Jack the Giant Slayer

ACTION/ADVENTURE, SCI-FI/FANTASY, 3D

Fee, Fye, Foe, Fumm

7.0 out of 10 | DVD or Rental

---

Rated: PG-13 Intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language.
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes

---

Director: Bryan Singer
Writers: Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie, Dan Studney, David Dobkin
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Eddie Marsan, Ewen Bremner, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Cornell John, Andrew Brooke, Angus Barnett, Ben Daniels

---

Watch Trailer

SYNOPSIS: The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is reignited when Jack, a young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds.

REVIEW: Valkyrie and X-Men director Bryan Singer returns to the big screen with a fantasy adventure based on the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. A cadre of writers flesh out the original tale, including Shrek Forever After scribe Darren Lemke, Jack Reacher screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, plus David Dobkin and Dan Studney. Can Singer succeed with a farm boy named Jack where he failed with a farm boy named Clark.

Jack (Nicolas Hoult, Warm Bodies) loves to hear about the legends of King Eric, magic beans created by monks trying to commune with their god, a massive bean stalk that led them to a realm between heaven and earth - a realm ruled by Giants with the thirst to acquire material objects and acquire the taste for human meat. Only the creation of a crown created from the hard heart of a Giant and worn by King Eric was able to stem the tide of the pillaging giants ravaging the earth and return the leviathans back to their realm. Fact became fiction. Fiction became legend. Legend became myth and stories to be told to children from fairy tale books. Young Jack revels in the stories his father tells of the legendary giants. Ten years later a more grown up Jack works on his uncle's farm, sent to the kingdom's castle to sell a horse and cart. While there, Jack intercedes when a young woman Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson, Alice in Wonderland) who is being accosted by village drunks. When Isabelle is sought out and rescued by the guardians of King Brahmwell (Ian McShane, Snow White and the Huntsman). As Princess Isabelle flees from the castle in search of adventure, she stumbles upon Jack's farm where an errant magical bean creates a beanstalk that transport Isabelle up to the mythical  floating lands of the Giants. The King summons his most trusted guardian Elmont (Ewan McGregor, The Impossible) to take a team up the stalk to rescue his daughter. Roderick (Stanley Tucci, The Hunger Games), Isabelle's arranged husband-to-be volunteers to go with the retrieval team, as does his assistant Wicke (Ewen Bremner, Great Expectations) and Jack himself. When they get to the top, they come face to face with a throng of Giants led by General Fallon (voiced by Bill Nighy, Total Recall), including Fee (voiced by Cornell John, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian), Fye (voiced by Andrew Brooke, Nice Guy), Foe (voiced by Angus Barnett, Hugo), and Fumm (voiced by Ben Daniels, Luna).

Based on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk tale, Bryan Singer and his stable of writers take the story and create a different spin on the tale of a farm boy taking on a land full of Giants bent on the pilfering and destruction of the human race. Can one forgettable boy birth succeed where royals and the noble ranks cannot? The tale is one of perseverance of a wayward dreamer pushing on in the name of romance and love. Add in the threat of mankind-hating Giants and you have a fantasy tale that a pre-adolescent audience will enjoy.

The Jack the Giant Slayer cast fit very well this fantasy adventure. Nicholas Hoult plays both the dreamy eyed farmboy and soon to be heroic conqueror of giants in equal measure. Ian McShane brings back a character similar to that he played in The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, always moving and speaking in even stoic tones. Tomlinson's Princess and future Queen Isabelle takes after her mother with a rebellious nature and adventurous spirit. She is beautiful enough to catch a man's eyes and tough enough to stand up for herself in the wild. Ewan McGregor, playing the King's General of the Guardians Elmont, takes a chapter from his later Ben Kenobi role to lead his men with grace, preparedness, and nobility. Stanley Tucci's Roderick and Ewen Bremner's Wicke represents the worst of humanity as he and his assistant only looks to take over the kingdom for his own power and gain, willing to use the Giants in the kingdom in the clouds to decimate the peoples in the lands Roderick wishes to rule. Bill Nighy leads the voice actors as the Giants' General Fallon.

Watching Jack the Giant Slayer is like watching The 7th Voyage of Sindbad or Jason and the Argonauts on Saturday morning television. While the story is fun and entertaining, the effects don't live up to expectations. The Giants in their own land in the clouds are stylized and well-defined but they don't really hold when on screen against the human actors. Maybe meant to be fanciful and stylized, the scenes with human actors against a green screen on a soundstage with additionally shots exterior horses and actors and CGI work behind doesn't mesh well together at all. In this world of The Lord of the Rings franchise or any of a number of superhero action adventures one would think that Brian Singer could have put together a tighter CGI fantasy effort.

Brian Singer is known for exemplary work with films like X-Men United, Apt Pupil and The Usual Suspects. He is no stranger to fine storytelling or good work with special effects. Somehow in this effort Singer missed the mark with FX that detracts from the story.

Jack the Giant Slayer will be a good flick for older kids and young teenagers. Parents or adults may like some of what they see but will realize they have seen better. So, when dealing with farm boys, Singer still struggles.

---

The Hunger Games

The World Will Be Watching

---

Rated: PG-13   Intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens.
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Runtime: 2 hrs 22 mins

---

Director: Gary Ross
Writers:  Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Wes Bentley, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland

---

---

SYNOPSIS:  Each year, the Capitol of Panam requires each of its 12 Districts to subject one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games, where the twenty-four Tributes must fight to the death until only one competitor remains.

REVIEW: Gary Ross, writer and director of Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, has proven that he understands the minds of youth and the perils and pitfalls of the competitors of sporting events. Taking the characters from the first book in 'The Hunger Games' trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross, Billy Ray (State of Play), and Suzanne Collins herself bring the inhabitants of Panam (a future ruined North America), its Capitol, its surrounding districts, and the competitors in the annual Hunger Games to life.

In District 12, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: First Class) cares for and hunts for her sister Primrose (Willow Shields, Beyond the Blackboard) and widowed mother, and toys with the notion of leaving the district with her friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth, Knowing). As the 74th Annual Hunger Games approaches, representatives from the Capitol headed by Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks,  The Next Three Days) come to the district for the Reaping, the selection of one boy and one girl between the ages of fourteen and seventeen to serve as Tributes for the game. Every family's request for government assistance asked for during the year between games equates to an additional ballot for one of the family's children of age. When Primrose is selected as District 12's female tribute, Katniss volunteers. Also selected from the district as the male tribute is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island). Together they accompany Effie back to the Capitol to prepare for the Game. Drunkard Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson, Zombieland), tormented winner of the 50th Hunger Games, is selected to mentor and prepare the pair for the televised fight to the death. Joining the District 12 prep team is stylist Cinna (Lenny Kravitz, Precious) and District 12 representative Effie. During training, Katniss and Peeta prove they are not simple poor district trash, and that they may be contestants to contend with. Although there are 24 Tributes in total, the most arrogant and cable competitors are embodied in District 1 tributes Marvel (Jack Quaid), and Glimmer (Leven Rambin, One Tree Hill) and District 2 tributes Cato (Alexander Ludwig, Race to Witch Mountain) and Clove (Isabelle Fuhrman, Orphan), 'Careers' who train their entire youth to compete. Once the games begin, Peeta and Katniss are on their own in a camera-filled, electronically-controlled, forested domed death arena.

Starting with the characters, Jennifer Lawrence ended up being an excellent choice for Katniss. Athletic and strong, the Katniss character still exudes innocent and resistance to the status quo of the Games. Hutcherson plays Peeta with strength and cockiness, until he realized he is really in over his head. Stanley Tucci (Captain America: The First Avenger) and his blue hair add the glitz and glamour as the Hunger Games Master of Ceremony and co-anchorman Caesar Flickerman, seeming like the Ryan Seacrest of a failed dystopian future. While Caesar comes to the screen as the bright shiny face of The Hunger Games, Wes Bentley (Gone) and his orchestrated beard directs a team of producers and technicians to capture every moment of the televised games and, sometimes, change the unscripted event with some additions and nudges of his own. Eiizabeth Banks is nearly unrecognizable as the powdered-face, geisha-painted lipped, Effie. The other stand-outs are Amandia Stenberg as the petite, pint-sized Tribute Rue (Colombiana) and the barely-seen but important Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne. And Donald Sutherland's President Snow, although soft-spoken, carries with him an experience and political and personal agenda that will certainly be explored further in the additional films.

I will be the first to admit that I never heard of Susan Collins trilogy of Scholastic books until The Hunger Game film was announced. And as a true cinest, I did not want to jump on the book reading bandwagon for fear that my movie going experience would be tarnished with ruined story plots and blown surprise reveals. In spite of that admission, I will admit that I did bone up on my Panam universe history just to be prepared for the Hunger Games. Ross, Ray and Collins do successfully recreate the written word from Collins' first Katniss novel into a freshman film that does not lessen the experience for the uninitiated. From the locales to the costumes to the actors and characters, The Hunger Games is something to behold. Maybe a little lengthy and slow for my taste (please do not crucify me, 'Hunger Game' book fans!), I do realize that several secondary characters and scenes from the original book were downplayed in order to keep the most important elements. I also realize that a few scenes were quick and concise to get important story points across to the audience, and to keep the film propelling forward.

With intense scenes like the start of the 74th Hunger Games at the Cornucopia followed by retreats and periods of waiting with Katniss roped onto a high canopy tree limb, the story did have periods that were a little uneven for me. The character development of Katniss and Peeta through the course of the game did help to keep my interest between fights in the last act. Knowing that it was important to focus on Katniss during the games, I did find that Seneca Crane and his televised reality show production got a little forgotten for a time toward the end.

The Hunger Games hype is sweeping across the country as the film opened to a non-sequel box office record breaker for its opening night midnight screenings. Will The Hunger Games replace the Twilight Saga as the next big thing once Breaking Dawn: Part 2 premieres this November? First it was Harry Potter, then Twilight, now The Hunger Games. If the box office is any indication, that very well may be the case.

---

WORTH: Matinee and DVD

Captain America: The First Avenger (3D)

Greatest American Hero

Director: Joe Johnston
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby
Cast: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Stanley Tucci

SYNOPSIS: After being rejected from the armed forces, 90 lb. weakling Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret government project to create an army of super soldiers against the Nazi aggressors during World War II.

REVIEW: Joe Johnston, the director of The Rocketeer and, most recently, The Wolfman (2010) takes a script from Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the screenplay writing team of The Chronicles of Narnia film series, and brings to life the origin tale of Captain America, the heart and honor of the Marvel Universe. Captain America: The First Avenger looks to shake off horrible television movies of the late 1970s with Reb Brown in the title role or an all-but-forgotten 1990 foreign made, direct-to-USA-video version that only the most die-hard fans would remember.

Chris Evans, the big-screen Johnny Storm of the Marvel Universe in the two most recent Fantastic Four films, faced questions as to whether he could wield the Star-Spangled shield. Would the movie-going public believe that Evans would be accepted for both the "Flame On!" hothead of Marvel's first family, and as the United States Government's first successful Super Soldier (some comics may debate the title of Steve Rogers being actually the first, but I digress)?

Comic book fans will have to make a decision. They will have to decide if they are willing to accept the revised origins of the Star Spangled Avenger. Sure, puny 90 lb Steve Rogers is still rejected from serving his country in World War II, but given an opportunity to volunteer for the top secret Super Soldier program. But the modern day return of the hero is marked by a Marvel Ultimates treatment. Is it sacrilege or smarter writing?

Joe Johnston, director knows his way around the graphically created Summer superhero fare, high stakes action flicks, and period pieces. With The Rocketeer, he handled all three. Now with Captain America: The First Avenger, he returns to the genre from where he received so much acclaim so many years ago.

Driven by the character as much as the action, Chris Evans’ Captain America, in my opinion, does the industry, the fans, and Summer movie-going proud. The women will love the fact that he shows more muscle and more skin than Ryan Reynolds did in this year’s earlier release, Green Lantern. With the bulk, blue eyes, and the Red, White and Blue, Evans brings a solemn responsibility and dedication to fighting for his country’s ideals, as well as his ideals. The effect of Steve Rogers as the pre-Super Soldier and his post-serum physiques really make the film!

And with any great superhero film, or any hero film for that matter, the villain is just as important as the hero. Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt, the ambitious scientist heading up Hitler’s Deep Science Division with his own aspirations for ultimate power and world domination, is picture perfect in tone and look. The make-up effects for this specific evil-doer is probably the best I have ever seen.

Also in the cast is the beautiful tough-as-nails British agent and sparking love interest Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Childhood friend James ‘Bucky’ Barnes (Sebastian Stan), gritty Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), United States weapons contractor Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Hydra weapons designer Dr. Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), and the Howling Commandos with derby wearing ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan (Neal McDonough), Gabe Jones (Derek Luke), Jim Morita (Kenneth Choi), James Montgomery Falsworth (JJ Field) and Jacques Dernier (Bruno Ricci).

Johnston and writers Markus and McFeely weave an excellent origin tale, spanning Steve Rogers humble beginnings to his rebirth in the 21st Century. Comic fans will enjoy the Easter Eggs at the 1942 Worlds Fair and Exhibition – Toro!, Toro!, the use of Captain Rogers as a propaganda patriot in the period equivalent of the classic Captain America costume to drum up the buying of war bonds, and Rogers unwavering attitude to protect his friends, soldiers and country from the outstretched clutches of the Axis. The action is slick, hard and fast. The look is as classic as any ‘Rosey the Riveter’ or ‘Uncle Sam - I Want You’ poster.

Fans and newcomers should find Captain America: The First Avenger as good as Favreau’s original Iron Man, and better than Thor (sorry, Thunder God). Funny, fresh and faithful to several comic treatments, Steve Rogers fights for truth, justice and the American way of life, throwing his mighty shield, and proving that a hero can have a heart and honor.

Even though Jon Favreau added the Easter Egg scene after Iron Man's credits as a lark, the end credit closing scene has become a part of the Marvel Universe on film. Stay in your seats to see a closing scene with Steve Rogers, as well as a trailer for next Summer’s The Avengers.

WORTH: Friday Night Opening and BluRay

Easy A

Whatever Happened To John Hughes

[Emma Stone, Aly Michalka, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley]

image from bp.blogspot.com

RANT: Barely 14 hours had past since my last movie outing. Friday at 10pm brought the "Devil" out, while Saturday's 12:30pm was an "Easy A". After writing the last blog and going to bed, there hasn't been that much activity in order to write about. I will tell you that the box office staff at the Westbury, NY AMC Regal Theater, most notably Vanessa, Tiffany, and Mary, are all smiles every time I go to the movies.

SYNOPSIS: After another student hears Olive lie to her friend that she lost her virginity, the rumor mill brands her as a slut and a harlot. At first, Olive relishes her infamy and helps guys get "sex cred", but then the web of deception spins her life too far out of control to handle.

Taylor Swift tweeted that "Easy A" was now her favorite movie! That's quite an endorsement from the multiple music award winner. And I can see why. Defty directed by Will Gluck from a story by writer Bert V. Royal, Emma Stone and cast bring the cattiness and humor that the film needed to be worth while. Where "Mean Girls" was the typical good girl gone bad teenage comedy with hi-jinks and a message, "Easy A" delves as deep into today's teenage culture while adding in a much needed dose of straight-on comedy moments.

Emma's Olive is a blend of "Mean Girls" Cady and "House Bunny's" Shelley. Of course, Emma and Anna Faris did co-star in "House Bunny", so she definitely can channel Anna from firsthand experience. Olive's parents, played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, provide all of the well-meaning laughs needed. Amanda Bynes plays Marianne, a teenage Christian soldier bent on exposing Olive for her misdeeds even though Marianne was the one who started the rumor mill after overhearing Olive fibs in the girls's restroom to begin with. "Hellcats" Aly Michalka plays Olive's off-again, on-again best friend Rhiannon, desperate to hear all of the juicy details of Olive's escapades, but unwilling to hold judgement after Olive's notoriety rivals her own.

We learn how destructive even the most innocuous lies can end up. The new age of instant communication and instant gratification is a glaring reminder that privacy is no longer sacred, and that any lie become truth once it appears in print or online. Today's teenagers recklessly add their thoughts to Facebook and Twitter, from the most mundane to the most private. As Olive states during her webcam, today's teenage life is not an 80's John Hughes film.

Worth: Matinee and DVD

I am also trying out a new rating system shown below based on reader reaction to my somewhat complex monetary rating scale. I will give both ratings and see what kind of reaction I muster. A movie can receive up to 5 popcorn buckets. Why popcorn buckets? Because I am a slave to the thousand + calorie delight! Enjoy!