Ice Age: collision course

DIRECTOR: Mike Thurmeier; STARRING: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah; GENRE: Animation; DISTRIBUTOR: 20^th Century Fox  RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes

Technical assessment : 3

Moral assessment: 3.5

CINEMA rating:  PG 13

Scra (Wedge), with his perrenial obsession to bury his acorn, accidentally activates a spaceship and is launched into outer space. His panic causes the collision on several planets and sends asteroids en route to earth. Some of the asteroids strike the earth during Manny (Romano) and Ellie’s (Latifah) wedding anniversary celebration and almost kills the pack. Afterwards, they learn from Buck (Peggs) that a similar incident happened in the past and caused the first extinction of species and bigger collision is imminent. Together, the herd travel to the site of the first impact—Geotopia—in the effort to launch the remaining magnetic crystals into space and divert the course of the giant asteroid. The plan is challenged by the Geotopians who are kept young by the crystals and the Dromaeosaurs who want the extinction to happen so they have dominion over the animals that will survive. Meanwhile, the characters face their own dilemma. Sid (Leguizamo) is dumped by his girlfriend just before he is about to propose, Diego (Leary) and Shira (Lopez) are dismayed because their fierce looks scare the kids and Manny and Ellie are worried by their daughter Peaches’ (Palmer) upcoming wedding.

While sequels can rely on the success of its predecessor, they have the greater challenge of making sure the story is uniquely strong but connected to the previous, the characters have grown but not changed, the plot development is more exciting and takes off from where the previous film ended. Now that is on top of the prerequisites of a good film. Does Ice Age:  Collision Course deliver?  Not really. One, Sid, Diego and Manny’s frenemy status has lost its appeal after the third installment, the lady loves Ellie and Shira add nothing except their drawing powers as stars.  Besides, the “end of the world” premise has been the resounding theme two sequels ago. Technically and visually, Ice Age remains as exciting and entertaining but so do other animations and they cannot be otherwise, being a Hollywood franchise. Perhaps, the film should have been released as a home DVD instead of a full length feature.

Personal gains versus common good. This is a strong message of the film. Can one give up comfort, pleasure, power for the sake of everyone’s safety and survival? The Geotopians and Dromaeosaurs almost failed the test until they realized the extent of damage and what is really at stake. In real life, we have so many people like them. Those who refuse to give up something because it gives them what they want. Those who will sacrifice others to maintain their status quo. Those who are willing to let others suffer so that they may gain power and riches. But in the end, selfishness will still lead to destruction. Self centeredness will make one lose more. Manny and team knew this from the start, the Geotopians figured that more important than their youth is their survival, the Dromaeosaurs learned that everyone will end up extinct if they insist on dominion.  One wonders when humans will do they same?

The legend of Tarzan

DIRECTOR: David Yates  LEAD CAST: Alexander Skarsgård, Christoph Waltz, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, Jim Broadbent  SCREENWRITERS: Adam Cozad, Craig Brewer  STORY: Craig Brewer, Adam Cozad  BASED ON THE ‘TARZAN’ STORIES CREATED BY: Edgar Rice Burroughs  PRODUCERS: David Barron, Tony Ludwig, Alan Richie, Jerry Weintraub, Mike Richardson  ART DIRECTORS: David Allday, James Hambidge

MUSIC BY: Rupert Gregson-Williams  FILM EDITOR: Mark Day  GENRE: Action, Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Henry Braham  COSTUME DESIGNER:  Ruth Myers  PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Stuart Craig  PRODUCTON COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Pictures, Dark Horse Entertainment, Jerry Weintraub Productions, Riche/Ludwig Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures  DISTRIBUTED BY: Warner Bros. Pictures/Time Warner  COUNTRY: United States   LANGUAGE: English  FILMING LOCATIONS: England, U.K., Gabon  RUNNING TIME: 110 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V14

MTRCB rating:  PG

In this latest spin on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ well-loved story of a man raised by the apes, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) now leads a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, married to his beloved Jane Porter (Margot Robie).   Eight years after he left the African jungles to come to settle down in England with Jane, nobleman Clayton is now being urged to travel back to the Congo by the Belgian King Leopold II on behalf of Great Britain.  Preferring to lead a quiet life of an aristocrat in his London estate, Clayton refuses but is subsequently persuaded by the American president’s envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) who discloses that the Belgian king might be promoting slave labor in the Congo.  Like Tarzan/Clayton, Jane loves the people in the land they both grew up in, and so joins her husband and Williams to Africa.  Meanwhile, the king’s emissary, the wicked Captain Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) is hatching a sinister plot to betray Clayton.

While nothing seems outstanding about the sounds (including music) in The Legend of Tarzan, the sights are a visual treat.  Of course, it’s largely CGI, but there is a marked difference between the pleasure offered by Tarzan’s CGI and that of, say, Transformers or Terminators.  Somehow there is more soul when the action involves God-made creatures being their natural selves than when it shows man-made robots kicking metal ass.  The sight of hundreds of wildebeests stampeding through town is simply awesome, and the ape-man’s eye-popping vine-swinging makes trapeze artistry sans safety nets look like kindergarten stuff.  (Incidentally, not one animal in this movie is real).  Straightforward story-telling serves as the strength of the plot, supported by a well-chosen cast of actors that are a perfect fit for their roles.  The legend of Tarzan preserves the essence of the source material while presenting completely new fiction by incorporating flashbacks of Tarzan’s past into the narrative.  Thus, viewers need not be bored by another re-interpretation of the ape-man classic.  (Besides, how can a film with Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz in it ever be boring?)

There are two things in The legend of Tarzan that might bother the cause-oriented and/or pious viewer.  First, that it is “racist”--in fact, some outspoken film critics have slammed the movie for its white-savior character. It must be noted that while the "savior" figure is a white man, the oppressors (of the black slaves) are also white, therefore he is merely trying to heal the wound that his fellow white men have inflicted.  Second: that it is sacrilegious, since a rosary is used in unholy ways.  The owner of the rosary constantly fingers the beads, giving the impression that he is such a pious man.  Well, as he says, the rosary is made of “Madagascar spider silk”, practically indestructible and tightens as it is pulled loose, and so comes handy when you want to strangle someone to death.  But don’t blink—see what happens when you fake praying the rosary?  He is devoured live by crocodiles.  That’s poetic justice for you.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

DIRECTOR: James Bobin  LEAD CAST: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Matt Lucas, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen  SCREENWRITER: Linda Woolverton  PRODUCER: Tim Burton, Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd  EDITOR: Andrew Weisblum  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Danny Elfman  GENRE: Fantasy Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Stuart Dryburgh  DISTRIBUTOR: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures  LOCATION: United States  RUNNING TIME:   112 minutes

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment: 3.25

CINEMA rating:  PG 13

After three years of sailing in the Straits of Malacca, feisty captain  Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to London only to learn from her mother that their family company and properties have been taken over by her former fiancé.  They may still keep at least her mother’s house but in exchange for her father’s treasured ship.  Alice is not willing to give it up.  On the advice of her butterfly friend Absolem, Alice travels through a mirror to Underland where she reunites with her friends including  the Mad Hatter—Tarrant Hightopp (Johnny Depp) who is sick due to the misfortune that has come upon his family.  To help the Mad Hatter she steals the Chronosphere and successfully travels back to the past after many struggles in time and space.  When the mirror appears again, Alice returns to real time and reunites with her mother who then gives her full support to keep the ship.

A sequel of 2010 ‘s Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass is marked by spectacular visual effects to the delight of the viewers, especially the magical transition into a different time and space. These are put together in a well-developed plot where characters were logically built up. Acting, particularly, Wasikowska, is performed excellently with meaningful delivery of lines. Supporting actors/actresses also did well in their acting and helped keep the focus of the story on the main character, thus making Alice Through the Looking Glass a woman’s film because it highlights female strength.   

Valuing family is a noble attitude and so is honoring the parents. A person who embraces these values may possess innate kindness to value other relationships like friendships and willing to take sacrifices for a good cause.  Alice Through the Looking Glass presents this positive message through the character of an empowered woman. She bravely holds captainship of water navigation in honor of her father, she takes time out to think over crucial decisions and cares for her mother, she knows priorities and when time is of the essence.  While both giving and seeking forgiveness may be difficult for some people, the film projects this value as something that frees individuals from life’s miseries and brings them to a peaceful reconciliation and the truest happiness.  The film is loaded with action fantasy and some dialogues may need the guidance of adults for young viewers to understand.