Home Alone: The Holiday Heist Review

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist

Broadcast Date: 25th November 2012 - US  

 
Production Companies

Fox Television Studios

Manitoba Film and Tax Video Production Credit

Original Pictures

Genre: Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes

Plot Summary

10-year-old Finn Baxter
thinks his family’s new house
in Maine is haunted – but the
truth might be even scarier! A
trio of thieves is after a
priceless painting hidden in a
secret room by the previous
owner. So when Finn and his
sister find themselves home
alone, Finn rigs up an
elaborate array of techno-
gadgets and booby traps to
protect his pad from the
bumbling criminals trying to
break in. 

Cast

Christian Martyn - Finn Baxter

Jodelle Ferland - Alexis Baxter

Malcolm McDowell - Sinclair

Doug Murray - Curtis Baxter

Ellie Harvie - Catherine Baxter

Debi Mazar - Jessica

Eddie Stephen - Mr. Hughes

Edward Asner - Mr. Carson

Adriana O’Neil - Gabby Marano

Peter DaCunha - Mason

Bill Turnbull - Simon

Crew

Director - Peter Hewitt

Based on Original Characters - John Hughes (Uncredited)

Screenplay - Aaron Ginsburg and Wade McIntrye

Executive Producer - David Madden

Producers - Lisa Demberg and Adrian Pjevc

Co-Producer - Paul D. Goldman

Production Designer - Craig Sandelis

Costume Designer - Patricia J. Henderson

Cinematography - Peter Benson

Film Editor - John Congilo

Composer "Home Alone" Theme - John Williams

Music - David Kitay

Review

The joyous season of the holiday is over, but just before it can happen, I borrowed 'HOME ALONE 5' from a friend so I may review it for Christmas. I was so fortunate to skip ahead to the third and fourth installments but found neither of them are as acceptable as the original and to a lesser extent, the second movie. The first 'Home Alone' feature was by far the best of the series and Macaulay Culkin was probably the best child actor in this classic comedy. It seems nowadays that Culkin is fully grown up from his childhood status and the series’ creator John Hughes was deceased when 'HOME ALONE 5' was made in 2012. 'THE HOLIDAY HEIST' is forgettable, but probably would have been a decent film if the script and booby traps were a little more inventive. This sequel was meant for television as I wasn’t aware that it was shown in America on the ABC Family channel (now known as Freeform). The acting was so-so with the exception of Malcolm McDowell who seems fittingly appropriate as Sinclair, the leader of the art thieves. He isn’t the only gentleman actor who is qualified for his recognisable experience in a family picture.

While this film was a bit of an improvement over 'Home Alone 4', (which made no sense whatsoever!) because it was a pilot for a television series, 'HOME ALONE 5' doesn’t however change the fact that this sequel pales in comparison to the legacy of the original. It’d be best to skip this installment in favour of the first two movies through the next holiday.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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Power Rangers Review

Power Rangers

Release Date: 23rd March 2017 - Australia

Production Companies

Lionsgate 

Saban Films

TIK Films

Temple Hill Entertainment

Toei Company (Uncredited)

Videocine 

Distribution 

Roadshow Distribution

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 121 minutes

Budget: $100,000,000

Box Office Gross: $142,337,240 

(Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Five ordinary teens must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove - and the world - is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it's too late and band together as the Power Rangers. (Source - Telstra TV)

Cast

Dacre Montgomery - Jason
(Red Ranger)

Naomi Scott - Kimberly (Pink
Ranger)

RJ Cyler - Billy (Blue Ranger)

Ludi Lin - Zack (Black Ranger)

Becky G. - Trini (Yellow Ranger)

Elizabeth Banks - Rita Repulsa

Bryan Cranston - Zordon

Bill Hader - Alpha 5 (Voice)

Matt Shively - Damo

Cody Kearsley - Hawkeye

David Denman - Sam Scott

Robert Moloney - Ted Hart

Anjali Jay - Maddy Hart

Sarah Grey - Amanda

Morgan Taylor Campbell -
Harper

Caroline Cave - Beverly
Scott

Kayden Magnuson - Pearl Scott

Lisa Berry - Candace
Cranston

Fiona Fu - Zack’s Mom
Wesley MacInnes - Bully
John Stewart - Detention
Teacher
Patrick Sabongui - Trini's Dad
Erica Carra - Trini's Mom

Fred Tatasciore - Goldar/

Putties (Voice)
Jason David Frank - Cameo
Role #1
Amy Jo Johnson - Cameo
Role #2

Crew

Director - Dean Isarelite 

Creator "Power Rangers"/
Producer - Haim Saban 

Creator "Power Rangers" - 

Shuki Levy (Uncredited)

Story - Matt Sazama, Burk
Sharpless and Michele &
Kieran Mulroney
Screenplay/Executive
Producer - John Gatins

Executive Producers -
Qiuyun Long and Allison Shearmur 

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Brent O’Connor

Producers - Marty Bowen, Brian Casentini and Wyck Godfrey

Co-Producer - Stephen Meinen 

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director - Aldric La’auli Porter

Production Designer - Andrew Menzies
Set Decorator - Hamish Purdy

Costume Designer - Kelli Jones

Director of Photography - Matthew J. Lloyd
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator - Paul Jennings
Second Unit Director (Uncredited)/
Visual Effects Supervisor - Sean Andrew Faden
Stunt Coordinator - Larry Lam

Special Effects Supervisors - Andrew Durno,
Steve Hamilton and Dan Sedlacek

Visual Effects Supervisor - Mangesh Kale

Film Editors - Martin Bernfeld and Dody Dorn

Music - Brian Tyler

Review

The 'Power Rangers' series was a highly successful action show for children that it was shown on television around the world (including Japan, where most of the footage was borrowed from a Tokusatsu franchise and was later re-dubbed into its international broadcast). Having only seen some episodes on TV and a few video cassettes since I was very young, I’ve never forgotten how it impacted me on my childhood. Power Rangers began life as a campy kids show and then, many years later, a movie was officially announced. It’s very strange to consider 'Power Rangers' as having the big-screen treatment when there hasn’t been a film spin-off since the 1997 series, although a movie was to be based on 'Time Force' but Disney pulled the plug in its pre-production after their earlier purchase of the franchise. Deciding to skip through the newer adaptation in favour of the 2017 remake of 'Beauty and the Beast', I wasn’t exactly interested in seeing this cinematic re-telling when I was in my hometown. Then I got a chance to rent it and watched it on-demand while I was staying in Holiday Inn at Parramatta. 

'POWER RANGERS' wasn’t as colourful and cheesy as the show had been since its inception. The film was completely modernised by the filmmakers who brought back the nostalgia and added a style that was considered darker and edgier than the TV series’ standards. Fans of this franchise are biased about this new approach along with the redesigns of the Ranger outfits and Zords; being clearly divided into those criticizing it and those enjoying it. Some of the other changes proved to be very useful, had they been first conceived in the original series; including that one character Billy Cranston, who is the classic Blue Ranger (and coincidentally shares the surname of one of the movie’s supporting players) who is now an African-American with high-functioning autism.  

The casting of this movie was quite convincing in that each of these young actors are perfectly suited for the titular characters destined to save the world. They absolutely done it with hint of their inter-personal onscreen chemistry as well as starting future careers in their own. Bryan Cranston did a much simpler job in reprising the benevolence of Zordon who helps to bring the Power Rangers together and teaches them how to fight evil in their destiny. Elizabeth Banks was the only other known star who also did good in her antagonistic role of Rita Repulsa whose motivations are predictable. 

It wasn’t a financial success or a critical hit by any chance. Nothing spectacular or anything original has came up in 'POWER RANGERS' despite it being a decent film of its year. I do believe that it’s a hit-and-miss. Most non-fans like myself  naturally tend to disagree with some of the fans’ opinions of what they enjoyed the film. I’ll have to revisit most of the ongoing series and the first two films before anything new is released.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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