AND NOW, A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE BACK TO THE "ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSOURS"

Granted, Ice Age doesn’t really need any kind of introduction. None of the of the series films does. However, I just thought you might be interested in a review of it because, well… It IS the third in the series. And Ice Age or no Ice Age we all know what sequels are like. If the first is good, there is a good chance the second will also be good / ok but by the time you hit three and four, it starts getting a teensy bit “tired”. That is why I am always slightly dubious about third films, unless it is based on an actual book or something. Ice age however, is a definite exception to this rule. I never thought it were possible but even after all the gimmicks and excitement, the team STILL has a barrel full of belly-laughs in store for us…
So, the Ice Age is raging on. Our little herd has settled down into the domesticities of life; Manny and Ellie are expecting a baby (and Manny is even more excited than Ellie is, driving her insane), Diego is still his old sabre-toothed self, although he is rather afraid this settled life is causing him to “lose his edge” and he has begun thinking of leaving the herd for good. As for Sid… Well he is Sid. But apart from that he is mildly envious of Manny and Ellie; he wants to start a family too. The minor problem is that he is… Well, as we said, Sid. But his prayers finally seem to have been answered when he finds three seemingly deserted eggs in an old cavern. He takes over caring for them and they soon hatch revealing… Three baby T-rexs. Now, baby T-rexs are one thing, their mother, who naturally comes looking for them, is quite another. And when, in the kerfuffle Sid gets taken off with the mother along with the babies, it is up to the rest of the herd to save him… If they actually want him back that is…
It’s actually quite funny how successful this film has become. Technically all three films are “road movies” based around comedy caused by discordant characters; anyone who so much as owns a television set has seen films like this. However, as in a lot of films of this kind, it not so much what is said but the way it is said. The attention to detail, the way that pretty modern situations are transposed and made fun of in the film makes it a brilliant choice for adults, I actually laughed out loud in some sections. I’m not even mentioning the fun factor for the kids; I mean come on, what kid DOESN’T like Ice Age? My two personal favorites in this film are first and foremost Simon Pegg; he lends his voice to a rather deranged weasel named Buck who the herd encounters on the way. The character is hilarious as is Simon Pegg’s rendition of it, a rather “typical” character but still when so well executed who’s going to complain? The second is the inimitable and inevitable squirrel and his beloved acorn. Naturally the love affair continues full throttle all through the film, but this time, things have been “upped” a notch. There is a lady involved. And I don’t mean the acorn.
So, don’t let the “three” worry you. This film will definitely not change your life but it guarantees a good laugh and an hour and a half away from the day’s cares and that, methinks, is the most important thing of all sometimes…

MIXED BAG WEEK! : SHAUN OF THE DEAD

Now, as some of you may actually know, your humble author has been on a bit of a sabbatical for a while now. And said author (me) is (am) using this opportunity to peg the massive holes in her (my) cinematographic general culture. I take the operation very seriously and try and watch a film a day at least. But sometimes, it all gets too much. When I settled down this morning, second cup of tea in hand, to figure out what to do with the rest of the day I A) wanted to get on and watch a film. B) wanted to do something not too taxing. After a barrel load of classics (including three days of “And Quiet Flowed The Don”) I somehow didn’t quite feel up to something heavy. Something light yet sustaining. Like chicken soup only not necessarily “good for you”. Fruit salad with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I was looking for that kind of film – something you could seriously enjoy eating yet not get indigestion afterwards. I dug around in my “to watch” pile for about half an hour (no kidding – and yeah, what can I tell you, it’s a big pile!) when I stumbled across this yet again. I say “yet again” because it’s not the first time I’ve stumbled on this, only every other time I turned and chose something else at the last minute – until today…
Dear readers, I adore this film. But your reaction to it will vary depending largely on your reaction to British humor. If you love it (as I do) you’ll love it. If not, it may seem like a pointless waste of time. Bear in mind and read on…
Shaun (the BRILLIANT Simon Pegg) is your common or garden loser, living in the south of England. He shares a house with his straight-laced flat mate and his childhood friend Ed who is a prize slob. He works in retail and gets on with things. His girlfriend Liz however, would like slightly more. A change, an adventure, anything just as long as Shaun is shaken out of his torpor. Their relationship has almost reached crisis point when they notice something strange going on around them. A mysterious disease is turning the entire country into zombies. The disease is spreading, the panic is spreading and soon Shaun, Liz and a bunch of acquaintances are the only ones left “alive” in the neighborhood… But for how long?
The director of this timeless classic is Edgar Wright (who I wrote of in Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World). And I swear I like the man’s work better every single time I watch it. The storyline of the film is, you may have noticed, the same as just about every other zombie film (funny or otherwise) out there. The story isn’t the point though. It’s a showcase of comic talent, that’s what it is. I mean, maybe at the outset it was meant to be a horror – comedy; for me it was just a comedy with zombies in it. I couldn’t begin to describe all the hilarious little details about the story and the characters (and wouldn’t dream of it either seeing as that would RUIN the film for you) or the MAGNIFICENT finale but I assure you, you will enjoy it. Even if you don’t like zombies. And so long as you like British humor. I can’t say that often enough actually; if you don’t like British humor do yourself a favor and steer clear of this one. Personally, though it just affirmed something I thought all along. The British are one of the funniest peoples on earth…