Sci Fi Jungle

The Hobbit Trailer

I am so excited about The Hobbit movie coming out this year.  They released two trailers - they look great.  Here is trailer one.

 

John Carter Trailer

This is an upcoming Disney film which is an adaptation from the John Carter of Mars series by Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs. By the way, the first three books in the series are available on Kindle for 99 cents.  What a deal!

I think this is a perfect movie to do a cheesy Hollywood special effects spectacular, because Burroughs meant the stories to be glorified adventure stories.  While Burroughs work actually has  decent literary value and is well written, I call it early pulp fiction because it was intended to be a sensational read filled with adventure.  Its a perfect example of great author elevating popular work above the level of ordinary.  I wonder if Mars sand makes good abrasives?

 

 

Hobbit First Looks Pics from EW

Next

 via www.ew.com

This looks so cool - I am getting excited!

Battle: Los Angeles

I spent time this afternoon watching Battle: Los Angeles.  What an intense movie.  It's really a war movie not as much of a Sci Fi movie, but the fantastcal elements of the aliens and their armour, drones, and ships give an amazing eye appeal to a gritty Marine story.

I am not usually a fan of violent movies, but I have to admit that the violoence fit the plot, and did not come off as gratuitous.  The story was really well done. All in all I would recommend this movie especially as a cathartic experience.  Very emotional!

On an added note - if you are looking for a gps motorcycle console  check out thesource.  (Yes, there is one on LA!)

The Big Bang Movie Trailer

Roger Ebert says "I have no Fing idea what this movie is about, but I like Sam Elliott's hair." 

With it's winkingly ironic title sequence identifying the characters as tropes such as "the Private Eye,"The Gazillionaire Visionary, "The Waitress," it hints at madcap humor.  As soon as I saw Snoop Dog I knew it has to be good.  I mean really.  And that big scary ex wrestler guy, Robert Maillet is in it to boot. 

He's looking for his girlfriend, or the diamonds.  Or to sell gold.

 

 

3rd Party Hubster Review of Skyline

Only here at Sci Fi Jungle can you get straight from the horses mouth, as told to the blogger by her spouse movie reviews written by someone who has not seem the movie.  This is just part of the quality service I provide as someone who faithfully blogs sci fi every weekend when I can eke out a few minutes from chasing my kids around and trying to catch a nap or looking for acne skin care.

 

HUBSTER'S SECOND HAND REVIEW OF SKYLINE:

Although there were some decent special effects there was no plot to speak of, terrible acting, bad writing, and a "leaves you hanging" ending that makes you want your two hours back.

It was terrbile.  He wanted to walk out but he stayed to see what the end would be like, only to find out that there really was no end.  It was very humerous listening to hubster's impression of the guy with his brain in an alien body making an alien howl sound standing over his pregnant girlfriend.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole Review - I give it a "Wings Up"

Today we took the kids (5 and 7 year old boys) to see the movie Guardians of Ga'Hoole.  It was really good!  We saw it in 3-D.

We've been reading the first book out loud at bedtime for the past few weeks.  There is a series of books (15 plus) by Kathryn Lansky.  In the first book (The Capture)  a young owl by the name of Soren lives with his family in the peacful forest of Tyto.  He is a Tyto Albus, a barn owl.  When he falls from the nest (in the book it is intimated that his brother Kludd pushes him) he is captured and kidnapped by other owls and taken to St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.  Once there Soren meets an elf own named Gylfie and they soon learn that St. Aegolius is no place they want to be.

The movie makes significant changes in order to compress a few of the books into one movie.  For one Kludd and Soren are captured at the same time.  But those changes are fine - it allows them to keep the story moving and make for an exciting action packed movie.

While I am not normally a fan of 3-D I think the did an excellent job of subtly using the 3-D t0 make some really beautiful flying scenes.  When the owls are flying we see snowflakes coming at us, water droplets going away from us, and at one point a huge wing is reaching out to the audience.  My 7 year old was engrossed through the entire move and yelled out "His wing is almost touching me!" at that scene.

The story is suitable for kids maybe 5 and up, has a great lesson, and some fighting and action.  My 5 year old was actually bored through it, I think mostly because his 3-D glasses kept falling off his head. (dual diagnosis of small head and antsy kid)  I think he would have liked it better in the 2-D version.  But for a kid who can handle the glasses the 3-D is cool.

 

Kick Ass

We rented Kick Ass.  I thought it was funny at parts, but way too violent for my tastes.  If you like Pulp Fiction kind of stuff you would probably like it. I did watch it all the way through, unlike Pulp Fiction which freaked me out and made me flee screaming.

So basically this movie is not a cosy heated blanket feel good movie, but it does have a sharp bite of humor to it.  The little girl super hero is pretty hysterical.  Her Dad trains her (11 years old) to be a killing machine, and asks her what she wants for her Birthday.  She says she wants a puppy.  Her father is at a loss for words and then she says "I was just F*cking with you Daddy, I really want a butterfly knife."

Despicable Me Review

My family of four gives Despicable Me four thumbs up.  We saw it Saturday, not in 3D.  I am not a huge fan of 3D - I think its ok.  My 5 year old has trouble wearing the glasses and last time we took him to a 3D movie he kept taking them off and just watching the fuzzy film so we went to the regular version.

Despicable me is the story of super villain Gru who has a lightbulb moment when he sees three little orphan girls girls selling cookies.  He has hundreds of minions. who are little yellow guys who look like multiple vitamins.  Between the girls, the minions, and Gru's hysterical attempts to be evil, the movie keeps you laughing.  But it really has a sweet side, with just enough Gru to make it not a sap fest, but genuinely sweet.

I totally recommend you borrow a kid or two to take to see this one.  It's worth it.

Mini Review of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

First I really ought to give you a warning about what sort of Alice in Wonderland fan I am.  My father read me the books when I was a child, me sitting on his lap in our special rocking chair.  When we finished Through the Looking Glass, we started back in again with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

I do really love Tim Burton's work but to tell you the truth, the idea of him "Burtonizing" my beloved Alice was a bit disturbing.  I finally got a chance to watch the movie and in some ways it was what I thought it would be, and in some ways a bit better.

Burton doesn't try to just remake the Alice in Wonderland story, instead he sets this with Alice as a young woman, caught in an uncertain moment in her life as she receives a marriage proposal from a rather banal and un-creative suitor.  She thinks Wonderland was a dream, but back she goes down a rabbit hole and interesting things ensure. 

The favorite characters  from both books are here, including Johnny Depp's crazy eyed Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, and Red and White Queens.  We get to hear Helena Bonham Carter do a wonderful "Off With Her Head!" 

They added a lot of strange story in and made up stuff.  The White Queen's entire character is really expanded upon along with her little pharmacy where she is cooking up all the concoctions.  (I bet she makes the best sleeping pills.). You could tell they had a good time making up a technicolor (and I am sure 3D if you can stand to watch it) world and have a lot of fun with it. 

Me, as a purist, well, I guess the best I can say is that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I'm picky that way.