For those who have seen the “qatsi” films Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi, Samsara will be pretty familiar. The film is essentially, an hallucinogenic document of the world and its people conveyed through images of the vast chugging machinery of civilization and nature all backed by new-age ambient music. The film comes from Ron Fricke who gave us the similar Baraka in
Read moreAs Shrek did with nursery rhymes and Who framed Roger Rabbit did with iconic cartoons, Wreck it Ralph creates a fantasy world meta movie out of arcade video games. The film takes the now familiar idea that once the humans aren’t looking, the imaginary characters of this fantasy world come to life and interact with each other. Here the title
Read moreThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, is easily the most anticipated film of the year. The film’s arrival has, however, been preceded by several controversies not the least of which were accusations of animal cruelty on the set, something Peter Jackson has vehemently denied. Controversy surrounding the film itself began with the fact that
Read moreWe’re back for another year and in the first Built For Speed of 2013 we’ll be reviewing the most anticipated film of the last 12 months, The Hobbit. We’ll also take a look at animated video game adventure comedy Wreck It Ralph. Also, 2013 marks 45 years since the release of the Beatles’ White album and we’ll be featuring that massively influential
Read moreThe problem with many film musicals is that, removed from the artificial world of the stage, the site of people bursting into song seems ridiculous. This becomes a bigger problem when the film goes for a gritty, realistic look as opposed to the deliberately staged look of the classic film musicals from the 1940’s and 50’s. Les Miserables, a screen
Read moreDespite the similar name, the 3D animated fantasy Rise of the Guardians has nothing to do with the film from a couple of years ago Legend of the Guardians: the owls of Ga’hoole. Rise is based on the Guardians of Childhood novels by William Joyce rather than the Ga’hoole stories by Kathryn Lansky. Like Shrek and Who Framed Roger Rabbit,
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