With holidays and the sparkle of Diwali in the air, we thought we’d keep a look out for films that make for good viewing with the family. So this week’s recommendation is Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – a film directed by Zack Snyder (of 300 fame) in the fine tradition of Hollywood’s computer-animated fantasies.
The film tells the story of a young barn owl Soren, who travels across the universe to find the legendary alliance of owls known as the "Guardians of Ga’Hoole", and save the owl kingdoms.
The film itself has familiar themes like courage, the meaning of true nobility and the virtue of following your heart that we’ve seen in disparate films like Happy Feet, The Lion King, Kung Fu Panda, The Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia.
Yet predictably in a film that comes from the maker of 300, missing is the lightness of Happy Feet or the spirit of a laughter filled adventure that floats through Kung Fu Panda. But the sheer fantasy element of the film, helped in no small measure by the giant strides made by technology, engages you. Even when the treatment of honour, extreme bravery, leadership and love follow similar Hollywood productions, Legend of the Guardians merges fairy tale with the exploits of super heroes to hold your interest.
The Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA), in collaboration with the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) is launching its first statewide international film festival in November. Over 80 films will be screened across Bangalore and 4 districts – Bidar, Dharward, Mangalore & Shimoga.
Dates: Nov 8 – 14, 2010
Venues (in Bangalore): Suchitra, Yavanika, Malleswaram Seva Sadan, Samprati (Malleswaram 18th cross – Padmini Ravi’s Studio)
Delegate passes available at 1) Karanataka Chalanachitra Academy, Badami House, Corporation Circle, Bangalore; 2) Suchitra, 36, BV Karanth Road, Banashankari II Stage, Bangalore 3) Karantaka Film Chamber, Shivananda Circle, Bangalore
Delegate Registration Fee at Bangalore is Rs 200 (Rs 100 for Students with ID)
Visual effects for the film are created by Animal Logic, the makers of Happy Feet. But as seen in more recent releases like Avatar, the use of 3D technology in story telling takes animation film making to a new high.
So a rating of 3 on 5 for Legend of the Guardians, an engaging film that appeals to children and adults who have not let the child within them die just yet. It’s another recent film that can’t really be watched on the small screen, and so keeps the relevance of cinema halls alive to audiences across the world.
The ratings and what they mean
The ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 and try to strike that difficult balance between cinematic critique and giving the regular film buff a peek into what’s playing in town and worth a watch.
1: Watch this film only if the director pays you
2: You could safely give this film a miss
2.5: A one time watch
3: Good cinema. Money well spent
4: Great cinema. A standing ovation
5: Simply speechless. A masterpiece
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