James' Movie Blog

When it comes to discussing animation studios, many people bring up companies like Disney or Pixar. However, the British animation company Aardman is rarely talked about. This is most likely because the main work that they are known for the most is Wallace and Gromit, and their other works do not get that much recognition. This all changed in the year 2000 when Aardman released their first feature length film “Chicken Run” to popular success from everyone. A co-production with DreamWorks, the movie was hit in both the United Kingdom and United States, and ultimately becoming the highest grossing stop motion animated movie of all time. And the film deserves this recognition. From spectacular animation, to memorable characters, the movie is a special retelling of the classic film “The Great Escape”, but for a much younger crowd. Although there is one minor complaint that deters the film greatly, the rest of the movie is quite good. “Chicken Run” is a magnificent production, showcasing on...

Jim Henson was a man who revolutionized how puppets were portrayed in the media. He helped create programs for television and movies that were aimed at more kid-friendly and family-friendly audiences. Things like 'Sesame Street', 'The Muppet Show', and others had a specific audience in mind. Only on the rare occasions like “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth” did Henson go into more older crowd with its content. That is until now. With “The Happytime Murders”, we get an R-rated feature from Jim's son Brian that gives us a more mature look at puppets. And the end result is... bad. While it's definitely not the worst, the film is just bland, uninteresting, and more importantly, boring. “The Happytime Murders” is not what Jim Henson wanted, but also not what he needed. The story is set in a world where puppets and humans co-exist, however, puppets are mistreated and considered as objects rather than people. One puppet, Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta), is a for...

It's no wonder that Disney is one of the pioneers of animation. They practically invented the art of animation. From their cartoons with easy to recognize characters, to reinventing the fairy tale as we know it, we owe a lot to the Disney Company for transforming many childhoods with great entertainment. And that tradition continued into the 1990s when things really shook up. A new set of management, and animators with a clear vision on how to present a story, Disney eventually found a way to entertain the masses with its creativity. And in 1991, they achieved that form of greatness with their interpretation of the classic fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”. Hailed by many as one of their finest achievements, the film is truly one of their best. From the simplistic story, to the memorable characters and songs, this film has earned quite a lot of accolades since its release. Including a Best Picture nomination, the first time an animated movie would do so. The movie is easily one...

When it comes to action films, one usually thinks of big explosions and lots of violent content from the United States of America. But not from Russia, where one would believe that a violent action movie can take place. Enter “Hardcore Henry”, a Russian production with an interesting twist: the whole thing is shot like a video game. More specifically, from a first person view. While the story, as well as some characters tend to fall off the radar, the action is definitely there. “Hardcore Henry” may be a stupid film, as well as a big gimmick with its concept, but one cannot deny that one will definitely have fun while watching the flick. The story has a man waking up in a lab, and learning that he has been genetically modified to become a cyborg. This man is named Henry, and he has no clue as to what's going on. Before Henry can get his voice recognized, the bad guys come in; Henry escapes and is on the run in Moscow. Henry then meets up with Jimmy (Sharlto Copley) who tel...

In the 1990s, there was a popular show called 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers', that was loosely based on a larger Japanese TV superhero genre that was going on at the time. However, in America, the show that we got was basically Japanese footage of powerful ninjas in colorful costumes fighting guys in rubber suits, and it ended with a giant robot killing a menacing monster. All of this was spliced together with an American teen high school comedy. Needless to say, the show became a huge hit, and a franchise was born that has lasted to this day. Now, while the show has seen many interpretations over the years, everyone knows what a Power Ranger is: A group of costumed teenagers fighting against the powers of evil. So much so, that Hollywood has tried making big screen adaptations, twice, with very mixed results from the critics and cult following from the fans. And now, Hollywood is trying to do the same thing again; this time having its own movie called “Power Rangers”....

Alfred Hitchcock was considered the master of suspense, with almost every movie he made. And for a very good reason. His films always kept the audience guessing, keeping them on the edge of their seats, and wondering what was going to happen next. Plus, there was always a hint of tension with each production Hitchcock worked on, giving the audience something to be invested in. With 1958's “Vertigo”, which could be argued as Hitchcock's greatest masterpiece, is a prime example of what he brought forth to the big screen. However, there are a couple of issues surrounding the film, but the majority of the movie is definitely worth checking out. “Vertigo” may not be the master's greatest work, but it is definitely one of his finest. The story involves a San Francisco cop named John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart), who has acrophobia, or a fear of heights resulting in vertigo, causing the sensation of being dizzy. Hence the title. One day, an old friend asks John to s...

Disney has created a whole slew of characters that a lot people recognize. From Mickey Mouse to Goofy, these and many more have become iconic in the realm of entertainment for many people. But one such character wasn't created by Disney, and that was Winnie the Pooh, originally created by author A. A. Milne. The company created several shorts with the character in question, before settling on a feature film. And that was 1977's “The Many Adventurist of Winnie the Pooh”. While it is obvious that it's just a bunch of shorts to make up a feature length production, the stories themselves are quite memorable, to say the least, With clever scenarios and a huge supply of imagination, “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” is a fun and simple feature that is sure to entertain most everybody. The main story has three individual shorts compiled together to create one big feature. The first involves Winnie the Pooh (Sterling Holloway), or Pooh for short, trying to get some ...