After an uncharacteristic wallow in sentimentality with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher returns to far less indulgent fare with The Social Network, his highly anticipated study of the Facebook phenomenon.
Zeitgeist or not, quite how the story of an internet-based network would transfer to the big screen, was not immediately obvious, particularly if you're one of the (admittedly few) who is not enamoured of Facebook itself. However, with Fincher's crisp visuals and a sharp script by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), adapted from the book The Accidental Billionaires, The Social Network is a riveting two hours.
The film follows the birth of Facebook via its young boffin creator Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and his rocky claim of authorship over the social networking site. Several highly expensive lawsuits are intercut throughout the film, as the narrative jumps back and forth, whilst concurrently drawing the rise of the website, from its initial confines as a Harvard university-based network, prior to sprouting tendrils across the globe.
Eisenberg builds a fascinating character in Zuckerberg - a Harvard student, of whom it is immediately apparent has little self-censorship, which is demonstrated in a painful opening episode, in which he finds himself dumped by a fellow university girl. This will come back to haunt him - and yes, ironically the daddy of the ultimate social networking site has few social graces, is not particularly likeable and for the most part delivers an uninterrupted machine-gun patter of monotone geek-speak. Justin Timberlake deserves credit in a well-rounded turn as Sean Parker, the bad-boy behind Napster, who steers Zuckerberg to the next level of success, with the ultimate consequence of screwing over his closest friend.
Zuckerberg could be described in a favourable light as a jerk, or indeed insert a more colourful invective as desired. It's highly satisfying that there is little concession made to paint the central character as likeable. But there is an inherent appeal in the rise of the geek, who even as he compromises his principles, has something of the underdog about him.
This could have been as appealing as the prospect of 'Windows: The Bill Gates Story', but with Fincher at the helm, The Social Network was always going to have an edge. Shot on pristine digital with the new RED camera, there are traces of the kind of invisible, yet intense post-production tweaking employed on Fincher's Zodiac. A sequence at Henley Regatta stands out as particularly arresting to the eye, with an unusually exaggerated depth of field and music video style rowing sequence, it's a showy visual flourish amongst a more or less restrained turn from Fincher overall. With Sorkin's Hawksian dialogue and some zippy montage, The Social Network charges to a satisfying conclusion.
Lonely at the top.money can't buy happiness.nor love. Draw what you will from the film, but perhaps the ultimate tinge of unsatisfied being, lies in the very core and frippery of Facebook itself. Friendship-lite without truly connecting.
I saw this movie on tv and enjoyed the film so much that I bought the dvd. What a fantastic movie!
I think as it was an old film I was expecting it to be a bit grainy and the sound a bit distorted, but to my utter surprise the picture and sound quality are SUPERB! its as if its a brand new film and this was before I bought my upscaling Blu-Ray player.
I would reccommend this dvd to anyone who likes old movies especially in B&W.
You won't be disappointed.
Another fantastic film by Peter Mullen, John is growing up in Glasgow in the 70's his brother is in a gang young John however has a better plan for his life,the film follows him as he is led quickly into a life of destruction. There are however moments in the film where you feel for John when you can see that had his parents,teachers cared or even understood his self destruction could have been prevented. The typical alcoholic father goading him further along (played brilliantly by Mullen) the fear shared by him and his sister as a drunken Mullen abuses his mother.The chaotic life of his older brother and his protective bond to John all shape the character as does making friends with a boy out of his class,each assualt on his self esteem leading him closer to becoming like his brother.Over a summer John becomes a changed character he no longer cares he displays cold violence and shows no remorse,however we are shown another side to John when he displays an almost childlike innocence while pretending to be a pirate.There are many moments in the film when you wish someone could come along and change things but even when John wanted things changed it is never going to happen.There is a sadness in this film it is deep and disturbing not mindless violence but just a need to belong......anywhere......even if that means a gang. I liked the ending a lot of people found it strange but in my opinion it made me realize that John himself accepted his wrong doings and took them gladly to the lions...
set in Glasgow in the 1970's realistic and frightening portrayal of gang culture
A magical and totally spellbinding account of one of THE best scientific explorations of the Stonehenge monument ever undertaken. Mike Parker-Pearson the chief acheaologist brings the reasons for and methods of its construction to life through his plain and easily understandable commentaries which are accompanied by a compelling and voice over by Donald Sutherland.. The totally new discoveries surrounding the reasons and methods of construction of this word famous monument are just fascinating.
The filming and professionalism of the presentation is second to none and is a great credit to the National Geographic film production team. If you are a keen student of the subject or just have a casual interest in ancient history this is a "must see" DVD.
A SUPERB & WONDERFUL PRODUCTION.
This digitally restored DVD and blu-ray release marks the 40th anniversary of this fondly remembered but seldom seen screen version of Potter's charming animal tales as performed by dancers of the Royal Ballet.
The dancers manage to generate real character and dance most delicately despite the bulky costumes which faithfully reproduce the look of such characters as Benjamin Bunny and the Two Bad Mice.
Real Lake District locations are combined with studio scenes as the familiar tales are presented in dance form. Highlights include the long-legged leaping frog Mr Jeremy Fisher, the sight of pigs on pointe and the bizarre moment Jemima Puddleduck takes flight.
Like the better versions of Alice in Wonderland, this film is dream-like and surreal in a very English way whilst still being child-friendly. Well, child friendly in 1971, I am not sure what children will make of it in these days of 3D video gaming and digital special effects. But I reckon any child who loves Beatrix Potter or is a budding ballerina should find this enjoyable.
And trivia fans may like to know that the person dancing as prickly washerwoman Mrs Tiggywinkle is the great ballet choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton and the young Wayne Sleep dances as Squirrel Nutkin.
The tales of Beatrix Potter as danced by The Royal Ballet
America is worried. The combination of 9/11 and economic decline has seen the most powerful nation start to think the unthinkable, that they're role as world leader is coming to an end and that the days of comfort and certainty are under threat.
This unease is reflected in Hollywood, which is producing the biggest crop of monster and alien invasion movies since the boom era of sci-fi B movies, the 1950s, when Communism and the atomic age were worrying Americans.
Skyline continues the trend with an apocalyptic assault on Los Angeles which starts with bright blue lights that draw residents to their windows like moths to a flame.
The lights are a nod to Close Encounters, and there are influences drawn from lots of other sci-fi movies, chiefly War Of The Worlds (Tom Cruise version), Cloverfield and Godzilla.
We follow a bunch of music industry types and the're girlfriends who find they have a grandstand view of the destruction of LA from ther skyscraper penthouse suite of a rap star when alien ships appear in the sky and start sucking up humans like giant vacuum cleaners.
The dialogue is pretty cliched but the acting decent, the special effects are good and, after building up a feeling of dread, there is a rollercoaster ride of shocks, and even a twist at the end. The tentacled aliens and their giant cousins are impressive and Skyline confirms its B-movie status with the aliens' reason for coming to earth. Why? To scoop out our brains, of course.
Less can be more in monster movies. In classics such as Jaws, Alien, Predator and, more recently Cloverfield, tension is built by only glimpsing the creature before the final shocking reveal.
However, British writer and director Gareth Edwards may stretch the patience of some monster movie fans before his giant tentacled jelly fish/spider/elephant ETs are finally revealed in all their otherwordly glory. The effects are, despite the movie's low budget, excellent and that is probably because of Edwards' background in special effects and CGI animation.
Set in the near future, the Mexican-American border has become a walled-off infected zone where alien creatures who came to Earth on a Nasa probe have adopted the jungle as their home. Military jets and tanks tackle the creatures' devestating occasional incursions into the human world, captured on grainy longshot video and photos.
The set up, which doesn't stand up to close scrutiny, has a risk-taking news photographer told by his bosses to get the newspaper owner's daughter out of the danger zone and back to the US. When they miss the last ferry, they take the high-risk strategy of going through the infected zone.
What makes Monsters different to the rash of recent fantasy movies using documentary style (Cloverfield, District 9) is that it has an almost 'art house' sensibility. It seems more interested in the relationship between the photographer (who doesn't get to see his young son anymore) and the rich girl (who may be running away from her finace). There is certainly chemistry between the two leads, Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able, who have married since they completed the movie.
Tension is built in the background, such as the sight of burnt out tanks and downed fighter jets, chaotic TV footage of an attack and a sombre vigil for the creatures' victims. One can read into the movie allegories for the relationship between America and its poorer neighbours.
As monster movies go, this is unusual because it is a thoughtful slowburner rather than a rollercoaster ride.
Never before has such beauty been fused with such darkness. Black Swan is the utterly captivating tale of a young prodigious ballet dancer who has her eye firmly set on the lead in her company's upcoming production of Tchaicovsky's timeless Swan Lake.
The film won Natalie Portman a very much deserved Academy Award for Best Actress, because her performance is remarkable. It has been lauded by a wealth of critics, and justifiably so; it is arguably her best performance yet. The role her character wishes to play in Swan Lake is both that of the White Swan and the Black Swan. Because of this, Portman is demanded to act in two diametrically opposed ways, and her ability to do so is incredibly impressive. The perfection and purity necessitated by the White Swan is contrasted by the passion of the Black Swan, and to be able to perform both so convincingly is phenomenal.
The film is one of those genuinely brilliant stories that has a story within it that illuminates the whole. In literature and art, this is termed as 'mise en abime', and can be seen from Shakespeare's momentous play Hamlet through to Christopher Nolan's incredible Inception last year, with its notions of a dream within a dream. Just like these, Black Swan's version of Swan Lake similarly casts light upon the film as a whole, and what we see in the two swans, we can see spiral outwards into Portman's own character outside the ballet.
The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky, and is an extraordinary achievement that shows his true talents as a director. With a budget of $13 million, no longer that substantial in Hollywood these days, many expected Black Swan to be something of an art house movie that would find but a small niche in the market. Its reception, however, has been beyond all expectations, and has made the film close to $300 million since its release last year.
That it has become such a success is a true testament to its brilliance. What Aronofsky and Portman have created together is a masterpiece, a film with beauty and darkness at its core, and that is something incredibly difficult to do. There are few films capable of occupying such contrasting positions, both dark and beautiful, but Black Swan is absolutely one of them. It draws you on a path with unexpected turns that you never see coming, always driving you forwards, heightening the pace and the drama, relentlessly pushing you towards its climactic closing scenes. What Aronofsky and Portman have achieved is perfection, in its sincerest and most beautiful form.
This DVD is both fun and effective, I have used it on and off for a year now and I'm delighted with the results and also with the enjoyment factor. No longer is exercise boring and something to be endured. I look forward to it lifting my mood.
It is difficult to imagine just how Sunset Boulevard, from the startling opening images to the madness of its grand finale ending, could be improved in any way. This is a truly atmospheric classic, which makes viewers feel that they are with the characters in each scene themselves. Billy Wilder has served up a portrayal of Hollywood eating itself - which must have been the bravest and most innovative thing for any director or writer (let alone one of Wilder's standing) to do.
There are no filler scenes or forgettable moments in this film - even a chimpanzee lying in state - viewers will find it hard to tear their eyes away. Norma Desmond has her friends round for a game of cards - even that is not as mundane as it sounds - they are all former silent screen stars as well - including the great Buster Keaton ! Even a trip to Paramount Studios to see Cecil B.De Mille incorporates the real Cecil B.De Mille shooting another Hollywood classic - Samson & Delilah. Bizarre but it all works fantastically well.
For anyone who still hasn't seen this film, this edition with all the brilliant extras is a real bargain. The 'Making of' and the 'Music of' documentaries are recently filmed updates which reinforce the relevance of Sunset Boulevard today. There is a particular good short featuring the work of Edith Head - the legendary Hollywood costume designer, and a map featuring locations used in the movie that the viewer can click on for comprehensive information. Add to this the original deleted openings (available to read and see) and an extensive photo gallery, and it all adds up to a great night in with superb value for money.
Definitive DVD release for a true Hollywood film noir classic. William Holden, as struggling young scriptwriter Joe Gillis, outruns the car repo men and veers off into the rundown drive of a sprawling Gothic Hollywood mansion. His temporary relief is replaced by a drawn-out gigolo nightmare, as he falls under the spell of ageing silent screen queen Norma Desmond, played to perfection by Gloria Swanson in a role that could have been written for her personally - with art reflecting real life. Her meticulous yet sinister manservant Max (former silent film director great Erich von Stroheim) has unswerving loyalty to her - but why ? What follows is a spiral of delusion and despair. Not even Nancy "Wholesome" Olson as wannabe writer Betty Schaefer remains unaffected from the ensuing madness.
What do you get when you combine the furiousness of Fast and Furious and the flying abilities present within Top Gun.the answer is Kill Speed.
We all loved Fast and Furious as it gave us something both genders wanted - fast cars specially designed to go the extra mile for the fellas and of course Paul Walker for the ladies. Top Gun had soaring fast planes with cute and cocky pilots Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. Combine the two and you have Kill Speed, an action flick with aeroplanes designed to travel at incredible speeds, with cocky pilots that have the technical know how.
The movie focuses on three youthful yet wiseass aviators known as 'The Fly Boys', who chase the Hollywood lifestyle by transporting crystal-meth across the Mexican boarder. As you would expect though, they soon have the FBI on their back. Although the movie is structured well with some explosions making it enjoyable at times, there are no BIG names attached to it. The films stars ex-WWE heavyweight champion Goldberg, Andrew Keegan, Brandon Quinn and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter.
The explosions and the fast moving planes would have better suited a bigger screen, due to the lack of high-tech capabilities more recent releases have taken to, the straight to DVD release seems more appropriate.
This has to be one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. And that's no exaggeration! I stumbled upon an episode of this by chance, and made a request for the box set as a birthday present. The two leads are incredibly quirky and likeable, as are the majority of the supporting cast (Greg in particular).
Buy it. You will not be disappointed!
Best comedy every produced in the UK !
DVD box set a must for anybody who want to Laugh Out Loud.
A excellent gift for any occasion.
You will not be disappointed.
Excellent
I first saw this movie when I was 13 years old. My parents took me to see it at the Theatre Royal 'Cinerama' Cinema in Manchester. The exterior of the cinema was adorned with banners, posters and 3D photo's from the movie. I was full of anticipation. Once we had taken our seats the lights dimmed and the curtains opened to reveal a small area of screen. Pathe news came on followed by a couple of adverts for local attractions. I was really disappointed! Was this 'Cinerama'! If anything the screen was smaller than in an average cinema. I didn't realise that this was all part of the act! We were first presented with the 'ordinary' screen size, so that the impact of the Cinerama experience was maximised. The lights faded out completely and the cinema was plunged into complete darkness. The music of Ligeti, 'Atmospheres' began to play, a stroke of genius on the part of the director which is preserved in the Bluray. The music continued for a couple of minutes, heightening the sense of anticipation. The British board of film sensors certificate came on the screen. As it disappeared the music of Ligeti faded away and the curtains began to open.....wider...and wider....and wider! and wider!! until we found ourselves seated within the gigantic arc of a massive screen. 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' began to play and the first shots of the aligned planets and the sunrise filled the enormous screen. I was totally blown away. This was virtual 3D without the glasses, way back in 1968. I have seen this movie over 30 times since and bought the Bluray as soon as it became available. I have a home cinema projector and though it's not quite 'Cinerama,' I must say that when I loaded the disc into the player some of that early anticipation gripped me again. The transfer is fantastic and the sound is wonderful. It's difficult for people today to realise just how different this film was when it first came out. Remember it was released the year before man landed on the moon! The effects, though obviously simplistic by today's standards, nevertheless were superbly executed and therefore look brilliant even now. Some of the in camera tricks that Kubrick used can be seen today in films such as 'Inception.' '2001' is a unique movie in many ways. Achieving in film something similar to the structure of a Symphony in music. It carries with it a sense of awe, wonder and mystery. Sit back and let it wash over you. Consider it as a painting in light. Throw away your preconceptions and embrace the unique experience of this cinematic event.
Most people know Jackie Chan only for his talents as a martial artist. He is by far one of the most creative, skilled, and well-known people working in martial arts films - not just at the moment, but of all time. He has worked in dozens and dozens of films, and every one is simply brilliant. In each one, he comes up with new and improved ways to show off his skills, often incredibly and surprisingly entertaining ways.
Shinjuku Incident, is a break away from the stereotypical Jackie Chan role that many people will solely know him for. It gives him the chance to demonstrate that he is more than just a man who can fight, he is also a very, very talented actor. In what is arguably one of his best performances to date, Chan gives a magnificent portrayal of a Chinese man forced to work illegally in Japan in search of the woman that he loves.
Because he is in Japan illegally, Chan's character, nicknamed Steelhead, must work some of the more difficult jobs in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is whilst working one of these jobs that he finds his love, seeing her with another man. Naturally saddened by the affair, he decides that he must do what he can to move on and make a life for himself in Japan.
That life, however, he soon finds comes at a high price. As an illegal worker, there are few avenues open to him to earn money legitimately, and he and his friends must turn to the criminal underworld of Shinjuku, a path which is a dangerously narrow tightrope to walk. Violence, grief, betrayal - all surface here in Shinjuku Incident, and all are vividly portrayed. To say that the film draws you in is an utter understatement; it absorbs you entirely within the world of Shinjuku, Tokyo, and never loses you for a moment. We rejoice as Chan rejoices, we mourn as Chan mourns, we live right beside him every step of the way.
That the film has not become particularly well-known is a real shame, and I am incredibly grateful that it saw a DVD and Blu-Ray release here in the UK. Shinuju Incident is certainly worthy of the High Definition quality, and deserves to be watched on Blu-Ray to truly appreciate the depths of tones that the director and director of photography have captured throughout the film; the picture is beautiful, and must be viewed in the highest quality possible.
If you are looking for a Jackie Chan martial arts film with a healthy dose of light-hearted comedy, then Shinjuku Incident is not what you are looking for. But if you are looking for something more than that, for something with a real story behind it, something that gives Chan the chance to show how much more he has to offer to world cinema, then Shinjuku Incident will not disappoint. Its story is at times uplifting, at times tragic, and at all times it is brilliantly filmed. It is certainly Chan's finest work as an actor in recent years, and quite possibly his finest throughout his long career in the film industry. It is Asian Cinema at its best.
Funny as ever, can't wait for the next installment!!
If you like WWE Wrestling you need to buy this dvd set for your collection it is amazing watching all the Wrestlemania's to see how it all started it is a must for any wrestling fan
INTRODUCTION:
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition. And it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone.
This was the introduction to The Twilight Zone when it first aired in 1959. It still makes me shiver hearing it now. The hairs on the back of my neck tingle and stand on end. The Twilight Zone was something that I watched when I was a kid, twenty years ago maybe, even then it was 20 years after it was first aired but it felt fresh and unexpected.
CREATED BY THE LEGENDARY ROD SERLING:
The Twilight Zone featured stories of the bizarre and unexplained often with a twist. Created by the legendary Rod Serling, it was a beautiful mix of science fiction and fantasy and became one of television's most original and celebrated series.
This boxset contains all 36 episodes of the first season, presented in high-definition for the first time ever, along with hours of new and exclusive bonus features. Rod Serling was immensely talented as a writer and as a presenter. His tight-lipped direct to camera monologues are simply delicious. Serling had charisma and character to burn. There will never be anyone else quite like him. Serling acted as Executive Producer of The Twilight Zone and also wrote a lot of the screenplays himself from his own ideas or adapted stories from the likes of Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont.
INSPIRED STORYTELLING:
The place is here. The time is now and the journey into the shadows that we are about to watch could be our journey. These are the first words from the opening episode 'Where Is Everybody?' it highlights the timelessness of the story and the timelessness of the Twilight Zone series. These stories are as good now as they ever were. The stories presented in these 30 minute shows have been borrowed from and plagiarised endlessly over the past 50 years - they're simply that good.
As a show The Twilight Zone succeeded episode after episode in using science fiction as a means of expressing the writers' and creators' opinions on serious topics of the time. The likelihood of nuclear war in the late 1950s and early 1960s is examined in 'The Shelter' and 'Time Enough at Last' while the consequences of mass hysteria and social prejudice are explored in 'The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street' - a particularly effective episode which was one of several highlights of this first season.
Several episodes focus on the question of whether or not there is life after death and whether there is a heaven and hell - 'Escape Clause' and A Nice Place To Visit are both enjoyable episodes. The are also several other common themes, including America's 1950s obsession with space travel in 'Third From The Sun', 'The Lonely', 'I Shot An Arrow Into The Air' and 'People Are Alike All Over' an especially effective episode starring sci-fi genre staple Roddy MacDowell. A couple of episodes - 'What You Need' and 'Execution' - intelligently examine the theme of justice and 'The Four of Us Are Dying' is a take on the ability to shape-shift.
It's fair to say that all of the episodes are of a consistently high standard.
BRINGING THE TWILIGHT ZONE TO BLU-RAY
The restoration work that has been done on the transfer is exceptional. This series is owned by the CBS Network - the network that did the fantastic restoration job on Star Trek - The Original Series. The work on Star Trek to put the show onto Blu-ray was very impressive. Along with new exterior special effects shots the print had been completely cleaned of dirt and tears and other imperfections as well as the contrast and colour being greatly enhanced. While The Twilight Zone is in black and white only, the same standard of work has been done on it and it looks brilliant. The difference is available to see on this boxset - between the upgraded episodes and the original series pilot which is shown in its original format.
The Twilight Zone inspired the likes of The Outer Limits and The X-Files. It is truly classic 1950s/1960s TV and I can not recommend it highly enough.
Fans of Harry Potter will know that the final book in the series is something of a departure: Harry and his friends spend most of their seventh year away from Hogwarts. This stark change of setting provides an overwhelming change of tone and pace to this film - the seventh of eight in the Potter theatrical saga - and it feels largely that this is the reason that it works so well.
After the death of Dumbledore at the end of movie six, Deathly Hallows Part 1 follows Harry, Ron and Hermione in their search for the Horcruxes: the hidden items containing fragments of Lord Voldemort's soul. If this brief summary of the plot means nothing to you, then it's likely that the film won't either. Seven films down the line, the writers have done away with making any attempt to welcome new viewers; anybody new to the series would likely feel completely alienated from the very first reel. Though, why anybody would choose to dip in now, I'm not quite sure.
The central trio here are forced to grow up. No longer surrounded by the security of Hogwarts, they are truly alone in their quest. Their loneliness, and at times, hopelessness, provide a stark thematic change to the movie, and frankly it's a breath of fresh air. The last two films almost felt as if they were a means to an end - the routine of the school year played out in each installment left the most recent entries feeling tired. Indeed, the sixth movie gave the distinct impression that its raison d'être was simply as a lengthy warm-up for the final showdown.
In growing up, so too do the performances of the main cast, most notably Emma Watson, whose bone-dry comic interpretation of Hermione Granger is a wonderful thing to behold. She's come a long way in the last ten years: her hair has deflated (thank goodness) and she's tuned herself into a finely nuanced young actress. However, the focus on the core three means that little screen time is dedicated to the terrific supporting cast. Maggie Smith is nowhere to be seen, and as has been the case recently, Alan Rickman's deliciously wicked portrayal of Severus Snape is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it affair.
The film clearly defines itself as a road movie, and in doing so it feels entirely different to any other entry in the series. The pace is far slower, dedicating more time to character development and less to the showy special effects of previous installments (though I don't doubt that there's plenty to come in part two), and the whole affair has a general feeling of foreboding - even dread. This is decidedly not a children's film - to the extent that I was concerned in the cinema that the kids present might not be able to withstand the film's lengthy two and a half hours. However, the hallmarks of classic Potter are here: right down to John William's original score being twisted into an uneasy and haunting soundtrack.
Much has been said about splitting the final book into two film adaptations. While I'm grateful that this decision has afforded the filmmakers more time to faithfully devote to the story, it does mean that Part 1's ending invokes a feeling that sits somewhere between titillation and frustration. I could easily have sat for a further two hours to see it to the end. Simply, I was left wanting more.
The penultimate film in the Harry Potter saga delivers a completely new experience: this is unlike any Potter movie we've seen before, but it just works. It's refreshingly adult and provides plenty of moments to reward those who've seen the series through. I'd say that this ties with Prisoner of Azkaban for the title of best Potter film. But of course, it's only part one, so the filmmakers have some sizable shoes to fill if they're going to end the series on a high. Roll on July 15! I can't wait to see how it ends.
As someone who grew up with the BBC television adaptations of The Chronicles Of Narnia, I always dreamt of one day seeing big screen versions of every book. The BBC only adapted 4 of the stories back in the 80s - 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,' 'Prince Caspian,' 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,' and finishing with 'The Silver Chair.' We seem to be taking a similar route with the movies - 'TLTW&TW' has always been the most well-known and best received book, and so that was a natural entry point for the series. 'Prince Caspian' naturally follows on with the same characters, and so the third entry, 'Dawn Treader' was inevitable. In this, two of the much loved Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, enter Narnia once again alongside a new character - their cousin Eustace Scrubb. He serves as the new Edmund so to speak, a young annoying boy who causes trouble with his attitude, while Edmund has grown up into a more mature and caring young man after the events of the previous stories.
The absence of the other siblings Peter and Susan is explained by them visiting other places while Edmund and Lucy are visiting Eustace's house. It is there that they find a painting of a ship called The Dawn Treader, which they believe looks very much like a Narnian ship. A simple story set up leads to a mixture of what can only be compared to 'Pirates Of The Carribean' meets 'Lord of the Rings' with a little bit of Disney feeling - even though distribution shifted to Fox for this movie, unlike the previous two. I often feel like these movies would never have been possible without the success of the 'Lord of the Rings' series, and with Weta Workshop doing many of the special effects you can feel the similarities. This is in no way a bad thing though, as Weta are exceptional at what they do, and lend a legitimacy to the Narnia series that is much needed.
The storyline is not an entirely faithful adaptation of the book, sticking mostly to what we all know and love, but tweaking a few parts here and there. It is a successful family action-adventure movie that everyone should love, with some wonderful visual effects and great comedy mixed in with drama and sadness too. The journey that all the Pevensie children take is one tinged with a slight melancholy as we all know once they grow up, they cannot return to Narnia. So each time you watch them go on their adventures, you know it may well be their last. It's a poignant reminder that nothing can last forever, and a great heartfelt message on life itself. CS Lewis, the author of the books, had a strong way with words and much belief in faith and religion - something that is underlying in the movies but not drilled into anyone - and while these stories can be enjoyed on a simple level, there is always so much more to take away from them.
Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes as Lucy and Edmund respectively have truly grown into the roles and are able to take the leads in this movie without any problems. I don't think the older Pevensies are missed at all, as we transition easily enough with Ben Barnes as the now King Caspian too. Will Poulter, known mostly for his work on Son Of Rambow, continues his impressively confident performances by playing Eustace to a tee. Further authoritarian appearances by Aslan (Liam Neeson) and the White Witch (Tilda Swinton) blend well with the new characters we are introduced to, both linking to the past and looking to the future.
Without giving too much away, the movie (much like its predecessors) looks and sounds stunning, and cannot be faulted for its production values. The storyline is nothing heavy, and is just enough to keep your attention to the end. You will come away thinking more of the technology than the writing however. If you had the chance to see it in the cinema, you probably saw it in 3D which was simply a conversion as the movie was shot in 2D. Personally I'm not a big fan of 'converted 3D' and so the best way to enjoy this is on 2D Blu-ray. However, there is a planned 3D home release for the near future if anyone wants to wait. The extras are nothing deep, and lean towards the younger market, so I can only recommend this release mainly for the movie itself.
'Dawn Treader' may not be my favourite Narnia book, nor is it my favourite movie in the series, but they did as good a job as they could. It's a visual delight, and just like Harry Potter, it's fantastic to see the young stars grow up and really develop their roles. I believe 'The Magician's Nephew' is looking like the next planned movie, so this could be the last chance we get to enjoy an adventure in Narnia with the Pevensies. If so, it's a fitting tribute to the characters and cast alike, and one all can enjoy.
Another adventure in Narnia.
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