Ghostbusters (1984) Review

Ghostbusters

Release Date: 15th November 1984 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $296,578,797 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Three parapsychology doctors, Venkman, Stantz and Spengler, have been fired by the University after delving too many times into studying the occult. Intent on proving them wrong, they decided to go into their own business as investigators and exterminators called "Ghostbusters" that will catch any supernatural pests lurking in New York City for a price. As their business is booming, our heroes come face to face with an ancient demon named Gozer. Will the

Ghostbusters save Manhattan

from the evil entity, who

comes from an inter-

dimensional gateway with

sinister plans to raise any

unspeakable evil?

Cast

Bill Murray - Dr. Peter Venkman

Dan Aykroyd - Dr. Raymond Stantz

Harold Ramis - Dr. Egon Spengler

Ernie Hudson - Winston Zeddmore

Sigourney Weaver - Dana
Barrett

Rick Moranis - Louis Tully

Annie Potts - Janine Melintz
William Atherton - William Peck
Slavitza Jovan - Gozer

Paddi Edwards - Gozer

(Voice) Uncredited)

Ivan Reitman - Zuul/Slimer (Voice)
David Marguiles - Mayor
Steven Tash - Male Student
Jennifer Runyon - Female Student
Michael Ensign - Hotel Manager
Alice Drummond - Librarian
Jordan Charney - Dean Yeager
John Rothman - Library Administrator
Ruth Oliver - Library Ghost
Kymberly Herrin - Dream Ghost
Norman Matlock - Police Commissioner
Reginald VelJohnson - Jail Guard
Kathryn Janssen - Mrs. Van Hoffman
Roger Grimsby - Himself (Cameo)
Larry King - Himself (Cameo)
Joe Franklin - Himself (Cameo)
Casey Kasem - Himself (Voice) (Cameo)
Billy Bryan - Stay Puff Marshmallow Man
(Uncredited)
Mark Bryon Wilson - Slimer (Uncredited)
Eldo Ray Estes - Redheaded Man (Uncredited)

Crew

Producer/Director - Ivan Reitman

Writers - Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

and Rick Moranis (Uncredited)

Associate Producers - Michael C. Gross
and Joe Medjuck
Executive Producer - Bernie Brillstein

Casting Director - Karen Rea

Production Designer - John DeCuir

Creature Design Consultant/Animation

Supervisor: EEG - Terry Windell
Art Director - John DeCuir Jr.

Set Decorator - Marvin March

Costumes - Theoni V. Alderage

Director of Photography - László Kovács

Camera Operator - Robert M. Stevens

Unit Production Manager: New York -

Patrick McCormick

First Assistant Director - Gary Daigler

First Assistant Director: New York -

Peter Giuliano

Second Assistant Director - Katterli Frauenfelder

Special Effects Supervisor - Chuck Gaspar
Mechanical Effects Supervisor: EEG -

Thaine Morris

Visual Effects - Richard Edlund
Visual Effects Art Director: EEG - John Bruno
Head of Ghost Shop: EEG - Stuart Ziff

Ghost Shop Advisor: EEG - Jon Berg

Sculptor: Librarian/Onion Head, EEG -

Steve Johnson

Sculptors: Staypuft, EEG - Billy Bryan and

Linda Frobos

Model Shop Supervisor: EEG - Mark Stetson

Chief Cameraman: EEG - Bill Neil

Camera Operators: EEG - Jim Aupperle

and John Lambert

Assistant Cameramen: EEG - Clint Palmer,

Pete Romano and Jody Westheimer

Matte Department Supervisor: EEG - Neil Krepela

Chief Matte Artist: EEG - Matthew Yuricich

Matte Artists: EEG - Constantine Ganakes

and Michele Moen
Animation Supervisor: EEG - Garry Waller

Dimension Animation Effects: EEG -

Randall William Cook

Optical Supervisor: EEG - Mark Vargo

Visual Effects Editor: EEG - Conrad Buff IV

Film Editors - David E. Blewitt and Sheldon Kahn
Sound Designers - Richard Beggs

and Tom McCarthy Jr.

Production Sound Mixer - Gene S. Cantamessa

Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Alexander,

Les Fresholtz and Vern Poore
Writer/Performer: Song "Ghostbusters" -

Ray Parker Jr.

Music - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1985 Academy Awards
Best Visual Effects - Richard Edlund, John Bruno,
Mark Vargo and Chuck Gaspar (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Song "Ghostbusters" -
Ray Parker Jr. (Nominated)

Review

G'day filmgoers, here's a review of a movie that, believe it or not, is a supernatural comedy. Who you're going to call? Why it's GHOSTBUSTERS, and it's great that you're watching a movie about catching ghosts rather than seeing scary horror flicks in your home theatre. I re-watched this movie and understood the humour I hadn't laughed at since childhood. Like some of the old unforgettable comedies, it was timeless, with a few jokes that had become increasingly dated. Still, older viewers who have previously seen the original GHOSTBUSTERS will look at this farce with memories and laughter.

The original actors, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, were marvellously funny and memorable enough to have stand-out performances and publicity. Other actors like Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver were also terrific in their roles, and both characters get tangled in these superstitious events. Most of the effects held up as an achievement in this film. In noticeable ways, its stop-motion animation has now become outdated.

I conclude from this review that GHOSTBUSTERS was ghoulishly entertaining. I am not a big fan of it like my brother. It is an enjoyable feature as it has some frightening parts.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Godzilla (1998) Review

Godzilla


Release Date: 11th June 1998 - Australia


Production Companies
TriStar Pictures
Toho Film Co. Ltd
Fried Films
Centropolis Film Productions
Independent Pictures

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 139 minutes


Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $379,014,294 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

After the French had

tested their nuclear bombs

in the South Pacific, an

unknown creature was

spotted moving westward

through the Panama

Canal. The U.S.

government called in an

expert on the effects

of radiation on animals

to investigate the matter.

The scientist quickly

concludes that the

creature was a giant,

irradiated lizard created

by the explosions.

Godzilla(r) then makes

its way to New York City,

where he terrorises the

city by wreaking havoc,

and a massive battle with

the military begins. Will

this be enough to stop

the monster from causing

more rampage?

Cast
Matthew Broderick - Dr. Niko
"Nick" Tatopoulos
Jean Reno - Philippe Roache
Maria Pitillo - Audrey Timmonds
Hank Azaria - Victor "Animal"
Palotti
Kevin Dunn - Colonel Hicks
Michael Lerner - Mayor Ebert
Harry Shearer - Charles Caiman
Arabella Field - Lucy Palotti
Vicki Lewis - Dr. Elsie Chapman
Doug Savant - Sergeant O'Neal
Malcolm Danare - Dr. Mendel Craven
Lorry Goldman - Gene - Mayor's Aide
Christian Aubert - Jean-Luc
Philippe Bergeron - Jean-Claude
Frank Bruynbroek - Jean-Pierre
Nicholas J. Giangiulio - Ed
Robert Lesser - Murray
Ralph Manza - Old Fisherman
Greg Callahan - Governor
Chris Ellis - General Anderson
Nancy Cartwright - Caiman's Secretary (Cameo)
Richard Gant - Admiral Phelps
Jack Moore - Leonard
Steve Giannelli - Jules
Brian Farabaugh - Arthur
Stephen Xavier Lee - Lt. Anderson
Bodhi Elfman - Freddie
Glenn Morshower - Kyle Terrington

Gary A. Hecker - Creature Vocals

Frank Welker - Creature Vocals

Crew
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer/
Director - Roland Emmerich
Story/Screenplay/Producer - Dean Devlin
Original Story - Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Executive Producers - Ute Emmerich

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager:

Hawaii - William Fay
Co-Executive Producers - Robert N. Fried
and Cary Woods
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Kelly Van Horn
Co-Producer - Peter Winther

Casting - April Webster and David Bloch
Production Designer - Oliver Scholl

Illustrators - Mauro Borrelli,

Sean Hargreaves, Patrick Janacke and

Tom Lay
Supervising Art Director - William Ladd Skinner
Art Director - Robert Woodruff
Set Decorator - Victor J. Zolfo

Property Master - Doug Harlocker
Costume Designer - Joseph A. Porro
Director of Photography - Ueli Steiger

Director of Photography: Falls Lake Unit - Chuck Shuman

"B" Camera Operator: New York Unit - Florian Ballhaus

First Assistant VistaVision Camera - Evan A. Nesbitt

First Assistant Director - Kim H. Winther

Second Assistant Directors - Lars P. Winther

and Paul F. Bernard
Second Unit Director - Josef Rusnak
Second Unit Director: New York Second Unit -

Peter Ramsey
Stunt Coordinator - R.A. Rondell
Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - Troy Brown

Aerial Coordinator/Pilot - Kevin LaRosa

Animal Wrangler - Jules Sylvester
Mechanical Effects Supervisor - Clay Pinney

Mechanical Effects Main Unit Supervisor - Hans Metz

Mechanical Effects Supervisors: Second Unit -

Al Broussard and John Baker
Mechanical Effects Coordinator: New York Unit -

Steven Kirshoff
Godzilla Designer and Supervisor -
Patrick Tatopoulos

Paint Supervisor: Patrick Tatopoulos Designs -

Gino Acevedo

Sculpting Supervisors: Patrick Tatopoulos

Designs - Jose Fernandez and James Kagel

Visual Effects Supervisor - Volker Engel
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor - Karen E. Goulekas
Visual Effects Producer - Terry Clotiaux

Visual Effects Producer: Miniatures - Bob Hurrie

Executive Producer: CFX - Marc Kolbe

Visual Effects Supervising Art Director - Steven Legler

Visual Effects Director of Photography:

Miniatures - Anna Foerster

Miniature Special Effects Supervisor - Joe Viskocil
Miniature Visual Effects Supervisor - Don Baker

Flatiron and Chrysler Miniatures: Hunter/Gratzner

Industries, Inc - Matthew Gratzner, Ian Hunter

and Shannon Blake Gans

Model Shop Supervisor - Eugene P. Rizzardi

Supervisor: Stirber Visual Network -

John K. Stirber

Supervisor: Cinema Production Services -

Michael Joyce

Digital Effects Supervisor: SPI - Jerome Chen
Digital Effects Supervisor: VisionArt - Joshua D. Rose

Digital Effects Supervisor: Digiscope - Dion Hatch

Supervising Digital Artist: Digiscope - Grady Cofer
Digital Effects Producer - Fiona Bull

Digital Effects Producer: SPI - Julia Frey

Animation Supervisor: CFX - Andrew R. Jones
Animation Supervisors: VisionArt - Daniel Kramer

and Carl Hooper

Lead Animator: CFX - Matthew Hackett

Computer Graphics Supervisors: SPI -

Jim Berney and Scott Stokdyk

Supervising Technical Designers: SPI -

Kee-Suk 'Ken' Hahn, Michael J. Travers and

Thomas Hollier

Line Producer: CFX - Craig A. Mumma

Compositing Supervisors: CFX -

Cornelia Fauser-Ruemelin and Mitchell S. Drain

Director of R&D: VisionArt - Rob Bredow
Editors - Peter Amundson and David Siegel

Supervising Sound Editor - Per Hallberg

Co-Supervising Sound Editor - Wylie Stateman

Production Sound Mixer - José Antonio García

Re-Recording Sound Mixers - Kevin O'Connell

and Greg P. Russell
Music - David Arnold

Music Supervisor - Peter Afterman

Scoring Mixer - Shawn Murphy


Review
I never watched any of the old Godzilla movies except for this film. Roland Emmerich's version is not just disappointing and more to say. It's at its lowest point and needs checking. While the monster's design is nothing like the Godzilla we knew, the rest of the feature, which takes off Spielberg's Jurassic Park and The Lost World, is not a joke. Badly-written humour and miscast actors like Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria aren't the only ones that weaken the film. The movie's moments are nauseous and make you want to leave. Jean Reno, who plays a French general, is likely the only good actor in this unspectacular dud.

I used to see the feature a long while back in years, for now, and I completely forgot how much this film introduced me to the Godzilla lore. GODZILLA is just an atrocious and mindless abomination everyone doesn't want. It's very disappointing that the director did not use the old movies' faithful material to make the 1998 interpretation. For older Godzilla fans, this is an in-name-only version. For those new to the character, it's just your typical monster movie and nothing more. Don't see this one at home or with your mates, and wait for the reboot till' it comes out.

Star rating: (2/5) Bad Movie

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Fast & Furious 6 Review

Fast & Furious 6

Release Date: 6th June 2013 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures
Relativity Media (in association with)

Original Film
One Race Productions

Dentsu (presented in association with)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 130 minutes


Budget: $160,000,000

Box Office Gross: $788,680,968 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Since Dom and Brian's 

Rio heist toppled a 

kingpin's empire and 

left their crew with $100 

million, our heroes have 

scattered across the 

globe. But their inability 

to return home and 

living forever on the 

lam have left their lives 

incomplete. Meanwhile, 

Hobbs has been tracking 

an organization of lethally 

skilled mercenary drivers 

across 12 countries, 

whose mastermind is 

aided by a ruthless 

second-in-command 

revealed to be the love 

Dom thought was dead, 

Letty. The only way to 

stop the criminal outfit is 

to outmatch them at 

street level, so Hobbs 

asks Dom to assemble 

his elite team in London. 

Payment? Full pardons 

for all of them so they 

can return home and 

make their families whole 

again. (Source - IMDb)

Cast
Vin Diesel - Dominic Toretto
Paul Walker - Brian O'Conner
Dwayne Johnson - Luke Hobbs
Michelle Rodriguez - Leticia
"Letty" Ortiz

Jordana Brewster - Mia Toretto
Tyrese Gibson - Roman Pearce
Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges - Tej
Parker
Sung Kang - Han Seoul-Oh
Luke Evans - Owen Shaw
Gina Carano - Riley Hicks
John Ortiz - Arturo Braga
Gal Gadot - Gishele Yashar
Shea Whigham - Agent Stasiak
Elsa Pataky - Elena Neves
Kim Kold - Klaus
Joe Taslim - Jah
Clara Paget - Vegh
Samuel M. Stewart - Denlinger
Benjamin Davies - Adolfson
Matthew Stirling - Oakes
David Ajala - Ivory
Thure Lindhardt - Firuz
Shea Whigham - Stasiak
John Ortiz - Braga
Stephen Marcus - Davies
Andy Pointon - Terry
Jhony Mendez - Santiago
Revil Beat - Benito
Jason Statham - Deckard Shaw (Cameo)
(Uncredited)

Crew
Executive Producer/Director - Justin Lin
Based on Characters - Gary Scott Thompson
Writer/Executive Producer - Chris Morgan
Executive Producers - Amanda Lewis and
Samantha Vincent

Producers - Vin Diesel, Neal H. Moritz and
Clayton Towsend 

Production Designer - Jan Roelfs
Supervising Art Director - James Hambidge
Senior Art Director - Leslie Tomkins
Set Decorator - Richard Roberts
Costume Designers - Sanja Milkovic Hays
and Craciunica Roberto
Weapons Master - Simon Atherton

Cinematography - Stephen F. Windon 

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator: Second Unit - 

Spiro Razatos

Supervising Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell

Stunt Coordinator - Troy Robinson

Fight Choreographer - Oliver Schneider
Picture Car Coordinator - Dennis McCarthy
Special Effects Supervisor - Joss Williams

Special Effects Coordinator - Victoria Stokes

Visual Effects Supervisors -  Eric D. Christensen,
Kelvin McIlwain, Sean Stranks and
David Vickery
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Nathan McGuinness
Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Erik Nordby
Visual Effects Consultant - Allen Dam
Visual Effects Producers - Kristijan Danilovski,
Kevin Elam, Rachel Faith Hanson and
Christal Wolgamott

CG Supervisor: Double Negative - Julian Foddy

Film Editors - Greg D'Auria, Leigh Folsom Boyd, 

Dylan Highsmith, Kelly Matsumoto and 

Christian Wagner 

Music - Lucas Vidal

Review

With every new installment, these films just get bigger, badder and faster. This is definitely the case with 'FAST & FURIOUS 6'. Here, I've finally done a critique to the latest movie of the F&F series, mixture of stunts, car chases and action have never been so spectacular as it has in this enjoyable film. I note that specifically, the whole plot is encapsulating and the climax is tense and waywardly brilliant. This movie cements itself as a contender for possibly the greatest link of 'The Fast & the Furious' saga and there are a few missteps out of all the six movies, this has grossed the most dollars of the franchise to date. The return of Dwayne Johnson has helped to revitalise the series once again with an even tougher crew; he is now officially part of the team of superstars that made this fuel-injected spectacle what it is. There is the added surprise of Michelle Rodriguez back as the tough female character from the first and fourth originals and Luke Evans spectacularly portrays an interesting foe with a malicious mind with wicked intentions.

Unlike the predecessor of the sequel 'Fast & Furious 5', this isn't about heist plotting, rather, the film was more about a cat and mouse chase between the villain and the heroes and race against time in all odds. The sixth instalment is a mother-load of fun and tense action and this is another best movie of 2013 and this in my opinion was the second best of F&F PERIOD!

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Review

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome


Release Date: 8th August 1985 - Australia


Production Companies
Kennedy Miller Productions


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 107 minutes


Budget: $10,000,000

Box Office Gross: $36,231,434 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
While travelling through

the Australian outback,

Max gets robbed of his

possessions and stumbles

upon Bartertown, a trading

post for all criminals

under the rule of Aunty

Entity and Master Blaster.

There, he becomes a

gladiator and is left to die

in the desert. Only to be

rescued by a group of

wild orphans, the only

survivors of a plane

crash during the nuclear

war, as they have been

looking for help for years.

Cast
Mel Gibson - Mad Max
Rockatansky
Tina Turner - Aunty Entity
Frank Thring - The Collector
Bruce Spence - Jebediah the Pilot
Adam Cockburn Jr. - Jebediah Jnr.
Angelo Rossitto - The Master
Paul Larrson - The Blaster
Angry Anderson - Ironbar
Robert Grubb - Pig Killer
George Spartels - Blackfinger
Helen Buday - Savannah Nix
Tom Jennings - Slake M'Thirst
Edwin Hodgeman - Dr. Dealgood
Andrew Oh - Ton Ton Tattoo
Rod Zuniac - Scrooloose
Mark Spain - Mr. Skyfish
Mark Kounnas - Gekko
Justine Clarke - Anna Goanna
Shane Tickner - Eddie
Toni Allaylis - Cusha - Pregnant Girl
James Wingrove - Tubba Tintye
Adam Scougall - Finn McCoo
Adam Willits - Mr. Scratch

Crew
Character Creator (Uncredited)/

Writer/Producer/Director - George Miller

Director - George Ogilvie

Character Creator - Byron Kennedy (Uncredited)
Writer/Co-Producer - Terry Hayes

Associate Producers - Steve Amezdroz

and Marcus D'Arcy
Co-Producer - Doug Mitchell

Casting Director - Alison Barrett

Casting Director: USA - Mike Fenton
Production Designer - Graham "Grace" Walker
Visual Design Consultant - Ed Verreaux

Art Director - Anni Browning

Set Decorator - Martin O'Neill
Costume Designer - Norma Moriceau

Special Makeup FX Supervisor - Bob McCarron
Director of Photography - Dean Semler

Camera Operators - David Burr and Louis Irving

Executive in Charge of Production - Su Armstrong

Production Manager - Antonia Barnard

Unit Runner - P.J. Voeten

First Assistant Directors - Steve E. Andrews

and Stuart Freeman

Second Assistant Directors - Ian Kenny

and Chris Webb
Stunt Coordinator - Grant Page

Key Stunts Performer - Glen Boswell
Action Vehicle Coordinator - David Thomas
Special Effects Supervisor - Michael Wood
Special Effects Coordinator - Steve Courtley

Special Effects Technician - Brian Cox

Model Coordinator - Dennis Nicholson

Post-Production Supervisor - Marcus D'Arcy
Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce

First Assistant Editors - Louise Innes

and Claire O'Brien

Sound Supervisor/Mixer - Roger Savage

Sound Design/Mixer - Bruce Lamshed

Additional Sound - Phil Judd

Sound Effects Editors - Frank Lipson,

Craig Carter and Tim Chau

Production Sound Recordist - Lloyd Carrick
Music - Maurice Jarre
Performer: Songs - Tina Turner


Review
I first watched Mad Max 2 in July, and surprisingly, the Aussies have made their original film, which feels similar to Star Wars and is fresh from the creative mind of director George Miller. Mad Max brought everyone closer to the road rage action of road rages in this apocalyptic film. MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME stepped away from dangerous highways and was not dissimilar to the gladiator epic of battling to the death on a battleground for entertainment. The second half focuses on the tribe of lost children and further develops Mel Gibson's character as the heroic saviour.

Mel still delivers first-class acting as the main character, and the fight scene of the Thunderdome arena is well-choreographed. It's surprising how female pop star Tina Turner portrays the ruthless femme fatale Aunty Entity. She also performs both songs in the intro and closing, like "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)".

BEYOND THUNDERDOME barely includes the grittiness or the rough story of the second, whereas this film is simply a visualised atmospheric experience. It's still a worthwhile entertainment extravaganza.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Shrek 2 Review

Shrek 2

Release Date: 17th June 2004 - Australia


Production Companies
DreamWorks Pictures (presents)
Pacific Data Images (PDI)
DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/

Fantasy/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 88 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $932,399,558 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

Shrek and Fiona are

enjoying their honeymoon

when they receive an

invitation from Fiona's

parents, the King and Queen

of Far, Far Away. The

newlyweds, accompanied

by Donkey, leave to meet

her parents, who happily

anticipate their homecoming.

When Shrek and Fiona arrive as the citizens set to greet them, no one believes them for their sight that their little girl has changed and that their new son-in-law is an ogre.

Little did Shrek and Fiona know that their marriage had thwarted her father's plans for her future, not to mention his own. Now the King must turn to the Fairy Godmother and her son Prince Charming in a plot to separate Shrek and Fiona and hire a pussy cat assassin named Puss in Boots to kill Shrek.

Voice Cast
Mike Myers - Shrek
Eddie Murphy - Donkey
Cameron Diaz - Princess Fiona
Antonio Banderas - Puss in Boots
John Cleese - King Harold
Julie Andrews - Queen Lillian
Rupert Everett - Prince Charming
Jennifer Saunders - The
Fairy Godmother
Aron Warner - Big Bad Wolf
Cody Cameron - The Three
Little Pigs/Pinocchio
Larry King - The Ugly Stepsister (Cameo)
Conrad Vernon - The

Gingerbread Man/Cedric/

Announcer/Muffin Man/

Mongo

Chris Miller - Magic Mirror

Mark Moseley - Dresser

Kelly Cooney - Fast Food Clerk

Kelly Asbury - Page/Elf/

Nobleman/Nobleman's Son

Andrew Adamson - Captain of the Guards

Joan Rivers - Red Carpet Announcer (Cameo)

Crew
Story/Screenplay/Writer: Song "Fairy Godmother

Song"/Director - Andrew Adamson

Additional Dialogue/Director - Conrad Vernon

Director - Kelly Asbury

Based Upon the Book "Shrek" - William Steig

Based on Characters (Uncredited)/

Creative Consultants - Ted Elliott and

Terry Rossio

Based on Characters - Roger S.H. Schulman (Uncredited)

Screenplay - Joe Stillman,

J. David Stern and David M. Weiss

Additional Dialogue/Story Artists -

Cody Cameron, Walt Dohrn and

David P. Smith

Additional Dialogue/Head of Story/

ADR Group - Chris Miller
Executive Producer - Jeffrey Katzenberg

Producers - David Lipman,

Aron Warner and John H. Williams

Production Designer - Guillaume Aretos
Art Director - Steve Pilcher

Character Designer - Tom Hestor

Additional Character Designer - Chris Aguirre

Costume Designer - Isis Mussenden

Story Consultants - Mike de Seve

and Ted Tally

Senior Production Manager - Denise Nolan Cascino

Supervising Animators - James Baxter,
Tim Cheung and Raman Hui

Directing Animators - Chung Chan,

Paul Chung, Donnachada Daly,

Anthony Hodgson and Trey Thomas

Co-Supervising Character Technical Directors -

Lawrence D. Cutler and Lucia Modesto

Layout Supervisor - Bob Whitehill

Head of Effects - Arnauld Lamorlette

Visual Effects Supervisor - Ken Bielenberg

Co-Visual Effects Supervisor - Philippe Gluckman

Sequence Supervisors: Lighting - Michael Day,

Susan Hayden, Jin Liou, Janet Rentel and

Milton E. Rodriguez-Rios

Editors - Michael Andrews and

Sim Evan-Jones

Supervising Sound Editor - Dennis Leonard

Supervising Sound Editor (Uncredited)/

Sound Designer - Randy Thom

Additional Sound Design - David C. Hughes

Assistant Sound Designer - Will Files

Sound Effects Editors - Andre Fenley,

J.R. Grubbs and Scott Guttieau

Sound Mixers - Andy Nelson and Anna Behlmer

Foley Artists - Ellen Heuer,

Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance

Music/Original Themes - Harry Gregson-Williams

Original Themes - John Powell

Music Supervisor - Chris Douridas

Score Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Awards

2005 Academy Awards
Best Original Song "Accidentally in Love" -

Adam Duritz, Charles Gillingham,

Jim Bogios, David Immergluck,
Matthew Mulley, David Bryson and Dan Vickrey

(Nominated)
Best Animated Feature - Andrew Adamson

(Nominated)

Review

Under the circumstances of joy, I do not find SHREK 2 the worst sequel movie. It's merely an animated sequel with a mature plot that sometimes feels like an adult romantic comedy broadened with moral lessons for children. This feature contains enjoyable references to pop culture, satirical humour and the return of the first movie's three cast members, Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy. Zorro bravado Antonio Banderas lends his purring voice as the puss in boots, though I couldn't agree that this pussycat got dragged here for this laughable and charming showcase.

The sequel SHREK 2 is refreshing, fun-filled and fast-paced, fracturing more fairy tales with new, hilarious and borrowed characters. I decreed that it's the only one that doesn't jump into mediocrity, unlike the following entries, and it's a good movie.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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The Magnificent Seven (1960) Review

The Magnificent Seven


Release Date: 23rd October 1960 - USA


Production Companies
The Mirisch Company (presents)
Alpha Productions


Genre: Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 128 minutes


Budget: $2,000,000

Box Office Gross: $9,75,000 (rentals)


Plot Summary
Each year, the evil bandit Calvera and his bloodthirsty bandits have terrorised a small Mexican village, leaving the town's farmers on the brink of poverty. With no guns, no money and not so much of a violent instinct on their bodies, the leaders head out to the American border to purchase firearms. Instead, they come across a veteran gunslinger

named Chris Adams, who

suggests they should hire

more gunslingers in their

defence. He rounds up six

of them, each for a

different reason. Now,

the helpless villagers have not only one but seven hired guns ready for action.

Together, these professional gunmen devise a plan to secure the town by fitting it with defences and giving the villagers basic training to resist Calvera's attack as they're in for a violent showdown.

Cast
Yul Brynner - Chris Larabee Adams
Eli Wallach - Calvera

Steve McQueen - Vin Tanner
Horst Buchholz - Chico
Charles Bronson - Bernardo O'Reilly
Robert Vaughn - Lee
James Coburn - Britt
Brad Dexter - Harry Luck
Vladimir Sokoloff - The Old Man
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos - Hilario
Rosenda Monteros - Petra
Rico Alaniz - Sotero
Pepe Hern - Tomas
John A. Alonzo - Miguel
Robert J. Wilke - Wallace
Val Avery - Henry
Whit Bissell - Chamlee
Bing Russell - Robert

Valentin de Vargas - Santos - Calvera Henchman (Uncredited)

Crew
Producer/Director - John Sturges
Screenplay - William Roberts,

Walter Bernstein (Uncredited)

and Walter Newman (Uncredited)

Based on a Screenplay "Shichinin no samurai" -

Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto

and Hideo Oguni (Uncredited)
Associate Producer - Lou Morheim
Executive Producer - Walter Mirisch
Art Director - Edward Fitzgerald

Set Decorator - Rafael Suárez
Director of Photography - Charles Lang

Assistant Directors - Jaime Contreras,

Robert E. Reylea, Emilo Fernández (Uncredited)

and Jerome M. Siegel (Uncredited)

Special Effects - Milt Rice
Film Editor - Ferris Webster

Sound Effects Editor - Del Harris

Sound - Rafael Ruiz Esparza and

Jack Solomon
Music - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1961 Academy Awards
Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy

Picture - Elmer Bernstein (Nominated)


Review
An unforgettable Western classic from director John Sturges, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is known for its terrific and inspiring solid story. It is mainly an American remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai with a fine display of gun-slinging action. I praise Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen for their acting, playing two of these seven marvellous characters that defined the old Western genre. Next in this large ensemble of talented performances are Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and Horst Buchholz. All of them did a superb job in the film. This film has helped make similar movies like Pixar's A Bug's Life. Every once in a while, a director produces a timeless classic with an infinite shelf life. It's one of those movies that will live on for generations.

Due to its long-running time, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is slow. It's a great classic. A passionate moviegoer would agree and might watch this western in their home theatre instead of paying top dollar on the big screen.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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