Episode 53: The Princess and the Frog and Avatar

Hello there and welcome to the 53rd episode of the Cinema Cafe Podcast, the bi-weekly, twice monthly film podcast by the fans, for the fans. Join us each week as we review new movies releases, look at some dvd's, talk some film news and share our general love for all things cinema. The main goal is to have some fun and hopefully provide the listener with some helpful insight. We are back and the podcasting world is alight once again.

This week we have a treat: it's our 53rd episode, which means we've been bringing you "weekly" content for over a year now. This week we take a look at 3 movies that have been recently released or are on dvd. With that said here's a look at what we discuss on this weeks podcast:

* Avatar
* The Princess and the Frog
* September Issue
* Top 5 List: Worst Movies of 2009
* Upcoming movie releases for the weekend of 12.25.09

Also, film news and more, only on the Cinema Cafe Podcast. We hope you enjoy and happy movie watching.

Thanks as always to all our loyal listeners for sharing the ride with us as we've reached this milestone for the show. It's all due to your support that we have kept things going and we hope you continue to share the ride with us in the coming months.

We're now on Itunes so head there and subscribe to the Cinema Cafe Podcast. Thanks!

What I Think Of: The Princess and the Frog (2009)

In this week's podcast, we will review September Issue, The Princess, and the Frog, and Avatar.

For this particular post, we'll focus on this 2009 Disney movie, the first 2D movie since Home on the Range.

It was great watching a Disney princess film just because I haven't seen one since Mulan, which was ages ago. The overall story is a classic one--a girl in distress, and she needs to find her way out of the situation she's in and falls in love with a prince, while still looking beautiful. But what I like about this movie is that it took a classic story, and made it it's own. I know that sounds a bit cliche but here's a few examples of what it's still unique.

1. The princess, the lead character, is black, and she's not an African princess but an American girl who grew up in New Orleans, which brings me to my next reason.

2. The location is New Orleans, LA and the time period is early 20th Century. This is not a far away land, or some distant time, long long ago. Granted it's not contemporary, but the place and time is still identifiable to us (or at least our grandparents perhaps?).

3. Changing the story for an updated audience. It seems like these days, kids have "higher" thresholds for content that may be perceived as more mature. In the movie, the villian was definitely darker than most villians of Disney past, and also *SPOILER ALERT* the movie does touch on death, where a lot of times it seems to be glossed over. *SPOILER END* The story itself on how it evolves also isn't very "typical."

The one thing that was slightly a disappointment was the music, there were only 2 pieces that I thought were enjoyable and the others fell flat. But I still enjoyed the movie so I'd give it a "Bring Your Lunch From Home" because you do not want to miss it.

Hope you enjoy the review / the movie.

-Penny

Trailer Talk - Karate Kid remake

So Sony has finally released the first trailer for their upcoming Karate Kid remake starring Jaden Smith as Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, the Mr. Miyagi mentor type that can't speak English. Seriously though, I'm a big fan of the original, but it's frankly awful and should have stayed in the 80's. Yes, Jaden Smith is still the bane of all the acting gods, like he's slapping the face of all the people who see acting as a serious craft. And yes, since this takes place in Beijing, China they are techincally practising kung-fu instead of karate, but who the hell cares!!! None of that detracts from how this remake is still a bad idea, although I must admit, it does look very sleek and... fun??

The one thing I don't understand, in the original film, Ralph Macchio beat up a bunch of white kids in Cali who learned their craft from a martial arts studio in a strip mall, so yeah, maybe he could have beaten them after learning karate during one long summer. However, Jaden Smith is going to China and beating up kids who have learned martial arts in Shaolin temples since they were young. Seriously?!! Check out the trailer below and thanks for Firstshowing for it. Again it looks like it could be decent so fingers crossed. The picture above from the final tournament fight already looks better and I love the fly and chopsticks homage/spoof.

Movie Talkback - Alma (animated short film)

I wanted to mention a 5 minute animated short film I came across called Alma, about a little girl who comes across a small shop with a doll displayed in the shops window, that looks surprisingly very much like her. And you know what people say curiosity did to the cat right? Ran right over her. I don't have much inform concerning the short, but here's some information about the short's director directly from the films site, http://almashortfilm.com.

Alma is Rodrigo Blaas’ first short film as a director. Originally from Spain, Rodrigo Blaas has worked in animation for more than ten years, in Spain and in the United States.

Seizing the possibility of directing his first independent short film, Rodrigo Blaas asked some of the best artists in their field to take part in this independent project: French animator Bolhem Bouchiba, character designer Carlos Grangel and Sergio Pablos, ArtDirector Alfonso Blaas, music composer Mastretta and sound designer Tom Myers.

It's a bit freaky, weird and cute, all things that make Alma a winner for me. It's been making the festival circuit and winning awards and for a short time (I don't know how long) you can view the short for free. I've added the video below so check it before it's gone. It's definitely worth your time. Here's a big congrats to Alma's director Rodrigo Blass and here's hoping we see more from him soon.

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Movie Talkback - Panic Attack (Ataque De Panico!)

I want to take the time to mention a fantastic, almost fairy-tale like story. Basically, an unknown producer from Uruguay, Fede Alvarez, shelled out about $300 to create a cool video of a robot invasion in Montevideo, the capitol of Uruguay. The four-minute short, "Ataque de Panico!" (Panic Attack) features huge (slow moving) weapon-wielding robots that blow stuff up. Panic Attack looks amazing, and when you take into account that the film cost 300 bucks, wow, it looks like it cost 100 times that much. But the story doesn’t end there.

Fede Alvarez told the BBC, "I uploaded 'Ataque de Panico!' on a Thursday and on Monday my inbox was totally full of emails from Hollywood studios." Long story short, a bidding war ensued. The offer he pocketed: A $30 million deal with Sam "Spidey" Raimi's Ghost House Pictures to direct a sci-fi thriller set in Uruguay and Argentina. So yeah, from 300 bucks to 30 million, sounds about right to me.
So congrats to Alvarez and it’s always nice to hear a good Hollywood story rather than stories of the rich getting richer and making bad movies.

So check our Panic Attack on below and let me know what you think. It has a very Neil Blomkamp vibe to it, so I'm very excited to see Alvarez’s upcoming movie.

What I think of: The September Issue (2009)

In this 2009 documentary by R.J. Cutler, we follow the bitch in charge editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, Anna Wintour. But it's not just about Wintour, her bob hair cut, her large Chanel sunglasses, and her cold expressions, we also get to know a little bit about the "other" people that make Vogue, well Vogue. There is a sympathetic look at Grace Coddington, the creative director at Vogue who was once a model (though you may not have known it by first glance) and the struggles and battles she has in this passive aggressive manner with Wintour. You feel bad for Coddington because as the audience you are supposed to love to hate Wintour and you do.

As a documentary however, this story doesn't keep you interested very long, unless you are into fashion and running a magazine. I enjoyed it because of the subject matter but I can see why others may find it boring. There was a story but it wasn't told well and it didn't keep you hanging to wanting to know more. As discussed with Joshua, a good documentary, no matter the subject matter should keep you interested all the way through.

I give this a DVD rental for those who are interested in fashion.

-Penny

Episode 52: Ninja Assassin and New Moon

Hello there and welcome to the 52nd episode of the Cinema Cafe Podcast, the weekly film podcast by the fans, for the fans. Join us each week as we review new movies releases, look at some dvd's, talk some film news and share our general love for all things cinema. The main goal is to have some fun and hopefully provide the listener with some helpful insight. We are back and the podcasting world is alight once again. This week we have a treat: it's our 52nd episode, which means we've been bringing you "weekly" content for over a year now. So to celebrate this auspicious day, this week we take a look at 6 movies that have been recently released or are on dvd. With that said here's a look at what we discuss on this weeks podcast:

* Ninja Assassin
* Twilight: New Moon
* Whiteout
* Black Dynamite
* DVD Reviews of the 2009 rom-com starring Justin Long, Taking Chances, and of the classic 1971 Clint Eastwood cop thriller, Dirty Harry.
* Upcoming movie releases for the weekend of 12.11.09

Also, film news and more, only on the Cinema Cafe Podcast. We hope you enjoy and happy movie watching.

Thanks as always to all our loyal listeners for sharing the ride with us as we've reached this milestone for the show. It's all due to your support that we have kept things going and we hope you continue to share the ride with us in the coming months.

We're now on Itunes so head there and subscribe to the Cinema Cafe Podcast. Thanks!