Sweeney Todd: Movie Review

A Macabre movie of academy award proportions

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
rated R for graphic bloody violence
directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman

Moviemaking: 5 out of 5 stars
Moral Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Sweeney Todd was such a shockingly good movie, I don't even know what to say. This came as a complete surprise to me, so I don't want to reveal too much about this morbid tale from the dark Tim Burton.

Adapted from the musical by Stephen Sondheim, Burton's Todd is at once dismal and beautiful. The tale is about barber Benjamin Barker (Depp) wanting to get his revenge for the loss of his wife and his deportation several years earlier. Now going by the name Sweeney Todd, Barker proceeds to slit throats to satisfy his need for the death of the Judge Turpin (Rickman). Not to be outdone, Mrs. Lovett (Carter), Todd's landlady, decides to take the bodies and make meat pies from them to help boost her lousy business. In the end, Todd finds out through a tragic set of circumstances that revenge isn't everything- and learns his lesson.....sort of. (chuckle).
In addition to this crazy performance is a delightful role played by Borat himself- Sacha Baron Cohen.

The music in Sweeney Todd is most definitely the highlight. Sondheim's music is catchy and entertaining...from the organ strains of the opening credits to the duet in the final scene. All of the actors are fabulous vocalists, and who knew Johnny Depp could sing? Unfortunately, some of the movies' only curse words are used in the music as Depp sings about people "full of s***". This only occurred about three times however.

The major downfall of this movie was the bloodshed and the way in which Burton glorified it in his creepy stylistic way. The blood gushes, and splatters all over everything- including Sweeney Todd, the floor, the window, and often the camera lens. A grand total around 12 deaths are seen in much detail, including the death of a woman and the shockingly horrific neck stabbing final scene. At the same time, this was made by Tim Burton, so the blood looks fake and seems to be made to almost look comical- which turns out to be a bad thing.

Why do we want to glorify murder? That is exactly what Burton does, even though things are resolved at the end. There is no excuse though for making throat slitting look fun. Depp disturbingly appears to really enjoy the murders, as he doesn't hide the crimson stains all over his stark white skin. Because of this, the moral rating of Sweeney Todd is relatively low.

My verdict, if you are old enough, check out this brilliant musical. Even though the violence is disturbing, it is infrequent enough so that you can avoid watching them if you have a weak stomach. Sweeney Todd is by far one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

LOST season 4

Earlier this month I saw a preview at the movie I Am Legend for Lost season 4 and boy does it look good! The preview made it appear that the help that seems to be arriving might not in fact be help. Hmmmm.....Others? Dharma? A new faction? I don't know, but it is like running into an old friend to see new footage from the phenomenal tv show.
Apparently, we only have to wait until January 31st for the new season. I saw a commercial on ABC this morning and we have a two hour (TWO HOUR) premiere to look forward to on Thursday, the 31st! Only one more month! Yay!

Bioshock: Video Game Review

Bioshock

reviewed for Xbox 360

rated M for Blood and Gore, Drug References, Strong Language, Intense Violence and Sexual Themes

Game Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Moral Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Bioshock was one weird game. It has received numerous awards for Game of the Year for 2007 and is one of the best selling games of the year. However, there is more than what meets the eye with Bioshock.

Bioshock is a creepy horror survival game in which you are trapped in the creepy failed Utopia city called Rapture. Apparently, the founder's philosophy was that every person could do whatever made them happy. However, this soon ended up destroying the city as people began to deteriorate due to overusing drugs that gave them powers such as telekinesis, lightning and fire. The only way you are going to escape is by utilizing these powers and fighting off rather graphically the creepy, zombie like people lurking in the shadows and blinking lights of the blood spattered walls of Rapture.

Yep. That is a perfect picture of the game. Horror, blood, gore, violence. The creepy "splicers" will pop up out of no where and sometimes the only way to kill them is to bludgeon them to death with a crowbar. In addition to this disturbing aspect of the game, and even creepier one is the "little sisters" who roam the city, looting the dead and drinking their blood. These little girls are hosts to parasites and are creepy! killing at will and followed around by the even creepier "Big daddies" (picture above). If you mess with one of the sisters, you have to reckon with the Big Daddy. These hulking monsters would sooner drill you graphically into a wall than talk, so run the other way.

If I haven't repulsed you already by my descriptions of the savage, intense and bloody violence, surely the language will. There is a LOT of language for a video game. I have heard every possible word in the first two levels including derogatory slang for female body parts. At one point, a creepy old man tells me "You're f***ed", before slamming a door and forcing me to go and murder these screaming zombies.

I rest my case. Bioshock is a big shock. It is offensive, morally questionable and very bloody. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

Signing out, the Buckland Fiddler.

National Treasure Book of Secrets: Movie Review

National Treasure: Book of Secrets
rated PG for sequences of action and violence

Filmmaking: 3 out of 5 stars

Moral Rating: 31/2 out of 5 stars

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

The previews for the new National Treasure movie looked awesome! I had been waiting eagerly for Book of Secrets ever since I heard that there was going to be a sequel to the first National Treasure. Unfortunately, lightning doesn't strike twice, and that is definitely the case with Disney's latest.

The story to Book of Secrets could have been cool. It had all the cool sequences of hidden rooms and trapdoors, it had the puzzle solving, it had the outrageous- couldn't happen- American conspiracies, BUT it used them far too often. What made the first National Treasure so much fun to watch was Riley (Justin Bartha) and Ben (Nicolas Cage) plot and execute an elaborate operation to retrieve something national security. In Book of Secrets they still perform elaborate hijincks, but somewhere along the way, director Jon Turtletaub must have forgotten that we liked them because of how complicated they were- not because they were breaking into a federal building.

This is the general feel of the movie. Whether it is the White House, Buckingham Palace, Mount Rushmore or Mount Vernon, it felt as if the heists were after thoughts. Sure we want to see the treasure, but that doesn't excuse making breaking into the Queen's study look like tea and cookies! The plot was also a bit weird, even for National Treasure, making some rather absurd suggestions. Yes this is a movie, but we still want it to be somewhat believable.

The acting in Book of Secrets was very good. The returning cast is awesome ( Jon Voight, Justin Bartha, Nicolas Cage..) as are the newcomers. Ed Harris is awesome as the new baddie, as is Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, who played Ben Gates' mother Emily Appleton.

Morally, this film backslid from National Treasure 1. While both had no language, Book of Secrets actually had quite a bit of controversial adult content that really disappointed me. In the beginning, it is established that Ben was kicked out of the house by his girlfriend Abigail. This fact is random and matter of fact, and nothing is presented as being wrong about them living together outside of marriage. In the end, instead of getting the girl like in National Treasure, Ben is asked to move back in, and the audience is supposed to applaud this? Similarly, it is implied that Ben was born out of wedlock, and his parents might never have been married. "Bad tequila" is blamed for this in a few offhanded remarks.

Overall, this film was quite a letdown because of the low quality of the story and the moral problems, HOWEVER, this is Disney, so there is little else objectionable about Book of Secrets. The characters are a lot of fun, the humor is good, and it still is cool to watch Riley and Ben do their thing. Disney just needs to understand that we don't want to watch movies that fuzz over the moral line ESPECIALLY with children.

My verdict...see it. It makes a good movie to tide you over until Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull lands in May 08.

I Am Legend: Movie Review

I Am Legend
rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence

Filmmaking: 4 out of 5 stars
Moral: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

I Am Legend is one of the most difficult films I have ever had to review. It took me a good 3 hours after I had seen it to decide if I actually liked it or despised it. This film has so many good aspects- the acting, the story, the set pieces- and so many bad aspects- the special effects, the script, the way the second act flowed.....You get the picture.

THE GOOD
Will Smith was remarkable. I was completely blown away by his sincere and amazing acting job. It seemed reminiscent of Cast Away, as Smith was alone for the first hour of the film with his dog. The emotion that Smith is able to convey ultimately won me over....it was superb.

The story was also really good. The idea is that viruses that have been genetically altered to fight cancer has now backfired and is killing 90% of mankind, infecting 9% percent and leaving a very small remnant of unaltered man. This creates a creepy, otherworldly setting for the story.

The set effects were amazing. Somehow, the filmmakers were able to recreate New York City as it would appear if everyone had died a few years previously. From the vegetation growing over classic monuments to a completely silent Times Square, these effects created the feel of the movie.

THE BAD
Apparently, halfway through production, the script was re-written to put more emphasis on the special effects. This is obvious, as halfway through the story, it seems as if the director suddenly started to focus more on the fight for survival/ revenge aspect of Will's character, rather than the inner battles he fought up to that point. This really ruined the second half for me, destroying a connection that could have carried the whole movie.

The special effects were also terrible. The lions that escaped from the zoo are not proportioned right and appear to be something from Jumanji. The virus infected people look stupid and cartoonish.

THE FINAL VERDICT
What can I say? I am Legend has the good, the bad and the ugly. Overall, I would recommend it, simply because of the brilliant acting job. The redemption of Will Smith's character at the end is amazing, as is his acting job. At one point, he says "There is no God! God didn't do this, we did!". This had me worried, but at the last possible moment, Robert Neville realizes that God has set all the previous events in motion for a reason, and that is to cure mankind. Check this one out.
Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

The Best Television of 2007

The Best Television of 2007: A Bilbo's Red Book Special Report

LOST (ABC)

Without a doubt, Lost has been one of the best TV shows to ever hit the tube. After a shaky second season, the third season returned stronger and more in line with what had been set in season 1. The solid acting and intriguing story lines still keep this show going. So far the only bad thing going for this show is how Season 4 has been postponed until "sometime in February 2008". If the show makers don't hurry up and bring Lost back, they are going to lose some of their fans!
Jericho (CBS)

One of the most successful sleeper hit shows of the year was definitely Jericho. This show follows the residents of a small town who are completely isolated when several of America's large cities are destroyed by bombs. It is unclear what is happening, if the bombs are nuclear, who attacked them, and it creates a TON of suspense in this show. This show doesn't have the best acting, but the hooking scripts keep me coming back for more. As an interesting side note, this show originally was to be canceled, but the fans protested so greatly that the producers decided to bring it back for a second season.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)

What more can I say than it is CSI? This show has been able to consistently be really good for several seasons in a row, and it is incredibly riveting to watch the relationships between the characters developing as the mysteries get more and more inventive.

In general, 2007 was a disappointing year television-wise. Not that many shows were actually any good! Pretty much all of the new shows turned out to be flops.
Thank goodness that we have such reliable shows such as the three above to look forward to in 2008!

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

Movie Review: Enchanted

Enchanted
rated PG for some scary images and mild innuendo

Filmmaking: 5 stars
Moral: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars

It is not every day that a Disney princess movie will surprise me by being really good. Enchanted did just that.
Okay guys, be honest! Were you dragged to the movie, and leave there liking it? That, again, happened with me and this movie.

I remember seeing the preview and being mildly interested, based on the comedy aspect, but the whole "people going from the animated world to the real world" aspect is old news! Fortunately, that did not spoil this apple!

Enchanted follows the story of Giselle, a girl who is set to marry her Prince the day after she meets him. At the wedding though, the evil queen has other ideas. BOOM! Giselle (played in real life by the gorgeous Amy Adams) is transported to our world, a world where happy endings arent so common!
Hilarity ensues after Prince Edward and his Squirrel sidekick Pip follow through the portal, hoping to find Giselle and bring her back. Unknown to them, Giselle has fallen into the company of an embittered divorce attorney and his young princess believing daughter. This experience teaches both him and Giselle something about true love. And of course, a Disney movie isn't complete without a happily ever after.

Overall, this film is hilarious! Sort of a Disney version of Shrek, it reinvents the fairy tale and pokes fun at princess movies past and present. Part of the humor comes from the many over the top situations that Giselle finds herself in in the real world. (Think Buddy in Elf) James Marsden is fantastic as Prince Edward, the self obsessed animated prince. "Giselle! We shall be married tomorrow!" Is what he exclaims after first meeting her.
Whether it was the spontaneous singing, or the reactions of those around them, I found myself laughing incredibly hard at the comedy in Enchanted. It was original, witty, hilarious, and not at all just for little girls.....which leads me......

This film is NOT perfect. Although there is no language, there is a lot of sexual tension. When the attorney first brings Giselle home, he walks in on her coming out of the shower- when birds just barely arrive in time with a towel. Next, they fall and she lands- still wearing only a towel- on top of him, just as his girlfriend walks in. This is the harshest, but some mild innuendos are scattered throughout.

I give this movie 5 stars and highly advise everyone to support this instead of the controversial The Golden Compass.

Signing out, the Buckland Fiddler

Movie Review: Beowulf 3-D

Beowulf
rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of Violence including disturbing images, sexual material and nudity
Filmmaking- 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Moral Rating: Offensive
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

Beowulf is one of those classic tales that everyone has heard of. You may not have read it before, but undoubtedly you know of the epic poem of the viking Beowulf, and how he slew the monster Grendel that was terrorizing King Hrothgar's people in Denmark.
This story had the potential to be an amazing movie. The story features fights, monsters, vikings, and dragons. What more could you ask for? Unfortunately, director Robert Zemeckis saw fit to destroy the story by incorporating a relationship between Grendel's mother and Beowulf into the plot that results in an illegitimate son that can shift shapes into a dragon. Yes, that does result in a fight between father and son that results in Beowulf ripping the dragon's heart out with his bare hands.

Filmmaking was very well done overall. The new digital animation was dazzling, with characters that looked almost exactly like their real life counterparts. That ended up being a problem however. More on that later. The vistas, fights, and weather effects were amazing; but the characters themselves lacked something that a live action movie would have had- emotion. At times it was like watching dolls and being expected to sympathize. If you don't feel they are human, how can you? The story is where this movie loses its stars. This movie had the potential to be really good, but as I stated before, Zemeckis messed it up by changing the story and removing some of the heroic traits that the original gave to Beowulf.

Morally speaking, this movie was terrible. Zemeckis saw fit to dirty up the script with a lot of sexual innuendos, implied relations, and most offensively, nudity. The nudity was so extensive, in fact, that had this movie been live action, it would have automatically been given an R rating. In his epic fight with Grendel, Beowulf is completely naked, often showing his backside to the audience. He is glimpsed from the front, but- comically- things are placed so that you just cant make anything out- whether it is an elbow, smoke, or a sword hilt. The most offensive nudity comes in the shape of Grendel's mother, however. Played by Angelina Jolie, she reportedly was embarrassed at how much of her was shown- which was all of it. As a sensual seductress, she appears emerging from the water completely naked, dripping with gold. Nothing is disguised from here on out whenever she appears. Because of the animation however, certain body parts were "modified" to prevent it from being too graphic. However, The animation was still rather realistic, particularly with her chest. Because of this, I am not recommending this movie to anyone.
The fighting was really graphic, and when the 3-D technology got involved, blood would drip on people, along with spears and arrows being shot past. Dismembered body parts would crash in front of you, people's heads would be ripped off. Flesh is sliced down and internal organs crash into the water, people are ripped in half. This is no kiddie movie! If you are weak of heart, do not see Beowulf!

Overall, I was disappointed in Beowulf. It was a lot of fun to see in 3-D, but because of the nudity, extremely graphic violence, and the weak morality in the plot, I don't want to recommend this movie to anyone under 18. If you can handle the violence and nudity, it is worth it to see the movie in the new stunningly beautiful 3-D technology. Otherwise, stay at home.

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

Best of series Update

For all you video game fans who were eagerly awaiting my picks for best games of 07, you are going to have to wait a little longer! I decided to postpone that post until I have a chance to play Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Assassins Creed, Project Gotham Racing 4, and possibly some others along with or instead of these.....

All will be revealed soon!

Stay tuned for a Best Television post!

Signing out, as always, The Buckland Fiddler

Entertainment News for November 13th

Howdy Ya'll!

For today I have a few news announcements concerning various entertainment headlines.
First off....

Apparently, Jack Nicholson is not happy that Heath Ledger is playing the Joker in the new Batman movie. When asked about it, he was reported as having said "They didn't ask me! I know how to do it!". To some degree I agree, but you have to admit that Heath looks good as Joker.
The Dark Knight will be released next May nation wide.

Next, DONT go see The Golden Compass! It has come out recently that this trilogy follows the story of a girl who, get this, is on a quest to KILL GOD. I didn't believe it at first, but the more I read, the more I realized this was true. The author, atheist Philip Pullman, has admitted to this. What is scary though is how he is marketing this movie to kids. Kids will go see the movies, read the books, and slowly become indoctrinated with his atheistic world view.

Finally,
The Newgrass Band Will Tell has now entered the studio a second time to begin work on an all new demo. All 5 members are incredibly excited and think that what they have heard so far sounds great. Coming soon will be a brand new website, myspace page, demo cd, an EP cd that will be sold at concerts, as well as t-shirts, stickers and various other merchandise.

Check out our Facebook.com fan club for more information.
Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

The Best Music of 2007

This installment in the Best of 07 series looks at the best music releases and music tours of the year.

Tobymac- Portable Sounds
This cd certainly took me by surprise. While I expected more of the stereo typical Toby MacKeehan , he turned around and delivered a cd with strong pop-rock roots. For those of you who are tobyMac fans, you know that he has always done a rap-hip hip sound, and very well I might add. While he DID sing with dcTalk and HAS sung on some of his past cds, it was a major surprise to hear a cd that was almost entirely singing. Toby, we love you man!

Relient K- Five Score and Seven Years
Relient K has always been a band to innovate the punk rock sound, releasing cds that outdid all of their previous works, yet somehow remaining connected. This time, Relient K went a different route and incorporated air tight harmonies, clever instrumentations, and an overall newer-edgier sound with Five Score. This was my favorite release of 07 because of the overall listenability of the cd. It is one of those projects that you just never get tired of!

Casting Crowns- The Altar and the Door
Casting Crowns burst onto the Christian music scene a couple of years ago with their self titled debut. Each cd they have released to date has been absolutely amazing, with deep lyrics and a musical knowledge that has the music theorist in me smiling. With The Altar and the Door, CC took an already seemingly perfect formula and made it even better by adding some hard-hitting punches at the church. This is definitely going to take people by surprise the first time they hear it, because of the shocking quality to the lyrics. BUT, it is most definitely worth the listen...particularly for the hit East to West.

Phil Wickham-Cannons
Phil Wickham released a debut a couple of years ago that while being a solid record and artistically original, still lacked that thing to take it to the top. This time, Phil and producer Peter Kipley deliver a record that is VERY artistic, and VERY listenable. At times sounding like a cross between Coldplay and Dave Mathews, Cannons is an awesome addition to any CD collection.

Jars of Clay-Christmas Songs
Jars of Clay + Christmas Music= A nostalgic musical look at the holidays through music that is typically skipped over. Need I say more? This Christmas record is awesome...combining the artistic style of JOC with some Christmas songs that really needed to be recorded. Plus, they wrote a few originals that capture the Christmas feel perfectly. This is incidently their first release on their independent record label-Grey Matters.

Switchfoot/Relient K/Ruth- The Appetite for Construction tour
This tour was AMAZING. All three bands were great live, particularly Relient K and Switchfoot, and they donated a portion of their proceeds to Habitat for Humanity.
All I can say is there is nothing quite like hearing Oh Gravity live!

That is it for the Best Music of 2007 post! Once again, if you have any comments or suggestions, let me know! Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

The Best Movies of 2007

It is now the time of the year to review the best (and worst) of 2007!
This week I will review the great box office successes and wonderful films of the year.

Best Action Film:
The Bourne Ultimatum

I don't think anyone expected this movie to be as good as it was. In the summer of sequels and threequels, this was clearly the best all around. With a solid performance from Matt Damon, and a good script and cinematography, this film was win-win. While Pirates 3 and Spiderman 3 made more money, they had plot holes and story features that fans did not like. This Bourne movie was a hit with Bourne fans, and while finishing the three movie story arc, left room for more movies in this series in the future.

Best Animated Film:
Meet the Robinsons

I know that there are a lot of people right now who hate me for giving this award to Meet the Robinsons and not Ratatouille, but to them I say this-"Did you expect Meet the Robinsons to be so good? No. What about Ratatouille? Yes"
Pixar films are expected to be great, and we all compared their latest to their other hits. Disney, on the other hand, went completely original and took a creative twist with Meet the Robinsons. It had a great plot, good animation and a heck of a lot more appeal to us older folks. After Chicken Little I expected nothing, and Meet the Robinsons delivered....majorly. Shrek the Third was pathetic and everything else was unoriginal, so that is why Meet the Robinsons gets this prize.

Best Comedy:
Ocean's Thirteen

It says something about the pathetic state of comedies when a non-comedy is the funniest movie of the year. Sure it is technically a crime movie, but who wouldn't laugh at Matt Damon with a fake nose wooing a drunk Ellen Bergen?
Evan Almighty was okay, and some of the animated movies entertained, but almost all of the comedies of 2007 were R rated sex comedies, which I never go for. Ocean's Thirteen was hilarious, well made, and had a wonderful returning cast, so it gets the vote for Best Comedy.

Best Drama:
Pan's Labyrinth

Some of you may not remember this film. It came out it in the first quarter of 07 and to a limited release at that. While this film could probably be classified as a fantasy film, it fits nicely in the drama category because of the stories of the two main characters and their struggles against the blood and tears of war. I have never seen as much debate on whether a fantasy world was real or not. I have gotten into countless debates over this one movie and no one can seem to agree. That is why writer/director Guillermo del Toro gets the prize for this one. Although it was very bloody ( The MPAA rating was R for graphic violence) Pan's Labyrinth really captured the hardships of war in a way that even Children of Men did not.

Email me if there was a category you feel I left out!
Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

The Best of 2007 series

Sure, the year is not over yet, but that doesn't mean we can't recognize the great entertainment that has come out so far!

Starting this week, stay in touch for:

The Best Movies of 2007

The Best Music of 2007

The Best Television of 2007

The Best Video Games of 2007

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

Movie Mini-Review: Elizabeth The Golden Age

Elizabeth: The Golden Age
rated PG-13 for Violence, Sexuality, and Nudity

Filmmaking: 5 out of 5 stars
Moral Content: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

This film is great for people who are fans of Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush, or for those who like historical films.

Story: Very good story, nice writing.
Acting: A phenomenal job from all of the lead actors, especially Cate Blanchett.
Effects and Costumes: Very realistic. Some of the sea battles were a bit composed, but other than that it was captivating.
Objectionable Material: Minor profanities are used about 10 times, some sensuality is seen as Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) woos one of Elizabeth's maids, and brief full nudity is seen from behind when Elizabeth removes a robe. This is extremely brief though, and nothing besides her butt is seen.
My thoughts: It was fascinating to see a Hollywood portrayal of historical time such as this, but I liked it a lot. And I stayed awake, even though I saw it at 10 PM!

This movie is not recommended for anyone under 15.

Collecting Update

Well, I am back with another collecting update, inspired by my friend the Jedi Blogger.

Yes, I am a Star Wars collector, and with it being the thirtieth anniversary of the original movie this year, the collectibles are to die for.

This morning I was making my rounds at Wal-mart (which I find keeps a good supply of figures), and happened upon a newly stocked Star Wars section. While there I picked up....

Ralph McQuarrie concept Boba Fett

Ralph McQuarrie concept Starkiller hero

Darth Malak

Pre-cyborg General Grievous

Holiday Special Boba Fett

Yes, I am a happy collector right about now...
I will try and post pictures of my collection thus far.....check in for more!

Also, stay tuned for an all new movie review of The Seeker: The Dark is Rising.

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler

Movie Review: The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
rated PG for fantasy action and scary images

Filmmaking: 41/2 out of 5 stars
Moral rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall Rating: 41/2 out of 5 stars

The Seeker was a surprise to me. First off, this film had virtually no ad campaign, and secondly, it was marketed as a Harry Potter replacement. The first sign that I should have payed attention to was the fact that the movie was a Walden Media production. Walden Media is the studio responsible for The Chronicles of Narnia and Bridge to Terabithia. In my mind, The Seeker delivered what Bridge to Teribithia should have delivered. Except......

The Seeker is dark, VERY dark. The entire plot revolves around the story of a boy named Will who is being stalked by servants of "the dark". The entire time, they are constantly hunting him, and try to kill him. They attack the town he lives in and the dark rider who is hunting him is constantly accompanied by freak ravens that kill one character.

The plot was extremely entertaining and well developed, about Will searching for 6 signs that will help him unleash the power of the Light to defeat the power of the dark. He comes into contact with a league of people following the light called "The Old Ones", and he discovers that he is in fact the final member to be born- a seventh son of a seventh son. As he searches for these signs, he is (as I mentioned earlier) stalked by servants of the dark who will do anything, even corrupting his family members, to get to him. In the end, there is a huge confrontation between the Old Ones and the rider, leading to some surprising events. I'll hold off from revealing anything else.

The acting was good, the effects were good, the music was good, but the highlight of this movie was the cinematography. Some of the most inventive cinematography I have ever seen was used in The Seeker. If you are an aspiring filmmaker, I highly recommend this film for inspiration.

Finally, the moral content of The Seeker was very clean. There was no language, no blood and no gore. The only reservation I would have for family viewing is that the film is intense and scary at times. The enemy can take many forms, and when they are revealed, it is at times a bit freaky!

Overall, The Seeker is one of my favorite movies of the year, just because of the honest desire of the filmmakers to make a good movie. It was VERY well make, had decent acting, and good effects. My verdict, GO SEE IT!
LOL, dont I always say that?
Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler.

Blog-date

Thanks for your waiting and support as I upgrade BRB.
It is not 100 percent functional, the buttons on the sidebar arent all connected, but I hope you all enjoy the new look!

On a sobering note, our prayers go out to the family of the football player murdered on campus at the University of Memphis on Sunday. To show support, try to either attend or at least watch the Memphis vs. Marshall game tonight on ESPN 2.

Signing out,
The Buckland Fiddler

Prince Caspian Poster Released

Disney has released a new poster for their upcoming film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.Looks good! I cannot wait for this one to hit theaters!

Dark Knight Fatality

In a freak accident, a stunt technician was killed on the set of The Dark Knight when the vehicle he was driving struck a tree. It is reported that the unnamed victim was driving the batmobile for the stunt sequence before things went awry.
Our sympathies go out to the family of this man.
The Buckland Fiddler.

Picture testing

Hey guys!
I am trying to do a complete overhaul of the blog, so pardon my mess!

Updates and News

Dear BRB readers
Thanks for your patience in waiting for the newly designed Bilbo's Red Book. My hectic school and work schedule has postponed that project a little bit later than I intended.

Now to today's news...

Congratulations to Terry O'Quinn for winning Lost its first Emmy for outstanding male performance as John Locke.

Also in the news.....Shia LeBauof leaked the title of the new Indiana Jones movie at the MTV movie awards last week.....ready for it?
Okay...
.
.
.
.
It is...........

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls.

Hmmmm

Interesting.
Signing out, it is the bucklandfiddler!

Construction

Look for an all new Bilbo's Red Book, and all new reviews this week!
Pardon the chaos while we remodel!
~The Buckland Fiddler~

Posting Update

Sorry guys!
It has been kind of silent over here at Bilbo's red book, but dont worry!
I will have new reviews within the next couple days of a CD, the Delta Fair, and some future movie updates.
So stay tuned!
The Buckland Fiddler
Meanwhile, check out www.thejediblogger.com

TV Review special: Good and Bad TV

Hello again.

Today I decided to review a few television shows, and give my thoughts on the state of television.

First.....

High School Musical 2

rating- 3 out of 5 stars

Overall, this was exactly as I expected...a typical Disney style movie with lots of Disney music, Disney dancing, and Disney messages. (How much more Disney than 'be true to yourself' can you get?). The funny thing is, that is what is so great about Disney's latest and greatest. The music this time around is not as good as it was in the first High School Musical, but the dancing was better. The tunes make sense both lyrically and musically, and even for those people that don't like the High School Musical movie and its over-excessive marketing, the music is really catchy.

Where this movie suffers is in the acting and story. It basically feels strung together as a quick money maker based on a mega-hit. Oh, wait....that is exactly what it is.

Another great thing about High School Musical 2 is the fact that Zac Efron sang his own vocals this time around....rather than a voice over.

My verdict...give the soundtrack a listen, but don' worry so much about watching this extremely cliche movie.

Flash Gordon (Sci-fi channel original series)
rating 4 out of 5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by the pilot episode of Flash Gordon. This is the latest incarnation on television about the comic book character. Eric Johnson (Smallville) plays the title character, and does a wonderful job. The story revolves around Flash's search for his father, which is only hindered by alien beings searching for something of his father's called "the Imex". Along the way, Flash is helped by his friend Dale Arden (Gina Holden) as he struggles against the evil Ming -who was behind his father's dissapearance.
So far, this tv series appears to show much promise. The violence is not bloody, there is very little language, and for the most part the acting is good. I personally can't wait for more of Flash Gordon.

One more thing I thought I would mention.....I hate the fact that Lost season 4 has been delayed yet AGAIN! It is now set to come back in February. I don't know why it will not return this fall, but after a strong first three seasons, I dont want to argue with producer J.J. Abrams, who is now hard at work on an untitled film set to come out on 1-18-08. In fact, visit 1-18-09.com and see what you think.......

Which star standard?

Okay guys....
I would like to make all the reviews at least somewhat comparable.
soo.......
Which would you prefer..
4 stars or
5 stars
when I review?

Thanks
The Buckland Fiddler

Movie Review: Stardust

Stardust

rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and risque humor

Filmmaking: 3 out of 4 stars

Moral rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Overall: 3 out of 4 stars

Stardust was one of those films that sort of took you by surprise. The ads have been running for weeks now, and the movie has an all star cast, but for some reason, I forgot about it.

Well, I can officially say that I was quite pleasantly surprised by this fantasy/adventure/comedy movie.

Stardust is basically a huge mish-mash of all fairy tales, along with some Narnia, Middle-earth and Hogwarts thrown in for good measure. Basically think of a live-action version of Shrek.

The story is about a young man named Tristan who leaves his village in England and crosses a magic wall into another world in search of a star that fell out of the sky. His hopes are to retrieve the star, and then take it to the girl he loves back in his village to prove his love. A couple of complications arise from here. First, the star is a literal person, the beautiful Yvaine (played to perfection by Gwyneth Paltrow lookalike Claire Danes); second, an evil witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) is also searching for the star, so that she can cut out her heart and eat it to achieve undying youth and beauty; and third, several princes are also searching for Yvainne, since she wears a necklace that they need in order to take the throne.

From here, the plot goes absolutely crazy, there are spells, fights, pirates, merchants, unicorns, goats and of course, humor.

Morally, the humor is a bit risque at times, regarding bust size, cross dressing, and other adult subjects. One of the most random, yet most off color jokes was in regard to Captain Shakespeare the pirate (Robert De Niro) who in the privacy of his cabin enjoys wearing dresses, painting hearts on his cheeks and dancing the can-can. Yes, I am quite serious. Language was mild, featuring only a couple uses each of d*** and h***. Other offensive content is in regards to some adult themes, as Tristan is the result of a one-time experience between his father and a princess. At other times, things are implied between Tristan and Yvainne.

Overall, Stardust was an excellent film. It was witty, well made, had a great cast (Did I mention Rupert Everett as a self obsessed prince?) and one heck of a soundtrack. The major problem is the amount of grown up humor that the writers felt that they had to put in the movie.

My verdict...if you have seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail....then go see Stardust.

First Official Joker Picture!

Finally!

The first WB sanctioned picture of Heath Ledger as the Joker is online!

Also, if you go to see The Bourne Ultimatum, you will see the teaser for the movie that features a sound clip of the Joker.

WOW!

This is going to be one heck of a movie summer next year!

Indiana Jones 4, Prince Caspian and The Dark Knight.....

Signing out, The Buckland Fiddler.

Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

The Bourne Ultimatum

rated PG-13 for violence and some intense action sequences

Directed by Paul Greengrass( The Bourne Supremacy, United 93)

starring Matt Damon

Filmmaking: 41/2 out of 5 stars

Moral: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall: 41/2 out of 5 stars

The best sequel of the summer is undoubtedly Matt Damon's new espionage film from director Paul Greengrass. This movie completely took me by surprise!

After seeing Pirates, Spiderman, and Fantastic Four...etc. (the list goes on), I had kind of forgotten that another "3" movie was coming out....and boy did it deliver!

For those who are not familiar with the "Bourne" series, Matt Damon plays Jason Bourne, a former CIA assassin who has lost his memory. Throughout the film trilogy, Jason searches for the truth about him...who he is, where he came from......meanwhile running from other spies who are trying to exterminate him before he finds out. The last films revealed that Jason was a spy from the CIA program Treadstone, and that he had botched a job, so they felt obligated to take him out because of it.

Ultimatum continues that story....showing Jason find his place or origin, regain memories of his training....and even find out his real name. While major plot lines are resolved, this movie still left it open for The Bournce Conspiracy-book 4 in the series.

Morally speaking, the major problem with the Bourne Ultimatum is the raw, gritty violence. The entire movie features Jason fighting hand to hand with other assassins, including kicking, punching, stabbing, beating, strangling, drowning, and torturing. These movies ARE NOT light on violence. I would compare it to the violence of Casino Royale. Otherwise, the movie was fairly clean. Language was minimal, using only a couple of s words, a couple of g-ds and only about 10 other minor profanities.

The bottom line is if you like the first two, you will LOVE this one. The Bourne Ultimatum is an amazing show of acting, editing, and cinematography. If you are old enough to stomach the intense violence, then go see this movie!

Real Joker Pictures online!

I promised official pictures of the Joker from the upcoming film The Dark Knight, and here they are! These are not press releases, but spy pictures from the set.

For these and more, head on over to IESB.net.

Movie Reviews: Transformers and Evan Almighty

Transformers

rated PG-13 for intense action violence, brief sexual humor, and language

Directed by Michael Bay

Overall rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Filmmaking: 31/2 out of 4 stars

Moral rating: 2 out of 4 stars

The latest blood pumping adrenaline flick to hit screens this summer is Michael Bay's mega million blockbuster Transformers. Based on the popular Hasbro toys and the tv show from several years ago, Transformers promised.....and delivered.

The story revolves around the struggle over a powerful cube called the All Spark that the Decepticons (that would be the bad guys) are trying to get, so that they can conquer the universe. Fortunately for mankind, the awesome Autonomous Robots ("You can call us Autobots" one bot quips in the film) are here to protect us and get their hands on the All Spark first. Intertwined into this are the stories of Sam, a teenager whose first car happens to be the ultra cool Autobot "Bumblebee" and some soldiers who have faced a Decepticon in combat and are trying to get back home to their families. Featuring solid performances by relatively new actors like Shia Lebeouf and Megan Fox, enhanced by veterans like Josh Duhamel and Jon Voight, Transformers never loses the audience.

Action and effects wise, this features perhaps the best visual effects ever seen on screen. The robots were convincing and more importantly, cool; and the fight sequences were jaw dropping. At times the action got a bit frenetic, but as it was supposed to come from Sam's point of view, it worked. However, the fighting was intense, and I would not reccomend taking anyone under 13.

Moral content is the greatest stumbling block of this movie. Language was coarse, featuring several s words, a cut off mf, and many other minor words. Sexual content was surprisingly high, featuring several jokes and uncomfortably frank discussions on the subject. Also, the lead female character wore very revealing clothing throughout the entire film, both midriff and cleavage baring.

Overall, I really enjoyed Transformers. It was very realistic, but far enough removed to allow audiences to enjoy the movie. The effects are certainly the best so far this year, but it makes me sad to see a sharp rise in the amount of offensive content in movies targeted to kids

Evan Almighty

rated PG for some rude humor

Directed by Tom Shadyac

Overall Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Moviemaking: 21/2 out of 4 stars

Moral Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

Evan Almighty is a surprisingly refreshing film about Anchorman-turned-congressman Evan Baxter (Steve Carrel), who is instructed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark. The expected panic ensues, people make fun of Evan, his appearance goes crazy (His assistant played by the lovely Wanda Sykes exclaims upon viewing his hair "You look like a Bee Gee!"), and his family leaves him.

Through these problems however, Evan realizes that he needs to obey God, even at the risk of losing everything he has.....which he does. God has other things in store for Noah, errr Evan, and talks to his wife (played by Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls fame), and teaches her a lesson about faith.

All that the Baxter family wants is to grow closer, but God makes it clear....If they pray for their family to grow closer, is He going to just give them warm fuzzies? Or is He going to give them the opportunity to act as a family by staying together. I am sure you can guess what happened next.

The story is basically a modern retelling of Noah's Ark, with a funny cast, and good morals. As the Baxters did in this ultra clean comedy, so will your family grow closer from watching Evan Almighty.

Movie Review: Ratatouille

Ratatouille

rated G

directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles)

Film making: 5 out of 5 stars

Moral rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Overall: 6 out of 5 stars

Okay, does anyone else find it amusing that the best movie of the summer so far is about a rat?

...that is a chef?

That sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but trust me, Ratatouille, the latest movie from Diseny/Pixar animation is no joke! This movie featured the voices of Oswald Patton as Remy, the main rat, Peter O'Toole as Anton Ego, the critic; and Ian Holm as Skinner the chef.

Ratatouille is the story of how Remy, a rat with an amazing gift for cooking, and Linguini, a skinny garbage boy, team up to show Paris who is the boss when it comes to cooking. Basically a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, Ratatouille was funny, smart, original and captivating.

Once Remy and Linguini team up, they find out how much they actually need each other.....Remy shows his human pal that the greatest people can come from the lowest places, and vice versa. Meanwhile, Skinner the chef strongly suspects something...and investigates.

Along the way, the two main characters deal with trust and loyalty issues, and Remy has to deal with balancing the tradition of being in a rat colony, and spreading his wings and soaring to a new height. I won't spoil the ending for you though!

Morally speaking, the only thing objectionable in this film was one use of the word Hell, paired with some slight thematic elements (one of the main characters is an illegitimate son).

Film making wise, this is the best Pixar film yet. Everything looked so photo realistic I could not believe my eyes!

Overall, I believe that Ratatouille is one of Pixar's best movies ever. It was smart and witty, and didnt use crude humor to make people laugh. It had a very involved plot, and lovable characters.

Brad Bird is definitely making a name for himself as director!

My verdict? Go see it....and be sure to catch the Pixar short before the movie.....

The Blogger Returns! Special Double feature review Post

After a long hiatus, I am back! Sorry folks, but teacher training for my upcoming job has been kind of hectic.
This week I am reviewing two movies, and two video games.
Now, to get down to movie business...............................

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

rated PG for action violence, mild language, and innuendo

Film making: 3 out of 5 stars

Moral rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Overall: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Well, where to begin? This sequel is quite simple to review..simply because it was one fun movie! If there was any film that deserved the award "Best Popcorn movie" it would be FF2. Why? For the simple reason that director Tim Story kept the story neat and simple. The story begins with Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Played by Ioan Gruffud) about to tie the knot with Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (played by the beautiful Jessica Alba). Unfortunately, the arrival of intergalactic cool guy Silver Surfer (voiced by The Matrix's Lawrence Fishburne) to prepare Earth for destruction by the planet eating Galactus sort of ruins things.

That is where the story picks up. Along with Ben Grimm/Thing and Johnny Storm/Human Torch, the Fantastic Four aid the US army in finding and capturing the Silver Surfer. Of course, Dr. Doom is back from the dead. (played by an unconvincing Julian McMahon). So of course, the fab four have to figure out who is really the good guy and who is really the bad guy.

Special effects were fantastic! (no pun intended) and the acting was pretty good. The humor got a bit cheesy at times, but like I said, this is a great popcorn film!

Morally speaking, this is a bit dirty. About a dozen curses and several sexual innuendoes were thrown into the conversation.

Overall, I think that this is the most enjoyable film so far this summer, simply because it is that: simple.

Ocean's Thirteen
rated PG-13 for brief sensuality

Film making: A perfect 5 stars

Moral rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

What is it about the Ocean's films? First we had a highly enjoyable film called Ocean's Eleven, then a flop of a film called Ocean's Twelve. Add another person, and we get a hugely enjoyable fun film called Ocean's Thirteen.
Is it that Danny Ocean (George Clooney) does a better job at his heists when there are an odd number of crooks in on it? Or is it the fact that the crew returned to Las Vegas for their third heist.
Whatever it is , this movie, starring Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Al Pacino, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, and George Clooney was a film as good if not better than the first.

Ellen Bergen as Al Pacino's right hand, um, man was a scene stealer. Especially when she is tricked by Matt Damon's character Linus.

Morally, this film is far from clean. A smattering of language (primarily the s word) and some uncomfortable sensual content mess up the movie a bit, but overall it is cleaner than the first two.
As for a plot.......It is about 13 guys who get revenge........okay.

My verdict......If you like the first, go see it.

Coming Attractions

Hello all!

I just returned from my Atlanta trip, and was it fun!

The art exhibit from the Louvre was astounding, featuring some amazing paintings, sculptures, and furniture from Versaille. Sadly, no pictures since we were not allowed cameras in there.

Our day at Six Flags was incredible. The best two roller coasters where there--Goliath and Superman: Ultimate Flight. The former is one monster steel coaster that is just the biggest hills you can dream of. The latter actually tilts you face down so you feel like you are flying.

Coming up soon we will have movie reviews of Ocean's 13 and Fantasic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. My brother saw Surf's Up and said it was fantastic. There won't be a review of that, but take his word on it and go see it. :-)

Anyway, that is about all for today!
Signing out, the Buckland Fiddler.

Joker picture a hoax

Sorry folks!
It turns out that the new Joker picture of Heath Ledger was an elaborate hoax.
Sorry for the false information.
I will post a picture as soon as an OFFICIAL picture goes online.

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence, and some frightening images

Filmmaking: Excellent
Moral: Better than Average
Overall: 31/2 out of 4 stars

In the latest adventure in the popular Disney Pirates series, The crew is back with the help of the newly resurrected Barbossa, trying to fetch back "Witty Jack and him Precious Pearl".
Meanwhile, Lord Beckett is trying to destroy the Pirates once and for all. We also see Davy Jones Locker, Sao Feng a Chinese Pirate lord, Calypso the sea goddess, plenty of pirates, Jack attack, a curse lifted, and a cameo from Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.
Phew....I just confused myself. Yes, this film is BUSY and so I cannot at all attempt an overview, just go see it.
Gore Verbinski did a phenomenal job directing and managed to make a third film every bit as good as the original. I was a bit skeptical of this one, as I thought that Dead Man's Chest was not anywhere up to par with the original.
The acting was good.
The effects were good.
The music was good.
It was a very entertaining film. It actually felt like you were in the midst of the action.

Morally this is a Pirate film and so you can expect a fare share of rum, women ogling and violence. What is added is a somewhat twisted view of the afterlife, which even though it is presented as fiction, could still confuse younger viewers. There was only one curse word in the film.
Overall, I though At World's End ended the Pirates trilogy with a BANG! At times it was confusing, but this one was very well crafted and the director's view clearly showed through. The film is showing at all major theaters and is almost 3 hours in length.
Signing out, the Buckland Fiddler

Heath Ledger Joker finally revealed

Finally, Batman fans, the wait is over!

Comicbookmovie.com has just posted this picture of the Heath Ledger version of the Joker to be seen in the upcoming "The Dark Knight" film. It definitly looks to be a very dark version of the comic book villain.

The film is slated for release on July 18, 2008.

Movie Review: Shrek the Third

Shrek the Third

rated PG for crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action

Starring Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Justin Timberlake, John Cleese, and Eric Idle.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

It seems that Dreamworks animation is now running out of good ideas. Either that, or Andrew Adamson is the reason why the first two Shreks were so good. I guess it doesn't matter, because both are missing from the latest tale in the Ogre saga. In this round, Shrek Donkey and Puss leave Far, far, away to fetch back Artie, (voiced by J. Timberlake), to take the throne, since Fiona's father has now died. Meanwhile, Prince Charming is back with all of his baddies, trying to kill Shrek and take over Far far away for himself. That is pretty much the extent of the story.

Laughs. This is by far the weakest Shrek movie for jokes. For the most part they weren't that funny or used in the previous two films or both. However, there were some really funny scenes involving Pinnochio, Merlin the magician (brilliantly voiced by Monty Python's Eric Idle), and the fairy tale princesses. Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are probably this films strongest additions, all voiced by SNL alumni. I also laughed at the frog-king death scene. I know that sounds bad but it was terribly funny!

Overall, I think the real problem with this film was that it had way too much Shrek and not enough Donkey and Puss, the true stars of this series. If Andrew Adamson had directed, undoubtedly he would have focused more on these hilarious characters.

Moral. Okay, this is a Shrek movie. There was no language, but expect plenty of innuendoes, vague references to adult matter, and drug content. Other than that, the only potentially offensive thing in this were the gender-bending ugly stepsisters, voiced by Regis Philbin and Larry King.

Overall, I think this is a fun movie, but it lacks something the other two had-originality and cleverness. Hopefully the movie studio can turn this around before Shrek 4 and the upcoming Christmas special. (Yes, both are confirmed, as is a Broadway play).

Video Game reviews

Spider-man 3 for Xbox-360
5 out of 10

It seems as if any Spiderman video games will be awesome, particularly when they have been in development for years and showcase the raw power of the next generation video game systems.
Unfortunately, Spider-man 3 falls short-- way short.

Don't get me wrong, there is a lot about this game that is awesome. The graphics are fantastic, the controls and moves are awesome. Even the music and voice clips are good.
What makes this game fall short is the story. From the beginning you want to play the movie story, and it seems as if developers are trying to keep you from playing it. There are tons of villains and subplots that you have to play through, and they are ridiculously hard. Spiderman takes damage rather easily, but the villains barely seem to budge. Why is this so hard to play?
It is anyones guess. I played this game almost non-stop when I rented it and never saw one movie villain or story arc. That right there speaks tons.

Super Paper Mario for Wii
9.5 out of 10

What is it about Nintendo? They somehow keep churning out amazing and innovative titles. Super Paper Mario is no exception. This title has the gamer holding the Wii remote sideways and using it like a classic NES controller. The game then goes even further back old school with the classic side scroller Mario adventures that we all love.

Where this RPG Mario game gets interesting is in the new 'flipping" mode, where mario transports into a 3D version of the place he is currently at, this allows the gamer to find secrets, special items and hidden doorways.

Also thrown into the mix is a barrage of classic nintendo imagery, Peach, Bowswer and Luigi are back, as is the classic soundtrack. You can power up to a Super Sized NES Mario, and then run through the level, crashing everything you hit. You can also get a power up where a dozen tiny NES Marios go running along with you, complete with the cute boing sound from their NES days.

Overall, this game delivers, even though challenging at times. Zelda may have finally met its match on the Wii.

Movie Review: Spider-man 3

Spider-man 3
rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence
Rating: ***1/2 stars
Moral rating: Better than Average
Film making: Excellent

I have decided that since this is such a great film, I will not say anything to reveal the story, so read on!
As of yesterday I saw this film twice. It was MUCH better the second time, I might add.
Spider-man 3 is the latest film adaptation of the Marvel comic book character, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey MacGuire as Peter Parker/ Spiderman, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn/ New Goblin, and introducing newcomers Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church and Bryce Dallas Howard as Eddie Brock/Venom, Flint Marko/Sandman, and Gwen Stacy, respectively.

Overall, Spider-man 3 was a brilliant film. Well paced, it told the next chapter of our favorite web-slinging hero's life story. This time around, he must battle an angry friend, a convict that is responsible for his uncle's death, a jealous reporter, and a symbiote from outer space. The thing about it though is that these are all supervillains bent on either killing Peter, or just destroying his will. Flint Marko is probably the most sympathetic villain in the film, as he is a victim of circumstances, trying to get medical help for his daughter. Venom, on the flip side, is pure evil and will stop at nothing to kill Peter Parker. Harry Osborn as the New goblin however, was my favorite, creating a largely emotional and convincing story going between him and Peter. The dark Peter was a great story point, giving the audience some uncertainty about what was going to happen.

As far as quality goes, this film was superb. The special effects were dazzling and better than anything we have seen before. The editing for the most part is good. It felt a bit rushed towards the end, but I really like how the showdown at the end was edited. Once again, the soundtrack was good, and Raimi's directorial skills are really shining.

Morally, there is little to worry about. The language only consisted of d***, h*** and a**. Unlike the other two however, a few sexual innuendoes were thrown throughout the film. Also, when Peter is overcome by the symbiote, he goes sort of "bad boy" on us, complete with suggestive dancing with Gwen, emo hair and a LOT of women looking. At least he gets better....

I highly reccomend this film. I would have given it four stars, but I cannot help but feel the film tried to fit too much plot in it. While not as busy as X-Men The Last Stand, it still was a bit overpowering.

My verdict: GO SEE IT!

Note: Sorry for the delay with this review, there were some slight Blogger problems I had to deal with.

Movie Review: Year of the Dog

Year of the Dog directed by Mike White
rated PG-13 for some suggestive content

This week's movie review is on a charming new film from Mike White, the man responsible for School of Rock and Nacho Libre.

This time, White sits in the director's chair in this tale of animal cruelty and pet/owner love. Year of the Dog stars Molly Shannon (of SNL fame) as Peggy, a 40 something secretary who seems happy at work and especially at home with her dog, Pencil. One night, Pencil wanders away and gets into some poison, which in turn causes him to die- devestating Peggy.

After this the film follows Peggy as she struggles with her love life, her love of animals, and her family. Peggy becomes a vegan, becomes an animal rights activist, and lovingly sponsers farm animals for her brother's family for Christmas. Along this personal journey, Peggy learns what it means to take something too far, and also what it means to be given a second chance.

While this film may not end the way we want it to, it is certainly far from a sad ending. Overall this was a great film , well told with a LOT of character development and it attacked a subject that most film makers shy away from.

Morally this film was pretty clean. The language was a minimal two B words, which were incidently used in the correct appropriate usage. The suggestive content that garnered the PG-13 rating was not heavy, but enough to make you squirm uncomfortably a couple of times. This was mostly due to dialogue from Peggy's friend (played by the lovely Regina King), and from the is he-or isn't he gay friend at the Vet.

Overall however, this was an excellent film that will definitely find a home on my DVD shelf alongside Mike White's other hits.

My rating: Very Good

Moral: Better than Average ****

Film Making: Excellent ****

Overall: Very Good ****

Audio Adrenaline says "Adios" to Memphis for last time

In a sad but moving show, Christian rock band Audio Adrenaline said goodbye for the last time to Memphis last night at the MercyMe "Coming Up To Breathe" tour at the Desoto Civic Center. The group has been a leader in Christian music for over 15 years and decided to call it quits after frontman Mark Stuart began having vocal problems. The group sang their new song "Goodbye" as their banner was lowered, prompting a standing ovation that lasted well over 5 minutes. Show opener Aaron Schust, as well as all of the MercyMe members, came out on stage to say their goodbyes to Audio A, and MercyMe even performed one of Audio Adrenaline's lesser known songs in tribute to them.

I had the privelege of being able to work at the concert and it was amazing. The first thing I did upon arriving was go to the stage area where MercyMe was doing a sound check. We sat on the front row for a couple of minutes before heading on up to the main floor. An hour before the show began, we started passing out fliers for the next concert. Afterwards we passed out FCS coupons. The Audio Adrenaline merchandise, as you can imagine, flew off the tables, as it was the last time any of their merch would be available. I didn't buy anything, but was able to obtain (as a volunteer having priveleges) a cymbal from Audio Adrenaline, signed by the band.

Back to the show.

Aaron Schust was the opener. He played for roughly 15 minutes, including his hit, "My Savior, My God." This was followed by an hour from Audio A, and then headliner MercyMe.

MercyMe was phenomenal, singing most of their big hits, and several from the new CD. Compared to last time, this show was bigger and flashier. The lights they had working were amazing, and a huge screen was behind them, which they used for video and music videos.

Overall, The Coming Up To Breathe tour was one of the best I have seen in a long time, enhanced by the farewell performance of Audio Adrenaline, and the autographed cymbal I got.

Great things coming soon!

May will be a booming month at Bilbo's Red Book. To kick it off, we will have a completely brand new movie review every week. Then, I will give you guys and inside look at the art exhibit from the Louvre that is in America this year. Plus, many other cool and exciting things.
Here is a preview for what is coming this summer to your favorite blog. (Okay, one of your favorite blogs).
Late April:
Book review: Children of Hurin by J.R.R.Tolkien
Book review: Skin by Ted Dekker
Movie review: Year of the Dog directed by Mike White
May 4th: Movie review: Spiderman 3
May 27: Movie review: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Late May: Louvre art exhibit review (plus some other surprises along the way from Atlanta)
Stay tuned in for more!

Idol votes off Senjaya

In a relieving moment, Senjaya Malakar was voted off of the popular FOX show American Idol. Many people were of the opinion that he should not have made it to the finals. Senjaya was known for his crazy hairstyles and clothing and became a celebrity because of the way people despised him. Why then, wasn't he voted off earlier? Probably because of support from groups such as votefortheworst.com, and statements made by radio and TV show hosts who said that "everybody hates Senjaya, but lets vote for him anyway, just to bug Simon Cowell."

For the past few weeks, Senjaya had only managed to sing one reasonably good song. Senjaya, we are going to miss you!

Iron Man Picture Released!

Paramount Studios has just released the first picture from its new comic book movie Iron Man, which is due in theaters Summer 2008. The film is being directed by Jon Favreau.

Enjoy!

Movie Review: The Last Mimzy

Rated PG for some thematic elements, mild peril, and language

Sci Fi or Fantasy?

That is the question you should ask yourself when you watch The Last Mimzy, a bizarre and slightly disturbing tale from the producers of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. While watching it, I kept thinking, gosh this is weird!, yet I somehow was attracted to it.

The Last Mimzy is based loosely on the book Mimzy Were Borogoves which is in turn based loosely upon an abstract line from a Lewis Caroll poem. It tells the story of two young children who find an odd box at their beach house and upon opening it, find bizarre objects including a strange stuffed bunny, that in turn gives them extraordinary abilities. They keep their find a secret, until strange things begin to happen, and their parents find out. At this point, the film goes from weird to weirder. The parents call in a mysticist and palm reader and begin to freak out when they find out some of the crazy things their kids can do because of these "toys" as the kids call them.

From here the film takes odd turns that will have you slightly confused and feeling kind of weird. At times this film is reminiscent of "The Forgotten", or other psychological thrillers. Even though this film is rated PG, it seems to be more of an adult film, mainly because of the themes and dark content. Offensive content was minimal however, with only 1 curse word and one scene in which the word "sucks" is used about twelve times in less than 1 minute.

I reccomend this film, with reservations, because of the odd and dark sci-fi things happening; but I did enjoy it myself.

This makes for an enjoyable evening, if you want something that is heavy. Don't expect another kiddie film out of this one.

Moral Rating: *****

Film Making: ****

Overall:****

Children of Hurin book release

In a few days, LOTR lovers everywhere will have yet another slice of their Middle-earth pie.

Children of Hurin, which is written by Christopher Tolkien from the writings of his father J.R.R. will be released on April 17th at bookstores everywhere.

It is the first LOTR book to be written in 30 years and certainly looks good. Christopher Tolkien will be in America coming up soon to sign the books. I know for certain that he will be signing books at the NYC Barnes and Noble.

This is definitely one I would pre-order! With the surge of interest in Middle-earth writings, this books will be flying off the shelves!

Check back later on for a book review.

Maggie Gyllenhaal on board for The Dark Knight

This just in:
Maggie Gyllenhaal, brother of actor Jake Gyllenhall, has officially been cast as Rachel Dawes in the sequel to Batmin Begins, The Dark Knight. She has worked in films alongside stars such as Julia Roberts (in Mona Lisa Smile). This comes after months of speculations on who Katie Holmes replacement would be. Maggie will costar with Christian Bale as Bruce/Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred and Heath Ledger as The Joker.
The film, which is directed by Christopher Nolan (The Prestige), is slated to hit theaters in Summer of 2008.

Spider-man 4 back in the running!

This is just in.
After much speculation that Spidey 3 would be the last film in the series, it was reported that Tobey MaGuire and Kirsten Dunst said in an interview that if the story was good and if Sam Raimi directed, they would do a Spidey 4.
This is positive new after speculation that Tobey would step down as our world's favorite superhero because of back injuries he sustained while filming Seabiscuit. Guess he likes the spandex a little more than we thought!
More news on this can be found at IGN.com and comicbookmovie.com

Collector's Hunting tips

Hello everyone!
In the wake of the Star Wars 3oth anniversary collection being released, I decided to share some of my collectors tips.
It is true that some collectibles are extremely rare and might only be released one per case (Such as many of the Clone Commanders recently released), but that does not mean you are out of luck.
Most stores will receive shipments of new figures at least once a week, depending on sales, so it is quite easy to get that chase figure your heart desires.

1. Call ahead:
Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like. If you call the store and ask if they have a new shipment in, or if they have a certain figure, often times the employees will help you out. I am sure they know how important this stuff is to us.
2. Keep checking in:
For me that would be almost every morning, but if that is too extreme, every 3 days or so is usually adequate. If a new shipment came in between those days however, you are probably out of luck.
3.Find out the stores shipment schedule:
This is the one that has been most valuable to me. I can't always go to the store every day, but if I find out when they get their shipments, I can check on those days, and that has helped me get every chase clone since Episode 3 waves came out.
4. Be patient!
I know it is extremely frustrating when you can't find the figure you need, but if you wait it out, you WILL get one. Hasbro is not out there to frustrate collectors, they are out there to make money. That means they will make more, and keep releasing them until they stop selling.
5.Websites:
This has been the key to me getting a couple of chase figures before you could find them in stores, such as Commander Bacara. Wal-mart, Target, and K-Mart are excellent websites for finding figures.

I hope this has been helpful to you out there!
Remember, just be patient and happy hunting!

Movie Review: Meet The Robinsons

Meet The Robinsons Rated G, though it should be PG. Contains intense images, scary scenes, disturbing images, etc.

This weeks movie review is on Disney's latest 3D animated venture. Set in the future, Meet the Robinsons starts out with a young orphan, Louis, who loves to invent. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of trouble, and scares away potential adoptive parents. Louis feels like a failure when poof, in drops Wilbur Robinson, from the future. He tries to help Louis, as the evil Man in the Bowler Hat (as he is called), will stop at nothing to ruin his life.

Why would he do that? I am not going to say. So much of the plot to this film interweaves together that is hard to say anything without ruining the film.

Overall, this film was excellently made, with a wonderful story (that competes with adult dramas) , amazing animation, and truly witty humor. This film is an obvious Disney film, from the inside jokes scattered throughout the film, to the vintage Mickey Mouse cartoon that runs before it starts. (And according to sources, these shorts are unique at different showings).

Where this film surprises is in its adult content. This is a truly disturbing film, reminiscent of Terminator (Assasin traveling through time to find a person, anyone?), The Matrix ( The climax of the film), and War of the Worlds (climax) at times. I won't say how or why, but there is a certain point in the film when I though, G? What are the MPAA guys thinking!?

Violence, Disturbing content, Intense action scenes and an extremely forebeding climax all create a G film that has to be a record for the most content of this sort for this rating.

Personally, I have no problem with the content(Honestly, I thought it was cool), but it is upsetting to see parents taking 3 year olds to see this, only to have them in tears due to the freaky scenes. Perhaps Disney is taking its new found freedom with 3d animation a little too far. If this had been a cartoon, it would not have felt so scary. Thank goodness though for the laugh out loud humor! It would not be a family film without it.

The bottom line-Go see it, but hire a baby sitter for the young guys.

My rating:

Movie-making * * * * *

Moral: ****

Overall: ****and a half