Coming Soon: Star Wars - The Clone Wars

The latest installment in the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is scheduled to hit theaters August 15th. While there have been other animated adventures in the Star Wars universe n dating back to the Boba Fett debuting short that was part of the much maligned Star Wars Holiday Special in the late 70s, and even though some people could argue that all of the Star Wars prequels were mostly animated with the likes of Jar Jar, Watto and a bazillion clones, this is the first feature length film billed as a completely animated feature.

It's hard to tell exactly where this movie is supposed to fit in to the overall timeline of everything that's been produced—possibly somewhere between the first Cartoon Network animated Clone Wars series and the second one that lead up to the events directly before Episode III: Revenge of the Sith—but this storyline shows Anakin as a Jedi Master with a Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano (the red-faced Jedi in the next two pictures shown below), as they depart on a mission involving crime boss, Jabba the Hutt.


Anyone who has read my reviews in the past would know that I've been a long time fan of the Star Wars universe, but like many people I have hang-ups about what has been done with the prequels. In large measure it seems to me that George Lucas is using the Star Wars galaxy as a portfolio piece for what his company, Lucasfilm, is capable of producing. In so doing, the story lines have tended to be a little shallow.


While the voice impersonations are impressive as can be heard in the trailer, Star Wars: The Clone Wars contains none of the actors who appeared in any of the Star Wars Prequels except for Anthony Daniels as C-3PO; Christopher Lee (impressive that he's in it) as Count Dooku; and Samuel L. Jackson (more impressive...) as Mace Windu.


From Warner Bros press materials, here is a synopsis of the story:

As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace. More and more systems are falling prey to the forces of the dark side as the Galactic Republic slips further and further under the sway of the Separatists and their never-ending droid army.

Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano find themselves on a mission with far-reaching consequences, one that brings them face-to-face with crime lord Jabba the Hutt. But Count Dooku and his sinister agents, including the nefarious Asajj Ventress, will stop at nothing to ensure that Anakin and Ahsoka fail at their quest.

Meanwhile, on the front lines of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda lead the massive clone army in a valiant effort to resist the forces of the dark side...

Though it may not sound this way, I am optimistic that this will be an enjoyable movie. I'm excited to see what fresh writers and directors have done in this upcoming movie and I'll definitely check it out when it hits the theaters and will probably have my kids right there with me. I just wish it would have been set in an era with a bit more of a blank canvas, like after the fall of the Empire, post Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. If that were the case, we would be watching something where there would be real danger for the main characters, because we know that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and all of the others will make it through whatever dangers they find themselves in because we see them in the later episodes of Star Wars. I think it would be nice if Anakin's padawan, Ahsoka Tano becomes the central character in this movie so when the TV series begins, it's with a fresh group dealing with fresh issues other than Anakin's inevitable dark deeds.

I guess I just have to hope that if this movie and subsequent series are successful, then maybe someday in the future we'll get to see a Television series or movie about the rise of the New Jedi Order featuring an older Luke Skywalker—it's HIS story I'm most interested in hearing told.

Stay tuned to this site for a review once the movie hits the theaters.

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Movie Review: Hancock

We’ve all experienced it before: trailers for movies that seem fill you in on the whole plot before you set foot into the theater. Sometimes they can make you wonder what the point is of going to see the movies if you already know what to expect. So as I was sitting in the theater waiting for Hancock to start, I began running through my mind what I already knew about this movie from all the commercials and publicity.

The first trailer shows him sacked-out on a bus stop bench like a wino. Soon, a boy wakes him up and tells him that there are some bad guys causing problems. Hancock then grudgingly takes off to the save the day. From the trailers that follow we learn that his carelessness causes more damage and problems than the crimes were creating in the first place. We also see Jason Bateman playing someone who is trying to help clean up his image, which he must do successfully because we later see Hancock in a tight leather crime-fighting suit attempting to save the day in a more civilized way.


Will all of this in mind I was worried that I was about to sit through an extended version of what I had already seen, but I was pleased when the movie started and within the first 15-20 minutes just about every scene that had shown up in the trailers and commercials had gone by and there was still plenty of screen time left. It was obvious that the moviemakers had a broad enough story to tell that would go far beyond Hancock’s wayward days.

And what they come up with is exciting! It’s a really fun ride, especially for anyone who enjoys superhero movies and is in the mood for something slightly different. In many ways, Hancock is parody of many of the hero movies out there—kind of an anti-hero or a hero dealing with real world problems. Will Smith does an excellent job conveying the bad attitude needed for us to understand why the good people of L.A. would feel like they’d be better off without him, but he also is wonderful when he needs to let us see the struggles Hancock goes through as he tries to figure out what kind of person he wants to be.


There was one point in the movie, though, once we had gotten beyond everything that was shown in the pre-release publicity, that I was I wasn’t liking the direction the movie was going in. There’s a twist in the story that I wasn’t feeling too crazy about. I won’t reveal what it is because it would spoil much of the movie, but I will say that it was a seemingly implausible coincidence that they ended up explaining in a way that ended up taking away all my apprehension and getting me back into really enjoying the show. By the time the movie was over, it had won me over and I was wishing I could seem more. (By the way, don’t be so quick to get up and leave the theater once the credits start running.)


There may be some people who don’t like the direction that it goes in the post trailer movie, but just keep in mind that it is a super-hero movie and in the end it fulfills that role perfectly. Will Smith once again proves that he is an A-list movie star for a good reason. Jason Bateman is endearing and fun as the struggling PR guy, Ray, who decides to try to change Hancock’s image. Charlize Theron is perfect as Mary, Ray’s wife, who is very cautious about bringing Hancock into their lives. Together they are a great group of actors that I look forward to seeing in many things to come.


Hancock is rated PG-13 for super-hero violence and action, but what makes it inappropriate for youngsters is a large dose of foul language. Recommended for older kids and adults.

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Movie Review: Wall-E

Wow, what can I say? I've been anticipating every new Disney/Pixar release since they wowed me with their first theatrical release, Toy Story. Now Wall•E is out and I'm as impressed as ever!

Set far into the future we encounter Wall-E as he happily labors away at a job he's been doing for the last 700 years, which is cleaning up the Earth.  As he's worked through the centuries, he's developed a few quirks: He's befriended the last living inhabitant of the Earth (that we know of), a cockroach. He watches the songs and dances from Hello Dolly over and over and fantasizes being able to have someone to love and sing to of his own. And he collects things that he finds interesting. Everything from rubber duckies, to lighters. As far as Wall-E is concerned, he's a robot who has it all.

Soon a probe ship arrives at Earth and launches EVE whose mission it is to seek out signs that the planet is once again able to sustain life. Of course, as far as Wall-E is concerned, when he sees EVE it's love at first sight.

From here we embark on a wonderful adventure of Wall-E discovering what has become of the former inhabitants of the Earth as he attempts to stay close to EVE. The wonderful part of this movie is how the simple fact of Wall-E's presence impacts every person he comes in contact with, and changes them all in very positive ways.

Wall•E not only displays Pixar's state-of-the-art expertise in computer animation, but it's also a showcase for the skill level of their animators. There is very little dialogue in this movie at all. Most of everything we learn about Wall-E and the other robots who inhabit most of this film is done through synthesized voices and pantomime. It's quite a joy to watch these seemingly inanimate objects display a wide range of emotions that allow us to empathize with them.

For the first time in a Disney/Pixar film, the future looks bleak. With our planet so polluted that we're forced to evacuate to space and humanity evolving into helpless blobs because the technology they've developed spoon feeds them everything they need, it's really the boldest statement about world issues that Pixar has ever made. I'm sure that many people will take environmental messages from this film, and maybe appropriately so, but the strongest message that I got out of it stems from some of my personal relationships with people who have let their health go so far south that they need full-time caregivers to help them accomplish simple tasks in their daily lives. The message I got from this movie is to never give up your ability to control your own life, whether it's your personal abilities or social freedoms, because if you ever do, it'll take nothing short of a revolutionary effort to gain it back.

Watching this movie, I fell in love with Wall-E in much the same way I fell in love with E.T. when I was a child. My favorite part was in the beginning when we got to see him doing his daily work, and then watch him stop to take in the wonder of the simplest of things. That child-like curiosity is something that I could have watched for hours.

Whether or not you have children, you owe it to yourself to see Wall•E. It's a visual delight and a heartwarming treat that's bound to inspire and touch audiences for years to come!

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Game Review: Lego Indiana Jones

I'm a fan of the Lego Star Wars video games that have come out over the last few years. The classic stories that I loved growing up portrayed with the playful Lego building blocks combined to provide hours of fun with lots of replay value. Naturally, Lego Indiana Jones is a title that I was anticipating and when it was released I got it for the Playstation 2 and the PSP. So far it's been a great game!


Those who've played the Star Wars versions will remember how linear and story-like the levels of those games are. It's easy to play those games and just go with the flow. In contrast, when I first started playing the new Lego Indiana Jones, there were some areas where I felt a little lost. I was nearing frustration when I realized that the nature of this game is a little different in that the levels are more puzzle-like, meant to be explored and discovered much like the world of an adventurer archeologist like Indiana Jones would be. Because of this, gameplay is a lot more casual, and encourages you to take your time. This only gets discouraging when you spend a lot of time trying to figure something out and then realize that you can only accomplish it in freeplay mode with a different character with special abilities. But that just goes to increase the replay value.


The story cut-scenes are light and humorous as they segue from one scene to another. My only complaint, however, is that they don't always handle the plot exposition as effectively as they would if there was dialogue. I found myself having to fill in the blanks for my 8 and 10 year old daughters on a few parts because they haven't seen all the movies and couldn't figure out what was going on.


The cooperative play in the game is rewarding. Playing with someone else makes it a very social game because you really have to plan out how to tackle some of the challenges. I play with my kids and we all have a great time. My non-gamer wife has even joined in and has had a good time. Unfortunately, there is no two player option in the PSP version whatsoever.


So far I haven't been able to determine if there are any differences between the PSP and PS2 versions other than the absence of 2 players for the PSP, so if you're deciding between the two platform versions, that's about the only thing to consider.

All in all, I'd recommend this game for both adults and children. For adults, it's a fun way to relive stories and characters we've grown up with, and for kids it's a great introduction to a movie series that might be a little too scary to watch otherwise.

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Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda

When I saw the first trailer for Kung Fu Panda, I was more interested in the comedic prospects of Jack Black than I was in a martial arts movie set in the animal kingdom. What I wasn't expacting was how wonderfully the comedic acting would be portrayed through animation and how much I would care about all the characters by the end.

Kung Fu Panda is about Po (Jack Black), a panda who is inexplicably chosen to become the Dragon Warrior—the lead fighter of the marial arts team he idolizes. The only problem is that the closest he has come to kung fu training is his fantasies with his action figures in his bedroom. What follows is an entertaining exposition of what can happen when you try to fit a very round, bloated peg into a very square, ultra disciplined and trained Kung Fu hole.



As a long time fan of animation, I was pleased to see how they used very understated animation when the characters were interacting. They never resorted to the over exaggerated, Tex Avery-style of movement that can easily become a crutch for animators—the clearest example of which is Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It was really just a joy to watch the simplest dialogue scenes.

With an excellent cast of supporting voice actors, I was dissapointed that we didn't hear more from them. For example, Jackie Chan was the voice of Monkey, but, sadly, he only had about two short lines. However, I am starting to get a greater appreciation of Dustin Hoffman, who voiced Master Shifu, who'd unfortunately burdened with helping Po become the Dragon Warrior. Even though this is an animated film, Hoffman doesn't shy away from altering his voice and delivery to become the character, when it would have been just as easy to give a straight delivery so that his presence could be instantly recognized—which shows me that improving the quality of the movie was his ultimate goal.



My favorite sequence is when Master Shifu realizes the technique to bring the fighting talent out of Po. I was disappointed when this "special talent" of Po's didn't resurface more than once during the climactic battle with Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane), the snow leopard bent on claiming the title of Dragon Warrior for himself. I thought it would have made that sequence more entertaining than it already was.



I would definitely recommend this movie for the whole family. I don't think any kids would be disturbed by the action in this movie. It's all very stylized and there are very few, if any, visible deaths—although there are a few implied. There is even enough great sophisticated humor in it to keep child deprived adults entertained.

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