The Book of Life

The Book of Life directed by Jorge Gutierrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro

Review by Katie Rose

                The Book of Life is a recently released film that has been truly underrated. Colorful, creative, and unique, this children’s movie tells a magnificent tale of self-discovery and love.

V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta directed by James McTeigue

Review by Katie Rose    

                Remember, remember the fifth of November…….perhaps an unfamiliar phrase for those who live outside the UK, but for those who live in it represents a holiday. Other than simply calling it “November 5^th”, it is also known as Bomb Fire Day. This holiday exists to commemorate the time when a man named Guy Faux attempted to blow up the British Parliament.

The Corpse Bride

The Corpse Bride  Directed by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson

Review by Kaite Rose

                 Well it is October, so I have to do at least one Halloween classic!  The Corpse Bride is one of my all-time favorite movies. Considering the glory of stop animation combined with an all-star voice cast, and of course coming from the mind of Tim Burton, there really is a lot to love here.  What I love most about this movie, however, is the characters! And the music is pretty snazzy too!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame  Directed by: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Review by Katie Rose

 

                I know, another Disney film! Well, in my personal life, I just moved to a foreign country (hence my lack of a post last week), and I find in times where so many things are changing, it can be helpful to go back to the familiar. Therefore, there will be Disney! So this film is the highly underrated Disney classic, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, based off the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. It takes place in the city of Paris circa 1482. It has a male protagonist, the unfortunate and deformed Quasimodo, who has been shut up his entire life due to his appearance. There are themes of race, emotional abuse, sexism, and corruption in religion in this film that make it one of the darker, and more deep films Disney has ever produced.

Chocolat

Chocolat Directed by Lasse Hallström

Review by Katie Rose

 

Chocolat is an interesting one. Why? Well because it is one of those very rare specimens that I actually prefer the movie over the book. Shocking, I know! I will explain why I feel that way at the end of the review; however since I think the movie is better, that is what I will be talking about here.

Chocolat is about a French woman named Vianne and it takes place in 1959. Vienne is part of an ancient line of South American women who are called by the north wind from place to place. Her father married her mother when he was in South America, and brought her back to France. Called away by the north wind, however, she eventually ran away with the young Vianne. They moved across Europe, never settling. Vienne and her daughter Anouk now live the same lifestyle. Vienne makes a living as an expert chocolatier, and opens up shops in whatever town she and her daughter land in.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Directed By: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Review By: Katie Rose

                For those of us who are super Disney nerds, there are terms for different eras of Disney animated movie making. There was the Golden Age, which was 1940-1958, and includes classics like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Then there was the Disney Renaissance, which ran from 1989-1999. Those are all the films I grew up with such as The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin. Then something happened. Disney branched out from their normal story telling style, and even animation styles, and created a wide range of films that were financially not very successful. There are many different names for this period of movie making (including the unflattering “Dark Ages”), but I prefer to call it The Experimental Era.  Despite that lack of money that came from these movies, many of them were very good! The one I want to tell you about is my favorite from this time period, Atlantis: The Lost Empire.