Month: March 2018

Today’s quick review: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. When Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), the pirate captain of the cursed ship The Black Pearl, kidnaps Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), William Turner (Orlando Bloom) launches a desperate attempt to rescue her. To save Elizabeth, he enlists the help of Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), an untrustworthy pirate who seeks the Pearl for his own reasons.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a fantasy action adventure movie set in the British-ruled Caribbean. Featuring a skilled cast, a colorful setting, an adventurous soundtrack, a good sense of humor, and plenty of swashbuckling action, Pirates of the Caribbean is a movie that succeeds from concept to execution. Quirky and entertaining, Pirates of the Caribbean showcases the best the pirate genre has to offer.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a movie with all-around solid execution. The action is always interesting, from its inventive swordplay to its sprawling ship-to-ship combat. The writing excels at setting up complicated situations, while the dialogue is dynamic and memorable. The setting has just the right amount of magic to it, with curses and legends that give the world character without leaving the historical setting behind.

The cast of Pirates of the Caribbean deserves special mention. The characters maintain a delicate balance of competing interests and morals. Johnny Depp stars as Captain Jack Sparrow, an erratic but crafty pirate whose self-interest knows no bounds. His counterpart is Captain Barbossa, played by Geoffrey Rush, a suitably menacing figure and a much more level character than Jack.

Wrapped up in their conflict are William Turner and Elizabeth Swann, a pair of childhood friends who hold the key to The Black Pearl’s curse. Keira Knightley plays a plucky, adventurous Elizabeth, who quickly finds herself in hot water. Orlando Bloom plays the idealistic, heroic William, whose naivety and sense of fair play put him at a severe disadvantage. The intricate dance of loyalties between these characters makes for a rich and satisfying plot.

Watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl when you are in the mood for an entertaining movie with a good balance of plot, humor, and action. Its particular blend of characters, plot elements, and action is unique to the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and the quality is high enough for the film to hold broad appeal. Skip it if you are looking for a straightforward plot or conventional heroes.

8.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for a creative premise, very solid execution, and enduring quality.

“If you must blink, do it now.” —Kubo

Today’s quick review: Kubo and the Two Strings. Kubo (Art Parkinson), a young storyteller, lives with his injured mother in a small village, hiding from his grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes). When his grandfather finds him at last, Kubo’s only hope is a legendary set of armor that his father once sought. His allies on his quest are Monkey (Charlize Theron), a lucky charm come to life, and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), a cursed samurai with no memory.

Kubo and the Two Strings is an animated family fantasy film inspired by Japanese culture. Kubo and the Two Strings features gorgeous animation, pleasing action, capable writing, a dash of humor, and a soundtrack that successfully blends traditional Japanese music with modern influences. The story overflows with creativity, and while the world has an arbitrary, storybook quality to it, the plot and characters are rich enough that the world never feels hollow.

Kubo and the Two Strings is a mixed media animated film, using a combination of stop-motion animation, puppetry, and CGI to create its unique aesthetic. The art design has a similar style to one of Laika Entertainment’s other films, Coraline, but even critics of the style will be pleased by the gorgeous animation and crisp camerawork. The movie goes all out with its action sequences, and its skilled animation and creative use of magic make them visual treats.

Watch Kubo and the Two Strings when you are in the mood for a creative and well-written work of art. Though both its art and its storytelling are imperfect, they are remarkable achievements nonetheless, with enough quality and character to secure Kubo and the Two Strings its own niche. Skip it if you are looking for more typical animation or a story with fewer abstract, fantastic elements.

7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for strong writing and gorgeous animation.