Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman
Snow White and the Huntsman – A Universal Pictures’ Release
http://www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com/
Release Date: June 1st, 2012
Rated PG for violence
Running time: 127 minutes
Rupert Sanders (dir.)
Evan Daugherty (screenplay)
John Lee Hancock (screenplay)
Hossein Amini (screenplay)
James Newton Howard (music)
Kristen Stewart as Snow White
Chris Hemsworth as The Huntsman
Charlize Theron as Ravenna
Sam Claflin as William
Sam Spruell as Finn
Noah Huntley as King Magnus
Ian McShane as Beith
Bob Hoskins as Muir
Ray Winstone as Gort
Nick Frost as Nion
Eddie Marsan as Duir
Toby Jones as Coll
Johnny Harris as Quert
Brian Gleeson as Gus
©Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
The evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) in Snow White and the Huntsman.
Our reviews below:
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Snow White and the Huntsman Review By John C.
**1/2 (out of 4)
The best part of Snow White and the Huntsman is not the title Princess (Kristen Stewart), but the evil queen Revenna (Charlize Theron). Kristen Stewart is predictably bland and Charlize Theron is so good at playing evil, that this is one of those rare times when the villain becomes even more interesting than the hero. Although the casting of the title character leaves something to be desired, this is still a visually impressive take on a classic fairy tale that is better than the candy coloured kids film that was Mirror Mirror earlier this year.
When Queen Revanna married into royalty, she locked up her young stepdaughter in a tower and took over the kingdom. After a daring escape, Snow White ends up trapped in the Dark Forest, much to the dismay of the evil Queen who needs to feed on youth to keep herself young. But the Huntsman (Chris Hemosworth) that is hired to track down Snow White becomes her protector in a battle to take back the Kingdom and return the rightful heir to the throne. With an army of strong dwarves on their side, it’s a battle of good versus evil filled with big scale action sequences.
Charlize Theron gives a chilling performance as she allows the creepiness of her character to shine through both above and below the surface. The visual effects are also impressive, with the enchanted forest looking like something Disney might have dreamed up for the animated 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, if the studio had gone dark and psychedelic. But the problem with Snow White and the Huntsman is the actress who plays the title character. Kristen Stewart delivers her lines in a way that sounds anticlimactic and spends much of the movie with a pained expression on her face. It’s also more than a little hard to believe that the pale Twilight actress could actually be considered fairer in all thy land than the gorgeous Charlize Theron.
Promising first time director Rupert Sanders brings enough entertainment value to his debut debut feature to outweigh the parts of the film that unfortunately feel like somewhat of a missed opportunity. Kristen Stewart is bland as usual and the movie is overlong by about twenty minutes, but the visuals of Snow White and the Huntsman are darkly beautiful and Charlize Theron is excellent at playing evil.
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Snow White and the Huntsman Review by Erin V.
**1/2 (out of 4)
Snow White & The Huntsman is a darker updated take on the tale of Snow White. When the evil Ravenna (Charlize Theron) orphans the young princess Snow White (Raffey Cassidy) after becoming her stepmother, she locks the girl in a tower for ten years, while taking over the kingdom with her dark forces and quest for youth. It is when the now young adult Snow White (Kristen Stewart) finally escapes her captor, and hides in the dark forest, that the film’s main plot really begins. Queen Ravenna sends out a local huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to track her down and bring her back. But with the Huntsman joining forces with Snow White instead, it seems that the kingdom finally has the champion it needs to take down the evil queen once and for all.
The visual effects are at times quite stunning here, which makes the film at least worth seeing if you’re interested. In fact, overall, it is not a bad film. The problems lie in the slightly overlong running length, and the fact that Kristen Stewart doesn’t have the acting poweress to command the screen for that long – and certainly not in this role. The rest of the cast are all fine in their roles, although Charlize Theron as the evil queen steals the show – her dark and creepy performance is spot on.
While Snow White & The Huntsman is definitely not for kids, teen and adult fans of medieval fantasy-type films will most likely enjoy this one.
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Snow White and the Huntsman Review by Nicole
**1/2 (out of 4)
The second live action Snow White adaptation this year, Snow White and the Huntsman is visually stunning. When Snow White (Kristen Stewart) was little, everything in nature was healthy and beautiful. But when the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) sends out an army of mirror soldiers to take siege of the kingdom, Snow White becomes an orphan and the natural world starts to die. In a quest to remain fairest of them all, Revenna sends out a Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to destroy Snow White.
When he can’t brings himself to murder her, he hides the kind princess in an enchanted fairy forest instead. This one pristine patch of wilderness left is home to eight, not seven, dwarves who take care of the nature loving Snow White. Meanwhile, the Huntsman teaches her how to destroy Ravenna and restore the kingdom.
This is an uneven film. Kristin Stewart’s acting leaves a lot to be desired. However, Charlize Theron is perfect as a forty point Hare score psychopath. Her portrayal of the nature hating, bird eating witch is amazingly chilling. The visual effects in this film are beautiful. From Ravenna’s use of mirrors to the creatures of the fairy forest, Snow White and the Huntsman is worth seeing for the visuals. I especially loved the fairy forest, with various elfin sprites that ride rabbits and badgers, a reindeer with tree antlers who transforms into butterflies and a wide assortment of both real and fantasy flora and fauna. The ecological and animal conscious views of the film were echoed in the royal treatment of the horses on set.
While not perfect, Snow White and the Huntsman is a beautiful environmental fairy tale that is worth seeing for the visuals.
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Snow White and the Huntsman Review by Maureen
**1/2 (out of 4)
Mirror mirror on the wall, in this film, who gives the best performance of them all? In director Rupert Sanders retelling of the classic fairy tale, Snow White and the Huntsman, that would be Charlize Theron as the darkly beautiful evil Queen Ravenna. Every scene she’s in is compelling and visually stunning to watch. The visual effects when she ages, her transformations and the magical enchanted forest are the strengths of this movie.
Oddly, it’s the two lead characters, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) and the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) that are the least interesting elements of the story. Chris Hemsworth just seems to be channelling his Thor character from The Avengers, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as he plays that type of role convincingly. It’s Kristen Stewart’s interpretation of the pure of heart and fair of face Snow White that fails to leave a lasting impression. Scenes between the two leads just aren’t as interesting as they could have been.
Fortunately, the movie has enough interesting visual scenes that make it worth seeing. The scenes that come to mind are the glass shards in battle, Queen Ravenna exploding into ravens, the magic mirror and the magical creatures including a white stag that transforms into butterflies. Mostly the film is worth seeing for Charlize Theron as the evil Queen. In terms of a fantasy adventure, Snow White and the Huntsman has a well told story, even if it feels a little long at just over two hours.
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Snow White and the Huntsman Review by Tony
**1/2 (out of 4)
Snow White and the Huntsman is a dark adaptation of the fairy story. The prologue introduces the evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who preserves her youthful beauty (affirmed by an awesome magic mirror) by drawing the life force from her victims. Having married and immediately murdered the widowed king, she had his daughter Snow White locked up in the palace tower as a child (Raffey Cassidy). About to steal her heart (literally) when she came of age (Kristen Stewart), Ravenna sends her toady brother Finn (Sam Spruell) to fetch Snow White but she escapes to the Dark Forest beyond Ravenna’s magic powers.
Ravenna commandeers a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to find Snow White but he ends up helping her instead. After making their way through the psychedelically scary forest and a Super 8 encounter with a guard troll, they meet the 8 dwarfs, which once one dies will become 7 (played with CGI shrinking by distinguished British Isles talent: Ian McShane, Toby Jones, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Eddie Marsan, Nick Frost, Johnny Harris, Brian Gleeson). After leading S.W. and the H. through the magical Fairy Lands, the dwarfs pledge to support Snow White in her quest to defeat Ravenna and regain the throne, along with a childhood friend William (Sam Claflin) and the commoners. After a temporary setback involving a poisoned apple and a reviving kiss, the siege on the castle is ultimately successful.
Snow White and the Huntsman is worth seeing for its brilliant special effects, both in the fantastic and battle scenes, and the chilling performance of Charlize Theron as Ravenna. The rest of the cast is fine, although, despite courageous stunt work, Kristen Stewart’s Snow White, as in previous roles (particularly Bella), is unfortunately more often kvetching* than fetching. The story is good, though the script is uneven. The banter of the dwarfs is witty if sometimes difficult to follow, while Snow White’s lines tend to be banal, not helped by flat delivery. Finally, at 127 minutes the film is just too long.
*Yiddish words are often borrowed in a figurative sense, kvetching referring to someone prone to ranting or complaining. Here I revert to its original literal usage depicting the throes of constipated evacuation.
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Consensus: Although Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of the title Princess is predictably bland in Snow White and the Huntsman, Charlize Theron gives a chilling performance as the evil Queen and the impressive visuals of the film make it worth seeing. **1/2 (Out of 4)
By John C.
For my money, Wes Anderson is one of the best directors currently working. With vibrant colours, striking cinematography and beautiful slow-motion scenes, he is a director who frames every shot brilliantly, creating a perfect marriage of lighting and dialogue that is unforgettable for the viewer. Watching his films, we are observers to the often quirky and genuinely unique world of his perfectly realized characters.
I’m a big fan of all Wes Anderson’s films and his latest, Moonrise Kingdom, opens this Friday after recently premiering at the just finished Cannes Film Festival. A wonderful tale of young love set in the 1960s, the film has an all star cast that offers many delights for fans of the director and is sure to be admired even by those less versed in his work.
The Texas-born director’s first film, Bottle Rocket, started life as a thirteen minute short in 1994 that caught the attention of James L. Brooks, who executive produced the feature adaptation in 1996. The quirky and immensely likeable story of three friends who innocently dream of becoming robbers to give themselves some purpose in life, it was an impressive debut and proof that Wes Anderson has always had a style that is uniquely his own. The film and its original short not only launched the career of the director, but also of frequent collaborator Owen Wilson, who starred alongside his brother Luke.
Wes Anderson followed up Bottle Rocket with Rushmore in 1998, a unique coming of age film that has deservedly gained status as a classic over the years. Jason Schwartzman starred as Max Fisher, an overachieving high schooler who develops a crush on an elementary school teacher (Olivia Williams) and befriends a wealthy industrialist (Bill Murray), after he is put on academic probation. This odd love triangle becomes quite touching as the film progresses, because the eccentricities of the perfectly realized characters are allowed to play out in believable ways. Another director might not have been able to handle the material, but just like all of his other films, Wes Anderson handled it with a sensitivity that made us fall for the characters.
The careful balance of quiet humour and genuine heartache is another signature mark of Wes Anderson’s films, and a big part of what makes him a director capable of delivering both style and substance. His 2001 effort The Royal Tenenbaums remains the most financially successful of his films, and the only one to get him a very deserved Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Following a dysfunctional family of former child prodigies who all reunite at the house of their father (Gene Hackman), this was an equally funny and moving portrait of a unique family. His 2004 follow up The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou divided many critics, but was a wonderfully conceived and often hilariously droll comedy that starred Bill Murray as an oceanographer obsessed with hunting a mythical shark that may not even exist.
The way that he uses music is an important part of all his films, including his excellent 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited, which has a diverse soundtrack that immediately recalls the movie every time you hear it. Following three estranged brothers (played wonderfully by Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody and Owen Wilson) who take a spiritual train journey across India in an attempt to rediscover themselves and redefine their bond as siblings, it was a subtly hilarious and deeply heartfelt film. We also got a moving backstory to The Darjeeling Limited in the preceding thirteen minute short Hotel Chevalier, a beautifully written and spectacularly filmed work of art that starred the luminous Natalie Portman alongside Jason Schwartzman.
For his first animated film in 2009, Wes Anderson chose to adapt Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Fantastic Mr. Fox. The story of the stealthy Mr. Fox (perfectly voiced by George Clooney) who outwits a band of evil farmers, this was a lovingly produced stop motion film that had the director’s paw prints all over it, right through to the awesome soundtrack and memorable cast of characters. Although it takes Wes Anderson back to his live action roots, Moonrise Kingdom is in many ways the perfect follow up to Fantastic Mr. Fox and another great entry into his excellent filmography.
Movie Review: Men in Black 3
Men in Black 3 – A Sony Pictures’ Release
Release Date: May 25th, 2012
Rated PG for violence, language may offend
Running time: 105 minutes
Barry Sonnenfeld (dir.)
Etan Cohen (screenplay)
David Koepp (screenplay)
Jeff Nathanson (screenplay)
Michael Soccio (screenplay)
Based on the comic by Lowell Cunningham
Danny Elfman (music)
Will Smith as Agent J
Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K
Josh Brolin as Young Agent K
Jemaine Clement as Boris The Animal
Emma Thompson as Agent O
Michael Stuhlbarg as Griffin
Alice Eve as Young Agent O
Bill Hader as Andy Warhol
©Sony Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in Men in Black 3.
Our reviews below:
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Men in Black 3 Review By John C.
***1/2 (out of 4)
From the sleek black suits and sunglasses to the glowing neuralizers, there has always been something cool about the Men in Black. This threequel that many thought would be needless is the first big surprise of the summer movie season. With a surprising amount of heart, Men in Black 3 is a fun time trip that easily entertains at a brisk pace of 105 minutes.
The movie starts with intergalactic super villain Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) escaping from a Lunar prison and coming back to Earth to get revenge on Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). When Boris goes back in time to kill Agent K in the past to eliminate him in the present and future, Agent J (Will Smith) has to “time jump” back to 1969 and team up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to stop the evil alien from killing his friend and taking over the world. The story is handled quite nicely at every turn, with the immensely likeable “fifth dimensional” alien Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg) brilliantly keeping all of the loose ends and alternate universes in check.
The 1997 original Men in Black was a fun genre trip because of the way that it defied expectations to deliver something unique and utterly cool. The 2002 follow-up had its fair share of fun scenes, but was ultimately a lesser sequel because it was more about action than character. This is the rare threequel that harkens back to the magic and originality of the first film, mainly because there is a lot of heart in the way that the characters are taken to even deeper places. We get a twist near the end of Men in Black 3 that brings everything together in a surprisingly moving way, and it’s refreshing to see this sort of honest emotion in a big summer sequel.
The charismatic Will Smith and the often surly Tommy Lee Jones are excellent as always in the leading roles, with Josh Brolin pulling off an uncanny performance as the young Agent K and Michael Stuhlbarg stealing every scene. Fun special effects, a briskly paced running time and a surprising amount of heart make Men in Black 3 one of the best surprises of the still early summer movie season.
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Men in Black 3 Review by Erin V.
***1/2 (out of 4)
It’s been fifteen years since Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) recruited ‘J’ (Will Smith) to the MIB or Men In Black. Over the years, they’ve seen all kinds of aliens and saved the planet countless times, but nothing prepares J for what comes next. When an interplanetary criminal named Boris (Jemaine Clement) escapes from MIB’s high-security lunar prison, the first thing he does is go back in time to try to kill the one who put him away in 1969. Junior Agent K (Josh Brolin). It becomes up to J to go back in time and stop this from happening and prevent a full scale attack on earth if the space-time continuum is changed.
All of the acting here is good, although I must note in particular that the younger version of K is played brilliantly by Josh Brolin. It is surprising that while watching the film, you don’t think of the two different ages of K being played by two actors, but rather as just younger and older versions of the same character. This was an excellent casting choice here.
The whole thing is very much in the tune of the first film, rather than the weaker second installment. There is a good deal of character development here that reaches surprising depth, and what we learn about the characters doesn’t ruin, but rather heightens your appreciation for their interactions in the first film. Also, it’s just a really fun ride, with just enough action, fun new characters (such as Griffen, played by Michael Stuhlbarg), and an entertaining storyline that takes some twists and turns. The updated special effects and gadgets (it’s cool to see the various versions of the ‘neurilizer’ over the years), all work well both in this film and with the others in the series. I also liked the score by Danny Elfman, which is very much in tune with the originals.
Sure you could argue it’s not earlier this month’s The Avengers (very few summer blockbusters are), but this is definitely one worth seeing if you liked the first, and/or second, film. It’s fun and appropriate for 8-10 plus, (although a ton of fun for adults as well), which means it can be enjoyed by a wide range for a fun night out.
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Men in Black 3 Review by Nicole
***1/2 (out of 4)
When I was younger, I was enthralled with the original Men in Black film. I loved the premise of aliens in our midst, and actually believed that Men in Black could exist. I am happy to say that Men in Black III captures the same magic that I fondly remember.
When a wicked and gruesome alien named Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) goes back in time to kill Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), Agent J (Will Smith) must go back to 1969 and save a younger K (convincingly played by Josh Brolin). J and K team up with a mysterious clairvoyant extraterrestrial named Griff (Michael Sthulbarg), whose ability to see the past, present and all possible future outcomes simultaneously comes in handy. The film’s climax comes during the Cape Canaveral moon launch, in which J finds out something about his past.
Men in Black III has some funny moments, but it is the most serious out of the trilogy. Boris is a cruel villain, killing aliens and humans alike with a scorpion type creature that he keeps in his hand. Yet the violence doesn’t exceed anything outside of what is in most comic book movies. The film also has a lot of heart. The friendship between J and K is believable. I also really liked Griff. His character is not only fascinating, but it is one thing that he says to J that is heartbreakingly true and ties in with his past.
Personally, I found the time travel element to work beautifully in this film. Intricately written, the time travel has the magic of Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future, with the same level of intelligence. With a great story, good acting and a magical score by Danny Elfman, Men in Black III has the makings of a classic.
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Men in Black 3 Review by Maureen
***1/2 (out of 4)
It turns out that not only do aliens live among us in the Men in Black world, but certain aliens and MIB agents can time travel, adding a whole new dimension to things. In Men in Black 3, organization director Agent Z has died and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) delivers an unusually short eulogy. That gets Agent J (Will Smith) thinking, how much does he really know about his MIB partner? A threat to world safety triggered by the escape of scary alien Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) from a lunar prison sets Agent J on a life and time altering trip to 1969.
It’s in 1969 that most of the action and heart of the story takes place. Agent J’s mission is to save the life of a 1969 Agent K (Josh Brolin). The resemblance between the two K’s is uncanny as Josh Brolin does a great job with this role. Agent J learns a lot about his own past and gains new insight about Agent K, including the fact that there’s a history between K and new director O (Emma Thompson). The interactions between Agent J, younger K and a quirky time travelling alien named Griff (Michael Stuhlbarg) are touching and hilarious.
The alien special effects are up to par with the first two MIB movies, with Boris and his hand-dwelling scorpion being extra creepy. The action scenes are a lot of fun and the outdated 1969 gadgets are amusing. A battery pack powered neuralizer is nowhere near as cool as the 2012 one. The film has a good mix of hilarious dialogue, fast-paced action and good special effects. But what makes this one stronger than Men in Black II is the character development that comes from Agent K’s backstory. Even with the passage of time, these dapper guys never get old.
Aliens take note, the Men in Black are watching you. Watch Men in Black 3 for some early summer fun.
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Men in Black 3 Review by Tony
***1/2 (out of 4)
Men In Black III opens on the moon where alien criminal Boris (Jemaine Clement) breaks out of prison and returns to earth to avenge his 1969 arrest by Agent K. Before K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) can stop him, Boris takes an alien time machine to return to that time to kill K and prevent him from setting up a shield to protect Earth from alien invasion. When J returns to MIB headquarters and there is no K, the new boss O (Emma Thompson) who remembers K realizes what Boris has done, as the alien invasion has begun. J must also return to 1969 to prevent disaster and make sure Boris is killed before he can kill K. With the help of Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), an alien who can foretell alternate scenarios, J and young K (Josh Brolin) are pitted against both the Boris of 1969 and his time-traveling self.
Ten years after M II B with the same crew including director Barry Sonnenfeld, alien makeup wizard Rick Baker and composer Danny Elfman, M III B is one of those rare threequels that is as good as the original M I B. The script is as sharp as ever, navigating a potentially confusing plot of time travel and alternate realities with refreshing clarity and humour. Supporting Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, the cast is excellent, particularly Josh Brolin as young K, Jemaine Clement as the vile alien, and Michael Stuhlbarg as the sweet quirky timeline guide. Not a second of the 105 minutes is wasted, with a nice balance between character development and action, gripping suspense during the last half hour and a really sweet twist at the end.
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Consensus: Fifteen years after the entertaining original, Men in Black 3 is a surprisingly good threequel that delivers strong performances, fun special effects and a lot of heart that comes from the perfectly realized time travel elements of the story. ***1/2 (Out of 4)
Movie Review: Where Do We Go Now?
Where Do We Go Now? – A Sony Pictures Classics’ Release
http://www.mongrelmedia.com/dvd/info.cgi?id=2104
Release Date: May 25th, 2012
Rated 14A for some language, drug content and mature themes
Running time: 98 minutes
Nadine Labaki (dir.)
Nadine Labaki (screenplay)
Jihad Hojeily (screenplay)
Rodney Al Haddid (screenplay)
Khaled Mouzannar (music)
Claude Baz Moussawbaa as Takla
Layla Hakim as Afaf
Nadine Labaki as Amale
Yvonne Maalouf as Yvonne
Antoinette Noufaily as Saydeh
Julian Farhat as Rabih
Ali Haidar as Roukoz
Kevin Abboud as Nassim
Petra Saghbini as Rita
Mostafa Al Sakka as Hammoudi
©Sony Pictures Classics. All Rights Reserved.
Center: Amale (Nadine Labaki) in Where Do We Go Now?
Our reviews below:
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Where Do We Go Now? Review By John C.
**1/2 (out of 4)
The Lebanese musical drama Where Do We Go Now? was the surprise winner of the People’s Choice Award at last September’s Toronto International Film Festival, paving the way for a limited release in theatres. Although it wouldn’t have been my personal choice to give it the top prize, this is still a pretty good little film from a country that is increasingly on the public’s radar.
Directed by Nadine Labaki, the film takes place in a small Lebanese village and has a few unique things to say about the clashes between religions. The Catholics and Muslims often do their best to get along, but after a series of misunderstandings, religious tensions start to rise amongst some of the men. It is ultimately up to the women to think of increasingly clever and sometimes totally stupid ways to distract them from fighting and desperately bring peace back to their quiet lives. Aside from apparent comedy and some touching drama, perhaps the most surprising of the genres that the movie falls into is musical. For me, the film is actually at its weakest during these seemingly random and usually silly interludes.
Although I have to recognize how much Where Do We Go Now? must have meant to the three big audiences that saw it at TIFF, it’s still a puzzle how it picked up the top prize at a festival where there were so many vastly superior films being screened. But despite some outdated sexist stereotypes and an uneven tone throughout, this is still a unique little film with a few interesting things to say, that has clearly found a way of connecting to a certain type of audience.
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Where Do We Go Now? Review by Erin V.
**1/2 (out of 4)
The Lebanese film Where Do We Go Now? seemingly came out of nowhere last September to win the TIFF People’s Choice Audience Award, beating out other films that went on to be nominated for – and in the case of The Artist win – Best Picture at the Oscars. But it was not because this was a better film – not by a long shot. In fact, I was surprised that after TIFF was said and done it had won the award.
The story of Where Do We Go Now? is simple. In a small Lebanese village where both Christians and Muslims live, there is ample fighting amongst the men, while the women desperately work together to try to quell tensions. Despite the seriousness, the film takes on a comedic tone throughout, and even has a few (kind of out of nowhere) musical numbers. It is a fine film, in that I did find it to be interesting and certainly didn’t mind watching it, but its far from great, and oftentimes feels uneven. Still, if you’re interested in foreign films, you might be curious to check this one out.
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Where Do We Go Now? Review by Nicole
*** (out of 4)
Winner of the TIFF 2011 People’s Choice Award, Where Do We Go Now? offers a unique look at some of the tension affecting both Christians and Muslims in the Middle East. In a small Lebanese village, both Roman Catholics and Muslims live next to each other. Unfortunately, the men fight over their religious differences, often resulting in death. So the Catholic and Muslim women hatch a plan. They invite a group of Ukrainian night club dancers to distract the men from fighting. But when a tragedy strikes, the women come up with an ingenious solution to the religious conflict.
Where Do We Go Now? is an interesting film. It has a few musical numbers, some comic relief and an important message about peace. The film is well acted and has very little violence. Instead of being depressing, it offers hope that one day, we’ll put our differences aside and just celebrate being human.
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Where Do We Go Now? Review by Maureen
*** (out of 4)
In September 2011, a unique little film from Lebanon surprised audiences by winning the TIFF People’s Choice Award. The film, Where Do We Go Now? uses music, comedy and drama to tell the story of Catholic and Muslim families living side by side in a fictional Lebanese village.
The women work side by side, as do the men until a misunderstanding occurs and the men decide violence is the only solution. Fortunately, the women think otherwise and do whatever they can to keep the peace. There is a lot of heart and humour in Where Do We Go Now? The characters are quirky yet believable and the musical numbers add a certain charm.
The overall result is a film that leads viewers to question the point of religious tensions between neighbours when we are all more similar than we are different. Those who appreciate foreign film and have an interest in the subject of Middle Eastern religious conflict may want to check out Where Do We Go Now? in theatres.
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Where Do We Go Now? Review by Tony
*** (out of 4)
Where Do We Go Now? is a slice of life in an isolated Lebanese village where, as in Lebanon at large for centuries despite recent sectarian clashes, Christians and Moslems have lived in general harmony, particularly the women. The men however, are not always as accommodating, and a prank sets off a chain reaction that threatens the peace. The local imam and priest do what they can to smooth things over, but ultimately it is the women who come up with a cunning scheme to disarm the situation, with the help of several Ukrainian entertainers.
Where Do We Go Now? is a good film with a charming story that affirms the obvious fact that regardless of background or surroundings we are all just folks trying to get along. The only feature that didn’t appeal much to me was the inclusion of several musical numbers, though I suppose as in South Asian films they are to be expected.
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Consensus: The surprise winner of the People’s Choice Award at TIFF, Where Do We Go Now? is an interesting film from Lebanon that overcomes some arguably needless musical numbers with a hopeful message about peace between religions. **3/4 (Out of 4)
DVD/Blu-ray Release: The Secret World of Arrietty
Today, Disney Home Entertainment released the animated film The Secret World of Arrietty on Blu-ray & DVD. Beautifully animated at Studio Ghibli in Japan, this is a quietly resonant and intricately detailed film that will stick with you long after the credits roll. We reviewed The Secret World of Arrietty when it opened in theatres on February 17th and all highly recommended the film. Our overall consensus was:
“With beautifully detailed animation and a heartfelt story, The Secret World of Arrietty is a quietly effective film from Studio Ghibli that comes highly recommended to those of all ages. ***1/2 (Out of 4)”
The Blu-ray includes the original Japanese storyboards and trailers as well as two different music videos. Also included is the original Japanese audio track.
The Secret World of Arrietty is 95 minutes and rated G.
-John C.
DVD/Blu-ray Release: Red Tails
Today, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing the World War II film Red Tails on Blu-ray & DVD. Produced by George Lucas, the film generally overcomes a clichéd script with enough well staged battle sequences to make it worth checking out in high definition. We reviewed Red Tails when it opened in theatres on January 20th, our overall consensus was:
“Although Red Tails has a script filled with clichés and is a little long at over two hours, Anthony Hemingway’s World War II film tells an interesting true story and features some impressive sequences of aerial battle. **1/2 (Out of 4)”
The Blu-ray comes loaded with several featurettes, including one on the real Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American combat unit to serve in WWII.
Red Tails is 125 minutes and rated PG.
-John C.
DVD Review: This Means War
This Means War – A 20th Century Fox Release
http://www.thismeanswarmovie.com
DVD Release Date: May 22nd, 2012
Rated 14A for violence, sexual content and some language
Running time: 96 minutes
McG (dir.)
Timothy Dowling (screenplay and story)
Simon Kinberg (screenplay)
Marcus Gautesen (story)
Christophe Beck (music)
Reese Witherspoon as Lauren
Chris Pine as FDR Foster
Tom Hardy as Tuck
Chelsea Handler as Trish
Our reviews below:
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This Means War DVD Review By John C.
*1/2 (out of 4)
Tuck (Tom Hardy) and FDR (Chris Pine) are best friends in the CIA who both catch the eye of the beautiful Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). But instead of one backing off and letting the other have her, they decide to fight each other and use their secret agent skills to stalk the poor girl who doesn’t seem to mind all of the unhealthy attention. Lauren just decides to take the advice of her obnoxiously shallow best friend (Chelsea Handler) and date both of the guys, before having sex with each of them to determine which one is better in the bedroom.
Directed with a frantic style by the aptly named McG, This Means War is a mash-up of a dumb action movie and a lame romantic comedy. The fact that main villain Heinrich (Til Schweiger) is never developed past a European stereotype just adds to the pointlessness of it all. The scenes of violent combat are clumsily constructed, disturbingly void of all real life repercussions, and the love triangle storyline is more creepy and annoying than it is romantic. Both sides never really feel like parts of the same whole. There are maybe one or two amusing moments between Tom Hardy and Chris Pine, and I’ve always liked Reese Witherspoon, but This Means War unfortunately fails to ignite.
The Blu-ray includes commentary with McG, a gag reel and bachelorette party feature, six deleted scenes as well as a couple of alternate endings.
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This Means War DVD Review By Erin V.
** (out of 4)
Agents FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy), are both best friends, fellow spies, and fall in love with the same girl. But when they find out that Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is the one they’ve both just had a first date with, they decide not to tell her that they know each other, and instead lay out some ground rules and ‘let the best man win.’ Then, in order to gain the upper hand, they both start searching for ‘intel’ on her, while she continues to carelessly lead the two of them on.
It’s not that the crazy premise never would have worked – but it would have required a delicate balance. What we get ends up being two guys stalking the same woman (with hidden cameras and the like), her not really caring when she eventually finds out, and a film that’s biggest fault isn’t even that. You could overlook that in a great movie, but this feels like a film that isn’t even sure of its genre. I’m all for genre bending and blending – done right. But when this film takes action turns (literally they just come on like commercial breaks), the fast-paced, high body count – although virtually bloodless – violence feels like a video game, and during the rom-com stuff, the connections between the guys and Lauren don’t seem strong enough that they would lose their own friendship over it.
Chris Pine and Tom Hardy do act very well together though, and are believable as two guys who practically grew up together. It would have been more fun to just see a better movie about these two guys in the CIA and leave the rest out. Either that, or lose the spy/stalking thing and just make it about two guys who are best friends and fall in love with the same girl. There were a few, (and only a few), genuinely funny moments, along with too much here that wasn’t meshed properly. It’s worth a rental if you’re curious or you like the actors, but in all reality, I found myself wishing they’d made a different film.
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This Means War DVD Review By Nicole
** (out of 4)
Sometimes a trailer looks better than the movie. This Means War is one of those cases. When Lauren (Reese Witherspoon), a lonely woman who wishes to land a date, her friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) suggests online dating. She winds up meeting single dad Tuck (Tom Hardy), but the same day she meets a bachelor named FDR (Chris Pine). Liking both of them, she decides to date them simultaneously. Little does she know that Tuck and FDR are not only cousins, but CIA agents as well. The two friends embark on a high tech stalking contest on who can gather the most information on Lauren in the creepiest way possible. Whoever is the best stalker gets the girl.
As well as being expert stalkers, the spying friends are embarking on some spy mission that we never find out about. Why is Heinrich (Til Schweiger) a bad guy and what is his evil plan? Not knowing what he is doing makes the action sequences and, quite frankly, the whole spy plot pointless. The bloodless yet high body count just adds to the fact that Tuck and FDR are nothing more than stereotypical good looking psychopaths. While Tom Hardy, Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon are all good, I would much rather have seen them in a good action comedy.
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This Means War DVD Review By Maureen
** (out of 4)
The basic premise of This Means War sounds like a lot of romantic fun. What’s not to like about two good looking guys vying for the affections of the same pretty woman? Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is a single woman working as a product tester. Encouraged by her married friend Trish (Chelsea Handler), Lauren signs up with an online dating site. The first guy she meets is a good looking British “travel agent” and single father named Tuck (Tom Hardy). The pair hit it off, but that same day Lauren runs into another good looking and equally charming guy, FDR (Chris Pine) at a DVD rental store. Faced with the appealing option of getting to know both men better Lauren, again with encouragement from best friend Trish, decides to juggle dating two guys at the same time. What Lauren doesn’t realize is that Tuck and FDR are best friends and CIA agents.
What lost me in This Means War is the lengths to which Tuck and FDR go to competing for Lauren. For these two guys, this is war. Each in turn they use expensive high-tech spyware to gather information on Lauren, watch her every move and interfere with each other’s date time. If these guys weren’t CIA agents, their behaviour would be called old fashioned stalking. It’s all a little too creepy for my liking. All while the spying and wooing is going on, the CIA agents still have to take down an Eastern European bad guy (Til Schweiger). The violence, though bloodless, seems a little excessive in what’s supposed to be a romantic comedy.
The main appeal of This Means War is the likability of the three lead actors. If only they had been put together in a different movie. Still, this is worth a rental for fans of the leads.
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This Means War DVD Review By Tony
*1/2 (out of 4)
This Means War is a love triangle where the two suitors for the fair Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) happen to be spy partners Tuck (Tom Hardy) and FDR (Chris Pine). Their opening scene in a Hong Kong casino leaves a number of bodies behind including one of the two brothers targeted. The survivor Heinrich (Til Schweiger) escapes to exact his revenge at the end.
We then see Tuck back home as the non-custodial parent of ten year old Joe (John Paul Ruttan), encouraged by the playboy FDR to try hooking up online. Herself on the rebound, Lauren has a provocative profile placed on the same dating site by her vulgar bff Trish (Chelsea Handler). With FDR close by as backup,Tuck and Lauren share a tentative but encouraging first encounter, but just after leaving Tuck, Lauren happens to run into FDR who manages to also arrange a followup meeting. Back at work realizing they are after the same woman, Tuck and FDR agree to a friendly competition, while Lauren strings them both along unaware of their mutual acquaintance.
With attractive lead characters and a happy ending, this could have been a nice romantic comedy, like How Do You Know, which also had Witherspoon at the apex of a triangle, but the espionage keeps getting in the way. The brief action scenes move too quickly and despite the high casualty rate are as bloodless as a kid’s video game. However, what is really disturbing is the overall sense of voyeurism as both agents spare no expense using all the resources of The Company to monitor every action and conversation, however intimate, of their quarry while sabotaging each other’s efforts to go too far with her. As a result, This Means War is just too creepy for its own good.
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Consensus: Despite the likability of actors Chris Pine, Tom Hardy and Reese Witherspoon, This Means War is sometimes more creepy than appealing as it awkwardly mixes a stale romantic comedy with a poorly staged action film. *3/4 (Out of 4)
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