Author: Dave

It’s an understatement to say that CGI technology has revolutionized the way we watch movies. When visual effects are working at their best, they fade into the background, allowing the viewer to drop into the movie experience rather than merely marvelling at the spectacle. Such is the case with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and while many might question the need for another film in the series, this is the best example of the year of how visual effects make a movie great.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-movie-review/

For better or worse, I think by now we’ve all grown used to Hollywood’s desperate practice of recycling – sorry, “updating” – movies, TV and cartoons. One by one, the joyful entertainments of our youth have been dragged into the present, covered in a layer of pop-culture sass, and trotted out for our kids to “enjoy”. I wasn’t expecting The Smurfs to be any different, but was pleasantly surprised to find it highly entertaining, and even heartwarming. It’s a great family movie.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-smurfs-movie-review/

As the last of the superheroes assembled for Marvel’s upcoming film of The Avengers, Captain America has a bit of a problem. We’ve already seen two recent films each about Iron Man and the Hulk, and a couple of months back we were introduced to Thor, the very God of Thunder. What now are we to make of a hero who, while operating at the peak of human efficiency, has little else going for him other than a fancy boomerang shield?

That’s perhaps an unfair statement, but in the absence of the more fantastic superpowers, even long-running popular characters like Cap can seem a little boring. Great storytelling is even more important to elevate such characters for movie audiences. Luckily, Captain America: The First Avenger does tell a pretty good story, and earns respect for its costumed hero.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/captain-america-the-first-avenger-movie-review/

Whether or not you’re a Harry Potter fan, you can’t deny that the movies of author J.K. Rowling’s epic tale stand as excellent examples of modern film-making. Made at a breakneck pace over ten years, they have consistently entertained and brought vivid life to the novels, so much so that it is nearly impossible to return to the books now without still imagining the actors, sets and costumes. For an industry that very often disappoints its audiences, this is a remarkable achievement.

And so, the end arrives. As the eighth and final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will not by itself bring in new viewers, and everyone else will see it anyway. A review can only indicate whether the series’ phenomenal quality has been maintained for the finale.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-movie-review/

For the cynical, there is a long list of old Hollywood adages about what movie audiences will go for. One of them is “Everybody loves the talking animals.” Even if it’s true, all the talking animals in the world won’t help you enjoy Zookeeper.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/zookeeper-movie-review/

Just like its robot stars, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is first one thing, and then turns into another. If you’re a fan of the series, the second half of this latest sequel will thrill you with what could be the best action sequences so far. But you might never get to that point, because the first half may drive you from the theatre.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-movie-review/

It hurts a little to have to write this review. Pixar Animation Studios has consistently produced so many wonderful and memorable films over the past 25 years that it seems petty to go after them for dropping the ball once. But drop it they have with Cars 2.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/cars-2-movie-review/

Converting a comic book into a live action movie is always tricky. With decades of context behind them, the visuals and stories in comics are thrilling and highly readable. On film, however, even the most “believable” superhero stories – take Batman, for example – come across looking odd, and sometimes just plain silly.

What then are we to make of Green Lantern, the film about a man who receives a mystical power ring that allows him to fly through space and create any object he can imagine, and who then joins an inter-galactic force of alien peacekeepers? The Green Lantern adventures are one of the cornerstones of the DC Comics stable, with millions of readers and fans. To the uninitiated, however, the premise has always seemed kind of out there, and the fear has been that the filmmakers would treat the whole thing with a sly wink at the audience.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/green-lantern-movie-review/

J.J. Abrams is a movie nerd, and I mean that in the most positive sense of the word. The man responsible for TV’s Lost andAlias, the updated Star Trek, Cloverfield and other sci-fi and action movies has now combined his latest story with memories of Super 8 movie-making in his youth. But with Super 8, he seems to be doing even more, emulating the early films of Steven Spielberg, another Super 8 enthusiast, and a producer here. Whether or not that’s true, the result is a great summer movie.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/super-8-movie-review/

I have to admit, I’ve never really been into X-Men. The concept of a not-so-secret war between and among mutants and the rest of humanity is a great one, but, especially in the movies, we’re always introduced to so many new characters with strange abilities that it takes away from the main story and the characters we know and like.

This is why I was skeptical going into X-Men: First Class, which is yet another origin story, this time of how Professor Charles Xavier came to meet Erik Lehnsherr (the future Magneto) and form his team of mutants. Nearly all the characters are new, and those who do return are played by new and younger actors, the film being set in 1962. Surprisingly, however, this turns out to be a benefit. It still has the same problems, but First Class engages nonetheless.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/x-men-first-class-movie-review/