By Matt Mungle 

Title: Oz the Great and Powerful

Rated: PG
No doubt that The Wizard of Oz is one of the most watched and timeless classics ever. But did you ever stop and wonder how the Wizard got there in the first place or why the Wicked Witch was so wicked? Even if the answer is no you will have a blast watching the new family adventure film, Oz the Great and Powerful. Full of wonderment, action, humor, and well written wit, this has everything you would expect to see in a revisit to the merry old Land of Oz

The story starts with a struggling carnival magician named Oz (James Franco) who is a self-proclaimed con man and entertaining illusionist. He is used to slight-of- hand gimmicks to make a buck and has no problem sleeping at night. When a hot air balloon he is in runs into a Kansas twister he, like Dorothy years later, is swept away and lands in Oz. He soon discovers that the people think he is the fulfillment of an age old prophecy and that he will save them and their homeland from the wicked witch. Oz must now decide whether to help them or continue his life of selfishness.

In the original movie, you love to hate The Wicked Witch of the West. Her cackling laugh, green skin, and menacing stare make her a top ten villain. Here she is played quite wonderfully by Mila Kunis. We find her character early on as a sweet young witch who is waiting along with everyone else for the foretold wizard. But as the story progresses we find out what exactly makes her so evil and transforms her into Dorothy’s enemy many years later. Kunis seems to be having fun with the role and gets into the wickedness with fervor.

The humor comes mainly from a winged monkey named Finley (voiced by Zach Braff). Soon after Oz lands in Oz he befriends this little guy who swears a loyal service to the wizard. Their relationship is give and take and the monkey is always getting a laugh. The film also adds a jolly bit of fun characters including The Munchkins, The Tinkers and Quadling citizens. They are watched over by Glinda (Michelle Williams) who wants Oz to step up and do the right thing. Like always she sees the good in his heart and desires to help him discover it.

Oz the Great and Powerful is rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language. There is nothing at all offensive in this one, but parents do need to be aware of the scary images. The flying monkeys and the wicked witch are as scary in this one as the original. They become even more alive in 3D, so I would be careful with your tiniest moviegoers and maybe stick with the 10 and up crowd. I give this 4 out of 5 Winkie Guard spears. It is funny, action packed, and delightful for the entire family.

By Matt Mungle

 

Title: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Ten years ago we watched The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and began asking ourselves when Peter Jackson would give us the adventures of Bilbo Baggins now that the trilogy had ended. It was clear then that no one else should be allowed to touch middle earth and the characters that dwell there. Now that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is finally here the bar is raised high and the results should as expected. Which leaves this reviewer a little disappointed.
In case you aren't aware of the story The Hobbit is the prequel to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It is a fascinating book full of marvelous characters and gives us the history of how the ring came to belong to Frodo's Uncle Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman). The great wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) has volunteered Bilbo to help the Dwarfs in their quest to reclaim their home. Both sides are unhappy with this merger, yet they strike an accord and set off. The idea of a Hobbit on a trek with the wizard Gandalf, and a pack of Dwarves; fighting Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and other such nonsense, makes for great movie adaptation.
What fans needed from Jackson more than anything was the beauty of the shire, the majesty of the other worlds, and the darkness of middle earth. The cinematography in the LOTR Trilogy was breathtaking in a time when 3D was unheard of in the mainstream arena. Now it seems this film relied heavily on 3D elements as if that would distract us from the lack of landscape. Most of the three hours had the characters walking around in what seemed like a PBS stage production or a cardboard maze. I kept wondering if Jackson was going to lead us to a place that suddenly exploded on screen, sort of like in Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the black and white door to a land of color. But it never arrived.
The first thought was that Peter was making this for a different audience. The book is certainly geared to younger readers than the LOTR. So maybe the playful, almost Saturday morning cartoon sets and antics were part of the plan. But then when the Orcs show up and the battles occur, there is no question that they are too graphic and violent for anyone under 14. So the two worlds never seem to gel. The details given to the inhabitants of middle earth are incredible. They are fluid and dripping with grossness. I wanted that same detail in the lands traveled on in the journey.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has yet to be rated. Though the story, dialogue, and characters are easily a timid PG, the action, violence, peril and graphic imagery of the Orcs elevates it to a PG-14 or 15. You certainly need to know your kids with this one. I give it 3.5 out of 5 furry feat.

Yes the story is still as enchanting and Freeman is the perfect Bilbo. The nearly three hours fly by as you watch them all encounter trial after trial. It is certainly a film worth seeing, but you have to go in understanding that, like the little Hobbit, you might find it an unexpected journey.

By Matt Mungle 

Title: Life of Pi

Rated: PG
Ang Lee is the master of artistic beauty in storytelling. Like a brilliant painter with a big screen canvas, he creates imagery that enhances the characters and dialogue. We have seen it time and time again yet never was it as important to a film's success as Life of Pi. Each metaphor has to come across as subtle yet powerful. It is a balance that could make or break a movie like this.
Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) is an Indian lad with great insight and a desire for spiritual learning. When a disaster at sea causes him to end up on a life raft with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker (I will not go into how, just trust me it makes sense) every element of his internal fortitude is put to the test. It becomes a cat and man game of survival. It is a story that will move your heart, stir your soul, and offer a feast for our eyes. Regardless if you see it in 2-D or 3-D.
Fans of the bestselling book that the film is based on (yes it was a fantastic book first) will need some convincing before they allow themselves to buy in to a Hollywood version of Pi and Richard Parker. The novel is so cerebral with a soul seeking agenda. It is hard to imagine that those passages could ever make it onto the big screen. But they do. Of course nothing can totally capture one hundred percent of the inner turmoil that Pi goes through. But the film version is able to grab the important elements and the nuggets that stand out in the book and offer them up for all.
If you have never read the book you will still find this movie just as moving and entertaining. Though many scenes will remind readers of passages they forgot, they will also move non readers just as much. That is how masterfully Ang Lee directs each moment. The shots of the open sea, the expanse of the sky, and the well choreographed dance between man and animal is perfection. I am sure they used CGI and all sort of computer enhancements, but they were as seamless as I have seen.
Life of Pi is rated PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril. There isn't an ounce of offensive content to be found. Really young viewers may find the circumstances of young Pi hard to wrap their mind around and the conversations between him and God will be lost. Also animal lovers will find one or two scenes tough to get through. That said, never has a film offered up so much to discuss and contemplate.

Your view of life, faith, and mankind will be jump started and recharged. I give it 4 out of 5 rations. Ang Lee has done what I thought was impossible; to make a film from this story work.

By Matt Mungle 

Title: Silver Linings Playbook

Rated: R
Silver Linings Playbook is a horrible title but luckily a solid film with a cast that includes People Magazine's hottest man alive and the lady who brought Katniss the girl on fire to life
Pat (Bradley Cooper) has been released from a mental institution into the care of his parents (Robert De Niro/Jacki Weaver). He had a slight breakdown but now is focused and determined to mend things with his ex-wife and get on with his life. His plans are derailed a bit when he meets a quirky young woman (Jennifer Lawrence) with issues of her own.
The theme of the film deals primarily with Pat's determination to stay positive even when everyone is telling him his marriage is over. All his dad is concerned about is his treasured Philadelphia Eagles football team. He is a bit compulsive about the team and the weekly, superstitious rituals he goes through to help them win. All this neurotic behavior collides in a film that is full of solid acting and memorable performances. Yet it seems uncomfortable in its own skin. Not enough to make it un-enjoyable but a bit disjointed and out of sorts.
Cooper seems to be trying to break out of the normal mindless comedy he has been known for and sink his pretty grin into juicier roles. Earlier this year he took on The Words and now this one. If anything, this will help him get some recognition as a pretty decent dramatic actor. Lawrence too shows that although a young woman in this biz she can hold her own with seasoned performers.
I love De Niro in this film. At first you aren't sure if you should like his character, but as you see him deal with his own anxiety you start finding more reason to gravitate to him. His obsessions are at times hilarious. And the final showdown between him and Lawrence is the highlight of the film.
Silver Linings Playbook is rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity. It is certainly an adult film in the themes and dialogue. The language is the main reason for the rating and the other content is confined to one brief scene.
I would recommend this for those who like a nice it of acting and a story that is out of the norm. It has a bit of comedy, romance and a lot of family dysfunction. I give it 3.75 out of 5 jogging paths. Many of the scenes were rough around the edges and the flow of the film at times seemed out of kilter.