Reviews Written by Lyra Alluse
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005)
VideoPrice: $7.99 to $14.47 Compare PricesJuly 20, 2006
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July 20, 2006
Xai Huan Duanao Genben Laigen (A Darn Good Film)
1 of 2 Yahoo! Users found this review helpfulPros: Lots of action, minimal romance.
Cons: Lots of things were left unexplained, they killed my favorite character!!
This is not your typical review. I'm not out to convince you to watch the movie or make Firefly your new favorite show. I'm just out to tell it like it is. And that's what I am going to do.
People will always have a difference of opinion. If we all liked the same things, there would be no war and people wouldn't waste internet space complaining about people that do not like the same things that they do. The world would also be boring. So it evens out.
I personally like Firefly and Serenity. I find the series to be a refreshing break from the six years I was forced to watch other people get caught up in the mediocre Star Wars prequels. The story was interesting and kept my attention. The characters were believable and in depth. The music kicked ass (though the CD did not compliment the movie) and the cinematography was excellent.
It was a bit inconsistent from the series, but had the series been finished, I'm sure Joss would have led the story line right up to the movie.
I'm going to take a quick break to be honest about the rest of Joss' work. I find Buffy and Angel to be cliché and a waste of television time slots that they should be giving to Firefly. So don't mistake me as a Joss Whedon fan because I am not. Also don't mistake me as a "brown coat."
While I love the series and movie, I am an author and cinematographer myself so I do not get caught up in fandom. I simply appreciate good entertainment when it comes around. And Serenity was damn good entertainment.
It's fresh, it's honest and it's a gem in a movie arena that's lacking in entertainment. For example; the first two Harry Potter films were good. Then they decided to take it in 'a new direction,' and have the characters wear modern clothing. And lord help us all. Whenever a director says they are going to take a film in a 'new direction,' run away as fast as you can. Because anything they make after that statement will be crap. The last two Harry Potter films were just that. But really I am getting off topic.
After being exposed to so much lack of vision, it was nice to see something that was fresh and exciting. I am looking forward to the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe for the same reason.
I found the story to be superb and enthralling. I found the universe to be unique and eye opening. I thought it was cool that they cussed in Chinese. Any story where there's a good plot, action, minimal romance and great character development is ok in my book. And Serenity has all of these elements.
You can choose to agree or disagree. Difference in opinion is what makes the world go round. But I personally think the series is awesome and should not be overlooked. We have plenty of crappie movies and TV series wasting air space. I'm glad that Joss restored my faith in media. And that in itself is amazing. ...
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A Step into the Wardrobe
Pros: The movie stayed cannon to the book; the actors/ actresses looked like the characters
Cons: The film moved a bit too fast, there was minimal character development
I thought that the Chronicles of Narnia was a great film. It was a bit shaky at times (you could tell that this was Andrew's first live action film), however I found this added to the story and made it more realistic. The music is wonderful and inspiring. The actors/ actresses were more or less how I pictured them in the book.
The only actress that seemed out of place was Tilda Swinton (the white witch), simply because I always pictured the character of Jadis as having dark brown hair and green eyes. This is kind of a stereotype, so I am kind of glad that they decided to give her dreads and blonde hair instead.
All of the weapons, costume designs, props and computer generated characters were on par with Lord of the Rings. The wardrobe was simply beautiful. A true Narnia fan (like me) could pick out all of the little details and be nerdy about it. For example; the wardrobe tells the story of the first book, through the images that are carved into it. Look for this the next time you watch the film. Also...all of the books shown in Mr. Tumnus' study were the exact ones mentioned in the book. Check for this too. Little details like this are scattered throughout the film. They are fun to look out for. It's good stuff. ^_-
The Chronicles of Narnia did not quite live up to my expectations. I almost walked out on this film when I went to see it. But I gave it another chance. I rented it and watched it through with a cup of hot cocoa in my hands. I found that it warmed my heart and even emotionally touched me when I let go of my personal interpretation of the book and chose to view it with Andrew's "realistic" vision. After watching it a second time it became a favorite. I think Andrew took it in the right direction by making it more "real." Making it too magical might have made the story seem cheesy...and just another Disney Stereotype.
(Of course Disney is not on my "nice" list right now. It keeps making crappy sequels. One day, just for that, I shall buy out the Disney "Empire" and return it to its former glory. But that is beside the point.) I felt that the Chronicles of Narnia has more heart and spunk then the first Lord of the Rings movie. And Peter Jackson had prior experience with live action. This was Andrew's first. So give him a break. I bet the first time you made a drawing in art class the teacher had to keep themselves from laughing. Had I been Andrew's teacher I would have been staring at the screen with my mouth agape. This film was pretty damn good for a first time live action. So I give it ten stars.
Ok...so they added a few scenes. I'll admit that they skimped a bit on the character development. And they did cut some things from the book. But if this is what you are all complaining about...take a look at the Fellowship. They didn't even add Tom!! Or Goldberry! Where was the "magical" element in that? So all these people who say it's a Lord of the Rings reject...heh. I suggest going back and watching the first movie again. The Chronicles of Narnia surpassed it by far. Even in music.
My advice to the hard core fan (like myself) is to give the movie another chance. Go back and watch it a couple times. Appreciate all of the extra things they put in the film (for the hard core fans to notice ^_-) and marvel in the fact that they actually took the time to make this movie. Then think of the future. If this is the way they started the series...then I bet it will finish with bang. Look at the Fellowship. It was long, didn't have much of a plot, and the characters were dull if anything else. But by the time Lord of the Rings rolled around, I was balling my eye out. The next two became quick favorites. I was the first person in line to buy copies of the "two towers" and "return of the King" midnight when they were both released. Jackson restored himself and became one of my favorite directions from t ...