Andrew Stanton’s colorful and delightful film literally bursts off the screen in its 3D re-release. A massive hit for Stanton and the animation powerhouse, Finding Nemo significantly raised the bar not only for the studio but for computer animation in general. Impressive world building, Shakespearean like story and characters, the film is endlessly endearing and layered ever so subtly for the kid and adult audiences . Really it was Pixar finding their groove. It showcased hundreds if not thousands of dynamic digital elements, was the biggest jump in story and quality for the studio at the time and would further propel their meteoric success. It also made Ellen DeGeneres a household name (well that…
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Off the Shelf…’Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
Halloween is just around the corner and in recent years I don’t think any character has been more popular than Pirates of the Caribbean mascot, Jack Sparrow. Kids love him (as do adults) so it’s no mystery why his appeal goes way beyond his persona on screen. That said, back for his fourth time as Capt. Jack, Johnny Depp is joined by friends old and new as he sets out continuing his quest for the Fountain of Youth. Just as exciting as it was in the theater, the terrific Blu Ray transfer of PotC 4: On Stranger Tides is a real treat (with great commentary and extras should you opt for the 3D version) as high…
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G-S-T Review…Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Well Pirates fans, Tuesday’s screening of the new Pirates film came and went and I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that On Stranger Tides was just awesome! Sure it has its flaws and somethings they could have done without, but it returned to the elements that made the first Pirates film so successful and beloved. The bad news is that becasue of my enjoying and applauding those similar elements in this movie I’ve become a hypocrite for liking what I loathed in last time in At World’s End. But for those of you worried about the future of the Pirates franchise (this is…
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Off the Shelf…'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'
Boy was this a bloated piece of barnacle run off. Now I’m not going to try and hide the fact that I just did not like this film. While it was the biggest adventure thus far it just tripped over its own convoluted sea legs and the result was an exposition/character heavy film that was as pointless as it was boring. Whew, glad I got that out. Now as someone who can usually see both sides to a film and is usually a bit more fair than is necessary, I’ll admit there were some interesting bits but I think you’d agree with me when I say I feel At World’s…
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Off the Shelf…'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'
Picking up realtively right after the high of the The Curse of the Black Pearl film, Dead Man’s Chest is everything you’d expect in a sequel. But what Dead Man’s Chest does very well is provide interesting back story and character development. Specifically we find out more about how Jack became Captain as well as the story behind old Bootstrap Bill and Davy Jones’ Locker. Expanding on the wild elements of the first film The Curse of the Black Pearl, namely the Aztec curse, and as Barbossa was one tough act to follow we get not one but three new heavies. It’s yo ho all the way through this epic…
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Off the Shelf…'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'
Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides comes out this Friday, May 20th so to get ready I revisited the previous three films this past weekend. Huzzah, man was that a good time (except for the last one which is kind of crappy). Disney re-released their trilogy on Blu Ray back in March and I can honestly say that adventures on the high seas have never looked this good which made it all the more enjoyable! So who would have seriously thought than a static amusement park ride would serve as inspiration for such a thrilling and fun-filled film? Well this is Disney we’re talking about and they have the…
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Ohhh, Look…Kermit's Coverage From 'Pirates of the Caribbean 4' Premiere
Disney’s got a really cute idea for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 4’ Premiere. It’s called Kermit-Cam and basically it’s our favorite frog interviewing several stars from the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film. Yeah, that about sums it up…have a look! Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End seemed to fall prey to the “trilogy curse” (not to mention the “too big to fail” mentality) and that was pretty disappointing. Well, with this being the start of an all new (supposed) trilogy, On Stranger Tides looks to return to the magic that made The Curse of the Black Pearl so successful. Here’s hoping Rob Marshall can capture Gore Verbinski’s…
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Ohhh, Look…’On Stranger Tides’ Featurette and Images
This May we’ll see the return of “witty Jack” on another swashbuckling adventure, this time to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. On Stranger marks the 4th time Johnny Depp has played the iconic Jack Sparrow and there are rumors that we’ll get 2 more afterwards. Have a look at this featurette, new poster/character photos and get ready for some fun… Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth when a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz) forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob…
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G-S-T Review…The King’s Speech
I never thought of a film being able to exist as both a “period piece” and a “buddy flick”. The first is a very traditional type of film, the other a more modern kind of story. Well, The King’s Speech is definitely one that equally encompasses both types of stories. It’ is a very sly companionship film that, when the credits roll, you realize isn’t mainly about pre-WWII history or British nobility. Well it is, but mostly it’s about friendship. Friendship that, like most things in life, is rocky when forced. Yet after the bumps in the road are passed it builds to become a life long relationship. Beyond anything that on the…