REVIEW: Mars Needs Mom, Red Riding Hood, Battlefield: Los Angeles
From what I gather, “Mars Needs Moms,” coming to theaters March 11, is about a typical kid named Milo who doesn’t want to be told what to do and smarts off to his mom. Later he goes to apologize and discovers his mother is being abducted by aliens who want Milo’s mom to raise Martian children. Now it’s up to Milo to get her back. With the help of some new and unexpected friends (not like that’s ever happened in a Disney movie) they set out to liberate his mother.
Although the idea is pretty out there, kids will love it. It’s rated PG, so it’s a pretty safe bet for all those who wish to keep their children sheltered from controversial issues.
What kid can’t relate to Milo – someone who feeds his vegetables to his cat and jumps on his bed when his mom wants him to sleep? What parent hasn’t had a mouthy kid who says hurtful things he doesn’t mean in the heat of the moment?
With the ideal mothering voice of Joan Cusack and the oddly realistic-sounding 9-year-old voice of 27-year-old Seth Green, this movie, though fairly predictable, can’t go wrong.
If you have kids, it might not be such a bad idea to spend Friday of spring break wearing 3-D glasses, with a child by your side. If you’re like me and don’t have kids, you’ll probably end up waiting a few years and watching it when you’re babysitting your niece on a random night.
– m.noble@aggiemail.usu.edu
From the director of Twilight comes … another version of Twilight? Even watching the trailer for Red Riding Hood, there are easy comparisons between the haunting music and climactic romantic sentiments between two young lovers.
The couple expresses their against-all-odds love for each other whilst gliding through sun-beamed forestry, strongly reminiscent of Bella and Edward’s many cheesy exchanges. But several of the similarities, to me, are the positive aspects from the Twilight saga. Beautiful shots of vibrant green mountains and the breathtaking scene of the scarlet cloak gliding up a snow-covered mountain are aesthetic masterpieces. Director of both this film and the first Twlight installment Catherine Hardwicke is obviously a fan of deep, effervescent colors and stunning scenic shots. I personally enjoyed the Gothic background music that matched Twilight’s popular soundtrack.
Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia, Mean Girls) appears to fit the role of Red Riding Hood. My curiosity was piqued by the unique twist to an old fable. Someone in the isolated town is the wolf and I assume throughout the plot they will seek the evil wolf’s true identity.
I will throw my predictions into the ring and guess Seyfried’s character is either the wolf itself or an accomplice to the evil creature who becomes human in the daytime. There seemed to be some overbearing, almost evil power in the intimate shots between Red Riding Hood and her desirable companion.
The stylistic parallels between Hardwicke’s films are noticeable, but I was intrigued enough to want to see this movie in theatres. Even if the romance turns out to be over the top and unrealistic, the sheer beauty of the film is enough for me to willingly spend eight bucks on a ticket.
– natashabodily@gmail.com
It’s interesting; the variety of alien movies Hollywood creates. There are the friendly, misunderstood aliens like E.T. and Lilo. There’s a small portion of victimized aliens, the likes of “District 9” and “Avatar.” Some aliens save the day, and are robot transformers.
Then there are, of course, the evil, earth-destroying aliens. When “Signs” came out in 2002, it gave my 12-year-old self nightmares. I may or may not have made a tinfoil hat to prevent extra-terrestrial thought probes. My point is alien movies have been done, over and over. Yet, somehow, Hollywood seems to think this genre is fresh and untouched.
Cue “Battle: Los Angeles,” amidst the sound of helpless human screams and thunderous gunfire. The sci-fi thriller, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, is rated PG-13 . “Battle: Los Angeles” looks pretty intense. The trailer is filled with panic and mayhem and jerky camera movements. The eerily autotuned song “The Sun’s Gone Dim and the Sky’s Turned Black,” by Johan Johansson could easily be an alien anthem. It would also be a fitting soundtrack for watching a solar eclipse.
The trailer does not highlight any of the actors, but with some surface research I was able to determine that it was Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) dressed in camouflage, fighting off space invaders. I also noticed the pilot from “Avatar” that joins the blue team, Michelle Rodriguez.
The special effects look decent, and it’s definitely action-packed, but I’m still in the dark on the plot. I have a hard time believing Hollywood can effectively or interestingly revamp an alien storyline. I am pre-emptively skeptical about this movie.
– noelle.johansen@aggiemail.usu.edu