Movie Reviews
Oz the Great and Powerful
A dusty Kansas carnival is the setting for the movie the Oz the Great and Powerful, the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. There, we meet Oscar Diggs, or Oz, a show magician. We can tell early on that he is a conman and a player, but he wants to become something extraordinary. As Oscar is racing away from people he deceived, he hops into a hot air balloon that gets sucked into a super strong tornado. When he finally falls out of the tornado, he lands in Oz, with beautiful waterfalls and flowers blooming before his eyes. He meets the three witches of the land: Theodora, Evanora, and Glinda, as well as a flying monkey and a porcelain doll who quickly become his sidekicks. Since he is the “wizard” they and the citizens of Oz have been waiting for, he can become their king and can have all the gold in Oz- but first, he has to con his way into saving them from the evil Wicked Witch.
The scenery in Oz was beautiful- but at some points it seemed too beautiful, like it was fake (which, technically, it was). There was some action in the story, but not a lot. The storyline was an interesting twist to The Wizard of Oz, but comparing it to Wicked, a musical prequel about the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked was definitely better. I was able to predict who turned out to be the Wicked Witch of the West by reasoning (in this movie), but the reason she became that way was not what I expected, and a bit weak in my opinion (it was overacted). Overall, I rate this movie 3.5/5 stars.
The scenery in Oz was beautiful- but at some points it seemed too beautiful, like it was fake (which, technically, it was). There was some action in the story, but not a lot. The storyline was an interesting twist to The Wizard of Oz, but comparing it to Wicked, a musical prequel about the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked was definitely better. I was able to predict who turned out to be the Wicked Witch of the West by reasoning (in this movie), but the reason she became that way was not what I expected, and a bit weak in my opinion (it was overacted). Overall, I rate this movie 3.5/5 stars.
Review by Haley Kim
April 16, 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was recently released on DVD, so when my pre-ordered Blu-Ray copy arrived on my porch, I popped it into the player and watched it. After seeing it on the big screen, I can honestly say the film loses nothing when watching it at home. The story itself, of course, is hardly unexpected, as The Hobbit is the acclaimed prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins as he is taken on an adventure by Gandalf the wizard, Thorin Oakenshield, and his company of dwarves, to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from fearful dragon Smaug.
The film is directed by Peter Jackson, who also directed The Lord of the Rings, King Kong (2005), and The Lovely Bones. Protagonist Bilbo Baggins is portrayed by Martin Freeman, also seen as Tim in The Office. I feel Freeman was very strong in the role, supplying Bilbo with a balance of intelligence, compassion, and bravery. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf, alongside Richard Armitage as Thorin.
The scenery throughout is breathtaking. The colour and sets are simply stunning from rural Hobbiton to the Misty Mountain to heavenly Rivendell. It was filmed in beautiful New Zealand. There were several moments throughout the movie, particularly during panoramic shots, that were indescribable. The score is brilliant, and you’ll be humming the Company’s compelling chorale for hours on end.
If you’re looking for a great movie to watch during Second Breakfast, Elevensies, or any other time, pick The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. There’s something in it for everyone.
Review by Meaghan Allen
April 16, 2013
She's the Man: A movie review by Sidra Rashid.
A while back, I watched my new favorite movie for the first time. Although it’s based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, it’s a different, funnier version of Mean Girls. A weird combination, I will admit, but it works! It’s a bit old, and is not very popular. She’s the Man, starring Amanda Bynes, Laura Ramsey, and of course, Channing Tatum. Amanda Bynes’ character, Viola, is a tomboy, whose school has cut the girls’ soccer team. When her and her friends decide to join the boys soccer team, the coach, the team members, and even her boyfriends laugh in her face. At that moment, she decides she will dress up as her brother, Sebastian, and go to his school to prove that girls are just as good as boys in sports. Along the way, she still has to pretend to be Viola. She gets tangled in a love web with her roommate, classmate, her brother’s girlfriend, and herself! The humor in the movie and crazy characters make you laugh outrageously loud, and will have you quoting for days! The relationships in the movie are funny, and the two main characters have great chemistry on set. A great teen movie for anybody who wants a laugh, or for anybody who wants a movie with a good plot and interesting characters.