Monday, May 19, 2008

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian


Movie: Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Year: 5/16/2008

Opening Weekend: $56,573,000

Theatres: 3,929

Director: Andrew Adamson

Plot: Sequel to Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It has been 1,300 years since Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy saved and Ruled Narnia away from the White Witch. Narnia is in turmol and the Narnians have been in hiding after Narnia had been invade by a group known Telmarines. Prince Caspian is the designated heir to the throne. His uncle is the kingdoms regent and rules until Caspian is of age. However, Miraz, his uncle, finally has a son and orders Caspian's death. Warned to run by his tutor and given a horn that can summon help, Caspian heads to the woods where he stumbles across some Narians that he has only heard stories about. The Narians attack him, but he manages to blow the horn and in doing so, Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy and summoned back into Narnia. They meet up with an Elf and leads them to Caspian and from there, the battle to save Narnia from King Miraz begins.


4 popcorns out of 5

Impressions: I enjoyed this movie a lot. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 out of 5 is some story discrepency. I usually keep the movies separate from the books when they do book adaptions because so many are a lot different then their books. This time there were only a few discrepencies and I didn't mind them. They did add to the story some, but I still only give a 4 when they do not follow the story of the book. My favorite book adaptation is the Pride and Prejudice Miniseries from A&E (they did a great job). The story here is great. I love fantasy and action and this movie is full of it. The special effects are great. I really enjoyed the acting of all involved. The young man they have protraying Prince Caspian (although older then he should have been) did a supurb job. He looked familar to me so I looked him up and he had a small part in one of my favorite movies that came out last year which is also a fantasy movie called "StarDust". I can't wait to buy this movie when it comes out on DVD and I would see it again on the big screen if I wanted to spend the money. I anxiously await the arrival of the 3rd movie in the series and one of my favorite of the books. We won't get to see it till May 2010 a week after Iron Man 2 comes out. This Friday, I will be seeing the next Indy movie. I can't wait.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Equilibrium


My cousin posted about this movie on her page so I had to here. I loved this movie.

Move: Equilibrium
Year: 12/6/2002
Box Office: $1,203,794 domestically
Theatres: 301 widest (I wish this movie had been a wide release)
Director: Kurt Wimmer (also wrote it)
Plot: The furture is made of a fascist society where all feeling and any object that can create feelings in people are outlawed. At the same time everyday, the population is required to take dosages of emotion hindering drugs. Christian Bale plays John Preston a high ranking Cleric of the Tetragrammaton. He is a master of the gunkata which is the signature move of the Cleric. The Clerics' single purpose is to prevent the spread of human emotions and any cost. After Preston misses one of his regular dosages, the society will never be the same when he finds himself walking the line of cleric and revolutionary.

I need to come up with a clever rating system.
5 Popcorns out of 5
Impressions: I've always enjoyed a movie that makes you think of the what if. Movies that give us glimpses of what our society would be like when someone in power has decided certain aspects of being human are against the law. The freedom of free thinking, feeling, or just surviving. Similar stories would be The Handsmaid Tale, V for Vendetta, Brave New World, 1984, and even the Matrix. Most of them time, these stories provide hope in the main character and how they refuse to follow the establishment. In Equilibrium, we follow a character who has exceeded the expectations of the establishment but when the controlling device is limited, he awakens to new possiblities. If you have not given this movie a chance, and you enjoy great action, with a good story, give this one a try.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Clueless


Movie: Clueless
Year: 1995
Box Office: $56,631,572 domestically
Theaters: 1,922 widest
Director: Amy Heckerling
If you have not seen this movie, possible spoilers ahead.
Plot: Loosely based on Jane Austin's Emma, Cher is your average wealthy popular girl living in Beverly Hills. Her mother died from a routine liposuction and her Dad makes $500 an hour as an attorney. She has climbed to the social height at her high school. She does not like others to see fault in her, and is always trying to improve others. She plays matchmaker to two lonely teachers so one of them will probably improve her grade if he's happy. Also taking a new student under her wing, Tai, she transforms her into a young lady that hopefully the hottest boy in school, Alton will like. Alton however rebuffs Tai because she is beneath him and wants Cher. Cher rebuffs him and turns her attentions to the returning student of Christian. Christian turns out to be someone different then she thought. Through all this there is Josh. Josh is Cher's step brother from one of her father's many brief marriages. According to Dad "you divorce wives not children". Josh is always there to critize Cher and tell her straight forward what he thinks. After Tai's fallout over Alton, she decides she wants Josh. This revelation open's Cher's eyes to Josh and realizes that she's been in love with Josh for a while and never realized it. She starts volunteering in a lot of worthwhile endeavors with the hope of opening Josh's eyes. What she doesn't realize is Josh has liked her all along. In the end, Josh and Cher end up together. Tai ends up with the stoner she met her first day at school (Cher didn't approve of him, but he sobered up), and the two teachers get married.

Impressions: I so love this movie! It came out when I was 19. The dialog in this move is just genius and Alicia Silverstone really embodies Cher. I also love Paul Rudd as Josh. This is one of those movies I can watch over and over again.