There’s only one pair of glasses that will make The Last Airbender a tolerable adventure and it’s not the 3-D kind. Based on the Nickelodeon animated TV series, “Airbender” is a kids movie, fully equipped with a PG rating and young protagonists asked to shoulder a majority of the workload. Expect just that: a film for young audiences.
We’re already into July, but the summer is just heating up. June was dominated by family films, with Shrek Forever After, The Karate Kid and Toy Story 3 as the movies that topped the box office. As great as those films are (especially Toy Story 3), summer is supposed to be about the live-action blockbusters be they action films, fantasy adventures, sci-fi thrillers or star-studded comedies. Well, that’s exactly what July 2010 is all about. Time to bring it on.
Not really sure what all this The Last Airbender business is about? Neither am I — and neither is anyone born before 1990. Join me as a fumble my way through flash websites, Wikipedia and more in attempt to learn something about one of this summer’s biggest fantasy films. I’ve scrummaged through the elemental nations, character, trailers, clips and more, so at least respect how much time I’ve put in and read.
There are some celebrities that people love to hate. This is neither new nor relegated to Hollywood. Some are athletes deemed too arrogant or unwieldy, actresses determined beautiful yet daft, politicians who rise to paramount status only to be cast down due to indiscretions, or, in the case of M. Night Shyamalan, directors dubbed a one hit mega-wonder.
Mamma Mia! star Dominic Cooper will get to expand his acting chops as he has been confirmed to play a young Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger.
This news comes from the Marvel site itself after rumors circulated the Internet several months ago. Back in March, Chris Evans stepped into the leading role, while Hayley Atwell, Toby Jones, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, and Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci, among others, have also signed on to take part in the Joe Johnston-directed film.
To label Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, which arrived today on DVD and Blu-ray, as Harry Potter with Greek mythology is to fault the zebra for having stripes because the tiger had them first. The hero’s journey story of a young protagonist realizing he or she has a destiny and entering a world previously unknown to him or her is as ancient as, well, Greek mythology. Was 20th Century Fox hoping that Percy would become the next Harry at the box office? Without question, but it should be judged on its own merits, no matter how similar the two are.
Here’s what’s up for DISCussion for this week:
First Release
– Hot Tub Time Machine (DVD and Blu-ray)
– The Crazies (DVD and Blu-ray)
– Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (DVD and Blu-ray)
– The White Ribbon (DVD and Blu-ray)
Re-Release
– Predator (Blu-ray)
