The books are gently charming, and manage to map out a detailed world across five slight volumes. As a fan of goblins, and of grotesque and funny fantasy creatures in general, Tony DiTerlizzi's fine illustrations really appeal to me. I would love to draw like him, but suddenly becoming interested in illustrating at 25 leaves you with a lot of room for improvement, so it's pretty damn hard. Somewhat tangentially, if you also like goblins (I'm not like in love with them), you should check out Brian Froud, who designed the creatures for David Bowie Codpiece Classic Labyrinth. Why? Because he is awesome.

The movie compresses all five books into one inedible mess. It seems to plunder most from books 1 and 5, happily ignoring the others, so it's all a bit rushed, leaving you with little time to be absorbed into the world or anything. This is a massive bloody shame, as it's such a good world and I wouldn't mind being absorbed in it for a bit. Peter Pan Boy does a really annoying Bwonx accent (as twins, so twice!). The subtle Daddy Issues Jared has in the books are chemically stripped of all subtlety, so you get him literally shouting "I want to live with Dad!", even though he's in a magical awesome house and fantasy creatures are real. The idiot.

The games have beautiful music, and this is probably why I enjoyed them. I can't really get into a game unless I'm listening to its soundtrack. Bad soundtracks ruin everything for me. I lose interest quickly, and inevitably turn the volume down, before realising how bored I am at silently shifting pixels around and aborting the endeavour altogether. Spiderwick DS manages to keep itself alive by capturing the spirit of autumn perfectly. Mournful and evocative, in-keeping with the degraded state of the Spiderwick mansion, and of the spiky, vicious wilderness around it. It truly is a joy to behold (in your ears).

In a welcome change to the usual glut of licensed platformers, the DS version is a turn-based RPG. Battles are surprisingly difficult (there's no Final Fantasy-style coasting by on Attack, Attack, Attack, Attack, Potion, Attack here); you regularly run out of healing items and frequently fall over and die. Which is a bit of a funny approach to a kids game. Which is a pretty stupid statement, because children are usually better at videogames than growned-ups (I'm not talking about toddlers, obviously).

You get to explore a beautifully-drawn world, which is much nicer to look at than the copy-the-movie-version aesthetic of the console versions. Events from the film are expanded, with added charm and less bwonx (thankfully, no lines are spoken). It's a not a BREAKNECK ROLLERCOASTER OF FANTASY ACTION, it's a sedate trip through a sad fantasy land, broken only occasionally by the game's punishing hardness, and the fact that you will often have no idea where to go.

The PS2 version features a whole one dimension more than its DS counterpart, which is technology sensibly applied. Everyone who loves the series wants to go running around the house and its environs, and the game lets you do that (in 3D!).

This is why the Harry Potter games are so popular. They're pretty rubbish as games, of course: they aren't innovative or even well-constructed, or fun on any level other than a fannish one; but, crucially, they let you run around Hogwarts.

The fourth game innovated too much - it dabbled in co-op, and had a neat spellcasting system, but you couldn't run around Hogwarts. You had to select a level (what is this, 1996?), then you were suddenly dumped there, and you had to do all the objectives, and fight all the same monsters, again. The primary purpose of a licensed (fantasy) game should be to let you inhabit the world. Anything else is merely a side dish (or plate of chips, if you will).

(You do need to eat chips though, despite what Jamie Oliver says. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix forgot this. It had a gorgeous, massive, interactive world. It had physics and spellcasting and shit. But, erm, there was fuck all to do, so it was boring.)

Sauntering back to the point for a moment, Spiderwick on PS2 is great because it absolutely nails the world. I like running around the autumn environment, exploring nooks and crannies and hitting things to get the loot inside. I've played this same game many, many times before - but this time it has a Spiderwick skin on it, and that makes all the difference.

(images from IGN, obviously)

Η ιστορία έχει όλα τα χαρακτηριστικά αντίστοιχων αμερικάνικων ταινιών. Μία οικογένεια που βρίσκεται υπό διάλυση, ένας γονιός (συνήθης ύποπτος ο μπαμπάς) που παραμελεί τα παιδιά, ένα μεγάλο μυστικό που η αποκάλυψή του θα μας βάλει σε περιπέτειες και ένα τέλος όπου φυσικά θριαμβεύει η οικογένεια. Επίσης ένας κόσμος από ολοζώντανα πλάσματα της αγγλο-σαξωνικής φαντασίας και πολύ δράση. Πολύ δράση. Αν λοιπόν δεν είσαι στην δικιά μου διάθεση παλιμπαιδισμού απέφυγε την ταινία. Θα βαρεθείς από το πρώτο λεπτό. Αν όμως θέλεις λίγη καθαρόαιμη περιπέτεια τότε καλωσήρθες σε ένα κόσμο που θα ερωτευτείς. Όπως καταλαβαίνεις εμπορικά το εργάκι έσκισε.

Όμως, εκτός από τις τεχνικές της αρετές και την υπερδραστήρια εξέλιξη της πλοκής, η ταινία δεν έχει να προσφέρει τίποτα άλλο. Θέαμα κονσέρβα για προκάτ διασκέδαση. Λυπάμαι τα παιδιά που δολοφονούν τη φαντασία τους με τέτοιες κοινοτυπίες.

The Forbidden Kingdom: 7/10
Genre:
- Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Romance
Cast:
- Jackie Chan & Jet Li
IMBD rating:
- 7.0/10

Pistol Whipped: 6/10
Genre:
- Action
Cast:
- Steven Segal, Lance Henriksen
IMBD rating:
- 5.8/10

The Spiderwick Chronicles: 7/10
Genre:
- Adventure | Family | Fantasy
IMDB rating:
- 6.9/10

Never Back Down: 9/10
Genre:
- Action | Drama | Sport
Cast:
- Djimon Hounsou, Amber Heard
IMDB rating:
- 6.0/10

Superhero Movie: 5/10
Genre:
- Action | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Cast:
- Sara Paxton, Leslie Nielsen, Christopher McDonald, Robert Joy, Pamela Anderson
IMDB rating:
- 4.2/10

Stargate: Continuum: 8/10
Genre:
- Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Cast:
- Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, Richard Dean Anderson
IMBD rating:
- 7.4/10

21: 6/10
Genre:
- Drama
Cast:
- Kevin Spacey
IMDB rating:
- 6.8/10

Forgetting Sarah Marshall: 7/10
Genre:
- Comedy | Drama
Cast:
- Kristen Bell
IMDB rating:
- 7.6/10

What Happens In Vegas: 10/10
Genre:
- Comedy | Romance
Cast:
- Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah
IMDB rating:
- 5.8/10

Iron Man: 9/10
Genre:
- Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Cast:
- Terrence Howard, Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow
IMDB rating:
- 8.1/10

The Scorpion King 2: Rise Of A Warrior: 6/10
Genre:
- Action
IMDB rating:
- 3.8/10

I've just finished watching this movie! And it wasn't as bad as what I thought before. It managed to keep me entertained throughout the entire story line (wont fall asleep kind)! But the way they used to kill the monsters is really weird and not so magically like tomato and salt :/

I want to watch more movies :D

 I would prefer watching movie than drama mostly because drama tends to get way to draggy.

.

.

Finally, monday is the releasing of my first semester's results!! That Hillary, don't get too excited!

Howl is a forthcoming film based on Allen Ginsberg, and particularly on the 1957 obscenity trial surrounding his eponymous signature poem which I've never read. It will mark the fiction directing debut for documentarian duo Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet).

James Franco (Pineapple Express) will star as Ginsberg alongside Paul Rudd (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Alan Alda (The Aviator), Mary-Louise Parker (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Jeff Daniels (Traitor) and David Srathairn (The Spiderwick Chronicles).

Interestingly another, unrelated werewolf movie entitled Howl will also be released next year. Which are you most looking forward to?

Source

År: 2008
Genre: Drama, Äventyr, Fantasy
Skådisar: Sarah Bolger, Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker

Handling: Tvillingbröderna Jared och Simon Grace och deras syster Mallory upptäcker att det finns en magisk värld i det gamla huset de precis flyttat till, The Spiderwick Estate. En värld som består av älvor, troll och andra varelser. Historien kretsar runt att beskydda boken från trollen.

Kommentar: Sockersöt familjefilm. Animeringarna är underbart bra gjorda!

Betyg:

Freddie is nominated for Best Male Actor. Spiderwick is nominated for Best Movie.

Click HERE to vote!!

The show airs September 20th!

Adults

Prince Caspian: In Prince Caspian, your adults are male, power hungry, and more or less evil. This is partly due to C. S. Lewis's unhealthy preoccupation with puberty, sin, and the one's causal relationship with the other (see Philip Pullman's books for a rebuttal), and partly because any sympathetic person who is significantly older than the children falls into the Talking Critter category. (Note: wise old mentors don't count as adults, they're really an entirely different category)

Spiderwick: In this movie, there's a little bit more realism with the portrayal of the adults, which is both a strength and weakness. On the one hand, the sympathetic portrayal of Jared Grace's mother makes some of his behavior towards her in the movie distinctly unsympathetic in comparison. But on the other hand, the extreme realism of the parents' relationship with each other, and with their children, really highlights the idea of a fantasy world that lurks behind the cracks everyday life.

Siblings

Prince Caspian:The Pevensie children all take their turns in the spotlight in this movie, except perhaps Edmund, who has all the best lines, but little of the significant action. Peter bores, Lucy charms, and Susan unexpectedly kicks ass. The movie really doesn't play up their family relations as much as it could have, I think, concentrating more on their reactions to Caspian than to each other.

Spiderwick:This movie also has the older sister being the family's designated ass-kicker. What's the deal? Is this a new trend? While Spiderwick has, in general, more realistic family dynamics, the relationship between the twins was sort of underdeveloped and bland. I suspect this was because Freddie Highmore wasn't quite up to the challenge of playing two different characters in the same film - he nailed each character, but couldn't quite make them interact naturally.

Talking Critters

Prince Caspian: Reepicheep for the win! Seriously, you don't get much more awesome than a chivalrous, sword wielding, talking mouse. Even Aslan, who is inexplicably lazy in this chapter of the epic series, pales in comparison.

Spiderwick: It's really too bad that Reepicheep isn't in this movie. I prefer my Talking Critters a little cuter than either Hogsqueal or Thimbletack managed. Really, the gross/cute combo is not something I've ever been able to appreciate.

Magical World

Prince Caspian: Narnia is a magical, medieval world, with gorgeous and sweeping landscapes. You get the sense that any darkness in this world is distinctly man made.

Spiderwick: Here the magical world is in your New England backyard, full of trees, but otherwise, not visibly more magical than you'd expect. Of course, there's also a dangerous side, but it's comprised of creepy/gross creatures that most people can't even see.

Conclusion

Overall, both movies are strong, and super fun to watch, especially if you've read the respectives books - and they're all your going to get in the near future, since I hear that Half Blood Prince isn't going to come out till next July.

-Dea

28 year old Kristen Bell (NBC's Heroes) has just been added to the voice cast of the forthcoming animated movie Astro Boy. Bell, who for some reason passes as every fanboy's favorite twenty-something actress, thus joins Freddie Highmore (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Nicolas Cage (Bangkok Dangerous), Bill Nighy (Pirates Of The Caribbean 2 & 3), Donald Sutherland (Fool's Gold), Eugene Levy (the American Pie films) and Nathan Lane (Swing Vote), among others.

The long-gestating movie is of course based on the manga by legendary artist/animator/doctor Osamu Tezuka (Metropolis), and is directed by David Bowers (Flushed Away) through Imagi Animation (TMNT). The story, adapted by Timothy Harris (Space Jam), goes like this according to Wikipedia:

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist in the image of the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving man's expectations, Astro Boy embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him.

Astro Boy is expected to release in 2009, but a date has yet to be set.

Source

Freddie Highmore, David Strathairn, Nick Nolte

This is a child-movie so I am not the best person to form an opinion for it since I am not a kid anymore.

A family which includes a mother, twin brothers and a sister move to house in the country. One of the boys discovers a book that reveals that there is more to this world than we know, like fairies, goblins and other mythical creatures. The book contains knowledge of this world that if it falls in the hands of the evil Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) it will grant him great power and will make him even more powerful. He discovers that the book is still in the house and tries to get it.

Nick Nolte has a 3 minute physical presence, but like always he is a great actor no matter what he does. Freddie Highmore is still very young, but he has great potential as an actor if he chooses to continue acting when he grows up.

I have to admit that I had a great time watching this movie, but I also have to admit that I prefer movies with more intense violence and partially nudity than this. If you have kids probably they will love it.

All I could say as the credits started rolling was, "Wow." I relished every minute of this film because it managed to successfully fuse two of my favourite genres--dark comedy and suspense thriller--in an elegant and astute manner. Granted, three-fourths of the movie leaned toward the former and the rest leaned toward the latter but it does not mean it's less rewarding. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson have such great chemistry. As the picture progressed, we get to realize that their characters weren't just fellow hitmen--they were more like father and son. I was surprised by how much emotionally invested I was with the characters regardless of their occupation. The filmmakers were able to show that they, too, are people and are capable of feeling remorse and giving someone another chance for redemption. Never have I seen Farrell deliver as great (and as complete) a performance as in this movie. Farrell and Gleeson are pitch-perfect here. I must also commend Ralph Fiennes for giving a menacing (and funny) performance as the boss of Farrell and Gleeson. Even though he's a killer like the other two, he has his own principles as well. He didn't give as much screen time but we get to understand his motivations just as well. Lastly, I must give kudos to Martin McDonagh for writing and directing such a great first feature film. I was a big fan of his short film "Six Shooter" and I hope he releases more witty films like this one. All of that said, let me finish this review by stating that "In Bruges" is one of the best movies of 2008 so far.

Spiderwick Chronicles, The
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]

Even though it doesn't feel as epic as the "Harry Potter," "His Dark Materials" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, "The Spiderwick Chronicles" has something magical to offer. Freddie Highmore plays two characters--twins Jared Grace and Simon Grace--the former is tougher, more adventurous, while the latter is more soft-spoken and a bit geeky. It's interesting to watch Highmore play the two because they are so opposite, yet he could pull it off pretty well. Not only are the characters different in personalities, their contributions in order to defeat the evil creatures differed as well. Sarah Bolger, who plays Mallory Grace, is a nice addition because she has that sword-wielding, older sister, girl-power. Interestingly enough, the mother, played by Mary-Louise Parker, was kind of irksome because her character was unaware of what was happening throughout most of the film. I think this fantasy adventure is edgy because there are some dark thematic material that would pop-up once in a while, which is why I'm surprised this got a PG rating. Also, the creatures can get pretty scary for some younger viewers (especially toward the end). I did like that some of the family's problems are connected to real life; it was that much more relatable so it was easier to care for the characters. I just wish it had a little more punch regarding the story so the film could have been stronger. I recommend this film because it's fast-paced, heart-pounding, and cute in its own edgy way. It made me think of my childhood when my cousins and I would play pretend.

10,000 B.C.
[ 2 stars out of 4 ]

Everyone loves to hate this movie but it really wasn't that bad. I think one of the main reasons why people disliked this film is because the trailers promised an epic greatness. As it turns out, the picture turns out to be hugely inaccurate and not as magneficient as people expected it was going to be. For me, I ignored all the inaccuracies and just focused on how exciting it was and if the story made sense. On both fronts, I thought it was mediocre: there were pulse-pounding scenes but most often followed by tedious speeches when the characters voice out what they think. The story did not really make much sense but it was bearable. "10,000 B.C." has a handful of similarities with "Apocalypto," but the latter is a lot more skillful in its storytelling and scope. For those people that claim that this is the worst movie they have even seen, I suggest they watch more movies. This is certainly not the worst; it's just mindless fun and random action scenes that has something to do with prophecies and the like. It's really not that bad and I wish people would stop being so histrionic regarding its flaws.

American Idol Revisited. Had a sort of a marathon of American Idol Season 2 the first week of July. I had the copy for the longest time but only had the chance to watch it last month. I enjoyed it, of course. One of the most exciting season, I think. I finally learned what the fuss is about Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, they're amazing! And to think that Clay is a wildcard finalist! I've only seen their performances on YouTube and some Idol finale on previous seasons, but watching the actual show is a bliss! I actually had a marathon of the first season few months back, and I must say that the first few seasons were much exciting and true in its essence (being a singing competition), unlike nowadays that the show and even the contestants look like they're all made up. Anyway, season 2 also has this impressive set of mentors! Here's a list:

• Top 12 - Movies Theme - I forgot who the mentor was, sorry haha!
• Top 11 - Motown - Gladys Knight
• Top 10 - Disco - someone from Earth, Wind and Fire
• Top 9 - Country Rock - Olivia Newton John
• Top 8 - Billboard # 1's - Lionel Richie
• Top 7 - Music of Billy Joel - Smokey Robinson & Billy Joel
• Top 6 - Music of Dianne Warren - Dianne Warren
• Top 5 - The 60's and music of Neil Sedaka - Neil Sedaka
• Top 4 - Music of BeeGees - Robin Gibb of BeeGees

Movies, movies, and more movies! This month probably holds the record of most watched movies. I bought a lot of dvds and I started watching it during my restdays or every time before I sleep after going home from work. Been a movie buff the entire month haha! I got to see and enjoy films like Juno, Charlie Wilson's War, a Pinoy indie film Chopsuey (online), The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Kite Runner, 21, Saw, and of course The Dark Knight. (Check out my reviews on these movies on my Multiply hehe). I've been waiting for The Dark Knight since forever, so just imagine my excitement since the first day of this month! It is actually the only movie I catched on a moviehouse haha!

My stepdad is back! Oh my, at first I thought it would be hell yet again (long story, guys) but somehow he's changed. Not totally, but he's gradually getting there. We hope and pray that this would be a permanent and for the better change. Anyway, since he's back from the US and probably thought of making bawi to mom and the twins, he bought a lot of stuff for them and for the house as well. New tv set, new appliances, mobile phones, and the like. And of course, loads of chocolates for pasalubong! Woohoo!

Ze Birthday! Not just mine, but several friends also celebrated their birthday this month (See my previous post It's Yer Boitdey!). So it has been a party month all through out! Never did I imagined that I'd be having four separate celebrations (not all grand of course haha!). And it was all fun!

Part 2, at home with She, Demz & Chy (August 1)

Part 3, at home w/cousin Ness & her baby Rom and some titas (August 2)

Last part, at Glorietta w/Pop & my stepmom Tita Rina (August 3)

So, that's how I spent my month! Until the next recapitulation! ;)

Catacombs

You know when a movie cover proclaims in large bold words "See Pink's first feature film!" the hairs on the back of your neck stand up for a reason. To be fair she can portray a wide range of emotions so long as it's either anger or whinging. This last one she does really well! Anyways enough complaints about Pink and I'll arc up about the movie.

The movie starts with Victoria (our heroine, played by Shannyn Sossamon) receiving a postcard from her sister Caroline (played by Pink) telling her to come to Paris as it will be good for her. So off she goes. Now Victoria is slightly neurotic and constantly popping pills to deal with it. Oddly enough Caroline and her euro-trash friends think the best way over this is take her shopping and then to an illegal dance party in the catacombs beneath Paris on no sleep.

Of course Caroline is the ultra cool person Pink hopes she could be and her Euro-trash mates are equally as trendy and 'with it'. Victoria is of course an object of ridicule and Caroline is constantly swapping from being the loving sister to aggravation with her, this of course begs the question why invite someone to Paris in the first place if you really don't like them?!?

As you can probably tell this movie just annoyed me to no end. It tended to stick to the staples of horror movies and didn't explore any new ground, unfortunately it was yet another movie that I was cheering for the 'bad guy' to hurry up and wipe out the cast. The films biggest let down for me was the constant running backwards and forwards through the actual catacombs it just seemed like so much filler. There was always a dead end that Victoria came up against or worse yet she managed to back-track over familiar ground. I guess given the quality of the sets themselves which looked so much like cheap plaster of paris that the budget couldn't stretch far enough to provide quality moody scenery.

The biggest highlight of this movie was seeing Pink killed and the slight twist at the end was in actuality unexpected so that is something at least.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Yes I'm well aware that this is a kid's movie but you know every now and then I don't mind watching them espcially if they come from Pixar. This is I suppose pretty standard fair these days for a kid's movie in that the main character is a rebellious little shit in need of an attitude adjustment which comes through saving his family from the evil Ogre Mulgarath. I wouldn't say that this movie is bad per se but I wouldn't call that great either.

The CGI is quite decent and the storyline is at least somewhat believable (as far as goblins and the like running about at least!) but again it just felt like the movie was covering so much ground that we've all been over before. There wasn't really anything about the movie that really stood out to grab your attention but at least in it's defence it didn't leave us wondering like The Golden Compass did which I assume is part of trilogy or some such money spinning effort.

As I said, not a bad movie but not really a great movie either. It might keep an 8 year old occupied for a while but it certainly isn't a movie I'd recommend for anyone younger than that.. unless of course you enjoy tormenting your kids... and who I am I to argue with you over that!

The Princess Bride - Now this movie is a classic fairy tale cut straight out of Grandpa's bedtime stories. What a beautiful blend of romance, fantasy, comedy and adventure! I guess what appealed to me was the sheer unrealistic setup that made my imagination limitless in expanse. The Cinderella story is complete with a beautiful princess named Buttercup falls in love with a poor stable boy Wesley, and when he's captured by pirates, she's chosen by evil Prince Humperdinck to be his princess bride. Sword fights, Lagoons with eels, Fire Swamps, revenge, miracles, giants and true love. I am glad I discovered this movie, for it enlivened my childhood for me, for a moment.

Finding Nemo - I am glad I watched this movie. Of all the animation movies that I have watched, I loved this one the best. This movie is a celebration of human spirit, faith and above all, love. One of those rare movies that tug your heart and make you think at the same moment. A single parent Marlin is overprotective of his son Nemo, and yet he haplessly watches as his son gets scooped away by a oceanic driver all the way to Sydney. Talks about life in troubled waters. Now Marlin, teamed with a forgetful Dory hazards Sharks, Jelly Fish and Angler Fishes to reach the Sydney harbor. In search of Nemo, his father Marlin discovers life and its meaning. In search of his Son, he realizes the true essence of love. By learning to let go, he discovers that the essence of true love is enveloping freedom. I just loved this movie.

Minority Report - The sheer reason I picked this movie is to watch how the hero interacts with huge chucks of data on a glass interface. A little work induced temptation. Yet, this movie is filled with intrigue, action, crime, Sci-Fi, mystery and makes one wonder about the possibilities of future. How interesting. Its the year 2054 in the movie Minority report, offers us a possibility of eliminating crime banking on magnifying visions, where as the recently released Bollywood hungama fisaco Love Story 2050 presents us with the possibilities of flying cars and talking teddybears! My concerns? None, I gave up on cribbing!

A Walk in the Clouds - After 'The Princess Bride', my heart longed for good old sweet movies of the M&B kinds and my friend recommended this one to me. the name reminded me of a totally illusionary romance, and what I got as a delightful surprise was a sweet love story. Another of those fairytale romances where a Paul befriends a Mexican lady and ends up playing the role of her husband for a day trying to be a good Samaritan. Mexican fields, Grape wines, serenades, romance and affection of the family slowly work out the magic as this movie proceeds to take you through a walk in the clouds.

The Illusionist: Intrigue, Mystery, and Thriller. An charming pursuit of a love by a magician in the most engaging fashion. The storytelling is exemplary and the movie is engaging from the start to finish. Love, Magic, Illusion, Treachery, all this and more leaves one with a pleasant surprise.

Spiderwick Chronicles: Another of those childhood fantasy fiction novels. Yet, it evokes those delightful memories of childhood exuberance, innocence and curiosity. Jared, Simon and Mallory find themselves in a different world when they shift to the rundown Spiderwick Estate. Jared finds a book that introduces him to the mystery world of magical creatures, which is filled with beautiful spirits, and terrorizing goblins. The way the trio navigates through the wonderland and rescues their family through the dangers of the dark creatures is charming to watch. Now, who said I can't giggle like a child again and believe in the limitless possibility of imagined universe.

Just Like Heaven: Elizabeth Masterson, a workaholic doctor in San Francisco, gets into a tragic car crash and gets in a coma. Meanwhile,David Abbott sublets Elizabeth's apartment for rent. Elizabeth's spirit haunts the apartment and gets into an endless argument with David, as he alone can see her. Love happens whilst Elisabeth's spirit tries to remember her identity and background. The sheer riduculousness of the story is compensated by the dialogues and the characterization. And I loved the roof top garden as well! :-)

Million Dollar Baby: "There is magic in fighting battles beyond endurance." And this movie captures it quite elegantly. Somehow, I always have longed for happy endings and fairy dreamy world settings and this movie packs a realistic punch. The champions should always be celebrated and there should always be love and joy in the end. May be that's the reason why I couldn't accept the ending of the movie that justified the choice of death by the fighter. Yet, sometimes it gets too tiring to fight for life. Sometimes all we long for is endless relief and limitless rest from the struggle. May be there lies a win in knowing when to give up. I grudgingly admit that despite the ending, I loved this movie for its sensitive portrayal of persistence and relationships.

What this tells me? One no brainer for me to ponder is that I really need new ways to amuse myself, and this is one of the palest that I could come up with. I sure enjoyed that little touch of variety to my couch potato weekend,and yet I guess I would be stiff bored to repeat this little experiment once again. :-)

The Game Plan sees Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock) play an egotistical American Football star who discovers that he has a daughter when she turns up on his doorstep.  Naturally it doesn't take much brain power to figure out if he changes his naughty ways and becomes a responsible and loving father but it might come as a surprise to learn that this is an enjoyable, if shallow, movie thanks largely to a very keen and willing cast.

If the kids want something a bit more substantial (or you just fancy being entertained) then The Spiderwick Chronicles will certainly meet your requirements.  The story revolves around twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace who move to a dusty old house in the country with their mum and older sister.  Soon the boys (both played by Freddie Highmore) find themselves in battle with a host of creatures that want to destroy the titular book.  With genuine scares and nastiness this film might not be suitable for very young children but the deft script (John Sayles had a finger in this one), well crafted thrills and emotional back story should certainly more than fill the 'family viewing' sized hole left by Dr Who's departure from the schedules.

Moving up the age bracket slightly leads us to the anime inspired Batman: Gotham Knight (also available in a double pack with Batman Begins) and the dance film Step Up 2: The Streets.  The former is a bridging exercise in the run up to the release of The Dark Knight (surely the most anticipated film this summer) whilst the later is more of the same damn popular formula that made Step Up a smash hit (again a double pack is available).

Those looking for a bit of drama would be well advised to avoid trash Brit-horror The Cottage and head straight for Things We Lost In The Fire which, whilst flawed, features (far too little) David Duchovny on top form in a supporting role that both anchors and lifts the intimate drama between Halle Berry and Benicio del Toro.

To finish with it's good news for fans on inventive and original cinema with the release of DVD of the Week I'm Not There.  Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan biopic is a dazzling display of both style and substance with six actors portraying the man variously described as a genius and a Judas.  The film is as contradictory and unpredictable as the man himself as it flicks between eras, styles and personae.  Love it or hate it (and many do, including Dylan fans) you can't deny that Haynes has a style like no one else and we are all the better for it.

...talking of style, this week also sees the release of a box set dedicated to the work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro.  The set contains both Delicatessen and The City Of Lost Children plus the short film The Bunker Of The Lost Gunshots - enjoy.

Pick of the Week

I'm Not There - A polarising, hugely imaginative biopic of Bob Dylan in which the great man is played at various stages by six separate actors, including a young African American kid and Cate Blanchett. The latter gives an amazing performance and the whole film is brimming with wit and overflowing with imagination.

Also out

Batman Cartoons - The Dark Knight Chronicles and Gotham Knight, both decent adaptations of the Batman comics and worth a watch in the build up to The Dark Knight.
Step Up 2 The Streets - More dancing and other stuff from the Disney stable. Haven't seen it and likely won't.
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Really effective little kids horror movie that probably won't do anything for adults but will provide a good evening's entertainment for the little ones.
Love in the Time of Cholera - Haven't seen but a pretty much universally disliked adaptation of Marquez's classic.
Margot at the Wedding - Mean-spirited and misguided difficult third film from Noah Baumbach.
You, The Living - Adored Swedish black comedy. I will be seeing soon based on the pitch of Bergman meets Monty Python
The Cottage - Terrible follow-up to London to Brighton from Paul Andrew Williams which is a horror comedy and isn't scary and isn't funny.
Wrong Move/The American Friend/Kings of the Road - Three more from Wim Wenders. You can read my reviews of the first two here and here. The third incidentally is a freaking masterpiece.
Things We Lost in the Fire - Big time downer but truly a great performance from Benicio del Toro.

>> 21 (IMDB) var OK, varken mer eller mindre... Förutsägbar, småtöntig av och till men även undehållande. Ärligt kommer jag aldrig se om den filmen, men kände inte att jag slösat bort 1 ½ timme av mitt liv; Men något den lyckades med var att få mig att bli gryyyyymt blackjack-sugen.

Betyg: 4/10

>> The Spiderwick Chronicles (IMDB) var faktiskt riktigt bra. för den som inte vet är det någon sorts familje/barn/fantasy-film, vet inte om jag tyckte om den på grund av min fallenhet för fantasyfilmer men den var bra! helt klart sevärd.

Betyg: 6,5/10

1. The Spiderwick Chronicles
Why? I saw this in the theater and loved it. Much more original and fun than it looked.

2. In Bruges
Why? A plethora of positive reviews.

3. Persepolis
Why? Any film that challenges Pixar deserves to be watched.

4. Charlie Bartlett
Why? The preview was cool, and I haven't seen Anton Yelchin in anything.

5. Definitely, Maybe
Why? I don't know. It looks fun yet smart, and got a good rating on IMDb.

réalisé par: Mark Waters
Scénarisé par Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum et John Sayles d'après le roman de Tony DiTerlizzi et Holly Black
Avec : Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Nick Nolte, Mary-Louise Parker, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn

Après son divorce, une mère et ses trois enfants quittent New York et s'installent dans l'ancienne résidence d'un grand oncle. C'est au grenier que les enfants découvrent un ouvrage qu'il a rédigé: il leur ouvre la porte d'un monde magique dont un ogre est le chef.

Je me pose un peu, histoire d’écrire un peu, et pas un petit message rapido. Pour l’occasion, je vais m’arrêter sur Les chroniques de Spiderwick.

Je l’ai regardé comme ça, sans attendre grand-chose, et je dois admettre que pour le coup, j’ai été agréablement surprise.

Bien sûr, il s’agit d’un film de fantasy pour enfants (car à l’évidence, la fantasy pour adultes, au ciné, ça se bouscule pas au portillon), et il y a par conséquent des clichés, des passages prévisibles, et autres ficelles du genre.

Il n’empêche, avec sa courte durée, on aurait pu craindre le phénomène Eragon, soit aboutir sur un film bâclé, même pas divertissant. Ici, on joue à fond la carte du divertissement. Car une fois que l’intrigue a été lancée, cela ne va quasiment pas s’arrêter. On ne traine pas des pattes en procédé d’initiation, en découverte d’un nouvel univers, en naïveté précoce et autres. Une fois l’un des enfants au courant, on le suit lui, et les autres ne vont pas tarder à découvrir le poteau rose. Les méchants veulent le livre de Spiderwick, et ils sont prêts à tout. J’aime bien que l’une des premières idées qui viennent à l’esprit soit de brûler le livre. Ce type de petite touche fait qu’on ne prend pas son public pour un crétin et que ce dernier ne se posera pas la question à la fin du film : ‘Mais pourquoi ils n’ont pas essayé de faire cela ?’. Freddie Highmore est plutôt convaincant, dans le rôle des deux frères jumeaux, il a bien la carrure pour tenir le film, et il est, à mon goût, plus talentueux que d’autres jeunes de son âge. Ses choix de carrière ne sont pas inintéressants d’ailleurs (à l’exception d’Arthur et les Minimoys, mais il est jeune).

La recette des Chroniques de Spiderwick est assez simple : des enfants, de l’imaginaire, et de l’aventure. Cela surfe assurément sur le phénomène, mais franchement, si tous avait le même niveau que celui-là, on serait bien content. Le résultat final est sympathique, on a passé un bon moment, et cela ne finit pas au paradis des oubliettes. A voir, donc.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416236/

This review contains minor spoilers.

I would not say this film was amazing but I was really surprised by it. They did a lot of things different from your average adolescent fantasy film and it was refreshing to say the least. There was some great acting, the story was interesting and inventive and I never really felt like it was rehashing old material which is often the case in films nowadays. I think if I was younger this would have been right up there as far as amazing movies go - and since I fall well above the target audience I think that's a pretty good result for them.

The story in this film was very interesting. The main thing I noticed which I liked was how they reused typical fantasy monsters but the resulting creations looked absolutely nothing like the norm. This may be more a product of innovative art direction but I like the think the writers were the first to come up with the ideas. I was also glad to see that the writers had no qualms about writing in the occasional swear or violence - some of which was slightly graphic - since it adds a bit more realism to it. What adolescent kid is not going to squeak out a mild swear in extreme situations nowadays.

On the topic of the kid, I went the entire film thinking that the brothers were actual real life twins instead of a single actor. I was surprised to find out I was wrong. The effect was completely seamless and so realistic that I was completely fooled. I am still amazed at how well they pulled it off. It is also a testament to the skill of Freddie Hignmore that he was able to create two similar yet so distinctly different characters. He was a pleasure to watch and obviously talented.

The CG in this film was spotty, with some scenes looking amazing and others just looking dumb. The goblins and Thimbletack were all amazing looking - especially Thimbletacks transformation into a bogart - but other scenes looked out of place and not at all polished. All of the Griffin scenes and about half of Mulgaraths scenes spring to mind as the worst offenders. But I would say overall that it was pretty awesome graphics.

I spent about 30 minutes of the movie wondering if Seth Rogen was doing voice acting. I didn't look it up in advance so I couldn't be sure and his voice was just changed enough to make me second guess myself. I think he does pretty good voice acting and I would like to see him continue this trend. So I guess I would say that I enjoyed the film, and I would recommend it to young fantasy lovers.