Go Change.  Someone Just Called You Mrs. Doubtfire !

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Today’s Novel Idea:  Inkheart

January is such a gloomy month.  The winter winds blow, the skies
are grey, and the movie theaters are a barren wasteland…  Devoid 
of good movies as the trees are devoid of leaves !  (At least that 
was the case last year around this time). 

We were treated to such charmers as “Over Her Dead Body” and
“In the Name of the King:  A Dungeon Siege Tale”.  But it is looking
like spring might be hitting us early.  No…  I am NOT talking about
“Hotel For Dogs”.  I am thinking more along the lines of “Defiance”, 
“My Bloody Valentine 3D” and, much to my surprise, “Inkheart”.  

As it so happens, “Defiance” is what “Valkyrie” should have been. 
(Will someone please call Tom Cruise and tell him that he sucks) ! 
I’d love to do it myself,  but I seem to have “misplaced” his phone
number.  Pity.  Anyway, “Defiance” wasn’t the infuhrerating mess 
“Valkyrie” became…  I realize the latter was a modest success at 
the box office, but I am not a fan of that particular S S hit.

   Do not adjust your computer screen folks.  I DID indeed insinuate 
that “My Bloody Valentine 3D” was enjoyable…  If nothing else,
“MBV3D” is a thrill ride of sorts.  I was impressed that it managed
to capture the feeling of the original cult classic, all while adding
some new “dimensions” of its own. 

For example, this updated version boasts huge 3-D BOOBS.  Yep.
Boobs.  Folks were actually reaching out for ’em.  (To avoid any 
  confusion, please remember “Valkyrie” is not in 3-D).  That film    
 features just one boob, and he is flatter than a pancake.

Now…  In regards to “Inkheart”, its flaws are many and its flaws
are obvious.  Nonetheless,  I rather enjoyed watching this flick. 
Sometimes, the movie is whimsical.  And at other times, flimsy. 
I guess that makes it “flimsical”.

Brendan Fraser returns to the big screen, and once again he is 
playing second fiddle to some CGI Gods and Monsters.  Brendan
is delightful as Mortimer “Mo” Folchart, a guy with a passion for
 old books.  His love of literature is shared enthusiastically by his 
cute young daughter, Meggie.  The pair travel around the world
trying to locate hard to find writings, having a blast while doing
so !!!  

I Can’t Believe Borders Threw Us Out ! 

Mo has spent several years searching for an out of print book 
titled “Inkheart”.  At first,  Meggie does not have the first clue
as to why her father is so obsessed with coming across it. She
just sees him as a bit of a loon, and leaves everything at that.

Imagine her surprise when she finds out the old book holds a
 secret to her past, involving her long lost mother !  We learn
that Mo has a magical gift…  He is a “Silvertongue”, someone
who can bring a character to life from a book just by reading
it out loud !  He actually pulls them out of the story into this
world (but it creates a vortex that forces someone out here
to be sucked in at the same time).

It’s a good thing he found out about his powers before he
read something of a questionable quality.  There are three
 books that a Silvertongue should probably NEVER read out 
loud from:

 ****************************************

Sex ~ by Madonna

Me ~ by Katharine Hepburn

Garfield Goes to Waist ~ by Jim Davis

****************************************

Madonna:  Hard Candy…  Or Soft Serve ?

Anyway… Meggie’s Mom is stuck in the book (or so it seems)
and all sorts of characters are running amok.  Some are good
guys, like the hippie flame-thrower “Dustfinger”.  Now that’s 
a name !!!  (I guess there are worse fingers that he could be
be associated with)… 

In the evil villain department we are treated to “Capricorn”,
played wonderfully by Andy Serkis (Gollum in “The Lord of 
the Rings” trilogy).  His plan is to enlist Mo’s help in reading
a creep known as “The Shadow” out of “Inkheart”.  He will
stop at nothing, and conjures up a number of beasts to do
his bidding !  With the aide of a stuttering Silvertongue, he
manages to wreck some havoc on the countryside.

Meggie and Mo are not alone, as Dustfinger, a unicorn, and
even Toto from “The Wizard of Oz” do battle with the group
of wretched scum.  I’ve got to say it.  Toto is CUTE.  I can
be such a sucker for an adorable dog in a flick…  One extra
point, right there !  LOL ! 

Also helping our heroes is Meggie’s eccentric great aunt,
“Elinor Loredan” (played with a crazy perfection by Helen
Mirren).  This nut would give “Cruella Deville” a real run
for her money !

Yes, some hijinks ensue as all types of oddballs drop out
of the sky…  Including Rapunzel, who resembles Christina
Aguilera in hair extensions.  The Shadow does show up of
course, and it starts to look like curtains for Mo and the
 gang.  As expected, a grand battle plays out at the end !

When all was said and done…  I would have liked to have
seen more famous fictional characters flushed out !  This 
  movie stayed focused on the same few the ENTIRE time… 

Another miniscule gripe I have was about the locations. 
   All of the events transpire at Capricorn’s castle…  But a    
magical story (featuring such a broad imagination) really
should have had a broad backdrop as well !  Regardless,
it is all in good fun…  And it sure beats the heck out of 
that “Prince Crapstain” nonsense.

  Worn edges aside, “Inkheart” has the write attitude !!!

~

Would I Recommend This ?  Yes

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “7” out of “10”