Bolt (voice of Travolta) is a celebrity dog and the star of a hit TV show where his amazing feats and powers draw big ratings. But when a mail-room mix-up finds him roaming free on the streets of New York City, the wonder dog will have to learn to rely on his actual strengths -- as well as his new friends, an abandoned housecat and a starry-eyed hamster -- in order to find his way back home to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of Cyrus).
Buzz:
Disney's latest morality tale sort of sounds heaps better than, say, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but way less interesting as the Monsters Vs. Aliens teaser trailer that popped up online earlier this week. Hmm, what else to say? Well, Travolta is nowhere near as creepy to look at here than he was in Wild Hogs and Hairspray. Good luck to Ms. Miley Cyrus in her voice-role debut; she might be barely audible among the presence of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" standout Sussie Essman -- listen for her to steal as many scenes as she's in, though she'll have to keep her language family-friendly here.
In her new town of Forks, Washington, misfit teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) falls for her alluring and mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen (Pattinson). As it turns out, Edward belongs to a lineage of vampires, although he doesn't fit the typical vampire mold. As their passion reaches dizzying heights, can Edward resist his natural urges, and will he be able to defend Bella from his family members who have come for her?
Buzz:
In terms of movies, 2008 will be remembered as the year superheroes went truly mainstream and, separately, the industry realized that female and gay male audiences are a neglected demographic. But what about the younger generation -- more specifically, teenage girls? Has any studio been able to figure out what they want, aside from Hannah Montana? Enter Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's first novel, a project that first captured our interest very early this year when Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward), and a handful of their castmates took over our STARmeter chart, well in advance of any available footage from the production. The hype reached its first apex at Comic-Con, when the movie's panel earned Beatlemania comparisons from aging journalists who covered their ears as the teen girls and their "Twilight Moms" made the event more of a freak-out and less of a presentation. It's always tricky to predict if Internet buzz will turn into box-office gold (or, in this case, crimson) but I will say this: If the mother-daughter duos turn out for opening weekend (which was pushed up from mid-December to pre-Thanksgiving once Harry Potter decided to hide until 2009), Twilight could trump some higher-profile holiday movies, powered by repeat audiences, and send competing studios rushing off to optioned like-minded novels. Stephenie Meyer is keeping a blog on the movie's progress, so you might want to bookmark it as your destination for all things vamp as the release date draws near.
Metermaid Les Franken (Rapaport) has an unexpected reaction to the anti-depressant he's taking as part of a clinical trial; suddenly convinced he's a superhero, he embraces his new powers, dons a homemade costume, and hits the streets to protect the citizens of his city. the corporation behind the pill, fearing bad publicity about their drug, set out to bring down our hero, who in turn hones his abilities to fight off his new arch-nemeses.
Buzz:
This one has been around since '06, but Magnet Films has saved it from DVD obscurity as part of their Six Shooter Film Series. You can bank on an ace performance from go-to character actor Michael Rappaport (who is sadly un-super-famous), but reviewers say prepare for a tonal shift that steers the story away from its comedic beginning and into murky, paranoid territory. Is that a good or bad thing? Either way: It sounds better than Hancock to me.
Movie News, Film News, And Other Celebrity And Entertainment News
Jesus Of Nazareth (DVD) Review
Since Thomas Edison's invention of the modern cinema, countless filmmakers have endeavored to produce a moving picture that accurately chronicles the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. Aside from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which chronicled only a part of the life and crucifixion of Jesus, Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth is the greatest of all. Originally aired as a television mini-series (it's over six hours in length), the film closely adheres to the word-for-word accounts found in the Gospels.
The story begins with Joseph (Yorgo Voyagis) and Mary's (Olivia Hussey) reception of God's angels. Each is told of the child that Mary will bear and what his name will be. The scene where Mary receives her message is an especially powerful piece of cinematic artistry with no dialogue - only a warm light surrounding Mary as she bows in prayer. The film holds true to every utterance in the Gospels, recounting the census, Herod's decree, and the travels of Joseph and Mary.
As Jesus (Robert Powell) develops into adulthood, we witness the beginning of his ministry. He calls on his disciples, teaches through use of parables, and displays many miracles. Zeffirelli makes powerful use of the camera by having his star, Powell, never be caught blinking in any scene. At first, it's barely noticeable, and it takes some time to figure out what is so different. But this absence of the uniformly common trait of blinking creates a divine aura around the character of Jesus. It draws in the audience by creating an emotional sense of peace that lends credibility to the onscreen portrayal of Jesus.
From beginning to end, Jesus of Nazareth offers a plethora of memorable scenes and exchanges which are more attributable to the Gospels and the actual life of Jesus rather than brilliant direction and acting ability. But the subject matter is aptly handled by a great production team and an endless array of first-rate actors and actresses, among them are - Mary Magdalene (Anne Bancroft), the Centurion (Ernest Borgnine), Simon Peter (James Farentino), Balthazar (James Earl Jones), Joseph of Arimathea (James Mason), Nicodemus (Laurence Olivier), Caiaphas (Anthony Quinn), and many others? Overall, the individual performances come together to form a rich tapestry of wisdom and intrigue that will leave its audience with much upon which to reflect and ponder. If you believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah (which this author does), then Jesus of Nazareth serves as a form of meditation and renewal of one's spiritual connection to God. But if you don't view Jesus in this way, no other film will leave you in such awe of the profound influence promulgated by a humble, sandal-clan man from a province on the outskirts of mighty Rome - an influence that has completely dominated the world for almost two thousand years to the present day.
For spiritual, philosophical, and cinematic reasons, Jesus of Nazareth is a definite must-see film for the ages?
Britt Gillette is author of <a href="http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com">The DVD Report</a>, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the <a href="http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/jesus-of-nazareth-dvd.html">Jesus Of Nazareth (DVD)</a>. Read more at:http://www.ArticlePros.com/arts_and_entertainment/movie_reviews/article-20501.html.