Frozen

Writers/Directors Chris Buck’s and Jennifer Lee’s Frozen is a true joy throughout.  My only disappointment was that I had waited so long to see it.

It’s a wonderful story of two estranged sisters voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel with superb songs created by the team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, which Composer Christophe Beck turned into an absolutely lovely score.

It’s funny.  It’s charming.  And, the world of Arundel, created by Production Designer David Womersley is amazingly beautiful whether frozen or thawed. 

 

It’s no wonder this film was the most viewed over several weeks because it is perfect for families and anyone who likes an uplifting romance…even if they aren’t normally animated film viewers. 

 It might seem counterintuitive, but, if you need a cold weather pick-me-up, go see Frozen.  I give it a 4+  out of 5.

The Legend Of Hercules

Writer/Director Renny Harlin’s The Legend Of Hercules is a throwback to the Steve Reeves B-movies of the ‘50s and ‘60s.  Bigger effects and 3D are the only difference.

That being said, I enjoyed some of those films on TV, when I was a boy, and I think youngsters interested in super heroes will enjoy this movie. 

The effects are well-done, there are spirited action scenes, Kellan Lutz is a descent Hercules, Scott Adkins is very good as the wicked King and Gaia Weiss is quite pleasant to look at.

 

For the intended fan-base, I give The Legend Of Hercules a 3 out of 5.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

Director Justin Chadwick’s Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom plays more like a docu-drama than a dramatic film, but, no matter how one wishes to term it, it still is a powerful story about one of the world’s great men.

Idris Elba gives a superb performance as Mandela and Naomie Harris is excellent as his wife Winnie.

Writer William Nicholson’s screenplay tries to pack too much into the 2 hour and 19 minute movie and that is the reason it loses its dramatic punch to historical recounting.  Exceptions are in the scene with Mandela and his daughter Zindzi, who visits him in prison, and in the last half hour of the film, after he is released from 27 years in captivity.

 

Still, as a history lesson so much needed in today’s world, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom rises above its faults.  It should be mandatory viewing for all members of our Congress and those of all countries around the world.   I give it a 4 out of 5.

Saving Mr. Banks

Director John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr. Banks was not on my to-see list.  Perhaps it was due to its unfortunate title.  However, a few trusted friends said they really enjoyed it, so I decided to check it out.

I’ll start by saying that my initial instincts were correct.  I confess to having a personal distaste…abhorrence, actually…of stories about alcoholism, especially as the affect is has on young children, who witness it in a parent.  Such was the case with T.L. Travers, the writer of the book about Mary Poppins that Walt Disney so wished to turn into a film.

That being said, however, the film is very well made, is quite moving at times and is, often, quite charming. Overall, it is a nice package with great acting, but, in some respects the story didn’t ring true.  I felt we weren’t being told the truth about the struggle between Disney and Travers and the old adage, “History is written by the victors,” kept ringing in my head.  And, after doing a little digging, I discovered the Disneyesque ending wasn’t quite how the story really ended.

Yet, as Disney says (and I’m paraphrasing), art is about restoring order and instilling hope. After all, that’s what Bacon (Shakespeare) did with the resolution of all his plays.  So, I can’t fault the film in that regard.

Putting aside my personal biases, I give Saving Mr. Banks a 3+ out of 5.

Best Films Of 2013-Addendum

Since my posting of Best Films Of 2013, it has come to my attention that the Writers Guild has nominated Before Midnight as an Adapted Screenplay because the characters come from the films Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. While I would argue with that, it is what it is, so I'm changing my 2-way tie for Best Adapted Screenplay to a 3-way tie and adding a new film as Best Original Screenplay.

Best Adapted Screenplay – (a tie)

Terence Winter – The Wolf Of Wall Street

Michael Petroni – The Book Thief

Richard Linklater/Julie Delpy/Ethan Hawke – Before Midnight

Best Original Screenplay

Eric Singer/David O. Russell - American Hustle