King Kong

—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters
—8. Production Notes
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

King Kong is an amazing visual and technical achievement; and it’s a pretty good movie as well. Peter Jackson has lovingly crafted a film that not only pays homage to the original, but harkens back to a time when films were made for the pure joy of making a movie, not just a few bucks.

There are some who have said that Kong is too long, but when I finally saw the film, I didn’t feel like that was the case. Certainly I can see where the film could have been trimmed for time (it could easily lose a good twenty to thirty minutes without any negative effects on the narrative), but as it is, King Kong is a well-paced film that flows smoothly through its three-hour running time. Part of what takes so much time is all the characters that Jackson develops in the beginning. Not only do we get some background on our key players such as Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) and Carl Denham (Jack Black), we also get to know several of the sailors that accompany our heroes to Skull Island. We learn that Jimmy (Jamie Bell) was discovered among the cages in the ship’s hold. Mr. Hayes (Evan Parke) has been watching over him ever since and wants the kid to get an education and make something of his life instead of spending it on a tramp steamer. We meet several other crew members, such as Lumpy the Cook (Andy Serkis), who share ominous tales of the island they’re attempting to find. All of this background and character development is fine, but it’s unnecessary because most of the humans are merely tasty, bite-sized treats for the creatures they encounter. Plus, after we leave Skull Island, there’s no resolution to some of these character arcs. We never discover what happens to Jimmy after his harrowing experience on the island. Does he make something of life? Does he even determine to? If you aren’t going to tell me, you shouldn’t make me curious about such things in the first place. There’s also very little resolution for Carl Denham, who brings about disaster with his own ambitions and greed. After Kong meets his untimely demise, I wasn’t sure that Carl had learned anything from what had taken place. A little more closure with this character would have helped the ending feel a bit more satisfying. As for Jack Driscoll, well, he’s really just there to give Kong someone to be jealous of when it comes to Ann’s affections.

Whether or not all these other characters are developed is moot. I’m glad they were, to a certain extent, as it added some depth to the story, but really this story is about Kong and Ann. Obviously there is very little dialogue between these two characters, but it isn’t necessary anyway. Both express so much through their body language and with their eyes that you can tell exactly what they’re feeling; and that’s saying something when it comes to a fictional, computer-generated, thirty-foot gorilla. Because Ann and Kong are so believable, because you feel so much for them, because you truly believe they have developed a very special bond, the final scene at the Empire State Building is incredibly heart-wrenching despite the fact that you know what’s coming. It’s the emotional pay-off of this story, and it’s a big part of what makes this film so special. It’s when the movie focuses on these two characters that it really shines. Naomi Watts turns in an amazing performance as Ann that is worthy of Oscar consideration. She not only has the classic beauty befitting a period piece such as this, but when you consider the fact that she was basically interacting with a giant ape that wasn’t really there, her performance is truly something special. As for Kong, well, you have never seen a CG character brought to life quite like this. Once again, Andy Serkis and Peter Jackson do something truly special with an entirely digital character. Kong is both terrifying (my heart clenched in fear every time I saw Kong’s brow furrow in a mighty glare. It truly makes you want to run) and gentle (have you ever heard a thirty-foot gorilla laugh? You will). You feel Kong’s raw power and his visceral, primal ferocity, but you can also sense something more. There are deeper emotions in this creature, emotions that are strangely beautiful in such a savage beast, and therein lays the tragedy. While all anyone else sees is a terrifying monster, the special insight of a young woman sees that there’s something more, something beautiful about this beast. While the rest of the world sees a monstrous creature that needs to be destroyed, she sees a beast that is gentle and caring; one that she can care about and love in a very special way. You know, we’ve all felt ugly at times—bestial you might say—and it’s in those times when we desperately want, nay, need someone to see through the ugliness, to find a beauty within that can be loved and cherished. The good news is there is One who sees beyond our ugliness and sees something beautiful in each one of us. There is Someone who will always love us for who we are, just as we are, no matter how ugly and bestial we may be. In a world that is always ready to destroy whatever it deems ugly, how comforting it is to know that there is One who will love that which is ugly and make it beautiful.

King Kong may start a bit slow with its meticulous exploration of character backgrounds and detailed set-up, but once Skull Island is reached, things kick into high gear and rarely slow down. Peter Jackson once again proves himself to be a master of special effects as Skull Island is brought to life with a deadly beauty and grandeur. The creature effects are spectacular and creepy, especially in the spider-pit sequence (a sequence that was dropped from the 1933 original due to technical limitations). A depression-era New York City is brought to life with a touch of fantasy so that it doesn’t quite feel real, per se, but is believable nonetheless. The final battle on top of the world’s tallest building (at that time) is hauntingly beautiful in the way that it’s filmed; it’s breath-taking, exciting, and emotional. Some of the effects are so extreme that they really stand out, but it’s all so entertaining that you don’t care if you know it was done in front of a green screen. The action is relentless and at times so extreme that you can’t help but to think “Yeah right, no one could do that and survive�, but again it’s all so entertaining that it’s not at all hard to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. It’s a visceral, primal, exciting experience; exactly what one would expect on a place called Skull Island that’s ruled by a creature known as King Kong.

Peter Jackson obviously loves this story, and it shows in every frame. In fact, he loves it so much that at times he was perhaps a bit over-indulgent in his treatment of it. Still, King Kong is a rare movie experience. I can’t remember the last time I felt this much of “wow� factor, this much of an exciting, thrilling ride at the movies. King Kong makes going to the movies an event again, and that’s something very special in an era of big-budget “event� films that usually disappoint. King Kong is an experience you’ll never forget, and one that’s not to be missed while it’s still on the big screen.

—Overview
—Reviews and Blogs

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

—1. Overview
—2. Reviews and Blogs
—3. Cast and Crew
—4. Photo Pages
—5. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—6. Posters
—7. Production Notes (pdf)
—8. Spiritual Connections
—9. Presentation Downloads

Well, let’s see here. Huge battle scene. Check. Fanciful creatures; some wondrous and beautiful, some hideous and grotesque. Check. A plucky band of heroes willing to stand for what’s good and right no matter the cost. Check. Wise, benevolent, self-sacrificing, powerful character representing all that is good. Check. Cunning, malicious, dark, brutal character representing all that is evil. Check. Grandiose setting with scenic back-drops. Check. Yup, looks like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has all the necessary elements to be the next epic, fantasy/adventure...except for the fact that it’s pretty much missing the epic feel one would expect from such a film. It lacks the intensity and emotional weight of a true epic and instead comes off as a sort of “fantasy/adventure lite�. In fact, “lite� is the word that I think best describes this movie. This isn’t to say that Narnia is a bad film, because it isn’t. In fact, it’s a good, faithful adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved book, but it’s a difficult film to review. Terrible movies are easy to review, as are great movies, because it’s so easy to find words to describe the experience. Average movies, however, are much tougher to review because it’s hard to properly present what one might experience upon viewing. Narnia is definitely an average movie – not terrible, but not great – and hence, it’s hard film to pin down in a review such as this.

Let me begin by saying that Liam Neeson just doesn’t seem to me like the right choice for Aslan. After all, Aslan is perhaps the most important character in this story, and the most crucial to get right, especially to appease fans of the book. However, it felt like he was in Qui Gon mode (the Jedi Master that trained Obi Wan in Star Wars Episode I) while recording his lines, which unfortunately made Aslan seem a bit tame. He definitely nails the compassion, love and wisdom of Aslan, but as for the ferocity and wildness of the famed lion, well, those elements were lacking. Both the book and film state that Aslan is not a tame lion, but he certainly seemed that way on screen. I can’t help but think that James Earl Jones would have been the perfect voice for Aslan, but seeing as he has already voiced a previous lion, that obviously wasn’t a choice. The same goes for Jeremy Irons, who I also think would have made an excellent choice. However, Neeson does do a competent job in bringing Aslan to life, and the special effects for the lion itself are top notch, so although he seemed tame, he was also still quite impressive when seen on the big screen.

The stand out performance in this film probably belongs to Tilda Swinton as the White Witch. She fully embodies this character and perfectly portrays her arrogance, grace, cruelty and malevolence. Plus, she was the only one that I really believed knew how to handle a sword. I know that Peter and Edmund are just kids, but to see them engage in a battle wildly swinging their swords about like...well like children, I was kind of surprised they weren’t instantly killed by the witch’s battle-hardened and trained creatures. Of the four Pevensie children, I thought Georgie Henley, the actress who played Lucy, turned in the best performance. The other actors did decent jobs, but for the most part, I thought their acting was a bit stiff (insert British joke here). Competent is perhaps the best word I can use to describe the performances over all. The Beavers were perhaps the most enjoyable to watch, while Mr. Tumnus unfortunately felt a bit shallow. Again, you won’t be seeing any Oscar material in this lot.

The special effects for Narnia in some places are quite good, and in a very few places, seemed to lack polish. Perhaps with finishing the DVD release of a certain other fantasy adventure series, working on an upcoming, epic monster film with a certain hairy ape, and supervising the effects for this film, WETA found themselves a bit overworked and therefore unable to give their full attention to everything. Still, Narnia comes to life on the big screen in an impressive way. Much of what is seen will delight fans of the book because set pieces so closely matches what one would imagine while reading. The creature effects for the most part are also quite good, though I’d have to agree with Lewis when he expressed concerns about anthropomorphized creatures talking on the big screen. Such a thing works well in the mind of the reader, but some how it doesn’t translate as well onto the big screen for people to see. There were also a couple points where I thought to myself “how did that guy fit into that animal-slash-monster costume, and more importantly, how can he run around like that in it?�, but those moments were few and far between.

Now, for the music. I really don’t know what to say. It was so different from what I expected that I kept alternating from enjoying it and hating it. The score has some elements that made it seem strangely contemporary for such a timeless tale, and at times it was almost jarring how it contrasted with what was on the screen. At other times it blended so well with what was going on that I didn’t even notice it was there, and still other moments the music didn’t lend the emotional punch to a scene that it should have despite its best efforts. In the end, I’m still not sure what to think of the movie score, except to say it gets the job done.

Before I go any further, let me take a moment and lay to rest any fears fans may have of certain elements being lost from page to screen. All the allegorical elements that fans desperately wanted to make sure would be included in the film are there, and not watered down in the least. The scene at the stone table is pretty much exactly what it should be, although it wasn’t quite as dark as I imagined it. Again, “lite� would be a good word to describe it. All those themes of redemption, love, sacrifice and forgiveness are displayed in the movie without compromise, but I have to wonder whether or not someone who isn’t familiar with the book or the Bible would catch them. Sure they may seem familiar to Christians, they already know the story, but for others these themes may not be quite as obvious, and the whole “gospel message� contained in this story will likely have to be explained to the unfamiliar. Still, as I said, this is a very faithful adaptation of the book, and the rumors of things being changed apparently were either unfounded or listened to and influenced some of the editing. There were some early concerns over a rumored change that switched a reference to the Emperor Over the Sea to the Four Winds, but that wasn’t any where to be seen in this cut of the film. However, whether or not the message of this movie will it the life-changing, culture-changing phenomenon many are hoping for seems unlikely.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a good movie, but something was lost in its translation from book to screen. While I still enjoy the Narnia stories as an adult reader, as an adult at the movies I wasn’t nearly as entertained. But then again, maybe I wasn’t supposed to be. This movie seems to be squarely aimed at the 8-12 year-old crowd. Anyone in that age group will find this film to be an awesome experience. Christians will be happy to know that their beloved classic hasn’t been tampered with, and in that regard I think they’ll also love this film. People who haven’t read the book may find the movie to be enjoyable and fun, but not anything special. Fans of fantasy/adventure films will be sorely disappointed by the “lite-ness� of this journey to Narnia, and may have a hard time taking it seriously. In the end, Narnia is a good film that does a competent job of adapting a beloved story, but I don’t think it will meet some people’s expectations and certainly doesn’t even begin to compare to the scale or grandeur of a certain other fantasy trilogy that was written by a contemporary of C.S. Lewis’. Enjoy the journey through the wardrobe while you can, because I have a feeling that it will not reign at the box office for long when another King vies for that throne the following weekend. When that happens, this film will quickly be pushed from the forefront of most people’s consciousness, only to be rediscovered when it returns on DVD.

—Overview
—Reviews and Blogs