Archive for the ‘ Fantasy ’ Category

Jack The Giant Slayer

jack_the_giant_killer_ver10Taking its inspiration from the classic fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack the Giant Slayer is set in a fictional English kingdom during the middle ages. As in the fairy tale, the main character is Jack, a tenant farmer trying his best to make ends meet.

Needing money to repair their room, Jack’s uncle tells him to go to the market and sell their horse. While there, Jack meets a mysterious monk desperate to purchase a horse and give him a handful of “magic beans.” Hesitant at first, Jack is moved by the man of God and, being a trusting sort of lad, makes the exchange.

His significantly more cynical uncle, however, doesn’t care about what the monk told Jack. All he cares about is the desperately needed money that the horse and cart were supposed to fetch so that he could sleep under a newly thatched roof without fear of drowning from the ensuing rain!!!

Shortly thereafter, a storm descends upon the kingdom, water spilling through all those unthatched holes in Jack’s roof, as well as the dirt bellow the floorboards of the house where a magic bean just happened to find its way. Before Jack knows what hit him, a beanstalk sprouts up in his living room, carrying away not only his house, but the princess within it, also.

Positive Elements

Jack is a likeable hero, both because he is rather down to earth, and also become he has some good character qualities. Despite his fear of heights, Jack volunteers to accompany the king’s rescue party up the beanstalk (and we aren’t talking a little twiggy stalk here). In the scenes that follow, we see this poverty stricken farm boy showcase traits such as humility, boldness, bravery, and resourcefulness. He saves Elmont (the brave leader of the royal guard and the man who really stole the show, in my opinion), the princess, and ultimately the whole kingdom. And there is just something very unassuming about Jack that made him a hero I could like, instead of roll my eyes at.

Jack’s not the only courageous character here, either. Elmont has pledged his life to King and Country, and we see him stand fast beside both. He often risks life and limb to protect not only the Princess and the King, but also his men and the low-born Jack.

The King won many brownie points when he chose to lead from the front (a trait that I greatly admire) when other men of power might be inclined to rush to safety. In addition, we see that he is a wise man, and one who knows his place as a true leader. In one seen we see him make the decision to cut down the beanstalk (the only hope he has of ever seeing his daughter again) in order to save his kingdom. While it is a heart wrenching call for him to make, and we see him tearfully whispers for Isabel (his daughter) to forgive him for what he must do, we feel like it is the right call for him to make.

Also, Isabel gets points for being just the right mixture of plucky and princessish. Often I am turned off by female characters, but this princess was one I could like. She lives with a desire to be the kind of queen her mother, a kind and wise woman, was, and she sees the value in learning about the people she is going to rule in order to be the best sovereign she can be.

Negative Elements

Violence is obviously everyone’s big concern. With a title like Jack the Giant Slayer, you just get a violent vibe, which is perhaps why I was shocked that the movie really wasn’t that violent. I mean, we do have lots of giants eating lots of people, but the actual act is never shown, and blood is pretty much none existent.

In Jack the Giant Slayer, there are several war scenes reminiscent of Lord of the Rings styled fighting (flaming trees get flung over the castle walls and giant boulders get slung in sling-shot fashion at the castle walls), just one a much tamer level. Also, it is safe to say that the giants are… well, man eating giants, and thus, humans get stepped on, grabbed from atop horses, and so forth, but as I said above, the action is never a focus of any shot and most of the time you only see the giants spit out someone armor, letting you know that they are now deceased.

To be fair, though, the humans do a good bit of infliction as well, on each other and the giants. The villain and his obnoxious side-kick kill multiple people (it should be noted the death is always off screen). Sword fights commence, one giant is stabbed, another skewered in the tongue with an arrow, but all in all, it’s very tame and bloodless.

Perhaps the movie’s most grotesque moment comes when someone is torn apart by a rapidly growing beanstalk coming from inside their body, eventually blowing them to pieces (the camera does focus in on a head while this happens).

A smattering of language is also included in this tale, which was, to be quite honest, the worst part of the film, and even that was shockingly few. The words “b –rd,” “p ,” two uses of “h “, and one misuse of the Lord’s name were it for the entire film.

It should also be noted that in the beginning of the film, the princess falls into a rough crowd who eyes her lecherously, but nothing comes of this and she is very quickly rescued from them. She and Jack also share a tame kiss.

Worth concluding with is the fact that the whole beanstalk mess was created by monks who, in their sinful quest to reach heaven before their time (sound like the tower of Babel?…), create beans from dark magic. We’re told that the land of the giants is located halfway between earth and heaven, and God is acknowledged by both humankind and the giants.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that this is a fairytale (albeit a more adult version of the retelling), in the end we see that fairy tale endings don’t just come about. Jack didn’t get to just live happily ever after because some magic bean came his way. No, he had to make sacrifices and put the needs of others before his own in order to get that happy ending.
I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn’t the most brilliant script, it had a few plot holes, and the villain could have been a bit more… well, less ridiculous, but all that said, it was a fun movie with likeable characters and surprisingly clean content. That, added with the stunning visual effects, and the fact that the giants were fierce warriors instead of bumbling brutes, I felt the film was worth a re-watch, which I did with my family in tow. It may not be able to contend with The Avengers, but Jack the Giant Slayer is well worth the watch, if you are as into fairytales and fantasy as I am.

2013
04/16
CATEGORY
Action
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Film Review
PG-13
1 comment

Mars Needs Moms

mars_needs_momsMoms. They tirelessly work to keep everything organized, taken care of, and ensure their children are well behaved. At least, that’s what they do on the surface, which is all Mars wants to know about. That’s right, I said Mars. See, unbeknownst to the people of earth, Martians have been watching our mothers for decades. And they are looking for one specific trait; the ability to keep order in her world and do it well.

Why, you might ask? Because, instead of their children being raised by a mother, the Martian children are raised by nannybots programmed from the memories and maternal instincts of an earth mother. It’s actually quite simple to do, if you’re okay with sacrificing her in order to get those memories programmed into your nannybots. The downside for the Martians, though, is that the programming only lasts so long before the nannybots fry and they need a new breed of mother.

Enter Milo’s mom. She’s really good at what she does, despite the fact that Milo gets tire of having her rag on him to take out the trash, eat his broccoli, go to bed- you get the picture. So, in a moment of passion, Milo tells his mom that his life would be better off without her. The problem with that, though, is that he doesn’t really believe it. So when the Martians come to abduct his mother as the perfect new programming device for their hatchlings, Milo’s not going to take it lying down, so to speak. No one’s going to take his mom. She’s his mom, after all!

But Mars is a treacherous place, and he’s going to have to convince Gribble, a fellow human who has been stranded on Mars ever since his mom was abducted and killed in a similar situation 20 years ago, to help him, and maybe even change the way the aliens view families and mothers.

Positive Elements

While the movie starts out with a kid who is very much like any other kid- he whines, he doesn’t do what he’s told, and he’s disrespectful as all children are- we soon find out that Milo has something special. He has a mom who loves him, and he’s not going to let that go. So Milo begins smashing through the multilevel underground city of Mars in an effort to save her, even going so far as to put his own life on the line for her by jumping in from of a laser blast for her.

Central to the theme of the movie is the importance of a loving family (shockingly enough we see that Milo is very close to his father, completing the well rounded, and loving nature of his homelife), specifically targeting the mom in this instance. As Milo lists the thing his mother selflessly does for him, while trying to describe to some of the aliens what a mother is—she cooks, cleans, gives hugs and kisses, tucks him in at night—he comes to the realization that all these things she does, she does because she loves him.

As for Milo’s mother, we hear about how much she loves Milo, and all the thing she does for him, but we see that on best display when, while attempting to rescue her, Milo’s oxygen helmet shatters (we see him begin to gasp for air) and his mother removes her own lifeline, the oxygen helmet, in an effort to save her son. Going so far as to break off the toggle that would allow him to take it off his head and give it back to her. She is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to see her son live.

Negative Elements

The family structure on Mars is messed up. The male Martians have been driven to the waste disposal sections of Mars’ underground society, speaking quite clearly about how the females have been raised to view them. The babies are raised by nannybots without love or warmth, and they are all ruled by the Supervisor. However, while this system is certainly messed up, it is never lauded as a good thing.

The violence is minimized to laser beams bouncing all over the place, so there is nothing to worry about there, but we certainly have some intense moments in the film. As stated above, we see first Milo begin to suffocate, and then his mother, producing a scene that had my own Mother’s water works going. We learn of Gribble’s tragic past, and see him trying to save his mom, only to watch her be vaporized (offscreen).

The worst thing you will hear in this movie is some mild name calling consisting of words like dummy and jerk, and a couple explanations of nuts.

Also worth noting is some mild bathroom humor. The cat vomits after eating broccoli (which Milo was supposed to eat), Gribble needs a new pair of underwear after a laser is shot near his feet, and the childlike romance between Gribble and Ki make his robotic dog vomit nuts and bolts.

Conclusion

The animation is incredible, done in the performance-capture technology (think, a Christmas Carol), and the voice choices were spot on. I was entertained early on, despite thinking the plot of the story sounded really out there, and I connected with the story emotionally, especially when we see the sacrifice Milo’s mother is willing to make.

Honestly, the worst thing that can be said about this movie is what I just said. The premise was really weird! But, once you get into it, it is amazing how okay you are with the premise. Even my Daddy, who is rather hard to sell on such things, liked the movie, and didn’t care about the odd premise, in the end.

But best of all, moms are never made light of in the film. They are placed on a seat of honor. The message shines clearly. Families are essential, and we couldn’t live without moms.

2013
01/24
CATEGORY
Adventure
Animation
Fantasy
Film Review
1 comment

The Hunger Games

The-Hunger-Games-movie-posterIn the future.

74 years ago, the Hunger Games were established. Before that time, the people of this Nation grew sick and poor. They gave the government power to distribute and care for the people. After a time, the people grew stronger, and the famine gone. But the Government would not relinquish this control. Civil War ensued. And the Government emerged victorious.

To Ensure such uprising would never happen again, the Nation was divided into 12 districts and forced to live in extreme poverty. Hunting? Not allowed. Weapons? Banned. In addition, each year every district must pay tribute to the government by giving one boy and girl, ages 12-19, in the “Hunger Games” A battle to the death, and the winner giving immense riches and food for the rest of their and family’s lives.

24 participants

12 Districts

1 Victor

Let the Hunger Games Begin.

Things I liked

One of the biggest themes throughout this movie, is sacrifice. The main character (from District 12), Katniss volunteers herself during the “reaping” to save her little sister. She puts her life in danger many times to save other combatants in the games. Peeta (the guy from District 12) also, is willing to give his life for another. We see this throughout the movie, that Katniss values other people above herself, this is one of the bible’s strongest commandments, second only to to “Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul and Mind”.

Another prevalent theme shown in the movie is to stand up against what is wrong. Katniss sees the wrong in these hunger games, and is determined not to stoop to that level. It does come with a cost however, as refusing to kill someone makes it difficult to survive. In standing up for what is right, against the gladiator style game, she inspires the people watching throughout the Nation, not to be entertained by violence, but to reject and abhor it.

There is a strong focus on compassion and mercy, coming from many combatants in the game. Granted they are occasional occurrences, but present nonetheless. A guy spares one girl, merely for the fact she is helpless and not able to defend herself. Another instance includes Katniss befriending a 13 year old girl who is a possible liability to herself. Protecting the weak and helpless, in an inhumane environment, was good to see.

Things I didn’t like

The violence in the Hunger Games is some of the most unappetizing I have seen in a long time… There are so many levels of violence too. So, I will attempt to break it down in the conclusion…

The style of violence here, is one I hadn’t seen before. It was hand camera, so you would see a strike, the a the last moment spin away, so you just saw blood. Very rarely do we ever see a full hit. One girl warming herself by the fire, is surrounded by a group. We see her face, the it cuts away and we hear her dying scream. After a tribute is killed, often they would give a 5-10 second cut of the dead body. Shots included slit throats… snapped necks… bodies which were bludgeoned to death…

Cato is a 19 year old boy from District 1, there, they train for all of their life, then volunteer for the games. They almost always win. Cato is the epiphany of ruthless, vile, and tyrannical fighting. We watch him break the neck of young boy, slay thirteen year old girls, and ally with those as strong as himself. If you are weaker, you die, and ultimately he cares only for himself, others are just tools to be used.

Katniss also is not without blood on her hands. she drops a swarm of killer wasps on the allied group, and one person dies from the stings. We later see their face, swollen, disfigured, and discolored while Katniss pries a bow out of their death grip. She shoots a guy in the chest to protect herself and the girl she is with, but she kills him nonetheless. She also commits a “Mercy” killing, as a guy is getting torn and eaten to death by wild dogs… she decides to end his suffering with a shot of a bow.

Other deaths include a boy being beaten to death with a brick, we see a girl who died eating poisonous food. One rather large guy snatches a girl up by the neck, and pounds her against a wall until we hear (and see) her neck snap, and she falls to the ground. We see a girl gored in the stomach with a spear, and she numbly pulls it out.

There is a relationship between Katniss and Petta in the games, used to increase the odds/excitement/etc. It initially starts as a show for entertainment, but quickly develops from there. Back home though, there is another guy who is ready to marry Katniss. Stupid love triangles. These are made solely for the drama and entertainment of some girls watching this movie (no offense girls). After Peeta is injured, they wind up kissing a short time later. It is never shown what actually happens after they get back home, whether they stay together, not, etc. It wasn’t needed to build the story, and distracted from the overall goal. In my opinion anyway.

Cussing is in the movie, D—, H—, and God’s name is used in vain several times.

The mentor for Katniss and Peeta is drunk all the way to the city. He also tells an uptight city lady to loosen her corset and have a drink.

Closing Thoughts

After watching this movie, my brain was churning. So many ideas, themes, and moral scenarios presented… It still has me reeling four hours later. Let’s starts with the violence aspect.

It is very interesting to see what a double standard our society has in terms to life and who deserves it. I remember, when the bad guy died, there was cheering.

Did you read that?

Cheering. Over the death of a person. Several times.

Death, is never something we should rejoice in, unless it is one of a person going to meet Christ in heaven. It sickened me to my core. Moresoe than anything else, actually hearing the audience cheer for a brutal death, because that person was “Bad”.

Ironic actually, as it seemed the hunger games was made to warn against a society reveling in, rejoicing in, and being entertained by death and violence. It warns against the perils of a society that takes delight in seeing people killed. Katniss kills a girl who is sleeping, with killer wasps… and that is OK? She shoots a person who is dying to relieve suffering… Euthanasia anyone? One person kills to save another. Why is the person they saved more valuable? These are just some questions that arise when watching the arena battle.

Outside the arena, as they are preparing for combat, more items arise…

“May the odds Ever be in your favor” This is the slogan of the Government. Funny though, as the government controls those odds, since they own and control the arena. If there is anything to be learned from this movie, it is that Thomas Jefferson was absolutely correct in saying “A government big enough to give you anything you want, is also big enough to take away everything you have.” In one scene, the president is talking to his advisor about how he should manipulate the games this year. He says “…These games provide the people with one thing. Hope. The only thing more powerful than fear, is Hope. Be careful with this…”

I found it very interesting that throughout the whole movie, what happens after death is never mentioned. Not once does someone ask about what happens after, nor God (or someone like Him) brought up. Leaving it up to the person to ponder, if they cared enough, the question. Clearly, this movie supports humanity and value of life… but the question never answered is Why? Because it feels right? Because one is entitled to live? Because one is a good person? No ultimate standard results in the double standard we see in this film, one where, a person can be killed if they aren’t “nice” or stronger than others…

There are many biblical and honorable traits portrayed in the 2 hour and 20 minute “Hunger Games”, and it also provides some very good stuff to chew on.

But given the brutal teen violence and lack of moral resolution…. I’m going to have to pass on seconds.

 Disclaimer: I haven’t read the books based off of this movie, so all interpretations, observations, and notations are based off the film.

2013
01/15
CATEGORY
Action
Fantasy
PG-13
1 comment

Mirror Mirror

mirror_mirrorIt’s an age old story. Evil woman becomes evil queen by charming king (what was he thinking, really?) and getting married. Then, when her position is good and established, she kills off the King and, when realizing that the daughter poses a threat to her rule, decided to kill her, too. But goodness is harder to kill than all that.

Such is the story that unfolds in Mirror Mirror. Though, this tale may be a bit different than you have read about in your fairytale book sitting on the shelf.

Positive Elements

The moral of the movie is obvious. Looks can be deceiving, and this theme is carried out on multiple levels, not just sticking to the obvious with the evil queen who is pretty, but ugly on the inside.

Many of the characters in Mirror Mirror are hiding something within. The queen her ugliness, the dwarves their… well, dwarfism (they wear collapsible stilts in an effort to be taller and, supposedly, more intimidating), Renbock (steward to the prince) wears padding underneath his clothes to make him look stronger, and the fearsome beast of legend in the forest may not even be what it seems!—all of this plays into the theme of the movie, but it does so on a rather superficial level.

Negative Elements

Mirror Mirror is very magically driven, which I know is the question many people will be asking. However, contrary to fairytale style, this movie portrays magic as a bad thing. The Evil Queen is the only one who has it, and she’s warned that sorcery comes with a grave price. And before the credits roll we are able to see what exactly that cost is.

Love is, obviously, a big deal in Mirror Mirror, and we have something of a twisted love triangle going between the Queen, Snow, and the Prince. While love is certainly not an issue for me, I wasn’t crazy about the love story in this movie, or the sub plots that unfolded around it.

As part of her schemes, the Queen gives Andrew a love potion, which accidentally happens to be a puppy love potion. We then see Andrew begin acting much like a puppy… in a man’s body. He becomes devotedly attached to her, jumping on her, knocking her over onto the bed, crawling across her, licking her face- you get the picture. While he is under a spell, the fact remains that we still see Andrew pawing all over the Evil Queen, puppy love or no puppy love.

Poor Andrew. What’s Snow to do? Well, seems that the cure for his infatuation is for Snow to kiss him. We then see a very big deal made out of Snow’s first kiss (huzzah, about time someone does), only to have it cheapened by the fact that she’s going to go kiss Prince Andrew in order to break the curse. Not that Snow and he don’t enjoy the “romantic” (for me it was very over dramatized) kiss in the process.

But our story doesn’t end there. Throughout the movie we also see the queen ogle a shirtless Andrew, and she draws out his indecent (he’s in his undergarments, but their version of undergarments are white pant-like garments) situation and tries to make him as uncomfortable as possible by making comments about how sad it is that he is going to cover up.

The violence is more like…rollicking mayhem, to be honest, and the only language is an irreverent phrase which includes God’s name, but isn’t exactly taking His name in vain. Also worth mentioning is that one of the dwarves is shown drunk at some point in the movie.

Conclusion

When I read reviews of Mirror Mirror, after having watched it, I was surprised to hear so much talk about Snow. A couple of reviews talked about how she had morphed into this formidable, feminine diplomat, as opposed to the simpering child she was to start out with… unfortunately, I can’t agree with those critics.

Lauded is the fact that Snow doesn’t passively wait for true love’s kiss. She takes charge, she initiates true love’s kiss, and she takes control of her rightful place as heir, making her kingdom whole once more. However, I can’t really laud those things (other than taking back her kingdom- that lacking detail always irked me about other Snow White stories). I wouldn’t say it is because I prefer the tried and true fairy tale, because I often like to see remakes of my favorite stories, with new plots and twists. Rather, I think the issue is that Snow is lacking in depth, as is her film. She tells the queen that she is more than she seems, but she has to do more than just say she’s more than she seems. She has to convince her audience. And I left the theater very unconvinced.

2012
12/26
CATEGORY
Adventure
Fantasy
Film Review
PG
2 comments

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The-Hobbit-An-Unexpected-Journey-Movie-PosterIn a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.
That famous phrase instantly brings back memories of one of the most marvelous books ever written by JRR Tolkien. The story of an unlikely “burglar” hired to assist dwarfish warriors. Peter Jackson, the director, has undertaken a challenge himself. To recreate the story of the hobbit in the art form of film… This is part one.
The quest of the Hobbit is to retake their ancient kingdom from the terrible dragon called Smaug. But in order to arrive at the ancient mountain, they must first travail the numerous dangers of middle earth. Trolls, orcs, goblins, and more threaten their success and their lives.
However, a darker power is making its way into the depths of middle earth. Giant spiders begin to be spotted in Mirkwood. Orcs and Trolls venture down from the northern lands. And there is rumor of a dark lord… A necromancer, who can bring back the dead kings of Morgul.
Mr. Bilbo hired, the horses saddled, and with Gandalf leading the way…
The quest for the retaking of Erebore has begun.

Things I liked

   Like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of the past, many similar heroic traits are portrayed. The company of the thirteen dwarves risk their lives over and over for each other and the halfling. Bilbo also finds his courage, and manages to save a few of the dwarves. All the characters grow. Some learn humility, others self control, others selflessness.
Gandalf, never needing physical protection himself, is full of wisdom. He shares this wisdom with the dwarves and bilbo. He stands up for what he believes is right against the elves and white council. He is also kind and listens to the people who are considered crazy or worthless to others. A protector, mentor, and friend… Gandalf embodies all of these traits, as a true wizard of middle earth should.
The journey itself is also an honorable one. The dwarves are on a quest to defeat the evil which destroyed their home decades ago. Bilbo eventually realizes this,
“I do think of my hole, my shire, my books… Because that is my home. You dwarves, you don’t have a home. It was taken from you. I will help you take it back if I can.”
That is when Bilbo begins to add to the company, instead of hindering it.
There is never any doubt what evil is in Middle Earth. Orcs, trolls, goblins and the like are nasty beings. They live in such filth and depravity, you almost (but not really) feel sorry for their miserable existence. One thing I continue to enjoy watching the Lord of the Rings, and now the Hobbit, is the clear divide between good and evil.
There was absolutely no profanity.
Mr. Jackson introduced several songs written in the Hobbit, and recreates them in an incredible manner. It is a fantastic little addition to the film, and adds a lot more depth to the characters as they sing.

Things I didn’t like.

   The dwarves meet a lot of evil enemies. A lot. And they kill even more. Something I believe Jackson missed in making the hobbit is losing the childlike appeal. The hobbit is every bit as violent as the past films. Hundreds of goblins are killed… in every manner possible. Crushing, beheading, being thrust though. One goblins neck is slit, then stomach cut open. Thankfully though, there is no gore or blood. We do see arms being cut off and other maimings of the goblins/orcs/etc. There are large Hyena type dogs. Those are killed as well.
Amazingly, the dwarves escape, for the most and most of the time, with a few scratches.
In addition, we see Gollum brutally beat a small goblin to death with a rock for food.
The humor is a bit crude. The refer to the Dragon’s derrière in am spirited exchange of how they personally will defeat Smaug. Another makes a crude joke referencing the equipment of croquet.

Closing Thoughts

   Every director takes artistic liberties when adapting a book to film. Whether they should or not will always be debated. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is definitely and adaptation where artistic liberties are taken.
Not so much in the changing the characters’ personalities, not removing crucial parts of the story. Peter Jackson has brought The Hobbit to life in a beautifully done way. He does however add quite a bit of details which are not in the original book. He brings in extra characters mentioned in the Silmarillion. He tips his hat numerous time to “The Fellowship of the Ring”. He does not take away, but rather adds to what has been written.
This resulted in a movie which was the hobbit… But had a more mature feel. If anything is lost, it is the childlike feel found in the book. The added subplots take the lighthearted adventure with some dangerous moments and create a tense movie where there is more action than story building.
In my opinion anyway.
That being said, I did enjoy the movie. The complete lack of sexual content and profanity was a pleasant change from other films of late. The story is solid. The worldview sound. The dark spots are the excessive amount of fighting scenes and the added crude humor.
So, to say the least, the movie lives up to the title. The journey was unexpected, and not like you might expect.
Savvy?
2012
12/14
CATEGORY
Action
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Film Review
PG-13
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Arthur and the Invisibles

arthur_and_the_invisibles_ver2Arthur is a young boy full of life and adventure, despite the fact that his life has fallen on hard times. He is staying with his beloved Granny because his parents have to go out and find jobs (the movie is set in the mid 1900s, I think) and his Grandfather turned up missing years ago on one of his adventures. But things take a turn for the worst when he and Granny find out that that, unless Grandpa shows up to buy the property they live on, they will be evicted to make way for a new apartment complex.

Heroic little Arthur has a plan, though. He’s going to find that treasure Grandfather buried on the property and save Granny’s farm. His map? Well, he doesn’t exactly have one, just stories told by Grandfather about a little kingdom of teeny tiny people named Minimoys.

With his heart pure with the desire to help, Arthur begins his quest to save the tranquil little world he loves.

Positive Elements

Arthur is a beacon of hope throughout the film and inspires hope in others along the way. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to defend others, be that his Granny from eviction, or the princess Selenia from danger.

Explaining why Arthur’s parents have left him with his grandma, the narrator tells us, “Times were tough, and his mother and father were doing the best they could to take care of him.” Later, however, they vow to never let money problems keep their family apart again. Similarly, a Minimoy king reunited with his children calls them his “most prized possessions.”

Negative Elements

The biggest issue for some viewers will be the magic element in the movie. Arthur becomes transformed into a Minimoy very early on and, obviously, there’s a magical element involved with that. In the same fantasy flair, Arthur is the only one who can extract a “magic sword of power” from a rock, reminiscent of young king Arthur himself.

Some spiritual concerns also arise through various comments and procedures. The king sends off his daughter by asking the “spirits of the ancients” to guide her, and later makes a sentiment of “May the gods hear you.” Meanwhile, a spell is spoken of by the Evil M- one that has disfigured him- and he believes Selenia is the only one who can reverse the curse. Also, there is some sort of spiritual stuff going on when Arthur is turned into a Minimoy. The operator of the machine takes various actions to assure that Arthur’s spirit and soul are sent along with his body.

The other issue for movie goers will be the romance and tension between Arthur and Selenia. There’s nothing sexual about their subtle flirtatiousness, but it’s worth noting that this 10 or 12 year old boy interacts with the 999-year-old (but still young-looking) Minimoy more like a 16year old would, and in the end, they vow to wait for each other.

Also, the transformed Minimoy version of Arthur causes girls to sigh, gasp, and call him hot. Selenia herself is rather voluptuous and has her midriff exposed throughout the whole movie.

There is plenty of sword clashing, evil legions of warriors (stupid ones) participating in combat, and some sibling spats that involve pushing and shoving, and a joke about cutting out a brother’s rambly tongue, but it’s all animated and fairly tame. Although, Arthur does bring a couple of henchmen to their knees with a swing of the sword across their legs.

God’s name is interjected three times, and “oh my gosh” is spoken just as frequently. A “what the …” exclamation goes unfinished. Other name-calling includes “fool,” “rat-boy” and “stupido.”

There is some alcohol content… ish. A club owner serves the group a round of neon green drinks that cause the characters to exhale green vapor. There’s no alcohol or drug mention, however, though Granny does immediately fall asleep after accidentally taking an excessive amount of her “sleeping drops.”

The only other thing worth mentioning is that, though Arthurs intentions are good, his means aren’t always. He does disobey his grandmother when she tells him not to leave his room and get into mischief.

Conclusion

The animation is stunning! The world of the Minimoys is intricate and detailed. The Minimoys themselves are fun. And Arthur is a good boy at heart. This one truly does come down to what things can, and can’t, you tolerate. There is nothing about it that makes me say “you have to watch it!”, but it was enjoyable and it’s a visual treat.

2012
12/01
CATEGORY
Adventure
Fantasy
Film Review
PG
2 comments

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Life hasn’t been easy on Percy Jackson. He’s never known his dad, his step father is a sleazy jerk, he’s dyslexic and suffers from ADHD, and he’s going through puberty to top it all off! Percy’s struggling at school, at home, and the only place he finds solace is at the bottom of a swimming pool.

But on top of all of that, Percy is about to learn a very unusual fact about himself. He’s a demigod. That just made life a whole lot more complicated, because along with this revelation comes the accusation of being the lightning thief, which means that Percy is now under the condemnation of the gods, and being sought out by all sorts of monsters who want Zeus’ lightning bolt for themselves.

Trouble is, Percy doesn’t have the bolt, and he doesn’t know who does. But he’s going to find out, because his Uncle Hades has kidnapped his mother and is holding her for ransom. The price for her life? The lightning bolt. So Percy has to team up with his friend Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, another demigod, to get back his mother and save humanity from the wrath of the gods.

Positive Elements

Percy loves, respects, and tries to protect his mom. This was an endearing aspect of the story for me, as there are so few stories now-a-days that present the love of a son for his mother. Especially a teenage son. Percy demands respect for his mother as well, loathing his stepdad because fo the way he treats her. His mom is also very devoted to Percy, and has sacrificed much for him; more than Percy ever knew.

Poseidon, Percy’s father, also loves his son, and would have chosen to become mortal in order to stay with his wife and child, if not for his domineering brother Zeus. Forced to abandon his son as a baby, Poseidon has guilt over being the reason why Zeus forbade contact between all gods and their children.

Negative Elements

Poseidon, despite loving his family, is a coward in my book. He should have stood up to Zeus and stayed with Percy anyway. In the end of the movie he tells his son that just because he couldn’t see him, didn’t mean he wasn’t there looking after him. Just because it was from a distance, Poseidon doesn’t want Percy to think of it as any less significant. I think that’s malarkey, to be honest, but the moment is played up to be emotional and help keep Poseidon as a good guy that got a bad rap.

Obviously this movie explores the world of the demigods and Roman gods quite a lot, pulling from the book series. However, while that is true, the movie doesn’t really deal with the subject. The gods and demigods are really just a title, and they supposedly are rulers and protectors of the earth, though they wreak more havoc than anything. For my family, we approached this aspect the same way we did the books. My 15 year old brother reads and loves the book series, and we as a family have discussed how ridiculous the stories of the Roman god’s were, validating the God of the Bible so much more. The Roman and Greek gods pale in comparison, and they are fraught with inconsistencies and petty human vanity. It is amazing what a teaching tool studying the gods can be.

Power is something dealt with a lot in the movie. The god’s powers are rather new-agish, as Percy pulls power from the water, summoning its life-giving force from natural sources, and even uses the water’s power to heal himself. Gods also are able to telepathically communicate with their children, it seems, becoming the little voice inside their heads. And of course, we have the whole Hades and the Underworld thing, but do I really need to go there (although, I must confess, I got a good laugh out of Hollywood being the portal to hell)?

Gods are said to “hook up” with mortals and Gabe is seen slapping Sally’s bottom. Grover is a bit female crazed, and is a big fan of Aphrodite’s multiple daughters. He winks at Percy over them being the daughters of the love goddess. In a Casino, Grover is sprawled out amidst doting females wearing short lingerie-like dresses. The most seductive character in the movie, however, is Hades wife, Persephone, who takes a fancy to Grover and makes several suggestive comments. When Grover has to remain behind in hell, the audience knows exactly what will follow.

Most of the violence is low key, and a lot of it is at the hands of a water wielding Percy. The most disturbing element, which really wasn’t disturbing, was when Medusa get’s decapitated by Percy. It’s bloodless and off screen, but Grover does carry it around in his pack to be able to use later for turning things into stone. Gabe also grabs Percy’s hair and threatens him, backing him against a wall.

God’s name is abused multiple times, a centaur jokes that he has a “horse’s a– ” and the same word is used again by a son in reference to his demigod father.

In Vegas we see an eager Grover ready to get at the tables, and the teens steal a car that’s on display in the casino, racing it through closed doors and speeding off to Hollywood.

Conclusion

I found this movie to be very entertaining.  It’s certainly not going to make you think or give you a profound truth in the end, but it was a fun ride.  However, it has a lot of issues and junk. Junk which was not featured in the book series we own. Because of that, we did not add it to our family library and I can’t, in good conscience, recommend the movie as family friendly.

2012
11/12
CATEGORY
Adventure
Fantasy
Film Review
PG
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Pirates of the Caribbean 4 “On Stranger Tides”

If you have seen the previous three pirates movies, you will know the last one faded off with Jack searching for the fountain of youth. Well, he is back, and the fountain of youth is desired by more than just Jack… the english, spaniards, barbossa, angelina (daughter of blackbeard and past love of Jack’s) and the dreaded blackbeard are also in search of this legendary spring. The ships are cast off, the alliances are made, and the quest for eternal life has begun. During this quest you will see mermaids, zombies, and the incredible story writing with many of the unexpected twists we have come to expect from the Pirates series.

If you are wanting to see another incredible Jack Sparrow story, you won’t be disappointed. But while the stranger tides bring stranger quests… there is a disturbing darkening of the waters as the film progresses….

Things I liked

 In this movie, there is a missionary, captured by blackbeard, to provide protection from God on their journey. While this man in abused, ridiculed, hurt throughout the entire movie. He remains true to his God, and is the only honorable character in the movie. He makes many sacrifices so the captured mermaid survives, and is the only one who treats her as a person, not an animal. His worldview is flawed at times, and solid in others. I was pleasantly surprised to see a “religious” person in a film to be shown as a person of good character and values. Standing up for what he believes, and respected for it.

Things I Didn’t Like

 It seems in all movies now there is an expected level of relational, violent, and language content. The previous pirates films had all of these things, but in moderation. Of all the pirates films this one is by far the most sensual, violent, and crude in terms of language. I was sorely disappointed by the amount of junk Disney and the new director put into this movie. Mainly, the relationship between Jack and Angelina. There is hardly a line between them without a suggestive move, word, or look. They dance, on the ground at times, and the entire time neither will commit to the other. It is a most disturbing relationship between them, and made to look like comedy to an unsuspecting viewer. The past relationship between Elizabeth and William is a beautiful one compared to the one presented in this movie. The “relationship” is the most killer part of the movie in my opinion.

Be warned however, this is not the only place Disney has raised the desensitization bar.

The violent content in Stranger Tides was like none I had ever seen before in the past pirates films. No longer is death a horrid thing we should be disheartened at (even in war) but a thing to be laughed at and not taken seriously. Men, standing up for their country, are shot and made to look like fools. Blood is brought into this film, along with a small amount of gore… The swordplay is no longer lighthearted and humorous as we saw in dead man’s chest, but a deadly spar with the intent of death.

Mermaids are not the innocent girls we find in the little mermaid, but deadly killers who feast on human flesh. One scene there is a battle and many men find their deaths being drowned, bashed, clawed, or bitten by these beautiful and seemingly innocent creatures.

Language such as b—–d, b—h, d—-t, are brought into the movie with the likes of blackbeard and angelina.

There is vodoo in the movie, as used by blackbeard, there is little used, but is present nonetheless.

Back to the Mermaids real quick… They are newcomers to the pirates scene, for reasons I can’t tell you without ruining the story. However, one mermaid is captured and when it is out of water… has legs… and no clothes… nothing that would give it an “R” rating is shown by the camera, but there is a considerable and inappropriate amount of skin seen by the viewers, even after the missionary “clothes” her but placing his shirt around her, there is still, throughout the rest of the film, a large portion of body shown.

Closing Thoughts

 To be honest, I enjoyed the story and adventure of the quest to find the fountain of youth. the ending is very satisfying (which surprised me), and the characters are… in character.

However, the new light (or lack of) disney has cast this most recent addition of the pirates series left me with a feeling of discomfort and unease. My conscience was stricken after I watched this movie.

Clearly, as with many movies of this nature, there is an underlying purpose of desensitization to death, morals, and relationships. Little by little, bit by bit, Pirates has descended from a ruthless comedic adventure to a disturbingly dark quest.

2012
09/12
CATEGORY
Action
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Film Review
PG-13
3 comments

Thor

   Mjolnir, the great hammer, formed in the heart of a star, is wielded by a boy. A boy, living in the body of a man…. And this boy, craves war. Thor, the god of thunder and wielder of Mjolnir, has grown up in Asgard. Under his father the king, he longs for the day when he can take his place as the king. With that title, he would declare war on the ancient race of the “Ice World”.

Against his father’s wishes, he goes with his loyal friends to this world and attacks the people there. Thus reigniting an ancient war which had been at peace for thousands of years.

As punishment for Thor’s arrogance and disobedience, his father banishes him to earth until he learns what is means to be a true king.

Things I liked

In the most simple of terms, Thor is a coming of age story, this movie shows how a boy becomes a man, albeit with supernatural powers. At the start of this movie, we see Thor immaturely make decisions without thinking of the consequences. He is arrogant, hot headed, and thinks only of glory in battle.

Through the story, Thor learns many things about being a man, and begins to embody them. Some are selflessness, honor, patience, and sacrifice. We see him turn into a gentleman who exhibits traits worthy of imitating.

Thor’s Father also is worthy of note. He is shown to have wisdom and patience. He hates the fact he has to banish Thor, but like any loving father, does so.

Finally, Magic/gods. I know this is the turn off for many Christians. Oddly enough, the movie made it explicitly clear there is no magic in Thor’s world. Rather it is science. They called what we call magic “science we don’t yet understand”. The gods were not portrayed as gods, but people living on another planet with greater knowledge than us. In other words… Aliens.

Things I didn’t like

In terms of content, there is a reason this film is rated PG-13. Thor has a hammer, and boy does he know how to use it. Many “people” of the ice realm are killed by Thor. No blood is shown in the movie except once. (a person is run thru with an icicle).  It is truly a smashingly violent movie, but not as intense or graphic as Lord of the Rings

There is a relationship with a girl. Which results in one intense kiss on the lips.

There are a few times when God’s name is taken in vain, and 3-4 other curse words.

There are a couple bar scenes where people are drinking, and a person gets drunk.

Closing thoughts

Having seen numerous superhero movies. This one stands out to me.

Why?

Thor is a rare gem from Hollywood. Thor is a boy and is struggling against pride, like all of us do. He is punished by his father and instead of rebelling against his family, like so many other productions portray, he in turn becomes apologetic and wishes to be redeemed.

Good wins, even if it is hard at times in the movie to see who is actually good. Evil is sought out and punished. Honor is glorified, deceit condemned.

Many a boy can watch this movie and be amazed at Thor’s superpowers. However, with some guidance, a boy can watch this movie and learn that leadership doesn’t rest in arrogant power, but in humble service.

This movie hits the nail on the head, and drives home those values in a way I won’t be forgetting for a long time.

2012
08/31
CATEGORY
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Film Review
PG-13
Science Fiction
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The Last Airbender

Growing up in the shadow of a mighty Avatar is not an easy road to traverse.  So learns the foretold Avatar, Aang, before he runs away from his destiny and shirks responsibility; an act that will plague him, and mankind, for many years to come.

See, the fire nation has grown strong during the Avatar’s absence, enslaving members of the other elements to ensure their power does not grow and rival their own. It is a battle of powers, nations wanting to dominate rather than live in harmony as elements of equal importance. So when Aang returns from his self inflicted sabbatical, he finds that the world has become a place where air benders, based on intel that a reincarnated avatar had been born into that tribe, are hunted creatures.

Positive Elements

Sacrifice is the key to this movie.  We see many characters not only speak of sacrifice, but also exhibit sacrificial actions.  Katara (water bender) and Sokka (her brother) are quick to step up and protect young Aang before even realizing who he is, leaving family and friends behind.  The sibling pair remain close throughout the film, and Sokka makes the comment that he is willing to die to protect his sister.

Aang does a lot of maturing in this movie, namely facing his cowardice and fear of the sacrifice associated with being an avatar.  Along the way we see Aang exhort others to live by codes of honor, embracing the skill and power they are born with.

Another nice touch to the movie is the fact that Iroh, veteran fire nation general and uncle to Zuko, urges his wayward nephew to put aside his anger and “marry, have a family, and live a blessed life”.

Negative Elements

The biggest negative element in the film is the spiritual undertones, heavily flavored by Buddhism and Eastern philosophies. We see scenes of trance-like meditations, talking with spirits, pilgrimages to “spiritual places”, reincarnation, references to chi, yin, and yang, as well as much talk of the overarching theme of balance.  These scenes are many, peppered throughout the film, and may therefore be disturbing for some parents of young children.

As part of a war strategy to keep the water elements from increasing their power, the fire nation kills the moon spirit, which has taken the form of a fish.  We then see the water princess offer up her own soul to resuscitate it, since the moon spirit did something similar for her when she was an infant. Again, this philosophy could be confusing for younger children.

It is nice to note that the violence is very tame, often being administered by an element (water, earth, fire, air).  There are some martial arts moves that are used in conjunction with this, but none of it is very violent.  Perhaps the most disturbing thing that will be shown is one of the villains being encased in a ball of elemental water to drown.

 Conclusion

The visuals are stunning.  The concept of having people who are able to bend elements to their will is not a new concept, but it was carried out very well in this movie.  I love the intricacies to the dances accompanied by the administration of the elements, and how each person is a little different in their presentation.

That being said, I have reservations about this movie, due to its target audience.  The Last Airbender is meant for the “tween” audience, but has a lot of philosophies which are harder for this age range to filter through.  While an older audience who is knowledgeable on the philosophies of Eastern mysticism and Buddhism would be able to recognize the themes for what they are, children are much more likely to simply let the indoctrination slip past their radar as they hang on for the fun ride of the visual effects.

The movie was enjoyable for me.  It didn’t challenge me at all, but I didn’t finish the movie and feel like I wasted brain power watching it.  That in mind, I am hesitant to say “Yes, go see it”.  I think viewers should make sure they go into the movie with the intent to be discerning, especially where young viewers are concerned, and every family should make an educated decision on whether this movie is right for them, based off of how much they have taught their children about the religions portrayed.

2012
07/08
CATEGORY
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Film Review
PG
4 comments
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