Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope Review

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope


Release Date: 27th October 1977 – Australia


Production Companies
20th Century Fox
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia


Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 121 minutes
                125 minutes
                (special/2004

                edition)

Budget: $11,000,000

Box Office Gross: $775,398,507 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
After the Jedi are all but extinct, the Galactic Empire now rules the galaxy by tyranny. The only thing standing in their way is the Rebellion. After stealing the technical readouts of the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance had hidden it in one of their droids, R2-D2. Darth Vader, the Empire's deadly chief enforcer, is after the plans while also finding the Rebels' secret hideout. A young farm

boy, Luke Skywalker, discovers

a hidden message within

R2, a distress call sent

by the captured Rebel

leader, Princess Leia.

Seeing it as his true destiny, Luke accompanies an old Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi; a cocky smuggler named Han Solo; his faithful Wookie companion Chewbacca; and the droids R2 and C-3PO. Together, they must rescue the princess and stop the Empire from destroying the Rebels.

Cast
Mark Hamill – Luke Skywalker
Harrison Ford – Han Solo
Carrie Fisher – Princess Leia Organa
Alec Guinness – Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi
Peter Mayhew – Chewbacca
Anthony Daniels – C-3PO
Kenny Baker – R2-D2
David Prowse – Darth Vader
James Earl Jones – Darth Vader (Voice)
Peter Cushing – Grand Moff

Tarkin
Phil Brown – Uncle Owen
Shelagh Fraser – Aunt Beru
Jack Purvis – Chief Jawa

Alex McCrindle – General Dodonna

Eddie Byrne – General Willard

Drewe Henley – Red Leader

Denis Lawson – Red Two (Wedge)
Garrick Hagon – Red Three (Biggs)

Jack Klaff – Red Four (John D.)

William Hootkins – Red Six

(Porkins)

Angus MacInnes – Gold Leader

Jeremy Sinden – Gold Two

Don Henderson – General Taggi

Richard LeParmentier – General Motti
Leslie Schofield – Commander #1
Paul Blake – Greedo (Uncredited)

Maria De Aragon – Greedo (Uncredited)

Larry Ward – Greedo (Voice)

(Uncredited)

Alfie Curtis – Dr. Evazan (Uncredited)

Tommy Ilsley – Pondo Baba

(Uncredited)

David Ankrum – Red Two

(Voice) (Uncredited)

Malcolm Tierney – Lt. Shann

Childsen (Uncredited)

Peter Geddis – Captain Raymus

Antilles (Uncredited)

Peter Sumner – Lt. Pol Treidum

(Uncredited)

Burnell Tucker – Del Goren

(Uncredited)

Shane Rimmer – Rebel Crew

Chief (Uncredited)

Derek Lyons – Temple Guard/

Medal Bearer (Uncredited)

Phil Tippett – Cantina Alien

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Jon Berg – Cantina Alien

(Cameo) Uncredited)

Doug Beswick – Cantina Alien (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Joe Johnston – Death Star Trooper

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Steve Gawley – Death Star Trooper

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Grant McCune – Death Star Gunner

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Peter Diamond – Stormtrooper/

Tusken Raider/Death Star

Trooper/Garouf Loube (Uncredited)

Lorne Peterson – Massassi Base

Rebel Scout (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Anthony Forrest – Sandtrooper (Uncredited)

Nick Joseph – Major Arhul Hextrophon (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Executive Producer/Director – George Lucas

Producers – Gary Kurtz and Rick McCallum

(Special Edition)

Casting Directors – Dianne Crittenden,

Irene Lamb and Vic Ramos

Production Illustrator/Planet and Satellite

Artist: Miniature and Optical Effects Unit –
Ralph McQuarrie

Creature Conceptual Designer – Ron Cobb

(Uncredited)

Production Designer – John Barry

Art Directors – Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley

Art Directors: Second Unit – Leon Erickson

and Al Locatelli

Assistant to Production Designer –

Alan Roderick-Jones

Set Decorator – Roger Christian

Costume Designer – John Mollo

Creature Design (Uncredited)/
Makeup Supervisor – Stuart Freeborn

Makeup: Second Unit – Rick Baker

and Doug Beswick
Director of Photography – Gilbert Taylor

Second Unit Photography – Carroll Ballard,

Rick Clemente, Robert Dalva and Tak Fujimoto

Camera Operations – Geoff Glover and

Ronnie Taylor

Production Supervisor – Robert Watts

Production Manager – Bruce Sharman

Assistant Directors – Terry Manning,

Anthony Waye and Gerry Gavigan

Special Production and Mechanical Effects

Supervisor – John Stears
Special Photographic Effects Supervisor –

John Dykstra
Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM (Special

Edition) – Dave Carson, John Knoll, Joe Letteri,

Alex Seiden and Steve 'Spaz' Williams

Visual Effects Producers: ILM (Special Edition) –
Ned Gorman and Tom Kennedy

Effects Illustrator and Designer: Miniature and
Optical Effects Unit – Joe Johnston

Additional Spacecraft Design: Miniature and

Optical Effects Unit – Colin Cantwell

Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM (Special

Edition) – Mark Moore and TyRuben Ellingson
Computer Graphics Supervisor: ILM (Special

Edition) – John Andrew Berton Jr.

First Cameraman: Miniature and Optical Effects

Unit – Richard Edlund
Second Cameraman: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit/Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM

(Special Edition) – Dennis Muren

Assistant Cameramen: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit – Douglas Smith, Ken Ralston

and David Robman

Second Unit Photography: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit – Bruce Logan

Composite Optical Photography: Miniature and
Optical Effects Unit: (Praxis) – Robert Blalack

Optical Camera Assistant: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit/Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM

(Special Edition) – Bruce Nicholson

Optical Supervisors (Special Edition) –

Chris Bushman and Philip Feiner

Matte Artist: Miniature and Optical Effects Unit –

Harrison Ellenshaw

Chief Model Maker: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit – Grant McCune

Model Builder: Miniature and Optical Effects

Unit/Digital Matte Artist: ILM (Special Edition) –

Paul Huston

Model Builders: Miniature and Optical Effects

Unit – David Beasley, Jonathan Erland,

Steve Gawley, David Jones and Lorne Peterson

Stop Motion Animation: Miniature and Optical

Effects Unit – Jon Berg and Phil Tippett

Computer Animation and Graphic Displays:

Miniature and Optical Effects Unit – Larry Cuba,

Dan O'Bannon, Jay Teitzell and John C. Wash

Animator: Lightsaber – Nelson Shin (Uncredited)
Film Editors – Paul Hirsch, Richard Chew,
Marcia Lucas and T.M. Christopher (Special Edition)

Assistant Film Editors – Todd Boekelheide,

Colin Michael Kitchens, Bonnie Koehler and

Jay Miracle
Special Dialogue and Sound Effects/

Sound Designer (Special & 2004 Editions) –

Ben Burtt

Supervising Sound Editor – Sam F. Shaw

Supervising Sound Editor (2004 Edition) –

Matthew Wood (Uncredited)

Supervising Assistant (2004 Edition) –

David Acord (Uncredited)

Sound Editors – Gene Corso,

Gordon Davidson and Robert R. Rutledge

Sound Editor (Special & 2004 Editions) – Teresa Eckton

Production Sound Mixer – Derek Ball

Digital Mix Technician (Special Edition) – Gary A. Rizzo

Re-Recording Mixers – Les Fresholtz,

Robert J. Litt, Don MacDougall, Bob &

Michael Minkler, Richard Portman and

Ray West

Re-Recording Mixer (Special Edition) –

Gary Summers

Re-Recording Mixer (2004 Edition) – Tom Myers

(Uncredited)

Film Restoration Supervisor (Special Edition) –

Pete Comandini

Film Restoration Consultant (Special Edition) –

Leon Briggs

Advertising/Publicity Supervisor – Charles Lippincott

Titles – Dan Perri

Music Supervisor – Lionel Newman (Uncredited)

Supervising Music Editor – Kenneth Wannberg

Music – John Williams


Awards

1978 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction – John Barry,

Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley and

Roger Christian (Won)
Best Costume Design – John Mollo (Won)
Best Visual Effects – John Stears, John Dykstra,
Richard Edlund, Grant McCune and Robert Blalack (Won)

Best Film Editing – Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas
and Richard Chew (Won)
Best Original Score – John Williams (Won)
Best Sound – Don MacDougall, Ray West,
Bob Minkler and Derek Ball (Won)
Special Achievement Award – Ben Burtt (Won)
-----------------
Best Supporting Actor – Alec Guinness (Nominated)
Best Director – George Lucas (Nominated)
Best Picture (Nominated)
Best Original Screenplay – George Lucas (Nominated)

Review

Before watching A NEW HOPE (known as STAR WARS in its original release) as a kid, I saw a clip on the Cinemania interactive movie guide on my dad's computer years before IMDb. A few years later, after I'd only watched its next two entries, I borrowed it on VHS and started watching the rest of the movie for the first time.

STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE was a rousing space adventure and a brilliant movie to start the franchise. It was the first film of the original trilogy and (chronologically) the fourth in the complete series. The movie draws heavily on classic mythology, Westerns, and samurai movies, resulting in a distinctive "space fantasy" aesthetic. Its exceptional world-building provides a foundation likely to inspire decades of subsequent follow-ups, prequels, and fan fiction.

Its enduring themes resonate strongly with audiences of all ages, including redemption, good vs. evil, and the hero's journey. It's no wonder that it had such a profound impact on moviegoers when it first came out, reinventing the sci-fi genre. Since then, many of its elements have become iconic because it was a milestone in cinema and pop culture.

I praise its classic yet groundbreaking visual effects, the extraordinary acting of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Peter Cushing, and Alec Guinness, the iconic characters, and the memorable music score by John Williams. The movie features several famous scenes, such as the opening sequence where the Imperials attack Princess Leia's ship, the shot of Luke seeing the two suns, and the climactic space battle on the first Death Star.

A NEW HOPE was my favourite Star Wars film, second only to The Empire Strikes Back, and is one of the greatest science fiction movies. I recommend this movie to anyone, including Star Wars fans of all ages. May the Force be with you.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review

Transformers: Dark of the Moon


Release Date: 29th June 2011 - Australia


Production Companies 
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Hasbro (in association with)
Di Bonaventura Pictures
Amblin Entertainment (Uncredited)
Platinum Dunes (Uncredited)

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 154 minutes 


Budget: $195,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,123,794,079
(Worldwide)

Plot Summary
The Autobots Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide and Sideswipe led by Optimus Prime, are back in action, taking on the evil Decepticons, who are determined to avenge their defeat in 2009's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. In this new movie, the Autobots and Decepticons become involved in a perilous space race between the US and Russia, and once again human Sam Witwicky has to come to the aid of his robot friends.

Cast

Humans 
Shia LaBeouf - Sam Witwicky
Josh Duhamel - U.S. Army Lt. Colonel William Lennox
John Turturro - Seymour Simmons
Tyrese Gibson - USAF Chief Robert Epps
Rosie Huntington-Whitely - Carly Spencer
Patrick Dempsey - Dylan Gould
Kevin Dunn - Ron Witwicky
Julie White - Judy Witwicky
John Malkovich - Bruce Brazos
Frances McDormand - Charlotte Mearing
Lester Speight - "Hardcore" Eddie
Josh Kelly - Stone
Alan Tudyk - Dutch
Ken Jeong - Jerry Wang
Glenn Morshower - General Morshower
Buzz Aldrin - Himself
Bill O'Reilly - Himself
Ravil Isyanov - Voshkod 
Don Jeanes - Neil Armstrong
Cory Tucker - Young Buzz Aldrin  

Autobots
Peter Cullen - Optimus Prime (voice)
Leonard Nimoy - Sentinel Prime (voice)
Jess Harnell - Ironhide (Voice)
Robert Foxworth - Ratchet (voice)
James Remar - Sideswipe (voice)
Tom Kenny - Wheelie (voice)
Reno Wilson - Brains (voice)
Francesco Quinn - Dino (voice)
George Coe - Que/Wheeljack (voice)
John DiMaggio - Leadfoot (voice)
Ron Bottitta - Roadbuster (voice)

Decepticons
Hugo Weaving - Megatron (voice)
Frank Welker - Shockwave/Soundwave/ 
Barricade (voices)
Charlie Adler - Starscream (voice)
Keith Szarabajka - Laserbeak (voice)
Greg Berg - Igor (voice)
Jimmie Wood - Crowbar (voice)

Crew 
Executive Producer/Director - Michael Bay
Writer - Ehren Kruger
Executive Producers - Steven Spielberg 
Brian Goldner & Mark Vahradian
Producers - Ian Bryce, Tom DeSanto, 
Lorenzo di Bonaventura & Don Murphy
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Allegra Clegg
Co-Producer/Second Unit Director/
Stunt Coordinator - Kenny Bates
Casting Director - Denise Chaiman
Production Designer - Nigel Phelps
Supervising Art Director - Richard L. Johnson
Art Directors - Julian Ashby, Benjamin Edelberg, 
Kevin Ishioka, Ben Procter & James F. Truesdale
Set Decorator - Jennifer Williams
Costume Designer - Deborah Lynn Scott
Director of Photography - Amir Mokri 
Wingsuit Cinematographer: Chicago - Rob Bruce
Wingsuit Flying Coordinator - J.T. Holmes
Stunt Coordinator - Troy Robinson
Co-Stunt Coordinator - Kurt Bryant
Special Effects Supervisor - John Frazier
Special Effects Coordinator - Jim Schwalm
Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Scott Farrar
Co-Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Jeff White
Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Domain - Matthew E. Butler
Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Wayne Billheimer
Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM - Yanick Dusseault & 
Alex Jaeger
Animation Supervisor: ILM - Scott Benza
Animation Supervisor: Digital Domain - David Andrews
Film Editors - Roger Barton, William Goldenberg 
& Joel Negron
Music - Steve Jablonsky

Review
'TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON' was much better than the last movie in the series, 'Revenge of the Fallen'. This sequel now includes the less crude humour and finally, no Skids and Mudflap. I still love the heart-pounding action and the CGI effects, the script isn't too bad at least and I like a lot of plot twists. I'm surprised that Leonard Nimoy aka Mr. Spock from Star Trek does the voice of Sentinel Prime and this is the second time that Nimoy did a vocal performance in a 'Transformers' movie since the animated version. I have a few disappointments about the movie which I can forgive and one is that the previous actress Megan Fox didn't return to this sequel as she was fired and replaced by the new lead actress. Her replacement, model Rosie Huntington-Whitely didn't have much of an acting background and it showed.

I loved the 3D aspect of this film and not only did I think 'DARK OF THE MOON' is the last of the Michael Bay trilogy. It's also the biggest improvement that we have seen in theatres. I invite all my viewers to comment on this movie on what they think of it.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

 and I'm a bit disappointed that actress Megan Fox didn't return to this sequel, probably because she got fired and replaced by a new actress. Not only is DARK OF THE MOON the last of the Michael Bay trilogy, but it's also the strongest and most likely the best 3D film ever. I invite all my viewers to comment on the name of the movie of what they think of iBack to Home

Kung Fu Panda 2 Review

Kung Fu Panda 2


Release Date: 23rd June 2011 - Australia


Production Companies
DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $665,692,281 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
When a new enemy emerges, he plans to use an unstoppable weapon to

conquer China and end

kung fu. Po and the

Furious Five must travel

across China to thwart his

attempt and put an end to

him. But how will Po

ever prevent a weapon

from destroying Kung Fu?

He must look deeper into

his past and unravel the

secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he unlock the strength he needs to master it.

Voice Cast

Jack Black - Po

Angelina Jolie - Tigress

Gary Oldman - Lord Shen

Jackie Chan - Monkey

Seth Rogen - Mantis

Lucy Liu - Viper

David Cross - Crane

Dustin Hoffman - Master Shifu

James Hong - Mr. Ping

Michelle Yeoh - Soothsayer

Danny McBride - Wolf Boss

Dennis Haysbert - Master Storming Ox

Jean-Claude Van Damme -

Master Croc

Victor Garber - Master Thundering Rhino

Crew

Director - Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Based on Characters - Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris (Uncredited)

Writers/Co-Producers - Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
Associate Producer - Chris Sanders

Executive Producer/

Creative Consultant - Guillermo del Toro

Producer - Melissa Cobb
Co-Producer - Suzanne Buirgy

Production Designer - Raymond Zibach

Art Director - Tang Kheng Heng

Character Designer - Nicolas Marlet

Head of Story - Philip Craven

Story Artist/Animation Supervisor/Animator:
2D Sequence Production/Choreographer:

Kung Fu - Rodolphe Guenoden

Head of Layout - Damon O'Beirne

Production Manager - Jeff Hermann

Head of Character Animation - Dan Wagner

Animation Supervisors - Marek Kochout,
David Pate and William Salazar
Animation Supervisor/Animator: 2D Sequence

Production - Philippe Brun

Effects Supervisor - Li-Ming 'Lawrence' Lee
Visual Effects Supervisor - Alex Parkinson

Global Leads - Jonathan Gibbs,

Jin Liou, Phil 'Captain 3D' McNally and

Jason Reisig

Head of Lighting - Dave Walvoord

Lighting Supervisors - Igor Lodeiro,

Aaron Smith, M. Scott McKee, Pablo Valle,

Michael Necci, Liang-Yuan Wang and

Marc Jason Scott

Supervising Character Technical Directors -

Martin Costello and Kevin Oochs

Technical Director - Serge Sretschinsky

Final Layout Supervisor - Richard Shiba
Surfacing Supervisor - Wes Burian

Stereo Consultant - Willem Drees

Editors - Maryann Brandon and

Clare De Chenu

Associate Editors - Mark Hester and

Anna Solorio-Catalano

Supervising Sound Editors - Ethan Van der Ryn

and Erik Aadahl

Sound Effects Field Recordist - John P. Fasal

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and James Bolt

Music - Hans Zimmer and John Powell
Composers: Additional Music - Lorne Balfe,
Dominic Lewis and Paul Mounsey

Scoring Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Review
Not only was KUNG FU PANDA 2 more awesome and funnier than the first movie (click here), but it also has a darker tone and a plot much deeper than the original. This continuation boasts excellent characterisation and other positive aspects, including improved animation and better-choreographed action sequences. Alongside Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, and others, the new additions to the voice cast include Gary Oldman, who did a fantastic job of voicing Lord Shen. However, his character is compared to Ian McShane's Tai Lung in the predecessor and is more intimidating than the latter. I can't believe I knew all this time that the goose, Mr Ping, is not Po's dad. I laughed at the scene when Po says, "My fist hungers for justice!" and then his stomach growls, "That was my... fist."

KUNG FU PANDA 2 delivers an exciting and immersive 3D experience for fans. It was an entertaining, albeit not more action-oriented, animated sequel.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Review

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade


Release Date: 8th June 1989 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: PG

Runtime: 127 minutes


Budget: $48,000,000

Box Office Gross: $474,171,806 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
In 1938, Indiana Jones successfully recovered the Cross of Coronado, which he had attempted to retrieve 26 years earlier when robbers thwarted him in his youth. Indy meets a wealthy businessman, Walter Donovan, who informs him of his father's disappearance. He also offers to find the Holy Grail, along with his father, who has spent his entire life searching for it.

Unfortunately for Indy, rescuing his dad ends with discovering the Nazis
want to find the missing
Grail in their quest for world
domination. Can Jones and
his father stop the Nazis
and retrieve the artefact
before they are willing to

get their hands on it?


Cast
Harrison Ford - Dr. Indiana
Jones
Sean Connery - Professor
Henry Jones
Denholm Elliott - Dr. Marcus
Brody
Alison Doody - Dr. Elsa
Schneider
John Rhys-Davies - Sallah
Julian Glover - Walter Donovan
River Phoenix - Indiana Jones

(aged 13)
Michael Byrne - Colonel Ernst

Vogel

Kevork Malikyan - Kazim
Robert Eddison - The Grail
Knight
Alex Hyde-White - Young Henry Jones

Paul Maxwell - Panama Hat
Richard Young - Fedora
Alexei Sayle - Sultan
Isla Blair - Mrs. Donovan (Cameo)
Vernon Dobtcheff - Butler
J.J. Hardy - Herman
Bradley Gregg - Roscoe
Jeff O'Haco - Half Breed
Vince Deadrick Sr. - Rough Rider
Marc Miles - Sheriff
Ted Grossman - Deputy Sheriff
Tim Hiser - Young Panama Hat
Larry Sanders - Scout Master
Pat Roach - Gestapo
Michael Sheard - Adolf Hitler (Uncredited)

Ronald Lacey - Gestapo (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Steven Spielberg
Characters/Story/Executive Producer -

George Lucas

Characters - Philip Kaufman

Story - Menno Meyjes

Screenplay - Jeffrey Boam

Executive Producer/Second Unit Director -
Frank Marshall
Producer - Robert Watts

Production Executive: USA - Kathleen Kennedy
Casting Directors - Maggie Cartier,
Mike Fenton, Valorie Massalas and Judy Taylor

Animal Trainers: USA - Boone Narr

and Paul 'Sled' Reynolds
Production Designer - Elliott Scott

Production Illustrators - David Jones

and Ed Verreaux

Supervising Art Director - Fred Hole

Art Director - Stephen Scott

Art Director: Spain - Benjamin Fernandez
Set Decorator - Peter Howitt

Property Master - Barry Wilkinson

Armourer - Simon Artheton
Costume Designers - Joanna Johnston
and Anthony Powell
Makeup Supervisor - Peter Robb-King

Makeup Effects Supervisor: ILM - Stephan Dupuis

Chef Makeup Artist: Prosthetics - Nick Dudman

Chief Hairdresser - Colin Jamison
Director of Photography - Douglas Slocombe

Director of Photography: Second Unit, USA -

Rexford L. Metz

Additional Photography - Paul Beeson

Additional Photography: USA - Robert M. Stevens

Camera Operators - Mike Roberts and David Worley

Camera Operator: USA - Norman G. Langley

Camera Operators: Second Unit -

Derek V. Browne and Wally Byatt

Second Assistant Cameramen - Graham Hall and

Clive Mackey

Panaglide Operator: USA - Raymond Stella

Panaglide Assistant: USA - Clyde E. Bryan

Production Supervisor: UK - Patricia Carr

Production Manager: UK - Roy Button

Production Managers: USA - Joan Bradshaw

and Ian Bryce

Production Coordinator: USA - Lata Ryan

First Assistant Director: UK - David Tomblin

Second Assistant Directors: UK - Lee Clearly

and Patrick Kinney
Second Unit Director - Michael D. Moore
Stunt Coordinator - Vic Armstrong

Helicopter Pilot - Marc Wolff
Special Effects Supervisor: USA - Michael Lantieri
Mechanical Effects Supervisor - George Gibbs
Visual Effects Supervisor - Michael J. McAlister

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Steve Beck

Camera Operators: ILM - Peter Daulton,

Kim Marks, Pat Sweeney and Pat Turner

Animation Supervisor: ILM - Wes Takahashi
Editor - Michael Kahn

Associate Editor - Colin Wilson

Assistant Editors - Patrick Crane,

Andrew MacRitchie, Nick Moore,

Carin-Anne Strohmaier and Robert Frazen

(Uncredited)

Sound Design/Re-Recording Mixer - Ben Burtt

Supervising Sound Editor - Richard Hymns

Dialogue Editors - Karen Spangenberg,

Michael Silvers and Gloria D'Alessandro

Sound Effects Editors - Sandina Balio-Lape,

Teresa Eckton, Ken Fischer and David E. Stone

Assistant Sound Editors - Ewa Sztompke,

Bob Marty, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle,

E. Larry Oatfield, E. Jeane Putnam and

Kris Handwerk Wiskes

Sound Mixer: USA - Willie D. Burton

Re-Recording Mixers - Shawn Murphy

and Gary Summers

Foley Artists - Marnie Moore and

Dennie Thorpe

Music - John Williams

Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg

Awards

1990 Academy Awards

Best Sound Editing - Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns (Won)

----------------------

Best Sound - Ben Burtt, Gary Summers,

Shawn Murphy and Tony Dawe (Nominated)

Best Original Score - John Williams (Nominated)


Review
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE had a great story and is considered the second-best movie in the series. The father-son relationship between Indiana and Henry is heartwarming, and the Holy Grail is similar to the one in Monty Python. Coincidentally, this is the first movie that introduced me to Indiana Jones. I enjoyed the action and the humour, with performances by (James Bond actor) Sean Connery as Indiana's estranged father and River Phoenix as young Indiana. The notable scene is when young Indy jumps onto the rooftops of train cabins and falls into one, and, to his shock, he finds a collection of vicious snakes. Another highlight is the motorcycle chase scene in which Indy and his father, Henry, escape from the Nazis.

It was the last Indiana Jones movie until 2008. Overall, this is a must-see film. There have been talks of a fifth Indiana Jones instalment.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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Kung Fu Panda Review

Kung Fu Panda

Release Date: 26th June 2008 – Australia

Production Companies

DreamWorks Animation

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 92 minutes

Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $632,083,197 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Po, a lazy, rotund panda, is a huge fan of Kung Fu and works daily on his father's noodle shop when he is accidentally chosen as the Dragon Warrior. Po becomes a Kung Fu novice and has trouble fitting in the Jade Palace, especially with his idolised heroes, the Furious Five, and their

master, Shifu. He must

embrace his destiny

and learn the skills to

safeguard China from the

dreaded snow leopard Tai

Lung, who will stop at

nothing to exact his

vengeance. Will Po find

the confidence to defeat

Tai Lung and become the

greatest Kung Fu master

he was supposed to be?

Cast

Jack Black – Po

Dustin Hoffman – Master Shifu
Angelina Jolie – Tigress
Ian McShane – Tai Lung
Seth Rogen – Mantis
Lucy Liu – Viper
David Cross – Crane
Randall Duk Kim – Master Oogway
James Hong – Mr. Ping
Dan Fogler – Zeng
Michael Clarke Duncan – Commander Vachir
Jackie Chan – Monkey

Wayne Knight – Gang Boss

Kyle Gass – KG Shaw

JR Reed – JR Shaw

Laura Kightlinger – Awed Ninja

Tanya Haden – Smitten Bunny

Stephen Kearin – Gong Pig/Grateful Bunny

Mark Osborne – Pig Patron (Cameo)

John Stevenson – Rhino Guard (Cameo)

Melissa Cobb – Bunny Mom (Cameo)

Emily Burns – Bunny Fan 1

Stephanie Harvey – Bunny Fan 2

Riley Osborne – Baby Tai Lung

Crew

Directors – John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
Story – Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris
Screenplay/Co-Producers –

Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger

Associate Producer – Kristina Reed
Executive Producer – Bill Damaschke
Producers – Melissa Cobb and
Lorne Orleans (IMAX Version)

Production Designer – Raymond Zibach
Art Director – Tang Kheng Heng
Character Designer – Nicholas Marlet

Additional Character Designers – Buck Lewis,

Carlos Grangel, Olivier Malric and Tony Siruno

Additional Character Designer/

Story Artist – Devin Crane

Head of Story/Director: Dream Sequence/

Supervisor: Action Sequences – Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Creative Consultant: Story – Mike Mitchell

Story Artist/Supervisor: Action Sequences –
Simon Wells

Production Supervisor – Rene Harnois Jr.,

Production Supervisor: Animation/Story –

Daniela Mazzucato

Production Supervisor: Lightning –

Maude Lewis

Production Supervisor: Paint Fix – Robyn Mesher

Senior Production Manager – Susan Slagle Rogers

Production Managers – Mary Bills and

Jeff Hermann

Head of Character Animation – Dan Wagner

Animation Supervisors – Philippe Le Brun,

Jason Reisig and William Salazar
Animation Supervisor/Story Artist/

Choreographer: Kung Fu – Rodolphe Guenoden
Animation Supervisor/Story Artist –

Alessandro Carloni

Animation Director: Dream Sequence –

James Baxter

Surviving Character Technical Director –

Nathan Loofbourrow

Lighting Supervisors – Dave Walvoord,

Mark Fattibene, Betsy Nofsinger,

Aaron Smith and Pablo Valle

Surfacing Supervisor – Wes Burian
Head of Layout – Yong Duk Jhun

Character Effects/Crowds/Effects Supervisor –

Alex Parkinson

Visual Effects Supervisor – Markus Manninen
Stereoscopic Production – Phil 'Captain 3D'

McNally
Editor – Clare De Chenu

Additional Editors – Mary Blee

and John K. Carr

Associate Editors – C.K. Horness and

William J. Caparella

Sound Designers/Supervising Sound Editors –
Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn

Sound Mixers – Andy Nelson and Anna Behlmer

Music – John Powell and Hans Zimmer
Composers: Additional Music – Henry Jackman
and James McKee Smith

Score Mixer – Alan Meyerson

Additional Recordists – Shawn Murphy,

Jeff Biggers and Slamm Andrews

Awards

2009 Academy Awards

Best Animated Feature – John Stevenson and Mark Osborne (Nominated)

Review
KUNG FU PANDA is an action-packed, hilarious CGI-animated movie that was completely awesome. It has everything: its faithfulness to Chinese culture, humour, visual style, and the all-star voice cast, including Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie, and others. The most important aspects of this movie are its kung fu action and the life lessons it teaches.

Other animation studios, such as Pixar and Blue Sky Studios, do not possess the secret formula that makes DreamWorks an ultimate competitor in computer animation. This animated movie is my second-favourite from DreamWorks, with How to Train Your Dragon at number #1. If you saw the first film, you should check out the sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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