jmartinsson

I kept my expectations low for "Narnia". I was expecting it to fail. To try to be too epic, too "Lord of the Rings", but ending up more like "Dungeons and Dragons". If "Rings" is a Cadillac, I thought "Narnia" would be a Buick. A Buick Regal, no less, but still a Buick.

But after popping out this DVD, I found myself thoroughly entertained. I actually applauded at the end, even though I was alone. "Narnia" can take its place as perhaps second to "Lord of the Rings" in the fantasy adaptations trophy room.

I hadn't heard of any of the children in this movie, but they were all good. Expect that main little girl to get more work in the future, she was excellent. Tilda Swinton was so-so as the villain, but she wasn't very scary. The wicked witch in "Wizard of Oz" is more gangster than her.

There were a few distractions while watching the movie. For one, there are more talking animals than a Disney animated film (wait, this is a Disney movie)! And it bugged me that I couldn't figure out who voiced the Lion. I thought for sure it was Sam Neill, but instead it was that Cadillac among Buicks, Liam Neeson who provided the vocal chops.

All in all, "Narnia" is a very regal movie: exciting, good lessons for children, and spectacular visual effects. Bring on the sequel(s).

This excellent documentary film captures the excitement of the races and the lives of a few of the racers from the point of view of the racers themselves and their teams. The film begins with a focus on the rivalry between Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi (the film definitely takes Rossi's side). A select few other riders are showcased, and then the film focuses on the transition from two-stroke bikes to four-stroke, and Moto GP. The film seems to be pretty comprehensive, covering some history of the sport and also taking a very personal approach in telling the stories of some of the riders, like John Hopkins. The film has awesome footage, which is helpful to those interested in actually racing and those who just want to see some thrilling racing footage. Recommended to those with an interest in the racing scene, sport bike enthusiasts, or those seeking adrenaline-pumping motorcycle footage. The interactive racing features on the second disc of the DVD set has great on board camera footage and an update for the 2004 season.

"Pirates" is a fun adventure film that breaks out of its "based on a Disneyland ride" chains and delivers a near-perfect summer family blockbuster.

The film is aided tremendously by the casting, especially Depp and Geoffrey Rush. All of the performances are very good, and it adds immeasurably to the quality of the film. The production is also very well done, right up to the great visual effects. However, one let down was the music, which features a pounding quality heard in many Bruckheimer action films.

The characters are brought to life with the skill of the "Indiana Jones" or "Harry Potter" movies, yet somehow the overall film seems to be just a few notches of "The Mummy" and "Tomb Raider" movies. Unlike the latter movies, however, it seems a sequel or two could really help lift "Pirates" out of that same category and into the heights reached by "Indiana Jones".

The verdict: about as good of a summer blockbuster as could be hoped for.