Independence Day Review

Independence Day

Release Date: 29th August 1996 – Australia

Production Companies

20th Century Fox Film Corporation (presents)

Centropolis Entertainment

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 145 minutes

                 154 minutes

                 (extended)

Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $817,400,891 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Humanity is threatened when alien spaceships arrive on Earth and launch a massive attack on multiple major cities. Only a group of human survivors can unite and make one last attempt to save the human race from extinction.

Cast

Will Smith – Capt. Steven Hiller

Bill Pullman – President Thomas J. Whitmore

Jeff Goldblum – David Levinson

Mary McDonnell – Marilyn Whitmore

Judd Hirsch – Julius Levinson

Robert Loggia – General William Grey

Randy Quaid – Russell Casse

Margaret Colin – Constance Spano

James Rebhorn – Albert Nimzicki

Harvey Fierstein – Marty Gilbert

Adam Baldwin – Major Mitchell

Brent Spiner – Dr. Brackish Okun

James Duval – Miguel Casse

Vivica A. Fox – Jasmine Dubrow

Lisa Jakub – Alicia Casse

Ross Bagley – Dylan Dubrow

Mae Whitman – Patricia Whitmore

Bill Smitrovich – Captain Watson

Kiersten Warren – Tiffany

Harry Connick, Jr. – Capt.

Jimmy Wilder

Giuseppe Andrews – Troy Casse

John Storey – Dr. Isaacs

Frank Novak – Teddy

Devon Gummersall – Phillip

Leland Orser – Techy/Med Asst #1

Mirron E. Willis – Aide

Ross Lacy – Aide

David Pressman – Whitmore's Aide

Vivian Palerno – Techy/Med Asst

Raphael Sbarge – Commander/Tech

Bobby Hosea – Commanding Officer

Dan Lauris – Commanding Officer

Steve Giannelli – Radar Tech

Eric Paskel – Radar Tech

Carlos Lacamara – Radar Operator

John Bennett Perry – Secret Serviceman

Troy Willis – Secret Serviceman

Tim Kelleher – Technician

Wayne Wilderson – Area 51 Technician

Jay Acocone – Area 51 Guard

James Wong – SETI Tech One

Thom Barry – SETI Tech Two

Jana Marie Hupp – SETI Tech Three

Matt Pashkow – Second Officer

Robert Pine – Chief of Staff

Marisa Johnston – Co-Worker #2

Michael Winther – Co-Worker #3

Dexter Warren – Co-Worker #4

Paul LeClair – Co-Worker #5

Michael Vacca – Lt. Peterson

David Channell – Secret Service Agent

John Capodice – Mario

Greg Collins – Military Aide

Derek Webster – Sky Crane Pilot

Mark Fite – Pilot

Eric Neal Newman – Pilot

Levani – Russian Pilot

Kristor Konrad – Russian Pilot

Kevin Sifuentes – Tank Commander

Elston Ridgle – Soldier

Randy Oglesby – Mechanic

Jack Moore – Mechanic

Barry Del Sherman – Street Preacher

Lyman Ward – Secret Service Guy

Anthony Crivello – Lincoln

Richard Speight Jr. – Ed

Barbara Beck – Monica Soloway

Joe Fowler – Reporter

Andrew Warne – Reporter

Sharon Tay – Reporter

Peter J. Lucas – Russian Reporter

Yelena Danova – Russian Newscaster

Johnny Kim – Korean Newscaster

VJ Roberts – Newscaster

Gary W. Cruz – Video Newscaster

Ron Pitts – Video Newscaster

Wendy L. Walsh – Video Newscaster

Christine Devine – Video Newscaster

Mark Thompson – Video Newscaster

Ernie Anastos – Rex Black/NY Newscaster

Kevin Cooney – Atlantic Air CINC

Rance Howard – Chaplain

Nelson Mashita – Japanese Tech

Jeff Phillips – B-2 Pilot

Sayed Badreya – Arab Pilot

Adam Tomei – Sailor

John Bradley – Lucas

Kimberly Beck – Housewife

Thomas F. Duffy – Lieutenant

Andrew Keegan – Older Boy

Jon Shear – Thomson

Jim Piddock – Reginald

Frederic W. Barnes – Himself

Eleanor Clift – Herself

Jerry Dunphy – Himself

Jack Germond – Himself

Morton Kondracke – Himself

John McLaughlin – Himself

Barry Nolan – Himself

George Putnam – Himself

Eric Michael Zee – Northridge Field Reporter

Pat Skipper – Redneck

Carlos Lara – Farmer Kid

Mike Monteleone – Butler

Lee Strauss – Elvis Fanatic

Lisa Star – Woman on Roof

Malcolm Danare – Intellectual on Roof

Arthur Brooks – Trucker on Roof

Michael Moertl – Thief

James J. Joyce – Master CPO

Joyce Cohen – Kim Peters (Reporter)

Julie Moran – Entertainment Tonight Reporter

Robin Groth – Flagstaff News Anchor

Richard Pachorek – LAPD Helicopter Pilot

Dakota – Boomer

Gary A. Hecker – Alien Vocal Effects

Frank Welker – Special Vocal Effects

Erick Avari – SETI Chief (Uncredited)

Dean Devlin – Eagle 2 Pilot (Voice)

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Volker Engel – Man in Office (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Vincent Schiavelli – Dr. Hartmund Engel

(Uncredited)

Crew

Writer/Executive Producer/Director –

Roland Emmerich

Writer/Producer/Second Unit Director – Dean Devlin

Associate Producer – Peter Winther
Executive Producer – Ute Emmerich
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager:

New York – William Fay

Production Designer – Oliver Scholl

Production Designer/Alien Creature Effects
Designer and Supervisor – Patrick Tatopoulos
Art Director – William James Teegarden

Assistant Art Director/Set Designer –

Lauren E. Polizzi

Construction Coordinator – Gary A, Krakoff

Set Decorator – Joe Erickson

Leadman/Assistant Set Decorator – Victor J. Zolfo

Property Master – Doug Harlocker
Costume Designer – Joseph A. Porro

Assistant Costume Designer – Sanja Milkovic Hays

Director of Photography – Karl Walter Lindenlaub

Additional Photography – Ueli Steiger

Director of Photography: Second Unit –

Jonathan Taylor

Unit Production Manager – Kelly Van Horn

First Assistant Director – Sergio Mimica-Gezzan

Second Assistant Director – Kim H. Winther

Key Set Production Assistant – Lars P. Winther

Stunt Coordinator – Dan Bradley

Aerial Second Unit Director/Coordinator –

Kevin LaRosa

Mechanical Effects Supervisor – Clay Pinney

Miniature Pyrotechnics/Mechanical Effects

Supervisor – Joe Viskocil

First Unit Supervisor: Mechanical Effects –

Hans Metz

Second Unit Supervisor: Mechanical Effects –

Mike Edmonson

Visual Effects Supervisors – Volker Engel
and Douglas Smith

Digital Effects Supervisor/Producer –

Tricia Henry Ashford

Digital Visual Effects Supervisor: OCS –

Ray McIntyre Jr.

Digital Effects Producer: POP – Andrea D'Amico

Digital Producer: VisionArt – Joshua D. Rose

Visual Effects Project Managers –

Nikolaus Kraemer and Marc Weigert

VFX Production Supervisor: Visual Effects

Camera Unit – Bob Hurrie

VFX Directors of Photography: Visual Effects

Camera Unit – Anna Foerster and Phillipp Timme

Technical Supervisor: VisionArt – Rob Bredow

Model Shop Supervisor – Michael Joyce

Model Unit Art Director: Model Department –

Steven Legler

Motion Control Camera Operators: Visual Effects

Motion Control Unit – Harry J. Alpert

and James Balsam

Digital Effects Production Administrator:

Digital Visual Effects – Craig A. Mumma

Digital Imaging Supervisor: Digiscope – Dion Hatch

Digital Compositing Supervisor: POP – Pablo Helman

CG Supervisors: Digital Visual Effects –

Tara Hardy Turner and Joseph Francis

CG Unit Digital Animation Supervisor –

Hartmut Engel

CG Previsualization Compositing – Marc Kolbe

and Fred Fouquet

Film Editor – David Brenner

Additional Assistant Editors – Donald Likovich

and Michael McCusker

Supervising Sound Editors – Sandy Gendler

and Val Kuklowsky

Sound Designer – John P. Fasal

Sound Design/Editorial - Jonathan Miller

and Jon Johnson

Sound Mixer – Jeff Wexler

Sound Effects Recordists – Ken J. Johnson

and Eric Potter

Re-Recording Mixers – Bob Beemer,

Bill W. Benton and Chris Carpenter

Additional Re-Recording – James Bolt,

Michael C. Casper, Patrick Cyccone Jr.,

Daniel J. Leahy, Christian P. Minkler,

Sergio Reyes and B. Tennyson Sebastian II

Foley Artists – Hilda Hodges and John Roesch

Music – David Arnold

Awards

1997 Academy Awards

Best Visual Effects – Volker Engel, Douglas Smith,

Joe Viskocil and Clay Pinney (Won)

---------------------

Best Sound – Chris Carpenter, Bill W. Benton,

Bob Beemer and Jeff Wexler (Nominated)

Review

INDEPENDENCE DAY is an excellent sci-fi disaster film dealing with a terrifying alien invasion of Earth that plays out like a cheesy old 1950s B-movie. This film had some laughs, stunning visual effects, terrific explosions, impressive dogfights, and the acting of Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman. Unlike the other alien invaders, who may have a single target, the ones portrayed in this film targeted several monuments, destroying them with each saucer. While aliens in movies and television can range from friendly to evil, the intriguing twist of this feature is the explanation of why the aliens chose to attack Earth (though I won't give away any spoilers).

This magnificent blockbuster hit is a one-of-a-kind blast. I thank Roland Emmerich for making INDEPENDENCE DAY an exceptional film. I highly recommend this alien invasion movie to anyone who wants to see it, whether at home or elsewhere.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Hi, this is Film Guru Lad here! I have just returned from my wonderful overseas holiday in New Zealand. I'm just letting you know both reviews of Independence Day and Mrs. Doubtfire will have to be posted by the end of the week. I like to see more comments from my viewers, and I'll see you soon.

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Rio Review

Rio

Release Date: 7th April 2011 - Australia

Production Companies
Blue Sky Studios
20th Century Fox Animation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 96 minutes


Budget: $90,000,000

Box Office Gross: $483,895,196 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
A domesticated, flightless Macaw named Blu, from a small town in Minnesota, USA, is taken to the exotic city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There, he meets a fellow Macaw named Jewel, who is feisty but independent. With the help of Rio's human owner and a clumsy scientist, they try to save the species

from extinction. Unfortunately,

a band of smugglers and a

bitter cockatoo named Nigel

capture the two, intending

to sell the rare birds for a

profit. Can Blu overcome
his obstacles with the help
of his new friends?

Voice Cast
Jesse Eisenberg - Blu
Anne Hathaway - Jewel
George Lopez - Rafael
Jemaine Clement - Nigel
Jake T. Austin - Fernando
Leslie Mann - Linda
Tracy Morgan - Luiz
Will.i.am - Pedro
Jamie Foxx - Nico
Rodrigo Santoro - Tulio
Carlos Ponce - Marcel
Jeffrey Garcia - Tipa
Davi Vieira - Armando
Brian Baumgartner - King
Mauro
Bebel Gilberto - Eva

Sergio Mendes - Samba School Director

Crew
Story/Director - Carlos Saldanha
Story - Earl Richey and Todd R. Jones

Screenplay - Don Rhymer,
Joshua Stermin, Jeffrey Ventimilia and Sam Harper
Executive Producer - Chris Wedge
Producers - Bruce Anderson
and John C. Donkin
Art Director - Thomas Cardone

Lead Set Designer - Arden Chan
Character Designers - Jason Sadler,
Sang Jun Lee and Sergio Pablos

Sculpting Supervisor - Mike Defeo

Head of Story - Karen Disher

Story Consultants - Alec Holland

and Mike Reiss

Production Manager - David Esnault

Supervising Animator - Galen T. Chu

Animation Leads - Jackie Fortin, Jeff Gabor,

Amila & Patrick Puhala, Derek Rozmes,

David R. Sloss and Melvin Tan

Senior Animators - James Bresnahan,

Nick Bruno, Pete Paquette and Mika Ripatti

Animation Technical Lead - Matthew D. Simmons

CG Supervisor - Robert V. Cavaleri

Fur and Feathers Supervisor - Eric Maurer

Cinematographer - Renato Falcao

Head of Camera and Staging - Robert Cardone

Camera Concept Sketch Artist - William H. Frake III

Head of Lightning - Andrew Beddini

Lightning Supervisor - James Gettinger

Lyrics/Performer: Songs - Sergio Mendes

Editor - Harry Hitner

Co-Editor - Randy Trager

Associate Editor - Christopher Campbell

Additional Editor - Tim Nordquist
Supervising Sound Designer/Editor

(Uncredited)/Re-Recording Mixer -

Randy Thom

Supervising Sound Editor - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

Sound Effects Editors - Josh Gold,

Pete Horner, Teresa Eckton and

Malcolm Fife

Dialogue Editor - Cheryl Nardi

Re-Recording Mixers - Lora Hirschberg

and Gary A. Rizzo

Additional Re-Recording Mixers -

Gary Summers and Juan Peralta

Foley Artists - Jana Vance

and Dennie Thorpe

Foley Mixer - Frank Rinella

Music - John Powell

Executive Music Producer - Chris Mendes

Additional Arranging, MIDI Orchestration

and Programming - Paul Mounsey,

Michael Mollo, Beth Caucci, Victor Chaga

and Dominic Lewis

Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy

Review
A remarkable yet amusing and colourful movie set in Rio de Janeiro, released in 2D and 3D, RIO is an animated musical with an exotic flavour created by Blue Sky (not Disney, as one might expect). The film is significantly better than any Ice Age movie and has a more well-executed premise. Despite its fantastic, comical, and visual elements, the story may be predictable. Notes of praise include the terrific aerial views, splendid characterisation, and the voice acting by Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, and Jemaine Clement.

RIO is a great family picture with an incredible rhythmic undertone. I recommend this film to people of all ages.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Hi, this is Film Guru Lad here! Just letting you know that I am taking an overseas trip to New Zealand on Saturday, the 9th, and I will not be posting on my blog for a couple of weeks. But I will check to see if there are any comments on my blog site. I won't be back here to do film reviews until not this Saturday but the week after, which will be on April 23rd.

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Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Review

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Release Date: 30th November 1995 - Australia

Production Companies
Morgan Creek Productions

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes


Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $212,385,533

(Worldwide)

Plot Summary
After exiling himself to a
Himalayan temple, Ace
Ventura must accompany
an explorer named Fulton
Greenwall on a journey to
Africa to find a sacred bat,
which is the key to
preventing a war between
the two tribes, Watchootoo

and Wachati.

Cast
Jim Carrey - Ace Ventura
Ian McNeice - Fulton Greenwall
Simon Callow - Vincent Cadby
Maynard Eziazhi - Ouda
Bob Gunton - Burton Quinn
Damon Standifer - Wachati Chief
Sophie Okonedo - The Wachati Princess
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje - Hitu
Tommy Davison - The Tiny Warrior
Danny Daniels - Watchootoo Witch Doctor
Sam Phillips - Watchootoo Chief
Andrew Steel - Mick Katie
Bruce Spence - Gahjii
Tom Grunke - Derrick McCane

Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad - Ashram Monk
Kristin Norton - Pompous Woman
Michael Reid McKay - Skinny Husband
Kayla Allen - Airplane Stewardess

Ken Kirzinger - Helicopter Pilot

Dev Kennedy - Dad Tourist

Patti Tippo - Mom Tourist

Sabrinah Christie - Girl Tourist

Warren Sroka - Boy Tourist

Gene Williams - Palestander

Leif Tilden - Gorilla Performer

Crew
Writer/Director - Steve Oedekerk
Characters - Jack Bernstein
Associate Producer - Bob Israel
Executive Producer - Gary Barber
Producer - James G. Robinson
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Andrew G. La Marca

Head Animal Trainers - David Sousa

and April Macki

Production Consultants - David J. Negron Sr.,

Daren Dochterman and Jack Johnson

Production Designer - Stephen J. Lineweaver

Art Director - Christopher Nowak
Set Decorator - Derek R. Hill
Costume Designer - Elsa Zamparelli
Director of Photography - Donald E. Thorin

Director of Photography: Second Unit,

South Carolina and Texas - Michael Bonvillain

First Assistant Directors - William M. Elvin

and Barry K. Thomas

Additional Second Assistant Director -

Robert Huberman

Second Unit Directors/Directors of Photography:

Second Unit, South Carolina & Texas -

Peter Montgomery, Phillip C. Pfeiffer and

John E. Sullivan
Stunt Coordinator - Rick Barker
Special Effects Coordinator - Mike Vezina
Animatronic Gorilla Supervisor: Alterian Studios -

Tony Gardner
Visual Effects Supervisor: Boss Film Studios -

Michele Moen
Digital Effects Supervisor: Buena Vista Visual

Effects - Wally Schaab

Visual Effects Production Supervisor: Buena

Vista Visual Effects - Lydia Bottegoni

Animation Designer & Supervisor: Available
Light Limited - John T. Van Vliet

Editor - Malcolm Campbell

Additional Editor - Paul Cichocki

Supervising Sound/ADR Editor - Michael Hilkene

Co-Supervising Sound/ADR Editor -

Christopher T. Welch

Sound Effects Designer - Ken J. Johnson

Sound Mixer: Canada - David Husby

Re-Recording Mixers - Steve Maslow

and Gregg Landaker

ADR Mixers - Charleen Richards

and Greg Steele

Foley Artists - James Moriana

and Jeffrey Wilhoit
Music - Robert Folk

Review
While returning to play the familiar character he established in the first Ace Ventura movie, Jim Carrey makes us laugh again in WHEN NATURE CALLS. Unlike the first instalment, the second movie has less lowbrow humour and an intelligent plot. Despite this, it manages to be even funnier and wilder, making it a lighthearted, energetic sequel. I was entertained by two scenes: the Slinky scene and the moment when Ace gets trapped in the fake rhino and breaks free, leading people to think the rhino is giving birth. I'll never look at rhinoceroses and Jim Carrey in the same way.

Carrey has stated that he dislikes doing follow-ups because of this film. I disagreed with Carrey's view because WHEN NATURE CALLS is a terrific comical sequel and is much better than the original. I recommend this movie to fans of Jim Carrey.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Kangaroo Jack Review

Kangaroo Jack

Release Date: 10th April 2003 – Australia

Production Companies
Castle Rock Entertainment
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Warner Bros. Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 89 minutes

Budget: $60,000,000

Box Office Gross: $88,929,111 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Two friends from Brooklyn have been sent to Australia by a mobster to deliver $50,000. Complications arise when the pair accidentally run over a kangaroo, and one of them puts his jacket on the wild animal for a joke. The kangaroo runs off, but not before the two realise that the money they were supposed to deliver is now in the marsupial's jacket, setting them on a wild-goose chase across the Outback.

Cast
Jerry O'Connell – Charlie

Carbone

Anthony Anderson – Louis

Booker

Estella Warren – Jessie

Michael Shannon – Frankie

Lombardo

Christopher Walken – Salvatore "Sal" Maggio

Marton Csokas – Mr. Smith

Dyan Cannon – Anna Carbone

Bill Hunter – Blue

David Ngoombujarra –

James "Mr. Jimmy" Inkamala

Marco Sellitto – Blasta

Damien Fotiou – Baby J

Christopher James Baker –

Crumble

Ryan Gibson – Hoon

Denise Roberts – Tansy

Antonio Vitiello – Toot

Mario Di Ienno – Tommy

Tony Nikolakopoulos – Sal's

Capo

Robert Reid – Young Charlie
Shawn Smith – Young Louis

Brian Casey – Young Frankie

Emma Jane Fowler –

Outback Bartender

Helen Thomson – TV Announcer

John McNeill – Customs Officer

Paul Wilson – Interrogation Room Officer

David Walsman – Beach Lifeguard

Lara Cox – Cute Girl on Plane

Terrell Dixon – NY Cop

John Gibson – Sal's Goon #1

Nick Jasprizza – Sal's Goon #2
Adam Garcia – Kangaroo Jack

(Voice) (Uncredited)

Crew

Director – David McNally

Story/Screenplay – Steve Bing

Story – Barry O'Brien

Screenplay – Scott Rosenberg

Script Supervisor – Sophie Fabbri-Jackson

Executive Producers – Chad Oman and Mike Stenson

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager –

Barry H. Waldman

Producers – Andrew Mason and Jerry Bruckheimer

Casting Directors – Ronna Kress

and Shauna Wolifson

Production Designer – George Liddle
Supervising Art Director – Brian Edmonds
Australian Art Director – Richard Hobbs

U.S. Art Director – Guy Hendrix Dyas

Set Decorator: Sydney – Lisa Milgate
Costume Designers – Daniel Orlandi

and George Liddle

Australian Costume Supervisor – Eliza Godman

U.S. Costume Supervisor – Jon Boyden

Director of Photography – Peter Menzies, Jr.

First Assistant Director – Chris Webb

Second Unit Director – Peter Bloomfield

Stunt Coordinator – Glenn Boswell

Sydney Vehicle Supervisor – Darren Loveday
Special Effects Supervisor – Tad Pride

U.S. Special Effects Coordinator - David Fletcher
Creative Supervisor: Animatronic Characters –

Neal Scanlan 
Visual Effects Supervisor – Hoyt Yeatman
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor & Designer:

Asylum – Nathan McGuinness
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor:

The Secret Lab – Darin Hollings

Visual Effects Producer: The Secret Lab –

David P.I. James

Head of Production: The Secret Lab –

Dean Wright
Animation Supervisor: The Secret Lab – Mike Belzer
CG Supervisor: The Secret Lab – Steve Yamamoto

Digital Compositing Supervisor: The

Secret Lab – Brian Leach

Editors – Jim May, John Murray and
William Goldenberg

First Assistant Editor – Jason Hellman

Supervising Sound Editors – R.J. Palmer

and Robert L. Sephton

Sound Mixers - Kevin O'Connell

and Greg P. Russell

Additional Sound Mixers – Gary A. Bourgeois

and Greg Orloff

Special Vocal Effects – Frank Welker

Music – Trevor Rabin

Music Supervisors – Kathy Nelson

and Bob Badami

Review
KANGAROO JACK is not only terrific but a special treat we Aussies enjoy because it's a hopping kind of comedy film. Despite being mistakenly advertised in its trailer as a talking-animal feature for kids, it is more of an adult comedy, which explains the mobsters and some rude jokes. I remember seeing this film as a kid when I rented it on DVD. I didn't care if the movie was at least slightly offensive or stereotypical, since I am Australian (or Aussie for short).

Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson made a great comedic duo, while Christopher Walken maintained his typical intimidating presence. I enjoyed the hilarious scene when Charlie and Louis put the jacket on the kangaroo they mistakenly run over, and then Charlie gets kicked in the face by the marsupial.

I don't care what others think of KANGAROO JACK. Its humour makes it one of my favourite comedy films. I consider it a guilty pleasure and recommend watching it.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Rango Review

Rango

Release Date: 10th March 2011 – Australia


Production Companies 
Industrial Light & Magic

Blind Wink

GK Films

Nickelodeon Movies

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/

Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 107 minutes

Budget: $135,000,000

Box Office Gross: $245,724,603 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A lonesome chameleon named Rango has no clue who he is and searches the desert for answers. He assumes the role of a

lawman in a town facing

a water crisis. However,

he realises he is way

over his head when he

discovers a conspiracy

that could endanger it. Can Rango unravel this scheme, learn the meaning of friendship, and bring back the town's missing water?

Cast
Johnny Depp – Rango/Lars
Isla Fisher – Beans
Abigail Breslin – Priscilla

Ned Beatty – Mayor
Alfred Molina – Roadkill
Bill Nighy – Rattlesnake Jake
Harry Dean Stanton – Balthazar
Ray Winstone – Bad Bill
Timothy Olyphant – Spirit of the West
Stephen Root – Doc/

Merrimack/Mr. Snuggles

Claudia Black – Angelique
Ian Abercrombie – Ambrose
Gil Birmingham – Wounded Bird
James Ward Byrkit – Waffles/

Gordy/Papa Joad/Cousin Murt/Curlie/

Knife Attacker/Rodent Kid

Blake Clark – Buford
Lew Temple – Furgus
Alex Manugian – Spoons
Joe Nunez – Rockeye
John Cothran Jr. – Elgin

Patrika Darbo – Delilah/Maybelle

George DelHoyo – Señor Flan –

Mariachi Accordion

Maile Flanagan – Lucky

Charles Fleischer – Elbows

Beth Grant – Bonnie

Ryan Grant – Jedidiah

Vincent Kartheiser – Ezekiel/

Lasso Rodent

Hemky Madera – Chorizo

Alex Manugian – Spoons

Mark 'Crash' McCreery – Parsons

Joe Nunez – Rock-Eye

Christopher Lee Parson – Hazel Moats/

Kinski/Stump/Clinker/Lenny/

Boseefus/Dirt Kid

Lew Temple – Furgus/Hitch

Alanna Ubach – Boo/Cletus/Fresca/

Miss Daisy

Gore Verbinski – Sergeant Turley/

Crevice/Slim/Lupe – Mariachi Violin

Kym Whitley – Melonee

Keith Campbell – Sod Buster

Crew
Story/Producer/Director – Gore Verbinski
Story/Screenplay – John Logan
Story/Storyboard Artist/Character Designer –

James Ward Byrkit

Executive Producer – Tim Headington

Consulting Producers – Mark Bakshi
and Nils Peyron
Producers – Graham King and John B. Carls

Co-Producers – Shari Henson and Adam Cramer

Co-Producer/Character Designer –

David Shannon

Casting Director – Denise Chaiman

Production Designer/Character Designer/

Visual Effects – Mark 'Crash' McCreery

Conceptual Artists – James Carson

and Jim Martin

Concept Artists – Christian Alzmann,

Devon Cutler, John Giang and

Romerick Jeanne
Supervising Art Director – John Bell

Art Director – Aaron McBride
Character Designers – David Shannon

and Eugene Yelchin

Set Decorator: Emotion Capture Unit –

Rosemary Brundenberg

Property Master: Emotion Capture Unit –

Kris Peck

Props: Emotion Capture Unit – Harry Lu

Cinematography Consultant – Roger Deakins

Camera Operator: Emotion Capture Unit –

Martin Schaer

Unit Production Manager/First Assistant

Director: Emotion Capture Unit – Adam Somner

Stunt Coordinator - Keith Campbell

Visual Effects Supervisors – Tim Alexander
and John Knoll
Animation Director – Hal T. Hickel

Associate Animation Supervisor – Kevin Martel

Digital Production Supervisor – Michael Bauer

CG Supervisors – Kevin Sprout,

Raul Essig, Leandro Estebecorena and

Pat Conran

CG Supervisors: ILM – Thomas Fejes,

Gerald Gutschmidt, Polly Ing, David Meny,

Patrick T. Myers and Nigel Sumner

Character CG Supervisor: ILM – Michael Koperwas

Character & Simulations Supervisor – James Tooley

Character Modeling Supervisor – Geoff Campbell

Hard Surface Model Supervisor – Russell Paul

Texture Supervisor – Steve Walton

Environment Supervisor – Andrew Proctor

Compositing Leads: ILM – Tami Carter,

Peter Chesloff, David Gottlieb,

Robert Hoffmeister, Jen Howard,

Dorne Huebler, Francois Lambert, Tory Mercer,

Jerry Sells, Chad Taylor, Todd Vaziri,

Jeff Wozniak and Scott Younkin

Lighting Sequence Supervisors: ILM –

Matthieu Boucher, Steve Braggs,

Amelia Chenoweth, Jay Cooper,

Christian Foucher, Jeff Hatchel, Tom Martinek,

Akira Orikasa and John Walker

Film Editor – Craig Wood

Additional Editors – Tom Barrett and

Wyatt Jones
Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor –

Peter Miller

Supervising Sound Editor – Addison Teague

Supervising Dialogue Editor – Michael Silvers

Additional ADR Editor – Richard Hymns

Sound Mixer: Emotion Capture Unit – Lee Orloff

Re-Recording Mixers – Christopher Boyes

and Paul Massey

Foley Artists – Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance
Music – Hans Zimmer

Foley Mixer – Frank Rinella

Music Arrangers – Lorne Balfe,
Tom Gire, Michael A. Levine,

Dominic Lewis, Atli Ōrvarsson, Adam Peters,

John Sponsler and Geoff Zanelli
Music Arranger/Musician: Guitar –

Heitor Pereria

Music Consultant – Bob Badami

Music Recordist and Mixer – Alan Meyerson


Awards

2012 Academy Awards
Best Animated Feature – Gore Verbinski (Won)


Review

RANGO is an animated Blazing Saddles-type comedy that, in a way, has never been conceived before. The visual effects house ILM must have given Pixar, Blue Sky, Disney, and DreamWorks a run for their money in producing this rootin'-tootin' animated feature. Though RANGO's plot is nothing new, given that it's a parody/homage to classic westerns mixed with a fish-out-of-water concept, it's good that they've had to put a fresh spin on it. Despite how dark this film could get, it's not exactly a family feature. Gore Verbinski has never tackled an animated movie like this. He has ventured into various genres, including horror, comedy, and adventure, as exemplified in The Ring and the first three Pirates of the Caribbean instalments.

The animation is realistic and comparable to that of Disney, Pixar, and other studios. I praise Johnny Depp for his voice performance as Rango because he is wonderfully hilarious and stands out among a stellar cast. Bill Nighy is perfect as Rattlesnake Jake. Isla Fisher knows how to pull off a Southern accent when cast as Beans. Everyone else, including Ned Beatty, was also terrific in their roles. The action scenes are well done and perfectly timed. Hans Zimmer has again triumphed with a score that never fails to amaze.

RANGO is a good movie with intriguing animation and sharp humour. I was pleasantly surprised that RANGO won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It was a particular highlight for me this year. If you feel like seeing this film, you won't regret it.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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