Things We Lost In The Fire (2007)

Things We Lost In The Fire (2007) Movie Review

One of the misplaced gems from the 2007 movie vault. In the movie, David Duchovny's character says "Accept the Good". Yes, the movie is good.



Storyline:

Things We Lost In The Fire is a terse drama revolving around the lives of two people joined by fate rather than friendship. Halle Berry is the emotionally distraught wife coming into grips with the sudden, tragic death of her beloved husband. First she goes into Denial, then Anger, followed by Bargaining, and Depression and finally Acceptance. Benicio Del Toro stars as the elegantly wasted drug fiend / angel who loves life but is playing with death. Don't expect any "uppers" from this tear jerker movie.


Cast Performance:

All the main characters put up realistic, memorable performances, including the child actors. The lack of glamorous make-up for the cast gives "Things We Lost In The Fire" a very edgy, gritty feel.


Production Values:

Intelligent scripting, great movie direction by talented Danish director Susanne Bier (Brothers), and cinematography. Great rock soundtrack by Gustavo Santoalalla & Johan Soderqvist.



Things We Lost In The Fire: Movie Review: Advisory for Children & Moral Themes:

Not for young children because of drug content and language.
Benicio chain-smokes throughout the movie.

Teens should see this movie as it gives an accurate portrayal of what drug addiction is all about. It provides a very graphic account of The Intense Drug Cravings, What Addicts Must Do To Pay for the Drugs, Dealing with the Pusher, The Fix, The High, The Heroin Hell (The Symptoms of Drug Withdrawal), The Rehabilitation and unfortunately often also, The Relapse.

Although the movie is about drugs, it is an anti-drug movie. In the movie, Benicio's character describes his first heroin encounter as "a kiss from God". However, this high is never reached again even with higher lethal doses. The higher the dosage, the lower is the satisfaction. Either you stop or you die. Sometimes a drug death has a good side - it is a wake up call and saves the life of another drug addict. Even with rehabilitation, things usually don't get back to normal. You will have to face the downside and build a new life which is very different from the life before drugs. Living one day at a time.

On the positive side, it depicts drug addiction as treatable mental disease rather than a character weakness. This means that it is possible for people to break free from the chains of addiction with proper medical assistance, counseling and the help of the family, friends and the community. "Things We Lost In The Fire" is peppered with some very moving motivational advice like the "Serenity Prayer", etc. Turn on your English subtitles so as not to miss out on these excellent motivational thoughts.

Things We Lost In The Fire is also about how to overcome the loss of our love ones by first accepting the loss, then remembering all the good things we shared with our departed love ones and finally seeking closure by getting on with our new lives.

Life goes on, no matter how bad or tough it once was.

© http://goingtomovies.blo153);">© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Things We Lost In The Fire Movie Review

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) Movie Review

Storyline

A whimsical tale of a magical store owner (Dustin Hoffman) who decides to leave his toy land to his loyal employee, a former piano child prodigy (Natalie Portman). Much of the story centers on Natalie's character trying to dissuade Dustin from leaving. This result in the movie being too "talky" for kids and a tad too repetitive for adults. The story is a bit like Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory without the charm and funny scenes.

Cast Performance

Natalie Portman puts up a pretty good performance but Dustin Hoffman seems somewhat miscast as the eccentric owner with a speech impediment.

Production Values

The CGI is quite impressive though it appears all too briefly in the movie to leave a good lasting impression.The CGI in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium focuses mainly on the magical toys but they don't make the right magical connection like Disney's much loved 1966 "Babes int Toyland".

Mr Magorium Movie Review: Advisory for Children and Objectionable Themes

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a wholesome family orientated movie is suitable
for all children. There don't seem to be much to object about though there are brief mention of incarnation and "the king of planet of Yahweh". The magic demonstrated in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium seems to the harmless kind and so it will not upset the religious orientated.

It teaches us not to give up on our dreams and to have the child-like belief that we can make dreams come true.

All in all, Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium provides sufficient entertainment to keep kids happy.

Runtime: 94 minutes

Studio: 20th Century Fox

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Michael Clayton (2007)

Michael Clayton (2007) Movie Review

The film's tagline says it all: "The Truth Can Be Adjusted". Michael Clayton is an elegantly structured legal thriller which pays off with its rapidly escalating climax. Lack of action and heavy dialogs makes this film a thinking man's thriller. Because of its rich characterizations and an absorbing plot, you will be tempted to view certain scenes in the DVD over and over again to see what you had missed in earlier viewings. I wasn't impressed by George Clooney / Steven Soderbergh previous collaborations, but this one is simply exceptional.

Storyline:

George Clooney plays a lawyer Michael Clayton who, after working 15 years as a in-house fixer for a major New York law firm, is burned out. He hates the dirty work - cleaning up other people's messes. He hates his demanding and unappreciative clients. As he says: "I'm not a miracle worker, I'm a janitor." He wants out but can't as he is deep in debt due to a failed business venture with his alcoholic younger brother. To top it off, he has a failed marriage, a young son who he hardly has time for because of his 24 hour job and a sick father.

Tilda Swinton is perfect as an obsessive compulsive corporate big shot who is willing to break the law in order to protect her company from losing a multi-million dollar class action law suit. The agro-chemical corporation she is working for is accused of causing the deaths of dozens of people with their carcinogenic weed killer. One of the highlights of the film is the enactment of a hands-on cold blooded corporate style execution in which not one drop of blood was spilled.

Cast Performance:

The understated performances of the lead cast adds realism to this taut drama. Tilda Swinton won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress. Actors George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson were nominated for the Oscars.

Production Values:

Michael Clayton was nominated for 4 other Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director (Tony Gilroy), Best Screenplay (Tony Gilroy), and Best Music Score (James Newton Howard)- which unfortunately they did not win.

Michael Clayton Movie Review: Advisory for Children and Objectionable Themes:

Not really suitable for children. Michael Clayton is rated R for prevalent language and a scene during which one of the characters explicitly describes a sexual encounter. The film's sole act of violence is when a leading character is clinically killed by a lethal injection.

This film discusses several ethical questions; like should a lawyer take on a case if they know the client is obviously guilty. Should the truth be deliberately distorted in order to get what they want? Should they compromise / turn a blind eye if it leads to injustices?

Runtime: 119 min

Studio: Warner Brothers

Watch the full streaming video of the Michael Clayton movie trailer:

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10,000 BC (2007)

10,000 BC (2007) Movie Review

A pretty disappointing and far fetch recreation of history even by Hollywood's lax standards of historical accuracy. The movie 10,ooo BC is so horrendously inaccurate scientifically and historically, viewers may be forgiven in thinking that it was a joke movie. It makes the animated feature "Ice Age" look like a historical documentary on the subject.

So what about entertainment? Well, even in this field, 10,000 BC disappoints. Even my 12 year old boy thought the movie was boring. The 10,000 BC movie's draggy story line, dull dialog and dumb action sequences won't cut it even as a fantasy movie set in a planet far, far away from earth. Cloverfield movie looks like a cinematic work of art in comparison to 10,000 BC.

After Roland Emmerich's earthshaking "Independence Day" & "The Day After Tomorrow", this is a real bummer. The CGI and special effects are equally not impressive. As an epic movie, it also fails and fans expecting the panoramic vistas of a prehistoric Ice Age (circa 10,000 BC) will be sorely disappointed.

So it is not surprising that this movie did not do well in the cinemas.

10,000 BC Movie Review: Suitable for Children

Though there are lots of violence in 10,000 BC, most of it is bloodless and therefore won't upset younger kids. The lack of energy of the movie makes the intense action scenes look boring even for kids. As can be expected in films about prehistoric times, there are some scenes in the film about paganism - the worship of men claiming to be gods, the veneration of dead "fathers" and the seeking guidance of the "great mother".

While it is commendable that the movie producers are promoting the "anti-slavery" theme - such basic human rights, unfortunately, did not exist until the last two centuries.

Watch streaming video from YouTube on 10,000 BC movie trailer:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - 10,000 BC

Cloverfield (2007)

Cloverfield (2007) Movie Review

Cloverfield is a nerve numbing experience with the audience left in the dark with jittery frames. The dead silence in the theater demonstrated the effectiveness of the storytelling and execution of the movie.

Some of the set scenes has an eerie resemblance to the 9/11 News footage and this added a strong sense of realism to the movie. The sudden visual shocks and loud explosions, thanks to the Double Negative Ltd and Tippet Studios special effects team, gets your adrenalin pumping and your legs in flight mode.

The opening act may seem trivial but it adds to the realism, setting the stage for the emotional and physical turmoil to come. The monster is one of the classic monsters on the silver screen simply because we only have a brief glimpse of it here and there. Additionally, the monster is a complete mystery, so our imagination goes into overdrive. J.J. Abrams the creator of Cloverfield and "Lost" the TV series was not very helpful saying only that the monster is just a baby.

Whether Cloverfield will be a long lasting favorite with fans remains to be seen. Not many documentaries have long legs. But for a first or second time viewing, it is one hell of a ride. Certainly, it is a ground breaking sci-fi / horror film and that alone should make it a compulsory buy for fans of this genre.

LATEST NEWS: NEW CLOVERFIELD INCIDENT IN THE ATLANTIC:

Cloverfield monster attacks an oil drill in the mid-Atlantic ocean (new video clip not seen in the movie!). This Atlantic incident reportedly happen before the monster rampaged through New York city. What's next?

At last, we get to see the real Cloverfield monster. Mystery solved, well.... sort of.....

Cloverfield Movie Review - Not Suitable for Young Children:

This PG13 movie is certainly not for children below 10 years old as it will be absolutely terrifying for them. This 75 minutes feature (excluding the 10 minutes of credits) has many disturbing and violent scenes that will give them nightmares. There are also references of couples sleeping together which are not suitable for the young ones. That said, Cloverfield was the first monster / horror movie my 12 year old son watched. He said it was scary but he liked the movie.

There isn’t much of a motivational theme running through Cloverfield. The only redeeming feature of the movie is the main character's love and concern for his ex-girlfriend. In spite of their failed relationship, he is willing to risk his own life to save her. The movie also demonstrates the true test of friendship. His friends rally around him when he decides to rescue his injured ex-girlfriend from a building (partially destroyed by the Cthulhu creature) even when they know the chances of survival are slim.

We don't really get up close and personal with the lead characters of Cloverfield, so we don't have a strong emotional attachment to them. They merely act as guides leading us closer and closer to the ultimate face-to-face confrontation with the thing we fear the most in our lives.

It proves once again that New York is a dangerous place to live in.

Viral Marketing notwithstanding, Cloverfield has certainly monster movie to beat.

See the true Cloverfield monster in this streaming video trailer on YouTube - an exclusive by courtesy of JJ Abrams. Don't get a heart attack!:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Cloverfield Movie Review

National Treasure - Book of Secrets (2007)

National Treasure - Book of Secrets (2007)

National Treasure - Book of Secrets offers very much the same amount of thrills and spills of the first movie - this time promising to solve the mystery of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

Unlike the Indiana Jones films which are set in exotic locales, National Treasure is as Americana as the Westerns of the '50s. Though the lead characters do go to France and England for clues, the location shots don't leave a strong impression that it was shot in Europe. The Book of Secrets follows quite closely to the themes from the movie (released in 2004).

National Treasure: Book of Secrets is flat-out an action adventure movie. However, younger kids probably won't go for the movie as the plot is not easy to follow and it does not have any cute characters to keep them engrossed.

Christian groups may find the glorification of the Freemasons (the super secretive cult group with a questionable past) as offensive.

National Treasure - Book of Secrets - Suitable for Young Children

National Treasure - Book of Secrets is rated for action violence and some scary images. Though this movie has quite a fair bit of stylized violence, the body count and bloody scenes are surprisingly low. But then, this is a Disney movie and the studio made an extra effort to make the movie family friendly by giving treasure hunter, Ben Gates' (Nicholas Cage) father (Oscar winner, Jon Voight) and mother (Oscar winner, Helen Mirren) a big part in the movie. A big plus for this movie is a line up of other big stars including Oscar nominees Ed Harris, and Harvey Keitel.


If you want a comedy / adventure with slick action, then National Treasure: Book of Secrets is the film for you.

Watch the streaming video movie trailer of National Treasure: Book of Secrets:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - national treasure: book of secrets

I Am Legend (2007)

I Am Legend (2007) Movie Review

Based on Richard Matheson’s apocalyptic 1954 novel, this is a timely parable about the dangers of genetic engineering and dangerous drugs. "I Am Legend" follows the trials and tribulations of the last man on earth after after a miracle cancer drug turned the whole of humanity into flesh-eating zombies. Scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith) must find a cure to turn these predators back to humans again before he himself is infected by the zombie mutation.

The first half of the movie is is excellent with its intense and nail-biting suspense reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s suffocating and claustrophobic “Alien”. Unfortunately, the second half of “I am Legend” was turned into a full blown zombie movie very much like James Cameron's Alien sequel "Aliens".

Nonetheless, it is still a worthwhile movie to watch because of the great production design sets (like the ruined Manhattan overgrown with vegetation in 2012) and Will Smith’s outstanding performance showcasing the worst and the best of humanity.

The ending of I am Legend which is more upbeat than Matheson’s end of the world novel is refreshing. It provides the world with hope of redemption. "I am Legend" is one of the few sci-fi and horror movies that show God in a favorable light. There is its spiritual element of redemption when Neville finally overcomes his crisis of faith and realizes that his suffering may be part of God’s Plan to save humanity by finding a cure for the diseased zombies (a manifestation of mankind's fall from grace?):

For three years, Neville has put the fate of mankind on his own back by defiantly proclaiming: "There is no God!". But then, a mysterious woman appears who says the real hope is in God. "He has a plan," Anna (Alice Braga) says. "He sent me here for a reason." In the final 10 minutes, the movie takes on the themes of God's providence and the need to listen for his voice. Anna says, "The world is quieter now. It's easier to hear God."

I Am Legend Movie Review - Not Suitable for Young Children:

This movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence & mature themes and therefore, not recommended for younger children. Even adults will cringe at the gore and the distressful terror scenes.

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - i am legend movie review

Enchanted (2007)

"Enchanted" is a perfect family movie. It is funny, has a endearing storyline, catchy songs, great acting and good direction making it one of this year's better fantasy movies.

The movie contrasts the positive and happy characteristics of the Disney classic fairy tale characters against the negative and empty lives of people in the real world. Like Shriek, Enchanted is a parade of Disney's most beloved characters like Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella.

This movie could easily be translated into Broadway hit musical like the Lion King as it has great music by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. The choreographed song and dance throughout the Enchanted are excellent.

Amy Adams is outstanding as the would-be princess Giselle and she really lights up every scene she appears in. Amy was nominated for the Oscars for Best Performance from an Actress in a Supporting Role (Junebug in 2005). Patrick Dempsey's on-screen daughter, Rachel Covey bears a strong resemblance of a young Drew Barrymore.

Enchanted re-establishes Disney as the leading studio for fairy tale / fantasy movies and will be a movie everyone can enjoy.

Enchanted - Suitable for Young Children:

Enchanted is rated PG for some scary images and mild innuendo.

The scary images include cartoon violence whereby characters and animals are harmed. Off course, all fairy tales have an evil Queen who turns into a horrifying dragon.

There are mild sexual references here and there. The Queen and her henchman appear to be in some sort of sexual relationship. Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and his girlfriend, Nancy used to live together and Giselle (Amy Adams) assumes they have slept together. There is also a scene of Robert stumbling upon Giselle in the shower but birds carrying a towel cover her. There are at least two poop jokes.

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Enchanted

Fred Claus (2007)

Fred Claus (2007) Movie Review

Fred Claus may not be a perfect movie but it has its charms. If you are into the legends of Santa Claus and want to get into the spirit of Christmas, this is the movie to put into DVD player. It has lots of interesting things going for it, fantastic Christmas characters, positive values, good plot and great music.

The movie tries to tell the true story of St. Nicholas at the beginning of the movie. How an ordinary man has been transformed to legendary status as Santa Claus from baby to adulthood. Santa's North Pole back story is also more detailed compared to previous Santa movies. So if you are a fan of the Santa legend, you'll get a nice visual treat on origins and live of Santa.

The music featured in Fred Claus is also great with some well known 60s songs. It also has some superb traditional Christmas songs rarely seen in today's movies like "Silent Night", "The First Noel" etc. The song "Silent Night" featured in Fred Claus is a very moving traditional version by Sinead O'Conner. If you watched the movie, I'm sure you'll want to buy the CD Soundtrack of Fred Claus. But note that the excellent songs by the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and the Byrds "My Back Pages" are not in the CD probably because they are not Christmas songs.

Fred Claus has a great cast including Oscar winners Kevin Spacey and Kathy Bates.

Fred Claus - Suitable for Young Children:

Children will love this movie because it has all their beloved characters in it. More than this, it has lots of good motivational themes which will teach kids about generosity, always seeing the good in people, the value of maintaining traditions and carrying out one's responsibilities.

Fred Claus is rated PG for mild language and some rude humor. The bad language is limited to Santa saying his workshop is "going down the crapper'. The "rude humor" is mild mainly due to a completely unnecessary reference to sexual impotence during a family argument. The adult situations is more about unmarried people living together.

Here is a "Fred Claus" streaming video movie trailer from YouTube:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Fred Claus

Game Plan (2007)

Game Plan (2007) Movie Review

If you want to see a family comedy with a sports element and not too demanding about a derivative storyline, then the Game Plan will pay off for you.

Action star, Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is not a very good actor but he does stretch himself in this movie putting more effort in acting handling the the humorous and tear jerking scenes reasonably well. It also gives him an opportunity to showcase his limited ability in singing Elvis Presley Are You Lonesome Tonight". If you are an Elvis fan, you will love the Elvis memorabilia in the Rock's Kingmen character's exclusive uptown apartment. The comic part is his imitation of Daffy Duck.

The Game Plan's strong motivational theme like determination, passion, teamwork, patience, and selflessness makes it one of the good “feel good” movies to come out this year. The Rock's Kingman character's motto: "Never quit, never say no" (i.e. "Never say die" and "Never give up.") is inspirational too.

It follows the transformation of a vain, self-centered, celebrity football player who does an admirable job taking care of his newly discovered 8 year old daughter played with enthusiasm by Madison Pettis. Even when things are going wrong, Kingman exudes confidence and grit. In one particular scene in the Game Plan, though he has doubts about doing a ballet performance in public, he manages to convince himself to do it by saying to himself: "I will not quit. Power to the dad. Power to the dad who doesn't quit". Great stuff for anyone overwhelmed by a seemingly difficult task.

Game Plan - Conditionally Suitable for Young Children:

The Game Plan is rated PG for some mild thematic elements, including some disconcerting amount of suggestive sexuality - surprising for a Disney family PG movie. There is also frequent reminders that a fast-food chain's burgers give people gas - with one character proving this point.

Watch the "Game Plan" streaming video movie trailer on You Tube and get into the feel of the Game:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - the game plan (2007)

Bee Movie (2007)

Bee Movie (2007) Movie Review

Bee Movie may not be the best animated feature to be release this year but it does offer pretty good entertainment. This movie is Jerry Seinfeld creative entry to the animation business and I suppose expectations have been high that he would deliver something similar like this TV sitcom.

The DreamWorks' Bee Movie takes you into the high flying world of bees. You will also love the more positive and motivated attitudes of the lead character Barry (voiced by Jerry Seinfeld).

Animation fans may object to the highly simplified stick design of the bees which is reminiscent of Toy Story. However, the CGI's multi-dimensional fantasy background looks very realistic. The faces of bee characters look like very good caricatures of the actors. There are also wonderful cameo of TV personalities like Oprah, Larry King etc.

The Bee Movie story teaches us to explore the world before we make a career choice. To fight big corporations, no matter what the odds are. About never being afraid of making friends. And if we create a ecological mess, we should clean it up ourselves rather than waiting for others to do the job for you.

Jokes about being small, being exploited, about blood sucking lawyers etc and of course bee and sting jokes and puns are great.

There are two memorable bee songs namely, one by my favorite insect band, the Beatles with their fabulous "Hear Comes the Sun" and TV Cartoon band, the Archies' with their catchy song "Sugar Sugar".

Bee Movie is suitable for children:

Bee Movie is rated PG for mild suggestive humor. One or two jokes that seem to vaguely reference drug abuse when a mosquito character says that drinking blood "makes him crazy." A handful of sexual euphemisms may go over the heads of children, but some may not. The most explicit joke is when someone refers to Barry as Vanessa's "bed bug." There are some references of cross species relationships which may confuse the younger viewers.

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Bee Movie (2007)

Stardust (2007)

Stardust (2007) Movie Review

Stardust, based on Neil Gaiman's "high fantasy" novel, has all the elements of Grimm's fairy tale with witches, flying pirate ships, kings, princes and princesses, unicorns, ghosts and witches spells that can only be broken by a true love's kiss.

The movie comes across like a better "The Princess Bride" with touches of Terry Gilliam here and there. It has a slow build up taking its time to flesh out some of the many characters in Stardust. It makes up for the slow start and meandering plot with a strong memorable finish. The movie is over 2 hours long, but you won't feel that it is that long.

Medieval sets of Stardust's alternate universe of Stormhold really creates a realistic backdrop for this story much like the universes of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Though the CGI /special effects are reasonably good it is not exactly earth shattering.

Big stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O'Toole etc in the movie was also add quality to the production.

Stardust unfolds like a good murder mystery leaving you guessing of what is going to happen next. The story is about an ordinary boy who goes on a simple quest to win the hand of a local town beauty but gets diverted by the problems of other people. The true object of the quest is not known to him until the very end and I won't be a spoiler by telling you.

Go and experience the magical kingdom of Stardust and find out the mystery for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Stardust is suitable for children with some reservations:

Stardust is rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and some risque humor. The film begins with a short tale that culminates in a scene of implied premarital sex, and the film treats this event as a whimsical, amusing situation. There are scenes of magical violence—some comical and some frightening.

Stardust an entertaining adult fairy tale that will satisfy grown-ups but may leave younger kids restless because of its complex story line and rather wordy dialog. Also, the adult humor, scary witches and violence (most of which are off screen) may deter some parents from taking their younger kids to see Stardust.

The "camp" part exposing Shakespeare (Robert de Niro) as a gay pirate (as in closet cross-dressing) may be considered out of place in this family movie by some.

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Stardust (2007)

Seeker - Dark is Rising (2007)

Seeker - Dark is Rising (2007) Movie Review

The Seeker: Dark is Rising is a rather low key movie largely due to a smaller budget compared to Harry Potter. If the movie had been closer to the source materials of Susan Cooper's beloved fantasy books, it could have given Harry Potter a run for its money.

That said, the movie does have a lot of good values which should appeal to families looking for wholesome entertainment. It is good to see straight-forward black and white values in movies again. I particularly like the movie tagline which says: "Even the smallest light shines in the darkness".

Though the story is based on Irish and Scottish pre-Christian myths, it is a Christian alternative to Harry Potter. The main character, Will Stanton, is a 14-year old boy entrusted with the unenviable task of saving humanity from slipping into another Age of Darkness. He uses his pre-sense to find "grail-like relics" that enable him to fight the dark forces against humanity.

Will “the Seeker” has to make hard choices and overcome his own human weakness - like the fear of the dark into to gain the power to fight his other-world adversaries. He gets distracted along the way, like many of us, but makes good in the end - giving us all hope that good will prevail in the end.

The Seeker - The Dark Is Rising - is suitable for children

The Seeker is rated PG for fantasy action and some scary images.

Some parts of the movie has few scary images and a feeling of dread which might be scary for very young children like haunted mansions and birds from the depths of hell. The Dark Rider and the "Old Ones" gives hints that they could be wizards practicing some forms of magic - some of which may be scary to younger children.

There is also scenes of parental neglect which is common for homes with large families.

That apart, the movie provides valuable lessons of life's choices. How to take responsibility and overcome one's disadvantages and come out triumphant.

Watch "The Seeker" full streaming video movie trailer on YouTube below:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - seeker: the rising of the dark

Underdog the Movie (2007)

Underdog the Movie (2007)

Underdog the movie is movie targeted for the 4-10 year olds though fans of this well known 60s breakfast cereals-sponsored cartoon series will also love it. This live action / comedy / fantasy / Sci-fi / "Superman" inspired movie certainly entertains and is doggone better than the Eddie Murphy's animal movies or Scooby Doo.

The CGI effects and action sequences are well done though not exactly ground breaking.

The Underdog story parallels the story of a father (James Belushi) and his son, both losers of sorts, who made it good. Ultimately, it is a story of three underdogs who became top dogs. James Belushi becomes the top cop he was before he quit the force, his son finds a new purpose in life and Underdog regains his super powers and saves the city from destruction.

Even when our reluctant hero loses his superpowers, Undergo shows that he's got the right stuff:

"Some heroes are born, destined for greatness. Others are made. Everyday men and women and yes, dogs, who rise up in times of crisis no matter how high the odds are stacked against them. These are the heroes we all have inside of us. These are the Underdogs".

Underdog also has a great soundtrack which includes some of the best soul and blues music ever recorded eg:

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (Part 1) - James Brown & The JB's
Got My Mojo Workin' - Muddy Waters
Poor Boy - Howlin' Wolf
Hell Hound On My Trail - Robert Johnson
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
Grinnin' In Your Face - Son House

plus rap music from Mos Def, Jay-Z, DMX and Wu Tang Clan; plus jazz from Wayne Shorter and rock from Jeffery Wright.

Underdog the Movie is suitable for children:

Underdog is rated PG for rude humor, mild language and action.

The real concern for parents is the "rude humor"— which includes several references to poop, eating vomit and sniffing rear ends. The language is limited to "damn." Some parts of the movie may be scary for young ones (dogs in trouble or scary, intimidating dogs).

The underlining motivational theme is commendable especially for the kids. Underdog teaches kids of all ages about friendship, unconditional love, family, and believing in yourself. Underdog may not be the perfect hero but he certainly has an air of refreshing positivenesses that is sadly missing in many of today's films.

Watch full movie trailer of Underdog on YouTube streaming video:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Underdog the movie (2007)

Evan Almighty (2007)

Evan Almighty (2007) movie review

Evan Almighty provides delightful and wholesome entertainment for both kids and adults alike. It is both fun and serious. Evan Almighty imparts important messages about family values, ecological responsibility and the importance of small acts of kindness.

It is also one of the few recent movies that has a biblical theme albeit a modern parable. Evan Almighty is based on the Noah’s Ark story to some degree. It would have been a better movie if it featured a global deluge rather than a localize flood.

Here is an interesting acronym for ARK coined for the movie:

• ARK: = “Do An Act of Random Kindness”.
  
• Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
  

Don’t leave the theater before Evan Almighty film credits ends. Watch the cast’s hilarious dance sequence to the big 1980s dance hit - “Everybody Dance Now!” by the C+C Music Factory. The movie is a sequel to the hugely successful Jim Carrey’s “Bruce Almighty” which is not really a faith-based movie like this one. Steve Carell who starred in both "Almighty " movies, plays the reluctant modern Noah in this movie.

Evan Almighty may not be perfect, it does have some redeeming parts. In all, it a wholesome, uplifting film that will appeal to most families

.

Evan Almighty is suitable for children:

Evan Almighty is Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril.

The final (deluge) scene is fairly intense, maybe even scary for very young kids.

There are some mild language used like the "Oh my G--" swearing. Profanity is limited to a few "almost" curses that get diverted at the last minute. There is some bathroom and body part humor, mostly to do with animals.

While Christians may embrace the movie's theme on the obedience to the creator, they are likely to reject to the movie's central premise that God is more concerned about ecological issues rather than with sin and other evils plaguing the earth.

Watch Streaming Video from YouTube on the full Evan Almighty trailer

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - Evan Almighty (2007) movie review

The Corporation (2004)

This highly engrossing documentary begs the question – “Can Corporations be Moral in their Pursuit of Profits?” Judging from the state of the environment, the general health of the people and the widening gap of the rich and the poor, we have reasonable cause to worry.

If this is the situation, who is to blame? Is it the Government for not enacting laws to reign in these increasingly aggressive and powerful Corporations? Is it the fault of the Corporations for not acting responsibly? Or is it the general population across the globe for not making responsible choices in the products and services they use?

The problem is a highly complex one and there is no easy solution in the immediate horizon either.

Joe Balkan, a law professor notes that today’s Corporations are "singularly self-interested and unable to feel genuine concern for others in any context." (pg. 56). This documentary is inspired by the works of Joe Balkan’s book - “The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power” (2004).

Dr. Robert Hare, a consultant to the FBI on psychopaths, draws parallels between a psychopath and the modern Corporation. In the documentary, it is revealed that his findings corroborate the following behavior:

• Callous unconcern for the feelings of others


• Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships


• Reckless disregard for the safety of others


• Deceitfulness: Repeated lying to and deceiving of others for profit


• Incapacity to experience guilt


• Failure to conform to the social norms with respect to lawful behaviors.

To be frank, though the arguments put forth in this DVD documentary may not as forceful as many other recent documentaries (see below), it does nonetheless, reward those who are prepared to sit through a nearly 3 hour exposé on the history and activities of Corporations since the birth of America.

The film touches on a variety of issues, such as sweatshop labor, the world bank, free trade, environmental problems, health and safety problems, corporate media control, anti-trust and monopoly violations, child advertising and corporate propaganda, genetically modified (GM) foods, et cetera.

This documentary is crammed with dense theorizing, it requires concentration, but viewers are rewarded by a thorough and well-argued film which doesn’t feel the need to couch its message in comedy.

Watching this DVD, one cannot help but feel sorry for the anti-Globalization protesters as their frustrations and desperation turn to violence.

The following recent documentaries overlaps some of the topics covered in "The Corporation" documentary:

Al Gore’s “The Inconvenient Truth” (2006)
A Must-See for everyone who is concerned about the environment by Director Davis Guggenheim with Al Gore as the poster boy of global warming. An Inconvenient Truth makes the compelling case that global warming is real, man-made, and its effects will be cataclysmic if we don’t act now. Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way: often humorous, frequently emotional, and always fascinating. In the end, An Inconvenient Truth accomplishes what all great films should: it leaves the viewer shaken, involved and inspired.

The documentary won an Oscar Award this year and Al Gore got a Nobel Prize for bringing global warming message to the fore.

Morgan Spurlock’s “Supersize Me” (2003)

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, rejected five times by the USC film school, won the best director award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival for "Supersize Me" - a irreverent look at obesity in America and one of its sources - fast food corporations.

Michael Moore’s “Roger & Me” (1989)

When General Motors Chairman, Roger B. Smith closes down a profitable auto factory in his home town, Michael Moore embarks on a journey to interview Roger hence the title "Roger & Me". Michael Moore’s sharp wit and working class roots endears him to his audience and me as he goes on a quest to find out: "What is Corporate America’s responsibility to the country’s citizens?". A question no one at GM wants to answer, certainly not Roger.

Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight (2006)

Why We Fight is the provocative documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger) and winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Why We Fight goes far beyond the headlines of various American military campaigns in the last half a century to the deeper questions of why America is seemingly so pre-occupied with war. What are the forces – political, economic, and ideological – that drive America to battle against an ever-changing enemy? This documentary challenges viewers to examine the mechanizations of the secretive and ever persuasive military-industrial complex and its influence on the US government decisions.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, this is a multidimensional study of one of the biggest business scandals that rocked Corporate America. The Enron documentary takes a look at one of the greatest corporate disasters in history, in which top executives from the 7th largest company in the USA walked away with over one billion dollars, leaving scores of investors and 20,000 employees with nothing in 2001.

Jamie Johnson’s “Born Rich” (2002).

Jamie Johnson, 20-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire, made this documentary about the lives of the children of the wealthiest families in the world. You would expect these Born Rich children from the elite of our society to have something important to say or do. Or at least get a glimpse of their glamorous lives. Instead, what you get is an insight of the aimless lifestyle of kids Born Rich. Paris Hilton, where are you when we needed you?

If you liked these documentaries, you will certainly like this hard hitting Canadian documentary "The Corporation". It is a must-see for any one who is concerned about the products they buy and the companies they invest in.

Here are some short streaming video trailers of 'The Corporation" on YouTube:

Dangers of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods:

© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - - The Corporation (2004)

Alvin & Chipmunks (2007)

Alvin & the Chipmunks is a fantastic family film with bags of energy and gags which will be appreciated by both the young and the old. The kids will go nuts watching the antics of the cute, helium-voice chipmunks. Adults will be delighted with the latest reincarnation of the Chipmunks which seems to get cuter with age.

The movie is based on a '50s hit novelty musical act named "Alvin and the Chipmunks" which have been reincarnated in the '60s and the '80s - making it one of the most enduring acts in the annuls of Hollywood.

As in previous Chipmunks features, you also get a revival of Alvin and the Chipmunks' '50s hits music like "the Chipmunk Song (Christmas don't be late)", "the Witch Doctor" etc updated for today's audience, making it a perfect Christmas movie. The Chipmunks' new version of "Funkytown" is updated to a hip hop version.

The movie is set in smalltown USA that is all decked out for Christmas so you get an old fashion Christmassy feeling throughout the movie. The lead character, David Seville (Jason Lee) is a down and out song composer whose life is turned upside down by three mischievous chipmunks who can sing and dance. There are many funny scenes that will leave you in stitches. Adults will also appreciate the film’s satire on the cynicism of the music industry.

The seamless blending of the excellent CGI animation with real-life action is first-class. And despite its super-cute stars, the film avoids descending into saccharine sentimentality, partly thanks to Jason Lee’s understated but likable performance as Dave. The CGI chipmunk characters are so realistic visually, their "acting" would put many real life actors to shame. Definitely one of the best animated movies released this year.

Alvin and the Chipmunks - Suitable for Young Children:

Alvin and the Chipmunks is rated PG for some mild rude humor.
The "mild rude humor" comprise the fart joke scene and a chipmunk eating poop sequence.
This movie is suitable for kids of all ages.

The movie also teach us the power of holding on to our dreams, showing kindness and family values.

Elwin plays Mr Big song on this Little Boy video (not from Chipmunk movie unfortunately)
© http://goingtomovies.blogspot.com - alvin and the chipmunks (2007)