Sandra Burns

Movie Review: Research

Godzilla: Chris Vognar
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/movies/reviews/20140515-the-stor-is-thin-!ut-"od#illa-is-roarin"-"ood-
$un-!.ece
%ou could ar"ue &od#illa doesn't maintain the human touch with which it so $everishl starts. %ou could
ar"ue the stor $ades in and out o$ $ocus as it tries to (eep up with the visual $irewor(s. %ou could ar"ue
all that) and it would !arel matter. Because when this latest encore $or our $avorite "iant li#ard wor(s
its ma"ic) when the sweepin" overhead shots and "ar"antuan com!at se*uences "et into a rhthm) the
results send a tin"le o$ awe to our inner movie "ee(. &od#illa's scale and spectacle provide that rare
sensation o$ seein" somethin" ou've never *uite seen on a movie screen. +$ ou're into superlatives ,
and who isn't- , &od#illa con.ures the most .aw-droppin" "iant monster se*uences since the ori"inal
/in" /on". 0he inte"ration o$ the movie's massive creatures with the citscapes o$ San 1rancisco)
2onolulu and other locales represents a *uantum leap $or such renderin"s. 0he soundtrac( $ills the
crevices with su!tle !ut dea$enin" crea(s and cries. 3ver time &od#illa ta(es the screen) with or without
his two $oes 4a couple o$ e*uall destructive) sli"htl smaller creatures loo(in" to mate5) the !ar "ets
raised a little hi"her. 0he people don't $are *uite as well) thou"h &od#illa does $ollow a hand
!loc(!uster "uideline: 6ast well and cast deep. Bran 6ranston) /en 7atana!e) 8aron 0alor-9ohnson)
3li#a!eth :lsen) 9uliette Binoche) Sall 2aw(ins and ;avid Strathairn are all $ine actors) and $or the $irst
hal$ o$ the movie) as the sta(es are set) the provide a touch o$ dramatic realism to counter!alance the
spectacle. 8nd here's a sort o$ nonspoiler spoiler: &od#illa isn't a$raid to (ill o$$ people that matter.
2itchcoc( would approve. ;irector &areth 3dwards has a horror master's snea( sense o$ visual
suspense: <encils slide down a ta!le) a do" $ranticall !ar(s) !ats and sea"ulls announce the approach o$
somethin" reall !ad. &od#illa consistentl ma(es massive scale $eel intimate. +t also $launts its
in$luences out in the open. 0he openin" sections) $eaturin" an archaeolo"ical di" in the <hilippines and
the coverup o$ the events surroundin" an earth*ua(e in 9apan) owe a de!t to 6lose 3ncounters o$ the
0hird /ind. 0he creep) viscous $ossils discovered under"round !ear the mar( o$ the late 8lien desi"ner
2.R. &i"er. 0he terror and awe o$ the interaction !etween people and creatures carr loud echoes o$
9urassic <ar(. 0he onl real $ailin" o$ &od#illa lies in what it clearl wants to achieve !ut can't.
Somewhere in here is a stor o$ $athers and sons and $amil sacri$ice that "oes onl so deep. 6ranston
does his part= he does an"uish and an"er with rare conviction. But the screenpla) which handles ideas
!etter than it does emotions) lets him and his species down. 0he "enuine resonance is reserved $or the
!easts. 0he two M>0:s 4that's Massive >nidenti$ied 0errestrial :r"anism) i$ ou're scorin" at home5
want to mate. &od#illa wants to hunt. 0here it is: ?ove and death) on a supersi#e scale. &od#illa ma
!oast a monster cast) !ut it (nows the monsters are the real stars.
>ses stron" words) compares to popularl (nown King Kong) uses ver $ormal lan"ua"e to
ma(e the review persona!le) includes in$ormation on the soundtrac(.
Rio 2: Liam Lacey
http://www.the"lo!eandmail.com/arts/$ilm/$ilm-reviews/rio-2-thrillin"-!ut-too-man-!ad-"us/article1@A25514/
0here's not much new !ut a lot that's vi!rantl !lue in Rio 2) the se*uel to 1oB's ultracolour$ul C-;
animated 2011 $ilm) a!out a domestic macaw) Blu 4voiced ! 9esse 3isen!er"5 and his relationship with a
Bra#ilian .un"le !ird) 9ewel 48nne 2athawa5. 0he new movie) which o$$ers no !ac(stor $or the
Sandra Burns
Movie Review: Research
uninitiated) opens with Blu) 9ewel and their three chic(s livin" in odd-couple sitcom domestic !liss in
Rio) where the mother macaw tries) in vain) to teach the (ids a natural li$estle: 1ewer panca(es) more
Bra#il nuts. 7hen Blu's $ormer owner) ?inda 4?eslie Mann5 and her #oolo"ist hus!and 0ulio 4Rodri"o
Santoro5 discover evidence o$ other !lue macaws in the .un"le) 9ewel sees her chance. She convinces Blu
and the (ids to ma(e the 2)000 mile .ourne into the rain$orest. 6omin" alon" $or the trip are three o$ the
$riends $rom the $irst $ilm) toucan Ra$ael 4&eor"e ?ope#5) and rappin" cardinal) <edro 4will.i.am5 and
canar Dico 49amie 1oBB5) while the slo!!er !ulldo") ?ui# 40rac Mor"an5 stas !ehind. +t turns out the
$loc( includes some o$ 9ewel's $amil) who she thou"ht had !een eBterminated. 0hat includes her $ather)
proud tri!al leader) 3duardo 48nd &arcia5. 0he comed here is essentiall a $eathered version o$ Meet
the Fockers) as the nerd Blu's attempts to in"ratiate himsel$ with the s(eptical 3duardo. 0hat re*uires
trin" to hide his reliance on creature com$orts 4&<S) electric tooth !rush) $ann pac(5. 8s well as his
em!arrassin" histor as a Epet)F Blu is hopelessl outclassed ! Ro!erto 4Bruno Mars5) 9ewel's childhood
sweetheart) with a divine sin"in" voice) a state-o$-the-art nest and champion $i"htin" s(ills. Rio 2 4li(e
1oB's Ice Age series5 relies on derivative plottin" and slapstic( visual "a"s) in contrast to <iBar's more
cere!ral ori"inalit. 7here the $ilm eBcels thou"h) in an even more pronounced wa than the $irst $ilm) is
in the choreo"raphed animation $or the musical num!ers. 0he dance se*uences !e"in with the $ilm's
openin" Dew %ear's 3ve cele!ration where the camera pans up $rom the Rio har!our in a thro!!in" mass
o$ humanit) with !irds $littin" a!ove amon" the coloured con$etti and $irewor(s. 1rom there on) at
re"ular $ive-minute intervals) there's another production num!er. 0he !ossa nova/sam!a score includes
selections $rom Milton Dascimento) 6arlinhos Brown and eBecutive music producer) Ser"io Mendes) with
cast mem!ers Bruno Mars addin" some RGB thrills and /ristin 6henoweth providin" her showtune
!eltin". 0he superiorit o$ the musical se*uences) and la#iness o$ the writin") creates a dnamic where
ou $ind oursel$ wishin" the characters would shut up and dance. 0he worst $ault here is a sur$eit o$
villains) introducin" a $resh peril ever $ew minutes. 0he roster includes a lo""in" ma"nate and his team
o$ !ulldo#er drivin" thu"s. More $un is the villain le$t over $rom the $irst movie) the Sidne &reenstreet-
li(e coc(atoo) Di"el 49emaine 6lements5) who) with his poison-$ro" side(ic( 4/ristin 6henoweth5 and a
6haplin-impersonatin" ant-eater) plot Blu and 9ewel's demise. 8dd to the enem list a tri!e o$ red
macaws) read $or a rum!le at the $irst case o$ an encroachment on their Bra#il nut "rove) thou"h it turns
out the !attle is a $orm o$ aerial soccer which resem!les 2arr <otter's Huidditch. 8mon" the $resh
villains) the stand-out is easil 6henoweth as the teen pin() shrill-voiced poisonous $ro") &a!i. 0hou"h
pro$oundl in love with the narcissistic cuc(oo) Di"el) she is una!le to touch him !ecause o$ her
poisonous s(in. 40here's a nice moment when she catches a tear !e$ore it can reach him5. 6henoweth has
one !i" solo num!er 4<oisonous ?ove5 and a duet with 6lements) on his lip-smac(in"l camp rendition
o$ &loria &anor's + 7ill Survive. 8s with the previous Rio) director 6arlos Saldhana and his animation
team are eBhaustivel creative with the use o$ aerial scenes in C-; $ormat and the teemin" .un"le and
$avela !ac(drops. 3ven i$ the stor occasionall $eels li(e mental clutter) visuall Rio 2 is consistentl
compleB and ele"ant.
?an"ua"e was ver strai"ht$orward and !orin") did include the lac( o$ a !ac(stor which is
use$ul in$ormation) does not provide visuali#ations) compares to 2arr <otter) an ima"e that is
not even remotel related to animated !lue !irds) discusses visual compleBities and ele"ance)
"ives no eBamples.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Jeff Michael Vice
http://www.cinephiled.com/desolation-smau"-ups-action-humor/
Sandra Burns
Movie Review: Research
7hen it comes to <eter 9ac(son) there's pro!a!l one thin" on which we can all a"ree: 0he dude loves
him some 9.R.R. 0ol(ien. 0he Dew Iealand director's $ilmic adaptations o$ 0ol(ien's 0he ?ord o$ the
Rin"s trilo" were either too $aith$ul or the weren't $aith$ul enou"h) dependin" on our own love
o$/perspective on 0ol(ien. But no one could sa he didn't put his heart and soul into those productions.
2is e*uall am!itious) three-part cinematic ta(e o$ 0ol(ien's sin"le-volume 0he 2o!!it) have the same
share o$ hi"hli"hts and pro!lems. 1or !etter or worse) the $irst $ilm in the latter trilo") 8n >neBpected
9ourne) straed dan"erousl close to !ecomin" the movie that was s(ewered ! the /evin Smith-written
characters in 6ler(s 2: 0here was a lot o$ wal(in". So much o$ it) in $act) that the nasain" complaints
a!out material Epaddin"F J to $acilitate three movies J seemed per$ectl valid. ?uc(il) the second part)
0he ;esolation o$ Smau" is a considera!le improvement on its predecessor. :h) there are still a lot o$
scenes $eaturin" characters wal(in". But the seem !rie$er and more relevant to the action) and the !its o$
necessar humor are not so dope) .uvenile and low!row 4the $latulence and other !odil secretion humor
in the $irst 2o!!it was a low point $or the 9ac(son-0ol(ien adaptations to date5. Better et) there seems to
!e more action this time around. +t's much more thrillin" and is) a"ain) pertinent) necessar action. 8nd
the character moments .ust wor( !etter in this installment. +t's almost as i$ 9ac(son and his talented cast
shoo( o$$ the $irst $ilm's dust) crust laer and "ot down to !usiness. 40he three $ilms were actuall shot
consecutivel) so it onl seems that wa.5 0he ;esolation o$ Smau" certainl doesn't waste much time
"ettin" !ac( into the action J well) it does a$ter a *uic() !read-!rea(in" $lash!ac( se*uence that $eatures
the wi#ard &andal$ 4+an Mc/ellen5 and would-!e ;war$ (in" 0horin :a(enshield 4Richard 8rmita"e5)
and $ills newcomers in on what the need to (now a!out the stor so $ar. 0horin and his part o$ $ellow
;warves are hopin" to ma(e their wa to the ?onel Mountain) to reclaim 0horin's throne and reunite
their scattered people. But the path is perilous. 7hile the've survived an attac( ! orcs in the Mist
Mountains) those threats 4and others5 are trac(in" them throu"h Mir(wood 1orest. 0hin"s loo( even more
imposin" once the actuall "et to the ?onel Mountain 4i$ the even do5. 0he $ierce dra"on Smau"
4voiced ! Benedict 6um!er!atch5 lies in wait) protectin" his ill-"otten treasure. But 0horin and 6o. have
one secret weapon: the title character) Bil!o Ba""ins 4Martin 1reeman5) whom the !elieve will !e a!le
to !ur"le his wa into the Secret ;oor) into Smau"'s lair. Meanwhile) &andal$) has sensed there are dar(
$orces !uildin") and has le$t our heroes on their own) so he can con$ront this additional threat head-on. 8s
he did with the Rin"s cast) 9ac(son has to .u""le a hu"e ensem!le. But he does mana"e to "ive most o$
his cast their time and even shines a spotli"ht on a couple o$ !rea(out 4or even returnin"5 characters.
3van"eline ?ill 40K's ?ost5 (ic(s a surprisin" amount o$ !utt in her supportin" per$ormance as an el$
warrior) while :rlando Bloom seems to !e en.oin" himsel$ more than usual) reprisin" his role as
?e"olas. 4?ill's 0auriel .ust mi"ht !e the $emale cospla costume $or neBt ear) while males can tr their
hand at ?e"olasL or the less-$it ones can settle $or !ein" 1reeman's sli"htl less heroic Bil!o.5 Both ?ill
and Bloom are $ront-and-center $or the $ilm's !est action se*uence) one in which the ta(e on an orc
arm) chasin" them across roc(s) rivers and a $orest) as well as over the tops o$ some ;war$ heads.
0hou"h even this pales in comparison to the hi"hl anticipated) ver tense and intense Bil!o-Smau"
con$rontation. 46um!er!atch appears to !e echoin" the late &eor"e Sanders= his Smau" has the same
intonation and menace o$ Sanders' Shere /han) $rom ;isne's 0he 9un"le Boo(.5 8nd es) the $ilm does
leave o$$ on a cli$$han"er note) to ma(e us anticipate neBt ear's third in the trilo" 40here and Bac(
8"ain5 even more. But it $eels less li(e a cheat than a similar scenes did in the recent 2un"er &ames
se*uel) and more li(e the still-deli"ht$ull soul-crushin" one in Star 7ars: 0he 3mpire Stri(es Bac(.
1irst $ew sentences con$used me) what is 6ler(s: 2- 6ompares it a lot to the last <eter 9ac(son
movie) useless i$ the reader did not see the last <eter 9ac(son movie. ;oesnMt sa much a!out the
plot) .ust a!out the characters/actors and comparisons to other movies. +$ + didnMt see this movie
msel$) + would have remotel no idea what it was a!out.
Sandra Burns
Movie Review: Research
1ilm Reviews:
Must 2ave:
Mentionin" o$ the <lot
6omparison to other) similar movies
Mention o$ soundtrac(
Mention o$ se*uels/pre*uels
>p!eat lan"ua"e
3as-to-understand phrases
Must Dot 2ave:
Borin" lan"ua"e
Spoiler 8lerts
6omparison to unrelated/not popular movies