The Adventures of Tintin D movie review (2011)

The Adventures of Tintin [3D] (2011)

Full review: Based on a series of Belgian comic books of the same name, created by Hergé, "The Adventures of Tintin" is the first animated film in Steven Spielberg's long and enormously successful career, and thanks to his experience and undeniable directing talent, his debut animated feature hardly disappoints. Spielberg once again does wonders, combining his directing versatility with the strength of an old school storytelling and contemporary 3D and CGI techniques, to deliver one of the most spectacular cinematic experiences of the year. Minor flaws aside, "The Adventures of Tintin" is everything an animated movie should be - it's entertaining, briskly-paced, absorbing, enjoyable, funny and charming, but most importantly, it has a great sense of adventure to it, something that most movies seem to be lacking these days. The story itself is exciting, unpredictable and brilliantly-executed, and the dialogues are smartly-written, and full of witty lines and clever jokes, that will make you either smile or laugh hard. That's right, there's never a dull moment in this movie, and that's something that both, those familiar with the material, and those who have never heard of Tintin before, will be pleased and happy with. Moreover, "The Adventures of Tintin" offers some of the best animation ever put on film, because here, the CGI work is an absolute technical marvel! The animation itself is so slick and beautifully-crafted, and the attention to detail in some shots is so impressive, it truly feels like you're watching a live-action movie. Some of the graphics are simply a work of art, with the rich and breathtaking CGI scenery of Bagghar being the visual highlight of this stunning-looking movie. The use of 3D is just as superb, and certainly adds depth to the already gorgeous visuals. Each and every one of the characters is as wonderfully-designed as enchanting, plus, their 'animated' movements are unbelievably smooth and realistically fluid. The voice work is also exceptional. Jamie Bell's voice has so much character, and his tone is so cheerful and lively, he breathes life into our charming protagonist effortlessly. The amazing Andy Serkis gives another stirring voice performance as Captain Haddock, Daniel Craig delivers as Red Rackhamand, and the always funny Pegg/Frost duo do an excellent job voicing the hilarious twin detectives Thomson and Thompson.

Overall summary: Adventurous, hugely enjoyable, utterly enthralling and stunningly-animated, this impressive first-ever animated film, directed by the mastermind Steven Spielberg, should have been called "The Amazing Adventures of Tintin", as it's absolutely extraordinary in every way, and undoubtedly, the best animated feature of 2011.

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark movie review (2011)

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011)

Brief review: Are you afraid of the dark? You should be. And you will be, after you see Troy Nixey's effective and surprisingly scary remake of the 1973 ABC made-for-TV movie of the same name. There was something uniquely sinister about the original "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" movie, that the 2011 version is lacking, however, Nixey's recreation has its own strengths and moments of horror brilliance. Despite the predictability of the script and a couple of rushed scenes, the story is well-built and offers a descent amount of genuine scares and tension along the way, plus, the movie's taut direction and smooth pacing make it constantly entertaining from beginning to the end. With its ominous atmosphere, dark and gloomy settings, eerie sound effects and murky cinematography, this artfully-crafted little chiller will make your skin crawl. The hidden basement of the lavish old house is as creepy as it can get, the stunningly-designed little ancient demons are scary as hell, and the heavy emphasis on blacks and shadows suits the grim tone of the story. The darkly charming Bailee Madison is impressive as the uneasy, yet clever Sally, and both, Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce are very convincing, if slightly underwritten, as the busy renovators.

Overall summary: Although it's fairly predictable and lacks the haunting chills of the original, "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" is still an effective and visually-atmospheric horror remake, that delivers plenty of solid scares, good old-fashioned thrills and some truly creepy images.