The Santa Clause Review

The Santa Clause

Release Date: 24th November 1994 - Australia

 
Production Companies

Walt Disney Pictures (presents)

Hollywood Pictures (in association with)

Outlaw Productions

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Comedy/

Fantasy

Rating: G

Runtime: 97 minutes

Budget: $22,000,000

Box Office Gross: $190,539,357 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Scott Calvin, a divorced

father, is spending the night

on Christmas Eve with his

young son, Charlie, when

they discover the current

Mr Claus has fallen off

their roof. Scott

unknowingly triggers The

Santa Clause when he

puts on his Santa suit.

They immediately get

whisked away to the North

Pole to fill the boots of

jolly old St. Nick.

Cast

Tim Allen - Scott Calvin/

Santa Claus

Judge Reinhold - Dr. Neal Miller

Wendy Crewson - Laura Calvin

Miller

Eric Lloyd - Charlie Calvin

David Krumholtz - Bernard

Larry Brandenburg - Detective Nunzio

Mary Gross - Ms. Daniels

Paige Tamara - Judy the Elf

Peter Boyle - Mr. Whittle

Judith Scott - Susan Perry

Jayne Eastwood - Judy the Waitress

Melissa King - Sarah the Little Girl/P

Joshua Satok - Larry the Elf

Zachary McLemore - Bobby

Joyce Guy - Principal Compton

Steve Vinovich - Dr. Pete Novos

Aimee McIntyre - Ruth

Tabitha Lupien - Ballet Girl

Lachlan Murdoch - Fax Kid

Dennis O'Connor - Mailman

David Sparrow - Bobby's Dad 

Kenny Vadas -  E.L.F.S. Leader

Chris Benson - Fireman 

Laura Catalano - Veronica

John Pasquin - Santa #6 (Cameo)

Frank Welker - Reindeer Voices (Voice)

Kerrigan Mahan - Reindeer Voices (Voice)

Bob Dermer - Puppet Punch (Voice)

Nina Keogh - Puppet Judy (Voice)

Steve Lucescu - Falling Santa (Uncredited) 

Crew

Director - John Pasquin

Writers - Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick

Executive Producers - Richard Baker,

Rick Messina and James Miller

Producers - Brian Reilly, Jeffrey Silver

and Robert Newmyer

Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Caroline Baron

Co-Producer - William W. Wilson III

Production Designer - Carol Spier

Art Director - James McAteer

Set Decorator - Elinor Rose Galbraith

Costume Designer - Carol Ramsey

Special Makeup and Animatronic Effects -

Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr.

Special Makeup Effects Artists -

Tim Mogg and Sean Sansom

Director of Photography - Walt Lloyd

First Assistant Director - William M. Elvin

Stunt Coordinator - Shane Cardwell

Aerial Supervisor - Robert Harman

Special Effects Coordinator - Bob Hall

Reindeer Puppets Creator: The Character Shop,

Inc. - Rick Lazzarini

Reindeer Mechanical Department/Lead

Puppeteer - Mike Elizalde

Visual Effects Supervisor/Director of

Photography: Buena Vista Visual Effects -

John E. Sullivan

Visual Effects Producer: Buena Vista Visual

Effects - Carolyn Soper

Visual Effects Coordinator: Buena Vista Visual

Effects - Denise Davis

Digital Supervisors: Buena Vista Visual Effects -

Dorne Huebler and Craig Newman

Digital Coordinator: Buena Vista Visual Effects -

Lydia Bottegoni

CG Scenic Ball: Buena Vista Visual Effects -

Wally Schaub

Matte Paintings: Buena Vista Visual Effects -

Paul Lasaine

Editor - Larry Bock

Supervising Sound Editors - Bruce Stubblefield

and Hari Ryatt

Supervising Sound Effects Editor - Gregory King

Sound Editors - Donald Sylvester,

Darren King, John Kwiatkowski, Stewart Nelson,

Peter Carlstedt, Yann Delpeuch,

Solange Schwalbe-Bossieau, Keith Bilderbeck,

Chuck Smith, Noah Blough and Phillip Linson

Sound Mixer - David Lee

Supervising Re-Recording Mixer - Jeffrey Perkins

Re-Recording Mixer - Dave Hudson

Music - Michael Convertino

Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg

Review

THE SANTA CLAUSE was released in 1994 as a star vehicle for comedian Tim Allen after his previous role in the television sitcom Home Improvement. It helped launch his career in the movie business, propelling him to fame. While this isn't the best holiday film, it has some merits, providing plenty of fun for the whole family to enjoy while lifting their Christmas spirits. The movie's storyline is easy to follow, but it is also too predictable. Tim Allen puts on a gift-wrapping performance as the average businessman/father who unwittingly becomes the mythological childhood figure of Kris Kringle, a.k.a. Santa Claus.

The film is a Christmas comedy, filled from start to finish with fun, joy, cheer, and laughter. The sequels are not as good as the original SANTA CLAUSE movie. I recommend this movie to children and their families every Christmas Eve, before it has to be over in the morning.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Muppet Christmas Carol Review

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Release Date: 11th December 1992 - Australia

Production Companies

Walt Disney Pictures (presents)

Jim Henson Productions (from)

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 86 minutes

Budget: $12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $34,524,312 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

The Muppets tell their version of Charles Dickens's classic tale of an old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge, who receives an unexpected visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Each ghost began to reveal secrets about his past and present and to predict his future, which would change his life forever.

Cast

Michael Caine - Ebenezer Scrooge

Steven Mackintosh - Fred

Meredith Braun - Belle

Robin Weaver - Clara

Jessica Fox - Ghost of

Christmas Past (Voice)

David Shaw Parker - Old Joe (Voice)

Edward & Theo Sanders - Young Scrooge

Kristopher Milnes - Young Scrooge

Russell Martin - Young Scrooge

Raymond Coulthard - Young Scrooge

Muppet Performers
Steve Whitmire - Kermit the
Frog as Bob Cratchit/Rizzo

the Rat/Beaker/Bean Bunny/

Belinda Cratchit/Beetle/

Lips/Pig Gentleman/

Dave Goelz - The Great
Gonzo as Charles Dickens/
Waldorf as Robert Marley/

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew/

Betina Cratchit/Rat/Zoot

Pig Gentleman/Richmond

the Horse

Jerry Nelson - Robin the

Frog as Tiny Tim Cratchit/

Lew Zealand/Statler as

Jacob Marley/Ma Bear as

Ma Fozziwig/Pops/Mouse/

Droop/Frackle/Ghost of

Christmas Present/Mr.

Applegate/Penguin/Pig

Gentleman/Rat
Frank Oz - Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit/Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig/Sam Eagle/George the Janitor/Animal/Horse and Carriage Driver/Vegetable Salesman

David Rudman - Peter Cratchit/Old Joe/Beggar/

The Swedish Chef/Wander McMooch

Don Austen - Ghost of Christmas

Present/Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Robert Tygner - Ghost of Christmas

Present/Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come/

Turkey/Additional Muppets

Karen Prell - Daughter Mouse/Ghost of

Christmas Past/Additional Muppet Performer

William Todd-Jones - Ghost of Christmas Past

Mike Quinn - Pig Gentleman/Undertaker

Louise Gold - Mrs. Dilber/Spider/

Additional Muppets

Crew

Producer/Director - Brian Henson

Based on the Novel - Charles Dickens

Screenplay/Co-Producer - Jerry Juhl

Executive Producer - Frank Oz

Producer - Martin G. Baker

Line Producer - David Barron
Casting Directors - Suzanne Crowley,

Mike Fenton and Gilly Poole

Production Designer - Val Strazovec

Supervising Art Director - Alan Cassie

Art Director - Dennis Bosher

Set Decorator - Michael Ford

Production Buyer - Ron Quelch

Costume Designer - Polly Smith

Costume Design Consultant - Ann Hollowood

Chief Makeup Artist - Lois Burwell

Director of Photography - John Fenner

Camera Operator - Mike Brewster

First Assistant Director - Crispin Reece

Second Assistant Directors - Callum McDougall

and Richard Whelan

Assistant Director: Second Unit - Bernard Bellew
Second Unit Director - Nick Willing

Choreographer - Pat Garrett
Special Effects Supervisor - David Harris

Special Effects Technicians - Darren May,

Neil Swan, Roger Nichols and Ron Hone

Puppet Coordinators - Mike Quinn,

Karen Prell and Rob Tygner

Muppet Design Consultant - Michael K. Firth

Creative Supervisor: Jim Henson's Creature

Shop - John Stephenson

Visual Effects Supervisor/Director:

Miniatures Unit - Paul Gentry

Visual Effects Consultant - Thomas G. Smith

Miniatures Supervisor: Miniatures Unit -

David B. Sharp

Director of Photography: Miniatures Unit -

Paul Wilson

Film Editor - Michael Jablow

Supervising Sound Editor - Bobby Mackston

Sound Editor - Doug Kent

Sound Recordist/Mixer (Uncredited) -

Chris Munro

Re-Recording Mixers - Gary Gegan

and Matthew Iadarola

Foley Artists - Dan O'Connell

and Gary A. Hecker

Songs - Paul Williams

Original Score/Songs Arranger -

Miles Goodman

Executive Music Producer - Robert Kraft

Music Editors - Robert Hathaway

and Nancy Fogarty

Review
Charles Dickens's beloved story is the basis for each iteration. A Christmas Carol is one great example of classic literature adapted into a film. Read a million times more than Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, and remains one of Dickens's celebrated works and one of his very best. One of the best movie adaptations of the novel I ever saw was THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. I haven't reviewed any Muppet movies (excluding the 2011 revival). It's time to rediscover my childhood memories through this retelling of a classic story. Jovial and heartfelt, it's how a Christmas movie should be. This modern adaptation of Dickens's classic tale remains unchanged except for the cast and presentation.

Michael Caine's portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge demonstrated that he could instantly embody an old, coldhearted miser who discourages Christmas and later learns the meaning of the holiday spirit, becoming a changed man in the process. It was one of his finest acting performances, and even his interpretation is unsurpassed by Jim Carrey's and all other actors' versions of the character. It's nice to see all the Muppet characters again, even Kermit the Frog, who plays Bob Cratchit, with Miss Piggy as his wife, and The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat are the narrators. The set design is flawless, and the songs possess a whimsical charm and an atmospheric quality that profoundly captures the movie's yuletide magic.

It could have ended the Muppets' future after its creator, Jim Henson, unexpectedly passed away. It somehow lives up to many expectations. THE MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL is the best among the Muppet movies and is worth dusting off from your collection. It is for viewers familiar with both Dickens and the Muppets.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Short Circuit Review

Short Circuit

Release Date: 26th June 1986 - Australia

Production Companies

TriStar Pictures (presents)

Producers Sales Organization (PSO) (presents)

Turman-Foster Company

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Sci-Fi/Family/

Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 94 minutes

Budget: $9,000,000

Box Office Gross: $40,698,303 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

One of the series of experimental military robots called Number 5 gains human-like intelligence and consciousness after being struck by lightning and escapes. He finds a home with a young woman named Stephanie Speck, who believes him to be an alien but later befriends him. Now, its creator, Newton Crosby and his assistant are on the trail of finding him before the military plans to take him apart and permanently scrap the entire project. Can Number 5 evade the army and convince his creator that he is alive?

Cast

Tim Blaney - Number 5 (Voice)

Ally Sheedy - Stephanie Speck

Steve Guttenberg - Newton Crosby

Fisher Stevens - Ben Jabituya

Austin Pendleton - Howard Marner

G.W. Bailey - Skroeder

Brian McNamara - Frank

Marvin J. McIntyre - Duke

John Garber - Otis

Penny Santon - Mrs. Cepeda

Vernon Weddle - General Washburne

Barbara Tarbuck - Senator Mills

Fred Slyter - Norman

Billy Ray Sharkey - Zack

Robert Krantz - Reporter

Jan Speck - Reporter

Marguerite Happy - Barmaid

Howard Krick - Farmer

Marjorie Card Hughes - Farmer's Wife

Herb Smith - Gate Guard

Jack Thompson - Party Guest

William Striglos - Party Guest

Mary Reckley - Party Guest

Shay McLean - Party Guest

Eleanor C. Heutschy - Party Guest

John Badham - Cameraman (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Crew

Director - John Badham

Writers - S.S. Wilson,

Brent Maddock and Jay Tarses (Uncredited)
Associate Producers - Gary Foster

and Dana Satler Hankins

Executive Producers - Mark Damon

and John Hyde

Supervising Producer/Second Unit

Director - Gregg Champion

Producers - David Foster and

Lawrence Turman

Co-Producer - Dennis Jones
Casting Directors - Jane Feinberg,
Mike Fenton and Judy Taylor

Animal Handlers - Dennis & William Shane Grisco

Art Director - Dianne Wager

Robots Designer/Consultant (Uncredited) -

Syd Mead

Illustrators - Jack Johnson,

Martin A. Kline, Dick Lasely and

Tom Southwell

Set Decorator - Garrett Lewis

Property Master - Gregg H. Bilson

Costumer: Men - Barry Francis Delaney

Costumer: Women - Mary E. Vogt

Director of Photography - Nick McLean

Camera Operators - Stephen E. Bridge

and Michael D. O'Shea

First Assistant Camera - Michael A. Chavez

and Bill Roe

Location Manager - Mark Indig

Unit Production Manager - Steve Perry

First Assistant Director - Jerry Ziesmer

Stunt Coordinator - Walter Scott

Special Effects Supervisor - Chuck Gaspar

Robots Engineer/Robotic Special Effects

Supervisor - Eric Allard

Animatronic Performance Supervisor/Puppeteer

(Uncredited) - Tony Urbano

Special Visual Effects - Chris Casady,

Dennis Dorney, Michael Ferriter,

Rocco Gioffre, Robert Hall, Nina Salerno,

Keith Shartle and Hoyt Yeatman

Visual Effects Consultant - Michael L. Fink

Video and Graphic Displays - Rhonda C. Gunner,

Richard E. Hollander, Gregory L. McMurry

and John C. Wash

Film Editors - Frank Morriss, Jeff Jones

and Dallas Puett

Assistant Film Editor - Kevin Stitt

Robot Voices Synthesizer - Frank Serafine

Supervising Sound Editors - Milton C. Burrow

and William L. Manger

Sound Mixer - Willie D. Burton

Re-Recording Mixers - Wayne Artman,

Tom Beckert and Tom E. Dahl

Music - David Shire

Review

The SHORT CIRCUIT series was a favourite part of my childhood. Unfortunately, I didn't see the first movie when I watched the sequel instead on pay TV. A few years later, it appeared on the Movie Extra channel. In recent years, the robot Number 5 (aka Johnny 5) has inspired another iconic robot character with mannerisms and looks, and his name was WALL-E. SHORT CIRCUIT is a family comedy that keeps the laughter for adults and young children but also pulls your heartstrings, which leads you to believe you're watching a Spielberg or a Disney movie. John Badham was an underrated film director who was benevolently clever at helming this picture than he does to his other films like Saturday Night Fever and WarGames. Somehow, he didn't get the credit he deserved for his contribution to the film industry.

Steve Guttenberg was remarkable as the scientist responsible for getting the machine operational. The other cast members were believable in their roles and created a fun and heartfelt atmospheric movie. I would give an honourable mention to Fisher Stevens for his outstanding role as an Indian comic relief. The mechanical effects were not groundbreaking or revolutionary. However, they were convincingly believable and showed how to create robots.

SHORT CIRCUIT is not your typical family feature. It's unique and different from what people usually expect. It was the attraction for this movie, as it created a new style, a light-hearted sci-fi comedy that suggests the possibility of a living robot who gains a spark of humanity. If you've seen this movie, you will know it has a touching and uplifting story, and many following films have replicated its concept. SHORT CIRCUIT still stands out as one of the best and most nostalgic films.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them


Release Date: 17th November 2016 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures
Heyday Films

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 133 minutes


Budget: $180,000,000

Box Office Gross: $814,044,001 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
In 1926, Newt Scamander returned from a global quest to find and document an extraordinary range of magical creatures. Landing in New York for a short stay, he could have come and gone without incident if not for a No-Maj named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell disaster for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.


Cast
Eddie Redmayne - Newt Scamander
Colin Farrell - Percival Graves
Ezra Miller - Credence Barebone
Ron Perlman - Gnarlack
Katherine Waterston - Tina
Samantha Morton - Mary Lou
Jon Voight - Shaw Senior
Carmen Ejogo - Seraphina Picquery
Dan Fogler - Jacob Kowalski
Faith Wood-Blagrove - Modesty Barebone
Jenn Murray - Chastity Barebone
Kevin Guthrie - Mr. Abernathy
Alison Sudol - Queenie
Johnny Depp - Gellert Grindelwald
Zoe Kravitz - Lestrange
Peter Breitmayer - Mr. Bingley
Ranon Raftery - Langdon

Shaw
Josh Cowdery - Henry Shaw Jr.
Ellie Haddington - Mrs. Esposito
Martin Oelbermenn - Heinrich Eberstadt
Gemma Chan - Madam Ya Zhou
Christian Dixon - Momolou Wotorson
Wunmi Mosaku - Beryl
Sam Redford - Customs Official
Scott Goldman - Customs Official (Voice)
Tim Betnick - Witness
Tristan Tait - Reporter
Tom Hodgkins - Barker
Dominique Tipper - Auror 1
Guy Paul - Auror 2
Akin Gazi - Auror 3
Rich Hardesty - Auror 4
Andreea Paduraru - Auror 9
Walles Hamonde - Auror 10
Elizabeth Moynihan - Executioner 1
Miquel Brown - Executioner 2
Jane Perry - Female Customer in Bakery

Crew
Director - David Yates
Based on the Novel "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"/Writer/Producer - J. K. Rowling

Script Supervisor - Anna Worley

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Tim Lewis
Executive Producers - Neil Blair
and Rick Senat
Producers - David Heyman,
Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Michael Sharp

Casting Director - Fiona Weir
Production Designer - Stuart Craig
Associate Production Designer - James Hambridge

Concept Artists - Robert Bliss,

Paul Catling, Peter Popken, Dermot Power

and Tom Wingrove

Art Directors - David Allday,
Leslie Tomkins, Guy Bradley, Toby Britton,

Peter Dorme, Gavin Fitch, Martin Foley,

Kate Grimble, Christian Huband,

Huw Arthur and Hayley Easton-Street

Art Directors: Second Unit - Su Whitaker

and Suzanne Austin

Construction Manager - Paul Hayes

Set Decorator - Anna Pinnock

Property Master - Ben Wilkinson

HOD Prop Modeller - Pierre Bohanna
Costume Designer - Colleen Atwood

Makeup & Hair Designer - Fae Hammond
Director of Photography - Philippe Rousselot

Second Unit Director of Photography -

Jean-Philippe Gossart

"A" Camera Operator - Des Whalen

Supervising Location Manager - Sue Quinn

First Assistant Director - Josh Robertson

Second Assistant Director - Tom Brewster
Second Unit Director - Stephen Woolfenden
Stunt Coordinator - Eunice Huthart

Choreographer - Wayne McGregor
Picture Vehicle Coordinator - Alex King
Special Effects Supervisor - David Watkins
Special Effects Coordinator - Victoria Cadiou

Visual Effects Supervisors - Tim Burke

and Christian Manz

Visual Effects Supervisors: Framestore -

Andy Kind and Stephane Nazé

Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Ferran Domenech

Additional Supervisors: MPC - Daniel Stumpf,

Asregadoo Arundi, Marco Fogila, Tristan Zerafa

and Paul Nelson

Visual Effects Producer - Olly Young

Senior Visual Effects Producers: Framestore -

Nick King and Imke Fehrmann

Visual Effects Consulting Producer - Emma Norton

Animation Supervisors: Framestore -

Kevin Spruce and Laurent Laban

Visual Effects Creature Animation Development/

Senior Animation Supervisor: Framestore -

Pablo Grillo

CG Supervisors: Framestore - Benjamin Loch,

Benjamin Huber, Francois Lord and Mathieu Bertrand
Editor - Mark Day

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -

Glenn Freemantle

Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -

Niv Adiri

Sound Designers - Tom Sayers and

Ben Barker

Production Sound Mixer - Simon Hayes

Re-Recording Mixers - Ian Tapp

and Andy Nelson

Foley Artists - Pete Burgis and

Jason Swanscott

Foley Mixer - Glen Gathard

Music - James Newton Howard
Composer: "Hedwig's Theme" - John Williams

Score Recordist and Mixer - Peter Cobbin

Score Recordist - Shawn Murphy

Score Mixer - Kirsty Whalley


Review

The Harry Potter film series should have concluded when Deathly Hallows: Part 2 opened in July 2011 and put the future movies to rest before FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM got officially announced. The prequel spin-off has attracted a large audience and earned a total box-office income. FANTASTIC BEASTS should be the first of a series that builds on the mythological elements that make it such a phenomenon. J. K. Rowling knows every spell of magic and takes every step of writing a fantasy book or story to keep it treasured by all Muggles. David Yates returns to direct this feature, but many actors from the original Harry Potter films are absent.

FANTASTIC BEASTS is a large assemblage of extraordinary visuals, colourful laughs, and an ensemble cast of Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, and Ezra Miller. Each has a role to play. Noted English thespian Eddie Redmayne gets the standout role of Newt Scamander, a misguided wizard who must retrieve his magical creatures before they can unleash danger on both worlds. Redmayne is a generous actor who has played Stephen Hawking and a transgender person. He was cast in an antagonist role in Jupiter Ascending, which didn't suit him. Johnny Depp is in a surprise guest appearance as the evil wizard Grindelwald. I hope to see more of him in the upcoming sequels.

With five more films announced in the series, the first instalment is a great start and worth watching on its own merits. I look forward to seeing the magic again, if it benefits the franchise's new beginnings.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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