
asks Dom to assemble 
his elite team in London. 
Payment? Full pardons 
for all of them so they 
can return home and 
make their families whole 
again. (Source - IMDb)


Cast
Vin Diesel - Dominic Toretto
Paul Walker - Brian O'Conner
Dwayne Johnson - Luke Hobbs
Michelle Rodriguez - Leticia
"Letty" Ortiz
Jordana Brewster - Mia Toretto
Tyrese Gibson - Roman Pearce
Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges - Tej
Parker
Sung Kang - Han Seoul-Oh
Luke Evans - Owen Shaw
Gina Carano - Riley Hicks
John Ortiz - Arturo Braga
Gal Gadot - Gishele Yashar
Shea Whigham - Agent Stasiak
Elsa Pataky - Elena Neves
Kim Kold - Klaus
Joe Taslim - Jah
Clara Paget - Vegh
Samuel M. Stewart - Denlinger
Benjamin Davies - Adolfson
Matthew Stirling - Oakes
David Ajala - Ivory
Thure Lindhardt - Firuz
Shea Whigham - Stasiak
John Ortiz - Braga
Stephen Marcus - Davies
Andy Pointon - Terry
Jhony Mendez - Santiago
Revil Beat - Benito
Jason Statham - Deckard Shaw (Cameo)
(Uncredited)

Crew
Executive Producer/Director - Justin Lin
Based on Characters - Gary Scott Thompson
Writer/Executive Producer - Chris Morgan
Executive Producers - Amanda Lewis and
Samantha Vincent
Producers - Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz and
Clayton Towsend 
Production Designer - Jan Roelfs
Supervising Art Director - James Hambidge
Senior Art Director - Leslie Tomkins
Set Decorator - Richard Roberts
Costume Designers - Sanja Milkovic Hays
and Craciunica Roberto
Weapons Master - Simon Atherton
Cinematography - Stephen F. Windon 
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - 
Spiro Razatos
Supervising Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell
Stunt Coordinator - Troy Robinson
Fight Choreographer - Oliver Schneider
Picture Car Coordinator - Dennis McCarthy
Special Effects Supervisor - Joss Williams
Special Effects Coordinator - Victoria Stokes
Visual Effects Supervisors -  Eric D. Christensen,
Kelvin McIlwain, Sean Stranks and
David Vickery
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Nathan McGuinness
Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Erik Nordby
Visual Effects Consultant - Allen Dam
Visual Effects Producers - Kristijan Danilovski,
Kevin Elam, Rachel Faith Hanson and
Christal Wolgamott
CG Supervisor: Double Negative - Julian Foddy
Film Editors - Greg D'Auria, Leigh Folsom Boyd, 
Dylan Highsmith, Kelly Matsumoto and 
Christian Wagner 
Music - Lucas Vidal


Review
With every new installment, these films just get bigger, badder and faster. This is definitely the case with 'FAST & FURIOUS 6'. Here, I've finally done a critique to the latest movie of the F&F series, mixture of stunts, car chases and action have never been so spectacular as it has in this enjoyable film. I note that specifically, the whole plot is encapsulating and the climax is tense and waywardly brilliant. This movie cements itself as a contender for possibly the greatest link of 'The Fast & the Furious' saga and there are a few missteps out of all the six movies, this has grossed the most dollars of the franchise to date. The return of Dwayne Johnson has helped to revitalise the series once again with an even tougher crew; he is now officially part of the team of superstars that made this fuel-injected spectacle what it is. There is the added surprise of Michelle Rodriguez back as the tough female character from the first and fourth originals and Luke Evans spectacularly portrays an interesting foe with a malicious mind with wicked intentions.

Unlike the predecessor of the sequel 'Fast & Furious 5', this isn't about heist plotting, rather, the film was more about a cat and mouse chase between the villain and the heroes and race against time in all odds. The sixth instalment is a mother-load of fun and tense action and this is another best movie of 2013 and this in my opinion was the second best of F&F PERIOD!

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Monday, October 14, 2013

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Review










Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome


Release Date: 8th August 1985 - Australia


Production Companies
Kennedy Miller Productions


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 102 minutes


Budget: $12,000,000
(estimated)

Box Office Gross: $36,230,219 (USA)


Plot Summary
While travelling through
the Australian outback,
Max gets robbed of his
possessions and stumbles
upon Bartertown, a trading
post for all criminals
under the rule of Aunty
Entity and Master Blaster.
There, he becomes a
gladiator and is left to die
in the desert. Only to be
rescued by a group of
wild orphans, the only
survivors of a plane
crash during the nuclear
war, as they have been
looking for help for years.


Cast
Mel Gibson - Mad Max
Rockatansky
Tina Turner - Aunty Entity
Frank Thring - The Collector
Bruce Spence - Jebediah the Pilot
Adam Cockburn Jr. - Jebediah Jnr.
Angelo Rossitto - The Master
Paul Larrson - The Blaster
Angry Anderson - Ironbar
Robert Grubb - Pig Killer
George Spartels - Blackfinger
Helen Buday - Savannah Nix
Tom Jennings - Slake M'Thirst
Edwin Hodgeman - Dr. Dealgood
Andrew Oh - Ton Ton Tattoo
Rod Zuniac - Scrooloose
Mark Spain - Mr. Skyfish
Mark Kounnas - Gekko
Justine Clarke - Anna Goanna
Shane Tickner - Eddie
Toni Allaylis - Cusha - Pregnant Girl
James Wingrove - Tubba Tintye
Adam Scougall - Finn McCoo
Adam Willits - Mr. Scratch

Crew
Character Creator (Uncredited)/
Writer/Producer/Director - George Miller
Director - George Ogilvie
Character Creator - Byron Kennedy (Uncredited)
Writer/Co-Producer - Terry Hayes
Associate Producers - Steve Amezdroz
and Marcus D'Arcy
Co-Producer - Doug Mitchell
Casting Director - Alison Barrett
Casting Director: USA - Mike Fenton
Production Designer - Graham "Grace" Walker
Visual Design Consultant - Ed Verreaux
Art Director - Anni Browning
Set Decorator - Martin O'Neill
Costume Designer - Norma Moriceau
Special Makeup FX Supervisor - Bob McCarron
Director of Photography - Dean Semler
Camera Operators - David Burr and Louis Irving
Executive in Charge of Production - Su Armstrong
Production Manager - Antonia Barnard
Unit Runner - P.J. Voeten
First Assistant Directors - Steve E. Andrews
and Stuart Freeman
Second Assistant Directors - Ian Kenny
and Chris Webb
Stunt Coordinator - Grant Page
Key Stunts Performer - Glen Boswell
Action Vehicle Coordinator - David Thomas
Special Effects Supervisor - Michael Wood
Special Effects Coordinator - Steve Courtley
Special Effects Technician - Brian Cox
Model Coordinator - Dennis Nicholson
Post-Production Supervisor - Marcus D'Arcy
Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce
First Assistant Editors - Louise Innes
and Claire O'Brien
Sound Supervisor/Mixer - Roger Savage
Sound Design/Mixer - Bruce Lamshed
Additional Sound - Phil Judd
Sound Effects Editors - Frank Lipson,
Craig Carter and Tim Chau
Production Sound Recordist - Lloyd Carrick
Music - Maurice Jarre
Performer: Songs - Tina Turner


Review
I first watched Mad Max 2 in July, and surprisingly, the Aussies have made their original film, which feels similar to Star Wars and is fresh from the creative mind of director George Miller. Mad Max brought everyone closer to the road rage action of road rages in this apocalyptic film. MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME stepped away from dangerous highways and was not dissimilar to the gladiator epic of battling to the death on a battleground for entertainment. The second half focuses on the tribe of lost children and further develops Mel Gibson's character as the heroic saviour.

Mel still delivers first-class acting as the main character, and the fight scene of the Thunderdome arena is well-choreographed. It's surprising how female pop star Tina Turner portrays the ruthless femme fatale Aunty Entity. She also performs both songs in the intro and closing, like "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)".

BEYOND THUNDERDOME barely includes the grittiness or the rough story of the second, whereas this film is simply a visualised atmospheric experience. It's still a worthwhile entertainment extravaganza.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Shrek 2 Review










Shrek 2


Release Date: 17th June 2004 - Australia


Production Companies
DreamWorks Pictures (presents)
Pacific Data Images (PDI)
DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/
Fantasy/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 88 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $928,760,770 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Shrek and Fiona are
enjoying their honeymoon
when they receive an
invitation from Fiona's
parents, the King and Queen
of Far, Far Away. The
newlyweds, along with
Donkey, set off to meet her
parents, where they are
happily anticipating their
homecoming. When Shrek and Fiona arrive as the citizens set to greet them, no one would believe them for their sight that their little girl has changed and that their new son-in-law is an ogre.

Little did Shrek and Fiona know that their marriage had thwarted her father's plans for her future, not to mention his own. Now the King must turn to the Fairy Godmother and her son Prince Charming in a plot to separate Shrek and Fiona and hire a pussy cat assassin named Puss in Boots to kill Shrek.


Voice Cast
Mike Myers - Shrek
Eddie Murphy - Donkey
Cameron Diaz - Princess Fiona
Antonio Banderas - Puss in Boots
John Cleese - King Harold
Julie Andrews - Queen Lillian
Rupert Everett - Prince Charming
Jennifer Saunders - The
Fairy Godmother
Aron Warner - Big Bad Wolf
Cody Cameron - The Three
Little Pigs/Pinocchio
Larry King - The Ugly Stepsister (Cameo)
Conrad Vernon - The
Gingerbread Man/Cedric/
Announcer/Muffin Man/
Mongo
Chris Miller - Magic Mirror
Mark Moseley - Dresser
Kelly Cooney - Fast Food Clerk
Kelly Asbury - Page/Elf/
Nobleman/Nobleman's Son
Andrew Adamson - Captain of the Guards
Joan Rivers - Red Carpet Announcer (Cameo)

Crew
Story/Screenplay/Writer: Song "Fairy Godmother
Song"/Director - Andrew Adamson
Additional Dialogue/Director - Conrad Vernon
Director - Kelly Asbury
Based Upon the Book "Shrek" - William Steig
Based on Characters (Uncredited)/
Creative Consultants - Ted Elliott and
Terry Rossio
Based on Characters - Roger S.H. Schulman (Uncredited)
Screenplay - Joe Stillman,
J. David Stern and David M. Weiss
Additional Dialogue/Story Artists -
Cody Cameron, Walt Dohrn and
David P. Smith
Additional Dialogue/Head of Story/
ADR Group - Chris Miller
Executive Producer - Jeffrey Katzenberg
Producers - David Lipman,
Aron Warner and John H. Williams
Production Designer - Guillaume Aretos
Art Director - Steve Pilcher
Character Designer - Tom Hestor
Additional Character Designer - Chris Aguirre
Costume Designer - Isis Mussenden
Story Consultants - Mike de Seve
and Ted Tally
Senior Production Manager - Denise Nolan Cascino
Supervising Animators - James Baxter,
Tim Cheung and Raman Hui
Directing Animators - Chung Chan,
Paul Chung, Donnachada Daly,
Anthony Hodgson and Trey Thomas
Co-Supervising Character Technical Directors -
Lawrence D. Cutler and Lucia Modesto
Layout Supervisor - Bob Whitehill
Head of Effects - Arnauld Lamorlette
Visual Effects Supervisor - Ken Bielenberg
Co-Visual Effects Supervisor - Philippe Gluckman
Sequence Supervisors: Lighting - Michael Day,
Susan Hayden, Jin Liou, Janet Rentel and
Milton E. Rodriguez-Rios
Editors - Michael Andrews and
Sim Evan-Jones
Supervising Sound Editor - Dennis Leonard
Supervising Sound Editor (Uncredited)/
Sound Designer - Randy Thom
Additional Sound Design - David C. Hughes
Assistant Sound Designer - Will Files
Sound Effects Editors - Andre Fenley,
J.R. Grubbs and Scott Guttieau
Sound Mixers - Andy Nelson and Anna Behlmer
Foley Artists - Ellen Heuer,
Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance
Music/Original Themes - Harry Gregson-Williams
Original Themes - John Powell
Music Supervisor - Chris Douridas
Score Mixer - Alan Meyerson


Awards

2005 Academy Awards
Best Original Song "Accidentally in Love" -
Adam Duritz, Charles Gillingham,
Jim Bogios, David Immergluck,
Matthew Mulley, David Bryson and Dan Vickrey
(Nominated)
Best Animated Feature - Andrew Adamson
(Nominated)


Review
Under the circumstances of joy, I do not find SHREK 2 the worst sequel movie. It's merely an animated sequel with a mature plot that sometimes feels like an adult romantic comedy broadened with moral lessons for children. This feature contains enjoyable references to pop culture, satirical humour and the return of the first movie's three cast members, Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy. Zorro bravado Antonio Banderas lends his purring voice as the puss in boots, though I couldn't agree that this pussycat got dragged here for this laughable and charming showcase.

The sequel SHREK 2 is a refreshing, fun-filled and fast-paced quality in fracturing more fairy tales on new, hilarious and borrowed characters. I decreed that it's the only one that doesn't jump into mediocrity, unlike the following entries, and it's a good movie.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

Sunday, October 6, 2013

The Magnificent Seven (1960) Review












The Magnificent Seven


Release Date: 23rd October 1960 - USA


Production Companies
The Mirisch Company (presents)
Alpha Productions


Genre: Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 128 minutes


Budget: $2,000,000

Box Office Gross: $2,250,000 (rentals)


Plot Summary
Each year, the evil bandit Calvera and his bloodthirsty bandits have terrorised a small Mexican village, leaving the town's farmers on the brink of poverty. With no guns, no money and not so much of a violent instinct on their bodies, the leaders head out to the American border to purchase firearms. Instead, they come across a veteran gunslinger
named Chris Adams, who
suggests they should hire
more gunslingers in their
defence. He rounds up six
of them, each for a
different reason. Now,
the helpless villagers have not only one but seven hired guns ready for action.

Together, these professional gunmen devise a plan to secure the town by fitting it with defences and giving the villagers basic training to resist Calvera's attack as they're in for a violent showdown.


Cast
Yul Brynner - Chris Larabee Adams
Eli Wallach - Calvera
Steve McQueen - Vin Tanner
Horst Buchholz - Chico
Charles Bronson - Bernardo O'Reilly
Robert Vaughn - Lee
James Coburn - Britt
Brad Dexter - Harry Luck
Vladimir Sokoloff - The Old Man
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos - Hilario
Rosenda Monteros - Petra
Rico Alaniz - Sotero
Pepe Hern - Tomas
John A. Alonzo - Miguel
Robert J. Wilke - Wallace
Val Avery - Henry
Whit Bissell - Chamlee
Bing Russell - Robert
Valentin de Vargas - Santos - Calvera Henchman (Uncredited)

Crew
Producer/Director - John Sturges
Screenplay - William Roberts,
Walter Bernstein (Uncredited)
and Walter Newman (Uncredited)
Based on a Screenplay "Shichinin no samurai" -
Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto
and Hideo Oguni (Uncredited)
Associate Producer - Lou Morheim
Executive Producer - Walter Mirisch
Art Director - Edward Fitzgerald
Set Decorator - Rafael Suárez
Director of Photography - Charles Lang
Assistant Directors - Jaime Contreras,
Robert E. Reylea, Emilo Fernández (Uncredited)
and Jerome M. Siegel (Uncredited)
Special Effects - Milt Rice
Film Editor - Ferris Webster
Sound Effects Editor - Del Harris
Sound - Rafael Ruiz Esparza and
Jack Solomon
Music - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1961 Academy Awards
Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy
Picture - Elmer Bernstein (Nominated)


Review
An unforgettable Western classic from director John Sturges, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is known for its terrific and inspiring solid story. It is mainly an American remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai with a fine display of gun-slinging action. I praise Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen for their acting, playing two of these seven marvellous characters that defined the old Western genre. Next in this large ensemble of talented performances are Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and Horst Buchholz. All of them did a superb job in the film. This film has helped make similar movies like Pixar's A Bug's Life. Every once in a while, a director produces a timeless classic with an infinite shelf life. It's one of those movies that will live on for generations.

Due to its long-running time, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is slow. It's a great classic. A passionate moviegoer would agree and might watch this western in their home theatre instead of paying top dollar on the big screen.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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