Haiku Review: Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Starring: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher & Hugh Jackman
Screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by Peter Ramsey

The Guardians of Childhood – Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy – recruit Jack Frost to help them battle the boogeyman.


I thought that Jack Frost
was a snowman that sounded
like Michael Keaton.

Grade: C


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Rise of the Guardians is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/12/13.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446192/?ref_=sr_1

(Blu) Haiku Review: Frankenweenie (2012)

Starring: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer & Winona Ryder
Screenplay by John August
Directed by Tim Burton.

After his dog is hit by a car, a young scientist brings his beloved pet back from the dead.


More evidence that
Burton’s best drawing from his
own mind, not others’.

Grade: B+


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Frankenweenie is available on Blu-ray and DVD today.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Puss in Boots (2011)

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton & Amy Sedaris
Screenplay by Tom Wheeler
Directed by Chris Miller

Swashbuckling outlaw Puss in Boots, fellow feline renegade Kitty Softpaws, and old friend Humpty Dumpty are pitted against the nefarious Jack and Jill, who are in possession of some valuable magic beans.


This furry Puss fares
better without that stupid
green ogre around.

Grade: B-


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Puss in Boots is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/24/11.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448694/

Haiku Review: The Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films 2012

These are the five films nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2012 Academy Awards.

Haiku Review: The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Nick Frost & Simon Pegg
Screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Investigative journalist and adventure-seeker Tintin teams up with a drunken sea captain to find mysterious scrolls that might lead to a lost treasure.


Finally we get
a fam film filled with guns, booze
and pirate-y death!

Grade: B


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Adventures of Tintin is playing in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0983193/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu & David Cross
Written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Po unravels secrets about his past while leading the Furious Five on a mission to stop a power-hungry peacock who is set on ruling China with violence.


Great animation,
heart, laughs help this franchise earn
a black belt in fun.

Grade: B+


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Kung Fu Panda 2 is available on Blu-ray and DVD today.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302011/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Mars Needs Moms (2011)

Starring: Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois & Joan Cusack
Screenplay by Simon Wells & Wendy Wells
Directed by Simon Wells

A young boy must rescue his mother from the Martians who abducted her.


That Zemeckis-style
animation ain’t getting
any less creepy.

Grade: C+


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Mars Needs Moms is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1305591/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Rio (2011)

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jane Lynch & Tracy Morgan
Screenplay by Don Rhymer and Joshua Sternin & Jeffrey Ventimilia and Sam Harper
Directed by Carlos Saldanha

A flightless pet macaw is taken to Rio to mate with the last female of its species, but the two birds must escape from captivity when they are captured by black market traders.


So been-there-done-that,
perhaps it’s best if we just
let these birds die out.

Grade: C+


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Rio is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1436562/

Haiku Review: Cars 2 (2011)

Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine & Emily Mortimer
Screenplay by Ben Queen
Directed by John Lasseter & Brad Lewis

Lightning McQueen takes the gang overseas for the World Grand Prix and his best friend Mater gets caught up in some international espionage.


Imagination,
amazing animation
keep Pixar revving.

Grade: B+


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Cars 2 opens in theaters nationwide this Friday.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216475/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)

Starring: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith & Jason Statham
Directed by Kelly Asbury

The story of Romeo & Juliet told with garden gnomes.


Here’s what would happen
if Shakespeare and Elton John
had a brain-dead child.

Grade: D


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Gnomeo & Juliet is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/24/11.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377981/