Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Release Date: 1st December 2005 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Heyday Films

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Fantasy/Family

Rating: M

Runtime: 157 minutes

                166 minutes
                (extended)

Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $900,493,569 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
When Harry Potter's name
suddenly appears in the

Goblet of Fire, he has to
compete in the gruelling
battle for glory among
three wizarding schools -
the Triwizard Tournament.
But if Harry didn't
submit his name for the
Tournament, who did?
Harry has to undergo what

he has to face, including

a deadly dragon, fierce
water demons, and an
enchanted maze. Only to
find himself in a cruel
twist of fate when he comes

face-to-face with He Who

Must Not Be Named.

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter

Emma Watson - Hermione
Granger

Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley

Ralph Fiennes - Lord
Voldemort 

Robbie Coltrane - Ruebus
Hagrid

Gary Oldman - Sirius Black

Michael Gambon - Albus
Dumbledore

Maggie Smith - Minerva
McGonagall

Alan Rickman - Severus
Snape

Brendan Gleeson - Alastor

'Mad Eye' Moody
Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy

Jason Isaacs - Lucius Malfoy

Warwick Davis - Filius Flitwick

David Bradley - Argus Filch

Devon Murray - Seamus
Finnigan

Jamie Waylett - Vincent Crabbe

Joshua Herdman - Gregory

Goyle

Mark Williams - Arthur Weasley

Bonnie Wright - Ginny Weasley

James & Oliver Phelps - Fred
and George Weasley

Robert Hardy - Cornelius Fudge

Roger Lloyd-Pack - Barty

Crouch

Jeff Rowle - Amos Diggory

Robert Pattinson - Cedric
Diggory

Timothy Spall - Wormtail

David Tennant - Barty Crouch Jr.

Shefali Chowdhury - Parvati

Patil

Afshan Azad - Padma Patil

Alfred Enoch - Dean Thomas

William Melling - Nigel

Katie Leung - Cho Chang

Louis Doyle - Ernie MacMillan

Charlotte Skeoch - Hannah

Abbott

Tiana Benjamin - Angelina

Johnson

Henry Lloyd-Hughes - Roger

Davies

Adrian Rawlins - James Potter

Geraldine Somerville - Lily

Potter

Miranda Richardson - Rita

Skeeter
Stanislav Ianevski - Victor Krum

Clémence Poésy - Fleur

Delacour

Angelica Mandy - Gabrielle

Delacour

Eric Sykes - Frank Bryce

Bredrag Bjelac - Igor Karkaroff

Frances de la Tour - Madame Maxime

Shirley Henderson - Moaning Myrtle

Crew

Director - Mike Newell
Based on the Novel "Harry

Potter and the Goblet of Fire" -

J.K. Rowling

Screenplay - Steve Kloves

Associate Producer/First

Assistant Director - Chris Carreras

Executive Producers - David
Barron and Tanya Seghatchian
Producers - David Heyman

and Lorne Orleans (IMAX 

Version)
Co-Producer/Second Unit
Director - Peter MacDonald
Casting Directors - Mary
Selway and Fiona Weir

Animals Supervisor - Gary Gero

Head Animal Trainers - David Sousa and Julie Tottman
Production Designer - Stuart
Craig

Creature Designers - Adam

Brockbank and Paul Catling

Conceptual Artists - Wayne D. Barlowe,

Ben Dennett, Geoffrey Huband, Iain McCaig,

Andrew Williamson and Dermot Power (Uncredited)

Supervising Art Director - Neil Lamont

Senior Art Director - Andrew Ackland-Snow

Art Directors - Mark Bartholomew,
Alastair Bullock, Alan Gilmore,
Gary Tomkins and Alexandra Walker

Standby Art Director - Martin Foley

Construction Manager - Paul J. Hayes

Supervising Modeller - Pierre Bohanna
Set Decorator - Stephenie McMillan

Co-Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Property Master - Barry Wilkinson

Assistant Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson
Costume Designer - Jany Temime

Costume Supervisors - David Crossman

and Charlotte Finlay

Creature & Makeup Effects Designer -

Nick Dudman
Makeup Designer - Amanda Knight

Key Prosthetic Makeup Artists - Mark Coulier

and Shaune Harrison

Chief Hairdresser & Designer - Eithne Fennel

Director of Photography - Roger Pratt

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Mike Brewster

"B" Camera Operators - Trevor Coop

and Gary Spratling

Location Manager - Sue Quinn

Unit Location Managers - Michael Harm,

Steve Harvey, Joseph Jayawardena and

Mark Somner

Unit Production Manager - Tim Lewis

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Jamie Christopher

Second Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Sallie Hard

Third Assistant Directors - Tom Brewster,

Phillippa Hunt and Michael Michael

Third Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Lyndsay Bullock

Choreographer - Wayne McGregor
Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell

Aerial Coordinator: Second Unit - Marc Wolff
Diving Coordinator: Second Unit - Dave Shaw

Special Effects Supervisor - John Richardson
Special Effects Coordinator - Rosie Richardson

Supervising Animatronic Designers - Guy Stevens

and Chris Barton

Performance Systems Supervisor - Matthew Denton

Visual Effects Supervisor - Jim Mitchell

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Tim Alexander
Visual Effects Supervisor: Framestore CFC -

Tim Webber
Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Ben Shepherd
Visual Effects Supervisor: Cinesite - Simon Stanley-Clamp

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors - Tim Burke

and Richard Stammers
Visual Effects Producers - Theresa Corrao and
Emma Norton

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks

Animation Supervisors: Framestore CFC -

Pablo Grillo and Max Solomon
Animation Supervisor: Dragon, Ship and

World Cup, ILM - Steve Rawlins
Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM -

Douglas Smythe and Robert Weaver

CG Supervisor: Framestore CFC - David Lomax

CG Supervisor: Cinesite - Ivor Middleton

CGI Modelling Supervisor: ILM - Ken Bryan
Model Unit Supervisor: Cinesite - José Granell

Model Workshop Supervisor: Cinesite -

Nigel Trevessey

Model Director of Photography: ILM -

Pat Sweeney
Supervisors: MPC - Nicolas Aithadi,

Caine Dickinson, Ferran Domenech,

Clwyd Edwards, Charley Henley and

Uel Hormann

CG Sequence Supervisors: Framestore CFC -

Andy Kind, Rob Allman, Justin Martin

and Andrew Rawling
Character Rigging Supervisor: ILM - Eric Wong

Motion Control Supervisor - Chris Shaw

Compositing Supervisor: ILM - Patrick Tubach

Compositing Supervisors: Framestore CFC -

Adrian De Wet, Areito Echevarria,

Christian Manz, Ivan Moran and Pedro Sabrosa

Editor - Mick Audsley

Sound Designer & Supervising Sound Editor -

Randy Thom

Supervising Sound Editor - Dennis Leonard

Sound Effects Editors - Andy Kennedy

and Douglas Murray

Re-Recording Mixers - Tom Johnson

and Mike Prestwood Smith

Foley Artists - Peter Burgis,

Andie Derrick and Nicolas Becker

Music - Patrick Doyle

Composer: "Hedwig's Theme" - John Williams

Awards

2006 Academy Awards

Best Art Direction - Stuart Craig and Stephenie McMillan (Nominated)

Review

The Harry Potter film series continues its magic with THE GOBLET OF FIRE. While The Prisoner of Azkaban was a step up, GOBLET is the darkest movie of the franchise. The series has shifted further and attracts only some age groups. The later instalments appealed to younger teens and adults, focusing on the characters now facing adult situations. Mike Newell takes Alfonso Cuarón's position as the director, and it's incredible how he pulls off a simple task in this movie. The visuals are significant, and the film has shown no signs of slowing down. But enough said, let's talk about the acting.

I praise Ralph Fiennes for doing an extraordinary job of portraying Lord Voldemort. He knows how to introduce a dark wizard who is already a villain. Brendan Gleeson takes the 'Mad Eye' Moody role by making his character visibly eccentric. I came here for this movie because of its supporting actors, David Tennant and Robert Pattinson. Incredibly, Tennant plays a Death Eater rather than a doctor who wanders through time and space in the television series Doctor Who. Additionally, it is worth noting that Pattinson, who plays the ill-fated Cedric Diggory, also plays a vampire in the infamous Twilight movies and Batman in an upcoming eponymous film. The music by Patrick Doyle is good, although it relies on the same notes as John Williams's music in the previous instalments.

GOBLET OF FIRE remains fresh but is still a gripping chapter of a film series that helps everyone believe in magic. I encourage all fans of the franchise to see it.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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In Memory of Syd Mead (1933-2019)

Syd Mead (1933-2019)

I do apologise for this late obituary. Syd Mead, a conceptual designer and visual futurist responsible for providing the artwork of films such as "Blade Runner," "TRON," and "Aliens," passed away on December 30th, 2019, at the age of 86 due to complications of lymphoma. Before his death, he announced his retirement in September and was about to receive the Art Directors Guild's Cameron Menzies Award for his designs.

Starting in 1979, he began his conceptual art career with "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." He continued his work on "Blade Runner," where he created futuristic designs, including vehicles and the city of Los Angeles, from his unique perspective. Many years later, Syd worked with Ridley Scott again on the sequel "Blade Runner 2049." He was among the three conceptual artists who worked on the Disney film "Tron," where he designed the light cycles, the solar sailer, tanks, and Sark's carrier. Syd continued illustrating designs for movies like "2010," "Aliens," "Short Circuit," and more recently "Elysium" and "Tomorrowland."

Should you wish to view Syd Mead's designs and artwork, visit his official website (www.sydmead.com).

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Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker Review

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

Release Date: 19th December 2019 - Australia

Production Companies

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Bad Robot Productions

British Film Commission (produced with the support of)

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 141 minutes

Budget: $300,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,074,149,279 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

The evil Emperor Palpatine is presumed to have perished in the destruction of the second Death Star, but he somehow survived. It is up to the remaining members of the Resistance to find a trace of his whereabouts, and Finn and Poe lead them in defeating the First Order and stopping their plans for a new Empire. Meanwhile, Rey has to confront Kylo Ren and face him.

Cast

Daisy Ridley - Rey

Adam Driver - Kylo Ren

John Boyega - Finn

Oscar Isaac - Poe Dameron

Kelly Marie Tran - Rose

Mark Hamill - Luke Skywalker/Boolio (Voice)

Carrie Fisher - General Leia Organa (Archive Footage)

Billy Dee Williams - Lando Calrissian

Lupita Nyong'o - Maz Kanata

Anthony Daniels - C-3PO

Jimmy Vee - R2-D2

Brian Herring - BB-8 Performer

Dave Chapman - BB-8 Performer

Joonas Suotamo - Chewbacca

Keri Russell - Zorii Bliss

Naomi Ackie - Jannah

Domhnall Gleeson - General Hux

Richard E. Grant - Allegiant General Pryde

Ian McDiarmid - Emperor

Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Greg Grunberg - Snap Wexley
Shirley Henderson - Babu Frink

Dominic Monaghan - Beaumont Kin

Billie Lourd - Lieutenant Connix

Nick Kellington - Klaud

Mandeep Dhillon - Lieutenant Garam

Alison Rose - Lieutenant Draper

Amanda Lawrence - Commander D'Acy

Tanya Moodie - General Parnadee

Simon Paisley Day - General Quinn

Geff Francis - Admiral Griss

Amanda Hale - Officer Kandia

Amir El-Masry - Commander

Trach

Aidan Cook - Boolie

J.J. Abrams - D-O (Voice)
Tom Wilton - Colonel Aftab Ackbar
Chris Terrio - Colonel Aftab Ackbar (Voice)
Kiran Shah - Nambi Ghima
Debra Wilson - Nambi Ghima (Voice)
Josef Atlin - Pilot Vanik
Vinette Robinson - Pilot Tyce

Paul Kasey - C'ai Threnalli
Mike Quinn - Nien Numb
Kipsang Rotich - Nien Numb (Voice)
Ann Firbank - Tatooine Elder
Philicia Saunders - Tabala Zo
Nigel Godrich - FN-2802 (Cameo)
Dhani Harrison - FN-0878 (Cameo)
J.D. Dillard - FN-1226 (Cameo)
Dave Hearn - FN-0606 (Cameo)
Josefine Irrera Jackson - Young Rey

Cailey Fleming - Young Rey (Archive Footage)
Jodie Comer - Rey's Mother (Cameo)
Billy Howle - Rey's Father
Carolyn Hennesy - Demine Lithe
John Williams - Oma Tres (Cameo)

Denis Lawson - Wedge Antilles (Cameo)

Warwick Davis - Wicket W. Warrick (Cameo)

Harrison Davis - Pommet Warrick

Andy Serkis - Supreme Leader Snoke

(Voice) (Cameo)

James Earl Jones - Darth Vader (Voice) (Cameo)

Hayden Christensen - Anakin Skywalker

(Voice) (Cameo)

Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Voice)

(Cameo)

Frank Oz - Yoda (Voice) (Cameo)

Liam Neeson - Qui Gon Jinn (Voice) (Cameo)

Samuel L. Jackson - Mace Windu (Voice) (Cameo)

Ashley Eckstein - Ahsoka Tano (Voice) (Cameo)

Freddie Prinze Jr. - Kanan Jarrus (Voice) (Cameo)

Olivia d'Abo - Luminara Unduli (Voice) (Cameo)

Jennifer Hale - Aayla Secura (Voice) (Cameo)

Angelique Perrin - Adi Gallia (Voice) (Cameo)

Harrison Ford - Han Solo (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Ed Sheeran - Stormtrooper (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Karl Urban - Stormtrooper (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Story/Screenplay/Producer/Director - J.J. Abrams

Based on Characters - George Lucas

Story/Screenplay - Chris Terrio

Story - Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow

Executive Producer/First Assistant Director -
Tommy Gormley
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Callum Greene

Executive Producer - Jason D. McGatlin

Producers - Kathleen Kennedy and

Michelle Rejwan

Co-Producers - Pippa Anderson,

Candice Campos and Chris Furia

Casting Directors - Nina Gold, April Webster and

Alyssa Weisberg

Dialect Coach - Jill McCullough

Production Designers - Rick Carter
and Kevin Jenkins

VP & Head of Design: Lucasfilm Art Department -

Doug Chiang

Design Supervisor: Lucasfilm - James Clyne

Concept Artists - Adam Brockbank,

Bob Cheshire, Jon McCoy, Stephen Tappin,

Christian Alzmann, Ryan Church,

Rodolfo Damgio, Yanick Dusseault,

Sean Hargreaves, Phil Saunders,

Erik Tiemens, Adam Baines and André Wallin

Additional Conceptual Designs - Darren Gilford

Supervising Art Director - Paul Inglis

Senior Art Director - Phil Sims

Art Directors - Jim Barr, Claire Fleming,

Liam Georgensen, Patrick Harris,

Ashley Lamont, Mike Stallion and

Matt Wynne

Art Directors: Props - Oliver Roberts, Lydia Fry

and Daniel Nussbaumer

Standby Art Director - Peter James

Assistant Art Directors - Roxana Alexandru,

Petra Balogh, Jake Hall, Charlotte Leatherland,

Hugh McClelland, Kristen Maloney and

Laura Miller

Assistant Art Director: Props - Clara Gomez del Moral

Draughtsperson/Asset and Environment

Supervisor: ILM - Andrew Proctor

Storyboard Artist - David Allcock

Set Decorator - Rosemary Brandenburg

Property & Weapons Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Supervising Standby Props - Sonny Merchant

Workshop Supervisor - Martyn Doust

Costume Designer - Michael Kaplan

Costume Supervisor - David Crossman

HOD Costume Modeller - Pierre Bohanna

Special Creature Effects - Neal Scanlan

Makeup Designer - Amanda Knight

Hair Designer - Lisa Tomblin

Director of Photography - Dan Mindel

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Andrew Rowlands

Aerial Director of Photography - David B. Nowell

Production Supervisor: Jordan - Diala Al Raie

Production Manager: Foreign Locations/

Supervising Location Manager (Uncredited) - Martin Joy

Production Coordinators: Jordan - Erin Duffy

and Nada Atieh

Unit Production Managers - D.J. Carson and

Kate Hazell

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Stewart Hamilton

First Assistant Director: Jordan - Tamir Naber

Supervising Location Manager - Mally Chung

Location Manager: Jordan - Duncan Broadfoot

Second Unit Director - Victoria Mahoney

Stunt Coordinator - Eunice Hathart

Assistant Stunt Coordinator - Marc Mailley

Fight Coordinator - Mike Lambert

Aerial Coordinator & Pilot - Frédéric North

Creature Movement Choreographer/

Creature & Droid Puppeteer - Paul Kasey

Special Effects Supervisor - Dominic Tuohy

Special Effects Production Buyers/

Coordinators - Sophie Hutton and Alicia Davies

CFX Electronic Design and Development

Supervisor/Creature & Droid Puppeteer -

Matthew Denton

CFX Supervising Animatronic Designers -

Vanessa Bastyan, Maria Cork and Gustav Hoegen

CFX Paint Finish Design Supervisor - Henrik Svensson

Visual Effects Supervisor - Roger Guyett

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Patrick Tubach,

Daniele Bigi, Jeff Capogreco, Dan Snape

and Nigel Sumner

Visual Effects Supervisor: Second Unit - Richard Bain

Visual Effects Producers - Janet Lewis,

Stacey Bissell, TJ Falls and Kevin Elam

Visual Effects Art Directors: ILM - Stephen Tappin

and Chris Voy

Animation Supervisors: ILM - Paul Kavanagh,

Stephen Aplin, Eric Leong and Lee McNair

Virtual Production Supervisor - Kaya Jabar

CG Supervisors: ILM - Karin Cooper,

Nihal Friedel, Steve Hardy, Malcolm Humphreys,

Daniel Lobl, Victor Schulz IV and

Anthony Zwartouw

Computer Graphics Supervisor: BLIND LTD -

Andrew Booth

Compositing Supervisors: ILM - Michael J. Allen,

Sam Bassett, John J. Galloway, Charles Lai,

Jan Maroske and Jeff Sutherland

Asset and Environment Supervisors: ILM -

Waldemar Bartkowiak, Jeffrey De Guzman,

Clement Gerard, Bruce Holcomb, Ben Neall,

John Seru, Dan Wheaton and Elvin Siew Xiangyou

Visual Effects Concept Artists: ILM -

Amy Beth Christensen, Adam Ely,

Brett Northcutt, Bianca Scurtu, Shivani Jhaveri

and Jeen Yee

Art Department: ILM - Ashley Bradford,

Jennifer Coronado, Alexander Gustaveson

and David Nakabayashi

Editors - Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -

David Acord

ADR Mixer: Skywalker Sound/Supervising Sound

Editor - Matthew Wood

Additional Sound Design - Robert Stambler

Jedi Vocal Design - Ben Burtt

Foley Supervisor - Frank Rinella

Foley Artists - Ronni Brown and

Margie O'Malley

Dialogue Supervisor - Cheryl Nardi

Production Sound Mixer - Stuart Wilson

Sound Effects Editors - Justin Doyle

and Addison Teague

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and Christopher Scarabosio

Music - John Williams

Scoring Engineer - Shawn Murphy

Review

For over 42 years, the Star Wars movie franchise has culminated in THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. Fans are either worried, excited, or indifferent to this new instalment. Some find it hard to forgive everything in The Last Jedi that caused them discomfort. I had high expectations for THE RISE OF SKYWALKER as it was the beginning of the end of a galaxy far, far away, conceived by George Lucas. Unfortunately, it was not the grand finale I had hoped for. Disney broke all our promises in concluding this saga with a contrived ending.

Director J.J. Abrams is back to restore the light that seems to have vanished in The Last Jedi. However, there's a downside to all things possible as J.J. starts to lose his creative touch when the changes he introduced prove unnecessary and contradictory in the series' culmination. It includes inserting pure fan service and retconning the fan-divisive plot points already addressed in the predecessor, such as the truth about Rey's lineage. While some fans disliked Rian Johnson's unorthodox approach to The Last Jedi, they can thank J.J. for addressing a few of those issues. The plot is a little derivative of Return of the Jedi and is even convoluted. The sluggish pacing, which also hurts the film, doesn't help.

Nothing else got added to THE RISE OF SKYWALKER that's new, like character-driven scenes and plot twists. What I find most disconcerting about the movie is that Emperor Palpatine's return lessens the impact of his supposed defeat in Return of the Jedi. This film didn't explain how he managed to survive. It would have been better if the Emperor returned as a Force ghost or a clone, just like in the Legends series.

The visuals remain spectacular, and the film contains some great moments. The acting continues with the original players returning, including Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. Ian McDiarmid hams it up in his reprisal as the evil Sith Lord. This instalment was an emotional send-off for Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. It would have been better if she were still alive to complete her character's journey.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER could have concluded on an emotional note with high intensity. It would have gone differently, as Rian Johnson did with The Last Jedi. Some fans may not like THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, but that doesn't mean they are anything short of their devotion to the Star Wars series. This franchise will live on in all our hearts, as it always has. What we got instead was a movie that was neither good nor bad.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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Finding Santa: A Christmas Adventure Review

Finding Santa: A Christmas Adventure

Release Date: 3rd December 2019 - Australia (Vimeo)

Production Companies

TriCoast Worldwide (in association with)

Copenhagen Bombay (presents)
CB Sverige AB (a co-production with)
Fish Blowing Bubbles (a co-production with)
SKANLOG A/S (with financing from)
Danish Film Institute (with support)
TV2 DANMARK (with support)
Swedish Film Institute (with support)
Nordisk Film & TV Fond (with support)

Distribution
TriCoast Worldwide

Genre: Animation/Family/

Fantasy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 80 minutes

Plot Summary

Julius is eight years old, still believes in Santa, and has lived at an orphanage since he was a baby. One day, the other children confront him with the fact that Santa may not be real. Disenchanted by this revelation, he seeks comfort from his special Christmas box and is transported to a magical world to help save Christmas.

Voice Cast
Alex Aguirre
Marick Dacanay
Desiree Deseo
Janice Racelis
Jun Villaroman
JM Torres
Zahn Yu
Earl Palma

Crew

Script/Director - Jacob Ley
Script - Anne Munk Jensen
Executive Producer - Sarita Christensen
Producers - Anne Sofie Hansen-Skovmoes
and Fie Ørnsø
Co-Producers - Artur D. Kubiczek,
Linus Stohr Torell and Rodrigo Villalobos
Production Designer - Kristine Maj De Neergaard
Art Director - Gustav Pontoppidan
Animation Director - Kristjan Møller
Editors - Elin Projits and
Per Risager
Sound Designer/Music - Morten Dalsgaard

Re-Recording Mixer - Per Boström

Review
FINDING SANTA was released in Denmark in 2016 as GET SANTA and has become available on digital streaming services. The film boasts a unique character animation style that I find interesting, making them look as though they stepped out of a paper cut-out. It reminded me of a few animated shows with a similar animation form, such as South Park. Unfortunately, the animation is too realistic and could scare young children. The movie's overall character development is likely to appeal to young audiences. The voiceovers did not match the mouth movements. However, this may have been due to the English dubbing. The feature's musical score begins with poignant Christmas music, then transitions to a more festive tone.

Children under five should not watch FINDING SANTA alone, as the film features bullying and intense peril that may upset them. Overall, it is a sweet, semi-decent Christmas movie and worth viewing.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Dragon Hunters Review

Dragon Hunters


Release Date: 20th March 2008 - Australia

Production Companies
Futurikon
Luxanimation
Trixter Productions

Mac Guff Ligne


Genre: Animation/Family/

Fantasy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 80 minutes

Budget: €12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $12,235,843 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
A young girl named Zoe, an avid reader of fairy tales, decides to help her uncle, Lord Arnold, get dragon hunters. She sets out to find the dragon slayers, unaware of what she will find along the way. Fortunately, she comes across Gwizdo and Lian-Chu, and they agree to help her. Thus, the adventure begins.

Voice Cast
Forest Whitaker - Lian-Chu
Rob Paulsen - Gwizdo/Bats/

Lensflair
Mary Mouser - Zoe
Nick Jameson - Lord Arnold
Jess Harnell - Gildas
Dave Wittenberg - Hector
Frank Welker - The World Gobbler

John DiMaggio - Fat John

Crew

Writer/Storyboard/Director - Arthur Qwak

Director/Production/Background Color

Designer - Guillaume Ivernel

Writer - Frédéric Lenoir
English Adaptation - Rob Conrath

Co-Executive Producer/Music - Klaus Badelt

Co-Executive Producers - Michael Coldewey
and Robyn Klein

Producers - Philippe Delarue and
Tilo Seiffert

Co-Producer - Marcus Schöfer

Character Designer - Valérie Hadida

Background Designer - Max Braslavsky

Animation Directors: Mac Guff - Kyle Balda
and Laurent de la Chapelle

Animation Supervisor - Pierre Leduc
Animation Sequence Supervisor - Fabrice Senia
Visual Effects Supervisor - Marie-Claire Bazart
Visual Effects Supervisor/Title Sequence -
Francois Launet

Film Editor - Soline Guyonneau

Sound Designer/Effects Recordist/

Supervising Sound Editor - Jean-Marc Lentretien

Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Studio Manager/

Supervisor - Bruno Seznec

Composers: Additional Music - Ian Honeyman
and Andrew Raiher

Review

I never knew that DRAGON HUNTERS had spun off from an animated TV series until I saw the movie for the first time. It seems incredible, yet it was daring, unreal, and had the makings of a great animated feature. Unlike some animated features produced in Hollywood, DRAGON HUNTERS hails from France. Around that time, audiences outside of Europe barely knew that the film existed. It is a mind-blowing and underrated CGI flick.

I admire the film for its beautiful floating landscapes. The negatives I found in this movie included the lack of other well-known celebrity actors, apart from Forest Whitaker, who provides the voice-over for the film's English dub. Whitaker played the gentle giant Lian-Chu, giving his character little depth.

I am amazed at how this film turned out, even though it premiered in the same year as Kung Fu Panda and WALL-E. While DRAGON HUNTERS didn't come close to these two movies in terms of story and emotion, it does have an extraordinary visual art style. Those who have never seen this lost evocative gem will have to search for it. Whether on DVD or YouTube.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Ford v Ferrari Review

Ford v Ferrari

Release Date: 14th November 2019 - Australia

Production Companies

20th Century Fox (presents)

Chernin Entertainment

TSG Entertainment

Turnpike Films

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 152 minutes

Budget: $97,600,000

Box Office Gross: $226,299,480 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Ex-race car driver and automotive designer Carroll Shelby takes on an important assignment to build a new Ford vehicle to beat Ferrari. Together with British race car driver Ken Miles at the wheel, they faced corporate interference, laws of physics, and their demons. They were determined to compete with Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours in France.

Cast

Matt Damon - Carroll Shelby

Christian Bale - Ken Miles

Jon Bernthal - Lee Lacocca

Caitriona Balfe - Mollie Miles

Ray McKinnon - Phil Remington

Tracy Letts - Henry Ford II

Josh Lucas - Leo Beebe

Noah Jupe - Peter Miles

Remo Girone - Enzo Ferrari

JJ Feild - Roy Lunn

Jack McMullen - Charlie Agapiou

Corrado Invernizzi - Franco Gozzi

Joe Williamson - Don Frey

Ian Harding - Ford Executive - Ian

Christopher Darga - John Holman

Shawn Law - Al 'Gus' Scussel

Darrin Prescott - Bob Bondurant

Alex Gurney - Dan Gurney

Benjamin Rigby - Bruce McLaren

Ben Collins - Denny Hulme

Francesco Bauco - Lorenzo Bandini

Guido Cocomello - Ludo Scarfiotti

Adam Mayfield - Lloyd Ruby

Sean Carrigan - Walt Hangsgen

Lachlan Buchanan - Celebrity MC -

Cloverfield
Giles Matthey - Lance Reventlow
Rudolf Martin - Dieter Voss

Evan Arnold - SCCA Official
Darin Cooper - Reporter - Sam

Elizabeth Dement - Ford Secretary #1
Wallace Langham - Dr. Granger
Jonathan LaPaglia - Pit Engineer - Eddie
Brad Beyer - Wayne (Customer)

Ottavio Taddei - Italian Photographer
Giovanni Cirfiera - Gianni Agnelli

Wyatt Nash - Cool Young Buyer

Drew Rausch - Pilot Private Plane
Ward Horton - Test Driver - Burt
Luiggi Debiasse - Ford Italian Translator -

Gary

Michael Lanahan - Brumos Executive

Tanner Foust - Ronnie Bucknum

Peter Arpesella - Ferrari Pit Chief

Andrew Burlinson - Ford Executive #2

Lou Beatty Jr. - Janitor

Clément Larue - Kid Program Seller

Oliver Bin - Drunk Man Singing

Marc Forget - Le Mans Official #1

Stephanie Fiorenza - Le Mans Official #

Joss Glennie-Smith - Mechanic Ford

Advanced Vehicles

Tim Banning - Reporter - Daytona

Arron Shiver - Charlie Brockman ABC

Paul Fox - British Commentator

Zack Zublena - French Commentator

Aylam Orian - German Commentator

Kirt Kishita - Japanese Commentator

Stefania Spampinato - Ferrari's English

Translator

Gian Franco Tordi - Agnelli Secretary

Cameron Hennings - Autograph Seeker

James Tappan - IRS Employee #1

Ryan O'Dell - IRS Employee #2

Mario Di Donato - Ferrari Lawyer

Bonnie Antonini - Ferrari Secretary

Janelle McKee - Ford Secretary #2
Grace Fae - Ford Secretary - Grace
Jan Munroe - Edwin Turley
Marisa Petroro - Mrs. Henry Ford
Leif Carlgren - Ford Exec Sean Reed

Jon Ueberroth - Production Line Foreman

Camillo Faieta - Ferrari Pit Crew #1

Steven Ziel - Ford Executive #2

Vernon Dew - Ford Executive #4

Angelo Dibello - Ferrari Pit Crew #2
Larsen Deane - Shelby Pit Crew -

Ronnie Larson
Craig Frosty Silva - Shelby Pit Crew - Frosty

Brad McCabe - Shelby Pit Crew

Brent Pontin - Chris Amon
Mark Krenik - Shelby Pit Smokey

Thomas John Rudolph - Shelby Pit Big Mug

Luka Bale - Le Mans Flower Girl

Crew

Producer/Director - James Mangold

Writers - Jez & John-Henry Butterworth
and Jason Keller
Executive Producers - Dani Bernfeld,
Michael Mann, Lucas Foster and Alex Young

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Kevin Halloran
Producers - Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping
Co-Producer/Post-Production Supervisor -
Aaron Downing

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director -

Adam Somner
Casting Director - Ronna Kress
Production Designer - François Audouy

Supervising Art Director - Maya Shimoguchi

Art Directors - Jordan Ferrier,

Robert Andrew Johnson and Gustaf Aspergen
Set Decorator - Peter Lando

Property Master - John Paul 'J.P.' Jones

Costume Designer - Daniel Orlandi

Head Makeup Artist - Jane Galli

Director of Photography - Phedon Papamichael

Director of Photography: California

Second Unit - Igor Meglic

Camera/Steadicam Operator - P. Scott Sakamoto

Second Assistant Camera - Michael Luntzel

First Assistant Director: California Second

Unit - Marvin Williams

Location Manager - Robert Foulkes

Location Manager: Georgia - Maria T. Bierniak
Second Unit Director - Darrin Prescott
Stunt Coordinator - Robert Nagle

Picture Car Coordinator - Rick Collins

Aerial Coordinator - Ryan Hosking

Pilot - Craig Hosking

Special Effects Coordinator - Mark R. Byers
Special Effects Supervisor: France Unit -

Charles-Axel Vollard
Visual Effects Supervisor - Olivier Dumont

Visual Effects Supervisor: Method Studios -

Dave Morley
Film Editors - Andrew Buckland,
Michael McCusker and Dirk Westervelt

Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer -

David Giammarco

Sound Designer - Jay Wilkinson

Supervising Sound Editor - Donald Sylvester

Sound Mixer - Steven Morrow

Re-Recording/Music Mixer - Paul Massey

Foley Supervisor - Anna MacKenzie
Music - Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders

Music Supervisor/Editor - Ted Caplan

Review

I am a big Ford fan and have watched most of the races they won at Mount Panorama each year. Unfortunately, I didn't watch any other races that Ford participated in, including those in Australia (except in Bathurst) and other regions. I was unaware of the historical event in 1966 that the movie portrays. I also knew nothing about the rivalry between Ford and Ferrari or the Ford GT, the fastest car built for this race. What intrigued me was not just my interest in Ford but also two actors, Matt Damon and Christian Bale, who consistently deliver incredible performances.

FORD V FERRARI was a three-hour biopic that captured not just the power struggle of the two iconic car brands and the big sports event set in the sixties, but also the corporate setting. The narrative is enthralling and resonates with audiences on a human level. Thanks to its exploration of themes such as friendship, ambition, and the pursuit of dreams, this racing film transcends excitement.

James Mangold was an interesting director for this movie and has outdone himself in his craftsmanship. Damon and Bale's credible talents boosted the film's adrenaline rush. It was interesting to see these two stars portray those historical figures. Their chemistry fuelled their dynamic in the movie, becoming apparent in how they interacted and the connection they shared on screen. As for the supporting cast, Tracy Letts capitalises on his role as Henry Ford II, a character who exudes an implacable demeanour and an unrelenting determination to achieve his objectives. Jon Bernthal delivers a sharp, business-savvy performance as Lee Iacocca. Josh Lucas plays a smirking, sycophantic Ford manager, Leo Beebe, who clashes with Matt Damon's Carroll Shelby and never backs down.

I was impressed by the film's thrilling racing sequences, which made me feel like a spectator at an actual race. The choreography and stunt driving are impressively executed at high speed, creating an exhilarating experience. The stunning cinematography by Phedon Papamichael only enhances the racing scenes, which look even more impressive thanks to the top-notch visuals and kinetic editing. The sound design is superb, as you will discover when the engines roar at full throttle! The film's musical landscape, encompassing both period rock and score, is given a solid foundation by Marco Beltrami's score and soundtrack, which effectively mirrors the film's diverse emotional range.

One of the superb films to come out in 2019, FORD V FERRARI, is perfect for motorsport fans and lovers of biopic dramas. It offers a captivating blend of action, drama, and historical insight. Nobody should miss this movie. Here's hoping the movie will land in the Oscar race. I'd be disappointed if the film didn't win Best Picture.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Judy Review

Judy

Release Date: 31st October 2019 - Australia

Production Companies
BBC Films
Calamity Films

Confit Productions
Pathé UK
Ingenious Media
Roadside Attractions
LD Entertainment (Uncredited)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

eOne

Genre: Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 118 minutes

Budget: $10,000,000

Box Office Gross: $45,987,812 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Famed singer and movie

star Judy Garland is nearing

the end of her life when she

starts a series of sold-out

concerts around London.

She also begins her relationship with her soon-to-be fifth husband, Mickey Deans.

Cast

Renée Zellweger - Judy Garland

Jessie Buckley - Rosalyn Wilder

Finn Wittrock - Mickey Deans
Michael Gambon - Bernard Delfont
Rufus Sewell - Sidney Luft
Bella Ramsey - Lorna Luft
Andy Nyman - Dan
Gaia Weiss - Abbie
Darci Shaw - Young Judy
Gemma-Leah Devereux - Liza Minnelli
Phil Dunster - Ben
Royce Pierreson - Burt
Fenella Woolgar - Margaret Hamilton
John Dagleish - Lonnie Donegan
Richard Cordery - Louis B. Mayer
Adrian Lukis - Dr. Hargreaves
Natasha Powell - Ethell Gumm
Gus Barry - Mickey Rooney
Tom Durant Pritchard - Ken Frisch
Lewin Lloyd - Joey Luft
Bentley Kalu - Georgie
Arthur McBain - Askith
David Shields - Bailey
Tim Ahern - Walter Rickerts
David Rubin - Noel
John Mackay - Johnnie Ray
Bradley Banton - James

Crew
Director - Rupert Goold
Based on the Stageplay "End of the Rainbow" -

Peter Quilter

Screenplay - Tom Edge
Executive Producers - Lee Dean,
Charles Diamond, Ellis Goodman,
Aaron Levene, Mickey Liddell,
Cameron McCracken, Laurence Myers,
Andrea Scarso and Pete Shilaimon
Producer - David Livingstone
Co-Producer - Jim Spencer
Casting Directors - Alice Searby and

Fiona Weir
Production Designer - Dave Quinn

Supervising Art Director - James Price

Art Director - Tilly Scandrett

Set Decorator - Stella Fox

Costume Designer - Jany Temime

Hair and Makeup Designer - Jeremy Woodhead
Cinematography - Ole Bratt Birkeland
Special Effects Supervisor - Chris Reynolds
Film Editor - Melanie Oliver

Supervising Sound Editor - Lee Herrick

Re-Recording Mixers - Paul Cotterell

and Jonathan Rush

Music Supervisors - Becky Bentham

and Karen Elliott
Music - Gabriel Yared

Score Recordist - Peter Cobbin

Song Recordist and Mixer - Geoff Foster

Review

Older viewers remember the famous singer and actress Judy Garland in roles such as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. It's no surprise that Judy was a cult figure, especially after her death. She had a large following, including many openly gay people. This movie is a tragic and heartbreaking look at Judy's life, and it aims to show that her years were up before she finished her tour in London and her untimely death at the age of 47.

I am intrigued by how this feature turned out, as it highlighted aspects of Judy's personal life that I had never been aware of before. It was both authentic and melancholy. It made me emphasise Judy, who had a rough life in show business.

Renée Zellweger delivered a fantastic performance as Judy, and she certainly had the skill and talent, especially in her singing, which closely matched Judy's voice. She deserves an Oscar nomination, and I wish her the best of luck in winning the award.

JUDY is a great dramatic movie, but not the kind that brightens your mood. Still, the film is worth watching, whether for those who have followed her career or as a new experience for those less well-versed.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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