Houston Blogs: Celeb Blog

Bolt movie review

This election year much attention has been paid to the alleged bias of the media towards one side over the other. This year the bias has been more evident than ever before ... the media loves dogs much more than cats.

Let's just check the scorecard, shall we? Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Benji versus Garfield, Mr. Bigglesworth and that cat that gets squished during the final kiss in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' No doubt about it, the camera loves dogs and when it comes to giving them a leading role: dogs rule, cats drool! This year there are two major films with dogs front and center: 'Marley and Me' which comes out on Christmas day, and 'Bolt' which is in theaters now.

'Bolt' is the story of a young puppy who is adopted from an animal shelter and turned into one of the hottest stars on television. According to the show-within-the-movie Bolt was an ordinary puppy who was genetically altered by a scientist who wanted to protect his daughter, Penny. Now Bolt must use his hyper-speed, laser vision and super-bark to eliminate the bad guys while Penny pursues the Green Eyed Man who has kidnapped her father. Bolt even has a lightning-shaped spot on his fur to emphasis how cool he is. But what Bolt doesn't know is that it's all make-believe. In 'Truman Show'-like fashion, Bolt doesn't realize that everything he does is being filmed and all of his super-powers are the results of well choreographed special effects. It makes for great television, but Penny discovers that by tricking Bolt into thinking all his experiences are real, he is unable to feel what it's like just be dog. After Penny's on-screen character is kidnapped, Bolt, through a complicated set of circumstances, finds himself in the real world, on a cross-country mission to rescue her. Bolt soon learns that he doesn't have the superpowers that he thought he did (I liked how he believes that Styrofoam peanuts are his 'Kryptonite'), and turns to a deceitful alley cat and plucky hamster in a plastic ball to make his way home.

I kind of miss the 'Little Mermaid'/'Beauty and the Beast' days of animation when we didn't know who was giving voice to the characters on-screen, and were able to focus more on the story. But ever since Disney (the parent company of this station) gave an animated realization to Robin Williams' Id as the genie in Aladdin, getting big name stars behind the mic seems to be the S.O.P.. I find myself now marveling at how well the animators capture the facial ticks of the stars almost more than what the characters are doing at the time. While it's great to see Bolt squint and smile just like Travolta, I felt more elation when Bolt acted like a dog (reminding me of my two house-destroying Schnauzers.) Miley Cyrus gives voice to Penny, who likes to take arms-length Polaroid photos of herself and Bolt after every big adventure, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the Cyrus' other dubious self-portraits that have popped up on the internet over the past year.

The film is a lot of fun, though. The group I saw it with was about 40-percent filled with the kids who are obviously the target audience for the film. They squealed every time Mittens, the cat, slammed against a wall or mailbox, and cheered every time Bolt overcame another obstacle. Adults will get a kick out of Rhino the hamster, who believes in Bolt as much as he does his plastic ball, and the bird-brained pigeons the team encounters along the way. Parents should be warned, though, that the film is rated PG and (spoiler alert) there is a scary scene near the end involving Penny and Bolt being trapped in a fiery building that may be too much for the youngest movie-goers. And I'm curious if younger viewers will be able to understand why Penny's agent is more of a bad guy (and therefore subject to more punishment) than the Green Eyed Man who seems to get away scot-free?

If you do go, look for the theaters that are showing the film in 3-D. The technology has come a long way and the glasses fit more like Ray-Ban sunglasses rather than those cardboard red-blue headache-inducers. While the film works well without them, there is a certain amount of depth (there's really no other way to express it) added when the explosions seem to extend beyond the screen's boundaries.

Disney is the parent company of ABC-13

Quantum of Solace Review

Would it kill the man to say a catchphrase just once?!

[PHOTOS: Bond girls through the years]

Daniel Craig is back again as James Bond in Quantum of Solace. It's the 22nd installment in the franchise and thanks to Craig and director Marc Forester it's feeling as fresh as ever. This is the first Bond film that is a direct sequel ... the story begins 20 minutes after the first one ended, so if you haven't seen Casino Royale, prepare yourself for a confusing plot infused with some of the most thrilling action sequences put on film.

If you have seen Casino Royale ... it's still a bit confusing. You had better bring a flowchart. The film begins with a car chase along a cliffside tunnel in Italy. Bond is being chased by some very unhappy Bad Guys who don't want him to get ... somewhere ... and they're chasing him because he ... did something ...

We don't need exposition! There are cars to damage! Windows to break! Doors that have to be ripped off at 60 miles an hour!

Of course we do eventually find out why he is being chased. He is transporting the mysterious Mr. White, who Bond shot in the leg at the end of the last film, to a secret MI-6 interrogation site so they can figure out exactly who he is and who he works for. White is the man who blackmailed Vesper Lynd, Bond's love interest from Casino Royale, into betraying him and her country. As for who he works for ... in the words of Mr. White, "we have people everywhere" ... and moments later the action begins again. While trying to unravel this new conglomerate of evil doers (named Quantum) Bond encounters the Big Bad of the film, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric). Green poses as an environmentally friendly businessman, who is actually coordinating a land grab for Quantum that will give them leverage over an exiled Bolivian military general who they are putting back into power. (They have people EVERYWHERE!) At the same time the General is being pursued by Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko) a Russian-Bolivian agent with her own agenda.

QofS (as I will refer to it from now one because the film title still doesn't make much sense to me) is frenetically paced even when delivering information needed to push the plot along, and that’s the biggest problem. Everything on screen moves so fast that the audience has no time to process the plot without getting lost by what is happening next. There’s a lot to digest, and a lot of it comes by way of high-tech touch screens that are really cool to look at, but don’t look too long BECAUSE THERE’S MORE INFORMATION COMING AND WE HAVE TO GET IT OUT AND YOU HAVE YOUR ASSIGNMENT AND NOW GO AWAY! Whew.

And if the exposition scenes are that exciting, imagine the actual action scenes … so quickly edited and paced that you don’t even get to comprehend how much work went into the fight choreography, or understand how Bond uses the smoke from a burning plane engine to disorient a fighter pilot in pursuit. Craig is more grim in this film than the first one. The Bond franchise has always sparked fantasies of slick super-agents enjoying the best the world has to over while taking down the latest megalomaniac. But in this remaking of the series, the gloss has been stripped away and replaced with a Jason Bourne-ish dose of 'real world'. When Bond gets hurt, he stays hurt, and the blood on his shirt is never easily wiped away. This makes everything more credible even as the fights on top of slippery rooftops or exploding hotels become more implausible. We also get a better understanding as to why Bond never lets himself fall in love. By taking the character back to his pre-007 roots (in the opening sequences of Casino Royale) and following him through these two closely connected adventures it’s as if we are watching the Bond we have come to know and love being put together brick by brick.

Sort of what George Lucas was trying to show with Darth Vader in the Star Wars prequel trilogy but, you know … better. (Sorry I couldn’t avoid another dig at Lucas.)

The series has also given Bond’s boss, M (Judy Dench), more to work with. In this film you can see how deftly she balances the line between bureaucracy and intelligence (never the twain shall meet), and you start to understand why she’s in charge.

But has the series strayed too far? I don’t remember Craig ever introducing himself as ‘Bond, James Bond’ and when asked what he is drinking he lets the bartender answer. Again I ask, would it kill him to say a catchphrase just once? One of the Bond 'girls' has an interesting name, fellow MI-6 agent 'Fields', but we never learn her first name is Strawberry ... and the only cool gadgets are the high tech computers which appear to work like table-top versions of IPhone touch-screens.

And that familiar bass-twang of the James Bond Theme isn’t even heard until the closing credits ... tacked on almost as an afterthought!

Minor complaints, really, and I did enjoy the film. I even plan to see it again just to understand what is going on … but maybe next time we’ll see a complete James Bond movie.

Comic books into movies

So I was in the shower this morning ... (have I already lost the few readers I have?) and it suddenly occurred to me.  We may never have the ultimate Batman/Superman crossover film that comic fans have been waiting for!

Admittedly there are bigger things in the world to worry about.  There's that Russians-invading-Georgia thing, the presidential election is less than three months away and, of course, I'm concerned for the Chinese girl who was not allowed to sing at the Olympics opening ceremony because she just wasn't cute enough.

But for some reason this Batman-Superman thing hit me hard this morning.  In my review of The Dark Knight I remarked that this was finally the true Batman film that I had always been looking for.  Dark, brooding, edgy, violent ... but now that that wish has come true, what have we lost? 

Even though it's based on a comic book I think this Batman is still too close to reality to allow for a man with super strength who can fly.   Bryan Singer did his best to bring a little darkness when he tried to reboot the Superman film series back in 2006,  but it still felt a little plastic, and it doesn't feel like Gotham and Metropolis are even on the same planet.   A sequel to Superman Returns is in the works for 2009 ... maybe then I'll have a better feeling about it.

Speaking of having a bad feeling about things ... Star Wars: The Clone Wars?  Don't you just feel like slapping George Lucas sometimes?

That's all I have to say about that.

- Mike O

Movie premiere

  You’re invited to the Exclusive Texas Premiere of the highly anticipated new CG-animated feature film STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS ^TM Sunday, Aug. 10 at Space Center Houston from 6-10pm!

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the First-Ever STAR WARS Animated Feature Film, before it hits theatres on August 15th! Star Wars:The Clone Wars showcases an entirely new state-of-the-art look and feel to the galaxy far, far away featuring old favorites such as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as exciting new characters like Anakin’s Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano!

Tickets to this private event include entrance to Space Center Houston’s STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS exhibit featuring exclusive movie props, models and artifacts from the highly anticipated film, as well as from all of the previous Star Wars films.

Mingle with characters from the Star Wars 501st Legion and take your place among the first to experience the next generation of the Star Wars Saga!

All proceeds from this event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston/Galveston, Inc.

Seating is limited so visit www.spacecenter.org/movie to purchase your ticket today!

Batman or Mamma Mia this weekend?

It's a big movie weekend and abc13.com wants to help you decide if the two big releases are worth your time.  Our movie reviewer Mike O. hit the theater early to see The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia.

Read his The Dark Knight review

Read his Mamma Mia review

Don interviews the director of Stop Loss

Stop Loss hit DVD shelves last week.  It's one of a recent series of Iraq-war related films that made barely a ripple in the theaters  Lions for Lambs, In The Valley of Elah), but it could find an audience on disc.

It takes a harsh look at 'Stop Loss,' the military's way of redeploying troops after personnel who could otherwise leave the military when their volunteer commitments expire.  It's a controversial policy and that has lead to a controversial film.

Don Nelson spoke with Stop Loss director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) about the film.

Click here to check it out.

Lemme know what you think!

Sneak peek at 'High School Musical 3'

'High School Musical' was the cable TV surprise hit that turned Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens into instant celebrities, and the follow-up 'High School Musical 2' was another major success.  Now 'High School Musical 3' is coming to the big screen.  For those interested in catching the latest scoop on that installation, the official trailer is now available on Disney.com, but of course, it's also hit YouTube.

The film follows characters Gabriella and Troy and the rest of the East High Wildcats through their senior year as they prepare for life after graduation.  The trailer features everything you would expect from 'High School Musical,' including flashy musical numbers, basketball court dance sequences and a romantic duet between Troy and Gabriella.  The movie will feature 10 new original songs.  It's due out on October 24.

Don Nelson takes on Wall*E!

Or more specifically Andrew Stanton, who directed the hit Disney/Pixar film that opened on Friday.

Stanton passed through Houston several weeks ago for an early screening and one-on-one interviews.

Find out what he has to say about why he chose to show an earth clogged with trash, why he made the humans so fat, and the brilliant minds behind the mechanical voices of Wall*E and Eve.

You can click here to check it out!

Enjoy!

Don Nelson talks with Anne Hathaway

This one is not to be missed.  Don spoke with Anne on Thursday morning.  She's quick and witty and her humor's a little edgy, so we've had to rate this one PG-13.

Click here to check it out!

Enjoy!

The Hulk is Incredible again!

If you listen quietly, you can hear it ... that rumbling is the thundering of the speakers from more than 3,500 theaters nationwide showing The Incredible Hulk. 

Marvel's version of the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde tale is back on the big screen again. 

But wait, you say, is this a sequel?  Didn't we just have a Hulk movie a few years ago with a whole different group of actors?  Are we going to have to pay again to see the same story?

The answers ... No-ish, yes and no.  Lemme explain.

Edward Norton is Bruce Banner, a scientist who is exposed to nearly-lethal amounts of gamma radiation and, when he gets angry, turns into a 12-foot tall green-skinned monster with an urge to strike out against anything that gets in his way.   Liv Tyler plays Bruce's One True Love, Betsy Ross and William Hurt is her father, General Thaddeus E. 'Thunderbolt' Ross.

If you've seen the trailer, you've seen the main plot points of the movie.  But don't believe for a second that you have actually SEEN the movie.  That's the same as looking at a roller coaster from the ground, knowing all the twists and turns and loops and thinking it's the same as riding it.  You will want to hop on board for this one.

The film spends very little time on the Hulk's origins.  Most people have the basics down already, so the film opens several months later.  Bruce is hiding out in the slums of Rio De Janeiro (a real location that is as terrifying as anything Hollywood has ever created) looking for the cure.  He is learning to control his anger or, more specifically, his heart rate knowing of the deadly consequences if he gets too excited.  It's also fascinating to see that he's not just trying to hide ... he's trying to disappear.  He knows that even just a drop of his blood could have dire consequences ... and we see it happen.

In short time Gen. Ross, apparently acting without any supervising authority, sends a small squad of elite soldiers to capture Bruce who he considers property of the US Military.   It turns out Bruce was actually trying to update a super soldier serum from World War II. (The same serum, I'm 98% sure, that was used on Steve Rogers leading him to become Captain America ... Marvel really is starting to build their own film universe!)  Ross later uses the serum on Emil Blonsky of the few soldiers who survived the initial assault on Banner/Hulk, and is stunned to see him actually hold his own, for a while anyway, with a fully enraged Hulk.   Ultimately he loses and that leads Blonsky to search for a way to improve his power which ultimately turns him into The Abomination ... a creature that is even bigger and more crazed than the Hulk himself.

So ... why start over?  First of all, the history of comics is replete with re-imaginings of characters origins, so I don't mind that we have a reset just five years later.  While Ang Lee's "Hulk" was well received by critics, comic book fans were a little put off by the deliberate (read: slow) pacing and how even the final battle against his father was hardly worthy of the big green guy.  I also heard people say they didn't like the film because he was a little 'too green and too big' and therefore they could tell he wasn't real (really? You could tell? I'm impressed!)  Still, I think it was a good film.

But The Incredible Hulk is a great film.  There were times during the long final fight that I just found myself smiling because I couldn't believe how much fun I was having.  I think the hardest thing to believe in this film is Liv Tyler as a cellular biologist, and William Hurt as the general.  She doesn't seem to have the gravitas, and he's too insightful to be the cold-hearted gruff commanding officer he needs to be.  Ang Lee was spot on with Jennifer Connelly and Sam Elliott in their respective roles.

And even more exciting is the final scene in the movie which is being spoiled by Marvel's own marketing machine, and causing some confusion, so I won't even say what it is ... but rest assured, Marvel seems to have big ambitions for an ultimate superhero team movie and they are off to a great start.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DON NELSON'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH LIV TYLER

C'ya!

MikeO