Archive for fantasy

Movie Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Posted in Reviews! with tags , , , , , on 12/13/2013 by Taylor Holt

hobbit

Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Luke Goss, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images, Running time 161 minutes, Adventure/Fantasy/Drama

Compare to: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), Beowulf (2007)

It seems impossible for Peter Jackson to make a film under two and half hours these days. It’s not really surprising given the length of the other four middle earth movies are, but does this one feel like the same duration that it is? Well, that depends on whether or not you’ve got to pee.

So while last year’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey may have had one too many nods to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy that made us so familiar with Middle Earth, Desolation picks up where the last one left us and never really misses a beat. Continue reading →

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Movie Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Posted in Reviews! with tags , , , , , on 01/25/2013 by Taylor Holt

h&G

Stars: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Pihla Viitala, Thomas Mann, Peter Stormare

Rated R for strong fantasy horror violence and gore, brief sexuality/nudity and language, Running time 88 minutes, Action/Fantasy/Horror

Compare to: Van Helsing (2004), The Brothers Grimm (2005)

It’s tough to know where to start with this one. Expectations were so low, it would almost have been a feat for creators to meet them.

That being said, this movie is not good. Worse has been made sure, and even worse has already been released this year, but that’s not saying much for this movie either- “Eh, there’s worse out there.” Continue reading →

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Movie Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Posted in Reviews! with tags , , , , on 12/17/2012 by Taylor Holt

thehubbit

Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis

Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images , Running time 169 minutes, Fantasy/Adeventure

Compare to: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Telling a 16 year-old version of myself in 2003 that I would have to wait nearly an entire decade for another of J.R.R. Tolkien’s middle earth-based stories, I would have thought (in my bottomless impatience) “Why even bother making it it’s going to take that long?” But now that the first installment of The Hobbit films is here, I’m glad they decided to do it.

Director Peter Jackson’s return to the series that not only helped reignite people’s love of the stories and launch multiple careers, but change the way movies are made altogether; specifically the technology of motion capture. But aside from anything technical or what went on behind the scenes, this movie is great. Continue reading →

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