Displaying items by tag: Jemaine Clement

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

US, 2025, 197 minutes, Colour.

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewless, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion.

Directed by James Cameron.

The third Avatar fantasy and science-fiction adventure from James Cameron. It is, in fact, 16 years since the first Avatar film was released with great success. Then a 13 year wait for Avatar: The Way of Water. Only three years wait this time. And, Cameron has noted that although sequels are in preparation, his making them will depend on how this film is received. There is no doubt of its popularity and success at the box office – but, along with critical comment and popular reactions, will this be enough?

In the meantime, here we are again in Pandora, out in the galaxies, beautiful floating islands, homes in the forests, mountains, cliffs, crags and oceans, huge creatures swooping in the air, exhilarating transport for humans, marvellous giant beasts of the sea with consciousness, communication – and the background of a creation mythology. Audiences who relished all this in the first films will appreciate it once again, especially since this is how this film begins, the fantasy, rather than focus on the Sky People, the humans who had journeyed here with their vast laboratories, scientific equipment, boats and weapons.

Many of the responses to Fire and Ash have stated that, in many ways, most ways?, is a replay of the previous films, the establishing of the families and tribes, the dangers from the humans, the relentless human expansion, clashes between the tribes, the buildup to the final battles. And, this is quite true. But, there are many audiences who are willing to surrender themselves to this kind of repeat experience.

Once again Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana play the parents, the leaders of the Navi tribe, their children, especially Loach, still suffering the loss of his brother and feeling responsible for his death, his bonding with his brothers and sisters, and with the children from the local tribes. But there is a change in the family, the presence of the human, Spyder, teenager, needing a mask to breethe, but welcomed into the family except for the severity of the virulent hostility from the mother, loathing humans. In fact, Spyder is the son of the former soldier, Quaritch, who, like Jake, has been transformed.

The presence of Spyder, his welcome in the family, his father searching and wanting him back, provides much of the drama at the centre of this film, leading to the issue of whether Spyder be sacrificed for the safety of the tribes (echoes of the biblical story of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac).

But, this time there is another warrior tribe, led by one of the most savage female leaders, absolutely relentless. And she teaming up with Quaritch to wreak vengeance.

And the expected battles: the confrontation between Jake Sully and Quaritch. And, of course, at great length, intensity and spectacle, the Navi’s long and spectacular battle with the humans.

There is one complaint, true of the other films. Much of the dialogue is quite commonplace, often trite, and, with Spyder, the kind of quick American slang that would appear in the bubble a cartoon panel.

So, for the fans, more of the same but with some variations as a new characters like Spyder and barre. It runs for 3 ¼ hours but, with continuous action, it keeps up its pace. And the question raised: can there be still more created stories out there in Pandora?

1. The third in the series? The popularity of the films? Box office records? The work of imagination and James Cameron?
2. Recreation of the world of Pandora, the visuals of space, the beauty of the floating islands, the colonies for the various tribes, homes, cliffs and rocks, the sea, rivers? The contrast with the scientific base, the scientific equipment, elaborate, the controls? The space vehicles? The ships? The creatures, flying, the giant creatures in the sea? The range of special effects, especially for the confrontations, the battles, the rescues, the attacks, the deaths? In the background of the musical score?
3. Presuppositions from the earlier films, the range of characters, Jake Sully, his human background, becoming part of the tribe, the romance, his wife, the children in the family life? His being hero, his wife and her prejudice against the humans? Quaritch, human, transformed, his son, his warrior behaviour, his death, revived? The general and her command, the Captain Scoresby on his boat, the scientists and their demands, the warriors, the humans and their scientific advances, the havoc on Earth, potential havoc for space? The development of these themes again?
4. The previous emphasis on the science and the expedition from Earth? This film taking it for granted, opening with Pandora, its beauty, peace, the islands in space, the homes, the family? The audience invited to enter the world of fantasy rather than science and science fiction?
5. The repeat of the situations, humans as Sky People and their attack on the Navi? The life of the Navi, the relationship with the other tribes? The buildup to the confrontation between the tribes, and the clash with the humans?
6. Jake Sully, established character, his leadership? The death of his son, the blaming of the younger son? The younger son and his friends from the other tribes? Spyder and his being the son of Quaritch, received by the Navi, wearing a mask, the hostility of the mother?
7. The revelation of the warlike tribe, the leader, visualised, fierce, merciless? Teaming with Quaritch? His associate?” Marriage and his love for his son, wanting with him? Spyder’s response? Spyder and the experience without the mask, the daughter, her special powers, her representing the God, his revival?
8. The focus on the family relationships, the dangers, the threats, the role of the young son, relationship with his father, clashes, reconciliation, his role in the final battles?
9. The mythical aspects, Kiri and origins, the visual manifestations, the flying creatures, the creatures and the sea, communicating with them, their communications, life? These beasts the target of the humans?
10. The range of battles, their being visualised, in the air? The humans and their weapons and vehicles? The herding of the sea beasts?
11. Focus on the humans, the general and her attitude, commands? The captain of the ship, his mission? Dr Garvan, sympathetic, his helping Jake Sully? The contrast with Selfridge and his wanting to get Spyder and study him?
12. The buildup to the confrontations, Varang and her fierceness, her role in the battles, the final defeat?
13. The issue with Spyder, Jake and his decisions, his wife, agreeing, changing her mind, seeing Spyder saving Jake’s life, Jake taking him out, echoes of the Abraham story and the sacrifice of Isaac, his inability to kill? Leading to the confrontation with Quaritch and his falling into the abyss?
14. Peace among the tribes, Jake as leader, the defeat of the humans – abandon ship? The future, peace in Pandora? The role of the humans?
15. And the success of sequels depending on the commercial success of this third in the franchise?

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

US, 2025, 101 minutes, Colour.

Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, Rachel House, Jemaine Clement, Jared Hess.

Directed by Jared Hess.

It seems that there are nearly 170 million monthly active players of Minecraft. And, Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, over 300 million copies sold. Now that means a potential audience, worldwide!

In fact, on its opening day in the US, including $10 million in previews, the box office was  $157 million

Which means, in terms of potential audiences, a review is probably not necessary. However, there are the other hundreds of millions who are not familiar with Minecraft and will be wondering what it is all about. It is a video game, players having the opportunity to explore different worlds, or, of course, set up competitions and rivalries, chases, the good defeating the bad.

The film defines itself as “A” Mine craft movie, so there are all kinds of possibilities for more. This one starts in the real world, introducing the character, Steve, a young boy forbidden to go into mines, then an adult bored with his desk job, going into the mine, and finding a blue-glowing cube with extraordinary powers. But what enlivens all this is that Steve is played by Jack Black, extrovert and exuberance personified, with that overwhelming  manic energy he has shown over so many years. And he has the opportunity to do some of his Tenacious D singing.

And, then what happens with the cube, opening up a whole world of magic and mystery…

While the action opens in the real world, especially with the gaming champion of 1989, Garrett, he played by Jason Momoa, towering but then playing against type, at times, something of a loser and even some sook moments! There are two youngsters, the very intelligent Henry, Sebastian Hansen, and his protective sister, Natalie, Emma Myers, along with Dawn, Danielle Brooks (the exuberant singer in the musical version of, The Color Purple).

There is also the Overworld, bright and sunny, with all kinds of combination cube characters, intriguing, friendly, especially a dog called Dennis. But, there is the Netherworld,, ruled over by the evil Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) with her minions and an army of pig-like soldiers. Steve enters the Overworld with zest, but is imprisoned by Malgoshat. He sends Dennis to get help – and that means the motley group finding the cube, banding together, found by Dennis and beginning their adventures both new worlds

Lots of adventures, spectacular action and stunts, dangers galore, heroism, using wits, discovering Steve. Plenty to keep the younger audience excited – and remembering the ways they have played Minecraft.

If non-playing parents and grandparents accompany the youngsters to the movie, something of this background will help them to adapt – and even to enjoy. They will have the extra bonus of seeing Jennifer Coolidge the school principal, doing her now-familiar and popular comic thing – even during the final credits.

Future researchers on the history of video games, cultural symbols of the early 21^st century, will be intrigued.

HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON

US, 2024, 90 minutes, Colour.

Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Benjamin Bottani, Tanya Reynolds, Jemaine Clement, Alfred Molina.

Directed by Carlos  Saldanha.

Eagerness to see Harold and the Purple Crayon will depend on whether audiences grew up with Crockett Johnson’s classic story and illustrations (and his nine other books in the series as well as the television episodes). Those who do not know Johnson’s books, Harold began life in 1955 as a four-year-old, inhabiting a fantasy world where, if he needed or wanted something, he simply drew it, and there it was. However, in later books, he was an adult.

In this version, Harold is living a happy life, and drawing with his crayon, solving every need with a drawing = and there it is.. He is accompanied by his close friends, Moose and Porcupine. So, a pleasant opening, an introduction into Harold’s world, his conversations, his listening to the voice of his creator, whom he calls Old Man (voiced by Alfred Molina), but with a desire to go out into what he calls “The Real World”.

And, out he goes, in the form of Zachary Levi. Soon after Moose emerges but in human form, played by comedian Lil Rel Howery. But it takes rather a longer time for Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds) who discovers her friends missing, but does not emerge in the real world anywhere close to them, spending a long time in the search, looking for clues – and they are always purple.

And the purple crayon! Whenever Harold draws, it is with his beloved purple crayon. And, when he emerges into the real world, he simply puts his old talent into practice, drawing a purple bike, replacing a flat tire was a purple one, painting of a house, purple no limits – even later, a plane which flies through the city.

Harassed mother Teri (Zoe Deschanel) driving with her son, Mel (a likeable Benjamin Bottani), an intelligent boy who has a secret invisible mini-dragon friend, crashes into Harold and Moose on their bike. Which leads to a whole lot of adventures, searching for The Old Man, all kinds of funny and dangerous escapades and situations, and some villainy in the form of Jemaine Clement, librarian who they think will be able to find The Old Man but, frustrated with his Game of Thrones -like novel not being accepted, steals the purple crayon for dastardly purposes.

The film will appeal to boys of Mel’s age, 13 and down. As regards adult audiences, parents, the difficulty is the character of Harold, a child in an adult’s body, uttering childlike (and childish) comments (and, for this reviewer, difficult because actor Zachary Levi has played the central role in the least liked superhero films, the two Shazams).

But, within the limits it sets itself and the limits for the age audience and identifying with Harold, it can be quite a nice pastime.

1. The original books, the story, the sketches? Television episodes?
2. The intended audience, children, boys identifying with Harold, the age group, 13 down, identifying with Harold but also with Metal?
3. The animation style, bringing Crockett Johnson’s style to life, simple, creative? And the decision to have a purple crayon? And breaking it, Mel having half and being creative, Gary stealing the half, swallowing it, having the power, bringing it up again? The adventures of the crayon?
4. Harold, visually, Moose and Porcupine, visuals? Their adventures, Harold drawing, solving every problem? The voice of The Old Man, the creator? Narrative? Harold wanting to find The Old Man, to go into the Real World?
5. Drawing the door, going into the real world, in the person of Zachary Levi? His voice and tone? Moose following, transformed into human, Lil Rel Lowrey, African-American? Porcupine later discovering they had gone, transformed, into the girl, but not near Harold and Moose, tracking them down? The detectives and their suspicions?
6. Exhilaration in the Real World, looking for the Old Man, the man in the park, his reaction, talking to the detectives? Drawing the bicycle, enjoying the ride, the city, the transition to Teri and Mel, the absent father, the argument, Mel and his invisible dragon friend? The crash? The reaction, the flat tire – and Harold drawing the purple tire?
7. Teri, exasperated, mil wanting them to come home, in the house, the room, painting the house purple, the meals and the pies? Teri and her work, not liking it, at the supermarket, her boss and his comments, getting the two to take her place, Mel and the trouble at school? The chaos in the store, pratfalls and mayhem? Teri sacked?
8. Mel, the friendship, the visualising of the Dragon?
9. The episode of drawing the plane, flying, the exhilaration, the dangers, and the sky writing of Teri’s phone number in the sky, asking for the old man, the incessant number of phone calls?
10. The library, Gary, smug, his novel, the fewer the reading, their walking out? His infatuation with Teri? Mel and his dislike? The issue of the old man? Gary offering to help? The drama, getting them into trouble, Gary doing the drawing, the forcing the crayon out of him?
11. Happy ending, Porcupine finding them, their being together, Mel happy, his mother? And the glimpse of Gary and his imagination and Teri in his fantasy, turning him down?
12. Younger audiences identifying with Mel, with Harold, the impact for parent audiences?