Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Emperor's New Groove Review












The Emperor's New Groove


Release Date: 5th April 2001 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Feature Animation

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/
Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 78 minutes


Budget: $100,000,000

Box Office Gross: $169,662,207 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Kuzco is a young but vain, spoiled and selfish emperor. He is transformed into a llama by his treacherous advisor, Yzma, in an attempt to seize the throne. Now Kuzco has to find a way to get back into his palace, change back into his human form and reclaim the throne with the help of a llama herder named Pacha.


Voice Cast
David Spade - Emperor Kuzco
John Goodman - Pacha
Eartha Kitt - Yzma
Patrick Warburton - Kronk
Wendie Malick - Chicha
Kellyann Kelso - Chaca
Eli Russell Linnetz - Tipo
Bob Bergen - Bucky the
Squirrel/Fly Stuck in Web
Patti Deutsch - Waitress
John Fiedler - Old Man
Tom Jones - Theme Song Guy (Uncredited)
Miriam Flynn - The Piñata Lady
Jess Harrell - Guard
Steve Susskind - Irate Chef
Joe Whyte - Official
Jennifer Darling - Female Villager #1
Mickie McGowan - Woman #1
Sherry Lynn - Woman #2
Andre Stojka - Topo
Rodger Bumpass - Townspeople/Guard (Uncredited)
Robert Clotworthy - Guards

Crew
Story/Director - Mark Dindal
Story - Chris Williams
Based on an Original Story -
Roger Allers and Matthew Jacobs
Additional Story Material/
Story Supervisor - Stephen J. Anderson
Additional Story Material -
Don Hall and John Norton
Additional Story/Lead Animator:
"Chicha" - Doug Frankel
Additional Story - Mark Kennedy and Mark Walton
Associate Producer - Patty Hicks
Executive Producer - Don Hahn
Producer - Randy Fulmer
Production Designer - Paul A. Felix
Art Director - Colin Stimpson
Co-Art Director - Thomas Cardone
Artistic Coordinator - Dan Hansen
Character Designers - Joseph C. Moshier and
David Pruiksma (Uncredited)
Layout Supervisor - Jean-Christophe Poulain
Additional Layout Supervisor - Rasoul Azadani
Background Supervisor - Natalie Franscioni-Karp
Supervising Animator: "Kuzco/Kuzco
Llama" - Nik Ranieri
Supervising Animator: "Pacha" - Bruce W. Smith
Supervising Animator: "Yzma" - Dale Baer
Supervising Animator: "Kronk" - Tony Bancroft
Lead Animator: "Tipo" - James Lopez
Lead Animator: "Chaca/Bucky" - Brian Ferguson
Supervising Animator: Paris Unit, Character
Animation - Dominique Monfrey
Additional Animators - Hendel Butoy
and Mark Henn
Clean-Up Supervisor - Vera Pacheco
Scene Planning Supervisor - Thomas Baker
Visual Effects Supervisor - Mauro Maressa
Film Editors - Tom Finan and
Pam Ziegenhagen
Additional Editors - Thomas R. Bryant
and Michael E. Polakow
Associate Editor - Lisa Linder
Sound Designer - Tim Chau
Sound Editors - Nils C. Jensen,
David Kern, Albert Gasser and
Donald Sylvester
Re-Recording Mixers - Terry Porter,
Mel Metcalfe and Dean A. Zupancic
Foley Artists - John Roesch
and Allyson Dee Moore
Music and Lyrics - Sting
Music/Vocal Arrangements - David Hartley
Score - John Debney
Executive Music Producer - Chris Montan
Music Production Manager - Tom MacDougall
Score Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Awards

2001 Academy Awards
Best Music, Original Song "My Funny Friend and
Me" - Sting and Dave Hartley (Nominated)


Review
THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE was pretty hilarious. In this movie, Disney made something more lighthearted and whimsical in the tradition of flicks such as Aladdin and, to a lesser extent, HerculesThe plot scenario is meaningful and humorous. This underrated movie had certain developmental hurdles during its production, such as removing the songs by Sting and changing the story at the last minute. The best things about the movie, which I must highlight as a starting point, are the comedy and the voice acting chemistry by David Spade and John Goodman. Their roles are total opposites, and their characters progress in learning to accept each others' differences. Furthermore, Patrick Warburton and the late Eartha Kitt perform with much energy as the two villains.

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE is arguably the zaniest and funniest animated movie I have ever seen. It almost reached the heights of success before the arrival of Shrek, which came as a pleasant surprise to the audience. NEW GROOVE should not be mistaken for an animated musical, which it is certainly not.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie

Monday, May 25, 2015

Home Review













Home


Release Date: 19th March 2015 - Australia


Production Companies
DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/
Sci-Fi/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 94 minutes


Budget: $135,000,000

Box Office Gross: $386,041,607 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After an invasion by a hive-minded alien race called the Boov, they relocated the planet's human population, all but one, a resourceful young girl named Tip, who managed to avoid capture. She meets a Boov outcast called Oh, who is on the run from his people and isn't like his comrades but longs for friendship and fun. As their distrust fades, the two begin their journey to find Tip's mother. Unbeknownst
to them, the Gorg, the
enemies of the Boov,
are en route to their
new occupied world.


Voice Cast
Jim Parsons - Oh
Rihanna - Gratuity "Tip" Tucci
Jennifer Lopez - Lucy
Steve Martin - Captain Smek
Matt Jones - Kyle
Brian Stepanek - Gorg
Commander/Father/Boov

Crew
Director - Tim Johnson
Based on the Book "The True
Meaning of Smekday" -
Adam Rex
Screenplay - Tom J. Astle
and Matt Ember
Producers - Suzanne Buirgy, Chris Jenkins and Mireille Soria
Production Designer - Kathy Alteri
Art Director - Emil Mitev
Character Designer - Takao Noguchi
Additional Character Designer - Devin Crane
Head of Story - Todd Wilderman
Head of Layout - Mark Mulgrew 
Creative Consultant: Layout - Gil Zimmerman
Dance Choreographer - Casper Smart
Head of Character Animation - Jason Resig
Animation Supervisors - Maren Kochout
and Carlos Fernandez Puertolas
Supervising Animators - Mark Donald
and David Pate
Additional Supervising Animator - Simon Otto
Head of Lighting - Betsy Nofsinger
Lighting Supervisors - Ken Ball,
Murali Babu Kodiparthi, Ronman Yiu Yan Ng,
Greg Liv, Rajarajan Ramakrishnan and
Aaron Smith
Visual Effects Supervisor - Mahesh Ramasubramanian
Stereoscopic Supervisor - Willem Drees
Film Editors - Jessica Ambiner-Rojas
and Alexander Berner
Supervising Sound Designer - Randy Thom
Sound Designer - Al Nelson
Supervising Sound Editors - Brian Chumney
and Tom Meyers
Re-Recording Mixers - Scott R. Lewis
and Gary A. Rizzo
Foley Artists - Ronni Brown and
Sean England
Music - Lorne Balfe
Music/Executive Music Producer - Stargate


Review
On a cold Sunday, I went to the cinema to see HOME since there were no other movies to watch. This animated film boasts some animation and laughter but did not compliment the animation company DreamWorks after a series of commercial disappointments (minus The Croods and How to Train Your Dragon 2) blew its chances to dream big to impress everyone. HOME attempts to regain the quality and hype of previous DreamWorks films, but the story proves childish and inconsistent. The Boovs are immature and self-centred beings who only care about themselves in their cowardice. The underdeveloped story couldn't explain how they got past the planet's defence forces when they invaded Earth. If the finer details and events in the story had gotten more attention, then it might have been less disorganised.

There is a reason why I wanted to see HOME, which is because I am a fan of Jim Parsons, who you might know as the actor who plays Sheldon Cooper from the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory. He fits in perfectly as a voice actor for the protagonist, Oh, who presents as a somewhat odd being that the audience can sympathise with and laugh at his quirkiness. Aside from Parsons's acting, which I enjoyed, there are a few other notably praise-worthy voice talents of Steve Martin and Rihanna; I certainly don't have to criticise her acting versatility as I did once on BattleshipShe had her first big break away from music stardom.

The film has similarities to the modern Disney classic Lilo & Stitchespecially the concept of a lonely girl bonding with a wanted alien. Still, HOME can be an entertaining feature if you're in the mood for something lighthearted. Many would agree with my critical opinion that HOME is an average film in comparison to other successful productions by DreamWorks.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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Monday, May 18, 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review









Avengers: Age of Ultron


Release Date: 23rd April 2015 - Australia


Production Companies
Marvel Studios

Distribution 
Walt Disney Studios Motion 
Pictures Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 141 minutes


Budget: $279,900,000

Box Office Gross: $1,402,413,868 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After Tony Stark restarts
a dormant peacekeeping
program, things go awry,
and he, Thor, the Incredible
Hulk and the rest of the
Avengers must regroup,
putting them to the
ultimate test as the fate
of Earth is at stake. When
the villainous Ultron
appears on the scene, it
is up to the Avengers to
stop him from carrying
out his terrible plans to
wipe out the human race.
En route, they meet two
enigmatic and formidable
newcomers, Pietro and
Wanda Maximoff.


Cast
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tony
Stark/Iron Man
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/
Captain America
Mark Ruffalo - Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk
Lou Ferrigno - Hulk (Voice)
Chris Hemsworth - Thor
Scarlett Johansson - Natasha
Romanoff/Black Widow
Jeremy Renner - Clint Barton/Hawkeye
James Spader - Ultron
Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 
Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver
Elizabeth Olsen - Wanda
Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
Paul Bettany - JARVIS/Vision
Samuel L. Jackson - Nick Fury
Don Cheadle - James Rhodes/War Machine
Cobie Smulders - Maria Hill
Anthony Mackie - Sam Wilson/The Falcon
Hayley Atwell - Peggy Carter
Stellan Skarsgård - Erik Selvig
Linda Cardellini - Laura Barton
Claudia Kim - Dr. Helen Cho
Thomas Kretschmann - Strucker
Andy Serkis - Ulysses Klaue
Julie Delpy - Madame B
Henry Goodman - Dr. List
Idris Elba - Heimdall
Dominique Provost-Chalkiey - Zrinka
Isaac Andrews - Costel
Ben Sakamoto - Cooper Barton
Imogen & Isabella Poynton - Lila Barton
Jaiden Stafford - Nathaniel Pietro Barton
Kerry Condon - F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Voice)
Josh Brolin - Thanos (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Stan Lee - Himself (Cameo)

Crew
Writer/Director - Joss Whedon
Based on the Marvel Comics/
Executive Producer - Stan Lee
Based on the Marvel Comics/
Captain America Creator - Jack Kirby
Captain America Creator - Joe Simon
Thanos Creator - Jim Starlin
Associate Producer - Daniel S. Kaminsky
Associate Producer/Editor - Jeffrey Ford
Associate Producer/First 
Assistant Director - Jamie Christopher
Executive Producers - Victoria Alonso,
Louis D'Esposito, Jon Favreau, Alan Fine
and Jeremy Latcham
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Patricia Whitcher 
Producer - Kevin Feige
Co-Producer - Mitchell Bell
Casting Director - Sarah Finn
Casting Director: UK - Reg Poerscout-Edgerton
Production Designer - Charles Wood
Marvel Head of Visual Development - Ryan Meindering
Marvel Co-Head of Visual Development - Charlie Wen
Concept Illustrators - Rodney Fuentebella,
Andy Park, Jackson Sze and Josh Nizzi
Concept Artists - Nick Ainsworth,
Roberto Fernandez Castro, Paul Catling,
Bob Cheshire, Kevin Jenkins, Stephan Martiniere,
Jon McCoy, Peter Popken, Chris Rosewarne
and Ivan Weightman
Supervising Art Director - Ray Chan 
Art Directors - Julian Ashby,
Tom Brown, Jordan Crockett, Matthew Robinson,
Phil Sims, Mike Stallion and Mark Swain
Set Decorators - Sheona Mitchley and
Richard Roberts
Property Master - Barry Gibbs
Costume Designer - Alexandra Byrne
Costume Supervisor - Dan Grace
Costume FX Supervisor - Graham Churchyard
Makeup & Hair Designer - Jeremy Woodhead
Director of Photography - Ben Davis
Underwater Director of Photography/
Camera Operator: Second Unit - Mike Valentine
Additional Camera Operators: Second Unit -
Stefan Stankowski, Jonathan 'Chunky' Richmond
and Peter Taylor
Production Supervisors - Lulu Morgan
and Hannah Godwin
Unit Production Manager - Michael Sharp
Second Unit Director - John Mahaffie
Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell
Fight Choreographer - James Grogan
Picture Vehicle Coordinator - Ian Clarke
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Corbould
Special Effects Coordinators - Ben Vokes
and Alicia Davies
Senior Floor Supervisor - Ian Corbould
Senior Floor Supervisor: Second Unit -
Gareth Wingrove
Physical Suit Effects Supervisors - Shane P. Mahan
and Lindsay MacGowan
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Ben Snow
Visual Effects Supervisor - Christopher Townsend
Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Michael Mulholland,
Philippe Rebours and Dan Seddon
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Ken McGaugh
Visual Effects Supervisors: Method Studios -
Chad Weibe, Olivier Dumont and Simon Carr
Visual Effects Supervisor: Lola VFX - Trent Claus
Visual Effects Supervisors: Framestore -
Nigel Deaton-Howes and Rob Duncan
Visual Effects Supervisor: Zoic Studios -
Rocco Passionino
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor - Geoffrey Baumann
Visual Effects Producers - Ryan Stafford
and Ron Ames
Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Nina Fallon
and Georgie Uppington
Senior Visual Effects Producer: Soho VFX -
Allan Magled
Visual Effects Producer: Soho VFX - Sarah Swick
Visual Effects Producer: Zoic Studios - Lauren Weidel
Visual Effects Producer: Blur Studio - Natasha Anne Francis
Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM - Alex Jaeger,
Ryan Church and Lubo Hristov
Animation Supervisor: ILM - Marc Chu
Co-Animation Supervisor: ILM - Michael Eames
Animation Supervisors: Method Studios -
Erik De Boer and Keith Roberts
Animation Supervisor: Framestore - Max Solomon
Animation Supervisor: Luma Pictures -
Raphael A. Pimentel
Lead CG Supervisor: ILM - Patrick Conran
CG Supervisors: ILM - Tim Belsher,
Jordi Cardus Civit, Laurent Higuenoit
and Doug Sutton
CG Supervisor: Double Negative -
Malcolm Humphreys
Lead Compositing Supervisor: ILM - Jon Alexander
Compositing Supervisors: ILM - Mark Bakowski,
Jean Lapointe, Paolo Acri and Karim Sahai
Compositing Supervisor: Lola VFX -
Edson Williams
Compositing Supervisor: Cantina Creative -
Stephen Lawes
CG Look Development Leads: CGI -
Robert Marinic, Anthony Rispoli and
John Walker
CG Sequence & Build Supervisors: Double
Negative - Stephen Ellis and Stephen Tong
Digital Paint & Roto Supervisors: ILM -
Amy Shepard and Justin Kosnikowski
Digital Model Supervisor: ILM - Bruce Holcomb
Creature Supervisors: ILM - Michael Galog,
Steve Sauers and Eric Wong
Performance Capture Consultant - Andy Serkis
Tech Supervisor: The Third Floor - Casey Schatz
3D Stereoscopic Supervisor - Evan Jacobs
Editor - Lisa Lassek
Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor/
Re-Recording Sound Mixer - Christopher Boyes
Supervising Sound Editor - Frank E. Eilner
Sound Designer - David Acord
Sound Effects Editors - J.R. Grubbs,
David Chrastka and Richard Hymns
Re-Recording Sound Mixer - Lora Hirschberg
Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Gary Summers
Foley Walkers - Jana Vance and Dennie Thorpe
Music - Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman
Composer: Themes from Marvel's "The
Avengers" - Alan Silvestri
Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan
Score Mixers - Noah Scot Snyder and
Alan Meyerson


Review
In 2012, when I first saw the first Avengers movie in 3D upon its initial screening, I was amazed by its quality and proclaimed it one of the best in the superhero-action genre, next to The Dark KnightHaving high hopes for the new fresh instalment, AGE OF ULTRON, the film is not as strong due to a lack of fanciful qualities of fun and energy, which blended to make the first one irresistible for every die-hard comic book fan. Although this is only Joss Whedon's second time he directed (and wrote) a feature to continue Marvel's first superhero league on a big scale, he has proven his worth as an accomplished visionary director. The visuals are flawless, and every frame is top-notch.

Other factors aside from the CGI expansion include the acting from the original cast, which continues to empower the sequel. The talented newcomer James Spader gives an intensifying voice performance as the killer android Ultron. He provides a subtle impression of an evil metallic version of Tony Stark minus the humanity that is deep and compelling, which I best describe as a HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) trapped in a machine's body.

This movie is on a big budget, and the scenes are on such a large scale and magnitude. That's all for now in reviewing the sequel of The Avengers. I would watch it again but never say it is better than the first instalment.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Monday, May 11, 2015

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Review









Dawn of the Planet of the Apes


Release Date: 10th July 2014 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox
Chernin Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Relativity Media (in association with)
Ingenious Media (made in association with)
Down Productions (produced in association with)

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 125 minutes


Budget: $170,000,000

Box Office Gross:
$710,644,566 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
In 2026, humanity was on the verge of extinction by a lethal virus. A group of survivors has been searching for a new power source in the woods near San Francisco. Only to discover a community of highly evolved intelligent apes led by Caesar. A fragile truce was born between the two species. But dissection grows as the groups find themselves hurtling toward an all-out war.


Cast

The Apes
Andy Serkis - Caesar
Toby Kebbell - Koba
Nick Thurston - Blue Eyes
Karin Konoval - Maurice
Terry Notary - Rocket
Doc Shaw - Ash
Judy Greer - Cornelia
Lee Ross - Grey
Scott Lang - Luca
Richard King - Stone

The Humans
Jason Clarke - Malcolm
Gary Oldman - Dreyfus
Keri Russell - Ellie
Kodi Smit-McPhee - Alexander
Kirk Acevedo - Carver
Jon Eyez - Foster
Enrique Murciano - Kemp
Keir O'Donnell - Finney
Kevin Rankin - McVeigh
Jocko Sims - Werner
Al Vicente - Manone
Lombardo Boyar - Terry
James Franco - Dr. Will
Rodman (Cameo) (Uncredited)


Crew
Director - Matt Reeves
Based on the Novel and Suggested Concept "La Planete
des Sings" - Pierre Boulle
Based on Characters/
Writers/Producers - Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver
Writer/Executive Producer - Mark Bomback
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Thomas M. Hammel
Executive Producer - Jenno Topping
Producers - Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark
Casting Director - Debra Zane
Production Designer - James Chinlund
Supervising Art Director - Naaman Marshall
Art Directors - Aaron Haye,
William O. Hunter and Scott Plauche
Art Director: Vancouver Unit - Kelvin Humenny,
Set Decorator - Amanda Moss Serino
Set Decorator: Vancouver Unit - Shane Vieau
Property Master - Doug Harlocker 
Costume Designer - Melissa Bruning 
Director of Photography - Michael Seresin
Director of Photography: Second Unit/
Second Unit Director - Gary Capo
Unit Production Manager: Vancouver - Lisa Towers
First Assistant Director: Second Unit -
Julian Wall
Second Assistant Director - Brandon Lambdin
Key Second Assistant Director: Second Unit -
David Waters
Second Assistant Director: Vancouver -
Gary Hawes
Second Unit Director - Bradley Parker
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator
(Reshoots Only) (Uncredited) - Gary Powell
Stunt Coordinator/Movement Choreographer
(Uncredited) - Terry Notary
Stunt Coordinator - Charles Croughwell
Stunt Coordinator: Vancouver Unit - Marny Eng
Stunt Rigging Coordinator - Jake Lombard
Special Effects Supervisor - Matt Kutcher
Special Effects Supervisor: Vancouver - Alex Burdett
Special Effects Tech: Second Unit - John S. Baker
Special Effects Coordinator - Jennifer Picard
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor - Joe Letteri
Visual Effects Supervisor - Dan Lemmon
Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Keith F. Miller and Erik Winquist
Visual Effects Producer - Ryan Stafford
VFX Sequence Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Thelvin Cabezas, Luke Millar and Thrain Shadbolt
Pre-Visualisation Supervisor - Jeffrey James Varab
Textures HOD/Creative Art Director:
Weta Digital - Gino Acevedo
Animation Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Daniel Barrett and Paul Story
CG Supervisors: Weta Digital - Phillip Leonhardt,
Daniel Macarin, Alessandro Mozzato,
Mike Perry and Alessandro Saponi
Head of Compositing: Weta Digital -
Charles Tait
Compositing Supervisors: Weta Digital -
Scott Chambers, Sam Cole, Robin Hollander,
Florian Schroeder and David Houghton Williams
Models Supervisor: Weta Digital - Florian Fernandez
Digital Creature Supervisor: Weta Digital -
Simon Clutterbuck
Massive Supervisor: Weta Digital - Jon Allitt
Head of Layout/Animation Technology:
Weta Digital - Shawn Dunn
Film Editors - William Hoy and
Stan Salfas
Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/
Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Douglas Murray
Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/
Re-Recording Mixer - Will Files
Re-Recording Mixer - Andy Nelson
Additional Re-Recording Mixers - James Bolt
and Craig Henighan
Music - Michael Giacchino


Awards

2015 Academy Awards
Best Visual Effects - Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon,
Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist (Nominated)


Review
I plan to watch and review any new Planet of the Apes movies released in the future. To date, I have reviewed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was the restart of the timeline. I recently had the privilege of watching the new one in the saga. For an apocalyptic theme, the setting of DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES is perfect. It's not in the original 1968 classic. My visit to its predecessor explained how apes turned against humanity, and the second instalment shows that the surviving humans are struggling to co-exist with the dominant apes. Stepping up the directorial helm is Matt Reeves, who has previously gone through the success of another sci-fi great, Cloverfield.

It still has motion capture technology to craft the apes' visual design instead of the makeup applied in the classic series and the Tim Burton remake. Returning is Andy Serkis, who uses the mo-cap technique to portray the main ape of Caesar, whereas the last movie shows the beginning of his character rising to power. Toby Kebbell is believable as the treacherous ape Kopa, who takes no pleasure in hating the human race when he is almost the opposite of Caesar. At first, I was stunned that Gary Oldman took on a different role after appearing as Commissioner Gordon in the Batman series.

To the Ape fans, this film matches the quality of its predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and has entertainment value. Great continuation or not, this instalment fits well and is a worthy addition to an already reinstated franchise. If you have not seen it, you should watch it if sci-fi is your thing.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

The Transporter Review











The Transporter 


Release Date:
31st October 2002 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox (presents)
EuropaCorp
TF1 Films Production
Current Entertainment (in association with)
Canal+ (in association with)

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 88 minutes


Budget: $21,000,000

Box Office Gross: $43,928,932
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Frank Martin is the best
at what he does: transporting
dangerous or illegal goods
with no questions asked.
But his latest shipment,
a beautiful young woman
kidnapped by international
slave traders, brings deadly
complications to his delivery
plans. Now Frank must kick
into overdrive in a nonstop
action-packed fight to save
his precious cargo and his
life.


Cast
Jason Statham - Frank Martin
Qi Shu - Lai
Matt Schulze - Wall Street
François Berleand - Inspector
Tarconi
Ric Young - Mr. Kwai

Crew
Action Director/
Choreographer/Director - Corey Yuen
Artistic Director - Louis Letterier
Writer/Producer - Luc Besson
Writer - Robert Mark Kamen
Producer - Steven Chasman
Production Designer - Hubert Tissandier
Costume Designer - Martine Rapin
Director of Photography - Pierre Morel
Stunt Coordinator - Philippe Guegan
Car Stunt Coordinator - Michel Juilenne
Special Effects Supervisor - Georges Demetrau
Film Editor - Nicolas Trembasiewicz
Sound Designers - Vincent Tulli
and Ken Yasumoto
Music - Steven Clarke


Review
It has come to my attention after having reviewed 'Fast & Furious 7' and watching Jason Statham portray one of the characters in the film that I actually have not seen all of his work and this inspired me to starting doing reviews of some of his movies. He first became a global superstar from his action series called 'THE TRANSPORTER' in which he was known for his role by audiences as ex-military man turned mercenary Frank Martin. The first instalment was alright but highly focused on fast paced kinetic fighting and vehicle chase scenes and not enough story development and I feel it is not a film to be taken too seriously. This movie has been composed from the collaborative efforts of Luc Besson and directors Corey Yuen and Louis Letterier who were able to make 'THE TRANSPORTER' a very decent film of their own style and surely than can raise the bar. Perhaps this movie could have been better if more attention had be given to the development of the story in terms of creating more believable and more realistic.

It is, however, a fair movie to watch if you are just in the mood for a simple action-packed treat. I've seen it once, but now I'm not so sure if I want to watch it for a second time. Hopefully I can get through the second instalment with a better opinion than the first.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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Monday, May 4, 2015

What Made The Empire Strikes Back So Special?


Beware! There are some spoilers in this review!

(UPDATE: 17/10/21 - I had to change this article from having seven factors that made EMPIRE great to just nine.)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. There came a time when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK didn't yet exist before George Lucas began pre-production after the original Star Wars movie came out on May 25 1977. He had his sights on doing the next chapter of the series, which continues the space adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca in their struggle to fight against the tyranny of the Galactic Empire. During its theatrical run in May 1980, EMPIRE, while a smash hit, had a mixed reception from critics as some dismissed it while others applauded it. It then changed when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK proved to be the best science-fiction film and the best not only in the original Star Wars trilogy but out of all the movies.

It is an analysis of my all-time favourite movie. I am coinciding with Star Wars Day. It's an appreciation day for Star Wars fans, and celebrations include cosplay, movie viewings, social media and other ceremonies. We'll look at nine factors that made EMPIRE so innovative and appealing to the present generation of fresh moviegoers. Forget what Lucas did to the original trilogy in these updated versions, not by changing the scenes like when Greedo shoots first instead of Han and adding new ones like the "Jedi Rocks" number. Since Lucas is no longer in control of his ultimate movie franchise, perhaps there is hope that the original versions will be released on Blu-ray before Disney can release Episode VII, whatever the date is.

Believe me, what you've now just heard, I used to think EMPIRE was the weakest of the bunch. Because it was a dark movie with a bleak ending, I preferred Return of the Jedi as a lighthearted addition because I was too young to appreciate it. I didn't realise until now that I first learned that many fans considered it the best of the series. I've grown to watch EMPIRE through the years and now have a different opinion than when I first watched the film. I also realised that EMPIRE was the first Star Wars movie I ever saw and had brought me to the universe where there are Jedi, Sith, Ewoks, Wookies, droids, stormtroopers and lightsabers. I know by now that the movie is how it got me into the series.

A few characters like Yoda or the interplanetary worlds, such as the winter landscapes of Hoth, the swamps of Dagobah and even the floating Cloud City of Bespin, would not have existed if it weren't for EMPIRE. Then Darth Vader certainly wouldn't be Luke's father if it weren't for this scene that surprised audiences with this shocking plot twist.



#9. Han + Leia

Let us now take a look at the first factor of the feature, which is the romance between Han and Leia. Sure, this would be a better love story in EMPIRE. It beats the misguided attempt in the Attack of the Clones prequel, which, by far, has less experience in romantic chemistry. Even the line Anakin said to Padme, "I don't like sand," will not stop it from going unmoving.

This love/hate relationship works without the mediocre dialogue from George Lucas; it flows terrifically, and both characters are a perfect match for each other. Even in their moments, they argue and up to the scene where they profess their love. It is there that Han and Leia are in their last moments together, in which Leia says, "I love you," and Han replies, "I know," before being separated. That line wasn't in the original script but was suggested by Harrison Ford to the director as he believes his character Han should be the one to say it. I was about to mention that Luke should have been the one to fall in love with Leia if she weren't related to him.



#8. The Action

For moments of the film, we've seen the Battle of Hoth, the chase on the asteroid belt, and the first-ever lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader. These are all part of the action that keeps EMPIRE loaded with thrills to give us the edge of our seats. The Hoth battle scene is one of the most memorable pieces ever brought to the screen. It shows that instead of being an outer space battle like the original, where it took place on the Death Star, the visual effects team from ILM has taken measures to create a large-scale assault with hovering snow-speeders and giant AT-AT walkers.



#7. Yoda

In THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, we have characters that prove essential to the story, like Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett. Who can remember the little fellow who gives us wisdom and says the more important things like Yoda? Although creating characters in a live-action backdrop through CGI was not introduced until 1985, Yoda's creation was an extensive puppetry process. He serves as a seemingly odd but wise mentor figure to Luke. He often imparts his profound sentences to the protagonist when he teaches him his skills as a Jedi, for example, "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

It remains Yoda as he is one of the best iconic characters created for the Star Wars saga, and even in EMPIRE, he served as a plot purpose to Luke when learning the ways of the Force. Frank Oz did an outstanding job bringing the character to life through puppeteering and voice acting. It impressed George Lucas that, at one point, he tried to get Oz an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor through an advertising campaign that he spent thousands of dollars on, which was unsuccessful. The character's popularity ensured that Frank Oz would reprise his role in the later Star Wars movies.



#6. Boba Fett

One character I've already mentioned in the previous factor that's also added in EMPIRE is the Mandalorian bounty hunter known as Boba Fett. Having already been introduced in an animated segment of The Star Wars Holiday Special, the character of Boba would not make his screen debut until 1980. Despite being in a supporting role, Boba is a mercenary who is more of a silent and mysterious type in EMPIRE. Besides working for a notorious crime lord like Jabba the Hutt, part of his job description was that the Empire had hired him to track down the Millennium Falcon, which leads to the Cloud City of Bespin.

Like Yoda, Boba proved a fan favourite in the Star Wars series. The character even turned up in Return of the Jedi, where he met his unwitting defeat at the hands of Han Solo before being brought back into the expanded universe. He's even appeared in the Droids cartoon, comics, books, the prequel Attack of the Clones (which explains his origins), The Clone Wars series, and a few episodes of The Mandalorian got rid of the character's mystery.



#5. The Music

For every composition, John Williams is always a viable asset and is a necessity in Star Wars. Nobody will forget his memorable musical pieces on the official soundtrack that became a top-standard and sensational score with such standouts as the iconic "Imperial March" theme. The former was a brooding anthem to the Imperials. It represented their oppressive dictatorship and served as a character theme for Darth Vader. The rest of the instrumentals, like "The Asteroid Field", "Yoda's Theme", "The Clash of the Lightsabers", and "Han Solo and the Princess", were enough to create the tempos of a fantasy sci-fi feeling. The rapidity and the action-packed atmosphere are similar to what he had done in his work with its predecessor.

This one is in debate for the best of the Star Wars soundtracks. It depends on how you decide on listening to the instrumentals of EMPIRE, A New Hope, or The Phantom Menace. It doesn't matter if you listen to all six of them as they are brilliant.



#4. Dark Tone

One of the factors that made EMPIRE intriguing was its moody atmosphere. It brings a feeling of danger and suspense that was not there in its predecessor. You'll be surprised to see the film's dark scenes, like when Darth Vader cuts off Luke's right hand when he bests him in the lightsaber duel before the unsettling plot twist, which we'll get on to number one later. Or when a hideous-looking snow bear called a Wampa attacks Luke and drags him back to its cave in the opening act. Or when Luke enters a mysterious cave and confronts a hallucination of Vader, which, in the aftermath, he sees himself behind the mask. These moments may be traumatic for younger viewers who have not seen THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. However, no exception includes the scene where Han suffers a fate far worse than death when he gets frozen in Carbonite to be a wall decoration for a crime boss to whom he owes money.

No wonder this film started a trend of sequels that took a dark turn, such as Back to the Future: Part II, Lethal Weapon 2 and George Lucas' own Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Nowadays, it feels tame compared to the other dark and mature Star Wars films like Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens, Rogue One and The Last Jedi.



#3. The Ending

Instead of ending happily, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ends so differently from the rest of the Star Wars films that it concludes on a tragic note. It's one of the reasons I never liked it as a child. It doesn't help that the protagonists were left broken and defeated by the Empire, and the film is left open on a cliffhanger, which leaves viewers questioning whether there will be a next instalment that will soon resolve the conflict on both sides.

Some die-hard fans like writer/director Joss Whedon may not want to watch it win if they couldn't find the perseverance to recover from this depressing conclusion. I disagreed with what Joss said about the ending ruining the film. It's a very emotional and thought-provoking conclusion to a stunning movie.



#2. Direction & Writing

One of the reasons EMPIRE
is always the greatest of all the Star Wars movies is the direction by the late Irvin KershnerAnd also the writing by the late Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. Kershner agreed to direct the sequel when it became clear that George Lucas, overwhelmed by the production problems of the first film, didn't want to. While not known for many of his movies, even later ones like the non-Eon Bond outing Never Say Never Again and the Robocop 2 sequel. Whereas Lucas was more of a technological whiz and was not exactly an actor's director, Kershner did a significant enhancement and an exceptional job of turning the Star Wars film series from a pulp science fiction adventure into a character-based story. He even had a better impression of the acting by making the actors more comfortable and letting them deliver most of their lines straight from the script or improvised.

While George was the executive producer and heavily involved in the film's conceptual stage, he did write the story for the sequel (albeit uncredited for the scriptwriting). Leigh Brackett wrote the screenplay (until her death after completing the first draft). Lucas took over from her in re-writing the original script until he hired Lawrence Kasdan to revise it. Kasdan is more accomplished in making the narrative more character-driven and improving the character dialogue, which suits the film better to balance the humanity and sense of humour in certain scenes like these.



#1. "No, I Am Your Father"

Kicking off this top spot in the EMPIRE tribute is the father of all plot twists. This line said by the film's main antagonist, Darth Vader, was often misquoted as "Luke, I am your father" when it was actually "No, I am your father." Two years before the release of EMPIRE, rumours began to circulate that Darth Vader is Luke's supposedly deceased father. Eventually, the audience didn't see it until the next two years when they started watching EMPIRE and were unexpectedly shocked by this horrifying revelation. Nobody knew at the start that Luke was the offspring of the most feared Sith Lord in the universe. Some people who first watched the movie thought Darth Vader was lying to Luke in an attempt to join him on the dark side until the following chapter proves that he was telling the truth.

This rumour came from Dave Prowse, who was then playing the body of Vader, who thought it was a lucky guess in 1978 when they had barely written the screenplay for EMPIRE. It is during shooting that Prowse didn't use the scripted line. Instead, the script had a different line spoken by Vader to Luke that Obi-Wan killed his father to keep the big reveal a secret from everyone by the time they were filming the scene. It is changed in post-production when James Earl Jones (the then voice of Darth Vader) dubs over that scene of performing the actual line that's added to the film. Only three people knew about it, including Lucas, Kershner and Mark Hamill. This trivial fact has ended.

I can relate to the experience of this plot twist. It's one of these pivotal moments that catapulted EMPIRE to iconic status. Since then, other films and TV shows have parodied, referenced and paid homage to this twist, like SpaceballsToy Story 2Austin Powers, The Simpsons, Family Guy, etc.


Conclusion

We may get this belief that THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is the crown jewel of the enthralling action-packed science fiction saga that we grew up in endearment. It doesn't matter which version of EMPIRE I'm watching. I've got the altered version on DVD and Blu-ray and watched the original online. Anyway, this concludes my tribute to the fifth Star Wars chapter, and I hope to be back again to post my review for all of you. Stay tuned for further updates.