Epic

Epic - Dir. Chris Wedge (2013)

Epic is the latest CG feature from Blue Sky Studios, the animation studio behind the Ice Age series and Rio. Epic is better than any of their previous efforts, save for the first Ice Age, but it doesn't hold a candle to even the most modest Pixar production.

Mary Katherine (Amanda Seyfried), who prefers to be called 'M.K.,' reluctantly moves back in with her father, Professor Bomba (Jason Sudeikis), following the death of her mother. Dad lives in the middle of nowhere and believes a civilization of miniature people dwell in the forest. His crackpot theories have cost him his credibility in the scientific community as well as his marriage. Any chance of repairing his familial bonds is dashed as the Professor ignores his daughter in favor of chasing down evidence. But, Bomba has been right along because deep within the forest is a peaceful population of plant-like beings protected by an army known as the Leaf Men. They are at war with the Boggans and their leader Mandrake (Christoph Waltz), who is vowed to bring about death and decay. Whatever they destroy is easily brought back to life by the magical powers of Queen Tara (Beyoncé Knowles).

The two worlds collide following a Boggan ambush that mortally wounds the Queen just as M.K. wanders into the forest. She is shrunk down and thrust with the responsibility to protect a bulb that will select a new queen under the moon of the summer solstice. Joining M.K. on her quest are Ronin (Colin Farrell), the commander of the Leaf Men; Nod (Josh Hutcherson), a brash youngster who quit the service; and Mub & Grub (Aziz Ansari & Chris O'Dowd), a slug and snail tending the Queen's gardens.

Epic was loosely based on the children's book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, by William Joyce, author of Rise of the Guardians. Joyce was one of five credited screenwriters on Epic, which is never a good sign. The film holds no real surprises and borrows a number of recognizable elements from movies like FernGully, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Avatar. The spine of the story follows the traditional hero's journey with Nod learning the importance of teamwork and responsibility. Other standard elements include the stoic mentor figure, the comic relief sidekicks, and the celebrity voiceover talent. Christoph Waltz as the villain isn't anything new, but even in animated form Waltz stands out as a fresh voice while other actors (Beyoncé and Steven Tyler) feel like stunt casting. Equally charming is a one-eyed, three-legged pug by the name of Ozzie.

The animation is beautifully rendered and the film shines during its many grand action sequences that include a climatic aerial battle with characters astride hummingbirds and bats as well as the ambush with Boggans camouflaged as tree bark.

When you title your film, Epic, you are setting high standards for yourself. The title is simultaneously grand and generic, which sufficiently describes the movie to a tee. It may be lacking in inventiveness, but kids will more than enjoy the wonderful animation and lighthearted humor.

Rating: ** ½ (*****)

Cadillac Records

Cadillac Records - Dir. Darnell Martin (2008)


Cadillac Records tells an interesting story in the most uninteresting of ways. Segregation is the norm and, oddly, it would take a Jewish Polish immigrant and a wealth of black recording artists to slowly chip away at the barrier. Adrien Brody plays Leonard Chess whose rocky trip to the top starts with a nightclub in a Negro neighborhood. His paths cross with a poor sharecropper by the name of Muddy Waters played by Jeffrey Wright, who looks more like Billy Dee Williams than the blues musician. In Waters, Chess finds the star he needs to hitch a ride on and founds Chess Records. Soon, he’s attracting other talents such as Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Howlin’ Wolf (Eamonn Walker), and Etta James (Beyonce Knowles).

Beyonce (who also served as executive producer) definitely has the pipes to match the legendary James and the audience I was with erupted in applause when she crooned, “At Last.” However, try as she might, she didn’t have the acting chops to match the larger-than-life personality that came with the larger-than-life voice.

It’s never clear whether Chess is truly taking care of his artists or ripping them off. Nonetheless, the label is riding the gravy train. While the stars may be raking in the dough and driving fancy Cadillacs, they still can’t eat the same places as white folks. Matter of fact, Berry is thrown out of a club he’s booked to play because the owners mistakenly believed he was white. He also causes a near riot simply by dancing with white girls on stage. Mos Def has a lot of fun with the role, but he's not in the film nearly enough. I'm all for spinning him off into a full-length film.

The film is narrated by Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer) and uses Chess and Waters as the focal points, but no one personality is the centerpiece. Characters weave in and out of the story. Thus, Cadillac Records feels like several musical biopics strung together with each one following the typical trajectory of other biopics such as Ray or Walk the Line. It’s a formula that was mocked so well in Dewey Cox. The artists struggle with finances, drugs, and infidelity. They have their inevitable fall from grace before newfound fame pulls them back into the spotlight. Writer/Director Darnell Martin (whose body of art has primarily been in television) fashioned a script that leans just a little too much towards fiction rather than fact. She has added a few speculated romances (Chess & James, Little Walter and Waters' 1st wife) to spice things up.

There isn’t anything particularly terrible with Cadillac Records, but there isn’t anything particularly spectacular. It’s more noteworthy as a soundtrack rather than a film. A recommended rental.

Rating: ** 1/2