Posts Tagged ‘genre’

Bolt

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Review

It’s refreshing to see that the Pixar team, who have literally taken control of the Animation department at Disney, are having a good influence. Bolt is one of the most refreshing, enjoyable, laugh out load movies Disney’s own studios have created in a long time. And the best news is it’s even better in 3D.

The movie follows BOLT, the star of an action, adventure television program where he has super powers. What he doesn’t know is that it’s all fake. After a tense scene where his beloved owner, Penny, is kidnapped Bolt takes off in search of her only to be accidentally shipped off from his Hollywoodhome to New York City. The movie follows his journey back across the country to save Penny. With two oddball travel buddies the movie is set for some hysterical moments, and it delivers.

The opening sequence to Bolt is mesmerising, showing that Disney’s studio is perfectly capable under the right leadership. His journey is familiar and not exactly original but what makes this movie shine is its unique and entertaining characters. With the voice talents of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Sussie Essman and Mark Walton the movie’s characters have a warmth and sparkle to them.

Bolt has now officially sold me on Disney Digital 3-D. Watching the movie in 3D takes your experience to a new level. Ster-Kinekor made a statement when they first released the 3-D movie houses, saying that this is as big a difference as black and white to colour. Although I wouldn’t go that far, it certainly makes any movie that much more enjoyable for both adults and kids. This isn’t 3-D that we’re used to. The picture is crystal clear, no more blurry movies that give you headaches, and the new technology allows for complete comfort. You will still have to wear 3-D glasses, but these are perfectly comfortable and plastic – not cardboard rubbish. In fact they are so comfortable I’ve seen people wearing them as a fashion statement. Needless to say that are definitely not sunglasses but it goes to show how comfortable they are.

Bolt is not the best animated movie ever, but it’s easy to recommend to anybody as a relaxing and entertaining holiday film for the whole family. Don’t miss this one.

8.5/10

Notes

Chris Williams and Byron Howard worked on Disney’s 36th animated feature “Mulan” – Williams was a member of the story team, and Howard was an animator.

The film marks Miley Cyrus’ feature-film debut as an animated character.

Before bringing any pet into your family be sure to learn about the breed and always consider adoption from a reputable shelter or rescue program.

Jesse Clegg

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

Jesse was born in Johannesburg in 1988. By the time he was six months old he was on tour with his father, Johnny Clegg, and between 1988 and 1994 he spent at least 5 months a year on the road. He was a classic road kid and grew up backstage and on tour buses.

Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his father.  He strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible and understood the importance of being able to perform live. He experimented with a number of different instruments – which included saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano – until he settled and focused mainly on guitar.  By seventeen, songwriting was his chief musical focus and it was in this period and the years to follow that he honed his writing skills and put together the songs recorded on the first album.

The single “Today” which was released on radio in mid August 2008 debuted at number one on the Highveld Homebrew Chart, a considerable feat for a debut artist with a debut single and an historical first for Homebrew. The album “When I Wake Up” was released on 1 October.

What makes a movie great?

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

OscarWhat makes a movie great? Is it the actors, the director or the script? Why watch animated movies when you can watch real people acting on the screen?

Movies have been the voice of men and woman throughout their time. They are used as message carriers and entertainment for the masses. Movies can be hated and loved at the same time. They can be successful and the can be disasters, money spinners and money losers. Surely then there must be a formula for the perfect movie, a perfect way to create a perfect movie!

Teenagers seem to have a vendetta against animated movies, they feel that they are for little children and that if they watch animated movies they will be seen as babies! It’s a pity that they think in this way, some of the greatest movies have been animated movies and those movies contain the formula of the perfect movie!

The formula for the perfect movie is not simple. Many have failed to achieve the perfect magic that the formula releases when all the reactants are mixed correctly. The most important ingredient is a good script. The script of a movie is the foundation of all that is to come. No actor, director or producer can make a poor script turn into the magic ingredient it needs to be. So surely before adding any money, time or energy to a film the script should be perfected.

Story telling is what the movie business is all about, the script is the story’s heart. Action movies can be fantastic. Comedies, dramas, musicals can all be great and they can all be terrible to! So how can a script be perfected if all movie genres can be failures and successes? What must the script contain to make sure the movie is a success?

Iron Man

The answer is simple, the best movies are not specific to genre. The best movies are the ones that change your life! The best movies are unforgettable, they make you as a person want to change, and they make you want to be a better person. The best movies make you the main character, they take you somewhere purposeful and don’t waste your time! Some of my favourite movies of all time are Disney movies. The movies have heart, they makes you wish you where in them, interacting with the characters. The acting is done with passion which makes it so much better. All successful actors and actresses act with a passion unique to themselves.

Dark Knight

However, you can’t compare a made for television movie with a big screen movie. What makes movies like Peter Jackson’s King Kong of 2005, the Dark Knight and Finding Nemo so popular? They must have an element that was the same in making them a success. I think after a while the crucial elements become simple. You can watch a movie and know which are missing and which are there. The crucial ingredients are a great script, money, a passionate crew, passionate actors and actresses and a fantastic score!

Wall E

More importantly though is an ingredient that most movies lack, an ingredient that King Kong has but ‘Dude, where’s my car?’ lacks. It’s a moral story line, something that is often subconscious and goes by unnoticed in the greatest movies. It’s a sad but true fact that the world today is in a shambles, we don’t need more rubbish fed to us over and over again! What we need is moral movies encouraging the youth and the world to wake up to what is happening around us. It is not a matter of religion, although God is an important part of it for me. Any person can appreciate good values and morals if they just try hard enough!

School for Scoundrels

Saturday, August 2nd, 2008

Quick Review

Although this movie has its funny moments it seems to be a large waste of a really good concept. It feels as though the writers spent more time on individual gags than a strong storyline.

Rating: 4/10