Zathura will undoubtedly be compared to 1995’s Jumanji, and for good reason, at least topically. Both stories concern a board game with magical powers and an undeniable gift for dropping unsuspecting youths in a land of very good special effects. But what Zathura has, and what ultimately makes it a… Continue reading
Chicken Little is Disney’s first in-house computer animated release since their split with Pixar (and the demise of their 2-D department), and if this is what we are to expect in the future I will set my expectations appropriately lower next time around. It’s not that Chicken Little is bad,… Continue reading
There is something undeniably endearing about stop-motion animation. The process is lengthy and painstaking, but produces such unique results. The characters move in their own begrudging way, and in the case of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, you can even see the fingerprints of the filmmakers in… Continue reading
Little did I know that we had such heroic animals during World War II – and that they were awarded medals of honor. The Dickins Award of Gallantry was given to pigeons (namely), dogs, cats, and a few other species that helped with communication in Europe. These “homing” pigeons could… Continue reading
Tim Burton has always been a dependable source for cinematic journeys into the obscure. Even a simple surface study of his filmography yields the work of a truly visionary filmmaker. From his breakthrough directorial effort for 1985’s Pee Wee’s Big Adventure all the way up to 2003’s Big Fish, Burton… Continue reading
Herbie was first brought to the big screen in 1968’s The Love Bug. The lovable, expressive car won over audiences and numerous Herbie adventures followed. Never failing to dig deep for a movie idea, Disney has brought Herbie back to the cineplex in Herbie: Fully Loaded. Before I get crackin’… Continue reading
Many will recall The Mask, which was released in 1994 to the tune of a $120 million total box office. It solidified Jim Carrey as a comedic star and launched the career of Cameron Diaz. While the film had an open ending of sorts, I think after about 1997 most… Continue reading
Even the tagline to Are We There Yet? is wrong. Now that may be a first. Throughout the film we are constantly reminded that Nick and the woman he hopes to date by driving her kids from Portland to Vancouver, Suzanne, are not boyfriend and girlfriend. Consider this error foreshadowing… Continue reading
Racing Stripes will be very familiar territory for many film goers, especially those who saw and adored 1995’s Babe. While Babe was a pig raised by sheepdogs and was actually under the impression that he was a dog, Stripes is a zebra who believes he is a horse. And he… Continue reading
Shark Tale, the latest 3D animation offering from DreamWorks, is missing a key ingredient to success that other such features of late have had, and that is excitement. A lot happens in Shark Tale, but the story feels so dry, and is most likely over the head of the average… Continue reading