Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (Rated G)

Running time: 1 hr 41 mins

Cast:

Abigail Breslin
Julia Ormond
Chris O'Donnell
Joan Cusask
Stanley Tucci

Critical consensus:

***1/2 out of *****

Matt's Take:

A

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

***** out of *****

The premise:

The project is a drama based on the American Girl doll line and will center on Kit Kittredge, a young woman who grows up in the early years of the Great Depression.

MY REVIEW

The Story and Screenplay: I want to start this off by saying that I hadn't even heard of this movie until last week. Then when I heard about it, my initial thought was: "Oh gosh here we go, another stupid Nancy Drew type little girl movie". Then the unthinkable happened: I saw the film. And even more unthinkable: I loved this film. This movie is one of the best of the year to date. Also to this date, this story, this screenplay is easily one of the best of the year. Ann Peacock's adapted screenplay (Based off the novels of the same name) is wonderful, charming, sweet and packed full of emotion. We have a story of a little girl and her friends and family growing up during the great depression. Simple enough story, but it's actually quite beautiful. This is a rated G film so it's very clean and doesn't show us the truly dark side of the time era. More over, we see it in a lightened sense, but still get the impact it leaves on these characters young and old, and then it resonates to us, the audience. We feel the emotion through the family friendly story, and there are times I felt like crying (but I didn't!). Amongst the overlapping story of the Depression, we have a story of a supposed growing 'hobo' population and everyone suspecting them of robberies that take place. Of course young Kit Kittredge, who is extremely confident and intelligent, tries to figure out the truth behind these events. This story is fun, it's emotional, it's entertaining. I'm starting to learn to suck it up and see more movies like this, what have I been missing?

The Story and Screenplay rating: ***** out of *****

The Performances: Who woulda thunk? Who possibly would have thought that this film would have some of the better and quirkiest performances of this 2008 film year? I certainly wouldn't have. The film is titled Kit Kittredge, but it isn't just about her. We have an array of characters, all so strangely different from eacthother, which gives us so much to enjoy. Starting with Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Definitley, Maybe). She certainly is a very talented young actress. I don't know if it was just her character who was the confident one, or if it was the young actress. She plays this title character with such ease and confidence with her head held high, you would think she's been doing this for 20 years. I really hope she doesn't take the course of most young actors, or become annoying like Dakota Fanning, because Breslin is such a charming actress and she's so very good that I think she outshines a lot of actors working today. Yikes. With the supporting cast, and it's a big one, I'll touch on a few. Oscar nominee Joan Cusask (In & Out, Adams Family Values) has always been an odd character actress, and she's no different here. She plays her character with such eccentricty and quirkiness, I'm beginning to think that's her real life persona. However, she has played several subdued characters in her career, so I don't know. Personally, I loved the quirks here, I thought she was really great. Another one is Emmy and Golden Globe winner Stanley Tucci (The Terminal, The Devils Wears Prada). Now he isn't cooky like Cusak (how's that for a sitcom name??) but I've always been a fan. He always delivers such poise and subtleness in his performances that he goes unnoticed. With that though, he is very good in this film. The rest of the cast: Julia Ormond, Chris O'Donnell, Jane Krakowski, Glenne Headly, Zach Mills, Max Thieriot, Willow Smith, and even Colin Mochrie (Whose Line is it Anyway?) all deserve attention, but the cast is so big I don't have time to write about all of them. This is an excellent cast though, all of them are very very good. Yes, even Colin Mochrie is good in this film and he's involved in one of the more touching scenes in the film. Bravo cast!

The Performances rating: ***** out of *****

The Direction and Filmaking: I don't know how much more I can go on about how good this movie truly is, so I'll make this section quick. I love movies that take place in the 20's and 30's era, I wish I could go back in time to visit it. Obviously I can't, and that's why I praise movies like this, becuase when the director and crew do a good job at recreating this time period, it allows me, and audiences to immense ourselves in this life style. The art direction, the costuming and makeup, are all top notch here. Beautiful camera work, etc. This is a just a solid, well crafted film.

The Direction and Filmaking rating: ***** out of *****

CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS:

• Best Dramatic Motion Picture


• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Stanley Tucci)


• Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Joan Cusack)


• Best Young Actor or Actress (Abigail Breslin)


• Best Cast in a Live Action Motion Picture


• Best Adapted Screenplay


• Best Director


• Best Art Direction & Set Design


• Best Musical Scoring


• Best Hero


• Best Line or Line Delivery
  

To view this films theatrical trailer, click this link: Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

*This is the 55th new film I've seen and reviewed this year.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth (Rated PG)

Running time: 1 hr 32 mins

Cast:

Brendan Fraser
Anita Briem
Josh Hutcherson

Critical consensus:

*** out of *****

Matt's Take:

C+

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

*** out of *****

The premise:

On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

MY REVIEW

The Story and Screenplay: With a film like this, you aren't going to get an Oscar nominee caliber adapted screenplay. It's based off a classic Jules Verne novel, but let's face it, this story is geared towards children or teenagers. I may be 23, but that certainly didn't stop me from enjoying this story that kind of made me miss the movies I grew up on as a kid. Such as films like Land Before Time, Jurassic Park, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Goonies. People of my generation grew up with those movies, and loved them, and I feel for a while, there no longer were films these days that kids today can grow up and still cherish in their 20's and 30's. This film along with movies like Wall-E are sort of bringing that nostalgia back. This screenplay is cheesy, and obviously unbelievable, but it's fun and entertaining. What more can you honestly expect from a fantasy movie geared towards kids under 13?

The Story and Screenplay rating: *** out of ***

The Performances: Again, like the story, don't expect award caliber performances from a movie like this. These 3 actors had fun with this movie, and you could tell. They all deliver humorous, clean performances the whole family honestly can enjoy. It's hard to critique acting in a family film, because that's not what the movie is about; that's not what the director wants to get across to it's target audience. Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, The Air I Breathe) has never really been a brilliant actor, I actually think he's better in this type of fantasy/adventure type film; he can be pretty funny. Josh Hutcherson who most people remember from Zathura, is not that bad of a child actor actually. He probably won't have any shining moments in his young career, but whatever, he's good. An unknown Anita Briem always delivers a good performance for what the material called for. I don't see her breaking into the Hollywood spotlight like her co-star, but she's not to shabby.

The Performances rating: *** out of *****

The Direction and Filmaking: This is actually Eric Brevigs directorial film debut, and what a big project to take on. I honestly thinks he handled it quite well. The film, for the most part looks incredible and beautiful, especially when we see the 'center of the Earth'. The special effects are dazzling, but not award winning; they do the job. I did love the set design. Everything from the caves to the jungles just looked stunning. The one issue I had with the filmaking was the 3D. I was not fortunate to be in a theater where they showed this film in 3D. Therefore, there are many shots (one with a tape measure, one with a yo-yo, etc.) that were filmed so that these objects would 'leap' out of the screen for 3D audiences, but for audiences like mine, those shots looked corny. They didn't make sense. Now it didn't bother me as much becuase I knew it was made as a 3D film, but for some older audiences who don't know, it may confuse them. Whatever though, this was a good film with a nostalgic feel to it. I enjoyed it.

The Direction and Filmaking rating: *** out of *****

SIDE NOTE: I'd like to take a minute to say something. I have been told, and now have read reviews on this movie, about how far fetched some things are that happen in the film. There's a scene where Josh Hutcherson's character miracuously gets cell phone reception in the center of the Earth. Plausible? No. Seeing as how I can't even get reception in some part of Phoenix? Should it matter in this movie? NO! Theres a scene where Brendan Fraser fights freaky versions of venus fly traps, and then basically bitch slaps the plant, defeating it. Does this happen in real life? Who the heck knows? More importantly who the heck cares?? Reviewers have every right to not like this movie for other reasons, I can even see where they are coming from. But my goodness, has the day come where we over analyze and nitpick a PG rated family film? Not to mention this movie involves three everyday people who journey to the CENTER OF THE EARTH and don't die! Oh that's plausible right? But cell phone reception?? COME ON!! This movie is gearred towards the younger audiences. They don't care about inconsistencies. In some regard, I apparently have the mind of a child when it comes to movies. I watch a movie with an open mind and not a care in the world for inplausibilites, because all I care about is seeing a good, entertaining film with a good, fun story. These elements of cell phone reception and punching a plant, they provide humor towards this already far fetched story. Kids love it. Kids laugh at it. While I noticed these things while watching the film, I never, EVER gave it a second thought, because I just didn't care. If you see a movie thats about lawyers and at the end, they all start flying, THEN talk to me about stupid implausibilites. But when a movie, a FANTASY movie, takes place in the center of the earth where jungles grow and rivers flow, don't talk to me about things that just can't happen in a movie. It's a waste of time. Just be entertained...I can do it! Geez!

And that is my rant.

CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS

• Best Young Actor or Actress (Josh Hutcherson)



• Best Art Direction & Set Design

To view this films theatrical trailer click this link: Journey to the Center of the Earth

*This was the 54th new film I have seen and reviewed this year.

Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory (Rated PG-13)

Running time: 1 hr 37 mins

Cast:

Ryan Reynolds
Emily Mortimer
Stuart Townsend

Critical Consensus:

**1/2 out of *****

Matt's Take:

C+

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

**1/2 out of *****

The premise: The story of an obsessively organized efficiency expert whose life unravels in unexpected ways when fate forces him to explore the serendipitous nature of love and forgiveness.

MY REVIEW

The Story and Screenplay: I wasn't really sure if the intention of this story was to humor the audience, or make them slightly uncomfortable. For a so called "comedy", Daniel Taplitz screenplay was actually a litte dark and morose. I mean, it has its quirky little funny moments, but for all intensive purposes, this is a dramatic film. So it was badly advertised as a comedy. With that, the screenplay isn't bad, but it is pretty typical I guess. Nothing new or exciting surfaced in this story about an obessive man whose life is spiraling out of control. He's a married man, but kisses another woman; he rushes a pregnat woman to a hospital who then his wife thinks is a mistress of his; then he finds out he suffers from a genetic illness that causes him to be steril so oh no...his little girl, isn't really his little girl; so now he's pissed off at his wife because he thinks she knew this. Blah blah. I could go on. This character has so many issues, and theres so many problems involved in this hour and half film that it just gets compacted into a messy story that's all over the place. Perhaps if the movie was longer, and the screenplay was handled more seriously, this would be a better film. We will never know.

The Story and Screenplay rating: **1/2 out of *****

The Performances: This movie does have a saving grace. That is Ryan Reynolds (Waiting, Definitley, Maybe). I have seen enough of his movies, and I've never truly been a fan. However, he shows very good promise here as a dramatic actor. Comedy has kind of been his thing as of his present day career, and he does have some comedic moments here; but when it comes to his dramatic and intense scenes, he shines. I was quite suprised about how well he carried himself and this movie all on his own. Stuart Townsend (The League of Extrodinary Gentleman) and Emily Mortimer (Redbelt) are OK as supporting roles but fade away and and deliver pretty forgettable performances. This was Ryan Reynolds show.

The Performances rating: *** out of *****

The Direction and Filmaking: This is a pretty standard indy-looking film. There really is nothing impressive about any of its filmaking. It's really all fairly average if you ask me. Not much to really say in this regard.

The Direction and Filmaking rating: ** out of *****.

CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS:

• Best Dramatic Actor in a Leading Role (Ryan Reynolds)

To view this films theatrical trailer click this link: Chaos Theory

*This Film is now on DVD.

*This was the 53rd new film I have seen and reviewed this year.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Rated PG)

Running time: 1 hr 47 mins

Cast:

Freddie Highmore (two of them)
Mary-Louise Parker
Sarah Bolger
David Strathairn
Joan Plowright

Critical consenus:

*** out of *****

Matt's Take:

C-

Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:

** out of *****

The premise:

Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.

MY REVIEW

The Story and Screenplay: I appreciate a good fantasy film, I for one love the genre, as I have made it known in past reviews. I love the unique ideas people come up with for these types of films, but it doesn't always work. Honestly, this is one of those times where it didn't work. This screenplay written by Karey Kirkpatrick and David Berenbaum was all over the place, I didn't really make any sense to me. I know fantasy films generally don't make much sense in terms of our reality, but this story itself was just so bad. These mythical creatures and their reason for existing didn't truly get explained, nor did the threat of them. Was the whole world in jeopardy from these things once this special book was openened? Or was it just this house and family? We never really know. It wasn't the believabilty factor of the writing and story that irked me, it was just the way it played out that was so bothersome and I don't like it when a movie, especially one geared towards children, doesn't compute in my mind...and I'm a 23 year old.

The Story and Screenplay rating: *1/2 out of *****

The Performances: We have a cast of children, CGI goblins, and some random adult actors who have earned critical praise in their past. Starting with the children we have Sarah Bolger a fairly unknown actress, at least to me. She failed to impress me in any aspect, she was very bland. SAG Award Nominee, Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland) tries to pull off an American accent here (he's british), and I honestly had a hard time believing it was his real voice. There were times he sounded like his voice was dubbed by another actor. It's hard to explain, you just have to see to understand. Then there were times where he was actually kind of good. Theres no mistaking it, Freddie Highmore is a good young actor, he just wasn't what he was in Finding Neverland. Oh and did I mention he plays twins? Yes, there are two Freddies in this film. One character is the shy nerd type, the other is the lead character, who is the rebelious little teenager. He was OK, but needs to go back to his native british tongue. Also, does this kid ever age? I swear he was the same height and what have you in Finding Neverland four years ago. Whatever. The adult cast was good. We have Oscar Nominee David Strathairn (Good Night & Good Luck) has Arthur Spiderwick. It's more of a limited role, but his character is primarily the reason this film exists. He's always been good, but this movie is beneath him. Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mary-Louise Parker (TV's Weeds and Angels in America) actually delivers kind of a corny performance, I wasn't a big fan of her in this film.

Performance rating: **1/2 out of *****


Direction and Filmaking: You know, this movie looks pretty cool in some regard. The special effects are a little weak and look very cartoony and not so real. Was that the point though? I don't know. Mainly though, the camera work was pretty impressive and the musical scoring was another bright spot. Director Mark Waters does well with making the film look "pretty" but doesn't direct his young actors very well, or maybe he did the best he could with the weaker than weak screenplay. Impressive overall look and feel, but that's all we get really.

Direction and Filmaking rating: ** out of *****


CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIE AWARD NOMINATIONS:

• None
  
  

To view this films theatrical trailer click this link: The Spiderwick Chronicles

*This film is now on DVD

*This was the 52nd new film I have seen and reviewed in 2008.

Hancock

Hancock (Rated PG-13)

Running time: 1 hr 32 mins

Cast:

Will Smith

Charlize Theron

Jason Bateman

Critical Consensus (www.rottentomatoes.com):

**1/2 out of *****

My Consensus:

***1/2 out of *****

The premise: A hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public enters into a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who's trying to repair his image.

My review: Hancock is by no means this summers best action movie. It is by no means the best superhero movie. But in the opinion of this reviewer, it still succeeds at being a darn good, entertaining summer flick. It has it's plot holes and minor inconsistencies, but let's get to the point: this is a summer action superhero flick. We don't need beautiful story telling that makes all the sense in the world. When superhero movies become a genre that HAS to make sense to the audience watching, I'll quit watching movies. If a superhero movie does have wonderful storytelling and plausible twists, then obviously its welcome, but it should never be a requirement. Just sit back and have fun.

With that, this movie did well. The moments of action, which were frequent were darn good fun. They were explosive and "messy" which was a refreshing spin on action films. The idea that we have a superhero who no one initally likes, was a cool twist in itself on the genre. The guy is a drunk sleeping on park benches. For all intesnsive purposes, he's a homeless man. While saving lives, he's destroying the city of Los Angelas. Now, this havoc happens in all superhero movies, but none of these heroes ever pay the price. Hancock does. He even goes to prison for this.

The film does attempt a deepened story, which there I think is where the movie sort of fails. Mainly because the twisty heart of the story doesn't come to view until more than halfway through the film. That hurt the movie. They jammed all this shock and awe in our faces, due mainly to Charlize Therons character. Her character is a mere side dish to the story for the first half, then suddenly she's the heart of the story in the second half. Thankfully the Oscar winner (Monster) is a damn good actress and pulls off this twist well. Now, was the twist a little confusing and empty? Yes. It happens way to late in the movie and so much info is packed in, the movie does become a little unbelievable in it's own logic and just a tad overwhelming. But for me, it didn't quite ruin the movie. I understood the twist completely, they just lacked in explaining a lot to us.

The acting was quite good for a summer flick. Oscar nominee Will Smith (Ali, Pursuit of Happyness) has become one of my favorite actors. He pulls off this drunkard superhero character so very effectively. Charlize Theron as I mentioned above is a great actress and always has been. As rediculous as her character becomes, she still manages to be quite brilliant. But maybe I'm an idiot. Jason Bateman is so good! He's become a wonderful actor playing the everyman he started in Arressted Development. I'm glad he's becoming a known face to people my age. Just a great cast here.

Some people have had concerns with the shaky camera effect of this movie. Personally, I've always been a huge fan of it. It makes the film grittier and almost more "real". Using it in a movie like this makes it all the better in my opinion. It is not nausiating in the least. You have to be real sensitive for the camera work in this film to make you queasy. It made the action moments that much cooler and almost improved the special effects. The effects, by the way were cool as hell. They were so over the top sometimes, but dang I loved it.

All in all folks, Hancok is just a really fun, cool movie. A few story flaws, but it doesn't take away from a lot of the movie.