IMAX

Jules Verne’s ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ With Brendan Fraser Stars Film’s 3-D Effects

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:59:06 -0700

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Jules Verne’s classic 1864 science-fiction novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth” has been adapted well in excess of a dozen times into films, radio and stage plays along with several made-for-TV movies and video games. It has even been adapted into two amusement-park rides.

So what new approach is taken with the Brendan Fraser 2008 remake of “Journey to the Center of Earth”? Well, 3-D glasses. Also, it isn’t so much an adaptation of the book but a very weak narrative film that uses action sequences from the book to make for cool, 3-D effects.

Brendan Fraser stars as Trevor in New Line Cinema’s release of Eric Brevig’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.
Photo credit: Sebastian Raymond, New Line Cinema

Trevor (Brendan Fraser) is a volcanology professor at a college where he’s about lose his research lab. His sister-in-law drops off his nephew, Sean (Josh Hutcherson), to spend 10 days with Trevor. Sean’s mother also drops off a box of items left behind by his late father.

Left to right: Brendan Fraser stars as Trevor, Anita Briem stars as Hannah and Josh Hutcherson stars as Sean in New Line Cinema’s release of Eric Brevig’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.
Photo credit: Sebastian Raymond, New Line Cinema

In it, Trevor finds a copy of Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” with notes from his brother and lab partner. Deciphering the notations, Trevor believes the correlation between the seismic readings he has found in his lab and the notes in the book mean something.

That’s why he and Sean travel to Iceland where Trevor’s brother went missing to investigate. There they meet a guide, Hannah (Anita Briem), who’s the daughter of another Verne follower and scientist.

She leads them into a cave where they begin to discover that everything Verne wrote seems to be fact. All of the personalities of these characters seem thrown together quickly and without enough depth.

The narrative itself feels like a forced way to do things that take place in Verne’s novel without actually doing a literal adaptation. The story, which is credited to three writers (Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin) along with Jules Verne, seems like one of those 40-minute films you watch in IMAX at a museum that’s chock full of science facts.

Left to right: Anita Briem stars as Hannah, Brendan Fraser stars as Trevor and Josh Hutcherson stars as Sean in New Line Cinema’s release of Eric Brevig’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.
Photo credit: Sebastian Raymond, New Line Cinema

Since the film is released for the regular multiplex cinemas, the cheesy and dramatic scenes and corny laugh lines are almost groan worthy. Luckily, these are few and far between to make room for the film’s strongest assets: the action and use of 3-D imagery.

The best thing to be say for “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is that it’s completely self-aware of what it is.

In a time when every “kid” film tries to speak on two levels to not alienate adults, this film seems to make no attempt at being anything more complex than a “PG”-rated, action-adventure movie.

There’s no attempt to make the characters overly sexual, to include bad slapstick violence or to use spicy language. If you have young kids, you could do no better for a good, clean summer movie than these fun-packed 92 minutes.

The character of Hannah is especially interesting because she’s portrayed as weak damsel in distress who finds safety in Frazer’s big and muscular arms. Briem’s character transforms “Grrrl Power” into a bright, funny and strong woman, which is something that’s not portrayed enough in movies for kids.

RELATED IMAGE GALLERY
View our full, high-resolution “Journey to the Center of the Earth” image gallery.

RELATED READING
More film reviews from critic Dustin Levell.

But the real star of this film is its 3-D effects, which were created by the new RealD Cinema format.

Gone are the days of glasses that are red and blue. Those days have been replaced by stylish, clear-tinted spectacles. The film itself could almost be seen as a 92-minute product pitch to make more 3-D movies. This is a gimmick that hasn’t caught on since the fad hit in the 1950s.

Fans of the book or one of the other many remakes of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” shouldn’t look to this film to do anything that really highlights Verne’s masterpiece.

However, families wanting to see something light this summer while avoiding more aggressive films like “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” or “Hancock” could find some solace at the movies with this picture. People uninterested is seeing Brendan Fraser run from dinosaurs, though, can wait until Aug. 1, 2008 when he’ll be running from mummified corpses in “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”.

“Journey to the Center of the Earth,” which stars Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem, opened everywhere on July 11, 2008.

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Wild Ocean 3-D’ in IMAX Offers Breathtaking Cinematography, Profound Message

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:04:57 -0700

CHICAGO – “Wild Ocean 3-D” – an unforgettable nature documentary playing now in IMAX at Chicago’s Navy Pier – dives to the depths of the ocean and through the vastness of the sea with breathtaking 3-D cinematography and a profound message for all mankind.

From plankton to sardines, dolphins, seals, whales, sharks, gannets and man, Mother Nature’s greatest example of the food chain has been captured off the Wild Coast of South Africa and preserved on film in this educational documentary.

An African penguin stands tall atop a rock on Bird Island,
Eastern Cape in the IMAX film “Wild Ocean 3-D”.
Photo credit: Steve McNicholas

The film takes place along the spectacular South African coast where the Zulu and the Western worlds meet at Kwazulu Natal, which is where tropical meets the sea on the Wild Coast.

Cold-water currents push giant schools of sardines up the eastern coast and warm currents push this bait toward the shore.

When this auspicious chain of events occurs, a dazzling cornucopia of life creates the greatest underwater feast in the world.

Whether it’s the scent of sardines, the amount of fish oil in the water or simply because it’s an annual occurrence, every participating sea creature arrives in schools of thousands and cordially coexists for this solitary event as if it were their Thanksgiving.

Breaking surf sprays behind a fisherman on the rocks of Sezela
Beach, KwaZulu-Natal in the IMAX film “Wild Ocean 3-D”.
Photo credit: Steve McNicholas

The thousands of sardines – sometimes stretching as far as 10 miles – form giant “bait balls” that are meant to distract predators yet seem to dazzle the human eye with nothing short of miraculous spectacle.

As every sea creature anticipates the first move, Zulu fishermen wait with nets and poles, buckets and even full skirts to collect the sardines from the shoreline.

Zulu women collect shells from tide pools and dance in a 160,000-year-old ritual for the reaping on this day. Dolphins shoot like missiles through the bait balls and an underwater battle begins that stirs a frenzy of bombing gannets, torpedoing sharks and rapid-firing seals.

When the spectacle finishes, the film leads us down the righteous path. It relays the importance of pursuing sustainable fishing practices and following the footsteps that Africa and New Zealand have started with the creation of protected coastlines and marine preserves.

Waterfall Bluff, Transkei in the IMAX film “Wild Ocean 3-D”.
Photo credit: Steve McNicholas

The beauty of both landscape and seascape are captured by the incredible 3-D cinematography in this film. “Wild Ocean 3-D” is narrated by a native South African, which adds to the educational elements of the film and creates an even greater appeal for teachers and students alike.

Great factual knowledge is given throughout this sea epic that leaves the viewer more environmentally conscious than before.

Without being too preachy, addressing the issues of marine preserves and coastline protection give this beautiful documentary good purpose and makes it a must-see event for science students and sea lovers around the globe.

This is an excellent film to experience at any age, and with its 3-D effects, it gives the already amazing ocean an even more incredible depth. The only real criticism lies in its length: 40 minutes might be long enough to get the environmental message across but never long enough for someone who loves the sea.

“Wild Ocean 3-D” opened at Chicago’s Navy Pier IMAX screen on March 14, 2008.

Click here for our full “Wild Ocean 3-D” image gallery!

By ALLISON PITACCIO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
allee@hollywoodchicago.com

History-Making ‘U2 3D’ Feature-Length Film Redefines Concert Experience

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:33:21 -0700

CHICAGO – Shot with more digital 3D cameras than any other film project, the feature-length “U2 3D” film production revolutionizes the concert experience on the big screen.

Directors Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington bring together incredible cinematography and surround sound to create this intimate musical experience in a 360-degree landscape. Even more, “U2 3D” etches itself into history as the first-ever, live-action, three-dimensional concert film.

“U2 3D”.
Photo credit: 3ality Digital

The U2 “Vertigo” tour was filmed throughout seven shows in Argentina in one of the largest stadiums in South America. The most amazing feature of this film is the contagious energy it releases.

The 3D effects layer themselves on top of one another to make you feel as if you are a part of the audience and waving your hands along with everyone else.

Close-up shots of Bono and the rest of the band create a personal experience with U2 and puts you right on stage with them. Thousands of arms raise up along side you – gyrating in all directions – so you can truly escape the fact that you’re sporting dorky glasses in a dark theater.

“U2 3D”.
Photo credit: 3ality Digital

The amazing light shows, pulsating audience and surround sound swallow your senses in a completely innovative experience.

Nice touches of animation overlap the expected political sequences and the concert experiences are surprisingly left uninterrupted. They’re never broken up with backstage interviews or irrelevant footage of Africa.

If you don’t feel like paying outrageous Ticketmaster fees for a concert or would simply rather avoid hysterically sweaty crowds, watching this film will transport you directly into the arms of the beast and keep you entertained for a solid 84 minutes.

Even if U2 isn’t your favorite band (as is the case with yours truly), this groundbreaking digital 3D film will stimulate your senses and have you reaching for your lighter (or cell phone) to express your enthusiasm. One can only hope that all of our favorite musicians will follow U2’s revolution in toe.

“U2 3D” will open in Chicago on Jan. 23 at the Navy Pier IMAX theater.

Click here for our full “U2 3D” image gallery!

By ALLISON PITACCIO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
allee@hollywoodchicago.com