AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn B. saw 4 Holiday Releases

Holiday Movie Round-Up

by: Lynn b.

Young Black Stallion, Peter Pan, Cheaper by the Dozen, Paycheck

PETER PAN

You probably grew up watching the Disney animated version of this classic book or maybe you saw Robin Williams as an adult "Pan" going back to Neverland in Hook. On stage, Peter Pan is usually played by a woman. Finally, we get a Peter Pan played by a young guy (14-year-old Jeremy Sumpter) and we can enjoy a big screen, live action tale that is closer to the story in the original novel than ever before.

In Edwardian London, we meet the Darling Family. Eldest daughter Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and brothers Michael (Freddie Popplewell) and John (Harry Newell). Their huge St. Bernard Nanna, is their nanny, watching over the kids while adventurous Wendy tells her brothers pirate stories. Outside the window enjoying the tales is Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) who flies, lives in Neverland and never grew up. Wendy's dad George Darling (Jason Isaacs) is a mousy banker who can't climb the corporate ladder. Mom (Olivia Williams) is devoted to her husband and children but Aunt Millicent (Lynn Redgrave) thinks Wendy, at 13, needs to grow up, get her own room and start training to be a "lady".

Wendy is unhappy at this idea but before Millicent can tear her away from childhood, Peter flies in the window all full of energy and adventure and wants Wendy to fly away with him to Neverland where his crew of Lost Boys need a "mom" to tell them stories. Wendy insists that her brothers go too and, after a sprinkle of flying-friendly pixie dust from the jealous Tinkerbell (Ludivine Sagnier) the group is off past the second star to the right and straight on till morning.

In Neverland, Wendy and her brothers meet the boys, some creepy mermaids and of course Peter's nemesis Captain James Hook (Jason Isaacs) who grabs Wendy to lure Peter to a show down duel. Wendy gets to fight pirates for real, be intrigued by Hook and help Peter save the day before reluctantly returning home.

This movie is a lot of fun and very lovely to look at. The art direction places us inside a storybook with brilliant colors and a real fantasy look that makes us feel that we are actually turning the pages as the story unfolds. Newcomer Rachel Hurd-Wood is a charming but feisty Wendy. Jason Isaacs is a hot and alluring yet frightening Captain Hook, Jeremy Sumpter is a cute Peter and French actress Ludivine Sagnier is the most pissed-off, jealous and naughty Tinkerbell you can imagine. Swordfights while "flying' are fun.

If you've read the book or seen the Disney animated film, you'll feel like you've "been there, done that" but this movie is energetic, colorful and sucks you in. There are some surprises as well. And you can think about what is behind the tale; our fears of growing up and leaving innocent childhood behind. Girls in modern times don't have to worry about leaving adventure or freedom behind to be a stiff, obedient mom with no career or dreams as Wendy did. Maybe Neverland is only her dreamworld. We all have them. Be we girls or guys, we remember first kisses and first crushes and Peter and Wendy's story, in that respect, is very "real". Oddly, the only thing that seemed very forced and impossible in this fantasy film is that the entire tribe of Lost Boys could be brought to Wendy's mom and dad who would just suddenly agree to take them all in and raise them! Yeah.. right.

But, hey, this is fantasy and as a dreamworld, Neverland is one of the best. Put growing up on hold for a while and join Peter and Wendy. It's a fun romp.

Rated: PG

Official website

YOUNG BLACK STALLION

Maybe you've rented or purchased The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns, wonderful adventure films made in 1979 and 1983. These featured a young boy who befriended the beautiful horse. Now, on big IMAX screens, you can watch the adventure of the girl who first found the Arabian stallion Shetan.

In North Africa at the close of World War II, Neera (Biana Tamimi) has been sent away by caravan to safety by her grandfather who runs a horse farm. Neera is threatened by raiders led by Mansoor (Ali Al Ameri). She is thrown from her camel as is knocked out. She regains her senses but she's alone, lost in the desert.

The raiders had rounded up some wild horses, taking the mother of a young colt which has been left alone and very wary of people. Neera finds the horse and gradually gains his trust. Together, they find water and start hiking back to Neera's grandfather's horse farm. Finally arriving, Neera is saddened to see that grandad Ben Ishak (Richard Romanus) has lost all his horses except one to a rival breeder (Gerard Rudolf). Only one boy Aden (Patrick Elyas) stayed behind to help out the old man.

Learning about a cross-desert horserace that gives a whole herd of horses to the winner, Neera sees a way to restore Grandpa's stock. Although no girl ever enters the race, Neera starts training her stallion, now named Shetan, to race with her on his back. Neera, disguised as a boy, rides to victory against Mansoor and the rival breeder, thus regaining the herd which includes.. Shetan's mother.

This movie looks fantastic on the big IMAX screen and is the first Disney film to be made exclusively for the large format theaters. Huge deserts, to gorgeous green cliffs and the horse (or horses playing Shetan) are photographed beautifully. This is a wonderful little film (only 45 minutes long) that features bravery, endurance, heart and girl power! Young Biana can really ride like the wind and the horse race is more exciting than any in Seabiscuit. The story is simple and powerful. This is a fun experience for the whole family.

Rated: G

Official website

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN

Hey, if you had 11 siblings, it might be fun to have funny Steve Martin and t.v.'s Bonnie Hunt as your parents! At least family disasters eventually could turn into laugh fests. That's the case for characters played by Hilary Duff and t.v.'s Superman Tom Welling in the comedy film Cheaper by the Dozen.

Tom and Kate Baker (Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt) have a family of 12 kids and live in rural Illinois where Tom coaches a small town college football team. It's chaos, name-calling and fights at breakfast as usual but there's love here. When Tom gets a dream job offer to coach football at a large, big city college, the parents uproot the unhappy kids and move. While Charlie Baker (Tom Welling) has to lose his hotshot quarterback status and misses his hometown girl, Lorraine (Hilary Duff), usually very popular, faces being called a unfashionable country bumpkin by the kids at her new school. The younger Baker kids are also bullied and ridiculed. One sensitive young child feels left out of the new life entirely.

When mom's book about the chaos of raising 12 kids is bought, she leaves on a book tour and dad Tom is overwhelmed trying to coach football and wrangle all his kids unsuccessfully. Once Kate returns, the couple has to decide if their dreams are worth the destruction of their family.

There isn't anything new in this family chaos tale but it's acted and choreographed so well that it's hilarious, warm and fuzzy. Hilary Duff, is very likable in a small role as a big sis. Tom Welling is gorgeous whether sulking or defending his younger siblings. Ashton Kutcher, who gets no credit in the film for some reason, plays the vain actor boyfriend of the family's eldest daughter and he's a riot. The physical comedy, whether it's actors flying through the air or swinging from a chandelier, is silly and well executed. The overall message that career and family don't mix is softened by the fact that, eventually, the parents do manage to do both quite successfully.

If you want to spend a family-friendly Christmas vacation day at the movies at a film that will appeal to all ages and also boasts teen faves Hilary and Tom, this is your ticket. Take your family, best buds or date and enjoy the heart-felt chaos. Be sure to sit through the credits or you'll miss some hilarious outtakes including Tom making out with…. His "mom" Bonnie!

Rated: PG

Official website

PAYCHECK

Remember Harrison Ford in Bladerunner or Tom Cruise in Minority Report? Those films were adapted from a sci-fi stories by Phillip K. Dick. Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman's new film Paycheck is adapted from a short story by the same author. For once, since kicking serious butt in Kill Bill, Uma had to hold back on those awesome martial arts skills and let Ben, her love interest in the film, take the action lead.

Paycheck is about world famous high tech engineering genius Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck), who works on top-secret specialized projects for high-tech corporations. Once a job is complete, his memory is erased back to his date of hire so as not to let him reveal any company secrets. Ben's pal Rethrick (Aaron Eckhart) offers him over 4 billion dollars to work on a strange three-year job for his biotech company. Upon job completion, Jennings' memory is erased. When he "wakes up", instead of the big paycheck, he finds an envelope full of random objects (sunglasses, hairspray, paper clip, etc.) in his bank safe deposit box and is told that he has agreed to forget all payment!

Jennings is suddenly hunted by the FBI and assassins hired by his old pal. Totally confused and with no memory of the last 3 years, Jennings gradually discovers the meaning and intended use for the objects with the help of Rachel (Uma Thurman) a scientist and forgotten love interest who also worked for Rethrick. The two go on a race against time as they put the memory puzzle together before they are captured or killed.

Although this film leaves a lot of logic questions unanswered (don't all movies that play with time or time travel?), like Schwarzenegger's Total Recall, which also played with memory, Paycheck is still a fun popcorn actioner. Some of the effects aren't that new. There's a tiny hologram like Princess Leia in the first Star Wars film and a machine with controls projected on Plexiglas that are operated by touch straight out of Minority Report, etc. But hey, they still look neat and work well. Director John Woo, again uses his Hong Kong action abilities to give us a tense thriller with a very cool motorcycle chase and clever action. Ben and Uma make a really formidable action couple. There is a good message in the movie about fate, and hope, looking into or playing with the future, etc.

Rated: PG-13

Official website