“The Adventures of Tintin” Review by Aaron

     Tintin’s trademark is his terrific tuft, and let me tell you, Spielberg made sure to get the hair just right in his telling of “The Adventures of Tintin.” And so there it is — bouncy, reddish in color and perfectly undisturbed as Tintin and company set out on the trail of a hidden treasure, lost for centuries.

     Opening on a marketplace where Tintin, voiced by Jamie Bell, is having a street artist draw a portrait of him, the film has a star studded voice cast and a visual style that makes it seem more like Herge’s Tintin comics than the originals themselves. Thomson and Thompson, the two bumbling detectives, voiced by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg respectively, are spot on as they ineptly try to apprehend a pickpocket that has stolen each of their wallets multiple times.

     As the plot moves forward, Tintin purchases a model of the 17th century man-o-war Unicorn from a vendor, which initiates a treasure hunt across multiple continents when he discovers a clue inside the mast.

     Spielberg’s Tintin interpretation is a mash up of two of the original Herge comics, “Crab With the Golden Claws,” in which Captain Haddock (voiced by Andy Serkis) is introduced, and “Secret of the Unicorn,” which introduces Haddock’s ancestral home, Marlinspike Hall.

     The film is a beautiful homage to the Herge creation from both an artistic and a comedic standpoint, and its grasp of Tintin villains is also impressive. In “The Secret of the Unicorn” comic book for instance, the movie’s main villain, Ivanovich Sakharine, voiced by Daniel Craig, is a minor character who I’ve always thought seemed sinister. He always looked way more evil than the Bird Brothers, and more like a traditional Tintin antagonist.

     But my complaint about the film is that it’s too over the top, action wise, even for Tintin. Having a tank driving around with a building on top of it, for example, or Haddock and Sakharine sword fighting with cargo loading cranes seems unnecessary.

     For those who know little of Tintin, this film will be a hit, but for fans the film is a mixed blessing. While the feel of the movie, the voice acting and the art are fantastic, the film often seems over the top and the storyline a little too tangled between the plots of “Secret of the Unicorn” and “Crab With the Golden Claws.”

Four Blistering Barnacles Out Of Five

"Paul" Review by Chris

Let’s get this out of the way early. "Paul" has its flaws as a movie. There are countless unnecessary vulgarities that get old quick, many of the cameos feel tacked on and the story is predictable. But none of these problems bring this entertaining journey to a grinding halt, and it's a trip that should be taken, but maybe not by all crowds.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost join together once again to play a sci-fi artist and a writer who are doing a tour of American alien landmarks. Along the way they meet Paul, an alien on the run who's voiced by Seth Rogen. From that point on it's a classic road trip movie. The cast is rounded out with several well-known faces like Jason Bateman. Each character starts out stereotypical, but they become relatable by the end of the movie.

This is Seth Rogen's best film. He utilizes his typical weed smoking, rude humored persona, but adds heart and depth to Paul that wasn’t in his previous roles. Throughout the film, Paul helps the other characters grow, and there are many surprises along the way. Director Greg Mottola also finds different ways to use Simon Pegg and Nick Frost than Edgar Wright, who directed the pair in "Hot Fuzz."

The quality of the film work isn't anything to brag about, but it does its job. What really impresses from a visual standpoint is our CG hero, Paul himself. He's highly detailed: Right down to the veins under his skin and the moister in his eyes. Every time he goes invisible or revives the dead, it's gorgeous. Rogen’s voice work becomes an integral part of Paul through seamless animation.

As I mentioned previously, this film might not be enjoyable for all. Half of the humor is crude, and more often than not, involves drugs, sex, alcohol and vulgarities. There are lots of references to drugs, sex and alcohol. With some violence mixed in with the vulgarities, this movie definitely earns it's R rating. And finally, two important warnings, first, some of the humor is meant to be understood only by my fellow nerds, and second, this movie brutally attacks people who deny evolution, so if you think we descended from heaven and not from the Great Apes, give this movie a skip. "Paul" is going to offend some, but for most it will have you laughing your way to another galaxy.

I give it Four "Mother ships" out of Five

Written by Chris
Edited by Aaron