Movie Reivews

Around the World in 80 Days, 2004 Starring: Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, et al. Director: Frank Coraci

I've been a Jackie Chan fan for twenty years and have seen most of his movies. Around the World in 80 Days has some clever ideas and good fight scenes. I liked how Jackie's character got his name and how they worked the story out to sort of make sense.

Similar to Shanghai Knights, this is a campy farce, but I still have a hard time with people not acting appropriate for the period. I don't mean racial or gender stereotyping; I mean people are acting with modern ideas and speaking English all over the world. For example, one scene shows our heroes in a Turkish hot tub (bath) as though it was California. Speaking of California, the Governor's role is rather offensive. Overall, I recommend this movie for Chan fans and fans of the Jules Verne story. Karen Woodworth-Roman

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Theatrical Release ~ Daniel Radcliffe

I really enjoyed HP3. Hermione saves the day in this one, so I really like the strong, young, female hero angle. I'm afraid that I still find Ron's facial expressions and emotions to be limited.

I wished that the movie could have been longer. I would have liked more time spent on lessons/life at Hogwarts. (I know I'll have to wait for the deleted scenes on the DVD, but I heard that there probably won't be many.)

I enjoyed the wonderful outdoor scenery, but I also missed seeing more of the inside of Hogwarts. I just heard a couple of spoken words at the end, after sitting through the credits; so I wouldn't call that much of an Easter egg.

Secondhand lions [videorecording] / New Line Cinema ; produced by David Kirschner, Scott Ross, Corey Sienega ; written and directed by Tim McCanlies. [United States] : New Line Video, [2004] 0780646398

A coming of age story that is a real hoot. A boy's unstable mother drops him off at his recently-resurface, inexplicitly rich great uncles' place. What's the truth behind all that dough? Were they bank robbers, murderers, or are all the wild tales that the uncles tell of African adventures true?

Whale rider [videorecording] / South Pacific Pictures, Apollomedia, Pandora Film present in assoication The New Zealand Film Production Fund, The New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air and sponsored by Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen GmbH ; producers, Tim Sanders, John Barnett, Frank Hübner ; written & directed by Niki Caro. Culver City, Calif. : Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, [2003], c2002. 1404943722

The story of a young Maori girl born to be a leader. However, her grandfather, the village elder, keeps searching for a male leader. It is a really touching movie and an interesting look at Maori customs. Keisha Castle-Hughes is radient. I highly recommend WHALE RIDER as well as the book of the same title by Witi Ihimaera.