ByteSized Video Reviews

ByteSized Video Reviews #6: Saving Mr. Banks

TJ is finally back for the new year and he’s bringing his review of ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ to you! All in all, Saving Mr. Banks is a charming film that you should see, even if it feels a bit like a Disney P.R. piece. But it’s okay because Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, and Colin Farrell do a wonderful job of bringing the film to life.Show Notes & LinksSaving Mr. Banks — ReviewLet me be clear from the outset, I enjoyed this film quite a bit. That said, I feel like I would have enjoyed it better if I actually liked Disney’s Mary Poppins. As it is I really do not like Disney’s classic film that much. While P.L. Travers’ concerns and complaints about the film may be too far reaching and come from a bit too dour of an attitude, I tend to agree with her underlying issues regarding Disney’s version of the film.The MovieByte Podcast #75: Unmake It UpJoin us for another edition of the adventures of Armond White! Watch as he makes a spectacle of himself and gets kicked out of the New York Film Critics Circle. See how TJ and Chad shed not one single tear! Seriously guys, he brought this on himself and he deserved it. Who’s crying. TJ and Chad certainly aren’t. In other news, ‘Catching Fire’ topped ‘Iron Man 3’ in the 2013 box office. That’s a fairly impressive feat. And oh yes, we have ‘Star Wars’ news and rumors (it’s such a very long way to 2015, sigh). You see, Disney is appointing a committee to oversee what official fits into the ‘Star Wars’ canon, and how. Plus, rumor has it that Episode VII will focus on Luke, Han, and Leia. And finally on the news front, ‘Gravity’ is returning to theaters so if you are a bad human being and did not see it the first time, you may crawl in shame to the nearest theater. And the primary review this week is ‘Saving Mr. Banks’.Saving Mr. Banks — IMDbAuthor P.L. Travers reflects on her difficult childhood while meeting with filmmaker Walt Disney during production for the adaptation of her novel, Mary Poppins (1964).Saving Mr. Banks — Rotten TomatoesTwo-time Academy Award (R)-winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar (R)-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s "Saving Mr. Banks," inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic "Mary Poppins" made it to the screen. When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ "Mary Poppins," he made them a promise-one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep.Saving Mr. Banks — Box Office MojoDomestic Total as of Jan. 13, 2014: $69,436,293 Distributor: Buena VistaRelease Date: December 13, 2013 Genre: DramaRuntime: 2 hrs. 0 min. MPAA Rating: PG-13Production Budget: $35 million

ByteSized Video Reviews #5: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

TJ walks through the good and the bad of ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’. Is it better than the first installment of this would-be trilogy? Though TJ questions the wisdom of making a trilogy out of a single book, TJ does think this installment is better. Martin Freeman continues to impress as Bilbo and overall, the pacing feels far better. This is one TJ recommends catching in the theater.Show Notes & LinksThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug — ReviewThe Hobbit trilogy is, I think, perhaps the ultimate fan fiction for the universe surrounding Middle Earth — that is to say, for The Lord of the Rings. Consider: why would one take a book less than 300 pages and make a trilogy out of it where with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, 3 books of about ~400 pages each were made into 3 films? If the same logic was applied to The Lord of the Rings filmmaking as we’re seeing here with The Hobbit, we’d have 9 films, 3 for each book.The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - IMDbThe dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - Rotten TomatoesThe second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.(c) WBThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - Box Office MojoDomestic Total as of Dec. 16, 2013: $79,847,401 Distributor: Warner Bros.Release Date: December 13, 2013 Genre: FantasyRuntime: 2 hrs. 41 min. MPAA Rating: PG-13Production Budget: N/A

ByteSized Video Reviews #4: Catching Fire

TJ fills you in on ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ from director Francis Lawrence. It is TJ’s opinion that this film improves upon the first in every possible way, even if it’s not without it’s flaws. The film is very emotional and heavy as you might expect at the mid-point of a story such as this one, but Francis Lawrence deftly brings this one safely in for a great landing — one that will of course having coming back to the theaters for ‘Mocking Jay’.Show Notes & LinksThe MovieByte Podcast #70: Might Flip OutThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire - IMDbThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Rotten TomatoesThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Box Office MojoThe Hunger Games - TJ’s Review of the Original

ByteSized Video Reviews #3: Gravity

In this episode, TJ steps back a few weeks to review a film that’s been out a little over a month since the film he wanted to see is in limited release and not playing in Nashville at this time. But Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Gravity’ is a great film and worthy of a little more attention. So TJ dives in with his thoughts on Sandra Bullock’s performance, the majesty and beauty of the film despite being so CGI heavy, the intensity and more.Show Notes & LinksGravity - ReviewThe MovieByte Podcast #64: Air Pressurized Place

ByteSized Video Reviews #2: Thor: The Dark World

In this episode, TJ gives his brief review of ‘Thor: The Dark World’, and why it’s much better than the first film. In fact, it’s a pretty good Marvel film in general. It features great chemistry between Thor and Jane, plenty of fun and humor, plenty of seriousness, and a lot of Loki. What’s not to like? Of course it’s not all roses as there are "some" issues.Show Notes & LinksThor: The Dark World - Review