Alice In Wonderland

4 out of 5 Stars



We all know the stories of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass penned by Charles Dodgeson using the pseudonym of Lewis Caroll. Countless films have been produced based on his books and most have failed. These books have always been considered classics yet at the same time they are two novels that were really just a series of random happenstances which created stories that were virtually unfilmable when it came to story. Of course these stories also have never been bright and joyous but rather dark and creepy. They really are kids books in an adult world.

In Burton's wonderland, Alice is now 19 and stumbles down the rabbit hole once again after being faced with a marriage proposal from a snobbish lord. She returns to Underland, which she originally called Wonderland as a young girl, and encounters many of the same characters and events as she did on her first journey as well as much more.

As I have previously stated, the books really are a journey of random events and to this the story of Burton's wonderland, written by Linda Woolverton, takes a coherency that was heavily lacking in the novels. The story successfully combines both books in one story that captures the heart and imagination of this surreal world. Whereas the original story was a surreal dream with random and passing characters, this Alice is a coherent story with a through plot of in depth characters.

The characters all have amazing depth. There seems to be a backstory to each one, from the hatter, to the red queen, to the hound we can feel for the characters and see there is more to them than just a purpose for what could very well be Alice's crazy imagination. These characters all fit very well into the newly imagined wonderland and the vibrant visual style that is brought to the screen in this adaptation.

It is a film that relies heavily on CGI for it's created world but is also one of the few where it fits well. For such a surreal world and oddly imagined story, Burton really is one of the few directors who is fit to direct such a project. Wonderland becomes more than just a dream in this world, it is a surreal world where most anything can happen and by the time it comes to return to the real world we sort of want to stay with these mad characters. There is a sort of charm to them despite their slight creepiness.

But mostly this film is a coming of age story. When Alice is faced with a big decision she doesn't know what to do, so she flees, and than in wonderland she discovers herself. It's a story of transitioning from the young life to the adult life, one of the hardest transitions, and even though we are tempted to stay in the surreal world we must come back and face reality.

Burton's wonderland is a fresh and original adaptation as you've never seen it before that contains the heart of both novels combined.

To Save A Life

2 1/2 Stars out of 5




Jake Taylor is the mvp basketball player for his school with a great scholarship waiting for him at his dream school. Than one day Roger, the kid he grew up with and who used to be his best friend but now ignores comes to school and kills himself. Jake soon begins to question his entire life and his actions, leading him to wonder if he could have prevented this.

This film was trying to do something very important but yet had too many shortcomings. The script alone needed work. The story branched out in too many directions from it's main plotline. The film evidently about trying to prevent suicide but we soon find ourselves immersed in a story that is also suddenly about unwanted teen pregnancy, divorce, the most shallow of high school drama, and figuring out what Christianity is really all about. There are just too many plotlines for one film and pretty soon we wonder if the film is actually going to end with the same topic as what it started with.

The other major flaw is the characters. All the characters feel shallow, lacking the depth that is really necessary for us to fully care what they are going through, most of the time only relating if we've experience that event in our lives as well. There is really only one side to the majority of these characters, so we either hate them or like them, and even the lead seems to have a sudden turn of heart that just doesn't transition well. But for being the realm of the "Christian" film the acting was better than most; less sappy, but still not phenomenal.

I will give the film this, it was trying to do something crucial and important in a young society. It is a film that praises acceptance of all people, no matter who they are. The messages and themes of this film are important and with that I think it's an important film. I praise it for it's purpose and attempt to make a better film for this genre. Unfortunately it is also the type of film that will mainly resonate well with some families and the Christian audience, even though it is less preachy than most. But what I applaud most for this film is it's praise for the importance of all human life.

The Book of Eli

4 out of 5 Stars



In The Book of Eli the world has been reduced to a post apocalyptic wasteland where water is scarce. Books are also scarce and all the Bibles in the world have been burned, all except one. Eli carries this Bible and he is on a mission from God to travel across the country to the coast to deliver it.

Despite it's plot, The Book of Eli isn't overly preachy. The ideas contained within the film may seem like they could be so but the film is handled in a way in which this apocalyptic western work. It's an intense and gritty action and drama film.

Denzel Washington is perfect in his role as Eli. He is intriguing on multiple levels. He is a man of God and an assassin. Mila Kunis joins the cast as Solara, a slave to Carnegie played by Gary Oldman who believes that by using the words of "The Book" that he can gain more control. Solara escapes from Carnegie and continues with Eli on his journey to deliver the Bible.

Although The Book of Eli may have some heads turning from it's questionable plot twist, it may have others wishing to go back and watch the film again with a closer eye. It is a fun ride and a story that works well in it's setting. It is a western with a different feel. The violence may be too intense for some but this is one film that I would have gone to see more than once.

The Blind Side

4 out of 5 Stars




The Blind Side is about the story of Michael Oher, a homeless and underprivileged young African American who is taken in by the Tuohys, a high class white family, who help him live up to his full potential. He gets an education, begins to play football, and ultimately becomes a successful tackler. The film is based off a book by Michael Lewis.

This is another film in a similar line to Remember the Titans and Facing the Giants. There is an evident theme of race and power and overcoming those odds as well as evident Christian themes. The Tuohys are Christian family who take in Michael Oher and make him part of their family, despite the criticism of their judgmental friends. In this setting Michael finds a home for the first time.

I'm not much of a fan of sports films in general but The Blind Side is more than just a sports film. It is a film about family, racism, and finding your place in the world. Sandra Bullock does a wonderful job in her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. It's easy to love Quinton Aaron in his role as silent Michael Oher. The chemistry is wonderful on screen which makes it easy to get lost in the story. Nothing feels preachy and we still feel for the characters, even those who don't really like sports. It's a triumph as a film and what a "sports" movie should be.

Legion

1 1/2 out of 5 Stars



In this supernatural thriller, God has forsaken humanity, rather completely turned on them, and is now sending angels to destroy our race. There is one child who is mankind's hope and that child is still unborn in the womb of a young mother living by a diner with her father and another young man. Come to save them from the rest is the archangel Michael, who has rebelled against God to come to earth.

The premise of this film alone is enough to take a dive. The idea that angels would come to destroy humanity and take vessels in humans in a demonic state is grasping on the edge. Paul Bettany is convincing as an overly serious angel bent on saving humanity, but even his performance can't save this film. The story carries a cast of characters so one dimensional and stereotypical we have no grounds to care. They carry out their duties and some die and others don't. It's the apocalypse centered on a small diner.

The story of Legion is similar to that of Children of Men. Humanity is lost and only one child can save them. The exception is that Children of Men worked. There is nothing in Legion that causes us to care if the child lives or dies, or anyone else for that matter. The film downplays God to that of a human child who can't decide what he wants. As Michael says at one point to another archangel, "You gave God what he wanted. I gave him what he needed." And to give a storybook ending, the film is narrated by the girl in which she speaks of her mother telling her at bedtime that at one time God got tired of all the people. When she asked her mother why, the answer came, "I guess he just got tired of all the bullsh*t."

That's also what I got tired of during this film.

Up In the Air

4 1/2 out of 5 Stars




George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a company man who travels the country to fire people from their jobs in this adult oriented comedy directed by Jason Reitman. Ryan has spent the majority of his adult life away from family traveling from place to place. This is his life and he enjoys it. Than a young woman, Natalie Keener(Anna Kendrick) is hired at his company and incorporates the idea of setting up electronic means to do the companies job. Of course Ryan is against this change and soon we are following him on his journey of showing the Natalie the ropes of the job as he continues on the lonely structure of his life.

Up In the Air is a film that succeeds on so many levels. It encompasses what film is and has been since the beginning in many aspects. It brings story and character to the screen. We are brought into the world of someone we would normally hate and we feel where he is coming from. George Clooney grabs our hearts as the company man who has no real path in life. He is alone but doesn't see it. On his journey he meets a woman who he begins to have an intimate fling with, what he calls a casual relationship. Soon enough Natalie Keener enters his life on the road and a story of love, life, and loneliness encompasses their conversations. As his sister is about to get married, and his company undergo major changes that could leave him at home, Ryan begins to question his life ethics.

The story and characters of the film are surrounded by a soundtrack that fits the mood of the film. Although the cast is big, the film has the film of a smaller independent film. It brings home one of the greatest human themes of all; living and dying alone. As Ryan tells his sister's fiance, "Wasn't it lonely in that honeymoon suite all alone?" Nobody truly wants to be alone.

The ending may be predictable but the characters are so genuine that it doesn't matter. What matters is what is happening with those characters and what has been brought forth on the screen. It is a story we can all relate to. For the most part we can all understand unemployment, many of us being fired, and we can all understand feeling alone. This is a story about feeling alone in a crowd, even when we think we're not. The characters are set up perfectly in this story.

This is for certain one of the best heartfelt films I have seen in the past year.

Twilight

2 out of 5 Stars




On a recent move to Forks, Washington, Bella finds herself at a new school in the middle of a semester. One of the first things she learns about is the Cullen family, known to be strange and mysterious. Pretty quickly Edward Cullen and Bella hit off a romance. Oh, and it turns out Edward is a vampire. Generally, this is the plot of Twilight, based on the best selling book by Stephenie Meyer.
Now I never read the book before seeing the film. This could cause a lot of people to ask why I would have grounds to review such a film. It seems, however, that having a vantage point from the outside perspective, rather than the inside, brings ideas that might otherwise be missed.
From a viewer’s perspective it is more than evident that the film is catered to teenage girls. This is why at a midnight showing I was surrounded by these young women, with a small sprinkling of young guys here and there. During the film there was all too many swoons over the “hot” men in the film. I understand making a film geared toward this age group, but this was a bit too much for me.
From a cinematic standpoint I must say that I enjoyed it overall. Does it mean that it was a great film? Not necessarily. But it was a decent one and what makes it good in Hollywood is that it’s going to bring in the money. The cinematography was well done as well as the soundtrack but the editing seemed off. On top of this there was also moments where the story felt more than cheesy and the acting not quite there. Other than that the film was really pretty good. I still think it could be improved, but for a vampire film, especially against the generic vampire ideas, it was intriguing. But one thing I have come to realize and understand from my viewing and conversations with book fans is that by seeing Twilight without having read the book you won’t appreciate the film as much … or possibly not at all.

Miracle At St. Anna

3 1/2 out of 5 Stars




Set primarily in World War II, Miracle at St. Anna follows the story of four Buffalo Soldiers from the US Army’s Negro 92nd Division as they find themselves separated from the rest of their division behind enemy lines, taking refuge within the small village of St. Anna di Stazzema. The film begins with Hector Negron, a veteran black man who earned a purple heart. One day he snaps and, while working, takes a German luger to the head of a white male. Upon investigation, police officers find an ancient statue head worth thousands of dollars, a statue that has apparently been missing for years. While being questioned by a young reporter, the only response Hector gives is “I know who the sleeping man is.” Shifting to the past, the story of the four black soldiers ensues, following the path of the statue head and it’s original carrier, Sam Train.

Following this film is at times difficult. Spike Lee has packed a lot into a two and a half hour time period. At times the film seems long. A lot of it is slow paced, but when the action picks up it hits with a bang, sometimes a very bloody bang. Questions are raised, ideas are portrayed, and sometimes elements of the story don’t feel resolved.

The story follows multiple plot lines, that of the black soldiers, a couple groups of Italians, and the Germans. Moving through each plot line on occasion begs the question of why we are seeing so many perspectives. This leads to scenarios much similar to films such as Crash and Babel where the characters all seem to have some sort of connection and part to play. But even at the end of the film, with all these plots, we are still left with unanswered questions.

The acting, however, is superb. If anything, the characters feel real. These are characters that in some way we can connect to. The soundtrack is simple, yet effective. The writing is intriguing.

Written by James McBride, based on his original book and author of The Color of Water, this film portrays the side of US soldiers from the perspective of the blacks during a time of segregation when blacks weren’t as appreciated for their war effort. Unlike most war films, Miracle at St. Anna focuses on a different side of the war effort, while still being effective and powerful.

This film will take patience to sit through. It is not a film you’ll want to watch just for entertainment. When I saw the film before the movie was more than half over I was the only person still sitting in the theater. Everyone else had left. This isn’t a film just to please the masses. It is evident that the director is making statements through this film and I think it’s a film that could raise discussion. It’s a story of war from a different perspective and different approach that tackles the art of story telling from yet another angle. I’d say it’s worth seeing at least once, even if you decide to wait until it’s on DVD.

Max Payne

2 out of 5 Stars




Max Payne is a cop in New York now working in an isolated division. Years previously his wife and baby son were murdered. Now Max spends his time tracking down the third man who escaped from the murder scene. As he delves further into the mystery, a government conspiracy begins to emerge involving a blue serum that causes those who drink to begin seeing what they consider to be angels or perhaps demons. Teaming up with Payne is Mona Sax, who is out to avenge her sister’s death.

Max Payne is based on the video game released in 2001. I never played the game so I can’t compare the story accuracy to that of the game but standing alone as a film, the story is lacking and jumps around. There are multiple subplots involving many characters that seem to pop into the story suddenly with little introduction and no further purpose after their little snippets of time have provided crucial plot information. Even the ones that do continue through the story at times feel disconnected. The only character that seems to have real purpose in the story is Max. But there is only so much that can be expected from story in a film based upon a video game.

In the midst of multiple story issues, Mark Wahlberg did a good job as Payne. The film was well acted on his part. Not to say that acting on other fronts was bad, just not notable.

The highlight of the film came in the visual splendor. Max Payne is for certain eye candy. The cinematography is astounding and at times the effect with lighting is amazing. The visual effects are pleasing to the eye and the use of what we have come to know as “bullet time,” basically slow motion at the speed of a bullet, is well utilized for aesthetic value but also is not overused. It is also one effect I know was in the game and carried over onto the big screen.

Max Payne was good for entertainment and for eye candy. Other than that it is a poor story, lacking a flow that typically carries the audience through and holds their attention. And if you decide to stay past the credits then you’ll find an added scene, setting up for an unnecessary sequel.

Trade

3 out of 5 Stars



In every corner of the globe the powerful prey upon the weak and multitudes of people wake up everyday to go about their daily lives not knowing these acts of injustice are committed. If they do, often they will turn their backs to these atrocities. It’s easier than dealing with the pain of the persecuted. We have heard injustice most recently with the genocide in Rwanda and bonded slavery in third world countries. Then there is a form of pedophilia commonly known as sex trafficking. Children are being sold for monetary gain to be raped again, and again, every day. It’s a twisted mentality that could only come about through the corrupted minds of humans.

Trade follows the story of a 13 year old girl named Adriana who is suddenly kidnapped by a group of men driving by while riding her new bike that her brother, Jorge, gave her for her birthday. She is then shipped to the United States to be forced into prostitution. When Jorge discovers Adriana has been captured he embarks on a relentless journey to free his sister, and as the story progresses the film cuts between Adriana and Jorge, giving us both their stories.

When I began to view the film I was expecting an emotional piece, a film that would play with my emotions and cause a few tears. I was overall disappointed with the lack of emotion I felt throughout the film. If I wouldn’t have already been disturbed by the topic then I have a feeling I wouldn’t have much concern for the cause. The director does attempt to bring the audience into the story, though, and that is what helps viewers to become more than spectators. Most often while sitting and staring at the screen, we become a third party and we just sit back and coast through the ride. By using a hand held camera technique the director attempts to bring the audience as, not a spectator, but a witness of the events at hand, and when this happens the viewer can engage in the actions taking place.

Trade tells a story that is gripping and an important aspect to any story is its themes. Themes, aside from characters, help strengthen a story. The most dominant theme in is love. Jorge’s immense care for his sister and persistence to overcome all odds to rescue her from the situation showcase this theme. In the same direction is friendship. While the girls travel toward the United States, Adriana befriends a Polish girl. This friendship proves to be a blessing when the polish girl encourages Adriana through the grueling process. Then there’s justice, which is the only way to resolve a story such as this. This theme demonstrates there are people who care and want to help and on top of that all of the people in this film are from what’s labeled as “secular society.”

This film gives us a small taste of this twisted business. To hear about it should hurt and to see a recreation of it should have a greater reaction. It doesn’t quite accomplish as strong an emotional reaction as it should, but it should at least shed some light on the situation. As we go about our daily lives this occurs and goes unnoticed. As the credits rolled, a quote from a government official was stated that said we’re not finding the kids sold into prostitution in the United States because we’re not looking.