After wowing audiences with CGI motion capture with The Polar Express, Robert Zemekis set his next spell to be cast over the age-old classic, Beowulf. Obviously, there’s plenty of mystique left in the old tale, even after confusing high school and college English Literature students alike.

Beowulf is one of those stories that we were all forced to read, yet never really understood its grasp. On the one hand, it’s the timeless tale of good versus evil; on the other hand, it’s a philosopher’s nightmare—and darn near impossible to understand. Maybe that’s why after a good half-dozen film adaptations (some good, some awful, and some that are just confusing), no one seems to tell the same story.

Zemekis’ Beowulf, despite its poetic source material, is best viewed as a film of its own merit. Like many film adaptations of classic literature, the filmmakers have taken a number of liberties to fit the story into a two-hour cinematic adventure. This has its own share of strengths and weaknesses. Read more »

I would have thought that by now, that fimmakers would have realized that it’s not just fantasy that moviegoers are interested in watching. It’s good fantasy.

After all, we’ve seen just how stellar The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series have been. Whether we spent the time following the quests of Frodo or Harry, the world has seen its fair share of diminutive heroes. Indeed, we weren’t limited to the small or the young to have that kind of quality storytelling. Other recent triumphs include the stellar Stardust and the sublime Pan’s Labyrinth.

Unfortunately, though, something got lost in the mix when Christopher Paolini’s brilliant Eragon got adapted for the big screen into little more than a celluloid cesspool. I suppose the fact that I’ve never read any of the Seeker novels by Susan Cooper is a blessing in that I’m not going into the film with any sense of expectation. Read more »

Every once in a while, a film about teen angst actually gets it. With a genre that has multiple entries that are built to copy (often badly) the format of the legendary Fast Times of Ridgemont High, teen comedies are often far better at replication than in actually capturing what it’s like to be a frustrated dweeb who’s two weeks away from graduating. Teen comedies are often replete with awkward sex jokes, potty-mouth characters, and an attempt to “get the girl.”

Superbad has all of this, but it works. The brilliance of the script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg is that it presents the greatest reality of teen life: friendship. There’s only one thing more important to high school geeks, and that’s their best friends. Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are the dynamic dweeb duo of the film who must wrestle with the fact that they’ll finally be separated when they go to different colleges in the fall. Read more »

In the surprise delight of the summer, Paramount has delivered Stardust, which is easily one of the most delightful fantasy tales seen in theaters since 1987 when The Princess Bride graced the big screen. Every once in a while, moviegoers are treated to a gem which not only tells a great story, but throws in a touch of magic that enchants a world where flying boats and cackling witches thrive.

Stardust, produced, co-written, and directed by Matthew Vaughn, likely won’t be the blockbuster of the year, which is a shame. Even with an all-star supporting cast, it doesn’t fall into the trap where the stars outshine the lead characters, one of which who actually happens to be a star. Read more »

Teen angst is a major part of everyone’s life, but when it comes to Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), angst explodes into magical proportions. Such is the premise of this fifth film in the popular series. Indeed, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a film about a young boy’s angst as much as it is about subversives in the face of a prevailing darkness.

Since Chris Columbus left with his shucks-darn style of directing, the Potter series has taken a darker turn, mirroring their literary counterparts. In Azkaban, the third film, Alfonso Cuarón introduced the lightning-fast storytelling that would be seen in following films, a technique that director David Yates has used masterfully. The leading actors have all grown up, and thankfully, the films have matured as well. Read more »

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