The Pagan Film Preview - Fall/Winter 2010

Ok, ok, so summer’s movie choices have been a little, um, lame.  For every “must see” (i.e. Scott Pilgrim), there was a “why did I see” (hello, please give me my life back, Expendables).  I promise, the Fall/Winter 2010 season will be a bit better.  Here are some of the Pagan choices coming up…

September

September 24 - Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - Stars: Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving - Director: Zack Snyder
Movie Synopsis: Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by owls of St. Aggie's, ostensibly an orphanage, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's. The film is based on the first three books in the series.

Pros:

– Hugo Weaving!

- Beautiful animation - The animation is gorgeous, but after enduring the 3D lack of wonder in The Last Airbender, I just haven’t been sold on this one.

Cons:

- The AWFUL Trailers - I really am not looking forward to this film.  I saw the trailers and went, “Really?  This is the best you could do with this adaption?”  If you are going for awe inspiring, BE awe inspiring.  This has been done before.  They also used 30 Seconds to Mars music in the trailer.  I HATE THEM - LOL.

October

October 1 - Let Me In - Stars: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins - Director: Matt Reeves

Movie Synopsis: Owen (Smit-McPhee) is an alienated and bullied 12-year-old who builds a tentative friendship with his mysterious new neighbor, Abby (Moretz). Only socializing at night and seemingly immune to the winter climate, Abby reveals her true nature to Owen after her father (Jenkins) disappears and a series of murders grips their town.

Pros:

- A Vampire film with some intelligence

- Fantastic Cast including Chloe Moretz from Kick Ass

Cons:

- Sequel of a foreign film

October 1 – Case 39 – Stars: Renee Zellweger, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, Adrian Lester - Director: Christian Alvert

Movie Synopsis: A social worker (Zellweger) fights to save a girl from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she ever expected.

Pros:

- Solid cast including the highly under-rated British actor Adrian Lester (Doctor Who, Being Human, Scenes of a Sexual Nature)

-  Child as villain – This is one of my favourite thematic elements in film.  If done correctly (i.e. The Bad Seed or The Ring), the results can be frightening.

Cons:

-  Ian McShane – I loved you in Lovejoy, but you really have become a film whore.

- The Title – From the information I have seen, the title is either lame or gives to whole plot away.  Read the Comic Con reviews on IMDB for a good idea of what I mean.

October 8 – My Soul To Take - Stars: Max Thieriot, Emily Meade, John Magaro - Director: Wes Craven

Movie Synopsis: A serial killer returns to his hometown to stalk seven children who share the same birthday as the date he was allegedly put to rest.

Pros:

- Unknown Cast

- The return of Wes Craven

Cons:

- Unknown Cast

- Please stop it with the 3D for everything movies.  Resident Evil: Afterlife is one thing, but come on.  Every horror movie (Saw I’m looking at you) does NOT have to be 3D now.

October 22 - Hereafter - Stars: Matt Damon, Cécile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr - Director: Clint Eastwood

Movie Synopsis: A drama centered on three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. George (Damon) is a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (de France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren), a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each on a path in search of the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe might-or must-exist in the hereafter.

Pros:

- Directed by Clint Eastwood, who has never created a bad film.

Cons:

- Bryce Dallas Howard – Besides the ginger hair, she really has no personality.

October 22 – Paranormal Activity 2 – Stars: Katie Featherston (Paranormal Activity) - Director: Tod Williams

Movie Synopsis: Plot unknown, however, on the official site for the film, after the trailer finishes playing, an image of the nursery room appears, and in the mirror, letters written in what seems to blood spell a message. After flipping the picture horizontally, the message says, "What is happening to Hunter?"

Pros:

- AMAZING trailer with a great hook.  Make sure you follow the above instructions.  It’s very cool!

Cons:

                                                                                        - Could easily fall in to the Blair Witch 2 trap <shutter>.

November

November 19 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I - Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint - Director: David Yates

Movie Synopsis: Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for them, so everything they do must go as planned.

Pros: 

-  It’s Harry Potter!!!

Cons:

- We have to wait to get part two in 2011.

November 24 - Tangled - Stars: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi - Director: Nathan Greno Byron Howard

Movie Synopsis: The long-haired Princess Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but when she falls in love with a bandit who was passing by she must venture into the outside world for the first time to find him.

Pros:

- The Disney computer animated kingdom is thriving after the success of Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

Cons:

- Not a bad point about the movie, but about the state of animation in general.  Why do the Japanese embrace different forms of animation, but Americans can only appreciate computer animated films?  They did not support the endearing The Princess and the Frog, but this one, with all of its probable stereotypes, will top it.  Sad…

December

December 10 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Stars: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley - Director: Michael Apted

Movie Synopsis: Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

Pros:

- Beautifully filmed and executed.

- Simon Pegg as the voice of Reepicheep

Cons:

- Heavy-handed religious allegory that is getting so long in the tooth that Disney stopped making it.

Feel free to post reviews or comments even though I will probably tell you that you are wrong!  Have a great holiday season and happy viewing!