Friday, December 09, 2005

more Narnia reviews...

From various places:

--www.rottentomatoes.com says that 73% of the reviews are positive :-D

- National Review : "A Classic"

- Columbus Dispatch : 3 stars; "Family-friendly fantasy"; likes Georgie Henley (Lucy); Lord of the Rings comparions (which I think are unfounded); wanted more in the battle scene (like, say, blood)

--Washington Post : four stars "sterling version"; "well told, handsome, stirring and loads of fun"; "adorable Georgie Henley" and "fabulous Tilda Swinton (the White Witch)"; also approves of Skynard Keynes job as Edmund.

-- Cincy Enquirer : 8/10. Ranks just behind LOTR

-- Akron Beacon Journal : Most unsavory review I read. 2 stars; didn't like that Father Christmas gave the kids weapons (oh geez....) is one of the more ridiculous comments.

-- USA Today : 3 stars; children "do a fine job"; CG characters are "beautifully realized"; Liam Neeson is "commanding" as the voice of Aslan.

-- LA Times : "Real by the logic of childhood" (meaning that this is how kids would imagine it if kids were in charge); children are "delightfully down-to-earth types", especially Henley and Keynes; "timeless"

-- San Francisco Chronicle : "It's wonderful"; "all...do brilliant work"; "we're seeing the emergence of a major talent" in director Adamson.

--And, last but not least, the NY Times : Not as "sublime" as LOTR, but that's due to the material it's from; Henley is "winsome and indomitable", while Tilda Swinton is "terrifying"; the movies goes from "intimacy to grandeur that is beautifully realized."

I just got back from the film, so I'll have my post up tomorrow re: review. Bottom line: I'm more of a LA Times, WashPost girl than an ABJ girl.

3 comments:

A Secular Franciscan said...

So, did you like it?

I hope to see it soon. - Lee

Anonymous said...

Saw it last night. You will not be disappointed. I plan to see it again soon, and will buy the DVD as soon as it's available. Took my kids, 5, 8 and 10 and they LOVED it.

Anonymous said...

I just returned from Narnia, and was overwhelmed in the most beautiful of ways by the allegory behind the entire story. It was a beautiful story inside an above-average movie.

I also just read a book which I hope will be made into a movie of the sorts. It is called “The Fall Of Lucifer”, written by Wendy Alec.

The book offers a fictional account into the angel’s perspective throughout history and into the future. The main characters are three angelic brothers: Lucifer, Gabriel, and Michael.

The novel develops the beauty of heven and the grotesque quality of hell, the depths of evil, and the beauty of grace. It communicates these themes through beautiful imagery and an intriguing plot. The beautiful imagry would make for amazing scenery!

This is a fast read, 300 page novel that is a good spend of your holiday cash. I
hope they make this book into a movie. It would be amazing.