We've seen the world destroyed by fire, by water, by mind-numbing aliens, by giant lizards, by huge asteroids, even by massive tomatoes. Now it's time to see what a little global warming can do ...
“The Day After Tomorrow” stars Dennis Quaid as Professor Jack Hall, a paleoclimatologist who studies the way weather patterns changed in the past. Hall is convinced that global warming will directly contribute to the coming of the next Ice Age. Increased global temperature will melt polar ice caps, flooding the oceans with freshwater and leading to the desalinization of the oceans. This decrease in salt will then change the Pacific current, thereby altering the world's weather pattern and plunging earth into an Ice Age that could last hundreds of years.
Sounds complicated, huh?
Well, how's this ... some freaky weather shows up, tornadoes destroy Los Angeles (shredding the Hollywood sign) and New York is flooded by a combination of rain and ocean waves. Suddenly, the temperature drops and the water is no longer water, but a big sheet of ice. Hello, Ice Age!
It's an interesting concept, one I'm not sure is possible. As a non-educated, non-scientist, non-paleoclimatologist, I pretty much have no idea how an Ice Age gets started. But, as an avid movie-goer with a healthy sense of imagination, I do know that the premise makes for a pretty interesting movie.
There isn't really a huge amount of story there, but that's not really the point. The point is that there were some pretty amazing special effects (except the wolves that looked fake), and that's really what we all want to see. Am I right?
I've said it before and I'll say it again: If I wanted to see real life, I'd stay at home. But, If I want to escape the rigors of daily life for a few hours, peace can always be found in a dark movie theater, with cool special effects on the screen and a tub of buttered popcorn on my lap. Ah, yes.
“The Day After Tomorrow” is rated PG-13 “for intense situations of peril,” so isn't recommended for younger viewers. If you liked “Independence Day,” “Armageddon” or any other disaster-type movie, you'll definitely like this one!
Now, on with the show!
The past few weeks, I've been really building up the anticipation for “Shrek 2.” I even went out and bought a Shrek doll for my daughter, Raina, 2. We watch the movie, “Shrek,” almost every day. If you ask Raina what Shrek says, she'll reply, “What are you doing in my swamp?”
So, I was pretty excited when the day finally came to pack up the tike and take her to her first movie. Not only because it stars her best friend, Shrek, but because I couldn't help but feel a little maternal pride at her first foray into a world in which I spend so much time.
We bought our tickets, got snacks at concession and settled in for the show. Two hours later, I emerged from the theater, proud and happy that my little girl enjoyed her first taste of movie on “the big TV.” She sat through the entire thing. Maybe she'll even be “Raina Says” one of these days.
Anyway, enough about Raina, let's talk about me. Just kidding ...
Let's talk about “Shrek 2.” I'm sure you all remember the original “Shrek.” It grossed over $250 million at the box office. It offered a little something for everyone — comedy, tragedy, romance and action.
The original film ended with Shrek (voiced by Michael Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) getting married. “Shrek 2” begins with the ogre pair on their honeymoon.
The newlyweds are invited to Fiona's parent's kingdom of Far Far Away for a celebratory dinner. Now, Shrek must meet the in-laws and Fiona must tell her parents she was permanently turned into an ogre.
This was a very good movie. Not as good as the first one, but still very good.
To be honest with you, I was a little leery about taking my daughter to see it because of some crude references in the first film. She could not understand these kinds of references in either film. I caution parents of older children who are worried about the content: there is some suggestive content you may not want your child seeing. The film is rated PG “for some crude humor, a brief substance reference and some suggestive content.” If you've screened the first film and are comfortable with it, the second one should be okay.
This movie was absolutely hilarious. I especially liked the character Puss-in-Boots played by Antonio Bandaras. Also starring in the film is Eddie Murphy as Donkey, Julie Andrews as Fiona's mother, the Queen, John Cleese as Fiona's father, King Harold, Rupert Everett as Prince Charming and Jennifer Saunders as the Fairy Godmother.
“Shrek 2” is (obviously) a sequel to “Shrek,” which was in turn based on the children's book by William Steig.
Internet rumors say that DreamWorks is already thinking about making a “Shrek 3” to spoof the tale of King Arthur and the knights of the round table.
Hitting GKC Varsity Cinema over the next couple of weeks are “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” “Mindhunters,” “The Chronicles of Riddick,” “Garfield,” “The Stepford Wives” and “Around the World in Eighty Days.”
Selina Vert is a reporter/reviewer with the Bay Mills News.
