Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Release Date: 29th November 2001 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

1492 Pictures

Heyday Films

Distribution
Roadshow Films

Genre: Fantasy/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 152 minutes

Budget: $125,000,000

Box Office Gross: $1,026,409,257 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Harry Potter is a young boy who often receives mistreatment by his uncle and aunt because of his magical heritage. On his 11th birthday, he is whisked away from his mundane existence by a giant, Hagrid, who tells him that he is a wizard and accepted by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

His journey starts in the

wizarding world as a student

at Hogwarts with new

friends like Ron Weasley

and Hermione Granger. But

not everything is quiet at

Hogwarts when Harry and

his friends learn something

valuable is hidden inside

the school while someone

is planning to steal it.

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter

Emma Watson - Hermione

Granger

Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley

Robbie Coltrane - Rubeus

Hagrid

Richard Harris - Albus
Dumbledore

Maggie Smith - Minerva
McGonagall

Alan Rickman - Severus Snape

Ian Hart - Professor Quirrell/
Lord Voldemort (Voice)

Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy
Richard Griffiths - Vernon

Dursley
Fiona Shaw - Petunia Dursley
Harry Melling - Dudley Dursley
John Hurt - Ollivander
Zoe Wanamaker - Madame Hooch
Warwick Davis - Filius Fitwick/Goblin Bank Teller/

Griphook (Voice)

David Bradley - Argus Filch
Matthew Lewis - Neville Longbottom
John Cleese - Nearly Headless

Nick

Terence Bayler - The Bloody

Baron

Simon Fisher-Becker - Fat Friar

Nina Young - The Grey Lady
Leslie Phillips - The Sorting Hat (Voice)
Julie Walters - Molly Weasley
Bonnie Wright - Ginny Weasley
James & Oliver Phelps - Fred
& George Weasley
Richard Bremmer - Lord
Voldemort

Sean Biggerstaff - Oliver Wood

Devon Murray - Seamus Finnigan

Chris Rankin - Percy Weasley

Jamie Waylett - Vincent Crabbe

Joshua Herdman - Gregory Goyle

Adrian Rawlins - James Potter

Geraldine Somerville - Lily Potter

Saunders Triplets - Baby Harry
Potter

Ray Fearon - Firenze (Voice)

Verne Troyer - Griphook

Luke Youngblood - Lee Jordan

Elizabeth Spriggs - Fat Lady

Danelle Tabor - Angelina Johnson

Leilah Sutherland - Alicia Spinnet

Emily Dale - Katie Bell

David Holmes - Adrian Pucey

Will Theakston - Marcus Flint

Scot Fearn - Terence Higgs

Eleanor Columbus - Susan Bones

Derek Deadman - Bartender in

Leaky Cauldron

Ben Borowiecki - Diagon Alley Boy

Harry Taylor - Station Guard

Jean Southern - Dimped Woman on

Train

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Chris Columbus

Based on the Book "Harry Potter and

the Philosopher's Stone" - J. K. Rowling

Screenplay - Steve Kloves

Associate Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Todd Arnow
Executive Producers - Michael Barnathan

and Mark Radcliffe
Executive Producer/Additional First Assistant

Director - Duncan Henderson

Producer - David Heyman
Co-Producer - Tanya Seghatchian

Casting Directors - Karen Lindsay-Stewart,

Susie Figgis, Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins

Head Animal Trainers - Larry Madrid,

David Sousa and Julie Tottman

Animal Coordinator - Gary Gero

Production Designer - Stuart Craig

Creature Designers - Rob Bliss and

Paul Catling

Supervising Art Directors - John King and
Neil Lamont

Art Directors - Andrew Ackland-Snow,

Peter Francis, Michael & Simon Lamont,

Steven Lawrence, Lucinda Thomson and

Cliff Robinson (Uncredited)

Scenic Art Director - Steven Sallybanks

Assistant Art Directors - Dominic Masters,

Stephen Morahan and Gary Tomkins
Set Decorator - Stephenie McMillan

Assistant Set Decorators - Jo Graysmark

and Lee Sandales

Property Master - Barry Wilkinson

Assistant Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Supervising Modeller - Pierre Bohanna
Costume Designer - Judianna Makovsky

Costume Supervisor - Graham Churchyard

Assistant Costume Designers -

Rosemary Burrows and Colleen Kelsall

Creature & Special Makeup Effects -
Nick Dudman

Makeup Designer - Amanda Knight

Key Prosthetic Makeup Artist - Mark Coulier

Hair Designer - Eithne Fennel
Director of Photography - John Seale

Camera Pilot - Marc Wolff

Unit Production Manager: Second Unit -

R.J. Mino

First Assistant Director - Chris Carreras

First Assistant Directors: Second Unit -

Jamie Christopher and Josh Robertson

Second Assistant Director - Michael Stevenson

Co-Second Assistant Director - Fiona Richards

Location Manager - Keith Hatcher

Second Unit Director - David R. Ellis

Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor -
Robert Legato

Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell

Diving Coordinator - Dave Shaw

Special Effects Supervisor - John Richardson

Project Supervisor: Jim Henson's Creature

Shop - Jamie Courtier

Head of Creatures Design: Jim Henson's

Creature Shop - Sharon Smith

Key Animatronic Model Designers - Paul Spateri,

Chris Barton, Gary Pollard and Astrig Akseralian

Motion Base Supervisor: Jim Henson's

Creature Shop - Verner Gresty

Visual Effects Supervisor - Nick Davis
Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Jim Berney
Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Roger Guyett

Visual Effects Supervisor: Mill Film - Karl Mooney

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -

Richard E. Hollander

Head of Production: MPC - Michael Elson
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor - Michael Kanfer

Digital Visual Effects Supervisor: CFC -

Robert Duncan
Visual Effects Producers - Karen M. Murphy

and Cari Thomas
Visual Effects & Animation Producer: ILM -

Denise Ream

Senior Modellers: Motion Control and Model

Unit - Terry Bridle and Brian Smithies
Animation Supervisor: ILM - David Andrews

Animation Supervisor: SPI - Eric Armstrong

Computer Graphics Supervisor: ILM -

Gerald Gutschmidt

CGI Animation Supervisor: MPC - Chas Jarrett

CG Supervisors: SPI - Mark Lambert,

Seth Maury, David Alexander Smith and

Peter G. Travers

CG Supervisor: Mill Film - David Lomax

Creature Supervisor: ILM - Paul Giacoppo

Lead Technical Director: MPC - Peter Muyzers

CG Sequence Supervisor: ILM - Hilmar Koch

3D Motion Control Previs Supervisor: Motion

Control & Model Unit - Chris Shaw

Compositing Supervisor: Mill Film -

Simon Stanley-Clamp

Digital Paint & Roto Lead: ILM - Beth D'Amato

Film Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce

Supervising Sound Editor - Eddy Joseph

Sound Effects Editor - Martin Cantwell

Sound Mixer - John Midgley

Re-Recording Mixers - Adam &

Graham Daniel and Ray Merrin

Music - John Williams

Supervising Music Editor - Kenneth Wannberg


Awards

2002 Academy Awards
Best Art Direction - Stuart Craig and

Stephenie McMillan (Nominated)
Best Costume Design - Judianna Makovsky (Nominated)
Best Music, Original Score - John Williams (Nominated)

Review
I haven't reviewed any Harry Potter films except for the last two. THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, known to Americans as The Sorcerer's Stone, was great to start the series of all eight films but not one of the best first instalments. I'm sure it's nostalgic, and it has given a lot of good charm and value to a Muggle who hasn't seen the movies, especially the first two. But there's more to say about the film's ingenious aspects, like Chris Columbus' direction, as he brings joy and innocence to his first two features.

Before they reached maturity and adulthood, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson first played Harry, Ron and Hermione when these actors were very young. At their age, they haven't done anything like this before. And that goes to show that Columbus had perfectly turned these children into future superstars. For the grown actors portraying the Hogwarts staff, Alan Rickman captures his moody essence as Snape. And as for Robbie Coltrane, he is good for just being Hagrid and is already the first actor cast in the ensemble. With the accent and gentle nature of the character, he knows how to capture it perfectly. The best actor in this picture would be the late Richard Harris for his original portrayal of the all-wise and powerful Dumbledore. It was tragic when we learned of Richard's passing, and Michael Gambon would later inherit the character from the late actor in the following six chapters.

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE introduces the world and characters of the books to the big screen. This classic movie is still worth watching, even to the non-readers of the book series.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Sixth Sense Review

The Sixth Sense

Release Date: 7th October 1999 - Australia

Production Companies

Hollywood Pictures

Spyglass Entertainment

The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion

Pictures Australia

Genre: Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 107 minutes

Budget: $40,000,000

Box Office Gross: $672,806,432 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe has just received an award, and on the same night, he gets visited by an ex-patient who is very unhappy but disgruntled. He shoots Crowe and then kills himself. A few months after his fateful encounter, Crowe has to help a 9-year-old boy named Cole, who has the same problems as the ex-patient. Cole can see "dead people" that don't even know they are dead. Because of this, the other kids at his school call him a freak and drive her mum to wit's end. At

first, Crowe thinks he's

seeing things. He spends

a lot of time with him, much

to the dismay of his wife. It

is then that Crowe realises

that Cole is telling the truth.

Cast

Bruce Willis - Malcolm Crowe

Haley Joel Osment - Cole Sear

Toni Collette - Lynn Sear

Olivia Williams - Anna Crowe

Trevor Morgan - Tommy Tammisimo

Donnie Wahlberg - Vincent Grey

Peter Anthony Tambakis - Darren

Jeffrey Zubernis - Bobby

Bruce Norris - Stanley Cunningham

Glenn Fitzgerald - Sean

Mischa Barton - Kyra Collins

Greg Wood - Mr. Collins

Angelica Page - Mrs. Collins
Samantha Fitzpatrick - Kyra's Sister
M. Night Shyamalan - Dr. Hill

Crew

Writer/Director - M. Night Shyamalan
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Sam Mercer

Producers - Frank Marshall,

Kathleen Kennedy and Barry Mendel

Casting Director - Amy Kaufman

Production Designer - Larry Fulton
Art Director - Philip Messina

Assistant Art Directors - Charles E. McCarry

and Scott P. Murphy

Set Decorators - Douglas A. Mowat

and Susannah McCarthy (Uncredited)

Costume Designer - Joanna Johnston

Director of Photography - Tak Fujimoto

First Assistant Director - John Rusk

Second Assistant Director - Scott Robertson

Second Unit Director/Film Editor -
Andrew Mondshein
Stunt Coordinator - Jeff Habberstad

Special Effects Supervisors - Garry Elmendorf

and Keith Marblehead (Uncredited)

Effects Supervisor: Stan Winston Studio -
John Rosengrant
Digital Effects Supervisor: Dream Quest -
Tim Landry

Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer/

Supervising Sound Editor - Michael Kirchberger

Additional Sound Designer - Paul P. Soucek

Re-Recording Mixer - Reilly Steele

Foley Artists - Marnie Moore and

Margie O'Malley

Music - James Newton Howard

Executive in Charge of Music: Buena Vista

Motion Pictures Group - Kathy Nelson

Electronic Score Producer - J.T. Hill

Score Recordist and Mixer - Shawn Murphy

Awards

2000 Academy Awards
Best Picture - Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy
and Barry Mendel (Nominated)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Haley Joel

Osment (Nominated)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Toni Colette
(Nominated)
Best Director - M. Night Shyamalan (Nominated)
Best Original Screenplay - M. Night Shyamalan
(Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Andrew Mondshein (Nominated)

Review

It's the most recognised great feature from the once-famous director M. Night Shyamalan. THE SIXTH SENSE shared acclaim among the audiences and critics of its sheer mystery, suspense, drama, and scare factor. However, its superbly written conclusion thrills viewers with a completely unexpected reveal. The follow-ups in the later years from the same director, like the abysmal The Last Airbender, After Earth, and a few other movies, weren't up to the challenge of enduring the masterful quality in THE SIXTH SENSE. Except maybe Unbreakable if I get to watch it as an alternative. Likewise, this movie does prove to Shyamalan that he is a capable director for the Hollywood spotlight.

Besides the twist ending, the chemistry of the two lead characters was ahead of its time. One of them is the young troubled child depicted that no one will keep audiences speculating and formulating their conclusions. Only get to the movie's end and have all the preconceived ideas blown away by the shocking conclusion it unravels.

I enjoyed Bruce Willis as one of the lead actors in the film's cast. I am certainly not into his usual macho style in action-hero movies. He pulls off his character with a high standard of depth and sincerity. I liked young Haley Joel Osment's performance a lot. He succeeded in creating a character with fear, anxiety and distress, which is impressively realistic. It's a miracle that none of these young stars like Jake Loyd of Star Wars: Episode I could match up to his promising talents.

I considered THE SIXTH SENSE a great movie. It is one of the three luckiest of M. Night's movies. I've been waiting to watch this atmospheric film for a long time, but now it's finally happening. It sure leaves you feeling as though you would be too terrified to see it yourself!

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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Ghost Rider Review

Ghost Rider

Release Date: 15th February 2007 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Crystal Sky Pictures (in association with)

Marvel Entertainment

Relativity Media (in association with)

Michael De Luca Productions

GH One

Vengeance Productions Pty. Ltd

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Fantasy

Rating: M

Runtime: 110 minutes

                123 minutes
                (extended)


Budget: $110,000,000

Box Office Gross: $228,738,393 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Hearing that his father

is dying of terminal cancer,

motorbike rider Johnny
Blaze makes a deal with
Mephistopheles, selling his
soul in exchange for his

father's health. But the

devil tricks him when

Barton dies in a motorcycle

accident during a show,

leaving Johnny with

nothing, including his

girlfriend, Roxanne.

Years later, Johnny is now

a famous motorcyclist who

risks his life in his shows.

He reunites with Roxanne,

now an intrepid reporter,

and with Mephistopheles,

who offers to release
Johnny's soul if he becomes

the legendary, fiery Ghost

Rider, a supernatural agent

of revenge and justice.
Mephistopheles asks
Johnny to defeat the

despicable Blackheart,

Mephistopheles' archenemy

and son. Blackheart plans

to replace his father and

create a new hell even

worse than the old one.

Cast

Nicolas Cage - Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider

Eva Mendes - Roxanne Simpson

Wes Bentley - Blackheart

Peter Fonda - Mephistopheles

Sam Elliott - The Caretaker

Donal Logue - Mack

Brett Cullen - Barton Blaze

David Roberts - Captain Jack Dolan

Laurence Breuls - Gressil

Daniel Frederiksen - Wallow

Matthew Wilkinson - Abigor

Matt Long - Young Johnny Blaze

Rachel Aquissi - Young Roxanne Simpson

Arthur Angel - Officer Edwards

Rebel Wilson - Girl in Alley

Jessica Napier - Broken Spoke Waitress

Crew

Screen Story/Screenplay/

Director - Mark Steven Johnson

Script Supervisor - Sophie Fabbri-Jackson

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

M. Bennett Walsh

Executive Producers - Ari Arad, Stan Lee,

Norman Golightly, David S. Goyer and

Lynwood Spinks

Producers - Avi Arad, Michael De Luca,
Gary Foster and Steven Paul

Casting Directors - Juel Bestrop,

Jeanne McCarthy and Christine King
Production Designer - Kirk M. Petruccelli

Additional Creature Designer - Mark 'Crash' McCreery

Supervising Art Director - Richard Hobbs

Set Decorator - Suza Maybury
Costume Designer - Lizzy Gardiner

Makeup and Hair Supervisor - Lesley Vanderwalt

Special Effects Makeup Creative Supervisor -

Dave Elsey

Special Effects Fabrication & Hair Supervisor -

Lou Elsey
Director of Photography - Russell Boyd

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Brad Shield

"B" Camera Operators - Warwick Field

and Leilani Hannah

Unit Production Manager - Catherine Bishop

First Assistant Director - P.J. Voeten

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Brendan Campbell

Second Assistant Director - Deborah Antoniou

Third Assistant Directors - Scott Lovelock

and James Nicholas

Second Unit Director - Kimble Rendall

Stunt Coordinator - Glenn Boswell

Co-Stunt Coordinator - Eddie Yansick

Action Consultant - Gary Powell

Horse Wrangler - Evanne Chesson

Action Vehicle Coordinator - Darren Loveday
Special Effects Supervisor - Peter Stubbs

Special Effects Coordinator - Caroline Kelly
Visual Effects Supervisor - Kevin Scott Mack
Visual Effects Supervisor: Cafe FX - John F.K. Parenteau

Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Dream -

Jerry Pooler

Visual Effects Producer - Josh R. Jaggars

Visual Effects Executive Producer: SPI -

Jenny Fulle

Digital Effects Supervisor: SPI - Kee-Suk 'Ken' Hahn
Animation Supervisor: SPI - Marco Marenghi

Pre-Visualization Producer: Halon

Entertainment - Daniel D. Gregoire

Pre-Visualization Supervisor: Halon

Entertainment - Brad Alexander

Pre-Visualization Artists: Halon Entertainment -

Nicholas Markel, Clint G. Reagan and

Andrew Moffett

Film Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -

Dane A. Davis

Supervising Sound Mixers - Gary C. Bourgeois

and Greg Orloff

Foley Artists - Gary A. Hecker

and Michael Broomberg

Music - Christopher Young

Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan

Review

In 2012, when I first saw the movie GHOST RIDER in its introduction, my first choice should have been another feature from Marvel, the violent and dour The Punisher. Unfortunately, I saw GHOST RIDER and have watched some of Nicolas Cage's previous work. Even his talented acting could not redeem this second-rate superhero film. Over time, I have that movie in my collection and a few other movies. Usually, his features are to a better standard than this. It came out in the same year as Spider-Man 3. They are both ambitious films of the genre that the critics judged as inferior. Director Mark Steven Johnson has tried to immerse the audience in seeing a dark and supernatural world. I felt Johnson should have picked up his game after Daredevil, as GHOST RIDER was a weak comic-book movie.

Nicolas Cage should not be in this film and has a different style that doesn't fit Cage's character and personality. The role should have gone to a much better actor like the late Paul Walker or Cyclops' actor James Marsden. Sam Elliott enjoyed his time in the movie as he had fun in a supporting part that suited him. Unfortunately, the other secondary cast was out of touch with their characters, and probably the least favourite would be Wes Bentley in his antagonist role. Summing up the unqualified aspects of the feature is the cheesily written dialogue.

It is just one of those less distinctive movies I could barely watch again. I certainly will not worry about the sequel. I'd recommend watching it only once on Blu-ray and DVD.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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R.I.P.D. Review

R.I.P.D.

Release Date: 12th September 2013 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Original Film
Dark Horse Entertainment

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 96 minutes

Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $78,324,220 

(Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Wise-cracking Sheriff Roy 

Pulsifer is a veteran of the 

R.I.P.D. He has assigned 

Nick Walker a rising star 

detective killed in his prime. 

The unlikely partners 

uncover a plot that could 

end life as we know it and 

have to work together 

before the earth is overcome 

by angry souls unwilling to 

face justice.

Cast

Ryan Reynolds - Nick Walker

Jeff Bridges - Sheriff Roy Pulsifer

Kevin Bacon - Bobby Hayes

Mary-Louise Parker - Mildred Proctor

Stephanie Szostak - Julia Walker

James Hong - Grandpa 

Jerry Chang

Marisa Miller - Opal Pavlenko
Devin Ratray - Pulaski
Mike O'Malley - Elliott
Robert Knepper - Stanley Nawlicki
Larry Joe Campbell - Officer Muprhy
Piper Mackenzie Harris - Girl Scout
Mike Judge - Various Deado (Voice)
Toby Huss - Various Deado (Voice)
Jon Olson - Various Deado (Voice)

Crew
Director - Robert Schwentke
Based on Dark Horse Comic 

Book "R.I.P.D."/Executive 

Producer - Peter M. Lenkov
Story/Executive Producer - David Dobkin
Story/Screenplay - Phil Hay
and Matt Manfredi
Executive Producers - Keith Goldberg,
Peter M. Lenkov, Ori Marmur and
Jonathon Komack Martin
Producers - Neal H. Moritz,
Mike Richardson and Michael Fottrell

Casting Directors - Carolyn Pickman and 

Tricia Wood
Production Designer - Alec Hammond
Concept Designers - Andy Chung and
Jeff Julian
Supervising Art Director - Bruton Jones
Art Director - David Scott
Costume Designer - Susan Lyall
Director of Photography - Alwin Küchler
Second Unit Director - David R. Ellis
Stunt Coordinators - Corey Michael Eubanks,
Mike Gunther and Oakley Lehman
Creature Design Consultant - Mike Elizalde
Special Effects Supervisor - Mark Hawker
Visual Effects Supervisors - Jeffrey Stewart
and Mike Wassel

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm & Hues -
Derek Spears
Visual Effects Supervisor: Image Engine -
Jesper Kjolsrud 

Animation Supervisors - Joseph Hoback, 

Alex Poei and Derek Tannehill

Animation Director - Keith Roberts
Animation Director: Image Engine - Lyndon Barrois
Digital Supervisor - John Gibson
Digtial Effects Supervisor: Image Engine -
Chris Harvey

Film Editor - Mark Helfrich
Music - Christophe Beck

Review

In 2013, everyone was rising up to see the new money-making hits like the sequel of 'Hunger Games', the overrated Disney feature 'Frozen' and many others. But what of the other movies that are buggered by the big giants at the box office? There are many people that consider 'After Earth', 'The Lone Ranger' and 'R.I.P.D.' to be this year's contenders, I choose the latter for its improper missteps. The movie is not bad nor too good, it was just below in average. I do believe that it does approach the similarities to 'Men in Black (MIB)', I don't see the valour that it supposedly contained in the film such as the good acting chemistry or the big rounds of vfx.

I was not convinced that Ryan Reynolds reached his potential in this big-budget lacklustre movie. At least, his performance was quite restrained in comparison to some of his previous work. Elderly co-star Jeff Bridges did a perfect but over-the-top cowboy impression for one of the main characters he portrays, needless to say it won't stop the movie from getting its fractures. More of the complaints I mope about this entire monster-mayhem is the monsters looking poorly visually-integrated and unrealistic in a way the artists are not rendering the designs properly. That convinced me to see the creatures needed some improvement.

Humour probably being one of the few strengths of 'R.I.P.D.', this however will not be enough to change my opinion of this 'MIB/Ghostbusters' wannabe. My recommendation to everyone is if you are eager for a comedic supernatural action flick, don't waste your time with this movie. Instead you may like to watch the first 'Men In Black' film.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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The Terminator Review

The Terminator

Release Date: 20th December 1984 - Australia

Production Companies

Hemdale Corporation

Pacific Western

Cinema '84 (copyright holder)
Euro Film Funding

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M (Not Suitable for

Younger Children)

Runtime: 107 minutes

Budget: $6,400,000

Box Office Gross: $78,371,200 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

In the post-apocalyptic future, machines rule the planet and are determined to exterminate humanity. A robot assassin known as The Terminator is sent back in 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor, an unsuspecting woman whose unborn son

will lead the resistance and save the human race from extinction. Meanwhile, a human soldier named Kyle Reese also travelled back in time to stop the machine from killing Sarah Connor. Will Sarah be able to defend herself from this indestructible android whose mission is to ensure that humanity does not win the war?

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator

Linda Hamilton - Sarah Connor

Michael Biehn - Kyle Reese

Lance Henriksen - Detective
Hal Vukovich

Paul Winfield - Lt. Ed Traxler
Rick Rossovich - Matt Buchanan
Bess Motta - Ginger Ventura

Earl Boen - Dr. Peter Silberman
Dick Miller - Pawn Shop Clerk (Cameo)
Shawn Schepps - Nancy

Bruce M. Kerner - Desk Sergeant
Franco Columbu - Future Terminator
Bill Paxton - Punk Leader
Brad Rearden - Punk
Brian Thompson - Punk

William Wisher - Policeman (Cameo)

Ken Fritz - Policeman

Tom Oberhaus - Policeman

Ed Dogans - Cop in Alley

Joe Farago - TV Anchorman

Hettie Lynne Hurtes - TV Anchorwoman

Tony Mirelez - Station Attendant

Philip Gordon - Mexican Boy

Anthony Trujillo - Mexican Boy

Stan Yale - Derelict

Al Kahn - Customer

Leslie Morris - Customer

Hugh Farrington - Customer

Harriet Medin - Customer

Loree Frazier - Customer

James Ralston - Customer

Norman Friedman - Cleaning Man

Barbara Powers - Ticket Taker

Wayne Stone - Tanker Driver

David Michels - Tanker Partner

John E. Bristol - Phone Booth Man

Webster Williams - Reporter

Patrick Pinney - Bar Customer

Bill W. Richmond - Bartender

Chino 'Fats' Williams - Truck Driver

Greg Robbins - Motel Customer
Marianne Muellerlelie - Wrong Sarah

John Durban - Sentry

Crew

Writer/Director - James Cameron

Writer/Producer - Gale Anne Hurd

Additional Dialogue - William Wisher
Executive Producers - John Daly and
Derek Gibson

Casting Director - Stanzi Stokes
Art Director/Set Decorator - Maria Caso
Art Director - George Costello

Assistant Art Director - Shay Austin

Property Master - Tommy Estridge
Costume Designer - Hilary Wright

Hair Stylist - Peter Tothpal

Makeup Artist - Jeff Dawn

Director of Photography - Adam Greenberg

Production Manager and Post-Production

Supervisor - Donna Smith

First Assistant Director - Betsy Magruder

Additional First Assistant Director -

Thomas A. Irvine

Second Assistant Director - Robert Roda

Second Unit Director: Action - Jean-Paul Ouellette

Second Unit Director: Effects/Special

Terminator Effects Creator - Stan Winston

Stunt Coordinator - Ken Fritz

Special Effects Coordinator/Graphic Animation

Effects/Main Title Design - Ernest Farino

Special Effects Supervisor: Fantasy II Film

Effects - Gene Warren Jr.

Terminator Mechanical Effects - Ellis Burman Jr.

and Bob Williams

Terminator Special Effects - Jack Bricker,

Richard J. Landon, Shane Mahan,

David B. Miller, John Rosengrant,

Brian Wade and Tom Woodruff Jr.

Pyrotechnics and Fire Effects: Fantasy II

Film Effects - Joe Viskocil
Model Shop Supervisor: Fantasy II Film

Effects - Michael Joyce

Stop Motion Terminator Model: Fantasy II

Film Effects - Doug Beswick and Ted Rae

(Uncredited)

Matte Artist: Fantasy II Film Effects -

Ken Marschall

Cinematographer: Process Photography -

Austin McKinney

Editor - Mark Goldblatt

Supervising Sound Editor - David Campling

Sound Supervisor (Uncredited)/Supervising

Sound Editor: Audio Restoration and Re-

Mixing - Tom Bellfort

Synthesized Sound Effects - Robert Garrett
Sound Design Consultant: Audio Restoration

and Re-Mixing - Gary Rydstrom

Re-Recording Mixers - David J. Hudson,

Mel Metcalfe and Terry A. Porter

Re-Recording Mixer: Audio Restoration

and Re-Mixing - Gary A. Rizzo

Music - Brad Fiedel

Review

One film I can say good things about with good confidence is THE TERMINATOR. In saying this, I did prefer the second feature (click here) for several reasons. Because it had more depth and a bigger budget, and the title character changed from a cold-blooded killing machine into an anti-hero. THE TERMINATOR is one of those classic movies that makes the action genre look rough, tough and busy. It is the first breakthrough picture from future legendary director James Cameron, who, at the time, was a struggling visionary. After THE TERMINATOR, he made other film masterpieces of an unmatched scale. After all these years, the movie has withstood the test of time and hasn't lost the effect of its horror, thrills and action-based clichés like gun-blazing scenes and explosions.

Similarly, Arnie Schwarzenegger's performance didn't change from when he first took on the role of the killer android. The menacing tone and brutish posture are the exact two things that Schwarzenegger brought into the character. Along with Schwarzenegger, James Cameron made the right move by casting Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton. These two established actors proved themselves worthy of their status as movie stars. The VFX wizardry remains impressive even by today's standards (excluding the stop-motion technology used in the climax where the Terminator is chasing the lead heroes).

THE TERMINATOR serves James Cameron as his first big break in filmmaking. I strongly recommend this film to anyone new to the Terminator movies. No longer will you be waiting and wondering if I plan to review the rest of the Terminator series. I am happy to announce that I intend to continue writing my reviews for the whole collection for quite some time, so please stay posted.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Shaun of the Dead Review

Shaun of the Dead

Release Date: 7th October 2004 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures (present)

StudioCanal (present)

Working Title Films (present)

WT2

Big Talk Productions (in

association with)
Inside Track 2 (produced in association with)

FilmFour (developed with the assistance of)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable

for Young Children)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Budget: $6,000,000

Box Office Gross: $31,508,087 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Life has never been easy for Shaun. He lives in a house with his best mate, Ed and spends his time in a local pub, but he doesn't like his stepdad and neglects his girlfriend, Liz. After Liz dumps him, Shaun finally decides to get his life back on track, but not before dealing with a zombie apocalypse. He sets out with Ed to rescue his mother, grudgingly his stepdad, his ex and more begrudgingly, her friends before they must get themselves safely to the most secure haven he knows is The Winchester.

Cast
Simon Pegg - Shaun
Nick Frost - Ed
Kate Ashfield - Liz
Dylan Moran - David
Lucy Davis - Dianne
Bill Nighy - Phillip
Penelope Wilton - Barbara
Jessica Hynes - Yvonne
Peter Serafinowicz - Pete
Rafe Spall - Noel
Sonnell Dadral - Danny
Martin Freeman - Declan (Cameo)
Reece Shearsmith - Mark
Tamsin Greig - Maggie
Steve Emerson - John
Phyllis MacMahon - Bernie
Arvind Doshi - Nelson
Julia Deakin - Yvonne's Mum
Matt Lucas - Cousin Tom
Mark Donovan - Hulking Zombie
Jeremy Thompson - Himself
Vernon Kay - Himself
Carol Barnes  - Himself
Rob Butler - Himself
Chris Martin - Himself/Zombie Outside
the Winchester (Cameo)

Jon Buckland - Himself (Cameo)
Edgar Wright - Rabid Monkey Newsreader/
Prat-falling Zombie/Italian Restaurant Voice
(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Rob Brydon - Football Commentator/"Zombies

from Hell" Presenter (Voice) (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Antonia Campbell Hughes - Zombie (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Joe Cornish - Zombie Shot by Soldiers (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Julia Davis - News Reporter (Voice) (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Mark Gatiss - Radio Presenter with 'Spaceship'

Theory/Wildlife Voiceover (Voice) (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Garth Jennings - 'Fun-Dead' Zombie (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Michael Smiley - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Paul Putner - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Director - Edgar Wright
Writer - Simon Pegg
Executive Producers - Tim Bevan,
Eric Fellner, Natascha Warton,
James Wilson and Alison Owen
Producer - Nira Park
Production Designer - Marcus Rowland
Art Director - Karen Wakefield
Costume Designer - Annie Hardinge

Supervising Armorer - Joss Skottowe

Hair & Makeup Designer - Jane Walker

Prosthetics Effects Designer - Stuart Conran

Director of Photography - David M. Dunlap

Camera Operator: Additional Photography -

John Palmer

First Assistant Director - Richard Hewitt
Stunt Coordinator - Jeff Hewitt-Davis
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Dunn
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -

Jeremy Hattingh

Visual Effects Producers: Double Negative -

Alex Hope and Hal Couzens
Editor - Chris Dickens

Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater

Re-Recording Mixer - Nigel Heath

Foley Artists - Peter Burgis and

Andi Derrick
Original Score - Daniel Mudford and
Pete Woodhead

Music Supervisor - Nick Angel

Executive in Charge of Music: Universal

Pictures - Kathy Nelson

Review

There was a period when I was eager to watch a horror movie in which people undoubtedly wanted to see all of the aspects of the genre - brutal, horrifying and very gory. It was when I first saw SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I've seen a few thrillers, not horror movies, containing plots of slashers, ghouls, zombies and other horror themes (except for Alien). I decided to watch more horror-themed movies. For SHAUN, it's more a comedic satire than your average scary movie. The film mixes blood and gore with comedy and drama for the viewers but, at the same time, frightens them. It is the first film in which the director, Edgar Wright, and actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, have worked together. SHAUN gained recognition, and the three of them went on to make two more of their English comedies. Perhaps this film was known as the start of the Cornetto trilogy and has never been more frightful and hilarious, combining satirical and dry humour and writing with horrific themes.

I am still satisfied with the duo of Simon and Nick together. I have admired the chemistry of these two likeable characters and their comical friendship portrayed in later features like Hot Fuzz, Paul and The World's End. Bill Nighy takes the reins as one of the film's supporting leads. Later in his career, he rejoined the same creators in the following two films of the Cornetto trilogy in cameo roles. The song placement in the legendary fight scene entitled "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen compliments the soundtrack. The rock band Queen has been a powerful influence in modern-day cinema as some of their songs are used frequently in films such as Wayne's World.

I confessed I am now a fan of Hot Fuzz and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I adore the film for parodying the classic zombie flicks. I must watch this feature again. It is not for those who are too young and may get traumatised by its scary content and even gore and cuss like Hot Fuzz.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Titan A.E. vs Treasure Planet

                       VS














You are left wondering what happened to the article I posted three years ago. I revamped and upgraded if you get the comparisons when you find it is better or a tie. You might notice they are similar if you watched TITAN A.E. and TREASURE PLANET.

Both animated features, whose main character is a young man who disrespects authority, lost his dad when he was young and would find something to change his life forever. Cale and James found father figures in Korso & Silver, who inspired the boys and gave them self-confidence. Korso and Silver had ulterior motives and used the boys for selfish reasons. They later experience a change of heart near the end when they feel responsible for the boys and saving their lives.

Unfortunately, both movies bombed the box office and nearly killed the 2D animation format, meaning neither one grossed or made an impact. First was TITAN A.E. because people seemed unsure whether to target teenagers or older science fiction fans. While TREASURE PLANET, for unknown reasons, presumably similar, competition or that everyone was more interested in fantasy films than sci-fi.

Now, let the match begin!

• Round 1: Characterisations

The first difference between TITAN A.E. and TREASURE PLANET is the characters, as they are easy to find in both pictures. Let's start with the two male leads who have daddy issues. Cale Tucker, for example, is a cynic. He was five years of age when his father left him to quickly save the Titan ship into outer space from the Drej before Earth's explosive demise. Cale gets brought up by a friend and suffers discrimination by other alien species for his race for being homeless drifters. Jim Hawkins is much more relatable and less cynical but retains his background. He grew up with a father who left him at age 12 for no good reason, and his mother tries very hard to keep her son comfortable and away from his troubling behaviour.

For the paternal figure characters, Joseph Korso turns Cale from being stubborn and never turns his back on him until the second half shows us that he is working for the alien menace. Then he redeems himself near the end, and thank goodness he regained his hope to save the last relic of humanity. John Silver, unlike Korso, is a pirate who is only motivated by greed when he seeks Treasure Planet and cares for Jim to keep him from discovering the mutiny, so he does after their short-lived bond. Ultimately, Silver firmly gives up the treasure and decides to save Jim's life without sacrificing himself at the cost of his own.

Both films have supporting villains in Preed and Scroop, who meet their demise for their treachery. Preed not only double crosses Cale and Akima to the Drej but also Korso, his superior and another traitor. Scroop, not quite as backstabbing as Preed, still has his motives and never betrays Silver. He only does the threatening parts about him or questions about his mutiny. That proves Preed from TITAN A.E. is the winner, only that he's slightly more treacherous and devious than the latter.

Thoroughly in two at each feature, they all had other characters to help or pity the hero. First, at TREASURE PLANET, which had some of the likeable supporting leads save for the robot B.E.N., an okay character but would have gotten a different personality instead of a loudmouth shown halfway through the movie. At least he is not as aggravating as Jar Jar of Star Wars.

The verdict is that TREASURE PLANET has many more memorable and well-developed characters than TITAN.

Winner - TREASURE PLANET

• Round 2: Writing

At first, I couldn't figure out which movie was better in terms of quality of writing and structure. Now, TITAN A.E. has a sharp eye for humour and wit, thanks to one of its writers, the legendary Joss Whedon. The film also has twists in the story, including one when Korso turns his back on humanity in the first place. Unfortunately, some glaring holes are in the plot. The most noticeable is why the Drej wanted to destroy humanity when they feared what we might become. The film's storyline is derivative and thus explains the recycled plot ideas and occasional lifted dialogue from previous science-fiction movies.

I will have to nominate TREASURE PLANET for its story because it is an adaptation of a classic tale of literature by Robert Louis Stevenson, even when there are not many plot deficits. It is one of Disney's finest to interpret a well-known classic story.

Winner - TREASURE PLANET

• Round 3: Setting

TITAN A.E. and TREASURE PLANET were about space travel but were in two distinct settings. The former is a dark and post-apocalyptic future where Earth gets destroyed. The other is in an alternate universe where the reality of space is breathable and spaceships built like 16th-century galleons made with a blend of technology and wood. The feel of TREASURE PLANET is more like a science fantasy genre, and nothing is more profound to Disney to craft imagination than Miyazaki did for anime.

Winner - TREASURE PLANET

• Round 4: Voice Acting

One thing a cartoon shouldn't be silent about is voice synchronisation. In TITAN A.E. and TREASURE PLANET, both features had an ensemble of celebrity talents like Bill Pullman, Martin Short, Drew Barrymore, John Leguizamo, David Hyde Pierce, Ron Perlman, etc. First, the standouts on TITAN are Matt Damon and Nathan Lane, while TREASURE has Joseph Gordon Levitt, Brian Murray and Emma Thompson. I have no question that two of each cast member are tied instead of just one. Well, I give it a splendid choice!

Winner - Tied

• Round 5: Animation/Visuals

TITAN A.E. and TREASURE PLANET combined 2D and 3D animation. The two films are the work of the best animation teams from the two studios. In the hand-drawn format, Disney produced the latter, which looked good in its character animation. Sometimes, the designs of the minor characters represent the studio's appeal to young children. Only TITAN A.E. succeeds as well-drawn and complex because the character's facial structure is of a signature style created by the team of Don Bluth. At the least, they made the aliens and humans very expressive. 

If these two movies have traditional hand-drawn animation, what about the CGI-enhanced visuals and the backgrounds? TITAN A.E. was perfect in most visual quality except for the ending for some quite unfinished parts, and the directors seemed unhappy about that. It did not help that one of the effects companies that worked on TITAN A.E. was the studio that later became 20th Century Fox's animation unit. The effects of TREASURE came from Disney's in-house animation department through the Deep Canvas software. The latter succeeded without succumbing to age to beat TITAN.

Winner - TITAN A.E. - 2D

Winner - TREASURE PLANET - 3D

• Round 6: Action

All those two movies are known for their sci-fi/futuristic settings, and their action sequences have excited and impacted some older audiences. In TREASURE, there's hardly any violence despite consisting of some action. TITAN A.E. had more exhilarating action and a lot of violence, explicitly shown when the character kills another by breaking its neck, and some scenes show a lot of bleeding. 

Consider what two movies have the same rating classification. It does not matter. One animated film that is more action-oriented has got to be TITAN by far.

Winner - TITAN A.E.

• Round 7: Music

The music from the two films is known for having original post-grunge/rock-type songs by various artists aimed only at teens and adults. The two film scores often mix with tunes composed by professional and underrated music artists. Eventually, TITAN A.E. would have needed fewer alternative rock songs not to undermine Graeme Revell's unsung score. TREASURE PLANET only had two and was lessened by James Newton Howard's massive arrangements.

I have decided to pick TREASURE PLANET, which only superseded TITAN's complicated array of both kinds of music. You are much easier to track down an out-of-print soundtrack from a car boot sale or eBay.

Winner - TREASURE PLANET

Despite being underrated movies and cult favourites. Which one of these films is way better? The verdict goes to the heavyweight champion of the world! TREASURE PLANET, because it had great story-writing and is more imaginative than the first one. The movie's cult status would lead Disney to leave their regrets behind and probably package it under their engrossing Diamond Editions by releasing it on Blu-Ray and DVD or a theatrical re-release. So which one do you decide the more you vote, or can it be both?

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