Sunday, March 4, 2012

Vibrant Visuals are No Match in Disguisng a Green 'Lorax'

The latest Dr. Seuss adaptation does very little to hide such an obvious environmental message.
Though the previous three theatrical adaptations of Dr. Seuss classics have lacked the ability to come close in doing justice to such beloved source material, there still remains something that resonates with audiences of all ages that only a new interpretation can offer. The Lorax is no exception, transforming Seuss’ downer of a modern fable, predominantly consumed with pitting industry against nature, into a brighter, bubbly, yet denser canvas that challenges audiences with a duality of entertainment and lecture. 

The Lorax bundles together a pair of closely tied narratives detailing the consequences of the industrial-driven Once-ler, who tore down a forest full of colorful cotton candy-like Truffula trees to manufacture a multi-purpose product, the Thneed. As a result, the citizens of Thneed-Ville have been subjected to decades of an isolated, plastic state where evil business rules their daily lives. But that doesn’t stop Ted (Zac Efron) from venturing beyond the constraints of Thneed-Ville to find out from the now recluse Once-Ler where he can find a living tree to impress the girl of his dreams.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Stiller, Murphy Recharge Careers in Comedic Heist

Comedy legends and newcomers devise a plan to steal from a Wall Street big wig.
If Ocean had his eleven and managed to steal from multiple Las Vegas casinos, Ben Stiller can certainly put a team together and wipe out one million dollar penthouse and its crooked resident.  

In Tower Heist, residents and employees of The Tower, a high-rise apartment complex in the heart of New York, put their financial faith in Wall Street big shot, Arthur Shaw, who lives in the top floor penthouse with a luxurious $100 bill-themed rooftop pool. When Shaw defrauds the other residents and workers, Ben Stiller, the building manager, organizes a multi-million dollar heist with payback in mind.