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Reviews
Doctor Who: Rise of the Cybermen (2006)
Fantastic To See The Return of the Cybermen !!!
Those of you who remember hiding behind the sofa as a child will absolutely enjoy this story of a parallel Earth, showing the original genesis of the Cybermen. This series continues to amaze me, not for the special effects, not for the acting, but for the imagination required to suspend disbelief and indulge in the story thread. A highlight of this episode is Billy Piper dressed up as a saucy waitress - a bonus for those who admire her for her beauty as well as her considerable acting ability.
What wil happen to the Doctor? Will they be deleted or be upgraded? How will they return to the 'regular' world now that the Tardis is no more? And what will become of Rose's parental units? Watch and enjoy!
The Wicker Man (2006)
Why oh Why Did Hollywood Bother To Remake ?
I put down my $9 at the kiosk and sauntered off to the designated screen for what I had hoped was a fantastic remake of a true classic. But saddened I was to see that yet again Hollywood had failed to produce a remake worthy of the former film's name.
Questions
1. Why did I fall for this ruse? 2. Why did I waste 3 hours of my life? 3. Why did I waste $9 (as well as the price of popcorn and gas) ?
I'm not sure i can offer anything good to say about this film. The acting was stale, predictable and glassy, especially Nick Cage, who in my opinion has yet to deliver a role worthy of his profession. The cinematography was poor and the screenplay was broken.
The original 1973 version continues to be exciting, memorable and has aged very well indeed. Cut to the chase, get a copy of this from your local store (or Netflix) and make your own popcorn for a home viewing.
Alone in the Dark (2005)
If only I could have obtained a refund
And I'm not referring to my movie ticket price. No, I would like a refund of the following: 1. DVD rental 2. snacks prepared in advance of watching this movie 3. gas & mileage allowance for driving to/from Blockbuster 4. wear & tear on my DVD player 5. refund for time wasted 6. cash compensation for using up synapses in my mind with this imagery. 7. punitive damages across the board.
Do we really require another review of the plot, acting and melodrama? Absolutely not. However, let this be a warning to you - reruns of Teletubbies would be more interesting than this movie. As would watching grass grow...
Madagascar (2005)
Poor Choice of Voice Actors
I'd like my money back - I wish I'd waited for the DVD to rent.
Say what you will about the script and story to the movie, which was always going to be formulaic. My two gripes, however are aimed specifically at the voice overs and the music.
Firstly, regarding the actors and actresses chosen to play each of the creatures, it appears that it is more important to choose them based on their celebrity status as opposed to choosing those who have distinctive voices and/or focus on the voice as part of their skills.
Look back at traditional Disney movies or other animated classics and you'll see what I mean. A poor script combined with a mediocre set of voice actors results in a poor film. This is what we have here, folks. Save your money and wait for Shrek III.
Secondly, the soundtrack is also very weak. We have a classic rave dance track- "I like to Move it" and a few joke tunes such as the theme from Hawaii 5-0, Chariots of Fire and Born Free, but these are clumsily selected and stereotypical of a thrown together movie. With regards to the forest dance scene to "I like to Move It", I fear that the studio was trying to recreate a scene from The Jungle Book. If you're going to add this much music to a movie, at least make some of it original and make sure the rest is in context with the story and theme.
Das singende, klingende Bäumchen (1957)
Hide behind the sofa when the dwarf appears
This is as you remember watching it as a child. Lifelike, overtly coloured and full of magical splendor, terrifying nasties and surreal characters. In short, do not shy away from this opportunity to show a "Christmas Special" to your children in favour of the usual fare from Disney and co. Rather, pop a fresh batch of pop corn, get first dibs on the comfy chair and opt for what was arguably one of the highlights of East German children's programming.