Beauty and the Beast Trailer: Golden Globe Awards Preview

2017 is already looking up. Emma Watson stars a Belle in Disney's live version of "Beauty and the Beast."

The original story, based on the original French tale "La Belle et la Bête." It was a 1740 story written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. She was in turn influenced by Fairytale writer, Charles Perrault whose tales include Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), Cendrillon (Cinderella), Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots), and La Belle the wood Dormant (The Sleeping Beauty). If you recall, the Brothers Grimm, retold Perrault's stories years later in their collection of folktales. One must be cautious, however, as the lyrics state:

"Tale as old as time

True as it can be..."

The researchers at universities in Durham and Lisbon, the story originated around 4,000 years ago.

Like the 1991 animated Disney version, certain plot details stray from the original telling in that the main character's name is Belle and not Beauty, and like a 1946 film version, there is also a suitor included in the story. The best part is that Disney will retain  

The best part is that Disney will retain the best part of its animated version...Music!!! 

Harry Potter alum takes over as Belle, the thoughtful and well-read daughter of a merchant who must trade places with him as a prisoner of the dreadful Beast.  "Downton Abbey" and the upcoming "Legion" TV series takes over from Robbie Benson as the Beast. The light of the Force comes to the film as Obi Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor takes over for Jerry Orbach as Lumiere the candle. Mrs. Potts will be voiced by Emma Thompson replaces Angela Lansbury.  Luke Evans of "Dracula Untold," and the "Hobbit" films fame voices Gaston, the self-centered creep who wants Belle for his own.

As a father of two children who spent their pre-teen years in the 90s, Disney's  "Beauty and the Beast" and "Alladin" are two Disney films that played a lot in my household. I guess nowadays that film is "Frozen."  

Alan Menken returns to score this live-action adaptation, which includes new recordings of the original songs in addition to new songs written by Menken and Tim Rice.

Opens in the United States and theUnited Kingdom on March 17, 2017.  

Movie Data

Genre: Action, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Year:  2017

Starring: Emma Watson, Ewan McGregor, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Emma Thompson

Director: Bill Condon

Producer(s): Don Hahn, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Thomas Schumacher, Jeffrey Silver

Writer: Evan Spiliotopoulos, Stephen Chbosky, Bill Condon
Rating: PG

Running Time: Unknown

Release Date:3/17/2016 

Planet 51

They're gonna eat us for dinner!

Finding a decent kid's movie today is getting harder as our society changes. A movie, once rated R when I was a kid, is now a PG rated movie now. Here is a film that appeals to kids and adults who take the time to watch with their kids. If you have kids, and you want to watch this movie with your kids, go-ahead do it, you won't be sorry. Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson voices Captain Chuck Baker, yes a white astronaut. Most people would be comfortable if they changed his color but in this movie, color doesn't matter. Jason Long and Seann William Scott voice the other protagonist male leads. Jessica Biel voices the female protagonist lead, and Gary Oldman and John Cleese voice General Grawl and Professor Kipple respectively. The story is a reversal of a 50's sci-fi alien from space movie, with Astronaut Chuck Baker landing on "Planet 51". Science Fiction movie references abound from, "Also sprach Zarathustra" or better known as the theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey," to references to "Star Wars."

This story is a straightforward parody of the 50's, "The Day the Earth Stood Still," with many inside jokes. Astronaut, Chuck Baker lands in an alien planet with 50's-esque culture. Jason Long voices Lem (a play on Lunar Excursion Module) a high-school alien who works at the local planetarium, Neera (Jessica Biel) voices Lem's love interest, and sidekick pals Skiff (Seann William Scott) and Eckle (Freddie Benedict) have their own silly sub-plots. Gary Oldman voices the supposedly evil General Grawl, only to find he is just misguided and a bumbler. Professor Kipple voiced by John Cleese parodies Sam Jaffe's Professor Jacob Barnhardt from The Day the Earth Stood Still. Fearing that this alien spaceman will make them into zombie-monsters, the plot revolves around Planet 51 natives helping the ego centered Captain Chuck Baker and his rock collecting robot sidekick ROVER back to their space ship.

The animation is extremely good, although "Planet 51" is not a Pixar movie but nobody will notice the difference. The voice characterization is acceptable; there is nothing exciting in this department, but they get the job done. The story is cute and entertaining enough to keep you entertained for an hour and a half, but I am glad the directors didn't push it. Overall, "Planet 51" is an above average film, for kids and adults who watch with their kids. Go rent "Planet 51,” watch it with your kids and point out the movie references, the pop culture references, and the music references, its all good clean fun.

Movie Data

Genre: Sci-Fi, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Year:   2009

Staring:  Dwayne Johnson, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Jessica Biel, Seann William Scott, John Cleese

Director:  Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martínez

Producer(s):  Guy Collins, Ignacio Pérez Dolset

Writer:  Joe Stillman

Rating:  PG

Shrek Forever After: Review

R eported to be the last of the Shrek films, "Shrek Forever After" completes the franchise with this charming, but cautionary tale of being careful of what you ask for -- and read the fine print.  Starring the returning voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, and the multi-talented Walt Dohrn providing several voices and stars the film's bad guy, Rumpelstiltskin.  Paramount released "Shrek Forever After," in both a 3D version and a non 3-D version, although purely a personal choice, I would go with the 'non 3D' version.

"Shrek Forever After" provides a quick back-story of how Princess Fiona (Diaz) is cursed, and locked up in a tower by a fire-breathing dragon.  How her parents the King and Queen voice by John Cleese and July Andrews, respectively are about to allow Rumpelstiltskin to trick them into signing away the Kingdom of Far Far Away over to him.  At the last moment, a herald brings them news that Shrek lifted Fiona's curse.

Rumpelstiltskin, with the taste of power in his grasp is now out for revenge on Shrek.  Moving forward to nowadays, Shrek, Fiona, and their three baby ogres go through the day-to-day routines that make up life.  Activities like feeding babies, changing babies, fixing outhouses, and the daily tour bus of fans watching as Shrek takes a mud bath, all of which are driving him crazy.  Looking back at the days as a bachelor, when he could roam free, scare villagers, and have no responsibilities, Shrek longs for those days to return.  At the pivotal scene, after losing his temper at his kid’s birthday party, Shrek makes the mistake that we all sometimes make by saying something he will regret later.  Unbeknownst to Shrek, from behind a pile of garbage Rumpelstiltskin is lurking and hears Shrek's lament.  Shrek, telling Fiona that he wished he never saved her from the tower and lifted her curse; he starts a long and lonely walk home.  Taking advantage of the situation, Rumpelstiltskin lays in wait for Shrek to come down the road and as he fakes an accident with his carriage.  After his 'rescuing,' Rumpelstiltskin invites Shrek in for some food and an ‘eyeballtini,’ loosening him up while talking Shrek into signing over to him a day from his life.  As we all do in life, looking for that easy way out of problems, Shrek signs the contract, laden with many clauses and fine print. Rumpelstiltskin and the carriage disappear, and Shrek is left to figure out what life is like in The Kingdom Of Far Far Away as he was never born.

Not as funny as the first three films, "Shrek Forever After" is still an enjoyable movie to see with the kids during the matinee times.  The story is uncomplicated, and is a play on the It’s a Wonderful World theme, as Rumpelstiltskin says, "how’s that for metaphysical paradox?"  The jokes are mediocre, and missing the same power that the previous films had.  The character that kept the movie going was Rumpelstiltskin voiced by Walt Dohrn.  Dohrn also provided the voice of the Priest and the one of the Ogres.  At the end of the film while taking note of the credits I also noticed that he also contributed screenplay material, was a story artist, and wrote the "Birthday Bash" song that all the characters sang in the film.  Musically the film had plenty to offer in the way of hits; from The Carpenter’s "Top of the World" at the beginning to Maxine Nightingale’s "Right Back Where We Started From" at the end.  The film includes Donkey singing some of our favorite tunes, like Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend," while pulling the cart with the captured Shrek and doubling as a car radio.  The animation is excellent and need to watch this movie in 3D is unnecessary.

This is a family movie and everyone  will find something to enjoy "Shrek Forever After."  I found the film to be charming and story, although simple, easy to sit through for an hour and a half.  While watching this film, the notion came to mind of a baseball game, after eight innings of play, and you are scoring well ahead of the other team, as a coach, you decide to bring up from the bullpen one of your less experienced pitchers and let him have a go at it.  It seems that DreamWorks Animation decided to just that and selected director Mike Mitchell to have a go at it.  My advice, as I have stated before is to watch the non 3D version, as I don't think it is worth the extra three dollars for the pair of glasses.  I already wear prescription glasses and having placed another set over mine is a hassle.  Take the kids, go to the matinee times in your area, watch the regular version or, if you prefer, the IMAX version and enjoy Shrek for the last time.

Movie Data

Genre: Animation,  Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Year:  2014

Staring:  Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Walt Dohrn, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese

Director: Mike Mitchell

Producer(s): Teresa Cheng, Gina Shay

Writer: Josh Klausner, Darren Lemke, William Steig (novel "Shrek!")

Rating: PG 

Running Time: 93 minutes

Release Date: 5/21/2010

Published on 5/23/2010 at Associated Content by Robert Barbere