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SLAPSTICON 2010 TO UNVEIL LOST AND FORMERLY UNKNOWN CHAPLIN FILM

Dev Shapiro
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SLAPSTICON 2010 TO UNVEIL LOST AND FORMERLY UNKNOWN CHAPLIN FILM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SLAPSTICON 2010 TO UNVEIL LOST AND FORMERLY UNKNOWN CHAPLIN FILM

In past years, the International Film Festival Slapsticon has prided itself on recovering and presenting lost comedy treasures, even discovering previously undocumented films featuring the Great Clowns of early cinema, rewriting film history books and filmographies. This year, at SLAPSTICON 2010, motion picture historians will be updating the filmography of the Greatest Comic of All, Charles Chaplin, as SLAPSTICON presents for the first time since it’s original release, Chaplin’s 36th Keystone short subject, a heretofore unknown appearance Chaplin made at Mack Sennett’s legendary Fun Factory in the same year and at the same studio in which he made his film debut.

Chaplin had recalled in his own autobiography that apart from his starring role Keystone Comedies, he had also played bit parts as a Keystone Kop in several pictures. Despite this information, the titles of these works remained elusive for over 90 years and no film prints have surfaced — until now. SLAPSTICON 2010 proudly presents one of those previously thought lost Keystone comedies, A THIEF CATCHER, released by the Mutual Film Corporation on February 19, 1914. The short stars Ford Sterling, Mack Swain, Edgar Kennedy, and features Chaplin making an extended and very funny cameo as a policeman. The film was shot January 5th through January 26th, 1914, making it perhaps the second or third film Chaplin made at Keystone. The short was released following Chaplin’s third starring Keystone comedy MABELS STRANGE PREDICAMENT. Its importance as an early Chaplin appearance cannot be underestimated, and definitely adds another interesting chapter to Chaplin’s early film career.

The print of A THIEF CATCHER was discovered earlier this year by Film Historian / Preservationist Paul E. Gierucki, current head of restorations for CineMuseum LLC, and one of the”Godfathers” of a group of Comedy Film Historians known as the “Silent Comedy Mafia” who help to organize the yearly Slapsticon festivals.

A THIEF CATCHER will be part of a Chaplin Rarities Program at SLAPSTICON 2010 showing Saturday Evening, July 17th at 8:00 pm at the Spectrum Theater in Rosslyn, Va. Also featured in the Rarities program will be a newly recovered reel of Chaplin Outtakes from his Mutual Comedies, and a sparkling print of Chaplin’s Liberty War Loan propaganda short, THE BOND (1918) featuring outtakes from that film. These remarkable comedies are just a few of the rare treasures that will be screened in the four days of SLAPSTICON 2010, which runs Thursday through Sunday, July 15-18th at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater in Arlington, VA. For more information, a complete program schedule, registration and hotel information, go to www.slapsticon.org.

Source: http://www.slapsticon.org/chaplinpressrelease2.doc

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE – A Review by John Strange
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci, Toby Kebbell
MPAA Rating: PG (for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language)
Selig Rating: Full Price
Runtime: 151 Min.
One thousand years ago, Merlin (James A. Stephens) and Morgana (Alice Krige) fought a horrible battle. Merlin is mortally wounded in the battle. Only when one of his three apprentices, Veronica (Monica Bellucci), sacrificed her own life to trap Morgana is Merlin able to trap her in a special container. Of the other two, Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) is entrusted to find the “Prime Merlinian”, the only sorcerer who will be able to defeat Morgana and end this once and for all. 
What of the third apprentice? That is Horvath (Alfred Molina), who has switched sides to fight for Morgana. Eventually he is added to the people trapped in a layer of the trap. Spelled never to die as long as he is searching, he travels the world to find this Prime Merlinian.
Jump to 10 years ago. A class of ten-year-olds is on a filed trip to the city. One of them, Dave (Jake Cherry), is a dreamer and very talented. Chasing down a piece of paper that will tell him whether the girl he loves wants to be his friend or girlfriend, he stumbles into a shop where he meets Balthazar. Based on a hunch he try’s Merlin’s ring, the only way to find out if someone is the one. The ring reacts for the first time in all of those years. Telling Dave to not move or touch anything, he races off to get something.
Dave is an awkward young man and unfortunately, the outer layer of the trap is breached. Horvath escapes. He and Balthazar fight only to be trapped on a special jar for ten years.  Traumatized, Dave races out of the building to escape the fire started during the fight. He is holding the trap and he drops it His whole class is outside. The teacher opens to door to find, everything looks OK.
Jump to present day, Dave (Jay Baruchel) is in college studying physics. Dave’s love interest, Becky (Teresa Palmer) is attending the same school.  Balthazar and Horvath are released from the jar that trapped them. Thus begins a film whose only homage to the animated original of the same name is a cleaning scene similar to the one drawn for Mickey Mouse. This film is an excellent story which stands on its own. 
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE gives you lots of action, and special effects with Nicolas Cage doing his normal (excellent) job of humor and action. Throw in the acting skills of this very good cast, awesome CGI and special effects, and some very good stunt gags that looked amazing and you receive a tight package that will delight the kids and enthrall the parents. I had a great time watching this film and think you will as well.
Movie Site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/sorcerersapprentice/#home

PREDATORS – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray
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PREDATORS – A Review by Gary Murray

PREDATORS

By Gary Murray

Starring Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga and Laurence Fishburne

Written by Alex Litvak and Michael Finch

Directed by Nimrod Antal

Running time 1 hr 46 min

MPAA Rating R

Selig Rating Matinee

 

 

The Predator series has been one of the most inconsistently successful series of films put on the silver screen. The original 1987 flick was a war/rescue film with a wicked left turn that generated many cheerleaders from the blooming fan-boy community. With its mix of action and sci-fi overtures, it was just the kind of film that drew in the crowds. While some of the sequels have been more successful than others, the battle between the Alien and Predator became wish fulfillment for fans of both series. Now Austin director Robert Rodriguez steps behind the producer chair and has decided to put his spin on the tale with Predators.

The film literally falls from the sky with the opening shot of a newly awake Royce (Adrien Brody) tumbling toward the ground, trying to get his parachute to open. A last minute pop and he’s on firm soil. Almost instantly he is attacked by a frightened Hispanic guy (Danny Trejo), also from a parachute. After the scuffle, the two are attacked by gunfire from a Russian made weapon and another person caught in the growth. This attracts Isabelle (Alice Braga) a jungle fighter. Finally, the group of eight is assembled. They include a man on death row, a Japanese gangster and a befuddled doctor Edwin (Topher Grace).

It soon become obvious to all that they are not along on this hunk of land. As they make their way to higher ground, the group notices things around them make no sense, like how the sun never sets and there is no magnetic North. Finally in a clearing, the group sees the sky and it is filled with other planets. They are definitely not in Kansas anymore.

As they decide their next move, this ragtag bunch are attacked by a group of beasts that are a cross between dogs and hedgehogs. In an exciting set piece, director Nimrod Antal establishes the bravery aspects of some of individuals and gives a giant chase scene. These beast are like nothing anyone on Earth has ever seen before. Brody basically tells the others that they are all on some kind of intergalactic game preserve, being hunted by some cloaked and unseen force—our Predators.

The film is a battle between two groups with the humans trying to find a ship in order to leave and the Predators given some interesting ‘game’ to hunt. Laurence Fishburne plays Noland, a survivor of the hunt who is playing the game of survival while going insane. The film is just a ‘who is going to be the next to die’ moment after moment until we get to the final battle and the big reveal..

This film is a very mixed bag of a motion picture. Some of the visuals are just stunning, with explosions that jump off the screen and falls into water that capture the intensity of the experience. A few moments are breathtaking. At the same time, many aspects and details make no sense. They are supposed to be on an alien world, but it looks an awful like the back woods of the Hill country, with normal looking trees and rock formations that could be from any temperate zone of the Earth. Our good doctor notices a plant that becomes a plot point and no one wonders how an alien world can produce an Earth plant. More than once the visual elements feel forced and some of the shot selections do no justice to telling the tale. There is a battle between a Predator and a samurai sword opponent that is framed in an unusual manner.

The problem with the film is that once you begin to discuss different details, the more it makes no sense. While watching, one tends to go along with the filmmakers in the willing suspension of disbelief but afterward there is little logic and even less coherence.

Adrien Brody is one heck of an actor but he makes a questionable action hero. While is acts the part, he seldom looks the part. He just doesn’t come off as a macho man, even when shirtless. Laurence Fishburne is lost in a role that somehow just doesn’t fit the mood of all the scenes preceding his entrance it our little drama. His crazy train seems to be from another set of tracks.

Danny Trejo makes the most of his small part and Alice Braga keeps an even keel in this boys club of a flick. Topher Grace is just miscast in what turns out to be the largest arc of character development in the film.

Predators is a popcorn chewing bit of summer fun, never meant to change anything or give any one a reflection on the human condition. It does what it set out to do, entertain a summer crowd. It is so set up for a sequel

DESPICABLE ME – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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DESPICABLE ME – A Review by John Strange
DESPICABLE ME
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
Starring the Voice Talents of: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride
MPAA Rating: PG (for rude humor and mild action)
Selig Rating: Full Price
Runtime: 95 Min
Animation in 3-D is almost becoming old hat but good stories will never die. DESPICABLE ME is a nice story about a bad man who despite his best efforts finds love in the hearts of three sweet little girls.  The fact is, the 3-D actually enhances the story and gives it an extra quality, a “depth” if you can handle the pun.
Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) is determined to be the best criminal in the world. When it discovered someone else has stolen to Great Pyramid from Egypt, he realizes it is time to attempt the greatest theft ever! He is going to steal… THE MOON!
All he needs is a shrink ray and the money to pay for building the rocket ship he needs. At the Bank of Evil (make sure you take a look at what it says at the bottom of the sign), he hits his first roadblock, Mr. Perkins (Will Arnett). Gru has to get his hands on the shrink ray before he has any shot at getting the money he needs. Enter Vector (Jason Segal), the thief who has the pyramid. He is told by Perkins to get the ray before Gru can. 
Wow, so far it’s all bad guys, now we have the good guys entering into the story, pulling a little wagon full of cookies. Cookies they have to sell to keep Miss Hattie (Kristen Wiig), the administrator at the orphanage happy. Gru adopts the three little girls, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Agnes).
The interactions between a headstrong oldest girl and the sweet adoration of the youngest with the despicable Gru are a wonderful sight to see. Gru’s little yellow henchmen are a scream and his scientist/partner Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) is the perfect counter point in his wheelchair.
This story is a good watch for the kids and the parents as well. I had a lot of fun watching this film! You and your kids will have a great time watching this one! My favorite 3-D moment I have to admit was not actually during the movie but during the credits. Don’t really know why but the henchmen are stretching a ladder out toward us. The man in the row gets up to lead his three kids out of the theater. The ladder appeared to sit on his shoulder. Very cool!
Movie Site: www.despicable.me

DESPICABLE ME – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray
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DESPICABLE ME

By Gary Murray

Starring the voice talents of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig and Julie Andrews

Written by Ken Daurio

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud

Running time 95 min

MPAA Rating PG

Selig Rating: FULL PRICE

Summer is not the best time for film critics. The season is peppered with sequels, action flicks, high concept romantic comedies and all the other fair designed to take away cash from bored teens. It is a time when studios give up trying to attract the adults and go for the out-of-school kids. The studios shoot for the back wall, trying to make a $100 million homer with every franchise release.

Every once in a while though, something slips through the wreckage that appeals to the masses but contains more, a film that truly deserves to be crowned a blockbuster. Such is a motion picture like Despicable Me , a film that just oozes creativity and fun.

The story of Despicable Me is of Gru, an evil genius who may be past his prime. His last two capers have been to steal the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower (both from the Las Vegas attractions). His major competition in villainy is Vector (Jason Segel) who has recently stolen the Great Pyramid of Giza. Gru has a dream to put him back on top. His plan is to steal the moon. First he must steal a government shrink ray in order to get the moon down to a manageable size.

During the attempt to get the weapon, Vector upstages him and captures the recently stolen ray gun. Gru tries to get into the lair of his nemesis but he is thwarted by the stellar security system which includes a very toothy shark. Then he notices that a trio of girl orphans gain easy access to Vector’s compound by selling cookies. Gru hatches an evil plan, to adopt the kids and let them get inside so he can get the weapon back into his clammy hands.

Into his life comes Margo, Edith and Agnes. The girls are happy to be adopted, wanting a loving family. Soon they realize that Gru is not the loving dentist that his resume made him out to be. It is Gru finding out that he has a heart and a capacity to love that drive the story of Despicable Me.

First off, the look of Despicable Me is a visual feast, from the outlandish ships to the futuristic cars. The artwork reminded me of some of the line drawings of cartoonist Sam Hurt and his Eye Beam creations. The computer generated images have grown by leaps and bounds in the years since early Pixar. The makers of this film have crafted true emotions out of computer characters, giving life and depth to a bunch of 1’s and 0’s. There are a ton of details that generate laughs from the panda bear rug to the evil bank formerly knows as Lehman Brothers. Gru has a giant group of minions, little pill-like creatures with large eyes and nothing arms. They deliver many comic touches in a very slapstick fashion, reminding one of Keystone Cops.

Carell has given the world a giant group of characters, all memorable in their comedy but with a heart behind each one. Here he takes the basic ‘evil scientist’ motif and gives him a glowingly black heart. Gru finds something that he never knew that existed in his world, feelings. He is given the biggest share of laughs and makes the most of this interesting role. Jason Segel does go digital toe to toe with Carell, finding the perfect moments to upstage the actor. It is a joy when these two are battling on the screen.

Russel Brand didn’t do much with his character of Dr. Nefario, the evil genius behind the evil genius. The reading is nothing more than your basic voice over without any depth of character. The same goes for Julie Andrews, a great performer who is given little to do other than be stunt casting.

While both the comics Will Arnett and Kristen Wiig have unique voices, they are not given that many funny moments to shine in Despicable Me. The trio of voices that are the orphans find the right mixture of heart and humor in secondary roles that shine

Dreamgirls – A Stage Review by John Strange

John Strange
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Dreamgirls
Dallas Summer Musicals
By: John Strange
There are millions out there who know the full story of “Dreamgirls”. I have to admit I was not one of them. Due to one thing or another I have never gotten around to seeing the film. I only knew it revolved around a girl group and their dream of fame and fortune in the 1960’s who travel from Chicago to New York City to enter a talent show at the world famous Apollo Theater. We have smarmy promoters and egotistical male singers with a strong story wrapping their individual tales into a central theme that is an amazing story of pain and work leading to success and happiness.
Music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy-Award winner Tom Eyen are wrapped around a minimalist set utilizing panels of LED’s that actually enhance the visual thrill that is live theater. I was very impressed by the skill used to integrate these panels with the few set pieces. They simulate the Apollo Theater, various theaters around the world and even to show the group traveling.
I wish the sound system had lived up to the set. The spoken word was reasonably clear but the lyrics in the songs were so blurred by the music that I could barely discern what those words were. And not knowing the full story made it even worse. I had to strain to make out the words and lost much of the pleasure I had expected to have. I asked a fellow reviewer at Intermission and was told that even in the rows closer to stage the words were fuzzy.
If the technical crews are able to correct this problem I would say that this is an excellent show to see. I will update this review once I have a chance to talk to them about the problem.   
Directed and Choreographed by: Robert Longbottom
Starring:Moya Angela, Syesha Mercado, Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Chester Gregory, Adrienne Warren, Trevon Davis
Dallas Show Dates and Times:
    July 4th – July 16th
        Tues-Sat: 8pm
        Matinees:
            Sat-Sun: 2pm (plus Thurs, July 15th)
Run Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, 1 Intermission
Appropriateness Rating: “PG-13. Some language and subject matter”
 

CYRUS – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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CYRUS – A Review by John Strange
CYRUS
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Written and directed by: Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass
Starring: John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener
MPAA Rating: Rated R (for language and some sexual material)
Selig Rating: Full Price
Runtime: 92 Min.
John (John C. Reilly) is in a deep depression. His wife left him (a YEAR AGO) and he has not gotten over it. He does his job and sits in his apartment eating pizza and stewing upon his problems. Along comes his ex-wife, Jamie (Catherine Keener), to make him go out with her and her fiancé, Tim (Matt Walsh) to a nice party. Over his huge objections, John goes.
Convinced to at least TRY to meet another woman, John agrees to give it a go. Man, I have heard lame but this guy sinks down to a level that is truly… desperate. Convinced that drinking will help he does it with a vengeance. His lines get even worse! Kudos to Jay and Mark, his lines actually get worse!
What finally works? John is caught taking a whiz into the shrubbery. The lady who witnesses the action takes it very cool and gives John a great comeback line (Nope, not telling you and spoiling it!). Molly (Marisa Tomei), is sexy and smart in an understated way. Normally I would say she is WAY out of John’s league but in this case there is a hint of “been there/done that” to her that fills the chinks and crevices between them almost too perfectly. What is wrong here? What is she hiding?
The “what” is eventually discovered by John (after he follows her home one night from his house); Cyrus (Jonah Hill), is her step-son, and roommate. I say roommate because he is a young man in his twenties. He is a young man who, at first glance is possibly autistic or living with some other mental problem. Soon the couple begins spending more time at her place than his so the frequency of sex is, uh, reduced (read as stopped dead in it’s tracks). After all, Molly feels odd doing it in a house where doors are normally not closed.
We watch as the relationship between John and Molly blossoms and the relationship between John and Cyrus becomes… defined. Not good, not necessarily bad, but decidedly odd. Does Cyrus REALLY not like John or is it his imagination? Several events leave you wondering. And just what the heck is going on between Molly and Cyrus? Does he truly he look at her as a mother or something else?
This is a truly well-made black comedy written and directed by the Duplass brothers and shot in a style somewhat reminiscent of a documentary style. Jay Duplass was on hand for the screening I attended and was asked why they chose John C. Reilly for John’s character. He said that wrote it with and for John. I agree that he was perfect for the role. So was the choice of Marisa Tomei. Her beauty and brains as well as acting talent were perfect match to the two male leads.
If you enjoy dark comedies this is well worth the watch!
Movie Site: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/cyrus/
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!

TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: David Slade
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality)
Selig Rating: Dollar Movie
Runtime: 124 Min.
In 2008, TWILIGHT brought you the characters, the story and the drama of girl finding out the young man she has fallen in love with is, in fact, a vampire. Bella Swann (Kristen Stewart) finds love with vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) after she moves to Forks, Alaska to live with her father, Police Chief Charlie Swan (Billy Burke).
In 2009, they came back with THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON, adding a new level of complexity as Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), comes more into the mix and we have lots more beefcake for the girls and enough action to keep their dates happy.
Now, we have TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, Bella Swann is in love with Edward Cullen and Jacob Black has to try and come to terms with that. Something is happening in Seattle. Someone is building an army of new vampires. And that someone is showing they have their eye on Bella and the Cullens. 
This is a chick flick with lots of beefcake. The female leads are just strong enough to keep the males in the audience happy between action sequences. Don’t get me wrong, female lead and the other females in the cast are good actresses. But for the males in the audience I have to believe the action sequences with their amazing CGI wolves outweigh the drab, limited views of the actresses. It really is designed to work as a 3-D movie. I saw it in 2-D and it still worked though not with the awe-inspiring views I am sure were there in the other version.

I decided upon the Selig rating based on the feeling I had when the film was over.  I had a distinct feeling of disappointment.  It really went no where and seemed to only be a vehicle for beefcake and CGI action. The young girls are going to love it and everyone else will leave feeling like I did that nothing really happened.

Movie Site: http://www.eclipsethemovie.com/
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray
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THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE – A Review by Gary Murray

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

By Gary Murray

Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner

Directed by David Slade

Written by Melissa Rosenberg

Based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer

Running time 126 min

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Selig Rating: Cable

In full honesty, I hated the first Twilight film. I found a vegetarian vampire to be stupid. Edward was a drippy dope and Bella a whiny little Goth princess. The vampires were wimpy and the big action scene was a baseball game. I want my bloodsuckers full of hate and venom, ripping out jugulars in a gory orgy of violence. The second film was much better. The addition of Jacob and the werewolves gave some much needed conflict and action. All the elements are back in the third part of the series The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

The movie opens on a dark and stormy night. A young man is wandering around the docks and is attacked by some unseen force. It ends with him in agony, screaming to the heavens.

Then we get to our main characters. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are lying in a flower filled meadow. She reads poetry and they are very much in platonic love. Bella is to be turned once she graduates and Edward doesn’t want to perform the deed. He knows exactly how much pain being undead will reek on her life, him wanting to spare her any discomfort. There is still a very uneasy truce between the vampire clan and the werewolf clan, both staying on their side of the forest. Jacob (Taylor Lautner) still pines away for Bella and resents Edward. Jacob believes that Bella is under a spell and she has no free will to make the right choice, the choice being him.

Into the mix of the love triangle is a series of murders in Seattle. Known only to the vampire Cullen clan, an army of young bloods—new vampires—is being created in the city. No one knows the how or the why for sure but it all seems to come back to a revenge plot by vampire Victoria against Edward. In a previous flick, Edward killed James who was Victoria’s mate. Now, the vampires and the werewolves must ban together in a super pack to protect Bella from the horde of bloodsuckers. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is of how Bella is protected by Edward and Jacob, two very different men who both love the lovely lass.

The three leads are becoming comfortable with their roles. It has taken some time, but they all finally look comfortable saying the corny dialogue. The scene were all three have to share a tent gets some much needed comic relief and comfort between the principles. The enemy of my enemy is my friend may be a mantra, but the two Alpha males still keep a bitter wall between them.

The choice that Bella has to make is an interesting one and it is not as simple as vampire or werewolf. The choice is about the inevitable outcome of her life. If she chooses to be with Edward, it is a cold existence of death. She will eventually see everyone that she has known or loved die. She will also have to leave the world of the living and live in a world of vampires, a never aging existence. As we see through a series of flashbacks with other characters, it is not the perfect way to roam the planet. If she goes the Jacob route, she will grow old and die maybe missing out on the love of a lifetime. Ah, teen angst does have its charms.

What the film truly needed was more action. It starts out strong and spooky then turns maudlin. The film would have been better served with more fights and less gooey eyed stares. We did learn two valuable lessons in dealing with young bloods—never let young bloods wrap their arms around you and never go for the easy kill. The last big battle set piece works on every level, it just takes too long to get there.

The element that was the most surprising was the morality of Edward. We find out for sure that the two leads are as pure as the snow tops of the mountains they hide out in. In a real world of wanton pleasure that happens at the stroke of a computer keyboard, it was refreshing to see some old fashioned morality, initiated by the male.

The Twilight films are not made for me, a middle-aged white guy. These films are made for the females, both young and old. It has dreamy guys that love a fairly plain girl. There is almost enough action to keep the males interested, those poor saps who are dragged along to see the flick. The other problem with the film is that it doesn’t hold up as a separate entity. One really has to have seen both of the other episodes in order to understand this third time out. Without knowing all that has happened before, one would be lost.

These flicks are critic proof. No matter what I say, the kids will flock down to the multiplex to get the latest installment of their soap opera. It is a soap opera in the same vein as Dark Shadows four decades ago. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is going to make a load of cash, no matter what any other person says. While not a bad bit of entertainment, it just doesn’t hold up on its own.

THE LAST AIR BENDER – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray
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THE LAST AIR BENDER – A Review by Gary Murray

THE LAST AIR BENDER

By: Gary Murray

Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Nocola Peltz, Noah Ringer and Aasif Mandvi

Written and directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Running time: 106 min

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Selig Rating: Cable

Let me start out by saying that I am a fan of one M. Night film. That’s too bad because he has made so many films. The Sixth Sense was a brilliant piece of work on the lines of the best of Hitchcock. Unfortunately ever other flick he has been on helm have not been as good. The last one about the killer trees was my pick as the worst film of the year. So, I had very little hope walking into The Last Airbender, based on the Nickelodeon series.

Set in a time long ago in far away lands, the story is of four nations that are the four elements—Air, Water, Earth and Fire. These groups have always had an uneasy alliance, with wars being wages for years. Of the four, it seems that Fire has the most power, ruling the seas with giant war ships which is a cool visual.

Each of these tribes have individuals who are born with magical powers and are called Benders. As the work opens we see Katara (Nicola Pelts) practicing her Water Bender skills by forming giant water globes into the air and tossing them to and fro. The world of the Water Benders is an Arctic wasteland with the people struggling to get enough food.

Katara and her brother Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) see something in the ice and try to free it. Busting through the ice and show is Aang (Noah Ringer) and his flying beast. The two Water siblings believe that Aang is the last Air Bender, a group of monks who had a losing battle with the Fire Nation one hundred years ago. There is a myth of the Last Air Bender being an Avatar, able to command all the other elements and bring the four tribes into a whole people.

Aang thinks that he has been under the ice for a few days and insists on going back to the Air Bender temple. There he learns the dreadful truth of his people. He realizes that he must be the Avatar but has never been trained in commanding the other elements. He decides that he must visit the other elements homelands in order to complete his training.

On the other side of the plot, the ousted and disgraced son of the Fire Lord is searching for the Avatar. He needs to capture the last Air Bender in order to win favor back with his father. Our young prince will do anything and everything to become a hero for his people. Commander Zhao (Aasif Mandvi) has his own agenda for finding the Avatar, cementing his place in the good graces of the Fire Lord.

So as soon as we can say road trip, Katara, Sokka and Aang are ‘off to see the wizard’ by going to the other side of the world and the other Water world, a arctic fortress that protects magical fish. At the same time, the Fire world warriors have figured out where Aang is heading and begin to capture the Water fortress. All of these elements build to a giant fight between the Air Benders and the Fire Benders.

There are so many problems with The Last Air Benders all of it falling directly on the head of the director, producer and writer M. Night. He somehow mistakes complicated for confusing with his screenplay. The entire look of the film reminds one of a Ray Harryhausen flick but not in a good way. The 3D is just flat, forced the way it was in Clash of the Titans remake from earlier this year. This newest generation of 3D imaging is making a ton of money but it just doesn’t work as well with live action as it does with animated films.

At the same time, some of the elements of the film are just stunning. The beast that Aang rides is an amazing cross between the creature from The Never-ending Story and the monsters from Where the Wild Things Are. Some of the action sequences to impress, with giant fire balls and water balls flailing through the air in CGI explosive visuals. Other times, the action is slowed down to a crawl, making the action drag across the silver screen.

The acting of the young cast is very inconsistent, with some child performers shining against some very amateurish reading of roles. The good performers are brought down by others who can’t act their way out of gunny sack.

The opening slate reads Book I: Water. One must assume that the executive producers are planning more installments of the franchise. I think that The Last Air Bender is going to be like The Golden Compass a series that doesn’t make it past the first episode.

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