"Ender's Game" a Close Win

There are two men out there named Orson Scott Card. One is the beloved author whose novels managed to win both major US prizes for science fiction (the Hugo and the Nebula) in two consecutive years, making him the only man to do so. His singular novel, Ender's Game, is practically required reading, having become so well-known since its release in 1985. The book surprisingly predicted many modern developments, from drone warfare to the internet to tablet computers like the iPad you're reading this on. In short, Card is one of the most prolific Sci-fi authors, right up there with Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury. The OTHER Orson Scott Card is the homophobic individual living in Greensboro, North Carolina, whose well-known opposition to same sex marriage has caused a ton of backlash as groups sought to boycott Ender's Game, the film based on his seminal work. Even film distributor Lionsgate distanced themselves as much as they could from this man, fearing the fallout over the controversy for their $110 million product. Do either of these men leave a lasting mark on what has actually landed in theaters?

Battle School can't even splurge on some camouflage sleepwear?

In 2086, an invasion by the alien species known as the Formics practically decimates the planet Earth. The heroics of our military was just enough to drive them off, but the government fears an even stronger return. Determined to adapt their strategies and discover the next great commander, they assemble the best known minds on the planet in a space station designated "Battle School" under the command of Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford). Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is the smartest of the bunch, a loner who constantly finds himself bullied by those larger than him, but who also possesses a keen strategic mind that puts everyone - especially those who doubt him - to shame. As Ender rises through the ranks and gains friends and allies, he awaits his greatest challenge; taking the fight to the Formics and end the threat to Earth once and for all.

The only reason he's wearing yellow is that it makes him a brighter target.

For all the fuss about supporting Card's story, he really doesn't have all that much to do with the production of the movie itself. Yes, he is listed as a "producer", but in this case that's really an honorific due to his providing the source material. Instead, the screenplay is penned by director Gavin Hood, who rebounds nicely from the cringe-worthy disaster that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He takes the book and adapts the tale nicely, spreading the major events and many minor ones nicely over the course of a two-hour feature. Given almost total control over the start of this potential franchise, Hood proves his mettle in both character development (well, mostly, as we'll see later) and action, with the film's special effects being among the best in theaters this year (and I saw this on an IMAX screen, so I would have noticed the imperfections). While certainly not living up to the visual achievements of Gravity, Hood's rendition of outer space is still astounding, and his set pieces are all well-designed and beautiful to the discerning eye. A great SFX team was put together here, and under Hood's direction they succeed in building this futuristic universe and replicating Card's vision.

Explosions in space are amazing!

Hood is more than ably assisted by a talented cast, anchored especially by its younger actors. Butterfield hasn't been seen since 2011's excellent Hugo, and here he shows off another side to his acting ability. While written perhaps a tad blandly, the young performer quickly turns Ender Wiggin into someone the audience can easily root for, and keeps that momentum going throughout the film. You really get a feel for the extremes with the character, as Ender tries to balance his duties as the hero of humanity with the neuroses and desires that come from being a kid. Also excellent are Hailee Steinfeld, who steals many a scene as Ender's friend and compatriot Petra, and Abigail Breslin, who has a few appearances as our protagonist's Earth-bound sister. The veterans also get to show off a bit, as both Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis do their jobs as supporting characters well. Only Harrison Ford feels forced, his gruff military man a clear phone-in and ultimately a disappointment after his impressive turn in 42.

Ford: still flying Solo. 

While Ender's Game is definitely a solid movie, it does have a few wrinkles that never quite even out. Despite Hood's best efforts, the story feels rushed, as Ender must navigate nearly a dozen major plot points within the little time given. This means that many minor characters are severely underdeveloped, and their burgeoning relationships to the film's hero are a bit sketchy at best. A bit more padding would have sufficed in filling some of the more egregious holes, but considering how hard it is for parents to keep their kids still, it's understandable that the studio wouldn't have wanted to tack on an additional twenty minutes where it wasn't completely necessary. More of a letdown is the distinct lack of 3D offerings. I know, I'm the guy who usually criticizes 3D as gimmicky, especially when it's poorly implemented. But the the special effects here were MADE for 3D conversion, the gorgeous space scenes and complex indoor battlefields practically popping out of the screen already. The lack of this tech is questionable for a few reasons, mainly because it would seem natural for the genre but also because 3D will often help sell your movie to overseas markets. After all, Paramount delayed GI Joe: Retaliation for nearly nine months when they realized how much of a financial bump 3D conversion would get them across the world. Why did Lionsgate fail to make this happen? Especially with a big-budget sci-fi epic that has had more than its share of problems these days?

Welcome to Battle School. You'll never learn most of their names.

So should you overcome your hatred of that second Orson Scott Card and see this movie on the big screen? Well, yeah. It ought to be noted that Card is not making a cent off of the box office draw; he was paid a sum for an early draft of the screenplay (that was later scrapped), but other than that he's making no money off of this adaptation of his work. So if you decide to get out the movies and check this out, don't worry; you are in no way supporting him financially. More importantly, Ender's Game is a fun, smart, and excitingly epic tale that takes you a galaxy away and deep into one of science fiction's most well-known tales. Yes, there's other fantastical fare out there right now in Thor, but if you've already seen that Marvel production and are excitedly awaiting next week's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, then this is another film you should add to your must-watch list.

Chameleons of the Mojave

As I've mentioned before, it often takes a lot for me to want to see an animated film in the theaters. Despite the universal appeal associated with films like The Incredibles, Up, WALL-E and the Toy Story franchise, I tend to wait until they're available on DVD rather than pay the ticket price when they first come out. Of course, "eye-popping" 3D technology has become a game-changer, as most animated films released in the past year did so with that gimmick in hand. Though 3D has yet to garner a mainstream appeal in home entertainment systems, mostly due to price and uneven reviews (thus rendering the medium moot on DVD for the time being), it still isn't enough to drive me to the theaters to see such a film. Mainly I think I have problems paying good money to see a title geared towards small children, but the best animated features appeal to viewers of all ages. Still, I tucked that thought away to see my first animated film of 2011 (and the first in the theater since who knows when) in the Gore Verbinski-directed Rango. The trailer caught my eye some months ago, and so as it was one of my more awaited March films, I chose it over The Adjustment Bureau and Take Me Home Tonight when picking which film I wanted to see this past weekend.

"Psst! Are you holding?"

Johnny Depp voices the film's main character, a mysterious stranger who goes by the name of Rango. Actually, Rango is an unnamed and domesticated chameleon who ends up separated from his human owners in the middle of the Mojave Desert, consequently a fish out of water trying to find salvation from certain death and  - possibly more important - from loneliness. Rango feels so alone in the world, and when he comes across the animal-run town of Dirt, the actor in him creates the Rango persona to be notorious, heroic, mysterious; all the things he wasn't in his previous life. It works well until the facade begins to crumble under the pressure of keeping up appearances and the town's need for a real hero, something Rango isn't sure he truly is.

Despite popular conception, cowboys and baked beans don't mix

Rango is a true homage to films set the wild west; it plays out like a light-hearted Sergio Leone spaghetti western, right down to its authentic character archetypes and camera angles. While Rango himself is more of an outsider, the townsfolk are legitimate western folk, from the orphaned daughter of an alcoholic father fighting to control her land (voiced by Isla Fisher) to an overly-nervous bank manager (Stephen Root), a bandit outlaw (Bill Nighy) and a charismatic double-talking mayor (Ned Beatty), just represented by animals. While being perhaps cliches of preexisting characters, the director and actors do amazing work by treating the material straight and making what could have been a ridiculous farce into quality craftsmanship. The film even has it's own narrative mariachi band ("manned" by owls, no less) to help keep the film going on at a brisk pace.

Most awkward wedding photo EVER

The acting here is simply outstanding, and Verbinski made the right choice issuing Depp to lead this cast, though perhaps not for the reasons you might think. Despite his fame for playing such eccentric characters as The Mad Hatter, Edward Scissorhands and of course Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp actually plays the role of "the normal guy" so well that he disappears into this role. Having a voice-over part in this vein actually helps hide the fact that Depp is in fact he character in question, adding to his smooth delivery. He is also perfect in the cockier "Rango" persona, a mix between classic Robert Redford and a giddy schoolchild living out his wildest dream. Depp's more subdued performance also plays perfectly to his less-heralded co-stars, letting them shine around him. Fisher is perfect as the tough-girl romantic interest Beans, a desert iguana with self-defense mechanism (freezing in place) so out of kink that she suddenly stops at inopportune times. She also is the most vocal advocate against the problems the town has, and is most suspicious of this new stranger in town. Nighy is completely unrecognizable as the evil bandit Rattlesnake Jake, who terrorizes the small town of Dirt. Nighy is delightfully evil and revels in the role, though it's not a very big one by most standards. Beatty is similarly smarmy as the resident mayor/businessman, eyes constantly looking towards "the future." Abigail Breslin is underused but not misused as a young smart-mouthed child who eventually looks up to Rango, and Root is his usual outstanding self as several characters, most notably the nervous bank manager. Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina, Timothy Olyphant, and Ray Winstone all do great work playing characters who help and hinder Rango along the line of the film's plot. The acting, with Depp at its core, is talent extraordinaire, a testament to Verbinski's skills at finding the best people for the roles.

"Fitting in" is usually not so impossible for a chameleon

The film surprised me in a many ways, but a few of them weren't as good. For one, a film supposedly geared towards children was surprisingly violent. I'm not suggesting all kids are going to be scared by this film, but the doesn't gloss over the violence inherent in the Western genre (guns, dehydration, explosions), painting a film that probably should have been marketed to teens instead. Though not overly or even aggressively violent (more focusing on the spirit of adventure), the film does have its scary moments, mostly thanks to Rattlesnake Jake and a giant hawk. Secondly, for a supposed comedy, it wasn't particularly funny. The first half of the film elicited nary a chuckle from the dialogue, mainly dependent on the slapstick elements of the film to get over on the kids. There are some good bits after the midway point (SPOILER: When Rango and his posse go undercover as traveling actors, their target responds "Thespians? That's illegal in seven states!"), the film is much more serious than the trailers would lead you to believe, including topics of death, mild and implied profanity and the consumption of alcohol. I'm not against these things; in fact, when the subject at hand is an homage to Western film, I should pretty much EXPECT it. I didn't, however, expect to find it here.

"But why is the RUM gone!?"

One of the more amazing things about this film is that it's a 3D animated film by a company that is usually only known for it's effects work. George Lucas's special effects company Industrial Light and Magic is usually associated with other films' special effects departments, but here they created the 3D modeling for their first feature film. The biggest surprise from all of this may be how amazingly well their first time went. Visuals, especially the sun-baked desert, are perfectly rendered, and the characters are expertly built, especially the multi-faceted Rango. Still, if the film had half of the technological wonder it did, it would still have all it needs to be a worthy film. Authentic environments, interesting characters, and respect for the source material; Rango takes all these things and turn it into one of the more unassumingly fun films this year. Charming itself to #1 on 2011's Top Film's list, Rango was a very different film than I had imagined going in. But when you focus on what the film IS, instead of what it was supposed to be, you can appreciate it for the amazing feeling it gives.

Zombies in the Mist

End of the world zombie comedy? No thanks, I already saw Shaun of the Dead.

That's what I thought last summer, anyway, when Zombieland took number one at the box office and went on to become the most successful zombie movie ever. Despite the success, and despite the stellar reviews it received, I was not very enthusiastic about seeing the movie in the theaters. When Shaun of the Dead came out back in 2004, it was the critic's darling. All the reviewers loved it, and it seemed like everyone I knew, whether fans of zombie movies or just movie fans in general, would shout from the rooftops about how great this movie was. So finally I relented, but instead of this fantastic film that would be worthy of such praise, my response? "Meh."

It wasn't that I thought the movie was bad. On the contrary, I thought it was very clever, with some outrageously funny moments. It seemed to carry a good balance between respecting the source material while at the same time parodying it's cultural commentaries. I simply thought that the film didn't live up to the hype put upon me by people who seemed to think it was the best movie that came out that year. It's the reason I still haven't seen Hot Fuzz despite actually wanting to see it at some point. And it's why I waited almost a year to see Zombieland, despite much interest I had in the Woody Harrelson-fronted film about surviving after the worst has come to be.

The narrative for Zombieland is told by Jesse Eisenberg's character, called Columbus. Columbus is a college student who has managed to survive the zombie apocalypse by following his thirty-three rules of life, many of which somehow translate perfectly into surviving zombie attacks or surviving in Zombieland altogether. Some, like Cardio (1), Wear Seatbelts (4), and the Buddy System (29) make sense in real life as well as the endtimes. Eisenberg is headed cross-country to his hometown of Columbus where he hopes to find his family and see if his home survived what has happened to the rest of the world, despite not having been very close to his family to begin with. On the way, he encounters Talahassee (Harrelson), a somewhat crazy survivor who has made a business out of killing the undead, and to hear him put it, "Business is good!" Not only is Talahassee two cans short of a six pack, but he's on a peculiar quest to find Twinkies: "not just any box of Twinkies, the last box of Twinkies that anyone will enjoy in the whole universe. Believe it or not, Twinkies have an expiration date. Some day very soon, Life's little Twinkie gauge is gonna go... empty." Despite each of their eccentricities, the two decide to team up, if at least for the short term, and their chemistry and scenes together often make for the most enjoyable parts of the movie, as each mocks the other with mutual respect as fellow survivors would.

Before too long, the duo meet up with the sister con-girls Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who manage to rob and abandon them multiple times over the course of the film. The sisters are on their way to Pacific Playland, a California amusement park, where it's rumored that there are no zombies. Wichita merely wants Little Rock to be able to have fun at least once in a world where zombies are pretty much the dominant species. And so the sisters team up with our heroes, if only so long as to reach the park.

That's the plot in a nutshell, and though it's weak and nothing to write home about, it's fine because the movie is buoyed by it's characters and acting. Eisenberg (Who had a breakout year with this and his summer comedy Adventureland) is perfect as the neurotic Columbus, not only in his deadpan narration and comedy timing, but also in his body language, which manages to properly convey his fear and his incredulity to the situations in which he finds himself. But he's got nothing on Harrelson, who had some unique conditions for signing onto the project (including ecologically-friendly sets and director Ruben Fleischer not consuming dairy for a week) and proved he was worth it, putting together a kick-ass performance in which he owns every scene and makes this Twinkie-hunting, zombie-killing maniac believable and sympathetic. Who can say 2009 wasn't his year, as in addition to this film, he had a notable role in the action film 2012 and an Oscar-nominated one for The Messenger. Emma Stone may be known to most as Jonah Hill's romantic interest in the 2007 film Superbad, and while she is fine as older sister and con-woman Wichita, she's up at the same level as the other people in the cast. Abigail Breslin may be forever identified as Little Miss Sunshine, but she still does an amazing job here as the smart but still incredibly and impressionably young Little Rock. She outperforms everyone in her scenes, with the notable exception of Harrelson.

Although the movies does have problems, they are mostly trivial and don't overly affect the enjoyment of the film. Mostly, they are continuity errors, far too many to account for in print. Fortunately, IMDB maintains an extensive list of them, if you wanted to check them. Most of these could have been avoided, and can likely be attributed to the inexperience of director Ruben Fleischer and his crew, whether by haste or just plain error. . Obviously, if this movie had been made with a more experienced crew, perhaps these errors could have been avoided. Oh, well, woulda, coulda, shoulda.

I went into this film with no expectations and little idea as to the plot of the film, but even if I had, I'm not sure it would have altered the level of enjoyment I had during it's viewing. For a horror comedy, Zombieland doesn't skimp on the blood, gore and special effects, and manages that perfect balance of respecting the original source material while parodying it perfectly to fit the story. It's easily the best zombie film I've seen since Zack Snyder's 2004 Dawn of the Dead, and I'd heavily recommend to anyone interested in the genre as a humorous aside to the more serious Romero flicks. Toss in a hilarious cameo from one of the funniest actors alive, gut-wrenching laughs and more zombies than you can unload a shotgun at, and you've got one of the few movies from last year that I'd watch again and again without hesitation.