By Nathan Young
Anyone who has seen 'National Treasure' knows that it is a fun movie with dazzling special effects and an outrageous plot. Anyone looking for something different from the sequel should look elsewhere.
'National Treasure: Book Of Secrets' doesn't change the formula that worked so well the first time. While it inevitably does not live up to the original, it is an entertaining way to spend two hours. That is what causes me to give this movie a 'thumbs up'.
Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is giving a guest lecture at a college about the night President Lincoln was killed when he is interrupted by Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris), who claims he has evidence that Ben's great grandfather played a role in the assassination. Ben and his father Patrick (Jon Voight) dismiss the charges, but are puzzled by Wilkinson's seemingly irrefutable evidence.
Ben enlists his sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha) and his now ex-girlfriend Abigail (Diane Kruger) to help him research the document for clues that Mitch is wrong. Predictably, Ben eventually finds that the document in question is the first part of a treasure map. This sets in motion a series of events that lead Ben and the gang on a globe-trotting mission to find the treasure before Mitch and his band of henchmen.
The cast in this movie is essentially the same as the original, with the exception of Harris and the talented Helen Mirren as Ben's mother. The main players are fine, but Bartha again steals the show as Riley. He adds much of the comic relief and makes every scene he is in more fun. Mirren and Voight are both legendary actors, and they are great together here. Their strained relationship is played up for laughs, but the longer the movie goes, the closer they become. Harris is also excellent as the conflicted Wilkinson.
The movie is a fun ride despite few surprises and a high level of predictibility. The audience is again asked to check their sense of reality at the door. An unblievable car chase and the entire final sequence are among the 'yeah, right!' moments. It is worth seeing though, especially when you add in the hilarious short film beforehand. 'How To Hook Up Your Home Theater', featuring the beloved Disney character Goofy, is worth the price of admission alone.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Kite Runner
By Nathan Young
Films adapted from books are an inexact science. Lovers of a book rarely enjoy the movie as much. This is at least partly due to the fact that it is hard to include everything from a book into the movie because of time constraints.
‘The Kite Runner’ is the latest best-selling novel to get the big screen treatment. Author Khaled Hosseini’s first book is a good fit as a film and I am giving it a ‘thumbs up’.
Director Marc Forster does a brilliant job of bringing to life the vision of Hosseini and screenwriter David Benioff. The story focuses on Amir (Khalid Abdalla), an Afghani man living in modern day San Francisco. Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan (Shaun Toub), an old friend living in Pakistan. Rahim tells Amir that he needs to come to Pakistan and that there is a way to be good again, and the film shifts to Amir as a child.
Amir’s best friend is Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada). The boys share a special bond despite the fact that Hassan is Amir’s servant. One day after Amir (played as a child by Zekeria Ebrahimi) wins a prestigious kite race in Kabul, Hassan is brutally raped by a group of older boys. Amir watches the whole thing from a distance, but does nothing. The fallout from the incident is just one of several reasons Hassan and his father eventually leave the home of Baba (Amir’s father, played by Homayoun Ershadi) and Amir.
Flashing back to the present, Amir finds out from Rahim Khan that Hassan has been killed and that he left behind a son in Kabul. Knowing about the attack on Hassan and Amir’s deep sense of guilt about it, Rahim Khan suggests that Amir go find the boy and take him back to America. Amir agrees and sets out to find Sohrab (Ali Danish Bakhty Ari).
This film is wonderful in so many ways. The adaptation is one of the best I have ever seen. There are some things that were left out that I wish would have been included, but that is to be expected. The acting is brilliant as is Forster's direction. The story is easy to follow even though it switches between English and Farsi (and even some Russian). The scenes in Afghanistan and Pakistan were shot in China and the cinematography is both bleak and beautiful.
The highlight of the film is Mahmidzada's performance. At the young age of 12, Mahmidzada completely becomes Hassan. It is a complex role, and Mahmidzada brings out both joy and sadness that are rarely seen from most adult actors. Plus, he is adorable.
Other notable performances in the film include Ershadi as Amir's father and Atossa Leoni as Amir's wife Soraya. Ershadi is intimidating yet honorable as Baba. He also deftly handles the character's rapid decline in health. Leoni is charming in the role of Soraya. Amir's flirtation and subsequent courtship of her is one of the most memorable parts of the film.
This film has a little bit of everything. It mixes elements of suspense, action, drama and fantasy with bits of sorrow and joy sprinkled in. While the overall tone of the film is a sad one, the ultimate message is one of hope and redemption. I strongly recommend it.
Films adapted from books are an inexact science. Lovers of a book rarely enjoy the movie as much. This is at least partly due to the fact that it is hard to include everything from a book into the movie because of time constraints.
‘The Kite Runner’ is the latest best-selling novel to get the big screen treatment. Author Khaled Hosseini’s first book is a good fit as a film and I am giving it a ‘thumbs up’.
Director Marc Forster does a brilliant job of bringing to life the vision of Hosseini and screenwriter David Benioff. The story focuses on Amir (Khalid Abdalla), an Afghani man living in modern day San Francisco. Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan (Shaun Toub), an old friend living in Pakistan. Rahim tells Amir that he needs to come to Pakistan and that there is a way to be good again, and the film shifts to Amir as a child.
Amir’s best friend is Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada). The boys share a special bond despite the fact that Hassan is Amir’s servant. One day after Amir (played as a child by Zekeria Ebrahimi) wins a prestigious kite race in Kabul, Hassan is brutally raped by a group of older boys. Amir watches the whole thing from a distance, but does nothing. The fallout from the incident is just one of several reasons Hassan and his father eventually leave the home of Baba (Amir’s father, played by Homayoun Ershadi) and Amir.
Flashing back to the present, Amir finds out from Rahim Khan that Hassan has been killed and that he left behind a son in Kabul. Knowing about the attack on Hassan and Amir’s deep sense of guilt about it, Rahim Khan suggests that Amir go find the boy and take him back to America. Amir agrees and sets out to find Sohrab (Ali Danish Bakhty Ari).
This film is wonderful in so many ways. The adaptation is one of the best I have ever seen. There are some things that were left out that I wish would have been included, but that is to be expected. The acting is brilliant as is Forster's direction. The story is easy to follow even though it switches between English and Farsi (and even some Russian). The scenes in Afghanistan and Pakistan were shot in China and the cinematography is both bleak and beautiful.
The highlight of the film is Mahmidzada's performance. At the young age of 12, Mahmidzada completely becomes Hassan. It is a complex role, and Mahmidzada brings out both joy and sadness that are rarely seen from most adult actors. Plus, he is adorable.
Other notable performances in the film include Ershadi as Amir's father and Atossa Leoni as Amir's wife Soraya. Ershadi is intimidating yet honorable as Baba. He also deftly handles the character's rapid decline in health. Leoni is charming in the role of Soraya. Amir's flirtation and subsequent courtship of her is one of the most memorable parts of the film.
This film has a little bit of everything. It mixes elements of suspense, action, drama and fantasy with bits of sorrow and joy sprinkled in. While the overall tone of the film is a sad one, the ultimate message is one of hope and redemption. I strongly recommend it.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
I Am Legend
Young's Review
New York is one of the biggest cities in the world. Maybe that is why it is so shocking to see the booming metropolis reduced to a one man town.
That is the case in 'I Am Legend', as Robert Neville (Will Smith) makes up the Big Apple's population after a viral epidemic wipes out the planet. We have seen this type of isolation before in films such as 'Castaway' and '28 Days Later', and it requires a big time performance from the lead actor.
Fortunately, Smith is up to the task, and I am giving the film a 'thumbs up'.
Neville leads a solitary life with his dog Sam. The two patrol the city each day, keeping busy by hunting and going to the video store. Each day at noon, Neville goes to the docks and puts out a message via radio to see if anyone is out there. Getting no response, he calls it a day and heads home. That is when he goes on lockdown, because at night the zombies come out to play.
We find out that Neville is a scientist, and that he is searching for a cure to the virus that caused the good people of New York to turn into crazed, blood-thirsty monsters. He tests his vaccine on rats and then moves on to an infected human. On a night that he is feeling frisky, Neville goes and seeks the zombies out. He is rescued from a brutal attack by a woman named Anna (Alice Braga) and her son (Charlie Tahan). Upon finding other uninfected humans, Neville's resolve is strengthened. The problem is, the zombies now know where he lives.
This film relies heavily on Smith's performance. A top notch actor is a must because of all the non-verbal communication required of the role. Smith captures Neville's conflicting mindset perfectly. Neville has to be self-sufficient but starts to go a little crazy from the lonely prison to which he is confined. Smith is amazing and, in my humble opinion, worth the price of admission alone. He shows again why he is one of the most versatile actors in the business.
Director Francis Lawrence (making his second feature film after a career mainly working on music videos) and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie create a visually stunning backdrop for Neville. The site of a barren New York is mind boggling. The spectacular special effects don't hurt, either. The zombies and infected dogs are appropriately creepy, and there are several startling moments that made me jump. Lawrence does a good job of keeping the story moving forward, not an easy task considering the limited diologue.
Although the ending will not please everyone, it fits with the rest of the story. After all is said and done, Neville is certainly worthy of "legend" status.
I really liked this film. I will add this diclaimer, however: while zombies stir up thoughts of a horror movie, I recommend this film more to fans of the science fiction genre.
Wilsford's Review
Thumb: Down
Notable Characters:
Will Smith – Dr. Robert Neville
Reasons why I didn’t like it:
· The movie conflicted with itself of what it was trying to be, hopefully I can explain. The first half of the movie we don’t really see monsters and, to me, this is where the movie is trying to show itself as being a “realistic” and serious movie. Then the monsters show up all computer animated and suddenly the movie becomes a regular shoot-em up zombie movie. If you are going to tell me that the movie is one way then have it be that way through out.
· The monsters where ridiculous in their appearance and abilities. The computer animation was horrible did not believe the vampyric zombies were real at all. Actually the only time they looked real as when they used a real person, maybe they should have done that all along. Also apparently all of mankind has been wiped out so what are these monster supposed to be eating? Am I to believe that they have lasted about 2 years slowly picking off people? Also after not eating much am I also to believe that they can run incredibly fast, climb walls that are flat, and break bullet proof glass with their heads? I know that these are all fantastical things and if this movie had portrayed itself like that from the beginning I would have different opinion. However it didn’t, it tried to pass itself being a serious apocalypse movie and that is what I am judging it by.
Reason why I liked it:
· Will Smith was awesome. Always thought he was a good actor and he did not disappoint me.
Final Notes: I really love zombie movies. It was really hard for me to give this a thumb down. However, as stated before, I felt that this movie pulled a 180 on me and I don’t like that. If you are going to be serious be serious, if you are going to be outlandish then be outlandish. You can’t be both.
P.S. - I finally finished my "No Country For Old Men" review
New York is one of the biggest cities in the world. Maybe that is why it is so shocking to see the booming metropolis reduced to a one man town.
That is the case in 'I Am Legend', as Robert Neville (Will Smith) makes up the Big Apple's population after a viral epidemic wipes out the planet. We have seen this type of isolation before in films such as 'Castaway' and '28 Days Later', and it requires a big time performance from the lead actor.
Fortunately, Smith is up to the task, and I am giving the film a 'thumbs up'.
Neville leads a solitary life with his dog Sam. The two patrol the city each day, keeping busy by hunting and going to the video store. Each day at noon, Neville goes to the docks and puts out a message via radio to see if anyone is out there. Getting no response, he calls it a day and heads home. That is when he goes on lockdown, because at night the zombies come out to play.
We find out that Neville is a scientist, and that he is searching for a cure to the virus that caused the good people of New York to turn into crazed, blood-thirsty monsters. He tests his vaccine on rats and then moves on to an infected human. On a night that he is feeling frisky, Neville goes and seeks the zombies out. He is rescued from a brutal attack by a woman named Anna (Alice Braga) and her son (Charlie Tahan). Upon finding other uninfected humans, Neville's resolve is strengthened. The problem is, the zombies now know where he lives.
This film relies heavily on Smith's performance. A top notch actor is a must because of all the non-verbal communication required of the role. Smith captures Neville's conflicting mindset perfectly. Neville has to be self-sufficient but starts to go a little crazy from the lonely prison to which he is confined. Smith is amazing and, in my humble opinion, worth the price of admission alone. He shows again why he is one of the most versatile actors in the business.
Director Francis Lawrence (making his second feature film after a career mainly working on music videos) and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie create a visually stunning backdrop for Neville. The site of a barren New York is mind boggling. The spectacular special effects don't hurt, either. The zombies and infected dogs are appropriately creepy, and there are several startling moments that made me jump. Lawrence does a good job of keeping the story moving forward, not an easy task considering the limited diologue.
Although the ending will not please everyone, it fits with the rest of the story. After all is said and done, Neville is certainly worthy of "legend" status.
I really liked this film. I will add this diclaimer, however: while zombies stir up thoughts of a horror movie, I recommend this film more to fans of the science fiction genre.
Wilsford's Review
Thumb: Down
Notable Characters:
Will Smith – Dr. Robert Neville
Reasons why I didn’t like it:
· The movie conflicted with itself of what it was trying to be, hopefully I can explain. The first half of the movie we don’t really see monsters and, to me, this is where the movie is trying to show itself as being a “realistic” and serious movie. Then the monsters show up all computer animated and suddenly the movie becomes a regular shoot-em up zombie movie. If you are going to tell me that the movie is one way then have it be that way through out.
· The monsters where ridiculous in their appearance and abilities. The computer animation was horrible did not believe the vampyric zombies were real at all. Actually the only time they looked real as when they used a real person, maybe they should have done that all along. Also apparently all of mankind has been wiped out so what are these monster supposed to be eating? Am I to believe that they have lasted about 2 years slowly picking off people? Also after not eating much am I also to believe that they can run incredibly fast, climb walls that are flat, and break bullet proof glass with their heads? I know that these are all fantastical things and if this movie had portrayed itself like that from the beginning I would have different opinion. However it didn’t, it tried to pass itself being a serious apocalypse movie and that is what I am judging it by.
Reason why I liked it:
· Will Smith was awesome. Always thought he was a good actor and he did not disappoint me.
Final Notes: I really love zombie movies. It was really hard for me to give this a thumb down. However, as stated before, I felt that this movie pulled a 180 on me and I don’t like that. If you are going to be serious be serious, if you are going to be outlandish then be outlandish. You can’t be both.
P.S. - I finally finished my "No Country For Old Men" review
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Enchanted
By Nathan Young
Everyone loves a good fairy tale. They always end with the princess falling in love and living happily ever after with her Prince Charming.
Walt Disney's latest movie 'Enchanted' is not your typical fairy tale. It is, however, a funny and entertaining movie for the whole family and I am giving it an enthusiastic 'thumbs up'.
The movie starts out like any other Disney cartoon. The beautiful Giselle (Amy Adams) sings to her animal friends about kissing her true love for the first time. Shortley thereafter, she meets and falls for the brave Prince Edward (James Marsden). After a one day courtship, the couple is set to marry at the castle. Edward's stepmother, the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), has other ideas. She sabotages Giselle, pushing her down a dark well to a place where happily ever after doesn't exist.
Giselle finds herself in modern day New York City, and the film shifts to live action. She stumbles through the city and is eventually taken in by single father Robert ('Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter. After finding himself in a compromising position with Giselle the next morning as his girlfriend Nancy (Idina Menzel) visits, Robert decides to part company with the princess, much to his daughter's dismay. What follows is a funny and charming tale of courtship and true love.
The film's highlight is a scene where Giselle sings the Oscar worthy song 'That's How You Know' as she tries to convince Robert to tell Nancy how he really feels about her. It is funny and well choreographed. It makes you want to applaud afterwards.
Adams is splendid as Giselle. She brings just the right amount of innocence and spunk to the part. Her bright eyed optimism is perfect for the role without ever being forced or sappy. Adams also has a wonderful singing voice which is on display several times.
Marsden is also very good as the self involved Edward. He is the impetus for several hysterical moments, including one in which he finally figures out from the magic mirror where his beloved Giselle is being held captive (or so he thinks). Marsden, like Adams, completely buys into the fantasy of the role and does not hold anything back to draw a laugh.
In stark contrast to Marsden, Dempsey underplays Robert. He is a good choice for a romantic lead and even draws a few laughs himself. He also has good chemistry with Adams.
Director Kevin Lima, who previously helmed Disney films 'Tarzan' and '102 Dalmatians', does a fine job of transitioning from the cartoon world to the real one. He also gets great performances from the whole cast, especially in the musical numbers.
The ending is a bit overblown (and possibly a tad scary for younger viewers), but that is a minor detail. The movie is funny and entertaining, and that is all you can ask for from a Disney movie. This modern fairy tale with a twist is a must see for kids of all ages.
Everyone loves a good fairy tale. They always end with the princess falling in love and living happily ever after with her Prince Charming.
Walt Disney's latest movie 'Enchanted' is not your typical fairy tale. It is, however, a funny and entertaining movie for the whole family and I am giving it an enthusiastic 'thumbs up'.
The movie starts out like any other Disney cartoon. The beautiful Giselle (Amy Adams) sings to her animal friends about kissing her true love for the first time. Shortley thereafter, she meets and falls for the brave Prince Edward (James Marsden). After a one day courtship, the couple is set to marry at the castle. Edward's stepmother, the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), has other ideas. She sabotages Giselle, pushing her down a dark well to a place where happily ever after doesn't exist.
Giselle finds herself in modern day New York City, and the film shifts to live action. She stumbles through the city and is eventually taken in by single father Robert ('Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter. After finding himself in a compromising position with Giselle the next morning as his girlfriend Nancy (Idina Menzel) visits, Robert decides to part company with the princess, much to his daughter's dismay. What follows is a funny and charming tale of courtship and true love.
The film's highlight is a scene where Giselle sings the Oscar worthy song 'That's How You Know' as she tries to convince Robert to tell Nancy how he really feels about her. It is funny and well choreographed. It makes you want to applaud afterwards.
Adams is splendid as Giselle. She brings just the right amount of innocence and spunk to the part. Her bright eyed optimism is perfect for the role without ever being forced or sappy. Adams also has a wonderful singing voice which is on display several times.
Marsden is also very good as the self involved Edward. He is the impetus for several hysterical moments, including one in which he finally figures out from the magic mirror where his beloved Giselle is being held captive (or so he thinks). Marsden, like Adams, completely buys into the fantasy of the role and does not hold anything back to draw a laugh.
In stark contrast to Marsden, Dempsey underplays Robert. He is a good choice for a romantic lead and even draws a few laughs himself. He also has good chemistry with Adams.
Director Kevin Lima, who previously helmed Disney films 'Tarzan' and '102 Dalmatians', does a fine job of transitioning from the cartoon world to the real one. He also gets great performances from the whole cast, especially in the musical numbers.
The ending is a bit overblown (and possibly a tad scary for younger viewers), but that is a minor detail. The movie is funny and entertaining, and that is all you can ask for from a Disney movie. This modern fairy tale with a twist is a must see for kids of all ages.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Awake
By Nathan Young
Some films have such an intricate plot that it would be imprudent to give away too much. 'Awake' is a perfect example. It is a fantastic thriller and I am giving it a 'thumbs up'. However,there are so many great twists that I do not want to spoil it. Therefore, this will be my shortest review yet.
Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) is a rich, successful 22-year-old executive who needs a heart transplant. He is secretly dating Sam (Jessica Alba), who happens to work for his mother Lilith (Lena Olin). Clay's best friend is Dr. Jack Harper (Terrence Howard), who Clay chooses to perform his transplant over his mother's objections. Moments into the surgery, Clay realizes that he can still hear everything that is going on in the room. He is paralyzed and cannot talk, but he is definitely still awake. That is where the twists begin and my summary ends.
First time screenwriter/director Joby Harold does a masterful job of crafting a tightly woven story and keeping the audience guessing. Christensen is amazing in the role of Clay. He commands the screen in scenes where he steps out of his body during the surgery. He also captures the sense of isolation and fear Clay feels during the surgery. Christensen is one of the most underrated actors around at the young age of 26. His Oscar-worthy turns in 'Life As A House' and 'Shattered Glass' are the main reasons I consider those films among my favorites of the past 10 years. Hopefully, the lack of buzz will not cause people to miss his top-notch performance here.
Olin, who played the evil Irina Derevko on the long running television show 'Alias', is the perfect choice for Lilith. The character is cold and distant, but never wavers in her love for Clay. Alba and Howard are also memorable. Alba shows that she is more than just a pretty face in a multi-layered performance. Howard brings the ideal amount of understatement to a supporting role while still bringing his 'A' game.
This film is mesmerizing and entertaining. It is also short (78 minutes), which works with the storyline. It grabbed me and didn't let go until the end credits rolled. It is on my top ten list for 2008 and I highly recommend it.
Some films have such an intricate plot that it would be imprudent to give away too much. 'Awake' is a perfect example. It is a fantastic thriller and I am giving it a 'thumbs up'. However,there are so many great twists that I do not want to spoil it. Therefore, this will be my shortest review yet.
Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) is a rich, successful 22-year-old executive who needs a heart transplant. He is secretly dating Sam (Jessica Alba), who happens to work for his mother Lilith (Lena Olin). Clay's best friend is Dr. Jack Harper (Terrence Howard), who Clay chooses to perform his transplant over his mother's objections. Moments into the surgery, Clay realizes that he can still hear everything that is going on in the room. He is paralyzed and cannot talk, but he is definitely still awake. That is where the twists begin and my summary ends.
First time screenwriter/director Joby Harold does a masterful job of crafting a tightly woven story and keeping the audience guessing. Christensen is amazing in the role of Clay. He commands the screen in scenes where he steps out of his body during the surgery. He also captures the sense of isolation and fear Clay feels during the surgery. Christensen is one of the most underrated actors around at the young age of 26. His Oscar-worthy turns in 'Life As A House' and 'Shattered Glass' are the main reasons I consider those films among my favorites of the past 10 years. Hopefully, the lack of buzz will not cause people to miss his top-notch performance here.
Olin, who played the evil Irina Derevko on the long running television show 'Alias', is the perfect choice for Lilith. The character is cold and distant, but never wavers in her love for Clay. Alba and Howard are also memorable. Alba shows that she is more than just a pretty face in a multi-layered performance. Howard brings the ideal amount of understatement to a supporting role while still bringing his 'A' game.
This film is mesmerizing and entertaining. It is also short (78 minutes), which works with the storyline. It grabbed me and didn't let go until the end credits rolled. It is on my top ten list for 2008 and I highly recommend it.
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