Night At The Museum

Year: 2006
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Ben Stiller, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Carla Gugino, Robin Williams

Yeah, been a long time since I wrote anything in here, sorry about that. Anyway, what I've got today is a review on a movie about things coming to life. Kinda like Small Soldiers or Jumanji.

Night At The Museum tells a story about Larry Daley, a divorced father who's out of a job. He desperately needs one to prove he can be a good father to his young son. So at the unemployment office, he gets a job as a security guard at the Museum Of Natural History. And he gets the graveyard shift, which is where the fun begins.

The three retiring guards give him a set of instructions and tell him not to let anything in or out. He's baffled when he hears that. But later on his first night, he gets the shock of his life when he sees the T-Rex skeleton running around the hallways trying to get him to play fetch! Larry also has to deal with everything else that comes to life: a talking Easter Island head, a cowboy and a Roman soldier from the dioramas at war with each other, some neanderthals, Attila The Hun, animals from the African wildlife, a statue of Columbus, civil war soldiers and a wax figure of Teddy Roosevelt.

After barely keeping everything together the first night, he decides to quit, but changes his mind when he realizes how much he needs the job, and how important this is to his son. So he rises up to the challenge to keep order in there every night, with a little help from Teddy Roosevelt. But a threat he didn't anticipate comes into the picture...

Stiller is at his usual self, trying to be the earnest guy who does the right thing. In the past, I had disliked that part of him, because it always seems so impossible for his character to do things without making a fool of himself. This time it's not that much different, but I felt that his character finally is one of those that viewers can get to empathise and relate to. I certainly did, and unlike his character in Meet The Parents, Daley is a smarter person. A little anyway.

Williams does not disappoint as always, playing Teddy Roosevelt with honour and a good sense of fun. The main attraction of course are the museum's inhabitants that come to life. Watching them in action can be quite fun, though some can be downright childish. Owen Wilson makes an uncredited appearance as the cowboy, and he's really not funny here. Ricky Gervais, who plays the museum director is not only unfunny, he's absolutely annoying. I wonder why people actually find him hilarious.

It's a nice film to just sit back and unwind, so enjoy it. And bring the kids too, they'll love it. (3.5/5)

Deja Vu

Year: 2006
Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Val Kilmer, Adam Goldberg, Jim Caviezel

Wikipedia defines Deja Vu as "the experience of feeling that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously". Kinda like a feeling of familiarity of an experience you have, and usually you can't explain how or why. In this film, it supposedly means that and something more.

This film, set in New Orleans begins with an explosion onboard a ferry, claiming over 500 people's lives. ATF (that's Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms) agent Doug Carlin is sent in to investigate. Among the dead he finds a body of a woman named Claire Kuchever, whom he discovers did not die when the ferry blew up, but before it did. After revealing his investigation to FBI agent Andrew Pryzwarra, the latter is so impressed with his discovery that he lets Carlin in on a secret government project that enables them to go back in time via computer technology and satellite imagery to witness events of the past. They want Carlin to use his keen eye to help them see into the past and find the man responsible for the tragedy. Carlin decides to focus on Claire's activities before the tragedy, which are somehow related to the bomber. In the process, Carlin falls in love with her, then discovers that the time jumping technology in use is more than just a window to the past, it's also a door.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott, who have worked together before several times on films like Crimson Tide and Enemy Of The State, do not disappoint here. Although the pace is slower than most Bruckheimer films, it's good enough to keep your interest sustained. Denzel of course does well here. He's the kind of actor that gives a 110% in his performance. Newcomer Paula Patton also impresses as Claire, and Jim Caviezel is good as the villain, though it won't be the first time he's played one.

The film itself is a deja vu experience, as watching the technology at work is reminiscent of Enemy Of The State, and the time travel concept has been used in numerous films before it. But thankfully the movie does not suffer from familiarity and manages to stand on its own as a bonafide thriller. The ending may seem confusing to some, but those who are knowledgeable on time travel will understand well enough.

Go see it if you like Bruckheimer, Scott, Washington or if you like good thrillers. (3.5/5)

Eragon

Year: 2006
Director: Stefan Fangmeier
Cast: Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, Djimon Hounsou, John Malkovich

Familiar. That's the first word that comes to mind after watching this film. Familiar, and not very elaborate. The problem is trying to look at this film without thinking of Lord Of The Rings, because this film has many similarities to Peter Jackson's spectacle, and even to Star Wars. But let me tell you what it's about first.

Eragon, based on the book by Christopher Paolini (who was 15 when he wrote it), is a fantasy tale set in the land of Alagaesia. Long ago, Alagaesia was a peaceful place, watched over by dragons and their dragon riders. However, one of them betrayed his comrades and slaughtered them all, then took control of the land. His name is Galbatorix, and he rules with an iron fist, assisted by his dark sorcerer Durza.

There is no hope left, unless someone rises to lead the people to victory over the evil king. A dragon egg stolen by the pretty elf Arya, from the hands of Galbatorix, falls unexpectedly into the hands of a farm boy named Eragon, who realises his destiny when the egg hatches and a female dragon called Saphira comes forth. With the help of a former dragon rider named Brom, Eragon and Saphira set out to lead The Varden, the last rebel force in the land against the King.

OK, so what's familiar? Let's look at them one by one:
1. Eragon is a young boy who realises he has a bigger destiny awaiting him. Similar to Luke Skywalker who was just an ordinary boy on Tatooine until he finds R2D2 in Star Wars. Or Frodo Baggins and the One Ring in Fellowship Of The Ring.
2. KIng Galbatorix was a dragon rider who slayed his comrades so that he could gain more power and rule. Similar to Darth Vader in Star Wars.
3. Brom is a former dragon rider who trains Eragon to fulfil his destiny. Similar to Obi-Wan Kenobi who trains Luke in Star Wars.
4. There is a scene where Eragon disobeys Brom's advice to save Arya. Similar to Luke disobeying Yoda to save his friends from Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back.
5. Arya, played by Sienna Guillory is reminiscent of Arwen in LOTR.
6. The character Murtagh, an archer is similar to Legolas in LOTR.
7. Durza's appearance is so similar to Grima Wormtongue in LOTR, you'd think they are related. There is even a scene where Durza addresses a large army of troops, which is a lot like Saruman addressing the Uruk-Hai army in The Two Towers.
8. Galbatorix's army, the Urgals and the Ra'zac are also familiar, like the Orcs and Uruk-Hai in LOTR.

So basically this film looks a lot like LOTR with a much lower budget. But is it bad? No, not really. For the sake of entertainment it is enjoyable. And the special effects are impressive, especially the dragon scenes. Acting wise, Speleers does a good job playing the lead character, though he won't win an award for his performance. But as far as supporting characters go, only Brom and Durza get reasonable screen time and development. The other actors just make do with what they have for their characters. Irons does fine as Brom, though his character deserves better development as the mentor to Eragon. Carlyle is mean enough as Durza, and credit goes to the makeup department for making him look scarier in the second half of the movie. Malkovich doesn't get much screen time, and he plays Galbatorix as if he was playing Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom in Con Air. Rachel Weisz who supplies the voice of Saphira however, does not disappoint.

This is just the first part of a trilogy, so we can expect more in future. I pray they get a better director than Stefan Fangmeier, who before this was just a visual effects director. It's alright for his directorial debut, but if you want a good fantasy adventure, go watch Lord Of The Rings. (3/5)

Casino Royale

Year: 2006
Director: Martin Campbell
Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench

I never really was a James Bond fan. I find it quite ridiculous that a super spy who is as good with the ladies as he is with guns never seems to die or fall into serious danger. And after so many films being made, the concept never seems to change. High tech cars, high tech gadgets, sexy women, bombastic villains, cheesy opening credit sequence accompanied by an equally cheesy theme song, the 3 word name introduction and of course, he always gets the girl in the end. Same old same old.

So what's different about this one? A lot actually. Different actor, for starters. We have a blond actor named Daniel Craig to play 007. We don't have fancy gadgets or a car with custom made gadgets and weapons (though his car in this film is cool nonetheless). Oh, and apparently this time Bond doesn't care how he wants his martini.

Anyway, in Casino Royale, we go back to square one, so to speak. This was the time when Bond first receives his 00 status i.e. the licence to kill. His superior, M hands it to him with great reluctance as he is reckless and egoistic. But he earned it, and with it a great responsiblity as he tackles his next mission: playing poker. Bond is up against Le Chiffre, a banker who finances terrorists. MI6 needs Bond to play against him and win, to bankrupt Le Chiffre thus shutting down his operation.

MI6 assigns Vesper Lynd, an accountant to monitor and watch over the money Bond will be using in the high stakes poker game. Being a pretty girl, Bond falls for her of course. His relationship with her surprisingly is the key element to this story, and not the mission he initially undertakes, as you will see towards the end.

Martin Campbell, who directed Goldeneye, Pierce Brosnan's first Bond film, does a great job here with the pacing and characters. The action sequences are also well done. Watch out for the chase sequence between Bond and a bomber through a construction site that is truly breathtaking. As for acting, Craig does fine, but he uses the same expression for about 80% of the film. Which is fine when he wants to play hero, but not when he needs to emote. Personally I loved his interaction with Judi Dench, their dialogue will be remembered as classic moments.

Eva Green is magnetic both emotionally and physically as Vesper Lynd, while Mads Mikkelsen looks mean enough as the villain. As for the theme song, it's not half bad. Performed by Audioslave's lead singer Chris Cornell, it accompanies yet another cheesy opening sequence. But I guess I can overlook that one this time.

A good way to spend 2 hours and some money for a cinema ticket, unless action isn't your cup of tea. (4/5)

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

Year: 2005
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Deep Roy, Christopher Lee

Tim Burton is well known in Hollywood for his unique style of filmmaking. There's a sense of darkness and quirkiness in his work, which connects really well with the retro settings usually seen in his movies. Everything from Batman to Edward Scissorhands to Sleepy Hollow to Mars Attacks! to Big Fish shares that same inimitable style of his. More often than not, that is the strength of his films. And of course, having Johnny Depp star in some of his big successes wouldn't hurt either.

In this film, based on the classic by Roald Dahl, Burton tells the tale of a young boy named Charlie Bucket who is blessed with a loving family. But he is dirt poor. His house is tilted to one side and all four of his grandparents share the same bed. His dad works in a toothpaste company putting the caps on the tubes. They barely have enough to eat every day, but they manage.

Charlie always had a fascination for the mysterious chocolate factory in town, owned by the eccentric Willy Wonka. Heck, he even built a model of the factory out of toothpaste tube caps! Little did he know that soemthing incredible was about to happen to him. One day, Willy Wonka makes an announcement: he will invite 5 young children and a guardian each to visit his factory for a day. At the end of that visit, one of the children will receive a prize. How does a child get invited? Buy a Wonka chocolate bar with a golden ticket inside. With only 5 tickets available, the odds are surely staggering.

So children all over the world start scampering for the chocolate bars. A fat boy from Germany (who can't stop eating chocolate), a spoilt girl from England, an obsessively competitive girl and a smart but arrogant boy from the States (neither of them like chocolate) win the first 4 tickets. And as expected, through sheer good luck, Charlie Bucket wins the last one.

So all 5 children and their respective guardians walk into the factory guided by Willy Wonka, and they (as well as the audience) discover a whole new world inside. Chocolate of all kinds, shapes and sizes are being made by Wonka's workers, the Oompa Loompas, tiny yet diligent midgets. And they all look alike! Wonka lets them look and try everything, but warns them of certain things they should not do, and when the bad kids disobey, they are quickly disposed of till there is one worthy child to be declared the winner. No prizes for guessing who wins.

Depp is brilliant as the funny and eccentric Wonka. His skin was made to look as pale as porcelain, and Depp wears this plastic smile and childish grin to complete the look. The most hilarious scenes are when Wonka has to resort to reading cue cards to communicate with his guests. Somebody give Depp an Oscar already, he's just too good. Not to be outdone is Freddie Highmore who does a splendid job as Charlie. He does well portraying a really good kid who loves his family more than anything. Kids like Charlie probably don't exist in the real world, or maybe there are some but very scarce in number, which makes it hard to believe there are kids like that in reality. But Freddie makes you believe in him somehow.

Deep Roy, who plays all of the Oompa Loompas does marvelously too. The song and dance routine featuring the Oompa Loompas are creative and fun indeed to watch. But all this is possible thanks to Tim Burton who hits all the right notes in bringing this story to life.

A fun filled film for the family, guaranteed. (4.5/5)