Warner Bros. Brings "The Hobbit" to Comic-Con International 2012

Warner Bros. Pictures Showcases Films, Filmmakers and Stars at Comic-Con

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Man of Steel” and “Pacific Rim” are among the titles highlighted.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures will once again have a major presence at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, including appearances by fan-favorite stars and filmmakers from some of the Studio’s most anticipated films. Comic-Con attendees will also be treated to never-before-seen footage, including some that will be shown nowhere else. Talent from the films will also be on hand to answer questions, sign autographs, and more.

On Saturday, July 14th, in Hall H, beginning at 2:30 p.m., Warner Bros. Pictures will showcase a number of the releases upcoming from the Studio and its partners at Legendary Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The special star-studded presentation also holds some surprises for the 6,500-plus fans in the convention’s largest presentation space.

The program highlights include a film that has already generated huge buzz: “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” directed by Peter Jackson, the Oscar®-winning filmmaker of the blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Jackson, who just wrapped production in New Zealand, is embarking on his own journey halfway around the world to greet fans, who are already counting down to the December 14th opening of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”

Joining Jackson on the stage will be Oscar®-winning screenwriter Philippa Boyens, along with several of the film’s stars, including Martin Freeman, who portrays the title character, Bilbo Baggins; Richard Armitage, who plays the fierce leader of the Dwarves, Thorin Oakenshield; the legendary Sir Ian McKellen, who returns as Gandalf; and fan favorite Andy Serkis, the extraordinary talent who is truly behind the character of Gollum. Attendees will also be invited to ask questions about the making of this epic adventure.

The presentation also includes the DC Comics superhero who, inarguably, started it all. Superman will be back on the big screen next Summer in the much-anticipated action adventure “Man of Steel.” Filmmaker Zack Snyder, the director behind “300” and “Watchmen,” will be at Comic-Con and will take questions from the audience about the making of “Man of Steel,” which opens on June 14, 2013.

Guillermo del Toro, the acclaimed writer/director of such films as “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the “Hellboy” films, will also be on hand with a preview of his science fiction action adventure, “Pacific Rim,” opening on July 12, 2013. The film’s stars Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day and Ron Perlman will join the director on stage for the presentation, which includes never-before-seen footage cut together exclusively for Comic-Con. Fans will also have an opportunity to engage in a Q & A with del Toro and his cast.

On the main convention floor, the Studio has created a must-see, 3,600-plus square-foot booth that demands repeated visits to capture it all. Located at Space #4545, the Warner Bros. booth is the place to be for autograph signings, photo ops and more, with stars and creators from some of the Studio’s upcoming feature films, as well as hit TV shows, interactive titles, award-winning animated properties and new Blu-ray™ & DVD releases.

The booth will showcase static displays of the “Man of Steel” Superman costume, and Batman’s amazing two-wheeled Bat-Pod, which was introduced in the 2008 record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight” and is featured again in this Summer’s most anticipated film, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

The multi-leveled Warner Bros. booth also features a dedicated area for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” featuring column and wall mountings of lenticular imagery from the film, as well as a scroll depicting the story. Images from that film, as well as other upcoming Warner Bros. projects, including “The Dark Knight Rises,” will be displayed on virtually every surface of the booth, drawing the eye from floor to ceiling.

While the Warner Bros. booth will have something to see at every minute of every day of the convention, on Saturday, July 14th, it will be the place to be to meet and greet some of the stars and filmmakers from several of the Studio’s upcoming features. Some of the autograph signing opportunities include “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” stars Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Andy Serkis, from 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon; from “Pacific Rim,” stars Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day and Ron Perlman, and director Guillermo del Toro, from 3:55 to 4:55 p.m.; and “Man of Steel” director Zack Snyder from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. (Please note that times are approximate. Check your schedule and other announcements for updates.)


About “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” – Opening on December 14, 2012:

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). The film follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know. The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood.

About “Man of Steel” – Opening on June 14, 2013:

Next summer, “Man of Steel” is coming to the big screen, presented by Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder, with Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters serving as executive producers. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. “Man of Steel” stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni and Russell Crowe.

About “Pacific Rim” – Opening on July 12, 2013:

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ sci-fi action adventure “Pacific Rim.” When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot and an untested trainee who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse. “Pacific Rim” stars Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba, Ron Perlman, and Charlie Day. “Pacific Rim” was written by Travis Beacham. Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Mary Parent are producing, with Callum Greene serving as executive producer.

Review: Third "Ice Age" is Also a Charm

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 57 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some mild rude humor and peril
DIRECTORS: Carlos Saldanha with Mike Thurmeier
WRITERS: Peter Ackerman, Michael Berg, Yoni Brenner, and Mike Reiss; from a story by Jason Carter Eaton
PRODUCERS: Lori Forte and John C. Donkin
EDITORS: Harry Hitner with James Palumbo
COMPOSER: John Powell

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, and Queen Latifah, with Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Kristen Wiig, Karen Disher, and Chris Wedge

The subject of this movie review is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, a 2009 computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. This comedy-adventure movie is the third film in the Ice Age series. Dawn of the Dinosaurs follows the “Ice Age herd” to a dinosaur-filled lost world as they try to rescue one of their own.

The original mismatched trio of ice age prehistoric critters: Manfred “Manny” (Ray Romano), a mammoth; Sid (John Leguizamo), a giant sloth; and Diego (Denis Leary) a saber-toothed tiger, are now part of a larger family. Manny has a mate, a mammoth named Ellie (Queen Latifah), and she has two possum brothers, Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a rambunctious, prank playing duo.

There are big changes coming to this unusual herd. Ellie is pregnant, but this joyous situation does not come without complications. Diego is feeling a little old and wants to leave and go his own way, and Sid wants a family of his own. After he tries to play “mama” to three dinosaur eggs, Sid is taken by a Tyrannosaurus rex, the real mother, to a tropical lost world where dinosaurs still live. Manny and company follow in a bid to rescue Sid, but in order to survive they need the help of Buck (Simon Pegg), a probably insane, one-eyed, dagger-wielding weasel. But Buck’s mind is on Rudy, a monstrous dinosaur with a score to settle. The prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), is also back and still fighting to retrieve that one special acorn, but this time, he finds a rival and perhaps, love.

I avoided Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs when it was first released back in 2009. It’s not because I thought that it was a bad movie; it was because I thought that I was finished with Ice Age, although I’d enjoyed the first two films in the series. I decided to see Dawn of the Dinosaurs because the fourth will be released this summer, and I am glad I did.

Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a really good movie. It starts out as a sweet and charming film about mild family dysfunction in a non-traditional family. When the story moves to the lost world of dinosaurs, it becomes a comedy and adventure film that mixes breathtaking, death-defying scenes with moments of tender love involving family and friends. There is a chase between a Pteranodon (acting as a chariot for three of the heroes) and a flock of Quetzalcoatlus that rivals (perhaps, even surpasses) the pod racing scene in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in terms of the pure excitement it gives and the technical wizardry it took the CGI artists to create it.

Although Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs largely moves the film away from its ice age setting (until the end), it keeps the fun of the series going. It makes me ready to see this new fourth film.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Review: "Ice Age: The Meltdown" is Good, Too

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 240 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
Running time: 91 minutes (1 hour, 31 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some mild language and innuendo
DIRECTOR: Carlos Saldanha
WRITERS: Gerry Swallow and Peter Gaulke and Jim Hecht; from a story by Gerry Swallow and Peter Gaulke
PRODUCER: Lori Forte

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY/FANTASY

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, and Queen Latifah, Will Arnett, Jay Leno, and Chris Wedge

The three-member herd from the hit 2002 film, Ice Age: Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary), Manny the mammoth (Ray Romano), and Sid the Sloth (John Leguizamo) returns in the hit sequel, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and an impending natural disaster inadvertently adds members to this small family.

The deep freeze of the Ice Age is over, and the ice-covered earth is starting to melt, especially the gigantic glaciers that enclose the cherished valley where Diego, Manny, and Sid live. Reluctantly, the trio accepts the fact that the valley will be flooded, so they’re forced to leave. They begin a journey to the other side of the valley where supposedly awaits a boat that will save them from the flood. Along the way, the trio meets Ellie (Queen Latifah), a mammoth who thinks she is a possum, and her two possum brothers, Crash (Seann William Scott) and Eddie (Josh Peck), a rambunctious, prank playing duo. Manny, who thought he was the last mammoth, is anxious, but also reluctant to make a friend (or maybe more) of Ellie, who is standoffish with Manny. The trio turned sextet will have to stick together if they’re going to survive the impending flood and two deadly new enemies that are silently stalking them. The prehistoric squirrel/rat, Scrat (Chris Wedge), is also back and still fighting to retrieve that one special acorn.

Ice Age: The Meltdown is one of those sequels that improves on the original, and the filmmakers did that by adding characters that aren’t just new and novel. The new trio, Ellie and the possum brothers Crash and Eddie, is also actually highly entertaining. Both Ellie and the actress who gives the character her voice, Queen Latifah, have endearing personalities and no-nonsense streaks. Queen Latifah’s Ellie and Ray Romano’s Manny actually make a good couple, as Ellie’s sassiness and Manny’s cutting attitude mesh.

Denis Leary’s Diego is still a good sidekick, and John Leguizamo’s Sid is ever entertaining comic relief. However, Crash and Eddie steal their thunder. The animators and writers created supporting characters that would be great as stars in their own cartoons (think the penguins from Madagascar). It is, however, Seann William Scott and Josh Peck who make them truly winning characters, as they breathe life and personality, turning potential into triumph.

On one hand, Ice Age: The Meltdown could have been a pedestrian sequel, but this movie is a good example of how animators and voice actors can take any kind of material and turn it into a winner just by mining their talents to make the right choices. It’s a heady mixture of storytelling, art, and entertainment, and that means Ice Age: The Meltdown will always be more than just an obligatory sequel to a very popular movie. I really didn’t want this fun and heartwarming tale of a patchwork family to end.

7 of 10
A-

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Review: Original "Ice Age" is Still Cool

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 70 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ice Age (2002) – computer animated
Running time: 81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild peril
DIRECTOR: Chris Wedge with Carlos Saldanha
WRITERS: Michael Berg, Michael J. Wilson, and Peter Ackerman; from a story by Michael J. Wilson
PRODUCER: Lori Forte
EDITOR: John Carnochan
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY with elements of drama

Starring: (voices) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Goran Visnjic, Jack Black, Cedric the Entertainer, and Stephen Root

The subject of this movie review is Ice Age, a 2002 computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox. This adventure comedy and talking-animal story follows a woolly mammoth, giant ground sloth, and smilodon (a saber-toothed cat) who go on a journey to return a human baby to its parents.

As the ice age encroaches upon the land, a mismatched trio of prehistoric critters: Manfred “Manny” the mammoth (Ray Romano, who gives a low key but commanding voice performance), Sid the giant sloth (John Leguizamo, a show stealer as usual), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) become reluctant guardians of a human infant. They embark on an epic, but perilous and sometimes hilarious journey to return the infant to its tribe. Diego, however, has mixed loyalties, as his pack lies in wait to spring a trap for Manny and the baby.

Ice Age, produced by computer animation studio Blue Sky Animation for 20th Century Fox, was the first blockbuster computer animated feature not produced by Pixar (Disney) or PDI (DreamWorks). The film also earned a 2003 Oscar nomination for “Best Animated Feature” (which went to director Chris Wedge). If the film has a secret to its success, it’s actually two things: high quality computer animation and story. Creating computer animation that doesn’t look clunky, but instead looks like eye candy apparently isn’t easy. Pixar remains the gold standard, but after a rough start DreamWorks Animation (formerly PDI) is producing some colorful and unique looking works. Ice Age looks like the work of a studio that has been at computer animated features for a long time, although Blue Sky at the time had been making computer animated shorts and computer-generated characters for films like Alien: Resurrection and Joe’s Apartment. Other than the chunky looking adult humans, the animation in Ice Age is smooth and pleasant to look at, but most of all, the characters have character.

Cute looking characters mean nothing if they leave the audience cold. Manny the mammoth and Sid the sloth especially are lively and engaging. The animation allows both Manny and Sid’s faces to exploit the performances by the respective voice actors. Sid has a physicality that reminds of a really good physical comedian, and Sid is as animated as John Leguizamo’s hilarious and inventive voice performance of him. The saber-toothed tigers seem a bit stiff for the kind of animal they likely were. Their faces aren’t quite menacing, and they pose more than they move.

However, animated films are all sound and fury without a good story. It’s not enough that an animated feature is funny, and Ice Age does have much wry and witty humor (with some clever nods to pop culture and nice comic relief in the form of a character called Scrat). Ice Age is an engaging tale about lost souls coming together and working together to do something that is more important than their individual failures and yearnings. United they are far mightier than they were alone, and the cause (returning the human infant to his father) isn’t so much noble as it simply is the right thing to do. Anyone who believes in family and friendship can identify that, and such a goal moves beyond group alliances.

This is an all-inclusive message that embraces both traditional and non-traditional families (whatever those are). It’s a good message and a heartwarming story that makes Ice Age more than just empty, family entertainment product. Add the fact that it is often quite funny and witty, and Ice Age is a winning picture.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, April 09, 2006

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature” (Chris Wedge)

Darren Aronofsky Tweets from the Set of "Noah"

Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) is working on his next feature film.  Entitled, "Noah," it is set to be released in 2014.  The film is a relling of the Biblical story of "Noah's Ark."  Aronofsky tweeted a photo from the set with the following text, "I dreamt about this since I was 13. And now it's a reality. Genesis 6:14."

"The Dark Knight Rises" at Music Retailers on July 17th

The Dark Knight Rises Soundtrack Due July 17

Composer Hans Zimmer Teams With Christopher Nolan For The Conclusion Of The Dark Knight Trilogy

Album Available For Pre-Order On Amazon And iTunes

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On July 17, 2012, WaterTower Music will release The Dark Knight Rises : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack at all physical and digital retailers. Academy-Award® winning composer Hans Zimmer teams for the fourth time with writer/director Christopher Nolan to create the music for the final installment of his Dark Knight Trilogy. The CD version of the soundtrack will contain an exclusive link to unlock three bonus tracks, while a deluxe version of the soundtrack, with three additional tracks, will be available digitally. A limited edition vinyl configuration is set for release on September 4. Following the success of his experiential app for Inception, which boasted 5 million downloads, Zimmer is preparing to unveil a new iPhone app for The Dark Knight Rises that will provide fans with a more immersive musical and sonic experience into the world of Gotham City. Details for the new Hans Zimmer app will be announced soon.

“I thought after we finished the last one [The Dark Knight], that was it,” said Zimmer. “There was nothing else we could possibly do. At the same time, when I started reading this script, I instantly knew that there was a whole world out there that I hadn’t even touched yet.”

“I have never worked with someone so dedicated to the idea that the real risk is in playing it safe,” said Nolan. “Hans taught me that you sometimes have to go in what appears to be the wrong direction to discover all the possibilities, and that without exploring those possibilities you can never do anything truly exceptional. He sets creative goals for every film that are higher than you ever thought practical…or even reachable.”

Zimmer added, “We’re comrades in arms, the way we try to cheer each other on and try to really do the best work we possibly can. And part of that is you have to be prepared to not hold back. You have to put everything into the movie.”

Hans Zimmer has scored over 100 films, grossing more than 19.6 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. He has been honored with the Academy Award®, 2 Golden Globes, 3 Grammys, an American Music Award, and a Tony Award. In 2003, ASCAP gave him the prestigious Henry Mancini award for Lifetime Achievement for his impressive and influential body of work. He also received his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2010. Some of his most recent works include Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman. Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven produced the film, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Film by Christopher Nolan. Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The Dark Knight Rises has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.

The Dark Knight Rises -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and The Dark Knight Rises – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Deluxe Version on WaterTower Music will be available digitally and in stores on July 17, 2012.

http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/

Review: "Safe House" is Full of Thrill Rides

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 56 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Safe House (2012)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence throughout and some language
DIRECTOR: Daniel Espinosa
WRITER: David Guggenheim
PRODUCER: Scott Stuber
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Richard Pearson
COMPOSER: Ramin Djawadi

ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Rubén Blades, Nora Arnezeder, Robert Patrick, and Liam Cunningham

Safe House is a 2012 action thriller and espionage film from Dutch director Daniel Espinosa. Starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, the film follows a young CIA agent and a former CIA agent turned criminal on the run after their safe house is attacked. Safe House is an excellent action thriller, but that’s all it is.

Safe House is set in South Africa, where Matthew James “Matt” Weston (Ryan Reynolds) is a low-level CIA agent. He is the “housekeeper” (essentially the manager) of a CIA safe house in Cape Town, South Africa. Matt is about to have his biggest guest, Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), an ex-CIA agent turned international criminal. Not long after Frost is brought to Matt’s safe house by a CIA special operations unit, mercenaries attack the house. Matt manages to escape with Frost in his custody, but things only get worse. Matt suspects that there is a security leak at the CIA from someone who wants something that Frost apparently has. Now, Matt has to keep one eye on Frost and the other on the people trying to kill them both.

Safe House is an expertly directed action thriller. Every chase scene is riveting; each one will hold onto your attention with a steely grip. But that’s it. You don’t really get to know the characters, although many have interesting back stories. Characters are either good guys or bad guys, and many are also corpses-to-be. Denzel doesn’t do anything that you haven’t seen him do before, but Ryan Reynolds really sells the idea that he is a young man dealing with something way beyond his pay grade. He shows fear, desperation, and desperate determination in his eyes. He does this with enough intensity to make you believe that he is a serious actor and not just the latest lucky young white guy in Hollywood.

I really enjoyed Safe House. It’s like the Jason Bourne movies, but more meat-and-potatoes action than smart (which the Bourne movies are). I think Safe House should also be noticed for a small role by Rubén Blades, the fine actor, singer/songwriter, and Latin jazz musician. He should be in more movies. In spite of a thin script, that’s what Safe House does: offer surprises and thrills that make you glad you watched it. If you are looking for more, you will need to watch another movie.

7 of 10
B+

Monday, July 09, 2012