Wallace and Gromit is an international phenomenon that has been around for well over three decades now. During that time, the British claymation franchise has had a number of spinoffs. One such spinoff is Shaun the Sheep, a charming television series that centers on Shaun, a sheep who gets into random adventures on the Mossy Bottom Farm, a a large patch of land in the northern part of England. He then spends each episode avoiding detection from The Farmer. A feature film was inevitable and this summer sees the release of Shaun the Sheep Movie, a farm-grown picture of epic proportions. The film’s soundtrack is equally epic, featuring a robust score from Ilan Eshkeri (Kick-Ass, Layer Cake).
Category Archives: Review
Blu-ray Review: Woman in Gold
When war rocks the world and valuables are stolen or misplaced, said valuables need to be replaced or returned. Art is one type of valuable and in the wake of many wars, such as World War II, these pieces need to be returned to their rightful owners. The latest drama Woman in Gold focused on one such case where the famous painting, Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was stolen from Maria Altmann’s family by the Nazis during that turbulent time. This film follows the true account of Altmann as she attempts to legally take back the painting which is rightfully her’s and her family’s. Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren and a spectacled Ryan Reynolds bring this fascinating story to life but sadly the results are a bit underwhelming.
‘Sensory Stories’ Exhibit at Museum of the Moving Image is an Absolute Delight for the Senses
Technology has always helped guide film and bring it to new heights. Since the beginning of the motion picture camera, people have enjoyed the delights of sound and image. 2015 is seeing even more advanced forms of cinematic storytelling especially at Queens, New York’s Museum of the Moving Image, which has most recently played host to an exciting new exhibition. That exhibition is Sensory Stories, a fully immersive and revolutionary film experience that not only takes audiences on a visual and auditory adventure but also stimulates touch and smell. All of the senses (with the exception of taste) are treated to a truly technological and artistic “trip”.
‘Danny Elfman’s Music From the Films of Tim Burton’ in New York City: Recap
In 1985, one of film history’s greatest and most enduring working relationships began. Not only has the partnership between these two artists inspired some of the best cinema has to offer but it has brought about some of the most exiting and tender music known to man. I’m speaking of course about Danny Elfman and Tim Burton, a musician/film composer and film director respectively who have been delivering hit after hit for three decades. People in New York were recently treated to a number of live performances of Mr. Elfman’s scores as they were played for many a pleased audience in the Danny Elfman’s Music From the Films of Tim Burton at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.
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Staten Island Summer
Saturday Night Live turned 40 this year and during those four decades, the legendary sketch comedy show has been famous for showcasing young talent and quickly ushering them to new and often exciting heights. The new Lorne Michaels-produced sex comedy film Staten Island Summer is a perfect example of this pushing of budding comedic actors into stardom. The film is overflowing with SNL cast members, both young and old. In fact, there are so many SNL players in this movie that at times, it does feel like a massive sketch put on by its players… and it essentially is, with SNL-writer/performer Colin Jost responsible for the raunchy script. Staten Island Summer is a fun, no holds barred, laugh fest that is sure to entertain many an audience.
Animal Planet’s ‘The Last Alaskans’ Shows a Human Side to Wilderness
“It’s easy to die up here… Everything else is work”, says Bob Harte, one of the few residents (and stars) of one of the world’s most desolate and at times, unforgiving areas to live. That area is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, a place where wild animals roam free and people who desire living off the grid can do so in a “simple”, rather rough manner. Animal Planet has recently aired a number of one-hour episodes which brilliantly depict people doing what they do best; survive. The Last Alaskans isn’t your typical reality show as it seamlessly intertwines true stories with actual occasional danger brought on by the harsh Alaskan elements.
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Soundtrack Review: Minions
In the last twenty years, the computer-animated film genre has grown exponentially. Toy Story started things off nicely in 1995 and since then, the movie business has benefited from a bevy of charming tales and brilliant art. The latest computer-animated adventure Minions is taking the world by storm and not only is it a cute film but it features a rather fun soundtrack that, like the film itself, is perfect for both children and adults. Hans Zimmer-student Heitor Pereira is responsible for the film’s score and there are also a couple of popular songs that comprise the vibrant album.
Soundtrack Review: Jurassic World
22 years ago, Jurassic Park forever changed the way audiences saw movies. It was a monumental film and a crowning achievement due mostly to its groundbreaking visual effects and universal sense of wonder and fun. It was a sci-fi adventure film through and through and was one of visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light and Magic’s (ILM) absolute best films. Jurassic Park broke box office records and spawned three sequels, the most recent of which is Jurassic World and its soundtrack, the focus of this review. Michael Giacchino took John Williams’ original formula and added his own style to the proceedings, making for not only a fitting tribute to Mr. Williams’ sound but introduced a new style which combined both old and new. The results are a fresh score that balances action and childlike wonder, something Williams did and continues to do time and time again, especially with his many collaborations with director Steven Spielberg.
Patch Town
In European folklore, it is a widely known myth that babies are born into cabbage patches. The soft leaves act as comforting blankets as the baby is held and eventually delivered. This myth is bizarre, to say the least, and serves as the foundation of the offbeat fantasy adventure Patch Town, a film which combines the styles of Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam and meshes them into a dark, quirky and imaginative fairy little. Few films are as original as this and that’s a real shame because this movie is certainly one for the books.
Soundtrack Review: Poltergeist
In 1982, the horror film genre was given a fresh and original entry in its then already impressive list of pictures. Under the production of Steven Spielberg and the direction of horror genre pioneer Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), a new film and type of fright was created. That film of course is Poltergeist, the insanely creepy and heart-pumping horror/thriller that inspired many an audience to watch scary movies with the lights turned on. The film was a huge success at the time, spawning two sequels, a TV series spinoff and for purposes of this review, a lackluster reboot and subsequent soundtrack album. Both the film and score aren’t exactly works of art but they accomplish the goals they were originally made to do: to entertain.
Unger the Radar 