The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid (G)

Grade: A-

• Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker
• Produced by: John Musker and Howard Ashman
• Screenplay by: Ron Clements and John Musker.  Based on the novel, "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen
• Starring: Jodi Benson (Ariel), Christopher Daniel Barnes (Prince Eric), Pat Carroll (Ursula), Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian), Jason Marin (Flounder), Kenneth Mars (King Triton), Buddy Hackett (Scuttle), Rene Auberjonois (Louis, The Chef)
• Music: Alan Menken
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV
• Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
• Released: November 14, 1989
• Running Time: 82 minutes/1 hour and 22 minutes
• Language: English, French 

"If only I could make him understand.  I just don't see things the way he does.  I just don't see how a world that makes such beautiful things could be bad."

-Ariel

Renaissance is a word that doesn't resonate much when I first hear it.  Hearing it, I think of art or the Harlem Renaissance, but when I hear Disney Renaissance, it's hard not to think of something because they're the films I grew up on (the way the original Disney films were for the adults before me). The Disney Renaissance, for those of you who don't know, is a time period from the late 1980s to early 2000s when Disney films returned to success by basing films on well-know stories, restoring interest in the genre.  Everyone I know has their own favorite film from this era, but no matter which one we think is our favorite, we all have to agree that "The Little Mermaid" started it all.  As a child, I couldn't stand the film because I hated Ariel, and it seemed too girly, but after revisiting it, I have to say the film pretty much delivers on all accounts if you're a Disney fan.

Like I said before about the Disney Renaissance, they're based on stories we've all heard before.  Even though that's the case, I'll still describe the "The Little Mermaid", which is about a 16 year old girl named Ariel.  She's the princess of King Triton and can have everything she wants, but is dissatisfied with underwater life, and wants to explore the human world.  She goes with her friend Flounder to the surface daily, but when the king and his adviser Sebastian find out, chaos ensues and he has a fit.  After that, Ariel has had enough of her father's rule, so she makes a deal with the Ursula, the sea witch, to become human for 3 days to win the love of a neighboring prince.  But the deal comes at a terrible price for Ariel, and if she doesn't succeed, she stands to lose what everyone loves about her most.

"The Little Mermaid" came out in 1989 so many years ago, but seems so fresh now.  The animation is fresh and vivid, even compared by today's Disney standards, and the characters come to life off the screen.  I liked the Sebastian character because he seemed to have a voice of reason, even though he was indecisive.  But the real star of the film is Jodi Benson, of course, who plays Ariel.  Usually when Disney casts a person to do the voice of a main character, they just do the main voice, and not the singing voice, but I loved the fact Benson got to do both because it helps the audience connect with her more.  Her voice has all of Ariel's desire and innocence in it, which is why "Part Of You World" is one of my favorite Disney songs.

With this film, comes a few flaws I have.  One being no fault of it's own, which is that it's too short.  I wouldn't mind that usually, but since I was so invested in the film, I wish it had been a little longer.  Another thing I couldn't stand was the villain Ursula (a complaint I have with many Disney films).  She's a worthy adversary to Ariel, and tries so hard to get what she wants from her, yet when she is eventually beaten, the way it's done is so quick and unsatisfying.  She's a sea witch, but goes down that easily?!  C'mon!  It seems very hard to believe.  Also, even though I love "Part Of Your World", I didn't really like any other songs from this film.

All in all, "The Little Mermaid" is quality entertainment if you're a Disney fan or just a fan of good films.  That may seem hard to believe for some, but even adults like it (It was on Gene Siskel's Top 10 for 1989).  Like a lot of Disney films, you'll like this film depending on your taste, but I think this film is worth seeing for the sole fact that it accurately represents a way we've all felt before in real life; that desire to grow up and be accepted in the world, which isn't easy, yet "The Little Mermaid" shows these things effortlessly.  It's not my favorite Disney film, but after watching this, it's not hard to see why this is one of the the film's that helped jump-start Disney in the 1990s.

The Social Network

The Social Network (PG-13)

Grade: B+

• Directed by: David Fincher
• Produced by: Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, and Cean Chaffin
• Screenplay by: Aaron Sorkin.  Based on the novel, "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich
• Starring: Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg), Andrew Garfield (Eduardo Saverin), Justin Timberlake (Sean Parker), Armie Hammer (Winklevoss Twins/Josh Pence), Max Minghella (Divya Narenda), Brenda Song (Christy Ling), Rooney Mara (Erica Albright)
• Cinematographer: Jeff Cronenweth
• Music by: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
• Studio: Relativity Media, Trigger Street Productions
• Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
• Released: October 1, 2010
• Running Time: 121 minutes/2 hours and 1 minute
• Language: English

"You have part of my attention, you have the minimum amount.  The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook, where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room, including and especially your clients, are intellectually or creatively capable of doing."

-Mark Zuckerberg

The statistics on Facebook currently are staggering when you look at it.  As of 2012, it has over 1 billion users (about 9% fake), and recently raked in 5.1 billion dollars.  Not bad for a company started by a group of Harvard students less than a decade ago, which "The Social Network" wanted to show.  The film seems ridiculous based on it's concept (a film on Facebook, really?), but after watching it, I have to say the film is as close to a masterpiece as can be, besides a few minor flaws. 

When we are introduced to "The Social Network", we encounter a young Mark Zuckerberg sitting in a bar with his current girlfriend Erica.  She's interested in his conversation at first, but is put off by his attitude towards exclusive clubs, so she dumps him, a decision he doesn't find favorable.  Because of this, Mark and his friend Eduardo Saverin create a site called "Facemesh" to rate girls based on their appearance.  The thing is, it gets so popular that it crashes parts of Harvard's network, getting Mark in trouble.  On the upside, he gets notoriety, which leads him to the Winklevoss Twins, two people who can potentially help him start Facebook, but what leads from their helps drive the film to its core.

There are so many things I love about "The Social Network" that I don't know where to begin.  First off, I love the cast from Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, all the way to Justin Timberlake, which surprised me since I'm not a fan of his, but he and everyone did a fantastic job in this film.  Eisenberg was the cold, deadlocked person I expected a businessman to be, Garfield was the vulnerable friend I had most sympathy for, and Timberake was just an obnoxious asshole.  Any performance can leave an impact on a person, but everyone interacted so well as a whole, and when they had a scene together that was joyous or gut-wrenching, I felt it.  Secondly, I love the attention to detail they gave to things like the look of Harvard even though it really wasn't.  And lastly, I give praise to the screenplay because I never thought a film about Facebook would be an interesting film, but as usual, Aaron Sorkin just writes great screenplays.  

The only flaws I had with "The Social Network" relate to Aaron Sorkin though.  And while he does write terrific screenplays, there are some flaws I noticed with it.  Although they seem more personal to my taste, such as the film seeming to be misogynistic.  Also, he made the characters the strength of the film, but I wish he focused more on how Facebook was actually built, since I don't think he spent as much time on that, and everything he did show seemed simplistic.  I'm not complaining since I enjoyed the film, but as a everyday person, it would be interesting to see how everything is really done.

With everything I've said about "The Social Network", the pros outweigh the cons.  If you see it once, I think you'll be impressed by it, but after seeing it a few times like I have, its lost its luster like a lot of Aaron Sorkin screenplays (i.e, Moneyball).  The reason why I think everyone should see the film though is because everyone is basically on Facebook now, so I think people should at least see how something they use got created, even if it is loosely based.  Also, I think it accurately shows that Facebook may keep everyone connected online, but it doesn't necessarily serve it's purpose of keeping people friends.  Cyber friends can never be a substitute for real ones, which this film poetically shows, and is the reason why I don't have a Facebook anymore.

Man Of Steel

Man Of Steel (PG-13)

Grade: B+

• Directed by: Zack Snyder
• Produced by: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, and Deborah Synder
• Screenplay by: David S. Goyer
• Starring: Henry Cavill (Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Michael Shannon (General Zod), Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White), Russell Crowe (Jor-El), Antje Traue (Faora), Ayelet Zorer (Lara Lor-Van), Harry Lennix (Lieutenant General Swanwick), Christopher Meloni (Colonel Nathaniel Hardy), Richard Schiff (Dr. Emil Hamilton)
• Cinematographer: Amir Mokri
• Music by: Hans Zimmer
• Studio: Legendary Pictures, Syncopy, DC Entertainment
• Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Released: June 14, 2013
• Running Time: 143 minutes/2 hours and 23 minutes
• Language: English

"You're not just anyone.  One day, you're going to have to make a choice.  You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be.  Whoever that man is, good character or bad, it's going to change the world."

-Johnathan Kent

Superman is the most famous superhero of all time.  And when it comes to his powers, few are equal to him, but when it comes to films though, Superman has had his share of hits and misses.  "Superman I" and "Superman II" were great, but all the ones that followed after were duds.  As time passed, the films and actors have changed with the times.  We've gone from Christopher Reeve, to Brandon Routh, to now, Henry Cavill, in the newest Superman flick "Man Of Steel".  I didn't have many expectations coming into this film since the original trailers didn't show much, and I'm generally not a huge fan of the superhero genre, but "Man Of Steel" was a film that I thoroughly enjoyed, despite not being perfect.

"Man Of Steel" doesn't present anything new to us.  Instead, it combines the plots of "Superman I" and "Superman II", focusing on Jor-El /Krypton, General Zod, and of course Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman.  The film starts off showing Kal-El's birth, then shows how closely Kyrpton is to destruction because of it's unstable core.  Jor-El has a plan to save it, but General Zod has a plan to save it too, that doesn't involve everyone, leading to mass violence.  He murders Jor-El, but not before he sends his son off to planet Earth, with something he wants.  For his crime, General Zod and his accomplices are imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, but they eventually break out, vowing to find Jor El's son.  The rest of the film shows Kal-El, who is now Clark Kent, and how he must adapt to life on Earth with his ever-growing powers, enemies, and life problems.

The praise of "Man Of Steel", starts with Henry Cavill, who played Superman in a way I haven't seen since Christopher Reeve.  He's handsome like Reeve was, pulled off a decent enough Clark Kent, (which is always difficult in the Superman films), and he brought sensitivity to the character, which was rare to see, since Superman is basically indestructible, yet Cavill showed with his acting that even a superhero has emotions he must deal with.  Cavill wasn't alone though; I thought Russell Crowe did a great job as Jor-El too because he was a strong, knowledgeable male figure, with an actual important role in the film, which is something I couldn't say with Marlon Brando in "Superman I".  Along with the acting, the fight scenes are fun to watch.  Some of them may drag on, or be Dragon Ball Z/video game-like, but if you're like me, then you just like watching Superman beat the crap out of people.  It's good triumphing over evil.  What can be better than that?      

Of course, with the praise, comes criticism, and "Man Of Steel" has that.  Like I said before, the film doesn't present anything new in terms of plot, which isn't a bad thing, but if you're an old school Superman fan, I can see why that would be boring, like in the flashback scenes for instance.  They may be helpful, but we all know the story so well, that it's distracting, and interrupts the flow of the film.  Another flaw I saw with the film, which may just be something I feel, is the lack of excitement for the cast.  Amy Adams is good looking, and I like Kevin Costner and Laurence Fishburne, but they didn't fit their parts or do much in the film at times, so to me, they were a waste, and just a ploy by the film to sell tickets.

With everything I've just said though, "Man Of Steel" is a good film that I recommend worth seeing if you're a fan of the original film, animated series, or just Superman in general.  It has a few flaws, but they don't take away from the work Henry Cavill did, or the achievement "Man Of Steel" is.  Sure, you could argue it's like "Superman Returns", but this film pays homage to two of the original films, instead of one, and it just looks better, let's be honest!  I know reception to this film is varied, but give it a chance.  It might surprise you like it did me.  Or I may just like it because I'm still a kid inside, and part of me just loves seeing Superman return, looking the part, kicking butt, and saving the world.  Superman is back everyone, and he's here to stay!

Dr. No

Dr. No (PG)

Grade: A-

• Directed by: Terence Young
• Produced by: Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
• Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkley Mather.  Based on Dr. No by Ian Fleming
• Starring: Sean Connery (James Bond), Ursula Andress (Honey Ryder), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), Jack Lord (Felix Leiter), Bernard Lee (M), Anthony Dawson (Professor Dent), John Kitzmiller (Quarrel), Zena Marshall (Miss Taro), Eunice Gayson (Sylvia Trench), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) 
• Cinematographer: Ted Moore
• Music by: Monty Norman
• Studio: Eon Productions
• Distributed by: United Artists
• Released: October 5, 1962
• Running Time: 109 minutes/1 hour and 49 minutes
• Language: English

"Bond...James Bond"

-James Bond

The first time I remember being exposed to James Bond 007, was when I was a child reading Ian Fleming's novels.  My dad had a huge volume of his works, so I read them all at school, or whenever I had spare time.  I didn't understand anything since the dialogue was too intricate for my young mind, but after being exposed to James Bond, I knew I would never forget the name.  Then one Saturday night, out of nowhere, I saw "Dr. No" on ABC.  I was confused because the film was nothing like I pictured it, but I watched it anyways, starting a love affair that still continues to this day.
  

"Dr. No" starts off with a British Intelligence Station Chief named Strangways, who gets ambushed and killed in Jamaica.  After British Secret Service gets news of this, they send their best Agent, James Bond 007, to Jamaica to investigate what happened.  He doesn't find much at first, but with clever tactics, he finds that everything leads to Crab Key and the mysterious Dr. No. 

I realize that I didn't say much about the plot, but that's only because not much happens in the "Dr. No".  I know that seems hard to believe, considering what all the recent Bond films have been like, but that's really the case.  It's the first film, so it's likely the filmmakers were just trying to get a feel for the series, and the Bond formula we're all so accustomed too.  Despite being unlike modern Bond films, there is a car chase, fight scene, and beautiful women, including the beautiful Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder.

The star of the film though is Sean Connery.  No doubt, we all know what a great actor he is now, but back then, he was basically unknown besides a few roles.  In fact, he was so unlike Ian Fleming's depiction of Bond, that he was almost passed over until fate changed things.  Everyone has their own preference of Bond, but true fans will always know Connery is the best.  He's sexy, suave, smooth, charming, but at the same time, you know he's knowledgeable and can kick your ass.  Not to mention, his dialogue and accent play well to the character, and he has unbelievable chemistry with everyone in the cast as they'll tell you.  "Dr. No" has some memorable moments, but none more memorable than this one (which reminds me of how Alfred Hitchcock introduces characters in some of his films).

The immortal introduction and soundtrack

So overall, "Dr. No" is a good Bond film.  Not great compared to "From Russia With Love" or "Goldfinger" because the villain doesn't appear much in the film (among some other small flaws), but it's a good introduction to the franchise.  I know some of you are wondering why I gave such a high grade to a "good" film, but my answer is because of the way the film made me feel then, and how it makes me feel now.  After seeing "Dr. No" as a child, I was obsessed with Bond to the point that I played James Bond at the playground more than tag.  Because I'm older, I'm not as addicted to Bond as I was then, but I still love it, and wish I could be him (or at least Sean Connery for that matter).  I know that's impossible, but I can still dream, and "Dr. No" was the first film to get me started on that.  The James Bond franchise may be 50 years old now, but "Dr. No" shows the attraction people have to him, and why he still matters to film lovers everywhere.    

The Artist

The Artist (PG-13)

Grade: A+

• Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
• Produced by: Thomas Langmann
• Screenplay by: Michel Hazanavicius
• Starring: Jean Dujardin (George Valentin), Berenice Bejo (Peppy Miller), Uggie (Jack The Dog), John Goodman (Al Zimmer), James Cromwell (Clifton), Missi Pyle (Constance), Penelope Ann Miller (Doris Valentin), Malcolm McDowell (The Butler)
• Cinematographer: Guillaume Schiffman
• Music by: Ludovic Bource
• Distributed by: Warner Bros (France), The Weinstein Company (US/AUS), Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
• Released: May 23, 2011 (US), October 12, 2011 (France)
• Running Time: 100 minutes/1 hour and 40 minutes
• Language: French

Before seeing "The Artist", I had never seen a silent film before in my life.  I had always wanted to see the films by Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, but I never had enough money to buy them.  By chance when I was with my dad, he bought "The Artist" because he heard rave reviews about it; I had heard all about the rave reviews and Oscars it got too, but I was skeptical because I didn't think a silent film could hold my attention the way a talking film could.  After watching "The Artist" numerous times though, it's safe to say I was wrong.

"The Artist" starts off in 1927.  George Valentin, the most popular silent film star of his time, has just done another smash-hit film.  As he is posing for pictures one day, he is bumped into by a young woman named Peppy Miller.  George laughs off what happens and takes a picture with her, only to have it posted as a front page tabloid, which causes friction in George's home and workplace.  Eventually, Peppy gets a job as an extra at Kinograph Studios, where George works.  She doesn't start out as much at first, but George offers his help to her.  Unfortunately, that decision doesn't help George, who has to deal with Peppy's rising stardom, and talking films, which may jeopardize his film career.

For an Oscar winning film, "The Artist" has a plot that we've seen before, yet the film is wonderful because of the presentation of it.  It's presented in black and white, which gives us a dreamlike sequence, and helps us focus on the acting in the film, instead of the distractions we'd normally have. The acting in the film is good from everyone, but Jean Dujardin steals the show.  His look and charisma makes him look like he really could have been a successful silent film star of this time, and he's quite convincing with his facial features.

The thing that really puts "The Artist" over the top for me though is the soundtrack by Ludovic Bource.  His soundtrack sets the tone for how effective this film is, from the scenes involving dancing, to the scenes of heartbreak.  My favorite song from this film is "In The Stairs".  I won't give too much away, but when this song is used, it's hard to not to shed a tear or feel for what's happening on screen.  Soundtracks aren't usually huge pluses for me, but because this is a silent film, it was more necessary, which stood out to me more.

"The Artist" can be categorized as a lot of things: drama, comedy, tragedy, but it's really a romance in my mind, which is probably why I like it so much.  I've been watching films for well over fifteen years, seeing good and bad romances, but I have never seen love presented the way it was in this film.  Love was shown as simple, and the people cared about each other the way I think people in real life should, just wanting the best for someone.  It's something I look for in my own life, which is why this film means so much to me because I didn't think a film like this could be possible now.  Not just a good romance film, but a silent, black and white romance film, that captures elements of old Hollywood.

I know "The Artist" isn't "City Lights" by Charlie Chaplin, but no film is.  This film is wonderful for it's time, and a film I hope stands the test of time because it really does educate people on how film's used to be.  Some people have said that "The Artist" only won the Oscars it did because it was a silent film, but I don't think that's the case because if that was true, then why aren't there more silent films out now?  It just goes to show that not every film can be that way, which is why I say, give "The Artist" a chance.  If you see the film and dislike it, fine, it happens, but don't judge it without seeing it.  Otherwise, you'll be missing one of the best films and love stories I've seen in a long time.  If you're looking for a movie encompassing a lot, this movie is it.

Calvin and Hobbes

I'm starting this fine Sunday off by paying homage to my favorite comic strip of all time, Calvin and Hobbes.  I don't think I really need to explain what it is since everyone has heard of it before, but for those few people who haven't, the comic strip is about an imaginative six year old boy named Calvin, and his best friend, a stuffed tiger named Hobbes.  Together, they go through their everyday lives, but explore huge issues, such as philosophy, public education, and the government. 

I used to love comic strips, but ever since Calvin and Hobbes and all the other comic strips I loved were disappearing from newspapers, I kept looking less and less.  Hence why today, I'm starting off my day looking at the funnies just like the good ol' days.  If you've never read Calvin and Hobbes before, it's something I highly recommend.