Summer Movies and the Mummy 3: Tomb of inconsistence

I recently found a Youtube video of Summer movies, by a guy that calls himself the Irate Gamer, who puts together quality work and offers a valid point of view. I don't agree with his list, but I respect it, and am happy to put a couple links to him if that can help at all. Of course I'm giving my own view as well, but overall, great job.

1. Dragonballz - Who? What? That really bad anime toon? Well, if he says so, but I didn't even know about this movie and won't be going to see it, or rent it, and will probably change the channel in six months when it is on cycle for all the cable channels.
   
2. Batman 2 - I'm excited about this too, it brings out the not so dormant dork in me and I will surely wade into a sea of children to watch this one at the theater. Heath Ledger as the Joker will be even more interesting now, as they say he was drained from playing the part.
   
3. Indiana Jones 4- I may cut in front of you in line for this one, long time coming. One thing, he says that Louis Stephens is in it, what about Shia Lebouf?
   
4. Mummy 3 - Is this really #3, I always thought that #2 passed off the baton to the Rock and went on to the Scorpion King. Hahaha, of course that movie made the old Jason and the Argonauts look realistic and well acted. At least they realized that Brendan Fraser and cast was driving the Mummy franchise, and are backtracking.
5. Hancock - A comedy starring Will Smith as a superhero, that I have never heard of, but that's why I keep looking for stuff.
   
6. Iron Man - Robert Downey as Tony Stark, it looks good, but could also just be a repository of Power Ranger Moments I hope I'm wrong.
7. Hellboy 2 - I am looking forward to this too. I watched the movie, missing all of the comic books, and enjoyed it. Since then, I have watched the animated movies, which are okay, but this new movie should be fun. He reminds me of the old Ben Grimm, back when he just sid, "It's Clobberin' time!" all the time.
   
8. The Hulk - I have many times tried to watch the first attempt at this storyline as a feature film. It's not terrible, but the graphics are just terrible, making me laugh and change the channel. According to the gamer, it is being completely redone, with Ed Norton as Rex? Banner. I'm hoping he meant Bruce, not that they have thrown another ccurve into the Hulk mythos(it should be Bruce Banner).
9. Harold and Kumar 2
   
10. X-Files 2 - I am also intrigued by this, and saddened that the once proud and aspiring stars, Duchovny and Anderson, have had to slog back to doing this.
    

• movies I will Absolutely see at the theater - 1st day
  
• movies I will see at the theater
• movies I will watch on video
• movies I will watch on TV
• 'movies I will avoid
  

Charlotte's Web - DVD review

Charlotte's Web - A Good Cry (if you're into that)

Some movies you see in such a distorted context that it's unfair to judge them, but I'll do it anyway."Charlotte's web came out last summer, just as I had learned about my child's impending birth. No matter who you are, news like that changes you, at least it better. Six months before, seeing that they were making a live film adaptation of one of my favorite children's books and animated movies, and I would have shaken my head at the thought of another needless remake.

After all, it's been a long time, but wasn't the cartoon enough. I remember that it made my little sister cry, and that it's about Charlotte the Spider and Wilbur the pig, and well, that's been a while ago.It was mostly memorable because it made my little sister cry, in a good way. Then we saw the trailer at another movie, and we both said that we just had to go see that when it came out, and we didn't. We ended up seeing it now as it is just out for rental.

This new version didn't stink or make me rue the day that movie producers realized they can try to do anything with CGI these days, it was enjoyable. It was also puffed out a little bit to be a feature length film,and not hurt by that. The voices behind the animals were adequate, but nobody was really allowed to jump out. The pig was cute,and Charlotte wasn't completely creepy. One thing that was annoying was the rat.It was a little unsettling that he seemed to have free reign over the world, dancing in slop, buttermilk baths(ewww), and cotton candy machines. Are they saying that Rat's are everywhere?

All of that said, it was fun. I laughed a little, wasn't terribly bored, and my girlfriend got in a good cry. That will surely be what I take away from this version of the story. Until I watch it with my daughter.

This is a movie that's worth watching, you can rent it now, but it is one fo those movies that will quickly be in the rotation on cable so you can wait to see it then. Just be careful, if you're trying to set a mood for your date, girlfriend, or other that is not weepy and sad, might want to watch something else. If she makes you watch it, keep the kleenex close and be the big shoulder.

Meet the Robinsons - A Good Time

Saw Meet the Robinson's at the theatre this weekend and want to make sure I get this one on record. My first instincts about this movie, from early trailers, was dead-on. I thought, "Good, finally someone is going to put all of the great graphics and designs from "Robots," to better use. This is how this movie felt to me, very "Robots"-ish, but in all the good ways.

Being a connoisseur of kid's movie's, I enjoyed this one a lot. The effects are amazing, so very real looking and yet not crossing the threshold of being too close to real. I like my animated characters to be on the other side of the mirror, thanks. The story, complex for a younger kid, kept me following and there were a lot of neat things to look at. In the theatre, the kids all seemed to be kept interested, no aisle runners, and the adults, especially one lady behind us who laughed so hard that she got me through the slow spots, stayed involved too.

Generally, this one isn't quite as good as Happy Feet or the Shreks, but worth seeing in the theatre. The Shrek ratings system, under no pressure from anyone, has been dropped. It's just not quite as clever as it seemed.

Happy Feet - 4 Shreks

Happy Feet starts out a little wobbly. I was afraid it was going to be just one long animated music video. Don't get me wrong, the music was good, Beach Boys, Elvis, Motown, I was mentally tapping my feet and smiling at the characterizations, but in the end, I need a little more. Luckily that came.

The beginning is centered around the Penguin Colony. In an homage to "March of the Penguins," they show the passing of the egg and the male Penguin staying for his time to protect and hatch the egg while the female leaves and most of the time there is some musical number going on. It's engaging and entertaining but not as funny as I like.

Then Mumbles begins his story. Mumbles is the main character, a penguin that does not have a heart song, that can't carry a tune with ice tongs, but he can dance. I have read articles talking about Mumbles being a gay stereotype and just don't see it. Somebody needs to take a break. Mumbles is funny,if a little annoying and btw, more than half the movie is about him trying to win a girl!

What helps make this movie, and if anything can be called racial stereotyping, is the other penguins that befriend Mumbles when he leaves his main colony. For want of a better description, the Mexican Penguins. They were hilarious, and made every scene a standout. Robin William's voice is officially on two characters, a voodoo penguin with a six-pack stuck around his head and a harem, and the leader of the mexican penguins, but you can hear him everywhere throughout the movie.

The movie went fast, and besides a strong ecological theme, it was very enjoyable. I like it and will own the video when it comes out. The soundtrack also kicks major butt, I can imagine I will own that too.

My Five Points for Rating Kid's Movies

Here is where I explain my rating system and what I am looking for in a kid's movie as an adult. Sorry for the magnanimous tone, it seems to come with my blogging. Though most of these movies will be animated, this system applies to all the kids movies I review. There are several live action features that I will be adding to the Kids Movie Reviews list.

1 - Keeps a child engaged.
Of course this can vary from child to child, and very often I have seen these movies without a child right there with me. I am capable of looking around, and noticing how much the kids are paying attention. If it's hard to watch because they are running the aisles, it's not going to do very well with me.

2 - Keeps the adults engaged.
If there's not a little bit of adult humor woven in, I probably won't even make it through. I'm immature, but not that immature.

3 - Don't cash in too much.

• Product Placement. I know this is a world wherein things are run by money, we all need it, to make movies they need very much and they make more with product placement. That's fine, but don't make it a ninety minute commercial, for example, "Castaway". Not a kid's movie by my standards, but a blatant cash in.
• Video Game Tie -ins. Going overboard promoting the extra tie-ins like video games. Very often lately I am watching a movie and find myself in the middle of an action sequence that feels like it will be put right into a game, and the scene goes on much longer than needed if needed at all. That's annoying.
  

4 - Animation.
Not trying to be snobbish, but don't throw that sloppy old animation at me. I realize that good work has been done with pencils and clay and such, but if it's worse than South Park, it better be a whole lot funnier.

5 - Rating System.

One to five Shreks. I'll be using Shrek 1 as the Standard because I am loathe to think of any other children's movie that is better along all of the categories I just listed.

- 1 Shrek - Hope that your child doesn'tlike it and make you sit through more than 1 viewing.

- 2 Shreks - Still not tolerable, but you could see how someone else would like it.

- 3 Shreks - Has it's moments. Rent it and you won't feel ripped off.

4 Shreks - Good Movie, just a few flaws but worth watching, renting, or owning if you wait until the price goes down.

- 5 Shreks - Okay, it's not the Holy Grail of movies I know, and on given days I might even prefer other Kids Movies over this one, but it's a good measuring stick. If I see a movie that I think is even better, the scale goes up accordingly, to six or seven or as many Shreks better I think it is. I don't foresee that happening in the near future.

Okay, that's my rating system and general rules, with the latitude to change, ignore or add anything I want. Until I think of something else or Disney/Pixar comes after me and tells me I can't use their images.