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movie review

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Evolution Becomes Revolution In The Critically-Acclaimed
Over $432 Million Worldwide Box Office Smash Arriving Globally
on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download in December

Summary: A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a battle unlike any other when RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES makes its worldwide debut on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on December 13th in North America and starting December 7th Internationally. From the Oscar-winning® visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of Avatar and Lord of the Rings comes revolutionary new ground — a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence, and epic battles on which rest the upended destinies of man and primate.

James Franco (127 Hours) stars as Will Rodman, a neuroscientist living in San Francisco trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease by testing on chimpanzees, giving them a human level of intelligence. After a test subject’s baby, Caesar, is orphaned, Will decides to raise him at home on his own with his Alzheimer-stricken father (John Lithgow; “Dexter”). What begins simply as a continuation of his experiment quickly turns into a problem for Will, as Caesar is taken away from him and forced to live in a primate facility. As Caesar’s intelligence continues to grow, he begins to stake his claim as the leader of his new primate counterparts, which will ultimately lead to the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Directed by Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist), this special effects blockbuster features fantastic supporting performances from Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Brian Cox (Red), Tom Felton (Harry Potter films) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) in a ground-breaking performance. The RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Blu-ray is loaded with bonus material including deleted scenes, making-of featurettes commentaries and more.

Review:
This was my first time experiencing one one of the Ape movies and I absolutely loved it! I'm a big fan of James Franco and I thought that John Lithgow did a fantastic job portraying his father — and a man suffering from Alzeimer's disease.
The special effects in this film are outstanding. I read somewhere that no real apes were used in the making of the film, which really surprised me. Many times the shots looked very realistic and I could really see the emotions behind the animal characters. They all really had their own unique personalities. If anything, the film really helps make people aware of the dangers of animal testing and the price of coming up with a"miracle cure".
I really enjoyed the clips were we can see the adopted chimp, Caesar, grow and mature over time. Even though he is more apart of the human world each day, he knows he is different and is often treated as a pet when they go outside. The seclusion begins to make him lash out.
One of my favorite parts was actually the battle between the apes and humans near the end of the film. Wow, the degree of detail during these scenes was mind-blowing. I was glued to my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
Overall, I was highly impressed with this new adaption of an older franchise film. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was incredibly enjoyable with a wonderful cast and special effects that really brought the entire thing to a new light.
You can rent or purchase Rise of the Planet of the Apes from Amazon.
Review copy provided by ThinkJam and Fox Entertainment. Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS on Blu-ray and DVD

A perfect family gift, ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS land ed on Blu-ray and DVD November 26 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and features the original voice talents of Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Sean William Scott. Available for a low price ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS arrives on single disc DVD and a Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy combo pack with extra features, making it a great holiday stocking stuffer for the whole family to enjoy.

In ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS, America’s favorite arctic herd is busy decorating for the holiday season. In his rush to help, Sid (John Leguizamo) destroys Manny’s (Ray Romano) favorite decorations. Manny is so upset he convinces Sid he is now on Santa’s naughty list. Sid, Crash (Seann William Scott), Eddie (Josh Peck) and Peaches (Ciara Bravo) take off for the North Pole to plead their case to Santa (Billy Gardell). Meanwhile, Manny, Ellie (Queen Latifah) and Diego (Denis Leary), worry over Peaches’ safety and race to find her. Back at the North Pole, Sid and his crew accidentally destroy Santa’s Workshop on Christmas Eve, and it’s up to these newfound friends to orchestrate a Christmas miracle. The instant holiday classic, directed by Karen Disher, also features the voice talent of Chris Wedge, T.J. Miller and Judah Friedlander.

With over $4 billion in box office, home entertainment and consumer products sales, the “Ice Age” franchise is a perennial hit, and continues to grow with next summer’s all-new animated feature “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” From Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios, the film features new characters voiced by Janenifer Lopez, Wanda Sykes, Keke Palmer, Aziz Ansari and Drake, among others. Share in the all-new adventure as they join the original cast voiced by John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Seann William Scott, Queen Latifah and Denis Leary. “Ice Age: Continental Drift” arrives in theaters everywhere July 13, 2012 in 3D.

I've always been a fan of the Ice Age movies and this is a super nice addition to the collection. This is a short movie, only 26 minutes, but if you are looking for something new to add to a child's Christmas movie list, this is a cute pick. The outstanding cast, enjoyable story line, and incredible visuals really bring this movie to life. My 4 year-old daughter highly enjoyed the characters and Santa, of course.
Plus, the glimpse at the new Ice Age movie “Ice Age: Continental Drift” made me super excited to see it this summer.
You can find Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special on amazon and in stores. It's very inexpensive and if you or your child is an Ice Age fan, you gotta get this!
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

From Amazon.com...

"Amanda Price is sick of the modern world. She yearns for the romance and elegance found in the books by her favorite author, Jane Austen. But she's about to get a rude awakening as one fateful evening, she is propelled into the scheming 19th century world of Pride and Prejudice while that book's Elizabeth Bennet is hurled into hers. As the book's familiar plot unfolds, Amanda triggers new romantic twists and turns within the Bennet family circle as she clumsily tries to help the sisters nab husbands and even captivates the tantalizing Mr. Darcy herself. But what about Elizabeth... and what will become of one of the world's greatest love stories?"

When I first started this movie I thought it was absolutely ridiculous and I couldn't wait for it to be over! And then I realized that I was barely forty minutes into it. Once I finally sat down and started breathing slowly, I got into it, especially once things started diverting from the book. At first I felt as though Amanda was simply watching things live out — and then it got good.:)

I don't want to give too much away, but I ended up liking it — a lot. I love the Amanda's voice and I loved the words, it's a wonderfully written movie. I also loved how things were different than in the book — Wickham! Gah! He's so... wow. He was definitely my favorite part of the movie (ironic, I know). I loved how they redid his history and his story, I think (don't chastize me) I liked Wickham more than Darcy. (GASP!)

I'd definitely recommend it (I think I may even purchase it!). Just be prepared and expect some twists.

From Amazon.com...

"Fall in love with the adorable Becky Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) in the hilarious romantic comedy Confessions Of A Shopaholic. Becky s desperate for a job writing for a high-fashion magazine in glamorous New York. She gets her stilettos in the door writing a personal finance column at a sister publication. Much to her surprise, her column, The Girl In The Green Scarf, becomes a hit, and she falls head over high heels for her handsome, overworked boss (Hugh Dancy). But Becky has a secret that leads to some hilarious high jinks that could unravel it all. From the best-selling novel, and featuring the perfect comedic cast, it s the feel-good romantic comedy you ll fall in love with over and over."

It bothered me that they changed it from London to New York. This could be due to the fact that I listened to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and that the narrator was British. It's probably that. But it still bothered me. At least Hugh Darcy is British — and he was plenty perfect to look at!

Also, gardening... when did this happen?

I absolutely loved Suze! She was depicted perfectly! Different from the character in the book, but wonderfully so! I loved the added depth of the relationship between Suze and Becky. Seeing Suze heartbroken near the middle of the movie was what I, as a viewer, needed in order to connect with Becky. I also really liked Becky's parents; they stole the scenes they were in.

I was also a BIT grossed out by Tarky and Suze's romance... you know, as they are cousins in the book. I also really wanted to see the date between Tarky and Becky. I wish they would have focused on him a bit more.

If you read my book review — I had a hard time connecting with Becky because I found her unlikeable. I didn't necessarily have that problem with "Movie Becky." I'm not sure if this was because it was a movie or if it was because movies rarely have a constant narrating voice — like the audio book I listened to.

Overall, I think I actually preferred this movie to the book (gasp!) simply because I found it easier to relate to (and not completely hate) Becky. The movie sort of humanized her. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this movie to someone who didn't read the book. It is an extremely light film (I like light chick flicks but this one lacked the emotion of others). But, as stated before, the film did make up for it with Hugh Darcy.

What a weird review huh? Bottom line: if you've read the book — see the movie. If not, it's completely up to you what to do with your Friday night.

Favorite Quotes:
"I was once stalked — by a dog."

This is a bit late, but a few weekends ago (when the movie came out) I saw "I Am Number Four" — yes, Alex Pettyfer is on FIRE. Two book to movie films in less than a month! I reviewed "Beastly " earlier this week also starring Pettyfer based on the book by Alex Flinn. Last August I reviewed "I Am Number Four " by Pittacus Lore. It was the first book I did a book talk of in my classroom and when I loaned out my precious signed ARC, one kid later it had bite marks, torn covers, and dog eared pages. Needless to say it came out of my classroom. I have since loaned it to family friends and coworkers and let's just say this: you can tell the book has been loved. I am DYING to get my hands on the next book, "The Power of Six" (August 23, 2011), and am hoping to score a copy at BEA.

Unfortunately (ugh, I hate starting like this) — if you haven't read the book yet I wouldn't advise seeing this movie. We all know that movies leave out loads of details from the book, but seeing this movie without first reading the book will, I think, leave viewers completely in the dark. Last week in class two students summed it up perfectly: "it lacked plot." I asked them if they'd read the book and they said no. Without the back story that the book provides, the movie is confusing and the plot falls flat. They only mention in passing at the very beginning of the movie that they are being "hunted down one by one" but it is never explained that it has to be in order and that once Six found Four all bets were off. All of Lorien was left out and Pittacus Lore was never even mentioned. So, please, if you haven't read the book — read it before you see the movie. You'll save yourself a headache.

That aside, as I have read the book, I was able to follow the extremely (almost too) fast paced film. I was able to fill in the left out details and as a result the plot wasn't lacking. Even with the fantastic plot, the characters were lacking a bit for me. Now I'm not one of those people who can't separate books from movies. I am able to view both forms of media as two different entities with the same story. I am not noe of those people who will let a movie "ruin the book" for me. So without comparing my connection with the characters while reading the book, I felt like the character development was extremely lacking. The only character I felt any emotion toward was Number Four. Some of it was bad acting but not always. For instance, Dianna Argon did a great job but I'm still weary of Sarah. I can't place it, but I just don't trust the girl. I was extremely disappointed with Henri; one of my favorite characters in the book and I felt no emotion toward him at all. I was also disappointed with Sam, the nerdy best friend. I just wasn't impressed with most of the characters in the movie.

Although, I will say this: I liked the movie version of Number Six much more than the book! Wow! This girls' got... uh... balls? And, does this face look familiar? Percy Jackson anyone!

The scene I was most looking forward to was the "Haunted Forest" scene and it was perfect. It was exactly how I had envisioned it. It was also great to see the ending — again — how I had envisioned it while reading the book. The dog was perfect as were the Mogadorians were great too.

Overall, this is a great movie (as I had read the book) but I wouldn't recommend it to "standard" movie goers. Take my advice. Read the book — it's fantastic and then see this movie! The two together are a story worth knowing.

I could be completely wrong too — Anna over at Anna Read's loved the movie without reading the book.

This weekend I had to drag my BFF Button to see Beastly. She hadn't read the book yet so I had to bribe her by paying for her ticket — but I just couldn't wait to see it! Plus, I watched Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" earlier that day and was on a one way track.

I loved the book by Alex Flinn — check out my review of "Beastly. " And in case you haven't seen the trailer, here you go:

If you haven't read the book yet (or don't plan to), you can still see the movie. The movie did leave something rather big out at the end that they alluded to with the cinematography throughout — but you wouldn't know it was missing.

I thought that Alex Pettyfer (Kyle) did a fantastic job and he was great to look at (scarred or not). I know that Alex Flinn (the author of Beastly) has talked to the press recently about the change in the "Beast" from her novel to the screen — most notably the loss of hair and claws. To be honest, when I was reading "Beastly" I didn't really like the hair and claws bit; it felt like it was straight from the Disney movie. I really like how Kyle looked in the film because it seemed more modern and even plausible. There were a few parts where Kyle was "stalking" Lindy (same as in the book) — but he's so good to look at I didn't mind.

I really believed Pettyfer's portrayal of Kyle — it was fantastic acting on his part (albeit a bit of bad writing). I felt his pain and his heart break and, despite my feelings toward Vanessa Hudgens, I couldn't help but sit at the edge of my seat saying "KISS HER!" several times.

Vanessa Hudgens. Vanessa Hudgens made this movie awkward — almost like Kirsten Stewart awkward. Yes, at times Pettyfer was also awkward (see the trailer) but that's just bad writing. I don't know — I just didn't buy into Hudgen's portrayal of Lindy at all.

Random: I'm really glad they left out the chat room bit.

What really made this movie for me was Neil Patrick Harris as the tutor. He did a fantastic job (as always!). I found myself looking for him on screen to be the source of witty banter and conversation. He lightened the mood without taking away from the seriousness of the story. Seriously, if for no other reason — see this movie for NPH!

This movie was well paced and the ending was perfect! I don't quite remember exactly how the book ended — but the movie ending was flawless. Again, I was on the edge of my seat the last five minutes. I liked how they didn't shy away from the fact that the story is a bit cliche: "We've all heard that story." But they did it in such a way that it was new and exciting. I never doubted the ending, but I still willed it to happen.

If you didn't like the book because of the cliches — see the movie. The movie somehow eliminates the awful "nail on a chalkboard" feelings I had when I read the book. If you haven't read the book yet, go ahead and read the book or see the movie first — it's a great story with an amazing actor (Harris) and some great eye candy (Pettyfer — okay, he's a good actor too).