The Polar Express

Posted to Family on December 14th, 2006 by Chad Everett

This is an interesting movie. On one hand, I have no doubt that it will likely end up in the stable of films that are rerun endlessly at this time of year, simply because it’s a pretty decent tale, and that’s what films like this do at this time of year. But on the other, it’s rather creepy. The animation is good, and if it were ten years ago, I’m sure we would all be amazed at how lifelike the characters are. Let’s face it – it isn’t ten years ago.

While there are some pretty amazing reproductions of life here, they just don’t quite make the final step. The hair doesn’t move. It’s like a plastic wig. And while the eyes are okay, the mouth is just a bottomless pit into oblivion. Ignore those things and you’re okay. Younger kids might be able to do so, but some will undoubtedly be spooked by these aspects of the film.

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Catch Me If You Can

Posted to Drama on June 23rd, 2006 by Chad Everett

While I suspect that this movie is a bit of a fabrication because it says it was “inspired by a true story”, which has to be a step below “based on a true story”, there was some truth in there somewhere. We do know that Frank William Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) was a con man who, before his 19th birthday, wrote millions of dollars of fraudulent checks and passed himself off as a pilot, doctor and lawyer.

FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), meanwhile, is his foil, who tracks him across the country and finally around the world to bring him down. Time after time they cross paths as Abagnale goes through identities and his checks get better and better. We’re watching a movie, but it’s probably somewhat accurate in that the first batch of checks he passes are little more than paper with some decals on them.

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Cars

Posted to Family on June 11th, 2006 by Chad Everett

In this latest release from the team of Disney and Pixar, we enter the world of (you guessed it) cars. There are no humans whatsoever in this one, as there have been (albeit only somewhat) in most of their other releases. This time around we are in a world that is inhabited solely by mechanized vehicles. Mostly cars, but also RVs, trucks and even a helicopter or two.

The star of the show is Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), the hot rookie on the Piston Cup circuit, and he is headed to California for a three-car showdown in the final race of the season to settle once and for all who will be the winner of the Piston Cup (after a bizarre three-way tie in the last race of the season).

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About Celluloid Heroes

Welcome to Celluloid Heroes! Here you will find movie reviews of all shapes and sizes. No stone is left unturned, and that is meant quite literally. In fact, you are probably quite unlikely to find the best of the best, as that's something that you can find elsewhere. Here you're more likely to find the dregs of the movie world than anything else.

As to the name? It's actually from a song by The Kinks, and while it may or may not have anything to do directly with the movies, it does mention quite a few movie stars, and things that make you think about movies, and well, it just seemed appropriate. Hopefully you'll agree, and if not, I suspect it won't get in the way too much.

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your stay, and come back often.