Kung Fu Panda

Overview
Directors:Mark OsborneJohn Stevenson
Writers:Jonathan Aibel Glenn Berger
Release Date:6 June 2008 (USA)
Genre:Animation / Action / Comedy / Family
Tagline:Prepare for awesomeness.
Plot Outline:Po the Panda is the laziest animals in all of the Valley of Peace, but unwittingly becomes the chosen one when enemies threaten their way of life.

Production Notes/Status:
Status:Post-production
Comments:
Status Updated:1 September 2007
Note:Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.


Cast (Credited cast)

Jack Black
...
Po (voice)

Jackie Chan
...
Master Monkey (voice)

Dustin Hoffman
...
Shifu (voice)

Lucy Liu
...
Master Viper (voice)

Ian McShane
...
Tai Lung (voice)
other cast:

Angelina Jolie
...
Master Tigress (voice)

Seth Rogen
...
Master Mantis

David Cross
...
Master Crane (voice)

Dan Fogler
...
Zeng (voice)

Michael Clarke Duncan
...
Commander Vachir (voice)

James Hong
...
Mr. Ping (voice)

Randall Duk Kim
...
Oogway (voice)

bee movie

Why? That is the important question. Why was this movie made at all? I know Seinfeld was a "show about nothing" and I am a Seinfeld fan. This was a movie about nothing, but unlike the TV show, Bee Movie was agonizingly unfunny, pointless, and meandering. Whoever green-lighted this script clearly has a substance abuse problem.I see lots of people are falling all over themselves with praise because this movie is cute, harmless, and not dirty. For goodness sake, folks, raise your standards! This is 2007! CG movies with cute characters are a dime a dozen. As consumers, we should express a desire for genuinely worthwhile, well thought, funny kids/CG movies. Otherwise, we will get more and more of this drivel, and worse. The only good point for Bee Movie, is that they did not descend into a bunch of toilet humor. On the other hand, the instances that you could call "humor" at all were few and far between.They anthropromorphized something else non-human. This is not a bad idea in itself, but it has been done so much better before; giving life stories and every little nuance of human civilization to Bees. Everything has clever little names, mostly variants of "bee" or "honey." Only problem is that in this case, most of the clever naming and theming of the bee world falls flat, stupid, and causes eye rolls - as opposed to say, Cars, which did it about a thousand times better.Next to Bee Movie, even the usual also-rans of animation such as Over the Hedge, and Madagascar, seem like genuine masterpieces and instant classics. I snickered a time or two, but sitting through the rest was in no way worth it. Children who are simple enough to be held in awe by anything that is animated, will really dig this movie. I'm sure as their age and sophistication increase past 6 or 7, kids will even begin to wish this movie was as sharp and funny as the dozens of better CG movies they have been exposed to.Sting and Ray Liota? That was just plain dumb, and really not worth revisiting several times in the movie. The movie pace and feel actually had a little mediocre passable groove going, until the idiotic lawsuit plot got rolling. That brought everything to a crashing halt. John Goodman's performance fell flat, seeming to be a chemical induced over the top fat lawyer with a huge drawl (in New York?) It was almost embarrassing to hear him desperately trying to do something funny with this disaster of a script. With a great script, he can do over the top and weird characters superbly like in O Brother and Big Lebowski, but here he should not have touched the part. Chris Rock was one of the funniest parts of the whole movie, making me chuckle more than any other character, although he was only around for about 3 minutes total. The 90 minute running time seemed to crawl by, and I would have sworn I had been in there at least 2 hours.In summary, unlike other CG movies we are used to, this has next to nothing for the grownups, and not much more for the kids. I don't know if Seinfeld is washed up, his time is past, or just rich and lazy these days, but this is not a positive for his career. Take the kids if you must, but don't bother bringing your spouse. And you're certainly not going to find yourself sneaking this one in the DVD player when nobody else is around like some of us might occasionally find ourselves doing with The Incredibles or Ice age.

Overview

Directors:Steve HicknerSimon J. Smith
Writers:Jerry Seinfeld (written by) andSpike Feresten (written by) ..
Release Date:2 November 2007 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:Animation / Comedy / Family / Fantasy
Tagline:On November 2 Hold on to your honey
Plot Outline:Barry B. Benson, a bee who has just graduated from college, is disillusioned at his lone career choice: making honey. On a special trip outside the hive, Barry's life is saved by Vanessa, a florist in New York City. As their relationship blossoms, he discovers humans actually eat honey, and subsequently decides to sue us.
Awards:Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 nominations
User Comments:Bee afraid, bee very afraid


Cast

Jerry Seinfeld
...
Barry B. Benson (voice)

Renée Zellweger
...
Vanessa Bloome (voice)

Matthew Broderick
...
Adam Flayman (voice)

Patrick Warburton
...
Ken (voice)

John Goodman
...
Layton T. Montgomery (voice)

Chris Rock
...
Mooseblood (voice)

Kathy Bates
...
Janet Benson (voice)

Barry Levinson
...
Martin Benson (voice)

Larry King
...
Bee Larry King (voice)

Ray Liotta
...
Ray Liotta (voice)

Sting
...
Sting (voice)

Oprah Winfrey
...
Judge Bumbleton (voice)

Larry Miller
...
Buzzwell (voice)

Megan Mullally
...
Trudy (voice)

Rip Torn
...
Lou Lo Duca (voice)

fun stuff

[from trailer]
Barry B. Benson: Tivo. You mean you can just freeze live TV? That's insane.
Vanessa: What, you don't have anything like that?
Barry B. Benson: We have "Hivo", But it's a disease. It's a horrible, horrible disease.

Vanessa: Why don't you just fly everywhere? Isn't it faster?
Barry B. Benson: Because flying gets very tiring. Why don't you humans just run everywhere, isn't that faster?
Vanessa: I see your point.

Cow: You're a lawyer too?
Mooseblood: Ma'am, I was already a bloodsucking parasite. All I needed was a briefcase!

Adam Flayman: Are you going to his funeral?
Barry B. Benson: No way. Everyone knows you sting someone, you die. You don't waste it on a squirrel. He was such a hothead.

Barry B. Benson: He's no goodfella, He's a BADfella!

Barry B. Benson: [explaining himself after trying to talk to pilots in a cockpit] I dont know what happened! I mean, I just tried to talk to these guys, and then there was a dustbuster, a toupee and a liferaft exploded... now ones bald ones in a boat and they're both unconscious!

Janet Benson: No flying in the house!

Barry B. Benson: This sweater is Ralph Lauren, and I have no pants


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Alvin and the Chipmunks

I'm surprised at the disappointing reviews of this film. I can agree that Jason Lee wasn't the perfect person to play Dave but he still did a pretty good job. I mean, let's be honest here and admit that none of the acting is great in this movie. It isn't horrible but it isn't great either. The thing is that the acting is on par for 90% of kids films. Also, how much can we really expect when it is a story about 3 singing chipmunks? The delight of the film and what people (my family anyway) want to see is the chipmunks get down and boogie. This movie in my mind accomplished everything and more that it might have set out to accomplish. It is extremely funny at times and also has a few heart felt moments. The overall story was very good. There are some morals taught here and you don't always see that with these types of movies. If you are in for some slapstick chipmunk boogie and rock and roll then check this out. I can almost guarantee you that any kid under 12 will love it and it is still enjoyable for adults.

Overview

Director:Tim Hill
Writers (WGA):Jon Vitti (screenplay) andWill McRobb (screenplay) ...
Release Date:14 December 2007 (USA)
Genre:Comedy / Family more
Tagline:Here comes trouble.
Plot Outline:Based on the 1980s cartoon series about a music group of chipmunks comprised of mischievous group leader Alvin; tall and quiet Simon; and chubby, impressionable Theodore.
User Comments:Great family movie


Cast

Jason Lee
...
Dave

David Cross
...
Ian

Cameron Richardson
...
Claire

Justin Long
...
Alvin (voice)

Jane Lynch
...
Gail

Matthew Gray Gubler
...
Simon (voice)

Jesse McCartney
...
Theodore (voice)

Allison Karman
...
Female Intern #1

Tiara Parker
...
Female Intern #2

Kira Verrastro
...
Female Intern #3

Veronica Alicino
...
Amy

Beth Riesgraf
...
Mother in Store

Kevin Symons
...
Ted

Greg 'G-Spot' Siebel
...
Photographer

Oliver Muirhead
...
Butler

fun stuff

[from trailer]
David Seville: [the boys are singing Funky Town] Hey guys, knock it off. It's 3 in the morning. [Theodore and Simon stop, Alvin continues to sing]
David Seville: Alvin. [he continues]
David Seville: Alvin. [he continues]
David Seville: ALVIN!


[from trailer]
David Seville: [sees Theodore eating something small and brown] Woah Theodore, did you just-?
Alvin: Relax Dave, it's just a raisin.
David Seville: Prove it. Alvin: [swipes the 'raisin' and eats it] Mmm-hmm.
David Seville: Okay. [he leaves]
Alvin: [quickly spits it out and points a finger at Theodore] Dude, you owe me big time! Theodore: Oh...


[from trailer]
Claire: This is nice. Just two friends having dinner... no pressure.
Alvin: [the lights turn down, the stereo turns on; "Let's Get It On" begins to play] Boom chicka wow-wow, chicka wow-wow!
[whispering to Dave]
Alvin: Tell her she completes you!


[from trailer]
Alvin: Dave needs a little help from the love doctor.
Theodore: And his assistant.
[from trailer]
David Seville: They're savings bonds. In seven years you will get enough money from them to buy something nice.
Alvin: Do you have any that you bought seven years ago?

David Seville: Chipmunks can't talk!
Simon: Our lips are moving and words are coming out.

Mother in Store: [apologizing for her daughter hitting Dave on the head with a box while shopping in a grocery store]
I am so sorry.
David Seville: I know, [shrugs]
David Seville: kids. Mother in Store: Oh you have some?
David Seville: Three boys. I know how it is,one day they are so cute, and then some days you just want to put them in a box, and leave them in the middle of the forest, you know?
Mother in Store: [shocked] No... no, I don't know.
[rushes off with her cart]

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Horton Hears a Who!

Overview

Directors:Jimmy HaywardSteve Martino
Writers:Ken Daurio (screenplay)Cinco Paul (screenplay)more
Release Date:14 March 2008 (USA) more
Genre:Adventure / Animation / Family more
Tagline:One Elephant One World One Story more
Plot Outline:Horton the Elephant struggles to protect a microscopic community from his neighbors who refuse to believe it exists. more
Plot Synopsis:This plot synopsis is empty. Add a synopsis
Plot Keywords:CGI Film / Character Name In Title
Production Notes/Status:
Status:Post-production
Comments:
Status Updated:27 July 2007
Note:Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.

Cast

Jim Carrey
...
Horton (voice)

Steve Carell
...
The Mayor of Who-ville (voice)
other cast:

Jonah Hill
...
(voice)

Seth Rogen
...
(voice)

Isla Fisher
...
(voice)

Will Arnett
...
(voice)

Dane Cook
...
(voice)

Dan Fogler
...
Yummo (voice)

Jaime Pressly
...
(voice)

Selena Gomez
...
Mayor's daughter (voice)

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
...
Town Crier (voice)

Amy Poehler
...
(voice)

Josh Flitter
...
Rudy (voice)

Carol Burnett
...
Kangaroo (voice)

Laura Ortiz
...
Jessica

Joey King
...
Katie (voice)

Shelby Adamowsky
...
The Mayor's Daughter

Samantha Droke
...
Mayor's Daughter (voice)

fun stuff

[from trailer] The Mayor of Who-ville: Hey, hon, did you ever get the feeling that you were being watched, and that maybe that thing watching you is... ehhh, a giant elephant?

Mayor's Wife: Um, you know, I'm going to have to say, "No". Do you know that feeling?

The Mayor of Who-ville: [laughs nervously] No!

[from trailer]

Horton: Just me and the speck, shootin' the breeze. We're a club. We're a group. We can be a secret society. And no one else can join, unless they wear funny hats.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

I went in cynical about this, especially after the travesty that was the Narnia film, but i was quickly converted: it's great fun. A really entertaining and immersive film that intelligently builds a fantastical world that the uninitiated can marvel and thrill in. I have to say i haven't read the books so can't comment on a book to film comparison.On the cast, I don't know how it works in the book but the adults are barely in this. Nicole has the most significant work and Sam Elliott, while a late arrival, is a great presence once he's around. However Daniel Craig and Eva Green are barely in it and Christopher Lee has one blink-and-you'll miss him scene. That said the casting is excellent. Green is suitably witchy and Craig makes an impact in his one/two dialogue scenes early on which, along with a couple of wordless inserts of his storyline, put him enough into your mind to wonder about him. He feels set up for a more significant role in future instalments. Elliott is great. That sonorous voice sneaking out from underneath that bushy moustache feels exactly right for Lee Scorsby.Kidman is perfect. There's something indelibly creepy about her rigid manner that works for the elegant but sinister Mrs Coulter. Meanwhile Simon McBurney is magnificently slimy and loathsome as the magisterium main face. You know he's a villain from the moment he enters frame.Dakota Blue Richards is a great find as Lara. While the first two Potter films and Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe were significantly hampered by the incredibly mannered, unrealistic, wooden acting of the young leads (most of the Potter cast got better, time will tell on Narnia) Richards is a winner from the outset. Precocious and feisty without seeming too forced she is generally believable whether is her rebellion or her loyalty. This is just as well as the film is really entirely on her shoulders. It will work or not for people based on whether you like her. She's in virtually every scene and has a lot of different emotions to get across as well as having to have significant interaction with CGI creations like her spirit animal Pan (the ubiquitous Freddie Highmore) and the polar bear played by Ian McKellen. She has a couple of slightly actorly moments but does incredibly well for a first timer under this kind of pressure.Of the voice-only cast McKellen is a perfect choice for the honourable polar bear while Highmore is either getting less annoying or it's just beneficial not being able to see him, as he is nicely understated as Pan. My only note on this casting would be once or twice I couldn't tell is Lyra or Pan was speaking in their interaction as in quiet moments Highmore and Richards' voices are remarkably similar!The effects are good but not great. I had worried they'd be as weak as Narnia and they aren't. The world is beautifully created and always feels real, whether Scorsby's flying ship or the blimp thing from the trailer, or stunning Arctic landscapes and big cities. The smaller creatures are also brilliantly rendered, Pan in particular. Some of the bigger creatures are less perfect. The polar bears have a cartoony unreal feel but in a fantasy setting with battle armour and stuff they work well enough. Certainly better than Aslan in Narnia. However the leopard creature with Daniel Craig doesn't look right at all.As for the film itself it really zips along quickly. The uninitiated (like me) may occasionally lose track of what's going on early on as strange terms and names are thrown back and forth but it soon settles down and makes sense. Rather than frustrating me that I might be missing key elements of what this world was about I felt happy going with it and was left thinking I'll watch it again when it's released just to be sure I didn't miss anything. It's a relief to see a fantasy film that brings it in at almost exactly two hours and has a cracking momentum, as opposed to the seemingly endless drag of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Narnia. Don't get me wrong taking time can work. I really liked Fellowship of the Ring but the pace of the Potters really tests my patience. Golden Compass moves so fast before you know it it's over and it leaves you wanting more. Indeed at the end of this film I could say it had succeeded in doing something the Potter franchise has never done: it left me desperate to see the next one.However what really made me like this film more than those others is the tone and some of the things they do in it. There are moments in this, that i won't spoil for those like me who didn't know the plot, that really surprised me that they'd do in a family film.A big fight scene between polar bears and the end battle are suitably exciting and i found myself really invested. I cared about the characters. Whereas in Narnia they hadn't done enough to make you care about Aslan's fate (criminal given how effectively the book and the 80s BBC TV serial managed it) this really has you on the edge of your seat for the good guys.Overall I really liked Golden Compass and would give it an 8/10 – compared to LOTR 10/10, 9/10, 7/10 for the series, Potter 5/10, 6/10, 8/10, 7/10, 7/10 for the series and Narnia 4/10. I will be watching this again when it comes out (something I never did for Potter or Narnia) and am looking forward to the next instalment. I hope Daniel Craig and Eva Green get bigger roles in the next film, but all round a great start to a potential franchise that I had middling hopes for.



Overview



Director:Chris Weitz
Writers (WGA):Chris Weitz (screenplay)Philip Pullman (novel)
Release Date:7 December 2007 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:Action / Adventure / Drama / Family / Fantasy / Thriller more
Tagline:"It is the Alethiometer. It tells the truth. As for how to read it, you'll have to learn by yourself."
Plot Outline:In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.
Awards:8 nominations



Cast

Nicole Kidman
...
Marisa Coulter

Daniel Craig
...
Lord Asriel

Dakota Blue Richards
...
Lyra Belacqua

Ben Walker
...
Roger

Freddie Highmore
...
Pantalaimon (voice)

Ian McKellen
...
Iorek Byrnison (voice)

Eva Green
...
Serafina Pekkala

Jim Carter
...
John Faa

Tom Courtenay
...
Farder Coram

Ian McShane
...
Ragnar Sturlusson (voice)

Sam Elliott
...
Lee Scoresby

Christopher Lee
...
First High Councilor

Kristin Scott Thomas
...
Stelmaria (voice)

Edward de Souza
...
Second High Councilor

Kathy Bates -Hester (voice)



fun stuff



Lee Scoresby: Are you gonna join in the turkey shoot?

Iorek Byrnison: Yes. I have a contract with the child.

[Lyra grins]



Lyra Belacqua: [upon receiving the alethiometer] What is this?

Master of Jordan: It's an alethiometer. It tells the truth. You are meant to have it. You keep the alethiometer to yourself, it's of the utmost importance to yourself, to all of us, and perhaps to all creation.



Lord Asriel: I propose to discover a world much like our own in a parallel universe.

Fra Pavel: That is heresy!

Lord Asriel: That is the truth.



Fra Pavel: Are you familiar with the Prophecy of the Witches?

Marisa Coulter: You think she is that child? She must be found.



Serafina Pekkala: War is coming Lyra.



Lyra Belacqua: I need to go north! To fight!



Iorek Byrnison: I will serve you in your campaign until you have a victory.



Marisa Coulter: Come with me, Lyra!

lyra Belacqua: I'm not yours! I'll never be yours!




Ragnar Sturlusson: Is that all? [hits Iorek]

Ragnar Sturlusson: Is that all? IS THAT AAAALL?

[Iorek swings at him and breaks his lower jaw off, then bites him in the throat, killing him]

Iorek Byrnison: Yes, that is all.



Pantalaimon: The north?

[changes from Ferret to Ermine]

Pantalaimon: It's cold up there!



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AIR BUDDIE'S

The movie is cute, and no doubt one the kids will like, I loved Michael Clark Duncan as a voice talent. I could have listened to him and the character he played all night. Other actors did not seem as polished, allow Wallace Shawn and Debra Jo Rupp were good as expected. There is not as much action with the dogs playing sports, however. The movie (no spoilers) is about Air Buds 5 puppies and how they are kidnapped. The bumbling kidnappers foil everything, but Air Bud and his "Dog Wife" (a subdued Molly Shannon) head out to rescue their pups along with two middle school age boys. The movie seemed to borrow quite heavily from the live action Disney's 101 Dalmatians. All in all, it's still a nice way to have a family night.

Overview

Director:Robert Vince
Writers:Anna McRoberts Robert Vince
Release Date:2006 (USA) more
Genre:Comedy / Family more
Plot Outline:When dad BUDDY and mom MOLLY are dognapped, their five adorable pups, the AIR BUDDIES, must save the day...
Plot Synopsis:This plot synopsis is empty. Add a synopsis
Plot Keywords:Sequel
Awards:1 nomination
User Comments:The kids will like it


Cast

Slade Pearce-noah

Noah-Trevor Wright

Grim-Abigail Breslin

Rosebud (voice)-Christian Pikes

Henry-Dominic Scott Kay

Bud-dha (voice)-Paul Rae

Denning-Michael Clarke Duncan

The Wolf (voice)-Don Knotts

Sniffer (voice)-Cascy Beddow

Concession Attendant-Patrick Cranshaw

Sheriff Bob-Josh Flitter

Budderball (voice)-Tyler Foden

Bartleby Livingston-Spencer Fox

Mudbud-Skyler Gisondo

B-Dawg (Voice)-Dan Joffre

Bob Framms-Irene Karas

House Keeper-Richard Karn

Patrick Framm-Gig Morton

B-Dawg Boy-Holmes Osborne

Debra Jo Rupp-Voice of Pig

Tom Everett Scott-Buddy (voice)

Molly Shannon-Molly (voice)

Wallace Shawn-Voice of Goat

Jake D. Smith-Noah Framm (archive footage)

Cynthia Stevenson-Jackie Framm

Mark Tisdale-Biker 2

fun stuff
Rosebud: Don't pull his paw!