A movie’s soundtrack can have an impact on how it is perceived. It can enhance the atmosphere of the movie whether it be romance, action, suspense or whatever. It can work the opposite way too. Adam, for example, is a nice film but the use of sentimental music obviously tries to create a strong emotional reaction. Then sometimes you watch a great movie and love it that much more because of its soundtrack. Here are some of my top pairing for great movie/music.

Garden State

~ Large’s Ark

The Film:

Written, directed and starring Scrubs‘ Zach Braff, Garden State follows the television semi-famous actor Andrew Largeman (Braff) and his return to his home and estranged family for his mother’s funeral. Andrew goes through life in a lithium-induced state as a result of his psychiatrist father, Gideon Largeman (Ian Holme), who blames Andrew for putting his mother in a wheelchair when he was a child. Soon after his arrival, Andrew meets Sam (Natalie Portman) and the two strike up an unusual friendship. Sam is a happy, quirky, emotional and compulsive liar who counterbalances Andrew’s somewhat monotonous self. Taking inspiration from her, Andrew decides to give up taking his medicine (i.e. lithium). Along the way he reconnects with old friends and acquaintances. One such friend, gravedigger Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), then takes Andrew and Sam along on a journey to find an elusive object of great interest to Andrew. It’s a great story with excellent characters and actors.

The Soundtrack

Zac Braff wrote the majority of the movie while still in college. What’s interesting in this movie is that he also wrote the music into script. When he sent the script to people he also sent a CD containing the songs that would be in the movie in the order that they appeared. This careful planning is evident in the way the music flows well into the narrative. It includes songs by The Shins, Zero 7, Coldplay, Nick Drake and Frou Frou amongst others.

*Spoiler* And here’s the final scene, which is also a great use of music to aid the narrative.

~~~

Rushmore

~ She was my Rushmore

The Film:

Directed by Wes Anderson, Rushmore follows Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a 15 year old scholarship boy who lives for his private school Rushmore Academy. He imagines himself as the top student when in fact he’s just getting by. However, he is king of extracurricular activities and spends most of his times in the various clubs he either leads or creates; he also writes and directs plays. Then comes Ms Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), Rushmore’s elementary school teacher and Max falls in love with her. Max befriends his classmate’s father Herman Blume (Bill Murray), an unhappy industrialist whom Max sees as a mentor. Max enlists Herman’s help to make Ms Cross fall for him. Things go wrong when Herman ends up falling in love with Ms Cross too. This unusual love triangle begins to pits friend against friend in the hopes of getting Ms Cross. Pure Wes Anderson quirkiness.

The Soundtrack:

Consists of musicians such as The Kinks, Rolling Stones, John Lennon, The Who, The Faces, Cat Stevens and Donovan amongst others. Not only are these great musicians in and of themselves, the song choices and how they are layered into the narrative is great. Click here for a list of videos on YouTube for Rushmore. Here’s an example of how well music is handled in the film:

And while I’m not very familiar with all the musicians in the soundtrack, I think the movie is improved with them.

~~~

(500) Days of Summer

~Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn’t.

The Film:

Music video director Marc Webb makes his feature length directorial debut with this awesomely beautiful film. It stars the talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the boy who believes in true love and Zooey Deschanel who doesn’t. It’s the classic boy meet girl story with no real new material but it is all executed so well, the acting is fantastic and the end product is magnificent. The emotions really do resonate with anyone whether they’d had a bad break-up, can’t get over someone or whether an unrequited love is all you have. Great film.

You can read more details in my review.

The Soundtrack

With much experience behind him, Marc Webb has done a fantastic job in combining narrative and music in 500 Days. Not only does it reflect the mood of the scenes, it also enhances it by adding a sometimes quirky (see video below), sometimes poignant undertone, but always great. Artists such as Regina Spektor, The Temper Trap, The Smiths, Simon and Garfunkle, Wolfmother and Feist can be found on the soundtrack.

Here’s a YouTube video where you can preview the soundtrack.

~~~

24 Hour Party People

~The unbelievably true story of one man, one movement, the music and madness that was Manchester.

The Film:

This movie is more of a biopic/fictional documentary focusing on the music mogul Tony Wilson and the time in Manchester when punk came into the scene. It’s directed by Michael Winterbottom and stars Steve Coogan and many others playing music legends. The movie chronicles not only Wilson’s attempts at creating a culture in Manchester, but also the origins and outcomes of some of the most influential British bands such as Joy Division (which went on to become New Order), The Sex Pistols and The Happy Mondays. It parodies some events and breaks the fourth wall quite often but it all works and creates a great portrayal of the time.

The Soundtrack:

This movie is made for lovers of original punk and British music. Not only does the movie showcase some of the best music of the time (Joy Division!), it also gives insight into the bands, their members and how they dealt with their growing influence on the music scene. Therefore, the soundtrack is basically a sort of time capsule consisting of iconic music and bands.

It was by watching this movie that I came to know about Joy Division, which quickly became one of my favourite bands.

~~~

Juno

~A comedy about growing up… and the bumps along the way.

The Film:

Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, it stars Ellen Page, Michael Cera (along with Arrested Development co-star Jason Bateman) and Jennifer Garner. The movie follows Juno MacGuff and her unplanned pregnancy and subsequent search for affluent adoptive parents for her baby. Chances are you’ve seen the film so you know it’s not as dramatic as that, though it is emotional. The quirkiness of the characters, the development and characterisation of Juno, the humour and the writing are all great. Michael Cera still wasn’t so typecast into the dorky, awkward, almost Woody Allen Jr type of character he has now; he was still high from Arrested Development. And Ellen page’s acting was fantastic, well worth the Oscar nomination. A lot of the praise should also go to Diablo Cody for the way she wrote the script, and Reitman’ directing.

The Soundtrack:

This movie has a really unique soundtrack that reflects the emotions and atmosphere of the movie. In this interview Ellen Page talks about the music of Juno. She mentions the music has a youthful and quirky feel to it but it’s also heartfelt so there is a balance there. This balance is something the movie does really well too. There are a lot of Indie artists in this soundtrack, which again reinforces the alternative personality of Juno. It’s a fantastic movie.

I’ve obsessed over this soundtrack. I hadn’t heard of Kimya Dawson, Antsy Pants, Belle and Sebastian or The Moldy Peaches before Juno and I’m so glad I know them now. My favourite band in the soundtrack is Belle and Sebastian.

~~~

Other notable movies/soundtrack combinations are:

• Once (a great low budget movie revolving around two unnamed characters who love music; a sleeper hit; won Oscar for Best Song)
• Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (quirky love story with a beautiful look; originally Naomi Watts was set to play Amelie)
• Whip It (another great performance from Ellen Page but not at all like in Juno; a funny/offbeat coming of age; Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut)
• Little Miss Sunshine (proof of Murphy’s Law; quirky characters with a real emotional undertone; Oscar nominated for Best Picture)

It continues to surprise me how beautiful some stop motion animation can be. “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” is an great example of this format in motion. I’m a die hard admirer of standard 2D however, after watching this film, I’m really desiring to see some of my favorite cartoons in stop motion animation as well. The film is adapted from the children’s book with the same title. Written by Roald Dahl, the story follows main character Mr. Fox, as he steals food to provide for his starving family from wealthy tycoons with evil intensions. The film is a great adaption and is very enjoyable. It stars George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and many more. It is directed, produced, and written by the amusing Director, Wes Anderson (Royal Tenenbuams).

Lost in Translation is one of my all-time favourite films, with it’s slow pace, stunning scenes and gradually building chemistry.

The film is stunningly directed by Sofia Coppola and explores the concepts of loneliness, love, culture and ennui. Scarlett Johansson is as beautiful as ever playing the lonely Charlotte who finds company in the slightly over-the-hill Bob Harris played by Bill Murray. The age difference adds to the beauty of the story.

Spoiler Alert!

The story follows Charlotte (Johansson), who is staying in Tokyo with her new husband John (Giovanni Ribisi), who spends most of his time away photographing fashion and celebrity shoots. As she slowly falls into deeper and deeper self-reflection brought about by her loneliness and homesickness, Charlotte befriends Bob Harris (Murray), a slightly over-the-hill actor, who is in Tokyo to film a Whisky commercial, and who spends a lot of time of the phone to his wife reacting to her demands that he choose a suitable floor covering for his study.

Charlotte and Bob’s friendship develops and deepens over the course of their time together and the tension between them builds, until Bob has a romantic encounter with the Pianist who plays in the hotel bar (Francois Du Bois). This marks a turn in the pair’s relationship.

The film ends with… no, you’re going to have to watch it to find out!

This is definitely a film to watch with an open heart and an open wine bottle. Enjoy!

It might not seem odd at first, but soon after being immersed in the world of “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” you are bound to notice that all the characters are saying the word cuss, used as a substitute for any necessary expletives, with great frequency.  In a brilliant stroke of ingenious mischief, Wes Anderson finds a way to tone down the movie with dumbing it down.  He takes everything that audiences love about his live-action features – the dysfunctional families, the eclectic music, the geometric, the conscious cinematography, and all the quirks – and refuses to surrender to the family movie.  Style intact, Anderson makes a movie that audiences will realize isn’t all that different from his other pictures.

The cast of characters might seem a little bit familiar to fans of Anderson’s work.  Mr. Fox (George Clooney) is a flawed father struggling to accept his responsibilities to his family, and he yearns for his furtive days of hunting.  Trying to rediscover his true self, he embarks on a series of ultimately successful raids on the crotchety neighboring farmers with the wonderfully neurotic opossum Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky).  This is all to the dismay of Mrs. Felicity Fox (Meryl Streep), his caring but somewhat disapproving wife.  Knowing Wes Anderson, the family drama can’t end there.  Their son, Ash (Jason Schwartzman), can’t seem to live up to his father’s legacy.  In addition, he begins to feel like second fiddle to his dad when naturally gifted cousin Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) comes to stay with the family.  The classic “hunted become the hunters” story intertwines with the family turmoil as Mr. Fox angers the dim-witted farmers adjacent to their dwelling.  Using their wile, the rodents are able to outsmart and outmaneuver their foes.

The visual style of the film is quite striking.  In true Wes Anderson fashion, he uses the unconventional motion capture method rather than animated through computers or by hand.  It is not meant to look incredibly realistic (cotton balls for smoke and rabies?), but the filmmakers do go to painstaking lengths to make it look fascinatingly surreal.  In fact, it almost has a dream-like quality.  They even figure out a way to make the hairs on the foxes’ beards billow in the wind.  The artistic expression manifested in the look of the film is almost like a portal into Anderson’s imagination.  As anyone who appreciates his work, that’s pretty cussing awesome.

The spirit behind the voices matches their zany intensity in Anderson’s exciting screenplay.  He rounds up some of the usual suspects like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman, but also brings in some exciting new talent like Clooney and Streep.  Anderson brought out the character within them by holding recording sessions in odd locations such as attics and stables, and the passion that they put into it becomes almost palpable.  They make the off-kilter humor glow, particularly Wallace Wolodarsky as Mr. Fox’s super, the opossum Kylie.  Channeling a pathetic Woody Allen, Wolodarsky makes every line a funny line.

A movie that is both juvenile and mature, light and grave, surreal and real, unorthodox and down-to-earth, and bizarre and relatable might seem somewhat paradoxical.  But with charisma and charm, Wes Anderson uses “Fantastic Mr. Fox” to show us that it is possible.  His movie is pure bliss to watch, an enchanting piece of moviemaking prowess.  A- /

]]> http://nutsformovies.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/city-of-ember/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:18:56 +0000 Tamera http://nutsformovies.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/city-of-ember/

Well it’s 1:05am and I just got finished watching City of Ember with Bill Murray, Tim Robbins and a host of others.  Very family friendly movie and I really enjoyed it.  It’s story is based around a problem with the world and the Government sends people down into this underground city that is built for over 200 years and the people as time passes don’t realize there is another world outside.  And these two younger children are inspired to believe there is something beyond their world that is lite only by lights with a failing generator.  So, I give that an F = Fun and Family Friendly – on the nuts for movie scale. 

Here is the trailer if you like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkSFsbv6eUg

Good Night

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Starring: George Clooney (voice), Meryl Streep (voice), Bill Murray (Voice) Owen Wilson (voice), Jason Schwartzman (voice), Willem Dafoe (voice)
Directed by Wes Anderson

Rated: PG
Run Time: 87 mins
Genre: Comedy/ Adventure/ Animation/ Family
4 frames out of 5

We all know those people that can charm their way into getting what they want, think quickly on their feet and things usually work out for them in the end, right? Fantastic Mr. Fox is an adaptation of the children’s book by Roald Dahl. Mr. Fox (Geroge Clooney – voice) seems to have everything in life – a great job, a great family, a home, wonderful friends… but it’s not enough for him. He constantly wants more.
When he upgrades to a larger home against the wishes of his badger legal rep (Bill Murray – voice), the itch to go back to his wiley ways is hard to ignore.

Just up the hill from his spacious new tree home, lives 3 farmers; Boggis, Bunce and Bean. They each specialize in different areas of farming and live in abundance. Mr. Fox, in a past life, specialized in stealing chickens. The constant visual reminder of his human neighbors is taunting him to do one last job. He enlists the help of his friend Kiley (Wally Wolodarsky – voice) and they set off on their venture.

When the first job goes well, Mr. Fox plans to hit the remainder of the farms which raises suspicion in Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep – voice). Mr. Fox had made a promise to her hat he would walk away from the thievery and settle down to a respectable career. Of course, that promise was broken and now has aroused the fury of the farmers.

For this being a film based on a children’s book, the story is enjoyable from an adult’s perspective. It does a great job of keeping things balanced where the children will be enchanted by the animals and the adults will be rolling with laughter. If you are a fan of movies such as Chicken Run or Wallace & Gromit films, you will love Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Things to watch for: Really cleaver dialogue and ways of using profanity, yet not. Excellent stop animation. The ensemble cast – try to figure out whose voice belongs to which character.

Who should see this movie: Kids of all ages, Families, fans of the book.

See it in the Theater or Rent it on DVD: I would say for a family film this would be a good choice to see in the theaters and add to your home entertainment library.

I sit through a lot of kid movies. A lot. Our family has shelled out more money than I’d like to tally on gems such as Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in all its 3D splendour, not to mention G-Force and Aliens in the Attic.

But today we saw a movie that makes up for every Hotel For Dogs and Monsters Vs. Aliens: Wes Anderson’s brilliant Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Top-notch actors like George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson bring old-school stop motion animated characters including foxes, weasels, badgers and rats to life.

Might not sound like much, but the combination of Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson is pure magic.

I love, love, loved it. See it on the big screen even if you don’t have a kid to take. Trust me on this one.

kp

Just as the name would have you believe, Fantastic Mr. Fox is indeed fantastic (could I have started off anymore cliché?) We don’t get too many stop-motion films anymore, which is a shame, but this one completely makes up for that. The visuals in this film are simply awesome. They’re quirky as hell and different from other stop-motion films, but provide a welcome addition to the movie rather than taking away from it. Definitely retro on purpose without being snobbish…if that makes sense at all. The dialog is very calm without a lot of tonal differentiation and the humor is very dry, but this is what makes the movie so great and also makes a perfect roll for George Clooney. And this film would not have worked at all any other way.

I actually never read the children’s book when I was a child–which now that I think about it, is a little weird–so I can’t really compare to that or speak for how it holds up to my childhood memories of the story, but there’s a lot to like here. Recommended.

Rating: A-

Como vão ser as estreias desse último mês de 2009? Universo E! antecipa as novidades da telona para você:

Na sexta-feira, 04 de dezembro, temos a estreia do thriller A Caixa com Cameron Diaz: o que você faria se lhe entregassem uma caixa com um único botão e que se você o apertasse te deixaria milionário, mas ao mesmo tempo tirasse a vida de alguém que você não conhece? Uma professora e seu marido, um engenheiro da NASA, formam um casal típico com um filho, moradores do subúrbio. Tudo muda quando um misterioso homem aparece com uma proposta tentadora: a tal caixa. Agora eles tem 24 horas para tomarem a fatídica escolha. E logo irão decobrir que certas escolhas estão fora de seu controle e vão muito além da fortuna.

No mesmo dia estreia a animação O Fantástico Senhor Raposo que conta com a dublagem em inglês de Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep e George Clooney. Ainda dia 04, você não pode deixar de conferir mais um trabalho dos irmãos Coen (do fabuloso Onde os Fracos não Tem Vez e do detestável Queime Depois de Ler): a comédia Um Homem Sério. Além de diversas outras comedinhas requentadas, dia 04 nos reserva o tão bem comentado terror de Atividade Paranormal.

Na semana seguinte, dia 11, tem Confusões em Família com Andy Garcia. A Disney também volta a animação em 2D com a A Princesa e o Sapo, trazendo a primeira princesa negra dos contos de fada dos estúdios Disney.

Já na segunda metade de dezembro temos a estreia mais esperada e aguardada desse ano: Avatar no dia 18. Ficção científica repleta de efeitos especiais, que ocupou toda a estrutura da Weta Workshop (companhia criada por Peter Jackson para a criação das criaturas digitais da trilogia O Senhor dos Anéis). E quando o próprio Peter Jackson quis produzir Distrito 9, teve que procurar outra produtora de efeitos porque a Weta estava 100% envolvida no trabalho de Avatar. Só aqui temos uma ideia do que esperar desse trabalho de James Cameron.

Para competir com Avatar temos estreias de comédias fracas (salvo engano) de: A Mente que Mente e Encontro de Casais que provavelmente passarão despercebidas.

Na próxima sexta-feira já será Natal que, infelizmente, trará mais um (MAIS UM?!!) tele-filme de Xuxa em O Mistério da Feiurinha… Em seguida temos, quem sabe, o sucessor do canino Marley & Eu com Sempre ao Seu Lado com Richard Gere. Coseguirá ele atingir o mesmo nível de emoção e sucesso da história do pior cachorro do mundo?

Sexta-feira seguinte já será 1º de janeiro, um novo ano, o primeiro dia de 2010. Mais isso já é um assunto para outra coluna de Nos Cinemas. Até lá e bons filmes!

ATENÇÃO: PROGRAMAÇÃO SUJEITA A ALTERAÇÕES POR PARTE DAS PRODUTORAS E/OU DISTRIBUIDORAS. CONSULTE SEMPRE O CINEMA DE SUA PREFERÊNCIA

Ghostbusters - it’s official – was the best film of the 1980’s.  It’s still a common sight to see those far to young to have caught it on its release dressing up at Halloween as Peter, Egon, Ray and Winston. The only difference usually between the originals and those parodying the ghostbusting foursome is that the latter look nothing like the originals - some may even say these impersonators  ‘look like tw*t’s’. Who you gonna call?

Performed by Ray Parker Jr “Ghostbusters” was the title track of the Gold-selling soundtrack for the hit movie Ghostbusters, starring Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, and Dan Aykroyd. Listen to the original below or watch the video here.
Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters:

A Fox family portrait.

(Fox Searchlight) Starring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzmann, Michael Gambon, Wally Wolodarsky, Eric Anderson, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jarvis Cocker, Brian Cox. Directed by Wes Anderson

One thing is true of all of God’s critters, two-legged and four-legged alike and that is that we must all be true to our own natures. If that nature invites danger and disaster, can we but follow the path presented to us or can we diverge into safety and security?

Mr. Fox (Clooney) is a chicken thief, and like all successful thieves he survives by being quick-witted and adaptive. His wife Mrs. Fox (Streep) doesn’t really approve of his line of work, but when they nearly get caught she forces a promise from him that he will find a different career path. He chooses the one that may be of all jobs even less reputable than chicken thievery – journalism.

Years have gone by and Mr. Fox continues to live in poverty in a comfortable hole with his family. He has gone straight but only on the surface; in his heart he is a clever chicken thief liberating poultry from farmers who are unwise enough to allow them to be liberated. Despite his lack of financial wherewithal Mr. Fox decides to buy a home above ground in a beautiful tree overlooking the farms of the three men who control the valley they live in (and three of the meanest men you’ll ever meet). While Mr. Fox’s lawyer Badger (Murray) cautions against it, Mr. Fox goes through with his plan to buy the house anyway even though it will put his family in the line of fire. That family is going through enough as it is with the arrival of cousin Kristofferson (Anderson) which further antagonizes Mr. Fox’s teenage son Ash (Schwartzmann) who has a bit of an inferiority complex to begin with.

In order to pay for his new mansion, Mr. Fox supplements his ink-stained wretch salary with a little thieving on the side, along with the help of his friend and general handy-man Kylie (Wolodarsky) who is prone to spacing out at odd intervals. This incurs the wrath of the farmers, led by the rail-thin chain smoker Mr. Bean (Gambon) who has nothing to do with the Rowan Atkinson character of the same name. They declare war on the fox responsible for the filching of their hard-earned wares, forcing the animals to tunnel for their lives. Can Mr. Fox devise a clever enough plan to save the animals and make everything fantastic again?

I want to make it clear from the beginning that I’ve always blown hot and cold when it comes to director Wes Anderson. While his best moments from movies like Rushmore and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou are arguably as good as any being produced today, he can also turn the quirk factor from charming to overbearing in a heartbeat. He is most definitely an acquired taste and one that I haven’t yet acquired.

However, to my mind this is the best work he’s done yet. The sight gags are often hysterically funny and the tone of the movie is just off-beat enough to be interesting. I suspect that Anderson may have dialed down things a bit in deference to the audience which is bound to include children (the source material is, after all, a classic children’s book penned by Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). In toning things down and making the movie a bit more accessible, he makes the quirky elements all the more effective.

It helps that he has a great voice cast. Clooney is sly, witty and charming in a Danny Ocean vein, with a heaping helping of Everett (the lovable ne’er do well from O Brother Where Art Thou?) thrown in for good measure. Streep is solid as the very much long-suffering Mrs. Fox and Gambon throws the right amount of hissable evil to his villainous Mr. Bean. Most of the others read their lines in a deadpan monotone which makes the humor a bit dry but emphasizes the irony much better. Those who don’t appreciate that sort of humor will probably find this movie frustrating.

I have to make it known that while this is ostensibly a children’s movie, I think adults may wind up finding it more appealing than the wee ones. Kids are not known for being terribly accepting of things that are different than what they’re used to, and some may find the tone strange or the overall humor a bit boring. There are some over-the-top physical gags that will keep ‘em happy but by and large adults will get this a little more than the Nickelodeon set will.

The animation is stop-motion and highly textured, with the fur of the animals rippling in unseen breezes along with the grass. Trees bend in unison like an arboreal chorus line, and tunnels are filled with dirt, rocks and roots. It is not specifically realistic, more like hyper-realistic (if you take for granted that foxes walk upright, wear tailored clothes and speak with more intelligence than the average human). Animator Harry Selick, the man who did The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach was originally slated to animate this movie before delays caused schedule conflicts and Selick would go on to do Coraline. Instead Anderson hired Mark Gustafson who did the California Raisins commercials back in the day. Good choice, that.

Pleasant surprises make going to the movies a pleasure. I hadn’t been particularly looking forward to this movie but there’s a good chance this will wind up in our home video collection (which will likely be Blu-Ray by the time it gets out in that format). It isn’t often that I can say an animated feature will be appreciated more by adults than by children, but I think that I can say that with confidence here. Certainly there is that sense of magic and enchantment that is necessary in any animated feature, but with a tone and intelligence that is more adult. In other words, this is a movie that doesn’t talk down to children which is a good thing in my book. Next to Up, this is the best animated feature I’ve seen this year.

REASONS TO GO: Lots of great sight gags and a snappy off-kilter tone make this appealing to fans of indie films and Wes Anderson. Quirky without being overbearing. There are some nice vocal performances, particularly from Clooney and Gambon.

REASONS TO STAY: Although based on a children’s book and marketed to kids to a certain extent, this really isn’t a traditional children’s movie and if your tyke isn’t open to new things, they might find this strange or boring.

FAMILY VALUES: Some mildly salty humor but really suitable for the entire family.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: The tree the Fox family lives in is based on a beech tree on the property of original book author Roald Dahl, and Mr. Fox’s study is a near-perfect recreation of Dahl’s own study in his garden hut where he did most of his writing.

HOME OR THEATER: Chances are this will work just as well on a home screen but I kinda liked it on the big screen. You make the call.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

TOMORROW: MirrorMask

Couldn't this poster have read: Based on the book by Roald Dahl?

Fantastic Mr. Fox is the second movie I’ve seen recently that’s based on a children’s book, the other being Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are…. Just like Jonze, Wes Anderson (the director) took the source material and made it very much his own. This has all the eccentricities of a typical Anderson movie like the camera work, the ‘look’ and the yesteryear soundtrack. If you like his movies, you’ll probably like this one. I did. If you hate his movies, well… Give this one a try anyway.

Wes with his stop motion actors...

I have to compare this a little to a couple of other movies that I have reviewed here; the aforementioned Where The Wild Things Are and Men Who Stare At Goats. Unlike Wild Things, this movie was very upbeat and was much more fun than that one. And unlike the Goat movie (which also starred George Clooney ) this was very fast paced besides just being ‘quirky’.

VERY fast paced...

The story moved along very rapidly with lots of twists and turns. Anderson made sure that even in the moments where characters were just talking, there was still a lot going on ( I enjoyed Ash’s preoccupation with the ‘White Cape’ who is never really talked about by name. You just see the White Cape posters, the comics, etc… I also loved the kid badger in the skeleton costume).

I’m sure upon a 2nd viewing that I will see things that I did not catch the first time (and I think I caught a lot). Like all of Anderson’s movies, careful attention is paid to each character… Their mannerisms, clothes, their surroundings…. Every character, no matter how minor,  seems to have a back story.

The source material...

The movie makes use of traditional stop motion animation and is layered with the trademark Wes Anderson detailing. I don’t think the CGI route would have fit the director’s quirky style half as well as the stop motion method does.  There is real art in the puppet and prop builders and there is just something that I have always found cool about this style of animation. Maybe it reminds me of the old Rudolph Christmas cartoon, I don’t know, but I like it.

Anderson with the 'human puppet' cast...

The story itself is about a fox (the Fantastic Mr. Fox) voiced by George Clooney.Mr. Fox is basically  a chicken thieving con artist, but promises his lady love (voiced by Meryl Streep) that he’ll get a legitimate line of work when she reveals that she is pregnant. So he becomes a newspaper columnist.

Mr. Fox with the Missus...

Not happy with his lot in life (living in a hole), he moves his family into a very luxurious tree that has a few drawbacks to it. For one, it’s overlooking the farms of some of the most diabolical farmers in the entire world.

Kylie...

He’s only satisfied for a short time, before he begins plotting to raid the farms in one last big heist with aid first from his friend Kylie (a spacey opossum played by Wallace Wolodarsky), and Kristofferson (Mr. Fox’s gifted nephew…).

Kristofferson and Ash...

Of course this upsets the farmers… Not only that, but it disrupts his happy home life. He’s lying to his wife about the heist and his son Ash (voiced by Anderson regular Jason Schwartzman) feels inferior to Kristofferson, especially when Mr Fox enlists him into the heist scheme. And all of this snowballs into a mass of complications that encapsulates the entire animal community. I won’t give away any more. It’s worth finding out for yourself.

Murray with his Badger counterpart.

There were plenty of ‘cameo’ parts by Anderson regulars such as Big Bad Bill Murray (as Badger, Mr. fox’s lawyer),  Owen Wilson (as Coach Skip who relates the athletic exploits of Mr. Fox to his son) and of course Willem Dafoe (as the villainous Rat, a scoundrel from the Fox family’s past). Dafoe has had some pretty diverse roles in his career.

Someone with too much time on their hands combined this with another Dafoe movie of late that might give you a chuckle or two. That’s Dafoe’s voice at the end…

Brian Cox and Wes Anderson also add voice work and I was also VERY happy to see that the lovely Karen ‘Duff’ Duffy (of MTV VJ fame) voiced the character of Linda Otter. I always loved her. I hear she’s had some up and downs with her health lately.

The lovely Duff.... MTV VJ ICON!

Anyway… It’s an all ages movie. They don’t curse, but they do say ‘cuss’ a lot, which was pretty funny. It was actually one of the more entertaining ‘family’ movies that I’ve seen and would compare this in quality to older ‘family’ films such as Time Bandits and The Dark Crystal. Maybe not quite as good and resounding as those 2, but this one’s right up there. 4 of 5 Whatevers. A great effort!

Zombieland, which will almost certainly fill the last slot of my alphabetically organized DVD shelf, delivers laughs with more pinpoint accuracy than nearly any comedy this year. It’s not particularly deep, and it’s not particularly outlandish, but it is satisfying as can be, with a funny premise, terrific banter, convincing gore, and a swinging attitude that keeps things breezy even as the outlook for the main characters appears grim. It also boasts the funniest cameo appearance of the year by a country mile.

Unlike most zombie film protagonists, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is a massive neurotic who has managed to survive the post-apocalyptic zombie-infested America by strictly following his list of rules. Rule #1: Cardio– if you’re going to be able to outrun zombies, you have to be in shape. Ruke #2: Double Tap– don’t just shoot a zombie once and believe it’s dead… your saved ammo won’t help when that sucker pops back up and gnaws at your leg. Rule #4: Beware of Bathrooms– see, zombies are smart in this future, and they know that humans will have to vulnerably stand at a urinal or sit in a stall at some point, so they wait for food there. As our narrator, Columbus continually shares bon mots from his survival list as the film progresses.

Eventually, he meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a badass in an SUV with the number 3 painted on the side who has a craving for Twinkies. They also meet Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin)– they all agree to not use real names, instead choosing their destinations as their nicknames so that no true attachments are formed (Columbus’ Rule #5). Wichita and Little Rock are headed to Pacific Playland, a theme park where they had some great moments together when they were younger, and they hold out hope that it’s zombie-free, a place where innocence survives. I’m sure I won’t surprise you when I say the trip is more difficult than they imagine, and the park itself is the location of a giant showdown with an army of zombies.

This film was originally conceived by its director, Ruben Fleischer, as the pilot episode for a TV series. If there is a God in heaven, and he considers (as I do) zombie films one of his greatest creations, he will let HBO pick this up for at bare minimum a six-episode miniseries. The visuals are gorgeous, as Fleischer has turned highways and cities into believable wastelands. The action is fast-paced and witty– Harrelson making noise to alert the zombies of his presence, effectively beckoning them into battle, is a particularly welcome touch to the genre. The film might lack some of the dramatic oomph that several other zomcoms have, but its breezy delivery is part of its charm. Eisenberg doesn’t push the neuroses– he’s also an athletic enough hero that despite his Michael Cera-esque mannerisms, I buy him as someone who can outrun zombies and beat some down if push came to shove. Woody Harrelson is simply priceless in roles like these; when he can let his ham flag fly, he’s one of their best there is that does it (between this and 2012, Thanksgiving came early for Woody fans). Finally, Emma Stone shows that she has effectively captured all roles for the foreseeable future for the smart teenager with girl-next-door good looks. She has this way about her that makes her seem like she’s hiding something, so when she starts emoting, it always seems like a special private moment… that’s not really something an acting coach can teach you, you either have it or you don’t. She has it. And as for the cameo… skip the final paragraph if you don’t want it spoiled.

Are you ready?

Want to see the spoiler?

Here goes…

Bill Murray absolutely delivers the funniest scene so far this year, rivaling the end credits in The Hangover for hardest sustained laughter over the course of several minutes. The gang finds a Hollywood map, and decides to sleep in style, finding Bill Murray’s mansion. His walls are covered with portraits of himself, from Renaissance-style to Andy Warhol homages. Of course, Murray appears as a zombie… but when Wichita whacks him with a golf club, he screams. He reveals that he had a makeup artist turn him into a zombie, and he’s been living his regular life, unbothered by other zombies, since they don’t eat their own kind. “I just shot 18 at Riverdale,” he utters, in that style that is so distinctive that it borders on national treasure. Funny without trying too hard, gory without being excessively so, Zombieland strikes the happiest of mediums, never delving into drama or politics or satire, instead content being exactly what it is. I was equally content.

Die Adventszeit beginnt heute und gespannt sehnen wir uns den ersten Weihnachtsplätzchen und dem ersten Glühwein entgegen, freuen uns auf die glitzernd schönen Christkindlmärkte und die leuchtend dekorierten Fußgängerzonen. Wunderbare Düfte steigen uns in die Nase. Das gespannte Kribbeln und die Vorfreude auf das Weihnachtsfest breiten sich aus, eine altbekannte Heimeligkeit umfasst unsere Seele und Kindheitserinnerungen erwachen in unserem Geist. Erinnerungen an die Suche nach dem Christkind, während die Eltern den Christbaum schmücken; Lieder, die wir als Kind gesungen haben; Geschichten, die uns unsere Eltern erzählten.
Eine dieser Geschichten erzählen sich die Menschen seit Generationen, adaptierten sie für unzählige Film-, Fernseh- und Theaterproduktionen. In diesem Winter läuft dieses Märchen als Walt-Disney`s 3D-Highlight in seiner 50. Leinwand-Version in unseren Kinos. Die Rede ist von Charles Dickens „Weihnachtslied“ (im Original: „A Christmas Carol“).

Ebenezer Scrooge und die Geister der Weihnacht

„A Christmas Carol“ ist die Geschichte des kauzigen Geschäftsmanns und notorischen Geizhalses Ebenezer Scrooge, dem am Weihnachtsabend vier Geister erscheinen und dessen Leben sich in dieser besagten heiligen Nacht vollkommen ändern wird. Am Nachmittag des Heiligen Abend setzt Scrooge in seiner gewohnt kaltherzigen Art zwei Herren, die Spenden für die Armen sammeln sowie seinen eigenen Neffen Fred, der ihn wie jedes Jahr zum Weihnachtsessen einlädt, vor die Tür. Für den alten Griesgram ist Weihnachten nichts weiter als ein gewöhnlicher Arbeitstag, die sentimentale Barmherzigkeit nichts weiter als „Humbug!“.

Als er am Abend nach Hause kehrt, erscheint auf seinem Türklopfer das Antlitz seines alten Geschäftspartners Jacob Marley, der am Weihnachtsabend sieben Jahre zuvor verstarb und zu Lebzeiten noch viel geiziger war als Scrooge selbst. „Marley war tot, damit wollen wir anfangen. Kein Zweifel kann darüber bestehen…. Der alte Marley war so tot wie ein Türnagel.“ Dies bescheinigt Dickens dem Leser eindringlich, um das Wunder, das nun passiert, begreiflich zu machen. Scrooge scheint im Haus erst einmal alles normal zu sein, bis ihm Jacob Marley als kettenbehangener Geist gegenübertritt. An seinen Ketten führt er Geldkassetten, Portemonnaies und weitere Utensilien seines früheren Geschäftslebens mit sich. Er erklärt seinem alten Kompanion, er hätte sich Zeit seines Lebens durch seine Menschenabscheu und Gier nach Geld und Reichtum selbst die schwere Bürde dieser langen, schweren Kette auferlegt. Seine Strafe im Jenseits läge darin, sich mit dieser Kette unter Menschen zu begeben. Scrooge wähnt sich im Sicheren, bis er erfährt, dass seine Kette vor sieben Jahren noch die gleiche Länge hatte, er aber durch seinen Gram täglich daran arbeite, dass sich dieses unbequeme Schmuckstück für das Jenseits stetig verlängert. Kurz darauf verlässt der Geist Marleys den alten Scrooge – allein mit seinen Gedanken, Sorgen und dem Hinweis, dass in der gleichen Nacht noch drei weitere Geister zu ihm kommen werden.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der vergangenen Weihnacht

Schlag ein Uhr erscheint dem alten Kauz nun also der erste Geist in Form eines Kindes und Greises zugleich. Er führt Scrooge an die Schauplätze vergangener Weihnachten in dessen jüngeren Jahren. Scrooge wird konfrontiert mit seiner Kindheit, sieht sich von seiner Familie verstoßen einsam am Weihnachtsabend in der Schule sitzend, später als junger Mann einer Weihnachtsfeier seines Lehrherrn beiwohnend, die ihm zeigt, wie einfach und ohne großen finanziellen Aufwand man andere Menschen glücklich machen kann. Er beobachtet sich selbst in seinen besten Jahren, verlassen von seiner großen Liebe, die er gegen die Liebe zum Reichtum eintauscht und erhält schließlich noch einen Blick in das spätere Leben seiner Geliebten, die nun in einem behaglichen Zuhause mit ihrem Ehemann und den Kindern Weihnachten feiert. Scrooge ist regelrecht geschockt vom gerade Gesehenen und fleht den Geist der vergangenen Weihnacht an, ihn nach Hause zurückkehren zu lassen: „Verlaß mich, führ mich weg. Verfolge mich nicht länger.“, bis dieser ihm endlich seinen Wunsch erfüllt und Scrooge erschöpft in sein Bett fällt.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der gegenwärtigen Weihnacht

Doch gleich darauf wird Scrooge vom zweiten Geist – dem Geist der diesjährigen Weihnacht – aufgesucht. Dieser stellt erst einmal klar, dass es seit Christi Geburt jedes Jahr einen Geist gibt, der den Menschen mit seinen guten Taten zum Weihnachtsfest eine besonders friedvolle Atmosphäre beschert. So schlichtet er in Scrooge`s Beisein wie von Zauberhand einen Familienstreit und verleiht den Speisen eine köstlich weihnachtliche Note. Mit seinem Schützling besucht der Weihnachtsgeist nun Scrooge`s Angestellten Bob Cratchit und dessen Familie. So erfährt der alte Knauser, dass Cratchit einige Kinder hat, darunter der kleine verkrüppelte Tiny Tim, der wegen seiner schlechten medizinischen Versorgung und mangelnder Ernährung bald sterben würde. Scrooge erlebt ein ihm bislang unbekanntes Gefühl – Anteilnahme und Mitleid mit dem kranken Jungen und offenbar sorgt er sich ernsthaft um dessen Leben. Der Geist schockiert ihn indes mit seinen eigenen Tags zuvor erwähnten Worten: „Wenn es [das Kind] sterben muss, ist es besser, es tue es gleich und vermindere die überflüssige Bevölkerung.“ Trotz der Armut feiert die Familie Crachit ein glückliches Weihnachtsfest mit einem für ihre Verhältnisse wahrlich großen Truthahn und sogar einem Toast auf den Arbeitgeber Scrooge.

Im nächsten Moment bringt der Geist den alten Scrooge zu einer weiteren Weihnachtsszene im Hause seines Neffen Fred. Er feiert in geselliger Runde das Heilige Fest und die Freunde veralbern in ihren Rate-Spielen den schrulligen Onkel sogar. Zuletzt vertraut der Geist dem Geizkragen zwei Kinder an, die er bislang unter seinem Mantel versteckt hielt – „es sind des Menschen Kinder […] dieses Mädchen ist die Unwissenheit. Dieser Knabe ist der Mangel“. Die Kinder stellen einen wahrlich schauderhaften Anblick dar. Dem Alten widerstrebt es, die Kinder aufzunehmen und ohne eine Antwort auf seine Frage, ob es keinen Zufluchtsort für sie gäbe, ist Scrooge wieder der Dunkelheit in seinem Schlafgemach und damit sich selbst überlassen.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der zukünftigen Weihnacht

Der letzte Geist erscheint Scrooge als dunkle, in einem kaum sichtbaren Umhang gehüllte Gestalt, die mit dem Heimgesuchten kein Wort spricht. Scrooge schließt aus den voran gegangenen Erlebnissen, dass es sich hierbei um den Geist der zukünftigen Weihnacht handeln muss und lauscht sogleich einem Gespräch mehrerer Männer in der Börse, die sich über den Tod eines flüchtigen Bekannten austauschen – ohne auch nur einen Funken von Anteilnahme zu zeigen. Kurz darauf begleitet er die Geistergestalt in ein Geschäft in einem Armenviertel Londons, wo armselige Figuren dem Ladenbesitzer Waren verkaufen möchten, die sie anscheinend aus dem Haus eines unbekannten Verstorbenen gestohlen haben. Sogar die Bettvorhänge und das Totenhemd werden hier feilgeboten, dennoch zeigt die zwielichtige Gesellschaft keinerlei Schuldgefühle dem Toten gegenüber, was zu dem Schluss führt, dass der Tod des Mannes keinem nahe geht: „Ich werde doch wahrhaftig meine Hand nicht leer einstecken, wenn ich sie nur auszustrecken brauche, um was zu kriegen, um so einen Mannes willen, wie der war.“

In der nächsten Szene steht Scrooge in einem dunklen Raum am Bett des Toten und der Geist nötigt Scrooge, das Laken von der Leiche zu ziehen und zu sehen, um wen es sich handelt, wozu Scrooge letztendlich aber die Kräfte fehlen. Der mürrische Einzelgänger, der diese grausamen Szenen kaum verarbeiten kann und in dem Toten das Abbild seines zukünftigen Schicksals ahnt, fleht den Geist an, ihm einen Menschen zu zeigen, der ein Gefühl dem Verstorbenen gegenüber zeigt. Doch die Enttäuschung wächst, als Scrooge daraufhin ein Paar sieht, die erleichtert sind über den Tod des Mannes, da sie einen Kredit noch nicht zurückgezahlt haben und nun auf einen milder gestimmten Erben des Gläubigers hoffen. Von der Kälte des Szene mitgenommen, möchte Scrooge Menschen sehen, die durch den Tod eines geliebten Menschen Traurigkeit fühlen, worauf hin er bei der Familie Cratchit landet, die gerade um den verstorbenen kleinen Tim trauern. Die Reise mit dem zukünftigen Geist endet an Ebenezer Scrooge`s Grabstein, der durch diesen Anblick kurz vor dem Zusammenbruch steht. Doch erneut wird er sich selbst überlassen, da der Geist plötzlich in einem Bettpfosten verschwindet und Scrooge in seinem Schlafgemach zurücklässt.

Ebenezer Scrooge und die Wandlung seines Geistes

Am nächsten Morgen erwacht, verspürt Scrooge ein noch nie da gewesenes Gefühl der Freude, des Lebensmutes, dem Verlangen nach Wohltätigkeit. Voller guter Vorsätze schickt er einen vorbei laufenden Jungen mit dem Versprechen von Taschengeld, den größten vorhandenen Truthahn zu kaufen und zur Familie Cratchit zu liefern. Dem plötzlichen Bedürfnis eines spontanen Spaziergangs durch die Stadt nachkommend, begegnet er den zwei Herren aus seinem Kontor und schenkt ihnen nach seiner Entschuldigung für sein Benehmen am Tag zuvor eine großzügige Spende für die Bedürftigen. Er nimmt die Einladung seines Neffen Fred zum Weihnachtsessen an und stößt auf größte Gastfreundlichkeit durch Fred und seine Freunde.

Tags darauf ist er bereits vor seinem Angestellten Cratchit im Kontor in der Absicht, ihn beim Zu-spät-Kommen zu erwischen. Der verwandelte Scrooge erlaubt sich natürlich nur einen Scherz mit seiner Rüge gegenüber Bob und überrascht ihn schließlich mit einer Erhöhung seines Lohnes. „Scrooge war besser als sein Wort. Er wurde ein so guter Freund und ein so guter Mensch, wie die liebe alte City […] in der lieben alten Welt je einen Freund und Menschen gesehen hat.“ Mit diesen Worten unterstreicht Charles Dickens die Veränderung seiner Hauptfigur Ebenezer Scrooge und ruft gleichzeitig zur Menschenfreundlichkeit und Barmherzigkeit auf….ein wahrlich großes Ende einer großen Geschichte, für die dieses Zitat und Motto für die Ewigkeit zu gelten scheint: „Die Wege der Menschen deuten ein bestimmtes Ende voraus, auf das sie hinführen, wenn man auf ihnen beharrt. Aber wenn man von den Wegen abweicht, ändert sich auch das Ende.“

Eine kurze Biographie zu Charles Dickens

Der englische Schriftsteller und Verfasser des „Christmas Carol“ Charles Dickens (* 1812 in Landport bei Portsmouth, England; + 1870 auf seinem Landsitz Gad`s Hill Place bei Rochester, England) prangert mit seiner Weihnachtsgeschichte die Missstände in der englischen Gesellschaft des 19. Jahrhunderts an. Die sozialkritischen Passagen in der Geschichte sollen die Aufmerksamkeit auf die allgegenwärtige Armut lenken. Dickens selbst ist in ärmlichen Verhältnissen aufgewachsen. Bereits als 12-Jähriger muss er als Hilfsarbeiter in einer Fabrik arbeiten, nachdem sein Vater seine 9-köpfige Familie nicht mehr ernähren kann und ins Schuldgefängnis von London kommt.

Später arbeitet Dickens als Schreiber bei einem Rechtsanwalt und parlamentarischen Berichterstatter. 1830 von dem Ende seiner ersten großen Liebe übermannt, strebt Dickens nach gesellschaftlichem Aufstieg und arbeitet hart an seiner journalistischen Karriere, die nach der Mitarbeit bei den Zeitungen „True Sun“ und „Morning Chronicle“ ab 1836/37 stetig fortschreitet. Romane wie „The Pickwick Papers“ und „Oliver Twist“ veröffentlicht er als Fortsetzungsromane in den Zeitungen. Mit seiner Erzählweise – einem Mix aus scharfer Beobachtung und Humor bis hin zur Ironie, die ihm nebenbei literarischen Ruhm einbringen – zielt er darauf ab, die gesellschaftlichen Klassenunterschiede bloß zu stellen und somit den Weg für Reformen zu ebnen.

Ab 1841 erreicht Dickens auch Ruhm in Amerika. Doch widerfährt ihm hier auch bald großes Unrecht, denn zahlreiche seiner Text werden ungefragt und ohne seine Beteiligung abgedruckt. Überaus enttäuscht über diese Situation wagt er es, sich für ein internationales Urheberrecht stark zu machen. Doch auch in den USA muss er erkennen, dass dort nicht der erhoffte freie, tolerante Geist herrscht, sondern ähnliche Standesunterschiede bis hin zu Sklaverei wie im heimischen England.

1843 schreibt Dickens „A Christmas Carol“ („Ein Weihnachtslied“), welches im Dezember des gleichen Jahres als Buch mit Illustrationen von John Leech erscheint. Da sein Verleger nicht die finanziellen Mittel hat, das Buch herauszubringen, übernimmt Dickens, der kurz zuvor selbst in Geldnot geriet, eigenhändig die Kosten für den Druck. Aber auch in England gibt es kein Urheberrecht und so verkauft sich Dickens Erzählung innerhalb kürzester Zeit im ganzen Land als Raubkopie. Dickens klagt gegen die betrügerischen Herausgeber, doch kostet ihn der Rechtsstreit am Ende so viel, wie er mit dem Verkauf des Weihnachtsliedes verdient.

Wenngleich Dickens „Weihnachtslied“ heute nicht mehr im ursprünglichen sozialkritischen Kontext steht, ist es für Jung und Alt seit über 150 Jahren eine wunderbare, bezaubernde Weihnachtsgeschichte, die uns dennoch Anlass zum Nachdenken und zum Wohlwollen den Mitmenschen gegenüber anregt.

Wenn Ihr die Geschichte vom alten Ebenezer Scrooge wieder einmal ansehen möchtet, stellt Euch Elfenzauber hier die Highlights aus allen 50 Verfilmungen vor:

- Derzeit im Kino: Disneys „Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte“ in 3D; mit Jim Carrey in 7 Hauptrollen, außerdem Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn und Colin Firth, von Regisseur und Oskarpreisträger Rober Zemeckis verfilmt

- „Mickey`s Weihnachtserzählung aus dem Jahr 1983, einem zauberhaften Zeichentrickfilm aus dem Hause Walt Disney; mit Dagobert Duck als Ebenezer Scrooge, der im englischen Original übrigens nach Dickens Scrooge benannt seit jeher Scrooge McDuck heißt.

- Die Horrorkomödie „Die Geister, die ich rief (Scrooged)“ aus dem Jahr 1988; Bill Murray inszeniert als Medienmogul den modernen Ebenezer Scrooge in Perfektion

- Des Weiteren gibt es die Weihnachtsgeschichte in den Versionen der Muppet Show („Die Muppets Weihnachtsgeschichte“ von 1992), als Fred Feuersteins Weihnachtsshow (A Flintstones Christmas Carol von 1994) sowie die Sesam-Straße-Weihnachtsgeschichte von 2006.

© Sandra Ilmberger, 2009

82

Before I went to see “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” I wanted to get a taste of Wes Anderson’s distinct style.  So I took a friend’s recommendation and watched “The Royal Tenenbaums,” which is this week’s “F.I.L.M.” (First-Class, Independent Little-Known Movie).  I am now officially smitten by the quirky, off-beat humor that people love about Anderson.  He has a very cultish, niche audience, but “The Royal Tenenbaums” managed to make a blip on the mainstream radar.  It made a respectable $52 million (attendance comparable to “The Final Destination”), won a Golden Globe for Gene Hackman’s performance, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.  But for a large group of moviegoers who haven’t experienced Wes Anderson, might I suggest renting this?  You’re really missing out if you haven’t.

The film follows a dysfunctional family that has fallen apart, mainly due to the large egos of the three extremely bright children.  Chas (Ben Stiller) is a successful enterpreneur by his early teens, Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a skilled playwright who is published by high school, and Ritchie (Luke Wilson) finds great success with the game of tennis.  But for different reasons, they all wind up miserable.  Surprisingly, it is their estranged father, Royal Tenebaum (Gene Hackman) who ends this unhappy spell.  With his eccentric and often manipulative ways, he often infuriates them.  But he has a certain charm that has the power to ease the pain of disappointment and fill the gap he has left in their lives with his absence.

One thing that I particularly enjoyed about “The Royal Tenenbaums” is that I could sense Wes Anderson had as much fun making this movie as I did watching it.  He ornately concocts these bizarre characters that seem so far-fetched, yet they hit home in unexpected and delightful ways.  Anderson makes his presence felt throughout the entire movie.  You can feel it in the cinematography, consisting of deliberately framed geometric shots.  You can feel it in the soundtrack, a mix of folk and rock that really sets the atmosphere for his quirky work.  You can even feel it in the font he uses for the titles.  If you were like me, questioning what could possibly make Wes Anderson so special, watch “The Royal Tenenbaums” to be silenced and completely won over.

Mr. Fox and the neighbourhood animals put on their bandit hats in "Fantastic Mr. Fox".

(Wes Anderson, 2009)

November 27, 2009

by Joel Crary

In some ways, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is the ideal project for Wes Anderson. The precise staging of his live action films is miniaturized to shoebox size for the director to get just right. While watching the finished product I imagined Anderson crouching to look at the sets at eye level, taking measurements with a ruler and luxuriating in the freedom of a world without actors to wait on his attention to detail. The same sort of pageantry that Anderson has made his trademark, told in shots that routinely appear to have generated from still images in the director’s mind, spills over into stop motion animation and for a while I was amazed to see how well it worked.

Anderson’s scripts are often funny and inventive, especially when he executes visual humour that plays against his characters, all of whom, animated or otherwise, are written as visionaries in their own specific way. His characters rarely break down, and when they do, voices are rarely raised and limbs are rarely thrown. There is typically a verbal recognition of the circumstances before everyone moves on to accomplish a task. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is no different. Its titular character, voiced by George Clooney, is a man with a master plan. In a manner of speaking.

As in Anderson’s other films, everything is in the details. Acting on base instinct, Mr. and Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) approach a farm to make off with some chickens. Mr. Fox lays out how everything is going to go down, from the fence latch to the trap position to the hiding places. He takes pride at being the best at what he does, but life is short. There’s a cub on the way and the real estate market looks promising. Fox trades in his thieving ways for a stable editorial gig at the local paper and moves his family out of the foxhole into a cozy tree. One caveat, according to Fox’s lawyer (Bill Murray): His neighbours are none other than Boggis, Bunce and Bean, three farmers so nasty that they are the subjects of unflattering children’s limericks.

Meanwhile, Fox’s son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) isn’t living up to the legend of his father. He can barely play whackbat, a satire of cricket with rules that the high school coach (Owen Wilson) goes over in a blur of complicated instruction (it ends up being pretty important). Ash’s athletic, sleek and zen cousin Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) moves in and a rivalry starts for Fox’s attention. Ash sees a golden opportunity to impress his dad by exacting a master plan of his own, but Kristofferson can nail a high dive with hardly any splash-back. It’s no contest.

Never one to turn down a challenge, Fox wants back into the thievery game and sees the farmers as a golden opportunity. He enlists the help of Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), an opossum who inconveniently tends to go cross-eyed. With Kristofferson’s help, they stage raids on the farms, armed with drug-laced blueberries to knock out the guard dogs. Unfortunately, Bean (Michael Gambon) has a world of artillery at his disposal, not to mention a security rat (Willem Dafoe) who seems to have taken tough guy lessons from “West Side Story”. Soon, the animals are banding together to survive and looking for revenge under their much cooler Latin designations: Call Fox Vulpes Vulpes.

There are funny moments when the animals revert to their wild tendencies in spite of the fact that they’re clad in formal wear, and that indeed seems to be the dichotomy on which the whole narrative is based. If Fox would only resist his animalistic side, he could live a quite satisfying life, but he would be denying his instinct and thereby himself. There are moments of effective introspection, but some feel as though they’re there purely for the sake of a toast. The animation is unlike anything I’ve seen, especially when Anderson pulls out to show his characters running from afar or digging through layers of complex set designs.

I’m not convinced that Anderson’s talent with dialogue is entirely suited to a children’s tale, but he has certainly made the tale his own. Other than “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, which began and ended for me with the colourful Gene Wilder movie, I had a childhood that was all but bereft of Roald Dahl. Since I didn’t read “Fantastic Mr. Fox” growing up, Wes Anderson’s adaptation, which is exceptionally creative in its animation, doesn’t work for me on the level of a nostalgia kick. It looks pretty cuss spiffy, though.

This is a list of good movies to watch while high on Pot that I decided to compile, after smoking a little Pot. I started it and got quite most of it done and then pawned the rest off on a couple of buddies! These are in no particular order, and this list isn’t "The Best Movies to Watch High on Pot," just some good movies to watch while enjoying the green.

• Any Monty Python Movie (but especially Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

  • ADDED LATE: At first for got to add any Monty Python, mostly due to smoking pot and getting distracted by shiny things!  Anyway, anything by Monty Python fits the bill for good watching while high…anything. I especially like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, though, as I believe it just may be the pinnacle of humour!
• The Big Lebowski
  • Just an all round cool movie with cool characters. Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Lebowski (aka "The Dude") is amazing, and John Goodman as The Dudes friend Walter Sobchak is a performance you won’t soon forget. A mix up around two people with the same name that leads to an epic battle to get the Dude’s carpet replaced or cleaned after a thug pissed on it… Never mind that, just take a few puffs and watch the damn thing!
• Caddyshack
  • One of the best Summer comedies of all time! Trouble’s brewing at an upscale private golf course/country club when a crass, fun loving loudmouthed millionaire plans on joining the quiet and normally reserved club. Bill Murray puts in one of the funniest performances ever captured on film (in my opinion, at least), as the messed up, pot smokin’, gopher hunting groundskeeper Carl Spackler. Great performances from Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield (his best performance!) and Ted Night make this one a gem.
• Spaceballs
  • Mel Brooks takes on Star Wars. Brooks comedic genius combined with alumni of the great Canadian Second City Television (SCTV) Rick Moranis and the late John Candy makes this a winning sci-fi cheesefest.
• Evil Dead 2
  • A Sam Raimi masterpiece. I know it’s it’s Evil Dead 2, but it’s not necessary to watch the first. Evil Dead 2 is written as if the first didn’t take place, despite both staring the great Bruce Campbell and taking place in the same old scary cabin. It’s just that I find the second movie superior. Even so, I still suggest watching the original Evil Dead.
• A Scanner Darkly
  • An award winning book by Philip K. Dick, translated into an animation meets reality festival for the eyes with a story that draws you deep into itself. A twisted tale of a deep undercover vice cop trying to find the source of the drug "Substance D," a drug that he himself has become addicted to. A myriad of twisted characters and plot drive this movie. A great cast of actors including Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson certainly doesn’t hurt either. Try to make sure you smoke your good, heavy mental stuff for this movie.
• Pink Floyd The Wall
  • An over the top, self indulgent whiny story about how shitty life would be if you were a fabulously filthy rich monster rock star made of equal parts Syd Barret and Roger Waters. Oh, and it totally freakin’ rocks. Pink Floyd’s monster Rock Opera concept album, The Wall fuels this warped, cool stylistic animations mixed with live action. A feast for the ears, eyes and mind. Puff away!!!
• Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
  • A truly funny, stupid movie about two stoned buddies trying to score some White Castle burgers. Neil Patrick Harris (as himself) steals their car, and the dubious duo end up riding on the back of a cheetah so you know this is a good movie!
• Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters 
• One of the most disjointed plot-lines I’ve ever seen with a bizarre collection of animated characters including a floating, super-powerful "fries", a milkshake with tiny hands, a suggested omniscient watermelon and his side-kick, Rush’s Niel Peart. The "Let’s All Grab a Snack" retro intro is classic.  "Don’t talk, watch! Don’t talk, watch! You came here, watch it! You don’t like it, walk out!

• Heavy metal

  • An awesome movie to watch after smoking a little something,something. It is animated, there is great music and boobs, it took forever to get on vhs , just waiting for a blu-ray copy of it.

• The Kentucky Fried Movie
  • The very first movie from John Landis (He even has a cameo). This collection of skits, satire, and parodies from 1977 stands also as one of the first efforts from the creative team of Jim Abrahams  and the Zucker Brothers of Airplane! and The Naked Gun fame. It sports a "movie within-a-movie" called "A fist Full of Yen" which is a spoof of Enter the Dragon. Classic. Any movie that starts off with a news anchor stating "The popcorn you are eating has been pissed in…film at 11" receives high accolades.  

As you probably know, a list like this could go on and on… but it won’t!

That’s it for now, folk. Hope you enjoy!

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Data
Title: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Year: 2009
Length: 87 minutes
Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach, based on the book by Roald Dahl
Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon
Music: Alexandre Desplat (and non-original music)

My reaction
Synopsis: a fox endangers his family by stealing from mean farmers
How I saw it: in the theater, today
Concept: Great. Not one of Dahl’s best books, but the idea of doing a movie of it in this style is perfect.
Story: Good.
Characters: Great.
Dialog: Good. Unmistakably a Wes Anderson movie. There are a few isolated moments that are kind of bad (it has the typical lesson-learning of a children’s movie, which seems out of place and unnatural here), but the rest of the movie makes up for them.
Pacing: Great.
Cinematography: Good.
Special effects/design: Great. Absolutely amazing.
Acting: Great. The voice-work is entertaining, and the animation is expressive and emotional.
Music: Great. Lots of Burl Ives and Beach Boys, and Desplat’s score is fun.
Subjective Rating: 8/10 (Great). One of Anderson’s better movies, right up there with Tenenbaums. It’s at a much higher energy level than typical for him, but without losing that quiet, Anderson-y tone.
Objective Rating: 9/10 (Very good).

Llegan los zombies, la sangre, los infectados y un sin fin de situaciones disparatadas con el fin de mantenerse a salvo. La gran pregunta es ¿Se puede mezclar el genero del terror con el humor y un elenco plenamente hollywoodense? La respuesta, después de ver Zombieland, es claramente un si.   Zombieland es un film netamente comercial (y enfaticemos en que este término no es en absoluto algo malo), tiene sangre y gore suficientes como para no defraudar a nadie. Las mordeduras y las cabezas reventadas se mezclan en las divertidísimas maneras de aniquilar un zombie. El personaje que tiene el espíritu más sanguinario es Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), quien disfruta y es es el mejor matando muertos vivientes. 
 
 Si hay alguna falla que se le puede atribuir es su falta de ambición en el guión. No es nada malo, en absoluto; Columbus es un buen protagonista (Jesse Eisenberg hace un gran trabajo) y no hace falta que nos paremos cada dos por tres a recordar lo solos que estamos en Zombieland, lo difícil que es pensar que el mundo ha entrado en una fase avanzada de Apocalipsis. Ya hay otras películas que se toman suficientemente en serio para tratar estos temas; aquí solo hay diversión y ganas de pasarlo bien.  
 
Posiblemente Zombieland se postula como de las comedias más divertidas del año,  que posiblemente entregue nuevas secuelas y que ha estado en su primer fin de semana de exhibición en Estados Unidos se coronó como la numero 1.  

Ember – il mistero della città di luce è un film del 2008 basato sul romanzo del 2003 da Jeanne DuPrau. E ’stato diretto da Gil Kenan da una sceneggiatura di Caroline Thompson, e gli interpreti sono: Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray e Mackenzie Crook, e dispone di Martin Landau e Tim Robbins.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Gil Kenan | Saoirse Ronan | Harry Treadaway | Bill Murray