Of Toons, Abes and Hobbits

WRECK IT RALPH

ANIMATION

Plot:  Ralph is a villain in a video game who wants to become a hero by any means necessary.

The 3D animation is great and the voice actors are even better.  John C Reilly is the Ralph; comedienne Sara Silverman does a fine job as his friend. It has what good film needs, humor, heart action and drama.  Your kids will enjoy it and the kid in you will too.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

ANIMATION

Plot:  Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost must stop the evil Pitch Black/Boogeyman.

Wow this film brings the childhood myths back to life in interesting ways.  Santa Claus in this feature is called North(don’t know why) The Easter Bunny voiced by Hugh Jackman(Wolverine) has an Australian accent, The Tooth Fairy(Isla Fisher) is very cute, The Sandman doesn’t talk and Jack Frost (Chis Pine, Star Trek 2009) carries a crooked staff and has a back-story. All of the myths give children hope and happiness but Pitch Black (Jude Law, Sherlock Holmes) wants fear and darkness.  It is very imaginative and the best part is that the director is a black story board artist name Peter Ramsey!! I hope he does more films because this was very good.

LINCOLN

HISTORICAL DRAMA

PLOT:  Near the last months of his presidency to abolish slavery and Civil War.

This movie is not about a bio about Abraham Lincoln but the last months of him before being killed.  Daniel Day Lewis is great as Lincoln and Tommy Lee Jones is brilliant as Thaddeus Stevens. The arguments on The House of Representatives feels like you are there.  The movie is slow and many people may find it boring.  The questions we should be asking did Lincoln want to free the slaves for it was wrong or was it politics. Another question we should be asking is there are 44 presidents in the United States and only Hollywood makes over and over these three: Lincoln, FDR and JFK.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

FANTASY/ADVENTURE

PLOT: Bilbo Baggins joins a group Dwarves to go back to Erebor to deal with the dragon Smaug.  First of the trilogy.

Fantasy films don’t get any epic than this!!  Director Peter Jackson who was brave enough to do the Lord of the Rings trilogy does The Hobbit.  I don’t think he wanted to direct it but so many other directors dropped out he just says “just do it” and he did a great job.  The movie is sooo spectacular and the 48 frame per second gave it depth.  It is amazing and there are two more films to go!!!