The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Director: John Turteltaub
UK release: August 2010
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Alred Molina, Jay Baruchel, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci

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She said:

Most people will know the Sorcerer's Apprentice as 'that scene' in Fantasia where Mickey Mouse enchants some brooms and loses control of them. It is striking and vivid, and as a 5 year old child I loved it. If you haven't seen it, click here for the bit from Fantasia. So I think it is safe to say a had some doubts when I heard about this Nicolas Cage film which is, essentially, a 2010 blockbuster based on a 1940 Disney cartoon set to a piece of Dukas music from 1897 that is based on a Goethe poem written in 1797. I didn't see how they could make this film without completely destroying the layers of history behind it; I'm glad to say that this didn't happen!

Now, like many people toying with the idea of seeing this film I was mightily put off by the fact it starred Nicolas Cage, aka Mr Wooden. Wow is that man a terrible 'actor' who we can all agree would not be as famous if he wasn't a Coppola. However I have to put my hands up and say "I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a Mr Wooden film". Cage's cliched acting actually fitted in quite well with this fluffy family film and created a great comic duo along with sidekick (or apprentice!) Jay Baruchel.

The thing I really enjoyed about The Sorcerer's Apprentice is the special effects and imagination. The film marries science and technology with magic and folklore to create a modern twist. There is no denying this is a film based solely around spectacle (as is the original Goethe poem) and I personally loved the scope and creativity of the special effects; the giant Eagles detaching from the Chrysler Building springs to mind.

However I do not want to oversell this film. Despite being enjoyable this isn't the best written plot ever, and could have been executed better. Like a lot of family fantasies the director forgets to give the back story as much attention as the action. Despite learning the history of the Sorcerer and the villain (played by Molina) I found both characters under-developed emotionally. I didn't believe their motives totally and I think this should have been catered to, for more mature viewers like myself.

Overall this film was not the disaster I was expecting. The soundtrack, composed by Trevor Rabin takes musical influence from the original Dukas music while their is an obligatory homage to 'that' Mickey Mouse scene. I give this film {{{3 out of 5}}}.

He said:

Like Helen I really didn't expect very much sitting down to watch this film. If you have read any of our previous reviews involving Nicholas Cage you will know that we are not his biggest fans. However he does occasionally find a role that suits him, Con Air and Gone in 60 Seconds spring to mind.

Helen has already touched on the various high points of the film far more eloquently than I could ever hope to. I will say that as unlikely a duo as Cage and Baruchel are, they have excellent on-screen chemistry together. This is, at its heart, a buddy film.

Baruchel's character - Dave - accomplishes something very few characters in similar fantastical situations manage to do; he remains the geeky teen guy that he is. So often we see characters that inherit amazing abilities and then find themselves defined by said abilities. But Dave manages to still be every bit as geeky even when he finally gains control over his abilities. I'm not sure if this is due to Baruchels superb acting ability, or if Jay Baruchel is really just that much of a geek! I think I'll let you all weigh in on that particular debate in the comments below.

Overall this is a fun film and I give it {{{3.5 out of 5}}}

They said:

Depending on your personal opinion of Nicholas Cage and Jay Baruchel this is undoubtedly still a fun film that at the very least is worth renting for a family night in. We give it {{{{6.5 out of 10}}}}

QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: What is the worst Nicolas Cage film you have ever seen?

KICK-ASS (Directed by Matthew Vaughn)

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Starring:
Aaron Johnson, Garrett M. Brown, Clark Duke, Evan Peters, Deborah Twiss, Lyndsy Fonseca, Sophie Wu, Elizabeth McGovern, Chloe Moretz, Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

He said:
In today's comic saturated film explosion it has become pretty common place to recognize names of heroes that not so long ago were barely recognized let alone well known. KICK-ASS is based on a comic book story, but this is not your atypical comic book film.

These costumed heroes are just average everyday teens, there wasn't a radio-active spider bite, or a super genius creating heroic robot costumes to save the day, no cosmic or Gamma radiation either, just kids asking the question do you need super powers to be a Superhero?

There are a lot of references to other comic heroes in this film (Nicholas Cage's character Big Daddy was almost completely based on Adam West's Batman sans polyester tights) there were countless references to everyones favorite neighborhood Spider-Man as well. (including an homage to the first film's initial leap off of a tall building) Comic geeks the world over will be boring each other with countless references for months I'm sure.

This film was fun and entertaining and admittedly at times slightly disturbing. It does feel a bit disjointed in the final act but it is definitely a film worth watching, I give it {{{4 out of 5}}}

She said:

Overall I enjoyed this film. I am not raving about it like a lot of other people I know who have seen it, but I did enjoy it. I liked the fact that this was comic superhero film meets quirky teen dramedy ala Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist or Juno. This isn't a film about superheros, it is a film about the effects of comics on average everyday life (loosely).

My reservation with this film comes in the third act where the irony ceases to be. The film-makers stopped making a point and being interesting about the effects of getting sucked into a make-believe superhero persona and began being about 'how much violence can we fit into this film before the credits rolled'.

I feel it could have stopped half an hour earlier and been much more impressive. But then I am not a fan of violence... because call me crazy but seeing children murder people doesn't excite me in the kind of 'I am loving this action' way.

It was fun to see a different type of superhero film... one I guess lacking the superheros! But I wish so much that it had heroes in this film, forget the super. Unfortunately it is less hero more misguided children killing people in the name of doing the right thing. I give it {{{3 out of 5}}}.

They said:
If you enjoy films like Watchmen and 300 this is definitely your cup of tea. we give it [[[7 out of 10]]]

Knowing (Directed by Alex Proyas)

Starring:

Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, Lara Robinson

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He said:
I can not in sound mind tell anyone to go see this film. The film has an amazing plane crash one shot that was done very well. But really and truly that is the only positive thing I can think to say about this film. I will not waste your time complaining about it. I give it {{{1 out of 5 stars}}}

She said:

There is nothing like a great film... and Knowing is nothing like a great film. It hardly seems worth writing a review for this film but I really must express how bloody awful it was. There were cheesy cliches, there were plot holes galore and there was Nicholas Cage - altogether it was never going to be a wining combination.

Films like this frustrate me because they *could* have been so good. The basic starting idea is really interesting; a girl predicts the future in code in the fifties and it is discovered in the present day. I think the writer/director focussed too much on trying to explain the prediction rather than exploring the reactions to the revelations.

Overall... this was shit. I give it {{{1 out of 5}}}.

They said: If you are hoping for Nicolas Cage in all his glory, A) you might be suffering some form of psychosis and B) you will not find it in this film we give it [[[[2 out of 10]]]]