Ernest Goes to Jail Review

Ernest Goes to Jail


Release Date: 6th April 1990 - USA


Production Companies
Touchstone Pictures (presents)

Emshell Producers

Silver Screen Partners IV (in

association with)

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 81 minutes


Budget: $9,000,000

Box Office Gross: $25,029,569 (USA)


Plot Summary
Bumbling bank janitor
Ernest P. Worrell is serving
on jury duty when, thanks
to a crooked lawyer, he
is now a dead ringer for
a crime boss, Felix Nash
and ends up taking his
place on death row while
Nash assumes his job
at the bank, scheming
up a way to rob it. Will

Ernest have to escape

prison, foil his evil

doppelgänger's attempt

to raid the bank and

rescue his favourite

teller, Charlotte?


Cast
Jim Varney - Ernest P.

Worrell/Mr. Nash/Auntie Nelda

Gailard Sartain - Chuck
Bill Byrge - Bobby
Barbara Tyson - Charlotte Sparrow
Barry Scott - Rubin Bartlett
Randall "Tex" Cobb - Lyle
Dan Leegant - Oscar Pendlesmythe
Charles Napier - Warden

Jackie Welch - Judge

Melanie Wheeler - Prosecutor

Jeffrey Buckner Ford - Defense Attorney
Jim Conrad - Eddie
Emily Corbishdale - Betty McGee
Andy Stahl - Jerry

Bob Babbitt - Washing Con
Myke R. Mueller - Vinnie
Barkley - Rimshot

Crew
Director - John Cherry III
Writer - Charlie Cohen
Executive Producer - Martin Erlichman
Producer - Stacy Williams
Co-Producer - Coke Sams

Dog Trainers - Christie Miele

and Doree Sitterly
Production Designer - Chris August

Art Director - Mark Ragland

Set Decorator - Connie Gray
Costume Designer - Shawn Barry
Director of Photography - Peter Stein

First Assistant Director - Patrice Leung

Second Assistant Director - Douglas A. Raine

Second Second Assistant Director -

Marcei A. Brown

Second Unit Director - J. Clarke Gallivan

Stunt Coordinator - Chuck Waters

Special Effects Coordinator - William H. Schirmer
Visual Effects Supervisor - Tim McHugh
Film Editors - Sharyn L. Ross

and Farrell Levy

Sound Supervisor - Patrick Dodd

Sound Designers - Robert Shoup and

Donny Blank

Supervising Re-Recording Mixer - Mark Berger

Re-Recording Mixers - Danny Kopelson

and Dale Strumpell

Temp Mix Supervisor - Mark Levinson

Music - Bruce Arnston and
Kirby Shelstad


Review
Of all the Ernest movies I have watched, ERNEST GOES TO JAIL is the only one I have not seen. I heard that it was Jim Varney's best film that he had ever done. Now, let's mention the details. The first is that the plot is quite clever and comical. The slapstick humour is appropriated and applied to good use but gets a bit cartoonish in a few scenes. I am surprised that Varney played a character other than Ernest; he is also an evil impostor. I have never seen a comedian do that when he could perform in a dual role. I liked the part where Ernest said an Elvis joke after he saw what happened to his room.

ERNEST GOES TO JAIL is undoubtedly funny and not pointless, and I always thought that Ernest Goes to Africa was the greatest. This film is much better than I anticipated, and this could be the second-best movie of the Ernest trilogy.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Star Kid Review

Star Kid


Release Date: 16th January 1998 - USA


Production Companies
Trimark Pictures
Manny Coto Productions


Genre: Family/Sci-Fi

Rating: G

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $7,803,272 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Spencer Griffith is a young boy picked on by other kids. One day, his life will change when a meteor lands in a junkyard, and he discovers a "Cyborsuit", a living exoskeleton that arrived from a distant galaxy. Spencer wears the Cyborsuit and becomes a different person.


Cast
Joseph Mazzello - Spencer Griffith
Arthur Burghardt - Cyborsuit (Voice)
Alex Daniels - Cyborsuit
Richard Gilliand - Roland Griffith
Joey Simmrin - Manfred "Turbo" Bruntley
Brian Simpson - The Broodwarrior
Ashlee Levtich - Stacey Griffith
Lauren Eckstorm - Michelle Ebhardt

Christine Weatherup - Nadia

Yumi Adachi - Mika

Jack McGee - Hank Bruntley

Danny Masterson - Kevin

Bobby Porter - Nath the Trelkin

Larry Nicholas - Tenris De-Thar the Trelkin

Crew
Writer/Director - Manny Coto

Script Supervisor - Jayne Ann-Tenggren

Executive Producer - Mark Amin

Co-Executive Producer - Andrew Hersh
Producer - Jennie Lew Tugend
Co-Producers - Jonathon Komack Martin and Cami Winikoff

Casting Director - Judy Taylor
Production Designer - C.J. Strawn

Art Director - Michael D. Welch

Set Decorator - Irina Rivera
Costume Designer - Ileane Meltzer
Special Makeup Effects Designers

and Creators - Thomas R. Burman

and Bari Dreiband-Burman

Director of Photography - Rohn Schmidt

Stunt Coordinator - Gary Paul

Special Effects Supervisor - Lou Carlucci

Creature Animatronics Creators: Criswell

Productions - John Criswell,

John "Fraz" Frassfand and Ruben Miras

Creature Animatronics Creators: Criswell

Productions/Puppeteers - Chris Stacy,

Larry Finch, George Nigel Smith,

Patrick M. Gerrety and Nir Dary
Creature Designer/Supervisor of Velert

and Tracker Characters - Dan Rebert (Uncredited)

Visual Effects Supervisor - Thomas C. Rainone

Director of Photography: Miniature/Additional

Plate Photography - Christopher Warren

Camera: Miniature/Additional Plate Photography -

Gene Warren III

Effects Supervisor/Animation: ComputerCafe -

Tommy Williamson
Film Editor - Bob Ducsay

Supervising Sound Editor - Dave McNoyler

Additional Sound Supervisor - Glenn T. Morgan

Sound Effects Editors - Gregory Hainer,

Bryan Bowan, Michael A. Reagan and

Jon Title

Re-Recording Mixers - John Boyd,

Ezra Dweck, Robert W. Glass Jr. and

Dan Wallin

Additional Re-Recording Mixers - Gary Gegan

and Matthew Iadarola
Music - Nicholas Pike

Orchestra Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Review
It is another one of those rare and lost childhood films forgotten. STAR KID is, for sure, a family film with a brilliant concept and a lot of comedic value. The plot wasn't as good as I'd been expecting. For example, some aspects of STAR KID appeared to have been taken from The NeverEnding Story because both share the same plot scenario. A young lead hero whose mum is dead, his dad is a workaholic and was picked on by bullies. It still has traces of originality left in the feature. Joseph Mazzello does a decent job as Spencer, and some noticeable CGI effects were in a few scenes. As I previously stated, the concept has brilliance but gets lost in its execution.

Although STAR KID wasn't exactly an exciting and imaginative all-ready movie, it's hardly forgettable. A low budget doesn't mean low value. While it's a family film, children may find the aliens frightening.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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GoldenEye Review

GoldenEye


Release Date: 26th December 1995 - Australia


Production Companies
Eon Productions (made by)
United Artists


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 124 minutes


Budget: $60,000,000

Box Office Gross: $352,194,034 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

When a powerful satellite weapon system called "GoldenEye" gets stolen, only Agent James Bond 007 can stop those responsible. Sent to Russia to find the space weapon that fell into

the wrong hands, Bond

must investigate the

identity of a syndicate,

Janus, who stole it from

a Russian research

facility after an accident.

Meanwhile, Bond must

confront a sexy but

deadly female assassin.

And the renegade Russian

General Ourumov. Both

happened to be working

for Janus. But when

James discovers that the

mastermind behind this

evil plot and syndicate is

an old friend who is now

his worst enemy and

knows every move from

the intrepid spy.


Cast
Pierce Brosnan - James Bond
Sean Bean - Alec Trevelyan
Izabella Scorupco - Natalya
Simonova
Judi Dench - M
Desmond Llewellyn - Q
Famke Janssen - Xenia
Onatopp
Alan Cumming - Boris
Grishenko

Joe Don Baker - Jack Wade
Robbie Coltrane - Valentin
Zukovsky
Tcheky Karyo - Dimitri
Mishkin
Gottfried John - General
Ourumov
Samantha Bond - Miss
Moneypenny
Michael Kitchen - Bill Tanner
Serena Gordon - Caroline
Simon Dunz - Severnaya
Duty Officer

Pavel Douglas - French

Warship Captain

Olivier Lajous - French

Warship Officer

Billy J. Mitchell - Admiral Chuck Farrell
Constantine Gregory - Computer Store Manager

Minnie Driver - Irina
Michelle Arthur - Anna

Ravil Isyanov - MIG Pilot

Vladimir Milanovich - Croupier

Trevor Byfield - Train Driver
Peter Majer - Valentin's Bodyguard

Michael G. Wilson - Russian Security Council

Member (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Martin Campbell - Cyclist (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Martin Campbell
Based on Characters - Ian Fleming
Story - Michael France
Screenplay - Jeffrey Caine and
Bruce Fierstein

Script Supervisor - June Randall
Associate Producer - Anthony Waye
Executive Producer - Tom Pevsner

Consulting Producer - Albert R. Broccoli (Uncredited)
Producers - Michael G. Wilson
and Barbara Broccoli
Casting Director - Debbie McWilliams

Dialogue Coach - Andrew Jack
Production Designer - Peter Lamont
Supervising Art Director - Neil Lamont

Art Directors - Andrew Ackland-Snow,
Kathrin Bunner and Charles Dwight Lee

Assistant Art Directors - Michael Boone,

Steven Lawrence and James Hambidge (Uncredited)

Storyboard Artists - Martin Asbury

and Syd Cain

Construction Coordinator - Tony Graysmark

Production Buyer - Ron Quelch

Set Decorator - Michael Ford

Property Master - Barry Wilkinson

Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

Hairdressing Supervisor - Colin Jamison
Director of Photography - Phil Meheux

Second Unit Cameraman - Harvey Harrison

Camera Operator (Uncredited)/Model

Unit Camera Operator - David Worley

Production Manager - Philip Kohler

Unit Production Manager - Callum McDougall

Assistant Director - Gerry Gavigan

Assistant Director: Second Unit - Terry Madden
Second Unit Director - Ian Sharp
Additional Unit Director/Photographer -

Arthur Wooster
Stunt Coordinator - Simon Crane
Parachute Coordinator - B.J. Worth

Action Helicopters - David Paris and

Peter Flynn

Aviation Advisor - Mike Woodley

Car Chase Stunts - Remy Julienne
Special Effects Supervisor - Chris Corbould

Special Effects Floor Supervisors -

Steve Hamilton and Andy Williams

Visual Effects Coordinator - Mara Bryan
Miniature Effects Supervisor - Derek Meddings
Modeller Head of Department - Brian Smithies

Art Director: Model Unit - Michael Lamont
Visual Effects Photographer - Paul Wilson

Model Unit Camera Operator - John Morgan

Editor - Terry Rawlings

Supervising Sound Editor - Jim Shields

Sound Re-Recording Mixers - Michael Carter,

Graham V. Hartstone and John Hayward
Title Designer: Main Titles - Daniel Kleinman

Unit Publicist - Geoff Freeman
Composer: James Bond Theme - Monty Norman
Music/Writer/Performer: "The Experience of

Love" - Eric Serra

Performer: "Goldeneye" - Tina Turner
Writers/Executive Producers: "Goldeneye" -

Bono and The Edge

Music Editor - Robert Hathaway


Review

In 1995, after six years without a Bond film, James Bond was re-introduced to a new generation of fans. Audiences saw him again on the big screen for the first time. GOLDENEYE relaunches the franchise into the modern era and completely re-evaluates its status. Martin Campbell's direction defines the movie as a combination of explosive action and thrills with a bit of humour. The plot is highly intricate, and the characters are remarkable.

Pierce Brosnan not only got a fresh start in portraying the secret agent but also gives charm and dashing looks to the main character without giving him a comedic or darker attitude, and shows an emotional side of Bond that we never see in the originals. The acting performances (aside from Brosnan) are sublime, like Sean Bean playing the traitorous ex-agent, who is also Bond's former friend and archnemesis. Famke Janssen portrays the femme fatale, and last but not least, let's not forget Judi Dench for the first time in her role as Bond's superior, M.

The visuals are impressive. Tina Turner gives an incredible vocal performance for the theme song that catches up to Shirley Bassey's old Bond themes. The highlighted scenes include the opening sequence and the tank chase.

GOLDENEYE is the only Bond feature with Brosnan in the lead that's shaken, not stirred. It is the best of his four Bond movies and one of my favourites in the series. In a capacity, it does show the audience how explosive and tight action exploits people into becoming the Bond fans of the 90s. I highly recommend it.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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The Phantom Review

The Phantom


Release Date: 26th September 1996 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)

The Ladd Company (in association with)

Boam Productions (in association with)

Robert Evans Company

Village Roadshow Pictures

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes


Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: $23,523,326 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Believed to be immortal by others as "The Ghost Who Walks" and having descended from a lineage of African superheroes, The Phantom must travel to New York City to stop an evil businessman from obtaining three mystical skulls that would give him the secret to ultimate power.


Cast
Billy Zane - Kit Walker/The
Phantom
Treat Williams - Xander Drax
Kristy Swanson - Diana Palmer
Catherine Zeta-Jones - Sala
James Remar - Quill
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa - The
Great Kabai Sengh
Patrick McGoohan - Phantom's Dad
Bill Smitrovich - Uncle Dave Palmer
Casey Siemaszko - Morgan
David Proval - Charlie Zephro
Joseph Ragno - Ray Zephro
Samantha Eggar - Lily Palmer
Jon Tenney - Jimmy Wells
Robert Coleby - Capt. Phillip Horton
Al Ruscio - Police Commissioner Farley
Leon Rossum - Mayor Krebs
Bernard Kates - Falkmoore the Butler
John Capodice - Al the Cabby
Alan Zitner - Dr. Fleming
Dane Carson - Cpl. Weeks
Chatpong 'Jim' Petchlor - Zak
Dane Farwell - Breen
Jared Chandler - Styles
Radmar Agana Jao - Guran
Austin Peters - Boy Phantom

Crew
Director - Simon Wincer
Based on Characters - Lee Falk
Writer/Co-Producer - Jeffrey Boam
Executive Producers - Graham Burke,
Greg Coote, Joe Dante, Bruce Sherlock,
Peter Sjoquist and Richard Vane
Producers - Robert Evans and
Alan Ladd, Jr.
Casting - Deborah Aquila and

Jane Shannon Smith

Animal Coordinator/Stunts - Mark Harden

Wild Animal Trainer - Jules Sylvester

Production Designer - Paul Peters

Supervising Art Director - Lisette Thomas
Supervising Art Director: Los Angeles Unit -

Richard Holland

Set Decorator - Amy Wells

Property Master - William A. Petrotta
Costume Designer - Marlene Stewart

Costume Supervisors - Bruce R. Hogard

and Lisa Lovaas

Director of Photography - David Burr

Camera Operator: Los Angeles Unit/Director of

Photography: Second Unit - Conrad W. Hall

Camera Operator - Louis Irving

"B" Camera Operator: Second Unit - Brian J. Breheny

"B" Camera/Steadicam Operators - Brad Shield

and Paul Taylor

Unit Production Manager: Los Angeles Unit -

Pat Kehoe

First Assistant Director - Robert J. Donaldson

First Assistant Director: Los Angeles Unit -

Nilo Otero

Second Assistant Director - Simon Warnock
Second Unit Director - Vic Armstrong

Aerial Coordinator/Helicopter Pilot -

Kevin LaRosa
Stunt Coordinator/Stunts - Billy Burton
Sword Master - Bob Anderson
Special Effects Coordinator - Alan E. Lorimer
Visual Effects Supervisor: Buena Vista Visual

Effects - Wally Schaab
Visual Effects Consultant: Buena Vista Visual

Effects - Michael Lessa
Editors - O. Nicholas Brown and

Bryan H. Carroll

Supervising Sound Editor - Tim Chau

Co-Supervising Sound Editors -

Cameron Frankley and Donald J. Malouf

Re-Recording Mixers - Robert J. Litt,

Elliot Tyson and Michael Herbick

Music - David Newman


Review
The original superhero predates Superman and Batman and appears in newspaper strips and comic books. The film adaptation of THE PHANTOM is respectful enough to follow the spirit of Lee Falk's creation and shows its loyalty. A few missteps have prevented the 1996 movie from making it to my top superhero features. I hate to be harsh on this movie, but let's talk about the complaints. For example, the opening was too short and felt like an intro to an action television serial and cartoon. The story is too simplistic. There is little romance and character development in the film.

A few of the film's flaws hurt a little, but on the positive side, the action scenes are remarkable, and the cast is good and chosen like Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Patrick McGoohan and James Remar. The two actors stand out in their roles, including Treat Williams, who plays Xander as a campy yet threatening archenemy to the Phantom, and Billy Zane has a good performance as the title character. There's a little-known fact that director James Cameron chose Zane in Titanic because he loved him for his acting in THE PHANTOM.

It isn't the picture that was said to be thrilling, as I thought when watching it long ago on VHS. Some people didn't like the film because of its comparison to the more worthy and acclaimed Indiana Jones series. THE PHANTOM is an old-fashioned and underrated movie that's fun and overtaking. It is for anyone with knowledge and experience of the comic series. It could be the only tribute to the classic superhero.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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In Memory of Roger Ebert (1942-2013)

Roger Ebert (1942-2013)

Moviegoers and fellow critics, it is a sad day that has come to this. Eight weeks ago, the legendary Roger Ebert was one of the two men responsible for making the Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down phrase. The inaugural winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, an honorary award only given to newspaper writers and critics for the Chicago Sun-Times for print and online, whose life had now ended at age 70 on April 4th, 2013.

His career as a film critic began in 1967 when he started writing for Chicago Sun-Times. In 1975, Ebert was the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize Award. That same year, he began hosting a TV show called "Sneak Previews" with Gene Siskel as co-reviewer/co-host of the program. For many years, the pair of them became partners. As the years went on, the two began to have two "At the Movies" shows on two different networks and made appearances, including doing guest star voices on an episode of an animated prime-time show, "The Critic".

In 1999, when Siskel unexpectedly passed away, the producers renamed the show "Roger Ebert & The Movies". Substitute co-hosts took Siskel's place until the following year when a columnist of the same newspaper organisation Ebert worked for, Richard Roeper, was assigned as his permanent co-host. The show was upgraded with a new title, "At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper", and they continued to criticise or review features until 2008. Unfortunately, Roger Ebert's health issues have taken a toll on his physical health and in 2006, he underwent surgery that removed his jaw, which cost him his ability to speak. It didn't affect his reviewing and returns to Chicago Sun-Times in 2007, where he continued to do the rest of his life and then on Twitter, where he became a presence.

The revelation of his success in reviewing comes from his love or extensive knowledge of them. He is not just an ultimate movie lover but an intelligent critic. And for his work, fans would genuinely express their love for him. I confess that Roger Ebert was not my inspiration, but the fictional character of "The Critic", Jay Sherman, was the one that got me into that. Here are a few clips of Ebert and the movies he reviewed with Siskel and Roeper at his side. I concur that two that might be positive are "Return of the Jedi" and "The Lion King", and the other is negative.

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Monty Python and the Holy Grail Review

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Release Date: 14th August 1974 – Australia

Production Companies

Michael White Productions (in association with)

National Film Trustee Company

Python (Monty) Pictures (presents)

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 91 minutes


Budget: £400,000

Box Office Gross: $5,627,311 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
History is turned upside down for King Arthur and his faithful knights in the tenth century in England. They embark on a strange quest to search for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they encounter many silly obstacles in their journey.

Cast

Graham Chapman – King
Arthur/Voice of God/Middle

Head/Hiccoughing Guard

John Cleese – Second

Swallow-Savvy Guard/The

Black Knight/Peasant #3/

Sir Launcelot the Brave/

Knight of Camelot/Taunting

French Guard/Tim the Enchanter

Terry Gilliam – Patsy/Green

Knight/Knight of Camelot/

Old Man from Scene 24

(Bridgekeeper)/Sir Bors/

Animator/Gorilla Hand

Eric Idle – Dead Collector/

Peasant 1/Sir Robin the Not-

Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir

Launcelot/Knight of Camelot/

First Swamp Castle Guard/

Concorde/Roger the Shrubber/Brother Maynard

Terry Jones – Dennis's

Mother/Sir Bedevere/Knight

of Camelot/Left Head/Prince

Herbert/Voice of Cartoon Scribe

Michael Palin – First Swallow-

Savvy Guard/Dennis/Peasant

#2/Right Head/Sir Galahad the

Pure/Knight of Camelot/Narrator (Voice)/

King of Swamp Castle/Brother Maynard's

Brother/Leader of The Knights Who Say NI!

Neil Innes – First Monk/Singing Minstrel/

Page Crushed by the Rabbit/Peasant #4

Bee Duffell – Old Crone

Connie Booth – The Witch

Carol Cleveland – Zoot/Dinbo

John Young – Dead Body/Historian Frank

Rita Davies – Historian's Wife

Avril Stewart – Dr. Piglet

Sally Kinghorn – Dr. Winston

Sandy Johnson – Knight of Ni/Villager at

Witch Burning/Musician at Wedding/

Monk/Knight in Battle

Julian Doyle – Sergeant (Uncredited)

Crew

Writer/Director/Animator

(Uncredited)/Storyboard Artist (Uncredited) –

Terry Gilliam

Writer/Director – Terry Jones

Writers – Graham Chapman,
John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin

Executive Producer – John Goldstone

Producers – Mark Forstater and Michael White

Production Designer – Roy Forge Smith

Costume Designer – Hazel Pethig

Lighting Cameraman – Terry Bedford

Camera Operator – Howard Atherton

Camera Operator: Rostrum Camera –

Kent Houston

Assistant Camera – Roger Pratt

Production Manager/Special Effects

Photography – Julian Doyle

Choreographer – Leo Kharibian

Fight Director/Period Consultant – John Waller

Special Effects – John Horton

Film Editor – John Hackney

Assistant Editors – Campbell Askew,

Nicolas Gaster, Danielle Kochavi, John Mister

and Brian Peachey

Sound Effects – Ian Crafford

Sound Mixer – Hugh Strain

Music/Songs – Neil Innes

Review

Many years ago, when I didn't know about the show Monty Python and the Flying Circus, I began watching THE HOLY GRAIL as I came across it at a young age, which introduced me to the comedy troupe with their brand of witty humour and surrealism. It was before the film was re-packaged on DVD. I had doubts about its conclusion because it didn't meet my expectations. As I grew older, my opinion of the film changed when I started to get used to the Python lore. I re-watched the film and began to enjoy it as a fitting gesture to Monty Python, given the style of their humour. While outrageously funny, THE HOLY GRAIL is, in a literal sense, a holy grail of comedy and the Python movies. The ending was funny because there was no money in its meagre-sized budget for the battle, making it a literal cop-out. It's also the reason why the knights used coconuts instead of horses.

The main cast from the Python troupe, such as Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, is excellent. There are plenty of amusing moments in the movie. These standout scenes include the musical number "Knights of the Round Table". And my favourite (that you never want to let your kids watch) is the vicious Killer Rabbit scene.

THE HOLY GRAIL is a movie so beloved for its hilarity that it is a classic for the Monty Python fan base. You might like watching this old flick yourself.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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In Memory of Richard Griffiths (1948-2013)

Richard Griffiths (1948-2013)


Last month, English actor Richard Griffiths, known for portraying Harry's terrible uncle Vernon Dursley in the "Harry Potter" film series, passed away at age 65 on March 28th, 2013, after experiencing problems with heart surgery.

Beginning about in the 70s, Richard earned a top spot at BBC Radio and then worked in small theatres, some acting roles and some managing. His early reputation started as Shakespearean comic reliefs in plays like "The Comedy of Errors" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor" from the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he went to play the King in Henry VIII. Richard eventually moved to Manchester and began to play lead roles in theatre productions. He entered to appear in television and debuted in film in "It Should Happen to a Vet". Then, in the early 80s, he starred in a television serial show for the BBC called "Bird of Prey" and again in 1984 in its sequel. Landing in supporting roles that Richard does appear in throughout his movie career is "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Chariots of Fire", "Gandhi", "Gorky Park", "Withnail and I", "King Ralph", and a whole slew.

In 2001, he took on the role of Vernon in the "Harry Potter" features, appearing in all five of them. With his Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe, they appeared together in the stage revival of "Equus". In 2009, Griffiths took over the part of W.H. Auden, previously intended for Michael Gambon in "The Habit of Art" before it premiered at the National Theatre. Griffiths also has played in adaptations of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", especially playing the Vogon Jeltz in the 2005 theatrical version. In 2006, he was at Teesside University, receiving an honorary degree, and in the 2008 New Year Honours, he was first appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

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A Good Day to Die Hard Review (April Fools 2013) (Updated)

A Good Day to Die Hard


Release Date: 21st March 2013 - Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox
TSG Entertainment (in association with)
Giant Pictures
Dune Entertainment (made in
association with)
Ingenious Media (produced in
association with)

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 98 minutes


Budget: $92,000,000

Box Office Gross: $304,654,182
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
John McClane travels to
Russia to help out his
seemingly wayward son,
Jack, only to discover
that Jack is a CIA
operative working to
prevent a nuclear-
weapons heist.


Cast
Bruce Willis - John McClane
Jai Courtney - Jack McClane
Sebastian Koch - Yuri
Komarov
Mary Elizabeth Winstead -
Lucy McClane
Yulia Snigir - Irina
Radivoje Bukvic - Alik
Cole Hauser - Mike Collins
Amaury Nolasco - Murphy
Sergey Kolesnikov - Chagarin
Roman Luknar - Anton
Melissa Tang - Lucas
Catherine Kresge - Neiderbrook
April Grace - Sue Easton
Edit Balazsovits - Masseuse
Scott Michael Campbell - Campbell
Aldis Hodge - Foxy
Joe Massingill - Pac-Man
Jesse Burch - Smoker
Justin Smith - Meyers
Martin Hindy - Mako

Crew
Director - John Moore
Based on Characters - Roderick Thorp
Writer - Skip Thorn
Executive Producers - Tom Karnowski,
Jason Keller & Skip Woods
Producers - Wyck Godfrey
& Alex Young
Co-Producers - Stephen J. Eads,
Peter Veverka & David Willis
Casting Directors - Deborah Aquila,
Zsolt Csutak & Tricia Wood
Production Designer - Daniel T. Dorrance
Costume Designer - Bojana Nikitovic
Director of Photography - Jonathan Sela
Director of Photography: Second Unit/
Second Unit Director - Jonathan Taylor
Stunt Coordinator - Steve M. Davison
Special Effects Supervisor/Coordinator - Gerd Nefzer
Special Effects Supervisor: Second Unit - Uli Nefzer
Visual Effects Supervisors - Everett Burrell,
Randy Goux & Viktor Miller
Visual Effects Supervisor: FactoryVFX - Eric D. Christensen
& Radley Teruel
Visual Effects Coordinator - Vanessa Joyce
Visual Effects Consultant - Bill Westenhofer
Film Editor - Dan Zimmerman
Music - Marco Beltrami


Review
Remember on my 'E.T.' review that I was planning to do a new review post of 'The Return of the King' but tricked you all, April Fools! And I know that it's more funny than the last joke about Jon Favreau directing a new 'Thunderbirds' film. This day, it isn't a review for the best 'Lord of the Rings' film, it's instead about the fifth recent 'Die Hard' instalment.

I know confused is a word I throw around a lot, but there a few movies with plots that are confusing as the plot of 'A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD'. This is one of the reasons why critics became disinterested with this action film cause there are so many pointless plot twists such as the revelation of the real villain in the story. The shooting and explosions in the action sequences are spectacular and still stellar to fit this sequel, and although the father-son teaming up seemed like an interesting plot device but I feel it was poorly executed in this movie.

Overall, this sequel is a real average blockbuster and I wasn't keen on watching 'A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD' but in the end, I ended up seeing the entire film out of loyalty to the series. I just wish this feature would have been better, it was left unmade.

Star rating: (3/5) Average

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Review

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial


Release Date: 26th November 1982 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Amblin Entertainment (Uncredited)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Family/Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 115 minutes
                 120 minutes
                 (extended)


Budget: $10,500,000

Box Office Gross: $792,910,554 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A young boy named Elliott discovers a stranded alien and must help the creature return to its homeworld while avoiding capture by government agents.


Cast
Henry Thomas - Elliott
Robert MacNaughton - Michael
Drew Barrymore - Gertie
Dee Wallace-Stone - Mary
Peter Coyote - Keys
Pat Welsh - E.T. (Voice) (Uncredited)
K.C. Martel - Greg
Sean Frye - Steve
C. Thomas Howell - Tyler

Erika Eleniak - Pretty Girl

Michael Darrell - Van Man

Crew
Producer/Director - Steven Spielberg
Writer/Associate Producer - Melissa Mathison
Producer - Kathleen Kennedy

Casting Directors - Jane Feinberg,

Mike Fenton and Marci Liroff

E.T. Movement Coordinator - Caprice Rothe

Special E.T. Movement - Matthew De Meritt

Production Designer - Jim Bissell

Space Ship Design: ILM - Ralph McQuarrie

Special Artistic Consultant - Craig Reardon

Set Decorator - Jackie Carr

Director of Photography - Allen Daviau

Camera Operators - John J. Connor and

John Fleckenstein

Production Supervisor - Frank Marshall

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Stunts -

Glenn Randall Jr.

Creator: E.T. - Carlo Rambaldi
Special Effects Coordinator - Dale L. Martin

Additional Effects: E.T. - Robert Short
Visual Effects Supervisor - Dennis Muren
Visual Effects Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Bill George

Additional VFX Supervision: ILM (2002 Special

Version) - Tim Alexander

General Manager: ILM - Thomas G. Smith

Effects Cameraman: ILM - Michael J. McAlister

Effects Director of Photography (2002 Special

Version) - Martin Rosenberg

Camera Operators: ILM - Don Dow and

Robert Elswit

Supervising Stage Technician: ILM – Ted Moehnke

Stage Technicians: ILM – Dave Childers,

Harold Cole, Dick Dova, Bob Finley III,

Pat Fitzsimmons, Edward Hirsh, John McLeod,

Thaine Morris and Peter Stolz

Animation Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Colin Brady

CGI Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Patrick T. Myers

Chief Model Maker: ILM - Charles Bailey

Model Shop Supervisor: ILM - Lorne Peterson
Matte Painting Supervisor: ILM - Michael Pangrazio

Matte Photography: ILM - Neil Krepela

Matte Photography Assistant: ILM - Craig Barron

Optical Effects Coordinator - Mitch Suskin

Effects Editorial Supervisor: ILM - Conrad Buff IV

Editor - Carol Littleton

Supervising Sound Editor - Charles L. Campbell

Supervising Sound Editor (2002 Special

Version) - Richard LeGrand Jr.

Voice Designer: E.T. - Ben Burtt

Sound Editors - Samuel C. Crutcher,

Louis D. Edemann, Richard C. Franklin and

Don Pettijohn

Sound Mixer - Gene S. Cantamessa

Re-Recording Mixers - Don Digirolamo,

Robert Glass and Robert 

Re-Recording Mixers (2002 Special Version) -

Rick Kline, Andy Kohala, Shawn Murphy

and Jonathan Wales

Foley Artists - John Roesch and Joan Rowe

Music Editor (2002 Special Version) -

Kenneth Wannberg
Music - John Williams


Awards

1983 Academy Awards
Best Sound Effects - Robert Knudson,

Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo and

Gene S. Cantamessa (Won)

Best Visual Effects - Carlo Rambaldi,

Dennis Muren and Kenneth Smith (Won)

Best Sound Editing - Charles L. Campbell and

Ben Burtt (Won)
Best Original Score - John Williams (Won)
------------------------
Best Picture - Steven Spielberg and

Kathleen Kennedy (Nominated)

Best Director - Steven Spielberg (Nominated)
Best Cinematography - Allen Daviau (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Carol Littleton (Nominated)


Review

G'day, this is your favourite movie expert, Film Guru Lad. Here's a review of a movie that I just viewed. Aside from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park and Jaws, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is the most revered of all the features directed by Steven Spielberg. It is a powerful, fun, beautiful, heartfelt film that can make a grown man cry and let us rediscover the child within us all. Kids' movies like this no longer appeal to adult audiences, as nowadays, thanks to Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Smurfs, they are too cute, tolerable and overrated. I find them only enjoyable for youngsters. But with E.T., it is suitable for all ages, not just children. I can see why it was an overwhelmingly popular classic.

The cast was satisfactory in their roles, including young Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, who started careers as movie stars. The orchestral music score by John Williams is unforgettable. Williams rivals Beethoven as the greatest composer to have ever lived.

Previously, I said WALL-E was better than E.T. I find Spielberg's classic to be the second-best family sci-fi picture. Many other features have tried to imitate its conception, like Mac & Me, which I have never seen but didn't work or appeal to family audiences. Because of its simplistic storyline, terrific cast and enduring appeal to all ages, E.T. is a movie that cannot get criticised and never will.

If you enjoyed this film, I recommend you find another sci-fi movie, Super 8. It shares nearly all the same qualities as E.T. and would appeal to you. Next up tomorrow, I will review the final and third Lord of the Rings instalment, The Return of the King.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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