by Logan Butts | Jun 28, 2013 | Opinion
In preparation for the upcoming summer blockbuster The Lone Ranger (we’ll have a review next Wednesday), the latest outing for eccentric superstar actor Johnny Depp, I am recommending some of his best roles. After delving into the actor’s filmography, I chose three of my favorite Johnny Depp-led films for this week’s Home Video Update. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (PG-13, 143 minutes- also starring Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley) The best adventure film of the last decade that didn’t take place in Middle Earth, Pirates melded fantasy, action and comedy like no other film since the Indiana Jones series. Since its release, the film has become a modern classic: even Klaus Badelt’s franchise-defining score is instantly recognizable. I found Depp’s performance as the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow to be the highlight of the film. He even earned an Oscar nomination for the role, something that rarely happens for blockbuster movies. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (PG, 115 minutes- also starring Freddie Highmore) Although the film doesn’t quite reach the delirious heights of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the first adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, Depp’s performance gives the legendary Gene Wilder a run for his money. Depp uses his trademark eccentricity and knack for pulling off insane outfits and hairdos to his advantage in one of his multiple collaborations with Tim Burton. Rango (PG, 107 minutes- also starring the voices of Isla Fisher and Abigail Breslin) Rango was far and away the best animated film of 2011. I remember being blown away by the sheer amount of film references and hilarious...
by Evan Webb | Jun 21, 2013 | Opinion
Pixar’s Monsters University is the sequel/prequel to Monsters, Inc. (made after Monsters, Inc., but taking place before the events in Monsters, Inc.). The film follows the story of Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) as he sets off to college in hopes of graduating with a degree in scaring. Now, I don’t believe it’s a secret that Pixar’s latest films have not exactly been the impeccable works we’ve grown accustomed to from the pioneering studio that brought us Up, Wall-e, and the Toy Story franchise. With a resume like that, one would expect pure gold every time they walked into a theater. However, Monsters University tends to follow in line with the likes of Cars 2 as opposed to Toy Story 2. Sadly, the mark has been missed in one of the most anticipated movie franchise returns in recent years. Don’t misunderstand me: Monsters University is not a bad film. It develops a plot, builds new and old characters and gives great graphics and animation to those characters, but that is one of the bigger problems – it does just that. Perhaps I have been spoiled by Pixar’s previous endeavors and come to expect too much from their genius, or perhaps the studio has hit a snag in their current output. Monsters University was essentially a typical college movie dressed in Pixar clothes. The film felt as if it was presented to children with characters we either already knew or ones that aren’t memorable enough to care about. The biggest problem I had with the latest Pixar movie was that it lacked so much of the studio’s originality and freshness. I...
by Logan Butts | Jun 20, 2013 | Opinion
Hello, readers! Welcome back to another week of Logan’s Home Video Update! This week’s edition will be featuring animated movies. Two of the films have new installments this summer, so I figured this would be a great opportunity to review them. The other was my favorite animated film from last year. Despicable Me (PG, 95 minutes- starring the voice of Steve Carell) A surprisingly huge box office and critical success in the summer of 2010, Despicable Me surprised everyone with its charm and wit. What a few detractors called Pixar-lite, I called a heart-warming film with an awesome soundtrack and some memorable characters (mainly Agnes and the Minions). I will use a slightly paraphrased version of Agnes’ now famous quote to sum up the movie. “It’s so good, I’m gonna die!” Monsters, Inc. (G, 92 minutes- starring the voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal) Speaking of Pixar, Monsters Inc. was another overwhelming success from the Pixar assembly line. It was the first original Pixar movie to come out in three years after the underrated A Bug’s Life, and it was definitely worth the wait. It has become beloved enough over the years to garner a prequel 12 years later. Wreck-It Ralph (PG, 101 minutes- starring the voice of John C. Reilly) In my opinion, this was the best animated film of last year and one of the best non-Pixar animated films in a long time. The universe in the film was filled to the brim with eye-popping visuals and familiar characters from both past and present video games. The movie brings out all sorts of emotions in the...
by Cory Woodroof | May 30, 2013 | Opinion
In 2010, director M. Night Shyamalan released a film called The Last Airbener, adapted from a popular Nickelodeon cartoon. The film was supposed to kick off a series, but, instead, got kicked flat in the face by the movie-going public.I mean, critics were savage with this movie the way the raptors dined upon that poor cow in Jurassic Park. Now, don’t get me wrong. I made it 30 minutes into the film before I decided that I had better things to do with my time (homework, flossing, laundry, reading the instruction manual of the DVD player, etc.). Truth be told, it wasn’t exactly enjoyable. And, for M. Night, it was strike three. The movie-loving community was all but ready to give up on the former Oscar-nom, who, a little over a decade ago, had helmed one of the great twisty films of all time with The Sixth Sense. His follow-ups, Unbreakable, a personal favorite, and Signs, were also highly respected for their signature Shyamalan suspense and surprises. Unfortunately for M. Night, the streak ended. The Village (The Village…bangs head on wall) M. Night’s 2004 tense journey into a village with a deep, dark secret, pushed the envelope too far with one of the most eye-rolling ‘gotcha’ moments in cinematic history. It chose to throw away an otherwise fair outing with a chalkboard screech of an ending. For film critics, it was blood in the water. I’ve never been a fan of the early Aughts effort, and it’s a big reason I avoided Shyamalan’s next two outings, The Lady in the Water and The Happening. As it goes, critics weren’t too...
by Logan Butts | May 20, 2013 | Opinion
Welcome back, readers, for the second edition of Logan’s home video update! Due to the lack of quality new DVD releases this week, I will be suggesting two slightly older releases to catch up on. If you are like me, then I am sure your list of movies to see can never be too long. Life of Pi (PG, 127 minutes- starring Suraj Sharma) With a slew of Oscar nominations and a well-deserved four wins, Life of Pi was one of the biggest winners from the 2012 awards season. Although the performances from newcomer Suraj Sharma and veteran Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan were great, the true star of this film was the visual effects. It almost felt like the dazzlingly-beautiful set and CGI in the film were characters in their own right. Instead of making the film feel artificial, they brought an emotional depth to an already emotionally-rich story. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (PG-13, 169 minutes- starring Martin Freeman) Though it drags on a bit, which was expected considering they are adapting one book into three different movies, The Hobbit was a welcome return for one of the most familiar and beloved film series of the last decade. One of the highlights of the film was the chemistry between all of the dwarves. Their characters were all cast very accurately, and the actors all had a natural chemistry with each other. That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of the home video update. I hope you enjoy the...
by Logan Butts | May 13, 2013 | Opinion
Hello, readers! I have decided to revamp the old Lumination staple that was the Redbox Report! In my darker, grittier rebooted version, I will be presenting two or three home-viewing options every week. At least one of the films will be a new release, and at least one will be a slightly older release (in case you are trying to play catch-up on last year’s films during the summer months as I am). So, with that in mind, I guess I should change the name to something more accurate. How about the home video update? I will work on the name. Without further ado, here are this week’s home video viewing options. New Release: Mama (PG-13, 100 minutes- starring Jessica Chastain) Admittedly, I am a pretty large fan of horror films. So, it may be a little bit biased that I am recommending this hauntingly creepy supernatural thriller. I really do believe that this is a solid choice for home video viewing if you are up for a quick scare or if you are a horror movie aficionado like me. It also doesn’t hurt that the always wonderful and recently Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain stars. Slightly Older Release: Lincoln (PG-13, 150 minutes- starring Daniel Day-Lewis) If you have not yet seen Lincoln, it is a must see for any fans of film or American history. Lincoln was one of last year’s biggest success stories in film, grossing 270 million at the box office and garnering 12 Academy Award nominations, winning two. Daniel Day-Lewis was magnificent in the title role, taking home the Best Actor Oscar along with every other award...
