Ender's Game - 8 stars out of 10

Ender's Game - 8 stars out of 10

When “Ender’s Game” was written in 1985, it was light years ahead of the video game technology that most kids have on their cell phones today.  Director Gavin Hood uses modern special effects to allow us to see this story as it was originally intended.  Amidst the recent wave of dystopian films, “Ender’s Game” holds up well with the likes of “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent” as it shares many similar elements even though its story precedes the others by decades.  Its futuristic store is a good match for our modern video game culture.  The cast is very strong with a who’s who among teen actors including Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Hailee Steinfeld (Oscar nominee for True Grit), and Abigail Bresnan (Oscar nominee for Little Miss Sunshine).  This is on top of an adult cast rounded out by Harrison Ford (Oscar nominee), Viola Davis (Oscar nominee), and Ben Kingsley (Oscar winner).  You can never be sure what quality of acting you will find in a sci-fi film but these actors live up to their reputations.  The story has a good momentum flow as it moves between training simulations, social situations, and the grooming of the world’s next galactic hero.  This film is a good reminder that every epic story doesn’t have to be told in three parts (with the third part being unnecessarily split in two).  Rather than using an entire movie to develop the characters, they are introduced and developed sporadically throughout the first half of the film so that they have depth as once they become important.  One thing that this movie really gets right is the details.  Everything from the laser guns to the armor and the concept of gravity is well thought and executed in a believable way.  The only real issue is that the twist is fairly predictable and the ending is a little it cheesy (though I give it credit for having a very original ending).  While the story won’t blow your mind, “Ender’s Game” is an entertaining space film that is full of thrills and easy enough to follow that you could comfortably watch it with your children.

[Pictured: Great acting, interesting story, and breathtaking special effects]

Bedazzled (2000) - 5 stars out of 10

Bedazzled (2000) - 5 stars out of 10

From “Damn Yankees” to “The Devil’s Advocate,” the Faust legend has been interpreted many different ways.  “Bedazzled” departs from the dark tone of this legend with this comical spin on the idea of selling one’s soul to the devil.  The script is far from being theologically sound as it thrives on situational irony and tongue-in-cheek jabs at society.  If you enjoy staring at Elizabeth Hurley, you will love watching her she-devil character.  If you enjoy staring at Brendan Fraser, you would probably prefer George of the Jungle.  I get that it's a comedy and I shouldn't read too deeply into it, but I was bothered by the shallowness of the plot. No situation has any bearing on the real world. It's like a series of dreams without consequences instead of a progression of these wishes altering his life.  Even Aladdin got that part right.  Moreover, the movie begins to feel pretty repetitive as each ironic situation fails to teach us anything new.  I’m not sure if the writers felt constrained by the original story, but this remake missed out on its potential.  Outside of the script, the acting is fine and I was impressed by some of the artistry.  I was surprised because I don’t approach comedies with an expectation of creative visual moments like the cool time-lapse effects.  Some of the green screen effects though, that’s a different story.  “Bedazzled” is worth watching, but maybe just as background noise instead of a date-night feature.

[Pictured: Hurley and Fraser make a good comedic pair]

The Real Story: Escape from Alcatraz - 5 stars out of 10

The Real Story: Escape from Alcatraz - 5 stars out of 10

Alcatraz is one of the most famous prisons in the world, known for both its isolation in San Francisco Bay and also for the infamous escape from this inescapable prison.  But this documentary tells a side of the Alcatraz escape that we have never heard.  In June 1962, three prisoners were found to be missing from their cells and later on, the remnants of a raft made of raincoats was discovered on the shore of San Francisco.  The bodies were never found and they were never heard from again, so these prisoners almost serve as ghosts whose fate will never be known.  The Smithsonian Channel seeks to chronicle the events of the escape, question whether the mastermind of the plan ever got out, and test if it was possible for these escapees to make it to land.  “Escape from Alcatraz” provides a more nonfictional approach to these events than the 1979 Clint Eastwood movie with the same title.

[Pictured: Was "The Rock" truly inescapable?]