Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole Review

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole


Release Date: 30th September 2010 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)
Animal Logic

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 97 minutes


Budget: $80,000,000

Box Office Gross: $140,073,390 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Soren is a young barn owl amazed by his father's tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic group of winged protectors who fought to save all owl-kind from the evil Pure Ones. While learning to fly, Soren and his brother Kludd get taken by the Pure Ones, who plan to turn young owlets into soldiers. Only Soren escapes from their grasp with the help of the other brave owls. They

must journey to find the

Guardians and their home,

the Great Tree.

Voice Cast
Jim Sturgess - Soren
Emily Barclay - Gylfie
David Wenham - Digger
Anthony LaPaglia - Twlight
Joel Edgerton - Metal Beak
Helen Mirren - Nyra
Ryan Kwanten - Kludd
Hugo Weaving - Noctus/

Grimble
Essie Davis - Marella
Leigh Whannell - Jatt
Angus Sampson - Jutt
Miriam Margolyes - Mrs. Plithiver
Barry Otto - The Echidna
Richard Roxburgh - Boron
Deborra-Lee Furness - Barran
Geoffrey Rush - Ezylryb
Sam Neill - Allomere
Sacha Horler - Strix Struma
Abbie Cornish - Otulissa
Bill Hunter - Bubo
Gareth Young - Pete

Crew
Director - Zack Snyder
Based on the Novels

"Guardians of Ga'Hoole"/

Executive Producer - Kathryn Lasky

Screenplay - John Orloff and Emil Stern
Associate Producers - Wesley Coller,

Imke Fehrmann and Katrina Peers

Executive Producers - Bruce Berman,

Donald De Line, Christopher DeFaria,

Deborah Snyder and Lionel Wigram
Producer - Zareh Nalbandian
Production Designer - Simon Whiteley
Art Director - Grant Freckleton
Concept Artists and Designers - Tohru Patrick Awa,

Hovig Alahaidovan, Daniel Bavell,

Mark Campbell, Don Ezard, Ravinder Kundi,

Pierre Lorenzi, Dale Mackie, Warren Mahy,

Robert Mason, Nicole Mather, Tim Pyman,

Dan Hee Ryu, Charles Santoso and Vivienne To

Concept Artist and Designer/Story Artist -

Chris Georgiou

Head of Story - Alexs Stadermann

Production Managers - Georgie Uppington,

Kacy McDonald and Amber Naismith

Head of Animation: Animal Logic -

Eric Guaglione
Animation Director - Eric Leighton
Animation Supervisor - Alex Weight

Previs and Lensing Director - David Scott
Digital Supervisors - Ben Gunsberger
and Aidan Sarsfield

Character Supervisor - Damien Gray

Lighting Supervisor - David Welsh
Supervising Character Effects Technical

Director - Graham Hopkins
Compositing Supervisor - Julien Leveugle
Editor - David Burrows

Additional Editors - Matt Villa,

Alicia Gleeson, Ryan Boucher and

Martin Connor

Supervising Sound Editor/Designer/

Re-Recording Mixer - Wayne Pashley

Re-Recording Mixers - Phil Heywood

and Peter Smith
Music - David Hirschfelder

Review
I never begin to describe how LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE was beautiful. In 3D, it was a breathtaking and exciting adventure of a CGI film. It's even more interesting when it's from the same director who brought us hits like 300 and Watchmen. There's nothing wrong with the movie with the storyline or the character development, whereas the other critics have panned it. The animation is visually impressive and lifelike, along with other brilliant aspects of the film, like the cinematography, fighting movements and voice acting.

I'm very passionate about LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS, and while this dark animated picture isn't Animal Logic's strongest follow-up to Happy Feet. The film has a lot of value inside and is considerably enjoyable for moviegoers who will be astonished by this movie.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Red Dog Review (Australia Day 2013)

Red Dog


Release Date: 4th August 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
Woss Group Film Productions
Screen Australia (presents)
Endymion Films (presents)
Essential Entertainment (presents)
ScreenWest (in association with)
The South Australian Film
Corporation (in association with)

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Family/Comedy/

Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 92 minutes

Budget: A$8,500,000

Box Office Gross: A$21,337,009 (Australia)


Plot Summary
Inspired by the true story of

Red Dog, a dust-covered

Kelpie wanders into the
mining community of
Dampier and wins the
hearts of everyone. Red

becomes a legend when
he journeys to find his

owner, John, who holds

a strong relationship with the loyal canine.

Cast
Koko - Red Dog
Josh Lucas - John Grant
Rachael Taylor - Nancy Grey
John Batchelor - Peeto

Arthur Angel - Vanno

Rohan Nicol - Jocko
Noah Taylor - Jack Collins
Keisha Castle-Hughes - Rosa
Loene Carmen - Maureen Collins
Luke Ford - Thomas

Paul Blackwell - Mr. Cribbage

Jacqy Phillips - Mrs. Cribbage
Yure Covich - Sandanski
Radek Jonak - Chupouski
Costa Ronin - Dzambaski
Tony Ryan - Ray
Shingo Usami - Shingo
Eamon Farren - Dave
Nicholas Gardsen - Policeman
John Leary - Barry
Neil Pigot - Vet
Tiffany Lyndall-Knight - Patsy
Brett Heath - Sam-Man
Joey Kennedy - Helen Sharpton

Bill Hunter - Jumbo Smelt (Cameo)
The Snowdroppers - Red Dog Band

Kriv Stenders - Disenchanted Miner (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Kriv Stenders
Based on the Book "Red Dog" - Louis de Bernières
Screenplay/Executive Producer - Daniel Taplitz
Associate Producer/Editor - Jill Bilcock
Associate Producer - Marc van Buuren
Executive Producers - Su Armstrong,
Graham Burke, John Fremes, Randy Hermann,

Joel Pearlman, Aaron Ryder and Ron Woss

Producer/Music Supervisor - Nelson Woss
Producer - Julie Ryan
Casting Director - Christine King
Production Designer - Ian Gracie

Art Director - Tuesday Stone

Set Decorator - Rebecca Cohen
Costume Designer - Mariot Kerr

Hair & Makeup Designer - Tracy Phillpot
Lead Animal Trainer - Luke Hura
Animal Trainer - Jason Hura
Animal Trainer: Cats - Leeza Hura

Animal Trainer Coordinator - Kym Cooper

Director of Photography - Geoffrey Hall

2nd Unit Directors/DOP - Ernie Clark

and Mark Zagar

First Assistant Director - Chris Webb

Second Assistant Director - Brad Lanyon
Stunt Coordinators - Glenn Boswell and
Zev Eleftheriou

Visual Effects Supervisor/Artist: RESIN -

Grant Lovering

Additional Editor - Jane Moran

Supervising Sound Editor: Soundfirm

Australia - William Ward

Re-Recording Mixer: Soundfirm

Australia - Andy Wright

Sound Recordist - James Currie

Music - Cezary Skubiszewski


Review

G'day mates! It's Film Guru Lad, and today is Australia Day, which means I'll be celebrating this national holiday. Speaking of celebration, I have just written a critique of an Aussie film about a famous dog who was a wanderer accepted by the town's residents. Yes, the movie was called RED DOG. It's a timeless and tragic tale, or tail, as I might call it. Get it! Anyway, we won't be telling any more dog jokes. It has humour and impact that shows audiences that the film is endearing. It even brings tears to those who haven't seen this movie. I praise several aspects, such as the acting of Josh Lucas and Rachael Taylor and the soundtrack. I like how RED DOG has stayed true to some parts of historical accuracy, which was excellent. Surprisingly, Koko portrays the titular canine. It was his only film role before he died in 2012.

When it comes to a particular family movie like RED DOG, I have to tell you that I enjoyed it. It was a wonderful Aussie classic that became one of the saddest and most humorous animal films and appeals to dog lovers. I would put it as the top dog on my list of movies made in Australia. So please keep checking my posts on my blog, which I will soon post and update.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey


Release Date: 24th December 2012 - Australia


Production Companies
New Line Cinema (presents)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Wingnut Films

Distribution
Roadshow Distribution


Genre: Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 170 minutes


Budget: $315,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,021,103,568
(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A curious Hobbit, Bilbo
Baggins, journeys to the
Lonely Mountain with a
group of Dwarves to
reclaim a stolen treasure.


Cast
Martin Freeman - Bilbo Baggins
Ian McKellen - Gandalf the Grey
Cate Blanchett - Galadriel
Hugo Weaving - Elrond
Sylvester McCoy - Radagst the Brown
Christopher Lee - Saruman the White
Ian Holm - Old Bilbo Baggins
Elijah Wood - Frodo Baggins
Andy Serkis - Gollum
Manu Bennett - Azog the Defiler
John Rawls - Yazneg
Conan Stevens - Bolg
Stephen Ure - Fimbul/Grinnah
Bret McKenzie - Lindir (Cameo)
Barry Humphries - The Great Goblin (Voice)
Kiran Snah - Goblin Scribe
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Necromancer of Dol Guldur
Lee Pace - Thranduil
Dan Hennah - Old Took (Cameo) (Uncredited)

The Company of Dwarves
Richard Armitage - Thorin
Oakenshield
Graham McTavish - Dwalin
Ken Stott - Balin
Aidan Turner - Kili
Dean O'Gorman - Fili
Mark Hadlow - Dori
Jed Brophy - Nori
Adam Brown - Ori
John Callen - Oin
Peter Hambleton - Gloin

William Kircher - Bifur
James Nesbitt - Bofur
Stephen Hunter - Bombur
Jeffrey Thomas - Thror
Michael Mizhrai - Thrain
Thomas Robins - Young Thrain
Peter Jackson - Running Dwarf in Erebor (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Jabez Olssen - Running Dwarf in Erebor (Cameo) (Uncredited) 


Crew
Writer/Director/Producer - Peter Jackson
Based on Novel "The Hobbit" -
J.R.R. Tolkien
Screenplay/Producer - Fran Walsh
Screenplay/Co-Producer - Phillippa Boyens
Screenplay/Project Consultant - Guillermo del Toro
Executive Producers - Carolyn Blackwood, Toby Emmerich, Alan Horn & Ken Kamins
Producer - Carolynne Cunningham
Producer/Unit Production Manager - Zane Weiner
Co-Producer - Eileen Moran
Casting Directors: U.S. - Scott Boland & Victoria Burrows
Casting Directors: UK - Amy & John Hubbard
Casting Directors: New Zealand - Liz Mullane & Miranda Rivers
Casting Director: Australia - Ann Robinson
Supervising Dialect Coach - Roisin Carty
Dialect Coach - Leith McPherson
Movement Choreographer/Stunt Double: Yaznog
(Uncredited) - Terry Notary
Production Designer - Dan Hennah

Conceptual Designers - John Howe & 

Alan Lee 

Storyboard Artist (Uncredited)/Unit Supervisor: 

Splinter Unit/Previsualization Supervisor: Weta Digital - 

Christian Rivers

Supervising Art Director/Set Decorator - Simon Bright
Art Directors - Brian Massey,
Andy McLaren & Brad Mill
Set Decorator - Ra Vincent
Costume Designers - Bob Buck &
Ann Maskrey
Costume Designer/Creatures/Special Makeup/
Armour & Weapons - Richard Taylor
Director of Photography - Andrew Lesnie
Second Unit Director - Andy Serkis
Stunt Coordinator - Glenn Boswell
Special Effects Supervisor - Steve Ingram
Visual Effects Supervisors - Joe Letteri & Eric Saindon
Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital - Matt Aitken
& R. Christopher White
Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital - Kevin L. Sherwood
Digital Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital - Mark Gee
& Jeff Capogreco
Digital Visual Effects Supervisors: Weta Digital - Martin Hill
& Matthias Menz
Animation Supervisor - David Clayton
Animation Supervisor: Weta Digital - Eric Reynolds
Film Editor - Jabez Olssen
Music - Howard Shore


Review
After I watched the first feature of the 'Lord of the Rings' series 'The Fellowship of the Ring', I didn't actually know that there are only four books of J. R. R. Tolkien's trilogy with 'THE HOBBIT' being the first one. At this time, I always knew that Peter Jackson would someday translate it into a movie and I was right. I applauded everything that is very achieving in this film, there's its 3D quality which is beautiful and worthy of an experience. The CGI effects were state of the art and I still think that Gollum is a great character. I completely misunderstand that the voice of The Great Goblin was done by Ian McShane, but in fact, it was actually Barry Humphries who did it.

This film does not have one single flaw and is very good. As this will be a three part series, I feel the first instalment was a great way to start the prequel trilogy of 'The Lord of the Rings' series.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Review

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers


Release Date: 26th December 2002 - Australia


Production Companies
New Line Cinema (presents)
WingNut Films
The Saul Zaentz Company (licensor)


Genre: Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 173 minutes
                223 minutes
                (Special DVD
                Extended Edition)
                235 minutes
                (Blu-ray Extended
                Edition)


Budget: $94,000,000

Box Office Gross: $951,208,089 
(Worldwide - figure subject to change)


Plot Summary
The Fellowship has been
broken. Boromir is dead,
Frodo Baggins and Samwise
Gamgee have gone to

Mordor alone to destroy
the One Ring, Merry and
Pippin have been
captured by the Uruk-
hai and Aragorn, Legolas
and Gimli have made
friends of the Rohan,
a race of humans that are
in the path of the upcoming
war, led by its aging king,
Theoden.

The two towers between
Mordor and Isengard,
Barad-dur and Orthanac,
have united in their lust of
destruction. The corrupt
wizard Saruman, under the
power of Dark Lord Sauron
and his slimy assistant Grima
Wormtongue have created a
grand Uruk-hai army bent on
the destruction of Man and
Middle-earth. The rebellion
against Sauron is building up
and will be led by Gandalf
the White who was thought
to be dead after the Balrog
captured him. One of the
Ring's original bearers, the
creature Gollum has tracked
Frodo and Sam down in
search for his "precious",
but is captured by the 

Hobbits and used as a
way to lead them to Mt.
Doom. The War of the
Ring has now begun.
(Source - IMDb)


Cast
Elijah Wood - Frollo Baggins
Ian McKellen - Gandalf the White
Viggo Mortensen - Aragorn
Sean Astin - Samwise "Sam"
Gamgee
Orlando Bloom - Legolas
John Rhys-Davies - Gimli/
Treebeard (Voice)
Billy Boyd - Peregrin "Pippin"
Took
Dominic Monaghan - Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck

Christopher Lee - Saruman the White
Andy Serkis - Gollum
Liv Tyler - Arwen
Hugo Weaving - Elrond
Cate Blanchett - Galadriel
Bernard Hill - Theoden: King of Rohan
Karl Urban - Eomer
Miranda Otto - Eowyn
Brad Dourif - Grima Wormtongue
David Wenham - Faramir
Sean Bean - Boromir (Extended Edition)
Bruce Allpress - Aldor
Sam Comery - Eothain
Bruce Hopkins - Gamling
Paris Howe Strewe - Theodred
Nathaniel Lees - Ugruk
John Leigh - Hama
Robbie Magasiva - Mauhur
Robyn Malcolm - Morwen
Craig Parker - Haldir
Olivia Tennet - Freda
Ray Trickitt - Bereg
Stephen Ure - Grishnakh
John Noble - Denethor (Extended Edition)
Timothy Lee - Wildman (Extended Edition)
Sala Baker - Man Flesh Uruk
Peter Jackson - Spear-Throwing Rohan
Solider (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Screenplay/Producer/Director - Peter Jackson
Based on Novel "The Two Towers" - J.R.R. Tolkien
Screenplay/Producer - Fran Walsh
Screenplay - Philippa Boyens & Stephen Sinclair
Executive Producers - Bob & Harvey Weinstein,
Michael Lynne, Mark Ordesky & Robert Shaye
Producers - Barrie M. Osborne & Tim Sanders
Co-Producer/Additional Unit Director - Rick Porras
Co-Producer - Jamie Selkirk
Casting Director: USA - Victoria Burrows
Casting Directors: UK - Amy & John Hubbard
Casting Director: New Zealand - Liz Mullane
Casting Director: Australia - Ann Robinson
Supervising Dialect Coach - Andrew Jack
Production Designer - Grant Major
Conceptual Designer/Carpenter - John Howe
Conceptual Designer - Alan Lee

Supervising Art Director/Set Decorator - Dan Hennah
Art Directors - Joe Bleakley, Philip Ivey, 
Rob Outterside & Mark Robins
Special Makeup, Creatures, Armour & Miniatures
Supervisor/Costume Designer - Richard Taylor
Costume Designer - Ngila Dickson
Director of Photography - Andrew Lesnie
Second Unit Directors - John Mahaffie &
Geoff Murphy
Sword Master - Bob Anderson
Stunt Coordinator - George Marshall Ruge

Physical Effects Supervisor - Steve Ingram

Visual Effects Supervisor - Jim Rygiel
Visual Effects Supervisor: Weta Digital - Joe Letteri
Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Jim Berney
Visual Effects Producer - Dean Wright
Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital - Eileen Moran
Visual Effects Digital Producer: SPI - Chris Juen
Visual Effects Consultant - Mark Stetson
Visual Effects Art Directors - Jeremy Bennett
& Paul Lasaine

Visual Effects Cinematographer - Brian Van’t Hul

Motion Capture Supervisor: Weta Digital -
Remington Scott
Animation Supervisor: Weta Digital - Richard Baneham
Animation Supervisor/Designer: Weta Digital -
Randall William Cook

Animation Department Head: Weta Digital - 

Adam Valdez
Computer Graphics Supervisor: SPI - Peter G. Travers

Creatures Supervisor: Weta Digital - Eric Saindon

Visual Effects Director of Photography: 

Miniature Unit - Alex Funke
Digital Models Supervisor - Matt Aitken

Film Editor - Michael Horton
Sound Designer - David Farmer
Supervising Sound Co-Designer/Editor - Ethan Van der Ryn
Music Designer - Janet Roddick
Music - Howard Shore


Awards

2002 Academy Awards
Best Sound Editing - Ethan Van der Ryn &
Mike Hopkins (Won)
Best Visual Effects - Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook,
Joe Letteri & Alex Funke (Won)
---------------------------
Best Picture - Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne
& Fran Walsh (Nominated)
Best Art Direction - Grant Major, Dan Hennah
& Alan Lee (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Michael Horton (Nominated)
Best Sound - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick,
Michael Hedges & Hammond Peek (Nominated)


Review
Hello, this is your favourite movie reviewer Film Guru Lad speaking. I originally wanted to review 'Rain Man' but I instead picked the second 'Lord of the Rings' film 'THE TWO TOWERS'. Yes, I may have figured that the whole sequel is very complex, but it definitely matches the grand scale of its predecessor 'The Fellowship of the Ring' as well as its structure. All I could say is that the film still has the beautiful scenery that was filmed in New Zealand and the brilliance of the cinematography. There are two factors that I commend on 'THE TWO TOWERS' were the action scenes which has gotten more exciting and chilling, especially the battle at Helm's Deep. The film's character Gollum whom is very iconic and is well-done in CGI and performed marvelously by Andy Serkis.

Although 'THE TWO TOWERS' fascinates everybody including the fans of 'LOTR', it's another one of Peter Jackson's great pictures and a worthy second instalment that receives the same enthusiastic acclaim that happened in 'Fellowship'. It nevertheless quite pleases the fantasy movie-goers into seeing this movie.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Wreck-It Ralph Review

Wreck-It Ralph


Release Date: 26th December 2012 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Animation Studios

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 108 minutes


Budget: $165,000,000

Box Office Gross: $471,222,950 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

Tired of being a video game villain, Wreck-It Ralph yearns to be a good guy like Fix-It Felix. He gets his chance when he sneaks into another game and intends to claim the medal he deserves. But causes chaos and accidentally releases a destructive enemy that puts every game in the arcade in danger.

Now Ralph must rely on a troublemaking young "glitch" named Vanellope von Schweetz, who is from a candy-themed kart racing game and is the only one who can teach Ralph how to be a good guy. Will Ralph be good enough to save the entire arcade before it's "Game Over"?

Voice Cast
John C. Reilly - Wreck-It Ralph
Jack McBrayer - Fix-It Felix
Sarah Silverman - Vanellope
von Schweetz
Jane Lynch - Sergeant Calhoun
Alan Tudyk - King Candy
Rich Moore - Sour Bill/

Zangeif

Mindy Kaling - Taffyta Muffonfudge

Ed O'Neill - Mr Stan Litwak
Dennis Haysbert - General Hologram
Edie McBurg - Mary
Raymond S. Persi - Gene/Zombie
Jess Harnell - Don
Rachael Harris - Deanna
Skylar Astin - Roy
Adam Carolla - Wynnchel
Katie Lowes - Candlehead
Jamie Elman - Rancis Fluggerbutter
Josie Trinidad - Jubileena Bing Bing
Cymbre Walk - Crumbelina Di Caramello
Brandon Scott - Kohut
Tim Mertens - Brad
Stefanie Scott - Moopet Girl
John DiMaggio - Beard Papa
Tucker Gilmore - Sugar Rush Announcer/Turtle
Tim Mertens - Brad
Kevin Deters - Clyde
Brian Kesinger - Cyborg
Maurice LaMarche - Root Beer Tapper
Gerald C. Rivers - M. Bison (Cameo)
Martin Jarvis - Saitine
Roger Craig Smith - Sonic the Hedgehog (Cameo)
Kyle Hebert - Ryu (Cameo)
Phil Johnston - Surge Protector
Reuben Langdon - Ken (Cameo)
Jamie Sparer Roberts - Yuni Verse

Crew
Story/Director - Rich Moore
Story/Screenplay - Phil Johnston
Story/Story Supervisor - Jim Reardon
Screenplay - Jennifer Lee
Additional Story Material - John C. Reilly,

Sam Levine and Jared Stern
Executive Producer - John Lasseter
Producer - Clark Spencer

Production Designer/Art Director -

Mike Gabriel

Co-Art Director - Ian Gooding

Additional Visual Development -

Sarah Airriess, Dale Baer, Doug Ball,

Edgar Bove, Dan Cooper, Tops Cruz,

Paul A. Felix, Mark Henn, Bryon Howard,

Claire & Glen Keane, John Musker,

Andres Feuntes, Joe Pitt, Nik Ranieri,

Bruce W. Smith, Camilo Pardo,

Paul Stec, Eric Goldberg and Doug Walker
Design Lead: Sugar Rush - Lorelay Bove
Design Lead: Hero's Duty - Cory Loftis
Character Design Supervisor - Bill Schwab
Character Designer - Andre Medina

Model Supervisor - Zack Petroc
Animation Supervisor - Renato Dos Anjos

Animation Production Supervisor -

Karen Ann Ryan

Supervising Animators - Doug Bennett,

Mark Mitchell, Zack Parrish and Tony Smeed

Layout Supervisor - Rob Dressel
Director of Look and Lighting -

Adolph Lusinsky

Associate Director of Look and Lightning -

Brian Leach
Visual Effects Supervisor - Scott Kersavage
Film Editor - Tim Mertens

Additional Editors - Ivan Bilancio,

William J. Caparella and Julie Rogers
Sound Designer/Supervisor (Uncredited) -
Gary Rydstrom

Executive Music Producer - Chris Montan

Music Supervisor - Tom MacDougall
Music - Henry Jackman


Review
I appreciate WRECK-IT RALPH, not because of its heartwarming story but because it keeps the nostalgic flavour of video games alive. The art direction, humour, visuals, animation and voice acting are outstanding. The things that interested me are the cameos of old video game characters, such as my favourite, Sonic the Hedgehog. I wish there would be a Hollywood feature adaptation of Sonic that would get made.

For all of you video game lovers, WRECK-IT RALPH is the only one of these kinds of pictures that ever reached the level of greatness, and I find it entertaining.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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85th Academy Awards

85th Academy Awards


Broadcast Date: February 25th 2013 - Australia


G'day, this is Film Guru Lad, I have some
important news that you viewers might be
interested in, the 85th Academy Awards
nominations have been finally announced.
The ceremony will be hosted by Seth
MacFarlane, known for creating
animated TV series like Family Guy and
American Dad and is also a nominee. Well, here
are the list of nominees in over 23 categories.


Best Visual Effects

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher
White
Life of Pi - Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and R. Christopher White
Marvel's The Avengers - Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick
Prometheus - Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill
Snow White and the Huntsman - Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Phillip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

Best Film Editing

Argo - William Goldenberg
Life of Pi - Tim Squyres
Lincoln - Michael Kahn
Silver Linings Playbook - Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
Zero Dark Thirty - Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Best Costume Design

Anna Karenina - Jacqueline Durran
Les Miserables - Paco Delgado
Lincoln - Joanna Johnston
Mirror Mirror - Eiko Ishioka
Snow White and the Huntsman - Colleen Atwood

Best Make-up and Hairstyling

Hitchcock - Howard Berger, Peter Montagna
and Martin Samuel
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Peter
Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
Les Miserables - Lisa Westcott and
Julie Dartnell

Best Cinematography

Anna Karenina - Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained - Robert Richardson
Life of Pi - Claudio Miranda
Lincoln - Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall - Roger Deakins

Best Production Design

Anna Karenina - Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Dan Hennah, Ra Vincent and Simon Bright
Les Miserables - Eve Stewart and Anna Lynch-Robinson
Life of Pi - David Gropman and Anna Pinnock
Lincoln - Rick Carter and Jim Erickson

Best Sound Mixing

Argo - John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia
Life of Pi - Ron Bartlett, D. M. Hemphill and Drew Kunin
Skyfall - Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson
Les Miserables - Andy Nelson, Mark Peterson and Simon Hayes
Lincoln - Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins

Best Sound Editing


Argo - Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
Django Unchained - Wylie Stateman
Life of Pi - Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
Skyfall - Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
Zero Dark Thirty - Paul N. J. Ottosson


Best Original Song

"Before My Time" from Chasing Ice - J. Ralph
Everybody Needs a Best Friend from Ted - Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane
"Pi's Lullaby" from Life of Pi - Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri
"Skyfall" from Skyfall - Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
"Suddenly" from Les Miserables - Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Best Original Score

Anna Karenina - Dario Marianelli
Argo - Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi - Mychael Danna
Lincoln - John Williams
Skyfall - Thomas Newman

Best Animated Short Film

Adam and Dog - Minkyu Lee
Fresh Guacamole - PES
Head over Heels - Timothy Reckart
and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
The Longest Daycare - David Silverman
Paperman - John Kahrs

Best Live Action Short Film

Asad - Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
Buzkashi Boys - Sam French and Ariel Nasr
Curfew - Shawn Christensen
Death of a Shadow (Dood Van Een Schaduw) - Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
Henry - Yan England

Best Documentary Short

Inocente - Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fane
Kings Point - Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
Mondays at Racine - Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
Open Heart - Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
Redemption - Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill

Best Documentary Feature

5 Broken Cameras - Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
The Gatekeepers - Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon
How to Survive a Plague - Dan Cogan
The Invisible War - Amy Ziering
Searching for Sugar Man - Simon Chinn and John Battsek

Best Foreign Language Film

Amour (Austria)
Kon-Tiki (Norway)
No (Chile)
A Royal Affair (Denmark)
War Witch (Canada)

Best Animated Film

Brave - Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Frankenweenie - Tim Burton
ParaNorman - Sam Fell and Chris Butler
The Pirates! Band of Misfits - Peter Lord
Wreck-It Ralph - Rich Moore

Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay

Argo - Chris Terrio
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi - David Magee
Lincoln - Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook - David O. Russell

Best Writing - Original Screenplay


Amour - Michael Haneke
Django Unchained - Quentin Tarantino
Flight - John Gatins
Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Zero Dark Thirty - Mark Boal

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Field - Lincoln
Amy Adams - The Master
Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Helen Hunt - The Sessions
Jackie Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Waltz - Django Unchained
Alan Arkin - Argo
Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva - Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts - The Impossible

Best Actor 

Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix - The Master

Best Director

Michael Haneke - Amour
Ang Lee - Life of Pi
David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
Benh Zetlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Picture

Amour - Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz
Lincoln - Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy
Argo - Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney
Django Unchained - Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone
Les Miserables - Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh
Silver Linings Playbook - Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon
Zero Dark Thirty - Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison

Academy Honorary Award

D.A. Pennebaker
Hal Needham
George Stevens Jr.


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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Review

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of 
the Ring


Release Date: 26th December 2001 - Australia


Production Companies
New Line Cinema (presents)
WingNut Films
The Saul Zaentz Company (licensor)


Genre: Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 178 minutes
                208 minutes
                (Special DVD
                Extended Edition)
                228 minutes
                (Blu-ray Extended
                Edition)


Budget: $93,000,000

Box Office Gross: $887,840,287 
(Worldwide - figure subject to change)


Plot Summary
In a time before history, in a 
place named Middle-earth, 
a dark and powerful lord has 
brought together the forces 
of evil to destroy its cultures 
and enslave all life caught in 
his path. Sauron's time has 
come and he needs only one 
small object, a Ring that has 
been lost for centuries, to 
snuff out the light of 

civilization and cover the 
world in darkness. 
Though he has put all 
of his power into the 
search for it, fate has put it 
in the hands of a young 
hobbit named Frodo 
Baggins, who inherits the 

Ring and steps into legend.

With the help of a loyal 
fellowship comprised of 

hobbits Sam, Merry and 

Pippin; Gimli the dwarf; 

and humans Aragorn 
and Boromir; and with the 
guidance of the wizard 

Gandalf, and elves Arwen, 

Galadriel and Elrond, 

Frodo must journey to the 

Mount of Doom to 
destroy the Ring. If he 
doesn't find a way, no 
one will.


Cast
Elijah Wood - Frodo Baggins
Ian McKellen - Gandalf the Grey
Viggo Mortensen - Aragorn
Sean Astin - Samwise "Sam"
Gamgee
Orlando Bloom - Legolas
John Rhys-Davies - Gimli
Billy Boyd - Peregrin "Pippin"
Took
Dominic Monaghan - Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck

Christopher Lee - Saruman the White
Andy Serkis - Gollum
Liv Tyler - Arwen
Hugo Weaving - Elrond
Cate Blanchett - Galadriel
Ian Holm - Bilbo Baggins
Sean Bean - Boromir
Marton Csokas - Lord Celeborn
Cameron Rhodes - Farmer 

Maggot
Brent McIntyre - Witch-King
Peter McKenzie - Elendil
Sarah McLeod - Rose Cotton
Mark Ferguson - Gil-galad
Ian Mune - Bounder
Craig Parker - Haldir
Noel Appleby - Everard Proudfoot
Megan Edwards - Mrs. Proudfoot
Sala Baker - Sauron
Alan Howard - Voice of the Ring (Voice)
Harry Sinclair - Isildur
David Weatherley - Barliman Butterbur
Lori Dungey - Mrs. Bracegirdle (Extended Edition)
Peter Corrigan - Otho (Extended Edition)
Norman Forsey - Gaffer Gamgee (Extended Edition)
William Johnson - Old Noakes (Extended Edition)
Elizabeth Moody - Lobelia (Extended Edition)
Brian Sergent - Ted Sandyman (Extended Edition)
Peter Jackson - Albert Dreary (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Screenplay/Producer/Director - Peter Jackson
Based on Novel "The Fellowship of the Ring" -
J.R.R. Tolkien
Screenplay/Producer/Additional Second Unit
Director (Uncredited) - Fran Walsh
Screenplay - Philippa Boyens
Executive Producers - Bob & Harvey Weinstein
Executive Producers: New Line Cinema -
Michael Lynne, Mark Ordesky & Robert Shaye
Producer/Additional Second Unit Director
(Uncredited) - Barrie M. Osborne
Producer - Tim Sanders
Co-Producer: WingNut Films/Additional Second
Unit Director (Uncredited) Rick Porras
Co-Producer: WingNut Films - Jamie Selkirk
Casting Director: USA - Victoria Burrows
Casting Directors: UK - Amy & John Hubbard
Casting Director: New Zealand - Liz Mullane
Casting Director: Australia - Ann Robinson
Supervising Dialect Coach - Andrew Jack
Production Designer - Grant Major
Conceptual Designer/Carpenter - John Howe
Conceptual Designer/Set Decorator (Uncredited) -
Alan Lee

Supervising Art Director/Set Decorator - Dan Hennah
Art Directors - Joe Bleakley, Philip Ivey, 
Rob Outterside & Mark Robins 
Assistant Art Director/Storyboard Artist (Uncredited)/
Visual Effects Art Director: Weta Digital - Christian Rivers
Special Makeup, Creatures, Armour & Miniatures
Supervisor/Costume Designer - Richard Taylor
Costume Designer - Ngila Dickson
Director of Photography - Andrew Lesnie
Second Unit Directors - John Mahaffie &
Geoff Murphy
Additional Second Unit Directors - Ian Mune &
Guy Norris
Sword Master - Bob Anderson
Stunt Coordinators - George Marshall Ruge &
Greg Powell (Uncredited)

Physical Effects Supervisor - Steve Ingram
Visual Effects Supervisor - Jim Rygiel
Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Domain - Mark O. Forker
Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital - Eileen Moran
Effects Consultant: Weta - Mark Stetson
Visual Effects Art Directors - Jeremy Bennett &
Paul Lasaine

Visual Effects Cinematographer - Brian Van’t Hul

Visual Effects Director of Photography: 

Miniature Unit - Alex Funke
Digital Effects Supervisor: Animal Logic - Chris Godfrey

Animation Supervisor/Designer: Weta Digital -
Randall William Cook

Animation Supervisor: Weta Digital - Adam Valdez

Creatures Supervisor: Weta Digital - Eric Saindon
Digital Models Supervisor - Matt Aitken
Film Editor - John Gilbert
Sound Designer - David Farmer
Supervising Sound Co-Designer/Editor - Ethan Van der Ryn
Music - Howard Shore


Awards

2002 Academy Awards
Best Cinematography - Andrew Lesnie (Won)
Best Makeup - Peter Owen & Richard Taylor (Won)
Best Music, Original Score - Howard Shore (Won)
Best Visual Effects - Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook,
Richard Taylor & Mark Stetson (Won)
---------------------------
Best Picture - Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne
& Fran Walsh (Nominated)
Best Adapted Screenplay - Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
& Peter Jackson (Nominated)
Best Art Direction - Grant Major & Dan Hennah
(Nominated)
Best Costume Design - Ngila Jackson & Richard Taylor
(Nominated)
Best Film Editing - John Gilbert
Best Music, Original Song "May It Be" - Enya &
Nicky & Roma Ryan (Nominated)
Best Sound - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick,
Gethin Creagh & Hammond Peek (Nominated)


Review
I'm not a big fan of the Lord of the Rings series, its easy to say that I finally got to do a review of 'THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' which I was supposed to do last year to coincide the release of 'The Hobbit'. Now let's talk about this first instalment that started Peter Jackson's trilogy into greatness. The picture has massive things and proportions such as a recognizable cast like Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Viggo Mortensen and the actor who played my favourite character of the film Legolas is Orlando Bloom. Continuing the rest of the fantasy flick are the landscapes, the action scenes like the swordplay, the laughs and especially the great moments.

There's never a single word or a doubt about this particular film, 'THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING' is a bodacious masterpiece and a must-see for the LOTR fans.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Toy Story Review

Toy Story


Release Date: 7th December 1995 - Australia


Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures (presents)
Pixar Animation Studios

Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: G

Runtime: 81 minutes


Budget: $30,000,000

Box Office Gross: $401,737,054 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
When the humans aren't around, their toys come alive! Woody is a cowboy doll, and his position as the favourite toy of a young boy named Andy and the self-proclaimed leader of the other toys feels threatened by the arrival of a spaceman action figure, Buzz Lightyear. Even worse, Buzz believes himself to be a real space ranger and is on a mission to save the galaxy. A jealous Woody tries to get even with Buzz, and they both end up lost and have to learn to stick together to get back to Andy before he moves with his family, and they have to escape from the dreaded neighbour, Sid Phillips.


Voice Cast
Tom Hanks - Woody
Tim Allen - Buzz Lightyear
Don Rickles - Mr. Potato Head
Jim Varney - Slinky Dog
John Ratzenberger - Hamm
Wallace Shawn - Rex
Annie Potts - Bo Peep
John Morris - Andy Davis
Erik von Detten - Sid Phillips
Laurie Metcalf - Andy's Mom
R. Lee Ermey - Sarge
Sarah Freeman - Hannah
Phillips
Jeff Pidgeon - Aliens/Mr.
Spell/Robot
Debi Derryberry - Aliens/
Pizza Planet Intercom
Joe Ranft - Lenny the
Binoculars
Mickie McGowan - Sid's Mom

Jack Angel - Shark/Rocky Gibraltar

Crew
Original Story/Screenplay/Modeling &

Animation System Development/Director -

John Lasseter
Original Story/Screenplay/Character Designer/

Story Artist - Andrew Stanton
Original Story/Story Supervisor - Joe Ranft
Original Story/Story Artist/
Supervising Animator - Pete Docter
Screenplay - Joss Whedon,
Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow

Executive Producer/Renderman Software

Development - Ed Catmull

Executive Producer - Steve Jobs

Producers - Bonnie Arnold and
Ralph Guggenheim
Art Director - Ralph Eggleston

Concept Artwork/CG Painter/Designer/

Character Designer - William Cone

Concept Artwork/Character Designer/

Renderman Software Development -

Steve Johnson

Concept Artwork/Designer/Illustrator/

Character Designer - Bob Pauley

Concept Artwork - Nilos Rodis-Jamero,

Lou Fancher, Kevin Hawkes, William Joyce

and David Gordon

Character Designer/Animator/Story Artist -
Bud Luckey

Character Designers - Jean Gilmore,

Dan Haskett and Tom Holloway

Story Supervisor - Robert Lence

Story Artist/Directing Animator - Ash Brannon

Supervising Layout Artist - Craig Good

Production Supervisor - Karen Robert Jackson

Directing Animator - Rich Quade

Additional Animators/Layout Artists -

Bob Peterson and Shawn Krause

Supervising Technical Director/Modeling &

Animation System/Renderman Software

Development - William Reeves

Associate Technical Director/Modeling

& Animation System Development -

Eben Ostby

Camera Supervisor - Louis Rivera

Lighting Supervisor - Sharon Calahan

Lighting Supervisor/Model Team -

Galyn Susman

Shader & Visual Effects Supervisor/Renderman

Software Development - Thomas Porter
Film Editors - Robert Gordon and

Lee Unkrich

Supervising Sound Editor - Tim Holland
Sound Design/Re-Recording Mixer -
Gary Rydstrom

Assistant Sound Designer/Foreign Mixer

(Uncredited)/FX Recording (Uncredited) -

Tom Myers

Re-Recording Mixer - Gary Summers

Foley Artists - Dennie Thorpe and

Tom Barwick
Songs & Music - Randy Newman

Executive Music Producer - Chris Montan


Awards

1996 Academy Awards
Special Achievement Award - John Lasseter (Won)
-------------------------
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly
for the Screen - Joss Whedon, Joel Cohen,
Alec Sokolow, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton,
Pete Docter and Joe Ranft (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Song "You've Got a Friend in

Me" - Randy Newman (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score -
Randy Newman (Nominated)


Review
When I was about 4, I started watching TOY STORY. It marked the introduction of CGI-animated movies and the whole series. As I got older, the animation was great, but some parts looked dated. Now, let's start with several positives that made this great classic. The script has a lot of excellence in value, meaning and humour. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen were terrific as Woody and Buzz, and the film contains memorable songs by Randy Newman. Did I not mention that Joss Whedon had partially written the screenplay?

However, this was the first fully computer-generated flick ever made. TOY STORY is entertaining to all-age audiences, including those who have grown up watching it.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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