Theater Review: Rise of the Guardians

Every once in a while a new film comes out that moves into the Christmas rotation of films that must be watched each Christmas. Does this one make the cut?

After years of waiting in the shadows Pitch Black, aka the Boogie Man (Jude Law), has finally figured out a way to get past the guardians and take over the children of the world - through their dreams - in Rise of the Guardians.

The guardians are magical creatures that not only look after us - but they also bring us things every so often. The guardians - they are people we have known for ever, the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin) and the Sandman.

Years ago, the Man in the Moon created another guardian who may have been created just for this reason - to keep Pitch from taking over the children of the world. Of course, Jack Frost (Chris Pine) doesn't know this yet and for years he is left in solitude.

For the guardians, the only way to be seen and interacted with is to be believed in. The main four guardians remain strong as children in the world continue to believe in them. For Jack Frost, though, he is talked about, but mostly is not truly believed in. So, for hundreds of years before being called upon by the guardians - he is alone.

But, during this time he is also following and listening to children - which, despite being the only guardian not really believed in - he understands children even more than the others.

As Pitch begins to take over and ruin the children's belief in the guardians, Frost must grasp what he can do and figure out who he used to be and why he is chosen as a new guardian.

The film looked decent in its trailers, but I have to admit it was even better than I expected it to be. We get a new look at our beloved mythical creatures - and the voice talent is amazing. It was also nice to see the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman get just as much action as the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

This is definitely the perfect edition of yearly Christmas viewings. Great story, with surprising action and humor, and great heart at the center.

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HOT: Road to Perdition

I bought this film when it came out on DVD, which I am guessing was in 2002, and watched it not long after. I had not watched it again. On my first viewing it just didn't grab me like most Tom Hanks films have - and so it sat in my collection unwatched until now.

After a second watch, I think I like Road to Perdition a little more than on my first watch. Hanks stars as Michael Sullivan, who works for a crime lord named John Rooney (Paul Newman) - in what would pretty much be his last film before he died not as a voice actor.

Sullivan and his family, wife Annie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and sons Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) and Peter (Liam Aiken) have a pretty decent life living in the protection of Rooney and the money that is coming in. But, as many have found out, if you cross the Rooney family it may be the last thing you ever do.

Not quite understanding what his father does for a living, and really not having the greatest relationship with his father, Michael Jr. hides in the back of a truck one night when his father and Connor Rooney (Daniel Craig), who is Rooney's son - which I am guessing may be the first time I had seen him in anything - go to talk some sense into an associate when all goes wrong and they are forced to murder him and his associates. The whole event witnessed by Michael Jr.

Sullivan promises both Connor and John that his son would never speak a word of what he saw - but Connor remains unstable and sends Sullivan on a job in order to get him killed - while going to their house to murder the rest of the family.

I have to admit, not really sure I didn't enjoy this the first time around. I really got into it much more this time. The old-time era looked great and some of the characters in the film were just great - including one I didn't mention Harlen Maguire played brilliantly by Jude Law.

Still, I can't rank this too high on the Hanks list of films, but I think it has earned the right to be in a rotation of rewatches whereas before I wouldn't have given it another look.

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12/50x2: Sherlock Holmes

I have to admit that my knowledge of Sherlock Holmes only truly comes from heresy and the Disney film The Great Mouse Detective (even though that is technically not Holmes).

So, my vision for Holmes was not truly what Robert Downey, Jr.'s portrayal in Sherlock Holmes. 


So, Holmes and his partner Watson (Jude Law) are on the hunt for a murderer, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). They capture Blackwood before he kills a woman during what appears to be a ritualistic killing.

Months later, Watson is on the verge of taking off from Baker Street and getting married. Holmes is also visited by Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a thief from Holmes' past. She asks him to find a missing man named Luke Reardon.

Around the same time, Blackwood's tomb explodes from the inside. A gravedigger claims that he has seen Blackwood himself, and when Holmes and Watson check the coffin, Adler's missing man, Reardon is in his place.

I'm obviously doing this review a bit too late, because I actually had to get a jolt to remember what the premise of the film was all about. I don't know if that is a good thing or not.

I do remember somewhat enjoying the film. I also remember that for the entire film I thought Blackwood was Andy Garcia - imagine my surprise.

The main reason I added this to my list is because its sequel came out in December and I figured I should see the first before the next one is on DVD.

That being said, I do hope the sequel is a little bit better then the first. I enjoyed the actors, but the story must not have been that great - especially if I had trouble remembering the plot just a few months later.

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