World War Z Review

World War Z

Release Date: 20th June 2013 - Australia

Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Skydance Productions (presents)
Hemisphere Media Capital (in association with)
GK Films (in association with)
Plan B Entertainment
2DUX

Distribution 
Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Horror

Rating: M

Runtime: 116 minutes

                123 minutes 

                (unrated edition)


Budget: $269,000,000

Box Office Gross: $540,455,876 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A worldwide pandemic has unleashed and is toppling governments and threatening to destroy humanity. Former United States investigator Gerry Lane is racing against time to save his family and the world from the pandemic.

Cast

Brad Pitt - Gerry Lane
Mirellie Enos - Karin Lane
Daniella Kertesz - Segen
James Badge Dale - Captain Speke
Ludi Boeken - Jurgen Warmbrunn
Matthew Fox - Parajumper
Fana Mokoena - Thierry Umutoni
David Morse - Ex-CIA Agent
Peter Capaldi - W.H.O. Doctor #1
Pierfrancesco Favino - W.H.O. Doctor #2
Ruth Negga - W.H.O. Doctor #3
Moritz Bleibtreu - W.H.O. Doctor #4
Elyes Gabel - Andrew Fassbach
Sterling Jerins - Constance Lane
Abigail Hargrove - Rachel Lane
Fabrizio Zacharee Guido - Tomas
Michiel Huisman - Ellis

David Andrews - Naval Commander

John Gordon Sinclair - Navy SEAL Chief

Gregory Fitoussi - C130 Pilot

Crew

Executive Producer/Director -
Marc Forster
Based on the Novel - Max Brooks
Screen Story/Screenplay - Matthew Michael Carnahan
Screen Story - J. Michael Straczynski
Screenplay - Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof
Executive Producers - Brad Simpson, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Paul Schwake, Graham King and Tim Headington

Producers - Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Ian Bryce
Co-Producers: Cardiff Sequence - Mark Bakshi
and Mark Huffam
Military Advisor - Freddie Joe Farnsworth
Production Designer - Nigel Phelps
Additional Sets Designer/Supervising

Art Director - Jon Billington

Illustrator - Seth Engstrom
Supervising Art Director: Cardiff Sequence -

Chris Lowe

Senior Art Directors - Alan Gilmore

and Julian Ashby

Art Directors - Ben Collins,

James Foster and Matthew Gray

Set Decorator - Jennifer Williams

Costume Designer - Mayes C. Rubeo

Supervising Armorer - Nick Komornicki
Weapons Master - Simon Atherton
Makeup and Hair/Prosthetics Designer: Zombies -
Frances Hannon

Makeup & Hair Supervisor: Second Unit -

Jan Sewell

Prosthetics Designer: Zombies - Mark Coulier

Directors of Photography - Ben Seresin

and Robert Richardson (Uncredited)

Aerial Director of Photography - Adam Dale

Camera/Steadicam Operator - Larry McConkey

"A" Camera Operator: Second Unit - Peter Field

First Assistant Photographers - Gregor Tavenner,

Tim Battersby and Birgit Dierken

Unit Production Managers - Steve Harding

and Debra James

Supervising Location Manager - Mark Somner

Supervising Location Manager: Cardiff

Sequence - James Grant

First Assistant Director - Toby Hefferman

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Terry Madden

First Assistant Director: Cardiff Sequence -

Max Keene

Second Assistant Directors: Cardiff Sequence -

Matthew Baker and Paul Bennett
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Simon Crane

Second Unit Director: Cardiff Sequence -

Shaun O'Dell
Stunt Coordinator - Wade Eastwood

Assistant Stunt Coordinator - Rob Inch

Aerial Coordinator/Pilot: Camera - Marc Wolff

Action Vehicle Supervisor - Graham Kelly
Special Effects Supervisors - Neil Corbould
and David Watkins
Special Effects Supervisor: Cardiff Sequence -
Trevor Wood

Special Effects Coordinator - Victoria Cadiou

Visual Effects Supervisor - Scott Farrar

Visual Effects Supervisors: MPC -

Jessica Norman and Adam Valdez

Visual Effects Supervisors: Cinesite -

Matt Johnson and Simon Stanley-Clamp

Visual Effects Executive Producer: ILM -

Wayne Billheimer

Digital Effects Supervisor: Cinesite -

Andy Robinson

Animation Consultant - Andrew R. Jones
Animation Supervisor: MPC - Gabriele Zucchelli

Previsualization and Postvisualization Supervisors:

HALON Entertainment - Brad Alexander

and Michael G. Jackson

Previsualization Supervisor: HALON

Entertainment - Daniel D. Gregoire
Editors - Roger Barton and Matt Cheese

Supervising Sound Editors - Nigel Stone

and Ethan Van der Ryan

Supervising Sound Designers - Erik Aadahl,

John Marquis and Jimmy Boyle

Re-Recording Mixers - Anna Behlmer

and Lora Hirschberg

Additional Re-Recording Mixers - Terry Porter

and Tim Cavagin

Sound Mixer - Stuart Wilson

Music - Marco Beltrami

Additional Music - Matt Bellamy,

Brandon Roberts, Marcus Trumpp

and Buck Sanders

Musicians - Muse

Supervising Music Editor - John Finklea

Music Orchestrator and Conductor - Matt Dunkley

Music Recordist and Mixer - John Kurland

Review

Hollywood may have faced dark turns in cinematic history, like in 2013. For instance, each highly anticipated film from that year has suffered some drawbacks in the storyline. Take Iron Man 3, for example. It is yet to fully recover, with hit movies appealing enough to attract moviegoers. One of them is WORLD WAR Z, a slickly thrilling, entertaining and suspenseful film that re-invents the realistic approach of a zombie movie. WORLD WAR Z may have had turmoil during its production, rendering the film incoherent and messy.

Brad Pitt was a good choice and did the character justice. It was good to have an actor with such a high profile, and it was an extraordinary performance for him anyway. I would expect nothing less, as Pitt is one of those consistent actors who creates engaging and impacting characters. Many viewers who were Whovians were surprised that the British actor Peter Capaldi was in WORLD WAR Z before he went on to play a different kind of doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who.

This movie will appeal to people in the mood for a zombie-themed action feature, including die-hard zombie fans. They will see some flaws in WORLD WAR Z and compare it to other zombie movies that have managed to do it right, such as 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Magnificent Seven (2016) Review

The Magnificent Seven

Release Date: 29th September 2016 - Australia

Production Companies

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (present)

Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)

Columbia Pictures (present)

LStar Capital (in association with)
Pin High Productions
Escape Artists

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Western

Rating: M

Runtime: 133 minutes

Budget: $90,000,000

Box Office Gross: $162,360,636 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

The sleepy town of Rose Creek is under the tight grip of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue, and the desperate townsfolk seek protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers, and hired guns, including Sam Chisolm, Josh Farraday, Goodnight Robicheaux, Jack Horne, Billy Rocks, Vasquez and Red Harvest. These seven mercenaries fight for more than money as they prepare the city for the violent showdown they know is coming.

Cast

Denzel Washington - Sam Chisolm

Chris Pratt - Josh Farraday

Ethan Hawke - Goodnight Robicheaux

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo - Vasquez

Martin Sensmeier - Red Harvest

Vincent D'Onofrio - Jack Horne

Byung-Hun Lee - Billy Rocks

Peter Sarsgaard - Bartholomew Bogue
Haley Bennett - Emma Cullen
Matt Bomer - Matthew Cullen
Luke Grimes - Teddy Q
Jonathan Joss - Denali
Cam Gigandet - McCann

Emil Beheshti - Maxwell

Mark Arsworth - Preacher

Sean Bridgers - Fanning
Billy Slaughter - Josiah

Dodge Prince - Anthony

Matthew Poser - Hank Stoner

Carrie Lazar - Leni Frankel

Jody Mullins - Caleb Frankel

Clint James - Fenton

Dane Rhodes - Sheriff Harp

Ritchie Montgomery - Gavin David

William Lee Scott - Moody

David Kallaway - Turner/Blacksmith

Griff Furst - Phillips

Alix Angelis - Clara Winthrop

Sean Boyd - Topper

Rob Mello - Mine Paymaster

Walker Babington - Dicky

Thomas Blake Jr. - Earl

Ryan Brown - Ken Pigeon

Derek Lacasa - Len Pigeon

John Wylie - Station Master

Chad Randall - Bartender/Powder Dan

Kevin Wayne - Monday Durant

Wally Welch - Sheriff

Ed Lowry - Stablemaster

David Manzanares - Refreee/Eddy

Dylan Kenin - Cowboy

Kevin Wiggins - Another Cowboy

Jackson Beals - One-Eyed Lucas

Heath Lemme - Heath

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Antoine Fuqua
Based on a Screenplay - Akira Kurosawa,

Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni
Screenplay - Richard Wenk and Nic Pizzolatto
Executive Producers - Bruce Berman,

Walter Mirisch and Ben Waisbren
Producers - Roger Birnbaum and Todd Black

Co-Producer - Kat Zamick

Casting Directors - Jo Edna Boldin,

Elizabeth Coulon, Lindsay Graham

and Mary Viernieu
Production Designer - Derek R. Hill

Art Director - Leslie McDonald

Set Decorators - Bradford Johnson

and Merissa Lombardo
Costume Designer - Sharen Davis

Armorer/Gun Trainer - Thell Reed

Makeup Department Head - Liz Bernstrom

Director of Photography - Mauro Fiore

Unit Production Managers - Udi Nedivi,

Wendy Williams and David Valdes

Unit Production Manager: New Mexico Unit -

Alton Walpole

First Assistant Director - Joe Camp III

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Julian Wall

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Jeff Dashnaw

Stunt Coordinator - Chad Dashnaw
Special Effects Supervisor - Yves De Bono

Editor - John Refoua

Supervising Sound Editors - Mandell Winter

and David Esparza

Re-Recording Mixers - Steve Pederson

and Daniel J. Leahy

Production Sound Mixer - Ed Novick

Music - James Horner and Simon Franglen

Writer: Theme from "The Magnificent Seven" -

Elmer Bernstein

Review

The original 1960 movie of The Magnificent Seven was one of the classics I reviewed when I started this blog. The picture was a remake of Akira Kurosawa's foreign masterpiece, Seven Samurai. However, the re-imagination of the old 1960s classic isn't going to top the slickness that is John Sturges' original, bold and unforgettable shootout. Director Antoine Fuqua is new to the genre and is trying to take a different approach with THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN than changing it to one of these soulless remakes from Hollywood nobody wants. It is not solid but a bit of a convoluted modern western, which might seem fun and sometimes a cheesy film.

The 2016 version of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN succeeded a diverse cast of notable stars like Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, etc. They differ from those portrayed in the original film by Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and others.

It's not an unforgettable film, but it generally pleases the audience with some of its chemistry and action. I highly recommend it to those who are unfamiliar with the original movie.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Kung Fu Panda 3 Review

Kung Fu Panda 3

Release Date: 24th March 2016 - Australia

Production Companies

DreamWorks Animation

China Film Co., Ltd

Zhong Ming You Ying Film

Oriental Dreamworks

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 95 minutes


Budget: $145,000,000

Box Office Gross: $519,881,355
(Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Continuing his "legendary 

adventures of 

awesomeness" Po must 

face two hugely epic, 

but different threats: 

one supernatural and the 

other a little closer to home.

Voice Cast

Jack Panda - Po

J.K. Simmons - Kai
Bryan Cranston - Li

Dustin Hoffman - Master Shifu

Angelina Jolie - Tigress

Seth Rogen - Mantis

Lucy Liu - Viper

David Cross - Crane

Jackie Chan - Monkey

James Hong - Mr. Ping

Jean-Claude Van Damme -
Master Croc

Randall Duk Kim - Master Oogway

Kate Hudson - Mei Mei
Steele Gagnon - Bao
Liam Knight - Lei Lei

Wayne Knight - Big Fun/Hom-Lee

Barbara Dirickson - Grandma
Panda

Al Roker - Sum

Willie Geist - Dim

Fred Tatasciore - Master Bear

Pax Jolie-Pitt - Yoo

Stephen Kearin - Master Chicken
Mick Wingert - Farmer Goose/Farmer Rabbit
April Hong - Mrs. Chow
Knox Jolie-Pitt - Ku Ku
Zahara Jolie-Pitt - Meng Meng
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt - Shuai Shuai
Radzi Chinyanganya - Mi
Lindsey Russell - Peony

Crew

Directors - Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni
Based on Characters - Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris (Uncredited)

Writers/Co-Producers - Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger

Additional Screenplay Material - Harry Cripps

Executive Producers - Guillermo del Toro,
Rui Gang Li, Mike Mitchell and Peikang La

Producer - Melissa Cobb
Co-Producer - Jeff Hermann 

Kung Fu Choreographer - Rodolphe Guenoden

Production Designer - Raymond Zibach
Art Director - Max Boas

Character Designer - Nico Marlet
Head of Story - Philip Craven
Head of Character Animation - Dan Wagner
Animation Supervisor/Animator: 2D Sequence Production -
Philippe Le Brun
Supervising/Traditional Animator - Rune Brandt Bennicke
Supervising Animators - Willy Harber,
Jason Reisig and Alexis Wanneroy

Head of Layout - Damon O'Beirne
Layout Supervisor - Richard Shiba
Lighting Supervisors - Pablo Valle and
Raju Vaidya

Visual Effects Supervisor - Mark Edwards
Surfacing Supervisor - Wes Burian
Stereoscopic Supervisor - Willem Drees
Film Editor - Clare De Chenu
Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor - Erik Aadahl

Kung Fu Panda Themes/Music - Hans Zimmer

Kung Fu Panda Themes - John Powell
Composers: Additional Music - Lorne Balfe,
Nathan Wang and Imagine Dragons

Review

The pandemonium returns in 'KUNG FU PANDA 3'. This third and recent installment has been one of the few hit sequels from DreamWorks, after the company's fortunes were in decline and poisoned the animation studio's reputation. Despite living up to the expectations from those who have seen the previous features, it faced stiff competition from Disney's 'Zootopia'. 'KUNG FU PANDA 3' continues the story where it left off from the previous instalment and returns to a lighter tone that started the first movie.

However, Po's characterisation is starting to repeat itself after the first two movies showcased his growth. A potentially interesting villain couldn't live up to Tai Lung or even Lord Shen because of his low motivations which I find it to be a bit disappointing. Jack Black returns as the lovable and fun-loving hero and is joined by the on-screen vocal presences of J.K. Simmons, Kate Hudson and Bryan Cranston who voices Po's long-lost dad and is having a blast with the comical role equal to Jack Black's lead in the film.

It isn't enough for 'KUNG FU PANDA 3' to be as rotund and fat as its predecessors. It's a solid fun-filled action-animated romp for kids and adults alike who will be deeply amazed by the straightforward ingenious animation planted through this non-stop hit sequel. 

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Doom Runners Review

Doom Runners


Broadcast Date: 20th December 1997 - USA


Production Companies
Millennium Pictures Pty. Limited
Showtime Networks, Inc (presents)
Nickelodeon Productions (presents)

Hallmark Entertainment (in association with)


Genre: Sci-Fi/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 95 minutes


Plot Summary
In this futuristic story, 14-
year-old Jada Wesley and
her 12-year-old brother, 

Adam, share a cramped
living space with their
grandfather, William,
in a dark, dank warehouse
named Sector 7, where
hundreds of other people live
under the same dreadful conditions.

They struggle to survive in a
desolate world known as
AfterTime in which all of the
environmental resources; 

food, water, oil are controlled 

by The Corporation and 

enforced by the Doom 

Troopers. (Source -
Sonar Entertainment)


Cast
Dean O'Gorman - Deek
Lea Moreno - Jada
Bradley Pierce - Adam
Nathan Jones - Vike
Tim Curry - Dr. Kao
Rebecca Smart - Lizzie
Peter Carroll - William
David Whitney - Thorne
Putu Winchester - Danny
Paul Livingston - Cesar Lopez
Jon Pollard - Rule

Crew
Director - Brendan Maher
Writer - Barney Cohen
Writer/Executive Producer - Ken Lipman
Executive Producers - Paula Hart, Albie Hecht and Kathryn Wallack
Co-Executive Producer - Doug Greiff
Script/Story Editor/Producer - Posie Graeme-Evans
Production Designer - David McKay
Costume Designer - Angus Straithe
Cinematography - Steve Arnold
Visual Effects Designer - Dale Duguid
Visual Effects Producer - Daniel Harvey
Visual Effects Director - Trevor Hawkins

Film Editor - Henry Dangar
Music Supervisor - Karen Telfer

Music - Braedy Neal

Review

This low-budgeted post-apocalyptic family movie was co-produced and shot in Australia and was televised as a joint effort for Nickelodeon and Showtime Networks in USA. Unlike the big budget fare seen on the telly and cinemas with features like 'Mad Max' and to a lesser extent 'Waterworld'. It not only was unknown to many movie audiences, it is a subpar and cheesy film that any intelligent person would notice the low production values. The filmmakers have tried to do a lot with its smaller budget, but the narrative is very inconsistent. Even some illogical decisions hurt the film more. The fact that it is supposed to be a much safer kid-friendly alternative to the adult-oriented 'Mad Max' film series, but children aren't ready for a sort of an adventure that is to be set in a world after the apocalypse.

The cast is less than perfect when most of the actors didn't perform so well in the picture of 'DOOM RUNNERS'. Young New Zealander actor Dean O'Gorman did an okay performance, but to have his character being the narrator of the story in his point of view isn't this necessary. Tim Curry being his usual self when he overacts as the comical, yet darkly twisted villain Dr. Kao who is the de facto of the Corporation and delights himself of gaining information through people's minds while wiping them out. At one point, he also referenced a line from his previous role in 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

This picture would be left as forgotten and no one would see 'DOOM RUNNERS' as it had a lower impact on the audience. It would be best for younger kids to see it as it is geared towards children.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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Cats & Dogs Review

Cats & Dogs


Release Date: 20th September 2001 - Australia


Production Companies
NPV Entertainment (in association with)
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
Mad Chance
BenderSpink
Zide/Perry Productions
Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 87 minutes

Budget: $60,000,000

Box Office Gross: $200,687,492 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Since the beginning of time, cats and dogs were not only known as cuddly pets and man's best friends, but they have often engaged in a fierce battle with each other. Due to the rivalry between the two species. Little did the humans know that a top-secret war of espionage between the two species in their neighbourhoods and homes becomes an eternal struggle for world domination. It quickly peaks when a scientist

named Professor Brody is

about to create a serum that

will cure all dog allergies.

However, the megalomaniacal white-haired Persian cat, Mr. Tinkles, will not let that happen as he plans to exploit his research and use it against dogkind. While the unsuspecting humans go on with their daily lives, the cats make several attempts to get the formula as their canine foes try tirelessly to stop them. A Beagle pup named Lou gets caught in a crossfire when

adopted by the Brody family

and has no experience of

being a spy whatsoever.

With the other dog agents

from the neighbourhood,

including Butch, Lou must

hinder the efforts of Mr.

Tinkles and his ferocious

feline army in a plot to

take over the world.

Cast
Jeff Goldblum - Professor Brody
Elizabeth Perkins - Mrs. Brody
Alexander Pollock - Scott Brody
Miriam Margoyles - Sophie the Castle Maid
Myron Natwick - Mr. Mason

Doris Chillcott - Mrs. Calvert

Lauren K. Robek - Pie Mom

Frank C. Turner - The Farmer

Mar Andersons - Guard at Gate

Gillian Barber - Factory Receptionist

Voice Cast

Tobey Maguire - Lou the Beagle

Sean Hayes - Mr. Tinkles

Alec Baldwin - Butch

Susan Sarandon - Ivy

Charlton Heston - The Mastiff

Jon Lovitz - Calico

Joe Pantoliano - Peek

Michael Clarke Duncan - Sam

Glenn Ficarra - Russian Kitty

Victor Wilson - Doberman Sargaent
Salome Jens - Collie at HQ

Danny Mann - Ninja Cat

Billy West - Ninja Cat

Paul Pape - Wolf Blitzer

Crew

Director - Lawrence Guterman

Writers/Co-Producers - John Requa

and Glenn Ficarra

Associate Producer/Visual Effects Supervisor -

Ed Jones

Executive Producers - Chris Bender,

Bruce Berman and J.C. Spink

Producers - Christopher DeFaria,

Andrew Lazar, Craig Perry and Warren Zide

Casting Director - Marci Liroff

Production Designer - Jim Bissell

Art Directors - Sandi Tanaka and

Nancy Ford (Uncredited)

Set Decorator - Lin MacDonald

Property Master - Dan Sissons

Costume Designer - Tish Monaghan

Director of Photography - Julio Macat

Location Manager - Ann Goobie

First Assistant Director - Patrice Leung

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Nico Sachse

Trainee Assistant Director - Misha Bukowski

Second Unit Director - Charles Gibson

Stunt Coordinators/Stunts - Jim Dunn

and Ken Kirzinger

Stunt Coordinator - J.J. Makaro

Stunt Coordinator/Animal Action - Boone Narr

Animal Trainers - Mark Harden

David Allsberry, Kim Bonham, Ursula Brauner,

James Dew, William Grisco, Genny Kerns,

Ginger Holman, Cathy McCallum, Scott Rowe,

Carrie Anne Simpson, Steve Solomon

Joe Suffredini, Brian Turi and Nancy Withrow

Special Effects - Peter Chesney and Rory Cutler

Animatronic Effects Supervisor - David Alan Barclay

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -

Bill Westenhofer

Visual Effects Supervisor: Matte World

Digital - Craig Barron

Visual Effects Supervisors: Tippett Studio -

Blair Clark and Scott Souter

Visual Effects Producer: Rhythm & Hues -

Eileen Moran

Visual Effects Co-Producer: Rhythm & Hues -

Victoria Alonso

Visual Effects Producer: Tippett Studio -

Alonzo Ruvalcaba

Visual Effects Producer: Gray Matter FX

Les G. Jones

Senior Animation Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -

Bill Kroyer

Animation Supervisor - Richard Baneham

Animation Supervisors: Rhythm & Hues -

Erik De Boer, Keith Roberts and Glenn Ramos

CG Supervisor: Mill Film - David Lomax

Face Replacement Lighting Supervisor:

Rhythm & Hues - Betsy Asher Hall

Lighting Supervisor: Mill Film - Andy Kind

Digital Matte Supervisor: Digital Firepower -

Charles Darby (Uncredited)

Compositing Supervisor: Tippett Studio -

Colin Epstein

Compositing Supervisor: Mill Film -

Simon Stanley-Clamp

Film Editors - Rick Finney and

Michael A. Stevenson

Associate Editor - John Coniglio

Supervising Sound Editors - Richard L. Anderson

and Elliott Koretz

Sound Effects Editors - Jeff Kushner,

Eric Lindeman and Jim Christopher

Supervising Dialogue Editor - Mark A. Mangini

Re-Recording Mixers - Michael Herbick,

Daniel J. Leahy and Steve Pederson

Foley Artists - Alyson Dee Moore

and John Roesch

Music/Score Co-Producer - John Debney

Music Scoring Mixer - Shawn Murphy

Review

CATS & DOGS had a great concept of making fun of the arch-rivalry of the two sides of mammals, but the live-action format did not work anyway. It came from the same man who went to direct the laughably puerile Son of the Mask, and it falls flat when the feature should have gotten animated in complete CGI and hand-drawn. It's bad enough a sequel came out over nine years after the original, and to their disappointment, the less said, the better.

The feature's got pawprints all over it, and even the live-acting needed better directing, no offence to actors Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins. The young child who played Scott needed some coached acting skills. The voices are no different from the real-life actors. Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin, Sean Hayes, and Susan Sarandon lend their remarkable voice performances to the animals. It achieved one of the actors in creating the film's only memorable character who is purr-fectly funny to be the main arch-feline Mr. Tinkles, who is enjoyable to watch in a family feature like CATS & DOGS.

CATS & DOGS is a surprisingly average kiddie flick that may feel cartoonish or childish, but it did have some comical laughs that adults might find funny at their amusement. There's little to recommend to adults. It's mainly aimed at youngsters.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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