Cameron’s Avatar Re-Affirms That He...

...Is “King of the World”

BY COLIN ENQUIST

James Cameron’s Avatar has been a decade long project. One that began shortly after he proclaimed himself as “King of the World” during his Oscar speech, one of the many awards Titanic (Cameron’s last feature film) won, way back in 1997. Since that time the world has seen 6 Olympic games, the September 11th attacks, Michael Jackson’s death, Hurricane Katrina, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, a final Harry Potter book, Barack Obama becoming the first African-American U.S. President and the threat of global warming. In between all of those moments the film industry has grown to having most films utilize the blockbuster formula that brought Titanic its 11 (of a possible 14) Academy Awards. Although, it’s arguable, none have changed cinema in the way Titanic has.

It is only fitting that the next wave of change is brought upon us by Cameron. But after a twelve year hiatus, aside from a few documentary films, is Cameron still “King of the World”?

The keys to the success of Avatar will be how well the new technology works, but Cameron still needs to tell an engaging story to keep us planted in our seats. As Cameron begins working his magic, you get the sense this story has already been told. Even with the comparisons to Fern Gully, Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves, Avatar is so unique that the similarities are forgivable.

Written by Cameron, Avatar delves into the alien world called Pandora, and its beautiful natives, the Na’vi. With no desire to forge any bond with the Na’vi, SecFor is only looking for Unobtanium. “This is why we're here, because this little grey rock sells for twenty million a kilo,” reminds Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi), head administrator of the operation. Although we are never meant to know what Unobtanium does, it does not matter. Unlike Parker, who wants the Unobtanium at whatever cost, be it diplomatic or war, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) only wants war. Colonel Quaritch enlists one of the newest Avatar recruits, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), to infiltrate the Na’vi people once linked up to his Avatar. Sully, a marine paraplegic with no Avatar training, is only on Pandora because of the death of his twin brother, leaving him as the only person capable of piloting the expensive Avatar. Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) is the lead scientist that helped write the book on the creation of Avatar’s, which are cloned after being mapped out by the pilots human genome, making Sully an asset, due to having the same genome as his now deceased twin. Don’t think Sully fails to notice this could be his last chance to walk again either.

As Sully commences to learn the ways of the Na’vi, the predictable nature of the plot begins to show. Once fully accepted into the Na’vi clan, and only then, does Sully realize exactly what the sky people (what the Na’vi call humans) are doing to the planet.

Cameron paces this film so well, when the third act begins, the all out war does not seem to be an action centre piece. Unlike other blockbusters, you feel the sense of urgency along with the Na’vi.

Not to shy away from any minute detail, Cameron immerses us completely into this new world, just as George Lucas did with Star Wars and Peter Jackson with The Lord of the Rings. Cameron places exotic wildlife all around us, enhancing the experience is the marvellous use of the 3D technology. During some scenes, you almost wanted to reach out and brush aside the forest, truly creating a magnificent experience.

This film was made for 3D, and Cameron is the director that is not going to just use it as a gimmick either. Rather then make you feel like you are watching a movie, Cameron almost tricks us into believing we are actually on Pandora. He does use the 3D technology very conservatively at times, but when Cameron wants your eyes trained on something specific, it is just beautiful.

Not only did Cameron create a new technology for the film, he also created a new language. With the help of Prof. Paul Frommer, a linguistics professor at the University of Southern California, they created a 1000 word language for the Na’vi, based off of the Amharic language of Ethiopia. Cameron himself created at least 30 of the words for the Na’vi vocabulary.

James Horner did not want to waste this new language either, using it in one of the songs he composed for the film. This was Horner’s third collaboration with Cameron, the others being Aliens and Titanic.

Surprisingly with all that is going on in the film, Cameron manages to get very life like performances out of the actors portraying the Na’vi. Zoe Saldana does a wonderful job of playing the blue skinned Neytiri. You could argue, if Andy Serkis (who played Gollum in LOTR) deserved an Oscar nomination, Saldana might as well. Will that happen? The safe bet would be no but she really carries this film at times. Weaver and Worthington’s blue skinned counterparts were impressive as well, although Weaver’s was the least believable of the three.

After seeing Avatar, Cameron still holds his “King of the World” title, at least until someone can take it from him. Avatar was filled with stunning imagery of an extravagant world that requires multiple viewings. The predictable story does not bring the film down at all either, this is due to Cameron’s ability to place enough doubt in the viewers mind during the film that they will be unsure of what happens next. Whether the budget was the reported $200 million or the rumoured $350+ million, it is all up there on the screen, waiting for you to reach out and touch it.

Ninja Assassin Surprises

Not in the way you would think though

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Sometimes you need to shut your brain off, let it recharge. You need to enjoy yourself, laugh, weep, cheer or observe people beat each other senseless. Tread carefully; Ninja Assassin does not really fit into any of these categories though. Sure this film will be filed under “the pointless action pieces” category but it is a little more then that.

Saying Ninja Assassin has a cohesive plot might be a stretch. It was surprising as hell though. Opening with an action sequence I really could have done without was making me rethink my choice of film for my Saturday night. Sure it set up many ideals about ninja’s and their role in today’s society, but it just felt like they could have done this much better. Then the next scene changed my perspective, doing a complete 180, it looked like a conspiracy film with ninja’s was about to break Hollywood barriers. Looked was the key word in that last sentence. The story potential was sitting right in front of Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski (who was given re-write duties and only had 60 hours to complete it, Straczynski only slept for 7 hours over that span) but they seemed to miss it. But did I really go see Ninja Assassin for the story? No, but at one point it appeared like a story was going to be a bonus.

So why did I see Ninja Assassin? Three reasons:

Rain – Having heard so much about him and seeing his performance in Speed Racer, I wondered if he could carry a film on his own as Raizo, one of the world’s deadliest assassins. To be honest, that question is never answered with this film, as Rain surprisingly had very little screen time. I still see the potential (which the Wachowski brothers saw in Speed Racer) though and will give his next film a shot, whatever that may be.

The Wachowski Brothers – They directed this film, so why would I not go see it! Wait…what…sorry…damn it! Well my plans were already made when I found out they only produced the film and I could not cancel on friends now could I? My expectations were brought considerably lower after this disappointing revelation.

Martial Arts Films – Being a sucker for any martial arts film (that is not made in America), I was intrigued. Ninja Assassin felt like it was going to bend (to some extent at least) the typical mold for a Hollywood martial arts film.

So did it?

Ninja Assassin will not revolutionize any part of the way we look at cinema but it was different. Still not sure if it was for the better yet. It seemed, at least to me, the action sequences were borderline cheesecake or really well done, not leaving much ground in between. The choice of weaponry made for some interesting fight scenes. Also makes me wish I could throw a Kusarigama (Raizo’s choice in weaponry) around without cutting myself to tiny bits!

One choice that director James McTeigue makes is very questionable, the uses of blood spatter. It was not quite used to the effect that Kill Bill used the technique but more along the lines of some anime films. It seemed like they put more focus on the blood spatter over the fight choreography. On the other hand, during the fights in the shadows, it did help differentiate who was getting sliced and diced.

Not sure if I would recommend this film but it is entertaining. Ninja Assassin is maybe worth a watch once, on a night where your brain needs a rest. No terrible acting in this film, as Noami Harris, Ben Miles and martial arts film legend Sho Kosugi have the only parts in the film where acting is necessary. If you can look past minor plot holes and predictable scenarios then Ninja Assassin just may have good enough action to amuse you.

Oh, one last thing, a message to any studio or director. If you are going to cast Rick Yune, use him in the film, do not cover his face and give him one line to say multiple times!

3 out of 5

9 Disappoints

Even though the animation is spectacular

BY COLIN ENQUIST

9 is a beautiful looking animated film based off of a short film of the same title. Shane Acker, who created the short as well, directs the full length film. Producing the film are two high end directors themselves, Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. The voice cast consists of Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Martin Landau and Christopher Plummer.

The story commences with an awakening. 9 (Wood) is born. At this point in time we do not know how, we just know that a scientist has created the rag doll-like “stitchpunk”. 9 has begun to explore the apocalyptic world around him, where he meets up with another stitchpunk, like himself. Soon we become introduced to a few more stitchpunks, learning everything about the world as 9 does. 9 helps rescue a fellow digit, 2 (Landau), but in the process create a new evil set to destroy his new set of friends.

An evil mechanical creature is set to destroy them. Why? Who knows, the audience sure doesn’t. I am under the assumption it is to destroy anything living (or maybe moving?). As the mechanical monster creates his army we are entitled to some very creepy looking machines. Some will be haunting my dreams for weeks to come.

The story is there, right in front of you, but it is confusing. We are meant to figure out what the next logical step is at the same moment as 9 but when he figures it out, you can fathom how he came to that conclusion. It’s like the director laid all the significant pieces on the floor and took some away just to confuse whoever looks at it.

So the story was slightly average, the voice cast was forgettable and it threw some good scares, making it an animated film you won’t want to bring young children to see. Well I can at least say the animation of this film is as good as it gets. From the opening sequence to the closing credits I can not tell you how much I enjoyed looking at what the animators did for this film. Every detail is exquisitely put into each character. The bar has been raised on animated films because of 9.

I do not recommend watching this, unless you enjoy confusing films that never make sense. If you really enjoy animated films that use state of the art technology then it might be worth a view once 9 hits DVD. Hopefully we get more films like this one even though Acker’s debut film was not the greatest; you can tell he has a great eye that will help his bright future.

2 out of 5

Paranormal Activity Leaves a Mark

Not since The Blair Witch Project has a movie forced so many unsuspecting viewers to sleep with the lights on

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Tossing and turning in my bed, alone at night, I kept imagining that some alter-dimension entity would tug my shielding blanket from my grip and then toss me around the room at its disposal. That's how I slept the night I paid 12 dollars and 50 cents to see Paranormal Activity at the only theatre in the city playing the do-it-yourself terror flick that was made for a reported $15,000.

Israeli-born filmmaker Oren Peli (2010's Area 51) directed, scripted and even edited his cinematic inauguration, which is being hailed as the suburban Blair Witch Project, due to their familiar style of shooting and techniques.

The one-time video game designer filmed the entire 86-minute movie at his own home in San Diego, using a hand-held home video camera to offshoot expenses and, of course, to induce an atmosphere of plausibility and authenticity.

Katie (Katie Featherston) is a college student living with her boyfriend Micah (Micah Sloat), a day trader, in a humble 2-story tract house in the suburbs of San Diego. We learn that since the age of eight, Katie has been haunted by something that can't easily be explained away, but the malevolent entity comes and goes for any given period of time. Well, now it's back, and an unconvinced Micah is determined to capture its exsistance on his new video camera.

Over the coming weeks the demonic phenomena terrorizes the frazzled couple, tip-toeing on their nerves before menacing their--and the audience's--most internal fears, captured in a rawness that only amplifies the tension.

"[Oren] Peli preys on our humanistic vulnerabilities...and sets the tension for every ordeal with a minimalist musical note that arouses a parade of goose bumps before each fear-mongering climax"

Slamming doors, flickering lights and loud thuds in the middle of the night escalate into eerie visions caught on film when Micah decides to position his new camera on a tripod situated near the foot of their bed. Its abrupt ending was unsettling, not because it left loose ends, but rather because it stretched beyond just an ominous chill unlike almost any Hollywood creation in the "horror" section at your local Blockbuster. Its unnerving realism is its most sinister trait, proving that the director had done his homework in evoking fear out of an audience.

Like the filmmakers did with The Blair Witch Project, Peli cast unheard-of actors for Paranormal, and relied on their improvisational skills to gap the bulk of the film's dialogue. And, as in Blair Witch, onscreen scripture fills us in on the rest of the story, representing that this footage was found and is being screened for our own amusement, sorta. It's all very believable, almost too familiar for comfort, but right on target of Peli's overall view for the project.

Peli preys on our humanistic vulnerabilities, tests our imaginations to fill in what we never get to see, and sets the tension for every ordeal with a minimalist musical note that arouses a parade of goose bumps before every fear-mongering climax.

The hype that preceded Paranormal Activity's wide release was both credible and legit, enticing us as "one of the scariest movies of all time." I bought in, and so did $50 million worth of ticketholders (so far) who've made this sleeper hit one of the most profitable films in history. I can assure you that if you go see this movie you'll get what you came for. What I cannot assure you is that you'll get to sleep that night.

4 outta 5 stars

This review was originally posted on "I Heart Edmonton."
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Was Paranormal Activity the Scariest Movie Ever?

It sure warrants a debate!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

If you have been reading Stories in Medium the past couple of months, you would already know how excited I was to see Paranormal Activity. Paranormal Activity is the newest indie darling film to get a nation wide theatrical release, thanks to the 1 million people who clicked Paramount’s Demand It button. Also the horror film is just in time for the Halloween season too!

Oren Peli made this film on a minuscule budget of $15, 000. Part of the reason Paranormal Activity is selling out shows everywhere has to be the two stars of the film. The relative unknown, Katie Featherston (Mutation) and Micah Sloat, really are fantastic. You could easily put up an argument that neither will ever win an Academy Award but the outstanding chemistry the two have make up for any minor glitches in their performance. Featherston really does a wonderful job of playing a college student about to have a nervous breakdown.

A simple plot like Paranormal Activity’s causes possible ticket holders to question the hype the film has generated. The couple is being haunted by a demon, really Katie is being haunted and Micah is along for the ride. Micah is adamant that he can stop the entity and films the ordeal they are going through, never letting the camera out of his sight. The sluggish moving plot Peli has created is something we do not see enough of. As the demon begins to torment Katie and Micah more and more, the tension is leisurely starting to reach its boiling point.

Instead of using the overrated bag of tricks Hollywood is now obsessed with, Peli tests each viewer’s imagination by solidifying the presence of the invisible demon, off camera. Rattling the chandelier, moving the door or banging on the walls, slowly disturbs Katie and the audience. Micah still senses what is happening is unbelievable, even with the footage proving that something is fucking with them.

Suspense filled at first, Paranormal Activity begins to transform itself into the horror film the hype machine has created. With Micah provoking the demon while Katie is not around, the attacks he instigated get worse. This leads to a few truly terrifying nights for the couple. Who would have thought baby powder could be so scary?

I will not ruin the few moments that ring true to the hype, as the posters states, “Paranormal Activity is one of the scariest movies of all time. You will be affected as it’s hard to ignore the imprint it leaves on your psyche. Nightmares are guaranteed.”

For those that did not know, the ending has been changed from the original cut. It still keeps the same tone so it is not really a big change. Steven Spielberg is the apparent cause of the change and you can not really fault him for the switch. You can view the original ending here. Both are creepy, the theatrical cut evokes a more startling image for the audience but the original ending drives home the spine-chilling scares of the film that will sit in the back of your mind for the next few nights to come.

Personally, this film scared the shit out of me. It was not to the point that I had to walk out of the theatre like a few did. This film will be loved or hated; it will all depend on your imagination. Creepy, disturbing, terrifying, and tons of suspense make this film a must watch. If only Hollywood focused more on making films like this instead of seven Saw films (which I still adore to an extent) and counting! The Hurt Locker and Moon are the best films I have seen this year. Who would have thought a low budget horror film would also be grouped into this category.

4 out of 5

DVD Vault: Bye Bye Blues

A heart-warming tale everyone should see

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Films can just creep up and surprise you sometime. Not because you did not expect the film to be good. Rather it slams you with such an emotional response that leaves you questioning your life and what exactly you cherish in it. Anne Wheeler’s 1989 film, Bye Bye Blues left me doing just that.

Set in the early days of the Second World War, the tale begins with the Cooper family and the duress that besets them while they are living abroad in India. Daisy’s (Rebecca Jenkins) husband Teddy (Michael Ontkean) is transferred deeper into the war, so she must relocate back home to live with her mother and father in law on their farm in Canada. More specifically, a small town in Alberta, less than a days drive from Edmonton.

Anne Wheeler wrote, directed and produced this wonderfully looking film almost entirely in her home province of Alberta. She truly makes good use of the variety of seasons over the decade this story follows. A few shots evoke such beautiful imagery of the rolling hills that many people find boring.

Daisy is the main protagonist, although the film touches on the entire Cooper family and how they deal with the lack of information about the whereabouts of Teddy during the war, wondering if he is even still alive.

Rebecca Jenkins started off the film without much confidence. It really showed for the first set of scenes that she was not comfortable with the character yet. I was worried at this point that I was about to watch a train wreck after the opening scenes in India. It was the furthest thing from it though! As Jenkins settled into her role as Daisy and her new life, you really start to see her amazing acting ability shine. She also has a very talented voice that takes center stage quite a few times in the film.

As Daisy begins her journey with the realization that she may never see her husband again, she sets out to find work to provide better for her family. This brings Daisy into the hardships women endured back in the 1940s, but her persistence eventually lands her a well paying career in a local dance band. The subtext about her being the only woman in the band is continually in the background.

It is a about this time where Anne Wheeler’s screenplay starts to bring a unique love triangle into Daisy’s life. Fellow band member Max Gramley (Luke Reilly), the man with the mysterious past, begins to fall in love with her. How can he compete with a man who has been out of her life for years now and could possibly be dead? Max pushes Daisy about a relationship but never pushes very hard, just enough to get an honest response. At least until his next opportunity arises.

Somewhere after the band got together did I realize that Anne Wheeler has gotten me so emotionally invested into these characters that I did not want anything to change for them. Aside from Daisy and Teddy’s boy Richard, everyone was content with life and the way things were turning out.

So when the war ends, you can really witness how the demeanour of all the characters shifts. Not because anything has changed, but they know the change is already on the way. Still unsure if the change will be because Teddy will return home or they finally find out that he is deceased.

Teddy does make his way back home, causing some heart wrenching moments that would probably make me cry again and again when watching this film. This puts everyone’s life in a state of flux. We never find out if Teddy returning was good for the family or if his return slowly changed everything for the worse. The saddest part is, Teddy realizes this and really is not sure what to say to Daisy about it.

The music is also a great complement to this film, really helping to sell the time period. Sure you could tell from the visuals themselves but the use of the music really adds to the overall experience.

I saw this film outside on a blow up screen on a very nice evening. My lawn chair, thermos filled with hot chocolate and a friend (Emil!) were prepared to watch this free film, our expectations were not very high. I think we were both blown away by this film. Anne Wheeler made a film full of complexities that will last forever; so many filmmakers fail to achieve making a film of this calibre in their entire careers. I think she can say Bye Bye Blues will last the test of time.

4.5 out of 5

Zombieland Wants To Give Thanks…

Thank god for rednecks!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Zombieland is the brain child of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Ruben Fleischer directs the horror/comedy which stars Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland), Woody Harrelson (Seven Pounds), Emma Stone (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) and Abigail Breslin (My Sister's Keeper). No major thought is involved in the premise, zombies take over the world, a few survivors team up to survive, and funny things ensue.

The beginning of this film (narrated by Eisenberg) shows us zombie hi-jinks over a wonderful use of title credits. As we begin to understand a little about Zombieland (what was once the U.S.A.) we are introduced to Columbus (also Eisenberg) and his OCD rules that have, so far, kept him alive. Rule #1: Cardio, it keeps you alive!

Soon enough, a lonely Columbus finds himself teaming up with a completely opposite personality in Tallahassee (Harrelson). When these characters are thrust into any situation, their reactions are opposing the others. It does not help that Columbus believes Tallahassee’s quest to find the last Twinkie in Zombieland is pointless. It is the character dynamics of Columbus and Tallahassee that make this film a colossal enjoyment.

The duo becomes a quartet, shortly after Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) con them into giving up their vehicle and arsenal. Eventually they concede to work together, joined by a single cause, getting to Pacific Playland in California. More hilarity ensues.

The group dynamics begin to shift when Columbus falls for Wichita, almost making Columbus violate one of his rules. Rule #17: Don’t be a hero. Although he is happy enough to step aside so Tallahassee can kill more zombies. It is the only thing Tallahassee is good at!

Not a preachy film by any means. Zombieland does not have much to say thematically. Of course there are a few exceptions. Rule #32: Enjoy the little things.

The third act is what keeps this film from being placed alongside Shaun of the Dead. It lacks the actual horror element, as it never feels like the characters are ever in any kind of danger. Also, this film has possibly one of the best cameo appearances I have ever witnessed. I am not going to spoil it for you but be prepared for a ton of laughter.

I highly recommended this film; it is funny, insane and just pure fun. Your sides will hurt from the constant laughter this film provides. Surprising the hell out of me, Zombieland is worth your hard earned cash.

4 out of 5

Ponyo is Magical

Although it is just an eco friendly version of Pinocchio

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Hayao Miyazaki is a legend in Japanese cinema. He has even seen some mild success over in North America with Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. The latest animated adventure from the mind of Miyazaki took Japan by storm in 2008, winning several awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. Studio Ghibli brings Ponyo to the American shore with the help of Walt Disney Pictures, John Lasseter and a stellar voice cast of Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey and Liam Neeson.

At the heart of the film is Sōsuke, a mature 5 years old, who finds a goldfish in the sea which he dubs Ponyo. It turns out Ponyo is not a normal fish. Quickly Ponyo and Sōsuke form a friendship. Ponyo decides that she wants to become a real girl. The transformation of Ponyo happens early in the film but Ponyo does not understand (and neither do we) the forces she has unleased upon the world. This is truly where the adventure begins.

Miyazaki and his team of artists bring us into a very magical world. The water colour-esque artistry used for the backdrop is absolutely stunning. This is one thing that animted CGI films lack. With the animators putting so much focus on the CGI characters (and these characters usually look fantastic) the backdrops suffer and don’t visually pop with emotion like a hand drawn film does. Obviously some exceptions do come along but for the most part I will take the animation of Ponyo over something done on a computer (I am not saying computer animators do not work hard, just stating my preferance).

Ponyo follows along the usual Miyazaki themes. Like most of his other films, enviromentilsm is the most prominent. The characters are shown gazing at the beauty of the sea that surrounds them. Out of sight, out of mind, they do not realize the pollution under the surface. Only admiring the beauty of what can be seen, ignoring the truth. They must understand it to some extant though, as I have never witnessed a film show so prominently a character repeatedly shutting off the lights after he (or she) leaves a room.

A few things did bother me. One being the love story told about two 5 year olds seemed a little far fetched. It was not the love aspect but rather the depth and understanding Sōsuke and Ponyo seemed to have of love.

The audience is suppose to take everything in this film at face value. Never giving us many reasons of why the sea got angry. Some of these questions could have been cut out of the North American release of the film. Many times imports lose a few scenes due to translation problems and I am hoping that is the case and the DVD version will have a subtitled version of the film along with the English dubbing.

Miyazaki’s newest film may not be his best and is probably his weakest endevour that I have seen but it is a very artistic tale about innocence and love. You may want to wait for a subtitled version (I am under the assumption that it would be better because they normally are) even though the new voice cast does extremely well. I would not tell you to skip this film, I actually recommend seeing it, but there is no need to rush out and see it like I did.

3 out of 5

DVD Pick: Across the Universe

Love, Rock n Roll and Revolution!

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Across the Universe is a rock opera based entirely off songs written by The Beatles. The film is directed by Julia Taymor who also got a writing credit for the film. She is the genius behind the outstanding musical The Lion King which won her a Tony Award (the first woman to do so in the category) for directing the musical. The film stars Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson and T.V. Carpio. Cameo appearances from Bono, Eddie Izzard, Joe Crocker, Salma Hayek and others are sprinkled throughout the film.

The story is very disjointed and is tough to follow but is not impossible. Following several characters, the tale leads us from early in the 1960s to the later turbulent times of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s. At heart the film is a love story, from beginning to end, but it strays because of the abundance of characters. As the story shifts to each character it loses some of its perspective, almost being forced in another direction just to use a specific song in the vast library of The Beatles. Jude (Jim Sturgess) the love torn artist, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) the budding revolutionist, Max (Joe Anderson) the one being drafted for war, not to mention the musicians Sadie (Dana Fuchs) and Jojo (Martin Luther McCoy) (who resemble Janis Joplin and Jimmi Hendrix), each are uniquely interesting. All their sagas are intertwined but if Taymor had trimmed down some of the side plots the story could have flowed more fluently. Making us focus more on the romance budding between Jude and Lucy which is the main story being told in the film. Sturgess even opens the film singing “Girl”, describing a girl (who turns out is Lucy) which he loves, but he has many uncertainties about her.

Love may be the heart of the film but The Beatles songs are essentially the centerpiece of it. Incorporating 33 of The Beatles songs throughout the entire film, Taymor has created a soundtrack that is the film itself. Not only does the film use The Beatles songs to base the story off of, but it uses references throughout the entire film. I probably missed some myself, the ones easily noticeable were that most characters names were somehow related to a song written by The Beatles, Jude doing a drawing of an apple (The Beatles record label), some were not so obvious (Max holding his silver hammer!) and I was happy to catch them. Surely I missed many and if I watch the film again maybe I can detect the ones I missed the first time around. The musical aspect is not just used as a prop though, with commentary in the lyrics supporting the dialogue and path the story is moving in.

Taymor uses stylish choreography for the few dance numbers. The stand out would be when Max is going through his physical before being shipped off to Vietnam.

This film is worth watching if you enjoy musicals or are a fan of The Beatles. The disorganized story makes this film lacking where Grease or West Side Story excelled. I would never consider Across the Universe to be one of the greatest musicals but it is a fun film that you will love to sing to. You may find yourself heading down to your local Best Buy or onto the iTunes store to purchase the soundtrack so you can sing along with the cast anytime you want. I know I did! One song is now my ring tone as well!

3 out of 5

Tarantino tackles Hitler in 'Inglourious Basterds'

Dirty deeds are done dirt cheap, but notoriety comes at a hefty price

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

"It was a ridiculous movie," blasted Brad Pitt when German magazine Stern recently asked his opinion of Tom Cruise's Hitler-era feature Valkyrie. "The Second World War could still deliver more stories and films, but I believe that Quentin put a cover on that pot," Pitt continued, this time referencing Tarantino's latest cinematic asskick Inglourious Basterds. Such blatent animosity for last year's Valkyrie may put a damper on the friendship of the Hollywood kings, but I can only assume Pitt would prefer Quentin "Aestheticizator of Violence" Tarantino in his corner than Tom "Couch Jumper" Cruise.

Enough with that Hollywood gossip shit now, let's chat about an insanely entertaining--at times--war epic as told (made-up) from the warped mindset of one of the most adventurous filmmakers of the last 20 years, Quentin Jerome Tarantino. He's the same man who resurrected tintsletown dropouts like John Travolta (Pulp Fiction) and David Carradine (Kill Bill); the same guy who dismembered Sydney Poitier et al as "Hold Tight!" by Dave Dee et al played on (Death Proof); and the same genius who transformed Michael Madsen into an ear-cutting, flesh-roasting madman (Reservoir Dogs). And now, the man tackles one of the most infamous eras of mankind, and comes out on the other side with Nazi blood on his hands.

Just when you thought we had seen every angle of WWII, Tarantino flings us back into Nazi-occupied France, though he insists that his fictionalized film is a "spaghetti western but with World War II iconography" more than anything else. Whatever category Basterds may fit squarely into, the 153-minute feature is a slick, turbulent and classy--and I use that term loosely--step back into a time when Adolph Hitler decided that he was appointed the ruler of the world and the extinguisher of all Jews.

In this alternate history of a movie Brad Pitt tries on a soldier's uniform and a Tennessee accent as the ringleader of the "arse-kicking," Nazi-killing Jewish-American squadron known as the "Basterds." They take it upon themselves to seek and destroy the swastika-branded troops of Germany's National Socialism party, using methods of mayhem that requires each warrior to bring commanding officer Aldo Raine (Pitt) 100 Nazi scalps, borrowing from the carnal procedures of the Apache Indians.

Intrigued yet?!

Meanwhile, Mèlanie Laurent is Shosanna, a Holocaust survivor who escapes Colonel Hans "Jew Hunter" Landa (Christoph Waltz) (pictured below) during a lethal interrogation of a French dairy farm. A few years have passed since she witnessed the bloodshed of her family at the hands of the strong-armed "Jew Hunter," and she's taken up refuge in the bustle of metro France, where she changed her name and now runs the very cinema that will host the upcoming Nazi propaganda film Stolz der Nation (A Nation's Pride).

Therein lies the backbone of this sometimes-savage, sometimes-elongated, most times-encompassing peek into a theatrical substitute for the truth of the demise of Hitler. Shosanna's small, but refined movie house is the one opportunity in which Hitler and his gang of senior officers will all be together under the same roof ("all our rotten eggs in one basket"), a chance for the Basterds to end the war for good, and a chance for Shosanna to retrieve the ultimate revenge for the butchery of her loved ones. But if you must know what goes down from here on in, you're gonna have to shell out the $13 and head out to your local theatre for yourself.

If you don't go check it out, your loss I guess, but don't say I didn't warn ya. Now don't get me wrong, Basterds was far from perfect. It may have stretched out longer than I had anticipated, as a couple of scenes easily couldn't been levelled, but I'm not complaining! Pitt's '40s-hick accentè took some getting used to at first, but was like music to my ears by the second hour. And being a big fan of TV's The Office, B.J. Novak (as "The Little Man") seemed far out of place, but I couldn't blame such a thing on anything but my obsession for Michael Scott & co. Other than those minor indiscrepancies, Basterds flowed like warm Nazi blood down the cold blade of a vigilante sunuvabitch, unless of course you're "The Bear Jew" (Eli Roth) (pictured above right), who prefers his trusty Louisville slugger to anything made of metal. Good stuff indeed.

"Basterds flowed like warm Nazi blood down the cold blade of a vigilante sunuvabitch"

The art of war prevails in moments of Inglourious Basterds, whether they be moments of uber intimidation (Waltz is flawless as the pipe-smoking, milk-drinking linguistics Nazi), momentous retribution (the white man samples the scalping rituals of Native-American warfare), or insidious betrayal (Diane Kruger (pictured below) is ravishing as a German movie starlet who answers to the French instead). All such moments are aspersed throughout the Samuel L. Jackson-narrated feature, which borrowed inspiration from Enzo Castellari's Italian war film The Inglorious Bastards (1978), though this current spin is no remake.

Then there's the music. Tarantino has become famous for his throwback to "classics" and obscure ditties that never made the rounds of the radio airwaves, and he doesn't refrain here either, as the two and a half hours of Fascist slaughtery are delivered as so to the sounds of David Bowie, Billy Preston and Oscar-winning Italian composer Ennio Morricone, none of whom were active during the Second World War. In fact, Bowie and Preston weren't even born yet. This allowed for that progressive feel that Basterds was drenched in, not to mention extended cameos by the likes of Novak and Mike Myers (as General Ed Fenech).

So there you have it, my thoughts on Tarantino and his motley crew of Nazi assassins...a bold tale of what never was, but what a glorious afterthought, eh?! Tarantino has a way of making moviegoers crave what they would never wish upon their worst enemies, and he gives it a spin that tests aged and current formulas of filmmaking until they interweave into an audacious cloak of cult-status bliss. "With Basterds, everything that can be said to this genre has been said," Pitt revealed in that aforementioned interview with Stern. "The film destroys every symbol. The work is done, end of story." Yeah, what he said.

4/ 5 stars

Inglourious Basterds Trailer

Inglorious Basterds is Exhilarating!

Filling the fantasy of what we wish we could have done to Hitler

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Quentin Tarantino worked on the script for Inglorious Basterds for almost a decade. During that decade the exceptional filmmaker has given us: Kill Bill (Vol 1 & 2), Deathproof (part of the Grindhouse double feature with Robert Rodriguez), and a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation two part season finale (which got Tarantino an Emmy Nomination). Not only did he direct these entire but wrote them as well (with the exception of CSI which he co-wrote) and he had minor roles in a few of the films.

This revenge war film that Tarantino has repeatedly stressed is a “spaghetti western but with a World War II iconography” takes place mostly in 1944, after D-Day but before the liberation of Paris. Inglorious Basterds is set in an alternate history of the Second World War.

Like most other Tarantino films, Inglorious Basterds has a cast of movie stars from beginning to end. Some are prominent, taking central roles: Brad Pitt and Eli Roth, others get little screen time: Mike Myers and Michael Fassbender, and a few only lend their voices: Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Keitel. Tarantino regulars are around as well but it is the new faces in Christopher Waltz and Melanie Laurent who steal the show.

Waltz was nominated (and won) the Best Actor Award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival for his role in this film. The multi-linguistic actor displays magnificent depth and he is: pure evil, derisive, articulate, intelligent, and absurd. Aside from Waltz, most of the other actors/actresses do not have much screen time. Even the main protagonists in Pitt and Laurent have limited screen time, despite such integral parts to the story. Pitt looks like he is having too much fun as his role of commanding officer of the Basterds.

Tarantino has used extreme violence that always pushes the boundaries and this film is no exception. This is not for those with a weak stomach. It is painful to watch some of the damage done to the human body during the times of war.

Dialogue filled and driven is the heart of any Tarantino film. I have always enjoyed this aspect of his films but I think it hurt this film slightly. Not to say the film would have been better in only English dialect but the constant reading took away from the focus on character reaction to the conversation(s) occurring.

Inglorious Basterds has some very good scenes but one stood out for me. When the Nazis are watching the premiere of “Nation’s Pride” (based off of a character’s exploits in Inglorious Basterds) they are laughing at the 300 Americans dieing on film. This propaganda film makes the Nazis so happy. A little spoiler for the ending here, so skip the rest of the paragraph if you want! Yet at the climax of both films, 350 Nazis (Hitler included!) get shot, are burned alive and caught in a giant explosion, causing the same joyous feeling to come over the audience I was watching the film with. There was no shouting and laughing like the Nazis were but you could tell the reaction was emotionally the same.

I have no knowledge (and I do not think Tarantino knows either) as to why Basterds is spelled incorrectly in the title of the film. During the film though we see Brad Pitt’s character, Lt. Aldo Raine, carry a gun holding with the title written on the barrel, so maybe the title is incorrect because Lt. Raine is possibly illiterate?

This could possibly be Tarantino’s best film since Pulp Fiction. I may throw out the argument for Deathproof to be included in that conversation of best Tarantino film. A brutal film, Inglorious Basterds draws on Tarantino’s strong dialogue to drive the story. Ending with Brad Pitt finishing his “masterpiece”, which may prove to also be Tarantino’s?

4 out of 5

District 9 Has Aliens But...

It is a movie for “humans only”

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Neill Blomkamp had a vision and it started with the 2005 short film, Alive in Joburg (our SiM Short Film of the Month this month!). His vision may have been complete (or at least put on the backburner) since Peter Jackson tapped Blomkamp on the shoulder to direct a film based on the highly successful video game, Halo. Sadly that project fell apart. Jackson has stated that “the day Halo died, District 9 was born”. Blomkamp and Jackson believed they could make a feature film based off the 6 minute short film (one of the most expensive short films ever made). District 9 was the end result.

Based entirely in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, alien creatures live in the slums of District 9. Nobody knows why they came to our world. MNU (Multi-National United), the massive corporation vying for the alien technology has been given the task of relocating the lobster like creatures 200 miles away from District 9. The humans living in and around Johannesburg do not like the aliens, dubbing the aliens with a new racial term, “prawns”. The film has an eerie parallel to the 1966 forced removal of 60, 000 people in District Six (which was a residential are in Cape Town, South Africa) to Cape Flats, 25 kilometres away. When an MNU worker Wikus van der Merwe (Shartlo Copley) comes into contact with a biological alien liquid he starts to transform. Instantly he becomes of enormous value to MNU because the alien weaponry they are trying to duplicate only works with an alien (specifically there DNA) behind the trigger. Now van der Merwe is on the run and hides in the place he hopes MNU will look last, District 9.

Blomkamp opens the film in a documentary style and hammers us with loads of information. Our entire understanding of what the aliens can and can not do is told through the first 30 minutes. Using the hand held camera is always a stroke of genius or fails miserably. Sadly District 9 has a little too much of it. Although it works extremely well at the beginning of the film it tends to be overused later where the camera shakes so much that it is dreadfully tough to follow. The shaky camera is not helped by the quick cuts Blomkamp utilizes throughout the entirety of the film.

On a $30 million dollar budget, you never can tell what is or is not CGI effects. Movies like X-Men Origins: Wolverine could learn a great deal from Blomkamp and this film. The disgusting looking aliens are almost identical at a quick glance but they are all drastically different. Most of the aliens show no intelligence, unless they are finding new ways to get cat food, except for one alien (known as Christopher Johnson by MNU) who wants to save his son and get his entire race off our world. This is when we start to see the aliens of District 9 in a new light. Showing a full range of emotional body language, Christopher Johnson helps van der Merwe on his suicidal quest that could save the aliens and cure himself.

Act one and two are utterly fascinating, probably the most original film about aliens in many years. Sadly act three turns into your generic action film. I do give Blomkamp credit though. A fully expected a car(s) to explode for no reason when tossed in the air, coming down with a load crash, but it never came. I applaud him for not reverting to pointless explosions to grab a viewer’s attention.

The ingenuity the film had going for the first two acts had me thinking I was watching something truly special. A lacklustre finish though destroyed the films chances of being in the upper echelon of science fiction films. I do hope we get a sequel but this movie completely answers the questions they set out to ask. If Blomkamp and Jackson return for another go around, then so will I.

3.5 out of 5

Rockwell & Jones Make the Moon More Fascinating Than NASA Ever Could!

In 1969 man first walked on the moon. 40 years later, man makes Moon

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

I've come to the stark realization that the magic of movies doesn't lie within the trickery of a green screen, nor is it camouflaged behind the faces of the movie stars who beckon $20 million per picture. And it's not in the misleading make-up effects or the counterfeit CGI techniques. Instead, it comes from a story, preferably untold before, and one which has the dexterity to grip us from start to finish, guided on camera immaculately by a director with an eye for old-fashioned filmmaking.

As I'm sure you've picked up on, this review isn't about one of the endless big-budget, multi-plex sequels that take over the box office during the summer months (ie. Transformers, Harry Potter, Terminator, Ice Age), but rather an unassertive "indie" film called Moon, which was the directorial debut for Duncan Jones (who also co-wrote the script with Nathan Parker), the son of rock icon David Bowie. So, in the cosy balcony of Edmonton's oldest movie palace, the Princess, I settled into the 97-minute sci-fi thriller with a buddy of mine, who had smuggled in his own snacks in order to avoid doubling our movie budget for the night.

Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon, Choke) is a one-man (kinda) show in Moon, a film scripted specifically as a vehicle for the low-key indie actor. He plays Sam Bell, an astronaut of sorts who is driven to the edge of sanity, it seems, as the end of his 3-year outer space stint nears. He's isolated from the rest of the world--literally--as he's contracted to extract the "safe, clean energy" of Helium-3 from the lunar soil of the moon, stationed on the rock for 36 consecutive months. His only companion is an all-knowing, almost-emotive robot named Gerty, voiced disconcertingly by Oscar winner Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, The Usual Suspects), who's main mission is to serve and protect Bell.

Moon reeked of nostalgic sci-fi movie bliss, with an old-school feel entwined with its modern-day look, yet paying homage to the classic films that Jones grew up admiring, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Silent Running (1972), Alien (1979) and Outland (1981). Jones admitted that he "wanted to create something which felt comfortable within that canon of those science fiction films from the sort of late-'70s to early-'80s."

Jones' premiere motion picture, which cost just $5 million to film, is an enigmatic piece that delves into the hysteria that evolves when isolation and desolation take centre stage, and the director found a way to bring Moon's viewers along for the ride. By setting the film 100% in lunar space, the audience gets a small taste of what Bell must've felt as he went through his daily routines with only a talking computer by his side, day in and day out, stumbling upon the unimaginable fate that has been bestowed upon him.

I lost track of time as I admired the spectacular scenery that can't be that far off from the real moon, complimented by the merited score supplied by part-time rock star Clint Mansell (Requeim for a Dream, The Wrestler). Rockwell--who has an uncanny resemblance to Will & Grace's Eric McCormack at times--proved his own worth with every scene, requiring him to sample every basic human emotion in a span of an hour and a half. I've never been prone to Rockwell's work prior to Moon, but will surely recognize his niche from this film on.

It's hard to pinpoint what I didn't like about this movie, but it becomes more apparent when I think back, sitting at the Princess with my buddy, waiting--perhaps subconsciously--for some huge explosion or physical battle between good and evil, or maybe for some Hollywood star to make a cameo. Perhaps my eyes have become accustomed to these types of corner turns. But Moon laid essentially flat in this sense, refusing to budge from location, blurring my senses with the same pale walls and dark landscapes, and leaving Rockwell to manage the cast on his own. For others this would be draining, but it seemed to filter through me by the end, despite the occasional desire for cinematic normalcy. A mid-movie twist was enough to dribble on under these circumstances though.

Revisiting a threatened genre of moviemaking, Moon left me wanting to go beyond the lunar experience and be a fly on the wall for Bell's audacious adventures once the credits hit the screen. So you can imagine my delight when I heard Jones was already working on an epilogue to Moon, and ultimately wants to direct a third in the series as well. So, 40 years after Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on Earth's closest neighbour, we find ourselves all gitty over the Moon once again!

4/5 stars

The Hurt Locker Is Intense!

Never really letting up

BY COLIN ENQUIST

The Hurt Locker is the newest film by director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break). Mark Boal wrote the script, a freelance writer who was actually over in Iraq with a bomb squad crew. The source for the story comes from Boal’s time embedded in that squad. Jeremy Renner (28 Weeks Later) leads the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team that consists of two other team members in Anthony Mackie (Eagle Eye) and Brian Geraghty (We Are Marshall). We follow the final 36 days of the EOD team as they defuse bombs, avoid sniper fire and chase insurgents throughout Iraq.

Straight from the get go the adrenaline is pumping at a near breaking point. Bigelow never takes her foot of the accelerator until much later in the film. The clichéd bomb dismantling (you know the one, countdown clock, blue wire/red wire, which one do I cut!?) was thrown out the window and it really feels like you are riding along with the EOD squad, who do not have to tell you that the entire squad could die if Staff Sgt. James (Renner) clips the wrong wire. Thrusting us into 3 situations back to back at the beginning of the film that shows us the dismantling of a bomb(s) and how the team works together was some of the most intense moments I have ever witnessed on screen.

The Hurt Locker's only downside to having the tension ratcheted so high early that when it does down shift, it feels like the film is moving in slow motion but in reality it is just giving us a few minutes to collect ourselves before we are on the edge of our seats again.

Jeremy Renner is truly remarkable as the cocky team leader. His compatriots really are not sure what to make of him, and even at one point consider killing him (as they point out, accidents happen in Iraq), but they must trust him with their lives just as James trusts his with them. Bigelow uses a unique way of progressing each relationship of the EOD squad characters. Yes some of the characterization is based on the dialogue but a lot if it is how they act towards each other during combat missions, making them feel like they are in a bonding moment when in reality they are just doing their jobs. Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce and David Morse all have small parts in the film. The parts are so small that you almost don’t notice them.

James’ psychological state has his squad question him throughout the film and in the end he chooses to return for another tour of duty because he feels his life is meaningless unless he is out diffusing bombs, getting his adrenaline rush. The film does not take any political stance and the use of another war would have made this film no less effective.

I was so drained at the end of this film, being literally on the edge of your seat for almost the entire 2 hours and 11 minutes. You must see this film, if only for the intense first half of the film which will leave your heart pounding in your chest. The film depicts the combat a soldier must face, not only on the ground but from within. It has been a lucky couple of weeks for me when it comes to the movies and this one is right behind Moon in my opinion for the Best Picture of the Year award at the Oscars.

4.5 out of 5

DVD Pick: Man on Wire

A mesmerizing, suspenseful tale about stealing glory

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Man on Wire is the Academy Award winning documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film sets out to account Philippe Petit’s daring high wire walk, 1350 feet in the air, between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Based on Petit’s book, To Reach the Clouds, that has been re-released with the new title Man on Wire. Using re-enactments, present day interviews with all the participants, still photographs of the walk and rare footage from Petit’s home movies, Marsh crafts the tale into a suspense laden heist film.

Archival footage of Petit training is impressive, not only his feats, but showing his ability to focus on what he wants, to walk between the Twin Towers. Through this footage we see that Petit and his group of friends have managed to build a wire the exact length that will be required for his walk between the towers. As Petit takes his first steps, you can see it is eyes that walking on this wire is not good enough, in rehearsals he gets his friends to pull on the wire in unsystematic ways to recreate the strong wings that will thrash the wire when over 1300 feet in the air. Was it his sheer determination that causes him to stay on the wire, or his talented ability? In his mind, Petit knows, it is not impossible. His only problem now is getting on top of the towers.

Spending months, Petit and his co-conspirators prepared for the walk, casing the tower was only part of what was needed to be done. After they managed to figure all the ins and outs they went about acquiring forged IDs to walk into the building, only then could they smuggle the necessary equipment up to the top of the towers for Petit’s great endeavour. Dramatic recreations of each groups attempt to set the equipment up without being caught was enthralling and were benefited from having Petit re-tell the story like he was really still trapped under the tarp, hiding from security, waiting for his moment.

Petit is so passionate, with his English accent flaunting on screen, that if Marsh chose only to use interview footage it would still be an enthralling film. Now in his 50s, Petit still has the flair of a showman. It is intriguing to see what drove the man, how much focus was needed to complete his masterpiece as he walks, dances and plays on the wire for 45 minutes between the Twin Towers.

I can see why this film is the highest rated film ever on Rotten Tomatoes. The human drama this film creates if unexpectedly emotionally overwhelming. Unforeseen complications create heart pounding moments even though we already know how the story ends. Man on Wire catches the microscopic details essential to pulling off the caper and director James Marsh’s precise direction makes this film a thrilling 95 minutes.

5 out of 5

Duncan Jones Is Moon-lighting

With a low budget sci-fi film that is the best film this year

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Moon is a science fiction and thriller film that is the feature debut of director Duncan Jones. The very small cast in the film is led by Sam Rockwell (Choke) as the employee being contracted by the Lunar Industries, a company that is extracting helium-3 from the moon, and Kevin Spacey (21) as his robot companion. After being stationed on the lunar base Sarang for almost 3 years, Sam begins to hallucinate. With only two weeks left before completing his assignment, Sam wants nothing more than for his expedition to end so he can return to Earth. Jones co-wrote the script with Nathan Parker.

I have to start with Sam Rockwell (whose character is also named Sam) and his underrated acting ability. Not only does he parlay with a robot for almost the entire film but he is really the only character on screen the entire time! Using his bag of tricks, or acting skills, Sam expresses almost every emotion from sheer anger to tenderness.

This film is sci-fi at its best. Inventive, unique, this is a masterfully intriguing story that uses the lack of dialogue extremely well, giving viewers the faint hints throughout the film to figure it out for themselves. Themes are normally abundant in sci-fi films and this one is no exception. My argument would be the director was playing with the theme of isolation the most but handles many items including disbelief, powerful corporations, environmental issues, moral questions about technology and the advancement we seem to be heading for. The brilliance of Jones script is once you get the actual twist, you are not sure if it is real or just a hallucination of Sam’s.

Gerty, the highly advanced robot voiced by Kevin Spacey, is the comic relief of the film. With no way of the artificial intelligent robot of conveying the emotions of his and Sam’s friendship it would have hurt the film but Jones uses the instant messaging emoticons to not only show his emotions but create slight humour during very serious moments.

The score that Clint Mansell created for this film could probably go down as another classic like his “Lux Aterna” score for Requiem for a Dream. Background music is so important in films without much dialogue and Mansell intensified the emotion for every scene. Using pianos to convey most of the score but still having his sharp pangs and tones makes the score ingenious and unlike any score made in recent years.

This film reminded me of the Steven Soderbergh film, Solaris, while having a similar tone it was not examining the same emotions. Moon is based on ideas, not big special effects, and that is why it works so well. The unhurried pace does not falter the story and the film seems tailor made for sci-fi fans. I think this is a movie that examines the human condition better than any film has since Vanilla Sky or A Beautiful Mind.

5 out of 5

Sixth Potter Film The Best?

I think not, but it wasn't the worst

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the 6th film in the Harry Potter series. I am just going to assume you have heard it is adapted from the J.K. Rowling novel of the same name! This sequel is directed by David Yates, the director of the fifth film as well. Steve Kloves, who wrote the first four films, has returned to script yet again. The usual cast of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter and many, many others return to their usual characters. Jim Broadbent is the newest cast member as Professor Horace Slughorn. After finding a mysterious book with the inscription “property of the Half-Blood Prince” inside, Harry begin to learn more about Lord Voldemort and his dark past.

Right from the beginning of the film, Yates does not even give you false hope that this is going to end well. The opening credits bring you into the darkness and never let go of you until the end credits roll. Albeit there are a few flashes when brief happiness in splashed across the screen, only to be taken away rather quickly.

The opening sequence where the Death Eaters travel through and tear up London was a demonstration that showed how Yates makes excellent choices for his camera angles. Yates clearly has a handle on how Hogwarts and the rest of the Harry Potter world should look. The visuals effects of this film are utterly breathtaking. Not to mention the superb cinematography thanks to Bruno Delbonnel. The improvement of acting is easily noticeable and makes this film far superior to the other Harry Potter films in that aspect.

Mainly failings are hanging with this film though as all the character development for minor characters in the first 5 films is just completely forgotten about with a few minor characters barely even seeing screen time. One of, if not the biggest, moments in all the Harry Potter films was utterly wasted. I could not believe that once it happened it was just brushed over, almost like it never actually happened. We also are given a faceless enemy in Lord Voldemort, who is not heard from for the entire 153 minute film. Making you wonder who the enemy really was in this film.

Lacking the story build up for whatever happened next caused this film, which was slow moving in the first place, to burn slowly right until the end. The inconsistent narrative hurts the film entirely more than anything has in all the other Harry Potter films. Sadly this film feels like a complete set up for the final foray. I guess I will be waiting for the next two films patiently, hoping they are much better than this one.

3 out of 5

DVD Pick: Fanboys

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far...well actually ours.

BY COLIN ENQUIST

I was told that fanboys would be the only people that enjoy this film which has a premise that is very simple, a group of friends who happen to be Star Wars geeks decide to drive across the country to break into Skywalker Ranch to steal a viewing of the rough cut of Episode I before it is released upon the world. Kyle Newman (The Hollow) directs the cast of Sam Huntington (Superman Returns), Chris Marquette (Alpha Dog), Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury), Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up), and Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

Early on in the film, gay bars, mistaken hookers and meeting internet girlfriends that turn out to be not who they say they are, many clichés made this look like a run of the mill comedy cranked out every 6 months by studios. After you get past the first 40 minutes though it starts to kick into lightspeed (sorry, I could not resist). Big laughs come but I found more small laughs caused by items only fanboys will pick up on which always made me have a smile on my face.

Originally this film was to be released in 2007 and but do too many minor problems it was delayed until 2009. Harvey Weinstein wanted the subplot of Chris Marquette’s character having cancer cut completely from the film and was going to insert raunchier, vulgar humour. A cut was made without it but after “fanboys” rallied on the internet to keep the cancer subplot in. The Weinstein Company caved and gave director Kyle Newman 2 days to re-edit the film. I applaud Newman who never wanted to cut it out of the film, I even wonder what the film would have been like if Newman was given more time to edit the film as he saw fit which maybe would have made the cancer ploy take more meaning instead of a way to progress the story.

This film is laced with actors who appeared in at least one of the Star Wars movies including Ray Park, Billy Dee Williams and most notably Carrie Fisher. Other cameos were from Star Wars fanboy Kevin Smith and his usual partner in crime, Jason Mewes. Sticking with space related cameos; William Shatner plays a pivotal role in the film by getting the gang into Skywalker Ranch. Seth Rogen also joins the cast for a few scenes as different characters, one as a Trekkie and the other as a pimp who loves Star Wars.

This film plays off the Star Wars mythology and you must have some knowledge of that to enjoy this movie. You probably will not have much fun with this film if you don’t consider yourself a Star Wars fan. I was pleasantly surprised when the film finished at how emotionally invested in the film I was. The movie may not have been great but the ending is near-perfect. Friendship themes and wit carry this film to the finale with grandeur that merit’s a viewing. So I guess this makes me a fanboy.

3 out of 5