The Lorax

     For those who are unfamiliar, The Lorax (Danny DeVito) is a mystical creature that speaks for and protects trees. Ted (Zac Efron) is a 12-year old boy who will do anything to get the attention of the beautiful Audrey (Taylor Swift). During a "chance" encounter Audrey reveals that she wants more than ANYTHING to have a tree. Naturally, Ted views this as his opportunity to impress and hopefully one day marry the girl of his dreams. Never having left town before, Ted sets off to find a mysterious man known only as the Once-ler (Ed Helms). The Once-ler begins to weave a tale of greed and the horrible price that it came with. Making a long plot-spoiling story short, the Once-ler destroys the forest and breaks the Lorax's heart. Fast forward several years, and now it's in Ted's hands to fix this horrible mistake.

     The Lorax is a stunning tale that addresses one of the most pressing matters in this day and age; what is more important, the bottom dollar or environmental preservation? Slightly reminiscent of Pixar's WALL-E, The Lorax weaves a magical tale of warning from Dr. Seuss the master of rhythmic story-telling. The film begins with a brief introduction from the famed Lorax and immediately erupts into a song and dance sequence that will grab the attention of every one in the audience. Don't be fooled by this film, it's musical aspects are merely an easy disguise for the intense dialog that is riddled with poetic devices. The subtle adult humor is not hard to miss, but will not alienate even the most conservative families.
     Unfortunately some may view the film as a political platform for liberals, democrats, and environmentalists. It's message is very grounded in the consequences of big corporations, greed, and environmental conservation. Another film with a similar theme would be 2011's The Muppets. The Muppets film was unfortunately viewed to be Marxist by many narrow-minded critics. Simply put, the environment should be more important than the convenience or financial gain of destroying it. This message may go over the heads of the children that see this movie, but the concept will be driven home with eye-popping 3-D effects.
     Long story short, The Lorax is definitely a film for families of all ages to enjoy. The characters are colorful and memorable. From a feisty grandmother (Betty White) to a devious corporate tycoon (Rob Riggle). The film can appear to be a blatant attempt at environmental pandering and come off as being preachy, but it's a message we all need to hear. Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda co-directed a beautiful story that's filled with enough fun and humor to keep the attention of everyone in the audience.

Rating: 4 (Maximum of 5) - The Lorax is a beautifully crafted Doctor Seuss educational masterpiece.

This post was co-written by one of my amazingly talented nephews. Thank you for your thoughts and input Niles.

Immortals

     I long for the day that I am graced by the presence of a God-like being. Ever since I was a small boy I imagined that I was chosen by a greater power to do great things. Whether it was Zeus or Professor Charles Xavier, I was certain that I was different from other people. Turns out I was just an extremely melodramatic, overly idealistic loner with many flights of fancy. I adore mythology of all origins. I was originally enthralled by Greek mythology in the fourth grade by my teacher professor Ms. Kamberos at the University of Chicago. She exposed me to a world with a far richer history than that of our own. It is because of her that Greece is my dream destination (specifically Athens and Crete). I take my Greek mythology very seriously and judge the films about it harshly.
     This brings me to my movie critique of the week, Immortals a story of evil King Hyperion's (Mickey Rourke) mad quest for a weapon that can destroy humanity by unleashing the Titans. All that stands in his way is Theseus (Henry Cavill), a mortal man chosen by the Gods to defend humanity. Henry Cavill is perfect as Theseus. Young, agile, beautifully sculpted, and sincere, Cavill's Theseus shines amidst the gritty and baron landscapes. The story propels rapidly and manages not to flounder the story with it's pace. Events unfold with efficiency and ease all while captivating the audience every step of the way. Mickey Rourke is just as ruthless and charming as ever in his role as the mad King Hyperion. A warlord hellbent on bringing the world to his knees and becoming immortal through history.
     Now that I mention history, I must say that while Immortals is fierce and imaginative, but do not expect it to follow traditional Greek mythology. The film avoids giving any background or general information on the Gods or the Titans. Those who are unfamiliar with mythology may feel slightly lost amidst the sea of characters and references that are not explained or properly introduced. Here is a brief rundown of what happened...
     Long ago, before the Gods were fashioned, the Earth was filled with great beings known as the Titans. One Titan known as Kronos had several children by a mortal named Rhea. Kronos eventually ate his children in fear of a prophecy that foretold his undoing by his son. A grief stricken Rhea manages to hide her son Zeus from Kronos so that he may live to maturity. Once of age, Zeus confronts Kronos and forces him to spit up his offspring. With his brothers and sister by his side Zeus leads the Olympians into a battle against the Titan. After a decade, the victorious Olympians drive the remaining Titans into a prison buried beneath Mount Tartarus. The Gods that survived were given titles by their brother Zeus and he was crowned King of the Gods for his might and ingenuity.
    Now while the credits tell us that Helios, Poseidon, Athena, and Aries are the Gods we see in the film, only Athena is addressed by name. I only figured out who Poseidon was due to the fact that I knew that the God of the Sea wielded a trident and could crash into the ocean causing cataclysmic computer generated waves. As for Aries and Helios, well they could have been anyone. The movie focus's more on the mortals and their relationships. Such as Freida Pinto's Phaedra, a virgin oracle that is pursued by King Hyperion for her knowledge. Pinto's Phaedra is beautiful and alluring. She does a decent job playing a virgin with hopes of losing her purity so she will no longer be plagued by her visions.
     Do not misunderstand me, Immortals is a veritable cornucopia of flesh and blood. A solid script, beautiful cast, and jaw dropping special effects make this action fantasy an instant hit. I just believe that when making a film about immortals, you should focus on them. In retrospect instead of calling this film Immortals something like The Legend of Theseus would have been more apropos.

Rating: 3 (Maximum of 5) - A special effects extravaganza that manages to miss the point of it's title.

Fright Night 3D

    With a deep sigh of relief I am pleased to say that while original films are essentially a thing of the past, a well-done remake can actually be refreshing. In the year that I was born, the original Fright Night was released to critical accolades ("An Outstanding Horror Film..." - The Motion Picture Guide). It is a classic black & white film that at the time of it's release was probably terrifying.
    In 2011, Fright Night has been revamped with a new cast, a new setting, and a 3D overhaul. Starring Colin Farrell are the Vampire neighbor at large, Fright Night 3D follows teenager Charlie Brewster as he uncovers the horrors of the Vampire realm.
    Tacky has never looked or felt so good. From genre cliches to dazzling displays of gore, Fright Night aims to please fans of vampires and horror. While the 3D element is rather subtle, it is often and intentionally jarring when sudden spurts of blood or viscera fly toward the screen at alarming rates.
   While the storyline doesn't deviate very much from the original, the updates are effective and realistic. David Tennant (Doctor Who) plays Las Vegas Vampire/Hunter headliner with pizazz. Plus, Las Vegas makes an excellent setting to be a hot seat for the undead (Lindsey Lohan sighting anyone?). This is an excellent prelude to fall horror flicks. Definitely enjoy this movie for everything that it's worth.

Rating: 3.5 (Maximum of 5)

Crime, Will-Power, and a Green Lantern

Lately, residents of Chicago may have noticed an increase in petty and violent crimes all across the city and in very public areas. Like many of the people who reside within the city, I viewed the crimes as distant and unfortunate to those who had to experience them. Like most, I held the assumption that I would not be affected. How naive we can be sometimes... A few nights ago, en route to a house-warming party, I bore witness to a violent crime on the Sox-35th Red Line platform. While waiting for the northbound Red Line train, I noticed a young male of Latin/Hispanic origin being chased by a young African American female wielding a bread knife. Uncertain of what I was seeing, it became increasingly clear that the man was genuinely in trouble. Frozen in a state of shock, I watched as the woman proceeded to stab the man repeatedly along the side of his torso. I watched, along with everyone else on the platform in disbelief at what we all were witnessing. 

Within seconds of seeing what I had only read about in the paper, I was on my phone dialing 911. The funny thing about calling the police when in a state of shock is that it's not as easy as one would like to believe. Three simple numbers that we have been trained to recognize and interpret for help could never have been more difficult to execute, especially when in the time of need. The sudden rush of adrenaline caused by fear can paralyze the body and make basic movements like pressing three digits on a touch-screen keypad seem nearly impossible. At long last, after two failed attempts to dial the numbers properly, I managed to regain full dexterity and call the cops.

I was greeted by a calm feminine voice, "9-1-1 Emergency Assistance...," did the voice say anything after that? I cannot be certain. Everything was happening so quickly, that it is difficult to recall. What I do remember is that I quickly detailed what was happening, and where I was located. As this process took place, the young woman fled the scene, running south on the platform toward the 33rd Street exit. The voice on the other end of the phone asked for my name and phone number. I distinctly remember thinking, "Why is that important?! Did I not just tell you everything you need to know?" I realized that it was probably necessary, in case they needed to contact me as a potential witness. The voice on the phone assured me that the police were being dispatched and would be arriving shortly. At that point I disconnected the call, and informed everyone on the platform that the police were on their way. As soon as I made this announcement, a panicked expression flickered across the face of the man who was now visibly bleeding through his over-sized white t-shirt. Within moments, he swore out loud and actually managed to run! I couldn't believe it! Where in hell was he going??? And why was he running in the same direction as the knife-wielding woman??? I was only baffled by this astonishing turn of events for a mere moment before a voice inside my head said that he probably did something to deserve being stabbed by that woman. Slightly puzzled, I shrugged and made a jarring observation; I was the only person to call the police.

        We all hear stories about violent acts being committed in public spaces and how the bystanders only watch... or in some cases pull out their phones to record video of the incident, only to upload it to Facebook or YouTube later. Being faced with the option to act or stand by and watch, you would hope that people would choose to act. Imagine yourself being put into the position of the person who needs help, and no one had the courage or will power to offer you the assistance that you clearly need. The power of will and courage are all it takes to overcome fear and that is the overarching theme of the "Green Lantern".

As an avid comic fan-boy, it is incredibly difficult for me to remain objective when reviewing the increasing number of comic to film adaptations. That being said, I must address the film at hand: "The Green Lantern". Directed by acclaimed director Martin Campbell, The Green Lantern is the story of Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a test pilot that receives a ring that grants it's possessor the power to conjure anything that his/her mind can conceive; and is charged with protecting the universe from evil.

Aside from the ingenious casting within this film, the only positive thing that can be said is that nearly 200 million in CGI (computer-generated imagery) looks phenomenal in 3D. This is a film that's all pomp & circumstance, with none of the hard work. The story of Hal Jordan is pitched to us (as viewers) as one where will-power and courage are all that is needed to triumph. Unfortunately, the film does nothing to show us that Hal Jordan lacks anything except a desire to make long term commitments.

Although the film lacks strong foundations, it is redeemed by the graceful Blake Lively who excels in portraying a woman of social and economic power. Her role as a test pilot may not have been believable, but I found it immensely entertaining to watch Lively try in earnest to sell us the fighter pilot image she was forced to pander. Entertaining... is all I can say about the film in the best and worst ways. It was laughable to see how serious the movie tried to present itself to be, but also endearing. My advice to anyone watching The Green Lantern is to do the same thing the people on the platform did on the night of the stabbing. Simply watch and be amazed at the spectacle.

Rating: 2 Stars (Maximum of 5)