Paul Blart: Mall Cop Review

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Release Date: 19th March 2009 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Relativity Media (in association with)

Happy Madison Productions

Hey Eddie

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 91 minutes

Budget: $26,000,000

Box Office Gross: $183,348,429 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
All his life, mild-mannered Paul Blart has dreamed of becoming a state trooper, but instead, he is a security officer in a local mall in New Jersey. When a gang of crooks invaded the mall and took some hostages, it's up to Paul Blart to rescue them and defend the place from intruders, as he must go from being a mall cop to an actual cop!

Cast

Kevin James - Paul Blart

Keri O'Donnell - Veck Simms

Jayma Mays - Amy
Raini Rodriguez - Maya
Shirley Knight - Mom
Stephen Rannazzisi - Stuart
Peter Gerety - Chief Brooks
Bobby Cannavale - Cmdr. James Kent
Adam Ferrara - Sergeant Howard
Jamal Mixon - Leon
Adhir Kalyan - Pahud
Erick Avari - Vijay
Mike Vallely - Rudolph
Jason Ellis - Prancer
Jason Packham - Comet
Rick Thorne - Cupid
Victor Lopez - Donner
Natascha Hopkins - Vixen
Mookie Barker - Mr. Ferguson
Dylan Clark Marshall - Jason
Bernie McInerney - Old Man on Scooter
Gary Valentine - Karaoke Singer

Crew

Director - Steve Carr
Writer - Nick Bakay
Writer/Producer - Kevin James
Executive Producer - Jeff Sussman
Producers - Todd Garner,

Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler

Producer/2nd Unit Director - Barry Bernardi
Production Designer - Perry Andelin Blake
Art Director - Alan Au

Set Decorator - Tracey Doyle
Costume Designer - Ellen Lutter
Director of Photography - Russ T. Alsobrook

"A" Camera Operator - Casey Hotchkiss

Location Manager - Charles Harrington

Stunt Coordinator - Chris O'Hara
Special Effects Coordinator - Ray Bivins

Visual Effects Supervisor: Zoic Studios -

Patti Gannon
Editor - Jeff Freeman

1st Assistant Editor - Jason Gourson

Supervising Sound Editors -

Michael J. Benavente and Elmo Weber

Supervising Sound Mixers - Deb Adair

and William Freesh
Music - Waddy Wachtel

Music Supervisor - Michael Dilbeck

Review

In light of COVID-19, the pandemic is happening across the world. I was so disappointed that several new movies' release dates got postponed and all the cinemas were temporarily closed. This fear of a pandemic was so widespread that it caused everyone to stay home and begin social distancing. Fortunately, it didn't stop me from continuing to review movies. One of the films I watched while being self-isolated was PAUL BLART: MALL COP.

I was supposed to review this comedy before 2020, but I started doing it anyway. The film has some great laughs, but the jokes are hit-or-miss, and the storyline is predictable. It feels like a stale, lighthearted parody of Die Hard that's missing the fun and gratuitous violence. I liked the moment when Paul got drunk and then made a fool out of himself. Kevin James was not a bad comedian, though he had a knack for playing overweight characters. James's acting was decent. It doesn't save the movie from its shortcomings.

PAUL BLART: MALL COP is not one of my favourite comedies. And it was an average movie at best. I was surprised that the film did have a sequel, which is improbable because there is no way it could prove better than the original.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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In Memory of Andrew Jack (1944-2020)

Andrew Jack (1944-2020)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I regret to inform you that Star Wars actor and dialect coach Andrew Jack died from coronavirus on 31st March 2020. He was 76 years old.

Andrew had starred in "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi," playing Caluan Ematt, a major (now general) for the Resistance, as well as providing the voice of Moloch in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." He has worked with over 200 actors. Among them are Robert Downey, Jr., Pierce Brosnan, and Chris Hemsworth.

Jack even worked as a supervising dialect coach in "The Lord of the Rings" series, where he taught the actors to speak in their Middle-Earth accents and Elvish and Black Speech. He also instructed the cast members to perform the Greek and Trojan accents he created for the movie "Troy."

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Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Review

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End


Release Date: 24th May 2007 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures (presents)
Jerry Bruckheimer Films (in association with)

Second Mate Productions

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Adventure/

Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 168 minutes


Budget: $300,000,000

Box Office Gross: $960,996,492 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Barbossa take on the almost impossible task of rescuing Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker? And enlist the support of the other pirate lords to combat the forces of Lord Beckett and Davy Jones (under Beckett's control).

Cast

Johnny Depp - Captain Jack Sparrow

Geoffrey Rush - Hector

Barbossa

Bill Nighy - Davy Jones

Orlando Bloom - Will Turner

Keira Knightley - Elizabeth

Swann

Jack Davenport - Norrington

Jonathan Pryce - Governor Weatherby Swann

Keith Richards - Captain Teague

Kevin McNally - Joshamee Gibbs

Stellan Skarsgård - Bootstrap Bill

Chow Yun-Fat - Captain Sao Feng

Lee Arenberg - Pintel

Mackenzie Crook - Ragetti

Tom Hollander - Cutler Beckett

Naomie Harris - Tia Dalma

David Bailie - Cotton

Martin Klebba - Marty

David Schofield - Mercer

Alex Norton - Captain Bellamy

Dermot Keaney - Maccus

Andy Beckwith - Clanker

Clive Ashborn - Koleniko

Reggie Lee - Tai Huang

Christopher Adamson - Jimmy Legs

Jonathan Linsley - Oglively

John Boswell - Wyvern

Max Baker - Burser

Steve Speirs - Quartermaster

Greg Ellis - Lt. Theodore Groves

Giles New - Murtogg

Angus Barnett - Mullroy

Lauren Maher - Scarlett

Vanessa Branch - Giselle

Dominic Scott Kay - Henry Turner

Crew

Director/Musician - Gore Verbinski

Based on Characters/Writers - Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

Based on Characters - Stuart Beattie and Jay Wolpert

Script Supervisor - Sharron Reynolds

Executive Producers - Mike Stenson, Chad Oman and Bruce Hendricks

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Eric McLeod

Producer - Jerry Bruckheimer

Head Animal Trainer - Mark Harden

Animal Coordinator - Boone Narr

Casting Director - Denise Chaiman

Production Designer - Rick Heinrichs

Creature Concepts - Mark 'Crash' McCreery

Conceptual Consultant/

Storyboard Artist - James Ward Byrkit

Supervising Art Director - John Dexter

Art Directors - William Ladd Skinner, Bruce Crone and William Hawkins

Assistant Art Directors - Nick Navarro, Darrell L. Wright, Clint Wallace and Eric Sundahl

Set Decorator - Cheryl Carasik

Property Master - Kris Peck

Master Armourer - Harry Lu

Costume Designer - Penny Rose

Associate Costume Designer - John Norster

Costume Supervisor - Jessica Pazdernik

Costume Supervisor: Location - Ken Crouch

Makeup Effects Creator/Department Head -

Ve Neill

Makeup Effects Supervisor/Key Makeup Artist -

Joel Harlow

Additional Makeup Supervisor/Tattoo Designer -

Ken Diaz

Makeup Mechanical Supervisor - Russell Shinkle

Chief Hair Stylist/Stylist: Johnny Depp - Martin Samuel

Director of Photography - Dariusz Wolski

Director of Photography: Aerial Unit -

David B. Nowell

Underwater Director of Photography -

Peter Zuccarini

Additional Photography - Ben Seresin

Camera/Steadicam Operators -

David Luckenbach and P. Scott Sakamoto

Camera Operators - Martin Schaer

and Chris Mosley

Aerial Coordinator - David Paris

Dive Master - Alex Krimm

Production Supervisor - Thomas Hayslip

Unit Production Manager - Douglas C. Merrifield

First Assistant Director - David H. Venghaus Jr.

Additional First Assistant Director - Peter Kohn

Supervising Location Manager - Laura Sode-Matteson

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

George Marshall Ruge

Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor -

Charles Gibson

Sword Master/Stunt Double: Geoffrey Rush/

Bill Nighy - Thomas DuPont

Picture Boat Coordinator - Will White

Transportation Coordinator - Dave Robling

Special Effects Supervisor - John Frazier

Special Effects Coordinator: Bahamas -

Allen Hall

Special Effects Gimbal Foreman: Bahamas -

Mark Hawker

Visual Effects Supervisor - John Knoll

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Roger Guyett

Visual Effects Supervisors: Digital Domain -

Erik Nash and Bryan Grill

Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Asylum -

Nathan McGuinness

Visual Effects Supervisor: Asylum - Phil Brennan

Visual Effects Supervisor: The Orphanage -

Kevin Baillie

Visual Effects Supervisor: CIS Hollywood -

Bryan Hirota

Visual Effects Supervisor: Pacific Title and

Art Studios - David Sosalla

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Aaron McBride

Digital Production Supervisor: ILM - David Meny

Animation Supervisor: ILM - Hal T. Hickel

Animation Supervisor: The Orphanage -

David Andrews

Associate Animation Supervisor: ILM - Marc Chu

Layout Supervisor: ILM - Jason H. Snell

Composting Supervisor: ILM - Eddie Pasquarello

Creature Development Supervisor: ILM -

James Tooley

Creature Model Supervisor: ILM - Geoff Campbell

Digital Model Supervisors: ILM - Bruce Holcomb

and Steve Walton

Models and Miniatures Unit Supervisors: Kerner

Optical - Charles Bailey, Geoff Heron,

Carl Miller, Marty Rosenberg and

Pat Sweeney

Editors - Craig Wood and Stephen Rivkin

Additional Editor - Daniel P. Hanley

Supervising Sound Editor/Designer/

Sound Mixer: Skywalker Sound - Christopher Boyes

Supervising Sound Editor - George Watters II

Additional Sound Design - Tim Nielsen

and Christopher Scarabosio

Sound Effects Editors - Ken Fischer,

Shannon Mills, J.R. Grubbs, Addison Teague

and David C. Hughes

Sound Mixer - Lee Orloff

Sound Mixer: Skywalker Sound - Paul Massey

Additional Sound Mixers - James Bolt

and Lora Hirschberg

Music - Hans Zimmer

Composer: Additional Music/Conductor -

Nick Glennie-Smith

Composers: Additional Music - Lorne Balfe,

Tom Gire, Henry Jackman, John Sponsler,

Geoff Zanelli and Atli Örvarsson

Music Supervisor - Bob Badami

Score Recordist and Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Awards

2008 Academy Awards
Best Makeup - Ve Neill and Martin Samuel (Nominated)
Best Visual Effects - John Knoll, Charles Gibson,

Hal T. Hickel and John Frazier (Nominated)

Review

AT WORLD'S END was supposed to be the grand finale of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. There were two more movies to come, including On Stranger Tides. However, this eventuality did not detract from the spectacle of AT WORLD'S END. This instalment is a highly intricate but less daring adventure fantasy movie. Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer were the masterminds behind its reduced swashbuckling action. It felt like this instalment was so convoluted it could sink into the ocean depths.

Like Dead Man's Chest, it's not as entertaining as the first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl. The second and third films are linked in plot and glamorously over-produced for definite success at the box office. Despite this, none had the same charm as the original. Because of this, fans might find this film jarring and not quite the fantasy adventure film they've expected. It creates an inconsistent tone that has drawn the film onto a new path. The storyline proved confusing and required more concentration than viewers might have realised. The pirates have an implosion rather than a united fight against their adversaries.

Keith Richards was a bold casting choice for Jack Sparrow's dad, which is fitting given that Depp famously modelled his Jack Sparrow on the musician himself.

AT WORLD'S END is a decent movie, yet it is short of eight pieces. I recommend this film to all audiences, but you don't expect it to live up to the original.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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In Memory of Max von Sydow (1929-2020)

Max von Sydow (1929-2020)

The Swedish-born actor Max von Sydow died at the ripe old age of 90 on March 8th, 2020. He was famous in Sweden in 11 movies directed by Ingmar Bergman, such as "The Seventh Seal," and internationally in films like "The Exorcist," "Flash Gordon," "Dune," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Awakenings," "Minority Report," and "Shutter Island."

Max was a seasoned veteran, and his career had spanned almost seven decades, starting in 1949 when he made his screen debut. In the mid-1950s, Max came into contact with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, who, at the time, was the chief director of Malmö City Theatre. The first film they made together in 1957 was "The Seventh Seal," in which von Sydow portrays a disillusioned knight from the 14th century who has returned to Sweden after fighting in the Crusades. The film has an iconic scene when he plays a chess game with Death. Von Sydow's acting profile was rising. He worked extensively in his homeland of Sweden. Several times, he was approached for international roles in "Dr. No" and "The Sound of Music" but turned them down. It wasn't until 1965 that Sydow played the biblical figure, Jesus Christ, in the epic movie "The Greatest Story Ever Told." While the film marked his international debut, it was not an instant success at the box office. In 1973, Sydow gained worldwide success for portraying Father Lankester Merrin in William Friedkin's terrifying horror feature "The Exorcist." He later repeated his role in the sequel "Exorcist II: The Heretic."

In 1989, von Sydow received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in "Pelle the Conqueror" and in 2012 for Best Supporting Actor in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close." Max had other notable film roles in his profile, including playing a crop-dusting pilot in "The Reward," a reverend in "Hawaii," and Ming the Merciless in the cult sci-fi movie "Flash Gordon." He also appeared in numerous other films such as "Conan the Barbarian," "Dune," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Ghostbusters II," "Awakenings," "Minority Report," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "Shutter Island," and "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens." Outside of his movie appearances, Von Sydow has appeared on television, including as a guest voice in "The Simpsons" and portraying the Three-Eyed Raven in "Game of Thrones," for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. He even lent his voice to video gaming, portraying Esbern in "Skyrim."

My condolences go to his family and friends.

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Sonic the Hedgehog Review

Sonic the Hedgehog

Release Date: 13th February 2020 - Australia

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures (presents)

Sega Sammy Group (in association with)

Original Film

Marza Animation Planet

Blur Studio

Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (with the participation of)

Sega (based on the video game from)

DJ2 Entertainment

Paramount Animation (uncredited)

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Action/

Adventure/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 99 minutes

Budget: $95,000,000

Box Office Gross: $319,715,683 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Sonic is the fastest hedgehog and has lived peacefully and undiscovered on Earth for ten years. But one day, he accidentally causes a power outage in a small town that catches the attention of Dr. Robotnik, a mad scientist working for the government. With his newfound friend, a local human sheriff named Tom, Sonic must stop the evil doctor from capturing him and using his powers for his nefarious purposes.

Cast

Ben Schwartz - Sonic the

Hedgehog (Voice)

James Marsden - Tom
Wachowski

Jim Carrey - Dr. Ivo Robotnik

Tika Sumpter - Maddie Wachowski

Natasha Rothwell - Rachel

Adam Pally - Wade

Lee Majdoub - Agent Stone

Neal McDonough - Major Berrington

Tom Butler - Vice Chairman Walters

Frank C. Turner - Crazy Carl

Melody Nosipho Niemann -

JoJo

Shannon Chan-Kent -

Roadhouse Waitress

Brad Kelly - Roadhouse Thug

Elfina Luk - Secretary of

Homeland Security

Garry Chalk - Navy Chief of
Staff (Cameo)

Michael Hogan - Air Force Chief of Staff

Peter Bryant - Army Chief of Staff

Jeremy Arnold - Businessman

Jeanie Cloutier - Businesswoman

Emma Oliver - Parisian Little Kid

Bailey Skodje - Minivan Kid

Dean Petriw - Minivan Kid

Jeff Sanca - Minivan Dad

Lisa Chandler - Minivan Mom

Chris Gailus - News Anchor

Bethel Lee - Receptionist

Anthony Santiago - Senior Glass Installer

Jeremiah Oh - Junior Glass Installer

Charles Heffernan - Mime

Terence Kelly - Farmer Zimmer

Sean Campbell - Bartender

Scott Patey - Bar Patron/On-Set Sonic

Sandy Robson - Bar Patron

Andrea Marcum - Yoga Instructor

Benjamin Vilac - Baby Sonic
(Voice)

Donna Jay Fulks - Longclaw
(Voice)

Colleen O'Shaughnessey - Miles "Tails"

Prower (Voice) (Cameo)

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Jeff Fowler

Based on Characters - Yuji Naka,
Naoto Ohshima and Hirokazu Yasuhara

Writers - Patrick Casey and Josh Miller

Associate Producers - Mie Onishi

and Chuck Williams

Executive Producers - Masanao Maeda,

Tim Miller and Hajime & Haruki Satomi

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Nan Morales

Producers - Toby Ascher, Takeshi Ito,
Neal H. Moritz and Toru Nakahara

Co-Producers - Dan Jevons,
Dmitri M. Johnson and Karina Rahardja

Production Designer - Sean Harworth

Sonic Character Supervisor: SEGA -

Takashi Iizuka

Lead Sonic Designer: Blur Studios -

Tyson Hesse

Graphic Designers - Shannon Courte,
Erin Sinclair and Morgan McConnell

Supervising Art Director - Grant Van Der Slagt

Set Decorator - Shannon Gottlieb

Costume Designer - Debra McGuire

Digital Makeup Designer - Bill Corso

Director of Photography - Stephen F. Windon

Second Unit Director/Director of Photography:

Second Unit - Peter Lyons Collister

Stunt Coordinator - Garvin Cross

Special Effects Coordinator - Alex Burdett

Visual Effects Supervisors - Chris Uyede
and Ged Wright

Visual Effects Supervisor: Marza Animation -
David Nelson

Visual Effects Producer - Denise Davis

Animation Supervisor: MPC - Clement Yip

Visualisation Supervisor - Scott Meadows

Editors - Debra Neil-Fisher and
Stacey Schroeder

Supervising Sound Editors/Sound Designers -

Ethan Van Der Ryn and Erik Aadahl

Sound Designer - Tim Walston

Additional Sound Designers - Brandon Jones,

Matt Cavanaugh, Chris Diebold, John Marquis,

Jason W. Jennings and Goeun Lee

Production Sound Mixer - David Husby

Re-Recording Mixers - Anna Behlmer and

Mark Paterson

Foley Artists - Alicia Stevenson and

Dawn Lunsford

Music - Tom Holkenborg

Review

Remember what I said in my review of Wreck-It Ralph about wishing for a movie adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog? It has finally come true, but not the way you would expect. I've already reviewed one film based on the video game character that happened to be a two-episode anime miniseries. I was sceptical about the new SONIC THE HEDGEHOG movie, which I thought would not work in live-action. I looked at the teaser featuring an unsettling CGI design of Sonic, which was too bizarrely realistic, and many other fans agreed. Fortunately, the films responded to their criticism and redesigned the character, and fans were much happier with his new design.

An energetic and (no pun intended) fast-paced movie has perfectly brought the character to life on the big screen. Unlike several video game movies, except for a few like Detective Pikachu, this movie does justice to the source material. One drawback of SONIC is the simplistic and predictable storyline, which feels like a cut-and-paste from other live-action cartoon adaptations.

Besides the redesign of Sonic, the best aspect of this movie was Jim Carrey's performance as Dr. Robotnik (also known as Dr. Eggman). Carrey was back in over-the-top comedic form as the evil genius. It reminded me of his early roles when he had the frantic energy to do so. Ben Schwartz was funny as the voice of the titular protagonist. He played well against James Marsden's straight-arrow performance as Tom, which held the otherwise chaotic film together.

You should go and see SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. Some fans may not like it, but that shouldn't stop the rest of you from watching it. For this, it is a good video game movie.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Goonies Review

The Goonies

Release Date: 12th December 1985 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Amblin Entertainment

Distribution
Roadshow Films

Genre: Family/Adventure

Rating: PG

Runtime: 114 minutes


Budget: $19,000,000

Box Office Gross: $69,649,283 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Threatened by the development plans, which would tear down their neighbourhood and replace it with a golf course, a group of young misfits called The Goonies stumbled upon an ancient map leading to an old pirate's treasure that would save their homes from being torn down. They set out on an adventure to look for treasure and encounter obstacles. They must find it before a family of criminals can get their hands on the doubloons.

Cast

Sean Astin - Mikey

Josh Brolin - Brand

Jeff Cohen - Chunk

Corey Feldman - Mouth

Kerri Green - Andy

Martha Plimpton - Stef

Jonathan Ke Huy Quan - Data

John Matuszak - Sloth

Anne Ramsey - Mama Fratelli

Robert Davi - Jake

Joe Pantoliano - Francis

Lupe Ontiveros - Rosalita

Mary Ellen Trainor - Mrs. Walsh

Keith Walker - Mr. Walsh

Curt Hanson - Mr. Perkins

Steve Antin - Troy
Paul Tuerpe - Sheriff
Bill Bradley - Bill
Michael Paul Chan - Data's Father
Charles McDaniel - Chunk's Father
Elaine Cohen McMahon - Chunk's Mother
Nick McLean - Mouth's Father (Cameo)
Richard Donner - Policeman (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Cyndi Lauper - Herself (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Producer/Director - Richard Donner

Story/Executive Producer/Second Unit Director/
Film Editor (Uncredited) - Steven Spielberg

Screenplay - Chris Columbus
Executive Producers - Frank Marshall
and Kathleen Kennedy
Producer - Harvey Bernhard
Casting Directors - Jane Feinberg,
Mike Fenton and Judy Taylor
Production Designer - J. Michael Riva
Art Director - Rick Carter

Assistant Art Directors - Joseph C. Nemec III

and Dale Allen Pelton
Set Decorator - Linda DeScenna

Property Master - Erik L. Nelson
Costume Designer - Richard LaMotte
Makeup Creator: Sloth - Craig Reardon
Makeup Creators/Executors: Sloth -

Ellis Burman Jr., Thomas R. Burman and

Bari Dreiband-Burman

Director of Photography - Nick McLean

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Robert M. Stevens

Camera Operator - Michael D. O'Shea
Stunt Coordinator - George Robotham
Special Effects Coordinator - Matt Sweeney
Visual Effects Supervisor - Michael J. Allister
Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Dave Carson

Assistant Cameramen: ILM - Martin Rosenberg

and Bess Wiley
Chief Model Maker: ILM - Bill George

Matte Camera Supervisor: ILM - Craig Barron

Film Editor - Michael Kahn

Supervising Sound Editor - Richard L. Anderson

Production Sound Mixer - Willie D. Burton

Re-Recording Mixers - B. Tennyson Sebastian II,

Robert Thirlwell and Bill Varney
Music Score - Dave Grusin

Review

I remembered seeing THE GOONIES a long time ago. It's incredible how well the film has aged 35 years. It took me a long time to re-watch this nostalgic family adventure that I grew up with and has cemented itself as an all-time classic.

THE GOONIES is not your typical childhood movie. It is an entertaining thrill ride that's good enough to excite anyone. While other films from this era don't have the contemporary appeal of THE GOONIES, it attracted a new generation of youngsters who had never seen the movie. It also inspired Super 8, Stranger Things, and many other works in the last thirty years. Featuring the combined creative forces of director Richard Donner, writer Chris Columbus, and collaborator Steven Spielberg, they've created something that could be considered one of the best family movies for young and old viewers.

It was a launching pad for a few young actors, such as Sean Astin and Josh Brolin, who went on to have successful careers in the entertainment business as adults. Particularly, Brolin, who is an integral part of the MCU, is playing Thanos. Despite the actors being so young, several of these players did a fantastic job and gave performances of a lifetime. These standouts include Astin, Brolin, Corey Feldman, and Jeff Cohen. The adult actors, including Anne Ramsey, Robert Davi, and Joe Pantoliano, have acted very well against the child stars.

I would give THE GOONIES a 10 out of 10 for the best movie. In recommendation, it's a must-see film for everyone.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Birds of Prey Review

Birds of Prey

Release Date: 6th February 2020 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

DC Entertainment

Clubhouse Pictures
Kroll & Co. Entertainment
LuckyChap Entertainment

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Action

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable for Young Children)

Runtime: 109 minutes

Budget: $100,000,000

Box Office Gross: $205,522,941 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Harley Quinn's break-up with the Joker has a price on her head. She must protect a young girl from a crime lord, Black Mask, who is after her, and his henchman, Victor Zsasz. She finds herself allied with three women with different goals to stop the crime boss from killing the child.

Cast

Margot Robbie - Harley Quinn

Rosie Perez - Renee Montoya

Mary Elizabeth Winstead - Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress

Jurnee Smollett-Bell - Dinah Lance/Black Canary

Ewan McGregor - Roman Sionis

Ella Jay Basco - Cassandra Cain

Chris Messina - Victor Zsasz

Ali Wong - Ellen Yee

Daniel Beinhardt - Sioins' Chauffeur

Derek Wilson - Tim Evans

Joe Bucaro III - Carlos Rossi

François Chau - Mr. Keo

Miyuki Matsunaga - Mrs. Keo

Anna Mikami - Miss Keo (16 years)

Bruno Olivier - Bodega Cook (Sal)

Matthew Willig - Happy

Michael Masini - Officer Drago

Steven Williams - Captain Patrick Erickson

Charlene Amola - Maria Bertinelli

Ella Mika - Young Helena

Robert Catrini - Stefani Galante

K.K. Barrett - Dr. Aguilar

Dana Lee - Doc

Bojana Novakovic - Erika

Paul Lisa - Helena's Father

Crew

Director - Cathy Yan

Writer/Co-Producer - Christina Hodson

Harley Quinn Creators - Paul Dini and Bruce Timm

Executive Producers - David Ayer,

Walter Hamada, Geoff Johns,

Hans Ritter and Galen Vaisman

Producers - Sue Kroll, Margot Robbie

and Bryan Unkeless

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director - Donald Sparks
Production Designer - K.K. Barrett
Supervising Art Director - Kasra Farahani

Set Designers - Luis G. Hoyos

and Rich Romig
Set Decorator - Florencia Martin

Property Master: Additional Photography -

Guillaume DeLouche
Costume Designer - Erin Bernach
Director of Photography - Matthew Libatique

"A" Camera/Steadicam Operator - P. Scott Sakamoto

Location Manager - Ilt Jones

First Assistant Directors: Second Unit -

Dieter Busch and Jayson Merrill
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Jonathan Eusebio

Stunt Coordinators - Jon Valera,

Rockey Dickey Jr. and Scott Rogers

Picture Car Coordinator - Dennis McCarthy

Special Effects Supervisor - Matt Hawker

Special Effects Coordinator - Andrew Weder

Visual Effects Supervisor - Greg Steele

Visual Effects Producer - Annemarie Griggs

Visual Effects Producers: Method Studios -

Julie M. Osborn and Georgina Street

Editors - Jay Cassidy and Evan Schiff

Additional Editor - Matt Evens

Supervising Sound Editors - Katy Wood

and Alan Robert Murray

Production Sound Mixer - Steven Morrow

Re-Recording Mixers - Onnalee Blank

and Brandon Proctor
Music - Daniel Pemberton

Music Supervisors - Season Kent

and Gabe Hilfer

Review

I didn't know about the Birds of Prey comic when I first heard about the movie. When walking to the cinema, I had no idea what to make of it. After Margot Robbie was praised for her scene-stealing performance as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, her character was so popular that she reprised her role in the follow-up, BIRDS OF PREY. While regarded as a typical DC movie with nothing else added, it doesn't keep BIRDS OF PREY from being ultra-violent and over-the-top.

The film was something of a cash-grab to profit off Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, but it had clever action sequences and colourful humour, which are its highlights. On the negative, the plot is scattershot. The narrative feels disjointed, with less depth and focus on characters that need development. Alongside Margot Robbie's performance, Ewan McGregor creates an impression of a bad guy from roles as a Jedi Knight and other good characters, resulting in Black Mask showing true colours.

While campy, fun, and all-too-feminine, BIRDS OF PREY is an above-average DC flick that is playful but comes across as a missed opportunity and could have been better.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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