Alexander

All reviews - Movies (14)

The Prequel of the Prequel

Posted : 3 hours, 29 minutes ago on 20 August 2008 05:08 (A review of Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

''This is where the fun begins!''

As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace...

Matt Lanter: Anakin Skywalker (voice)

Clone Wars interested me mainly due to the fact it's animated and its another story derived from the saga. As soon as it begins we the audience are thrown straight away into the story, leaving us little time to soak it in but we manage.

Clone Wars, obviously is set between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. If you have ever played the Star Wars: Battlefront series of games then you will be right at home with Clone Wars. We have such things as ship dogfights, infantry skirmishes and frantic chases all displayed with gloriously captured animation.

The main story that Clone Wars executes, is one of Jabba the Hutt's son who has been mysteriously kidnapped. Predictably Anakin and Obi-Wan are chosen to sort this matter out while Count Dooku, Ventruss and Sidious do there best to deter them for their own means. General Grievous isn't in this story at all.

The voices are all recognizable to their respective characters although alot of the original actors who took part on the prequels understandably haven't returned. Two I know of that did decide to return were Anthony Daniels and Samuel L Jackson, who as C-3PO and Mace Windu, give their character's life. Although they are mainly sub characters here.
The new voices such as Tom Kane voicing Yoda, or Ian Abercrombie as Palpatine are pretty spot on with their accurate tones and accents.
James Arnold Taylor voicing Obi-Wan Kenobi does a bit too much of a good job elaborating on the English accent a little too much.
Asajj Ventress, the Sith Assassin wasn't in it as much as I thought she would be. She does however make an evil impression and have a memorable light sabre frenzied battle with Obi-Wan which made for some sparkling show of light and colour.

Another nice thing about Clone Wars is the fact that it's got a perfect blend of humour and seriousness. We are treated to the cute little son of Jabba, the Huttlet, Droids saying dumb comical little remarks, and a new apprentice Padawan in the guise of Ahsoka Tano. She injects the story with some much needed freshness.

So on the whole Clone Wars was alot better than I thought it may be. Some fun and brilliantly captured moments, all animated accurately. Only things I was disappointed with, was that posters misled me with, was the fact Yoda has his light Sabre out. In the film he doesn't even use his Sabre, talk about false advertising. Little things like this or the whole sub-plot and diminishing qualities of narration did spoil some of Clone Wars.

On the whole Clone Wars is a brilliant choice for the family, children or anyone who is a fan of animation or Star Wars. Still love the Clone Wars cartoon series they used to have on TV, which even was 2D had alot of depth to it and artistic vision.
The Clone Wars film does the whole thing in 3D and results in a glorious explosion of light, colour, and fun.

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A fine film about film and the human soul

Posted : 1 day, 1 hour ago on 19 August 2008 07:01 (A review of Cinema Paradiso)

''Life isn't like in the movies. Life... is much harder.''

A filmmaker recalls his childhood, when he fell in love with the movies at his village's theater and formed a deep friendship with the theater's projectionist.

Salvatore Cascio: Salvatore 'Toto' Di Vita - Child

Cinema Paradiso is one of those films you hear made in some kind of reference too many times and ponder, yes, I must watch that one someday.

Unfortunately that day kept passing me, but I now believe this was meant to be, for when I did finally catch, it was a very different film than everybody had been going on about.

The most enjoyable moments to me were the scenes with the child Salvatore (real name in fact Salvatore), or Toto as he is known in the village. A little acting marvel, his face truly lights up brighter than the cinema screen with which he is enraptured, and his scenes with Philippe Noiret as projectionist Alfredo are touching and magical without being overly sentimental (Spielberg could learn a lesson here). I could also have easily believed he would grow up to be the older Salvatore (French actor Jacques Perrin) who returns to the village. The adolescent Salvatore (Marco Leonardi) however bears no resemblance to these two whatsoever and, if I have a complaint, this is it, and so my disbelief was unsuspended for a while.

This notwithstanding, Cinema Paradiso is beautifully framed, lensed, and is enhanced immeasurably by an exquisite score by the Morricones which has become a favourite soundtrack for collectors. As with many of Morricone's scores it was composed based simply on the script and before any filming took place, so that the actors could perform and react to the music and tempos being played in the background of their scenes, a la theatre. According to Tornatore 'Some of the themes that are now in the film were composed right in front of me during those first few days. His music was an inspiration to everyone, whilst Morricone himself states 'The music was born of my collaboration with Giuseppe. It reflects how I was inspired by the story of a boy, in love with a beautiful woman and coming of age in a small town in Sicily. After reading the script I attempted to write music that would aid the film in its slow transformation from comedic and ironic to heavily dramatic'.

He succeeded beautifully.

The movie Nuovo Cinema Paradiso moved me greatly and the feelings are so strong that I can't even describe it. As they say, beauty in terms of human words can only go so far before it becomes meaningless.

It is a film about film, a story about love and friendship and everything that a living human being can feel. A lovely and smart child ,living with a desperate mother waiting for her beloved husband at war,grew up with movies and finally became a famous director.

He once loved a beautiful woman and the woman loved him too. However,as we all know, love is fragile. Love immediately comes to an end the moment it meets with marriage.
So,is there a way that makes love eternal,always smiling at you when you open your eyes in the morning? I had guessed the beginning but I didn't get the fine.That's why it's such a film of greatness and a masterful work.

A Moving Masterful Piece of film that is Cinema Paradiso.

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Fertilizer

Posted : 1 day, 14 hours ago on 18 August 2008 06:01 (A review of Norbit)

''Remember, black people run very fast. But problem run faster.''

''That's kinda racist.''

''Yes, Wong very racist. Don't like black. Don't like Jew either. But black and Jew love Chinese food. Go figure.''

A mild-mannered guy who is engaged to a monstrous woman meets the woman of his dreams, and schemes to find a way to be with her.

Eddie Murphy: Norbit / Rasputia / Mr. Wong

Eddie Murphy thinks he's clever. Eddie Murphy believes he can keep regurgitating his multiple roles in Nutty Professor proportions. Norbit shows us it's getting past the point of being not funny, old hat and completely irritating. Long gone are the days of Beverley Hills Cop and Golden Child or even Coming to America. But why Mr Murphy can pick an amazing film like Dreamgirls, then have the cheek to be in rubbish like this is beyond me.

So Eddie Murphy as Norbit, he plays a loser in this first so called main role. He's an Orphan who ends up being raised by Mr Wong, a Chinese Restaurant owner, who's about the funniest character in Norbit.
Mr Wong surprise surprise is played by Eddie Murphy too. Ends up being a smart cracking, one liner ridden, crease of laughs with his racist disposition.
God knows what possessed Thandie Newton & Cuba Gooding Jr to take part in the Norbit atrocities is beyond me.

Brian Robbins, a TV producer in real life, is maligned here as the director, Jay Scherick and David Ronn (co-writers of the Martin Lawrence-botched National Security) came up with a story of gore, body-function accidents, relentless pummeling of men, women and children of all races, although with more venom and contempt for blacks and Asians than the few token whites suffer.

The movie was offensive on so many levels. The racial humor wasn't funny. There are some lines with attempts at humour that really go too far(My chosen one is a fine example). Many of you who have seen it will understand what I mean. And those who haven't, I hope you don't support this film out of a curiosity, that indeed will kill the cat. Please, wait for Sky or Freeview for this.

I heard that it was Eddie Murphy's brother who came up with this idea. If EM did this as a favor to his brother, he could have done his brother, and himself a bigger favor by bringing Charlie in on a better project and tossing this script.

Eddie Murphy does put effort into his characters as always, but it's wasted energy. His job as Norbit gets lost in the low class, low level so-called comedy. Even though I just saw the film, I had to really remember that his performance as Norbit was decent. All I can think about is how offended I was by Norbit. Eddie Murphy even has the bold audacity to put in a talking dog, that rips off Men In Black and shows Norbit for the unoriginal crass fertilizer that it is.

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Pulp

Posted : 3 days, 2 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:50 (A review of Pulp Fiction)


''Say what again. Say what again, motherfucker, say what one more Goddamn time!''The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.John Travolta: Vincent VegaSamuel L. Jackson: Jules WinnfieldPulp Fiction becomes a bit easier to understand once you realize that it's essentially a black comedy dressed up as a criminal drama. Each of the three main stories begins with a situation that could easily form the subplot of any separate drug comic movie. But something always goes wrong, some small unexpected accident that causes the whole situation to come crashing down, leading the increasingly desperate characters to hilarious conclusions. Tarantino's originality floods from his ability to focus on small details and follow them where they lead, even if they move the story away from conventional plot developments.Pulp Fiction received its share of acclaim and awards, and deservedly so. But that being said, while seen by most as a good film, Pulp Fiction is not regarded as another old vintage classic, or Pulp Fiction is not ensconced in the pantheon of the greatest of the great Hollywood films of all time. Those are for a reason. As good a cinematic achievement as Pulp Fiction is, the fact is that as a film it plows turf that's just way too coarse for comfort. Over-the-top blood, guts, and brains-blown-out violence. Gritty gutter language. Subject matter dwelling in the underbelly of life that goes way beyond seedy or unseemly. And it's all presented in a very graphic way. Some people really like it that way. Hey, I understand. That's what Tarantino wanted too, right? But the simple fact is that such fare isn't for everyone but I loved. In this way its own intentional and unrelenting coarse nature is what self-selects it out of the greatness category. To achieve greatest of the greats greatness it has to be seen that way across the board, amongst every audience. Pulp Fiction by Tarantino's design isn't intended to appeal to everyone. Cleverly he wants to offend and he wants to shock and good old Tarantino pulls it off, just take a look at that basement scene for one of the best shocks in film I've seen. Also a worry for anyone traveling to the US.In addition to these layers, Pulp Fiction also has a lot of humor in it, much of it at times when you know you shouldn't laugh but you do, and also out of situations that you wouldn't laugh at usually. I'm sure some of the parts I laughed at were just because I wasn't expecting something to happen, or maybe I just have a morbid mind, but a lot of the humor came out of the violence.Everyone in the cast had amazing chemistry and bonding with each other, which added believability to a somewhat unbelievable story. The only reason that Pulp Fiction did not get a perfect score is that one scene with Butch and a cab driver went on for a tad too long. Knowing me, though, I'll soon change my mind, but it can still be said that Pulp Fiction is one of the most influential, most adult graphic novel-like movies of the 90's.

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Millar's vision captured and brought to life

Posted : 3 days, 2 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:48 (A review of Sin City)

''So, you were scared, weren't you Goldie? Somebody wanted you dead and you knew it. Well, I'm gonna find that son of a bitch that killed you, and I'm gonna give him the hard goodbye. Walk down the right back alley in Sin City, and you can find anything.''A film that explores the dark and miserable town Basin City and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in the violent corruption of the city.Jessica Alba: Nancy CallahanHow do I describe Sin City? Put in simple terms, the masterpiece Sin City is without a doubt smart, stylish, sexy and sick. It's also violent and funny. Certainly not a film for the whole family, but for those of us who enjoy our movies rated Adult or 18, this flick kicks the head and the gut like a mule, pardon the pun.Sin City for years was a world that only existed on paper in black and white with splashes of colour, but it was enough to make Sin City live and breathe in ways that few others in the medium have ever been able to accomplish. Because Miller's dark, noir overtones painted a very clear, and fully realized visual of every seedy back-alley and strip club, and cheap motel room in the fictional Basin City it became painfully obvious that it was just too visceral a place to ever be real in a way that could be encapsulated on film, or at least we, including Miller himself, thought. We were wrong.This is THE comic movie we have been waiting for and it does not disappoint from the first overly dramatic voice-over to the last frame of the credit scroll. Telling three tales from Miller's world (The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard) the comic transitions from paper to celluloid flawlessly merge. This is especially incredible for something so over the top and stylized like this that it's almost hard to imagine that these are the actors you've grown to know and love for years. But they are and it all comes together beautifully.The cast, crew, and artists involved in making this adaptation a reality should be commended for their service to the idea that a true comic book movie can, in fact, be made without making concessions to the masses, without altering the plot or changing the characters, and still manage to retain the feel that the ink on paper had while creating a truly entertaining film. Much of this film's success can be directly contributed to the fantastic casting job which encompasses an incredibly long list of a-list and up and coming celebs plus a few obscure but cult favorites, I'm talking to you Rutger, who pulled off appearing in this and Batman Begins,plus the tag team direction of Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez. Rodriguez should be particularly touted for pushing Miller to finally do this project, and for leading the way to make this the film that Miller always wanted it to be and that Rodriguez knew he could make.Music is amazing and stylish, Narration perfect, Rosario Dawson & Jessica Alba drool inducing and sexy! Miho, Jackie Boy, Nancy, Gail, Manute...Loving all the Character's who come to life next to their comic-book representations. All three stories within Sin City are well knitted together here, will be interesting when the sequel comes out as it is a prequel.I'd also advise getting hold of the EXTENDED RECUT special edition immediately! Remember in the Cinema, the beginning, the gun Josh uses. It was silenced! Now in this version it's restored to how you saw it in theaters. Each Comic book Story can be seen in order,That Yellow Bastard'', The Hard Goodbye,The Big Fat Girl &The Customer Is Always Right. Gives you the viewer more choice as if your reading the comic. Extra footage really adds more depth to an otherwise perfect adaptation.
Amazing Extended scenes, should be owned by any lover or fan of Sin City.
A Dark Noir Graphic Novel from Frank Millar directed by Robert Rodriguez. Two Geniuses' work i love. Also a mention to Tarantino for that marvelous scene with Dwight & Jackie Boy in the car.
Sin City equals a Graphic Novel masterpiece. Original and noir drenched style.

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Not your typical Western, Genius...

Posted : 3 days, 2 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:47 (A review of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)

''Can't Figure it out, you wanna be like me, or you wanna be me?''


A detailed account of the famous outlaw Jesse James and his relationship with Robert Ford.

Brad Pitt: Jesse James

Casey Affleck: Robert Ford

Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford is another masterpiece from the wonders of 2007. No doubt in my mind the level of detail, of storytelling, of narration that weaves an intricate study of the characters Jesse James and Robert Ford.

A memorable scene for me would be the scene at the dinner table. You really see the love Robert Ford has for Jesse James in the speech, the story he says for him. Beautifully played by Brad Pitt and the wonderfully Casey Affleck.
Brad Pitt plays his role with ease masterfully in control.
Casey Affleck's slurry words and way of speaking is perfectly pulled of and his loving, envy and looking up to of Jesse is mesmerizing to behold.

I love the characters especially Jesse and Robert, how they're fleshed out, not only conflicted with each other but with their inner demons. The greatest weakness the heart within. Reality is moulded to suit the desires and fears of within them thus causing conflict and a level of friction between each other.

Cinematography perfectly executed music like a toy musical clock mystical soothing with melodies and piano playing suited to the era. The running time to me was satisfactory for the degree of detail needed.

What shines most is that the film doesn't try to glorify its main character Jesse into a hero or anti-hero whichever you choose. Nor does it attempt to denounce Robert Ford as a coward thus making the title a little bit hypocritical.

This is a real life tragedy that flows with haunting tones, to put it simply this is not a typical Western, don't be expecting wild shoot outs and all out carnage.
Do expect a tale of greatness, of vision and of precedence that surpasses every aspect in droves.
What helps also is it's based on the novel by Ron Hansen, which is a detailed analysis and biopic of two characters who are multi-faceted.

And no Sheriff Timberlake isn't related to JT :P

Joking aside this is a masterpiece. Wouldn't mind the soundtrack too?
It's not the title or result that is the fascination,

it's the journey...

''Jesse would look over at Bob with melancholy eyes as if the two were meshed in an intimate communication. Bob was certain that the man had unriddled him, had seen through his reasons for coming along, that Jesse could forecast each of Bob's possible moves and inclinations, and was only acting the innocent in order to lull Bob into stupid tranquility and miscalculation.''

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There is indeed blood, a miracle on film.

Posted : 3 days, 2 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:45 (A review of There Will Be Blood)

''There are times when I look at people and I see nothing worth liking.''

A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business in the dawn of the 1900s onwards.

Can you can compare this to No Country? You could but these two are completely different and unique masterpieces.

I drink you're milk-shake...I drink it up!

Daniel Day Lewis=LEGEND, one of his best performances to date, Oscar should be easy!

Now finally onto my review itself. The whole film begins with a form of genius that i have not seen for an age, that bears similarities to Stanley Kubrick's work and 2001:A Space odyssey. I no of no-one else with this unique link from this film which I've hit the nail on the head.
It begins with no dialogue and hauntingly awesome music that impacted my senses. The effect throughout the film of the music composition and score had the same mesmerizing hold on me.

A scene that stays with me is that touching image of Daniel with his son and the baby looks up and touches his face and bristly mustache his is touching, truly beautiful.
Also was crying at the final montage with his son that will make your heart feel weighty while hitting home, pummeling you into a state of disbelief.

PT Anderson delivers his best work with "There Will Be Blood".
Plainview is a misanthropist who paradoxically seeks companionship even as he loathes mankind in general. His investment in oil is motivated entirely by his desire to earn enough money to escape civilization altogether. He loathes religion, dismissing it as a superstition, and entertains human interaction only when he calculates that it is crucial to his oil mining. Daniel Day-Lewis' ("Gangs of New York",''Last of the Mohican's'' ) gripping portrayal of Plainview cannot be over-estimated or doubted for a second. His willful stage presence lends the film a searing intensity that both counteracts and complements the film's measured pacing.

Yet while the story is certainly rich with detail and subtlety, There Will Be Blood is hardly a film of words as I've said already. At times fifteen full minutes will pass without any dialogue at all. The space that fills these stretches of silence greatly enhances the film's sense of space and desolation. Even when characters do speak, nobody says more than necessary. Words are carefully chosen and tersely delivered, and there is much to be read between the lines.

Instead of leaning on dialogue, much of the film's force comes from its gorgeous cinematography. Meticulously detailed and breathtakingly beautiful, There Will Be Blood is visually arresting from the film's beginning to its conclusion.

Similarly, the score (composed by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood) greatly accentuates the film's most dramatic moments. Yet while the music itself is impeccable, the way that Anderson employs it is even more impressive. Violins and sparse percussion rise and fall at unexpected moments, carefully cultivating a sense of unease while still managing to feel natural and well considered.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about "There Will Be Blood" is its minimalism as I may have said previously. In spite of its long runtime (which approaches three hours), the film never feels indulgent or overly complex. Anderson slows down the pacing of the film to a deliberate lurch. This might frustrate impatient viewers, but the approach is ultimately makes the film's several climaxes more rewarding and its emotional peaks more stunning.

"There Will Be Blood" is both visceral and cerebral and hits home on all levels, the rare film that combines the raw emotion of our most human instincts with smart, well-conceived film-making techniques. Well fulfills and exceeds even the hype and capable of meeting even your wildest expectations, Anderson's latest is truly a masterpiece of cinema.

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I Am Entertained!

Posted : 3 days, 2 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:43 (A review of Gladiator)

''My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.''


When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge.

Russell Crowe: Maximus

Joaquin Phoenix: Commodus

Epic, dramatic, heart-wrenching, action packed and dramatic. Ridley Scott's roman historical masterpiece, forget the still good but flawed kingdom of heaven this is the one to watch.

Russel Crowe gives his best performance of his career. The late Richard Harris and Oliver Reed give high performances and a quality that shines timeless etherality. Joaquin Phoenix is an equal cold maddened son who's hunger and thirst for power is a vision to see.

A tale of redemption of a man fighting for good. A cause bigger than himself and to overthrow a tyrant obstructing the birth a republic. Revel in the violence, behold it's beauty and magnificence, wasn't a doubt in my mind that Ridley Scott would reap the rewards of his efforts and win awards galore. People who criticize this film are the same people that ridiculed Blade Runner, Alien, and my message to them is to get stuffed, thats as polite as i can put it.

One of my fave films of all times, one i have watched countless times. Near the beginning in the forests was filmed near my relatives too and I've been. Simply breathtaking scope and settings and the music hits your soul.

I am certainly entertained.

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Mummy but no Big Daddy

Posted : 3 days, 3 hours ago on 17 August 2008 05:37 (A review of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor)

''I hate mummies. They never play fair.''

In the Far East, trouble-seeking father-and-son duo Rick and Alex O'Connell unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a shape-shifting entity who was cursed by a sorceress centuries ago.

Brendan Fraser: Rick O'Connell

Where's Stephen Sommers gone? Rob Cohen isn't the wisest replacements at this franchises third installment's helm.

The previous Mummy's may have suffered from Sommers penchant for OTT characters, tireless action sequences and decidedly diluted CG use, but at least they resulted in huge amounts of fun.
Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell, action hero, poked fun at ridiculously overblown macho-ism while being smug.

Sadly on Mummy 3 Sommers is merely a producer on this belated addition to the franchise. Parachuted into his place is Rob Cohen, director of the dire Stealth, and while he tries in vain to keep things aired, ultimately Cohen's Mummy movie is a cold and lifeless husk.

The Mummy movies have always compared to the Indy series.
Bored, missing the adventure of the past, Rick like Indy is in the process of coming to terms with his own mortality. But this thread is dropped just minutes in when Rick and Evie (Maria Bello, replacing Rachel Weisz, yes I can't get over that flaw and I gasped in the cinema, plus her accent is awful!) recant their retirement and head to Shanghai, where their son Alex (Luke Ford), and Evie's brother Jonathan (John Hannah, stranded as the laughs and main attraction), are placed. And then Li's Emperor is awakened and all hell is unleashed.

Well, waddles loose might be more accurate. There are decent ideas in play,a chase through the streets of Shanghai is enjoyably frenetic and a battle between Han's terracotta army and thousands of zombie soldiers showcases above-average effects. But too often than not the pacing is one sided and hampered by Cohen's decision to shoot much of the action with a Bourne-esque shaky-cam. For a franchise as determinedly old- fashioned as this, it's a bad idea. As for the big fights, they're a complete overblown downer, the much hyped skirmish between Li and Yeoh is over in a flash.

Most of the film's problems begin with the script, by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, riddled with clunky exposition, wafer-thin characters and plot developments that should be a light, pulpy fun, but which instead feel cold and devoid of real aspirations.
The appearance of am allied group of Yetis about halfway through, is just another example of how I cannot take this film seriously. What is it trying to be? Fantasy? History? Myth? It ends up being a cloudy haze of a mess.

Far more disastrous, though, is the decision to shift most of the focus from Fraser onto Ford as Alex, Rick and Evie's son, presumably with one eye on future sequels. Notwithstanding the fact that Fraser looks like he could be Ford's older sibling, the newcomer is lacking emotion, which he may bring a certain physicality to the role, but cannot compete with Rick's carefree charm.

Although Fraser's O'Connell here is a poor husk of the cocky hero who fired up the first Mummy. The one liners are tired and worn out, the heroics forced and routine. And for a series that may be named after its mystical villain but derived its soul and stamina from its hero, that's a void that remains tragically empty.

One good thing remains is the Lynn & Alex which was a private joke at the cinema and really took me by surprise. Mummy 3 isn't too bad but isn't great either like its two predecessors were. I miss Rachel Weisz.

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A New Beginning for Fantasy and Book Adapts

Posted : 3 days, 4 hours ago on 17 August 2008 04:03 (A review of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)

'I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail.''

''Our people, our people. I would have would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.''

''Be at peace, Son of Gondor.''

In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

Viggo Mortensen: Aragorn/Strider

Elijah Wood: Frodo

Ian Mckellan: Gandalf

The fellowship is the heaven version and pinnacle milestone of film like Two Towers & Return Of the King which I feel are all one compact vision.

Fellowship has one of the best prologues I have ever seen in in my life. The part where Boromir is dying and Aragorn is comforting him is one of the most emotional and tear inducing scenes for me.

The WETA effects, camera work, editing, sound and Orchestra work by Hoeard Shore are all dripping perfection.

For this piece of work Howard Shore has created and drawn out a truly beautiful soundtrack to accompany the movie visually. In truth, you can listen to the CD alone and experience the movie, just close your eyes. Howard brings all of the epic moments from the movie to life through the art of music.

To tell the story of LOTR, the cast of the movie was required to do much more than just act but had to tell an epic story of human struggles and emotions, ranging from anger to joy to sadness which spanned over 10 years for the cast and crew. The acting in this movie is beautiful, and nearly flawless. The characters are fleshed out and believable, the relationships are hypnotising, and it is as if the audience experiences everything and is part of the ensuing adventure.

The casting drew together a small group of seasoned veterans, including Lee, McKellan, and Holm, giving the movie a solid backbone of experience and life. The other characters are also played out beautifully, especially that of Sean Bean's. The relationship between he and Mortensen make the story of the movie all the more real. Sean Astin and Boyd also deliver sound performances, but the most unique aspect of the movie is the relationship between Astin and Wood. Seeing the making and the Extended Version, it is much easier to understand, but Astin forged a friendship with Wood during filming, and this was able to make the close bond of the two in Fellowship even more real and powerful.

In conclusion and in essence, Fellowship & LOTR can be credited as many things, because it does something incredibly challenging and does it exceedingly without flaw. Peter Jackson had to adapt from a series of books, he had to capture Tolkiens unique view of writing material, he had to deliver a vivid and real world full of gritty earthy fantasy, and it required its cast to deliver brilliant performances full of emotion, relationships, and conflicts.

Watch Theatrical or Extended Versions both are perfection.

Masterpiece.

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