Film Forum

Episode Recap

Episode 5

11/8/05

Films Reviewed: Chicken Little and Capote

Commentary: Writers

Featurette: Behind the scenes of Dreamer

Regarding Chicken Little:

Matt: Disney makes a CGI animated film without the help of Pixar and the results are a real mixed bag.  The animation looks great and the story has its gems as well as its duds.  The ragtag characters make do when they have to but the "Runt of the Litter" is anything but (and the "gay jokes" are unnecessary for a children's film).  Still, it's worth seeing for the last five minutes, which I won't spoil here.  Three stars.

Aron: The updating of the classic children's tale is quite amusing.  The voice work by Zach Braff, Joan Cusack and Garry Marshall are all good and the concept of how they explain that "the sky is falling" is quite novel.  The film has a more "contemporary" feel to it that mixes animation with our current world and the results are kind of off-kilter.  But those last five minutes really are worth seeing.  Three stars.

Average Rating: *** (out of ****)

Regarding Capote:

Aron: Words can not do this film justice.  Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers the performance of a lifetime as the title character doing research on "the greatest non-fiction novel of all time".  He is joined by a stellar supporting cast and delves deep into a tormented yet aloof psyche.  This film will be remembered at Oscar time!  Four stars!!

Matt: Um, yeah, what Aron said!  Not to be forgotten, though, is Catherine Keener as Harper Lee, who also becomes a celebrated writer in her own right.  This film has volumes to say about the printed word and injustice.  And the period is captured perfectly by everyone involved.  Literature students need to see this right now.  Four stars, also!!

Average Rating: **** (out of ****)

Commentary: Movies about books hardly get made, but there seems to be no shortage of movies about writers.  Aron and Matt took a look at such films ranging from Delirious to Wonder Boys

Featurette:Behind the scenes of Dreamer, featuring Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell