Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are back together again in Alice in Wonderland which hits the theaters today.  Not so much an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic book as a continuation of the title character’s adventures in that fantasy world, the movie gets wide release in 3-D and promises a visual feast for the eyes.  So far, the critics have been lukewarm toward the movie as it has only edged its way up to a 56% Fresh Rating at the Rotten Tomatoes site with the following the consensus opinion:

Tim Burton’s Alice sacrifices the book’s minimal narrative coherence — and much of its heart — but it’s an undeniable visual treat.

Fred Topel from Sci Fi Wire had a favorable opinion of the movie saying that “if you’re an old school Tim Burton fan and felt let down by his recent work, as we have, Alice in Wonderland is a step back towards his former glory.”  Joe Lozito of Big Picture Big Sound was not as kind in his review saying that “the most wondrous thing about director Tim Burton’s take on the Lewis Carroll classic is how lacking in wonder it all is.”  You can read more of the critics’ views at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page and you can catch the trailer for Alice in Wonderland at its official website.

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The remake of George A. Romero’s classic The Crazies hits theaters today.  Romero, of course, first became notorious for his seminal 1968 zombie film The Night of the Living Dead which launched a whole new sub-genre in horror films.  The Crazies, both the original and the remake, follows a similar format, though in this one the zombies are not people rising from the dead, but victims of a government experiment.  The movie has so far picked up some favorable nods from critics and it currently has a 70% Fresh Rating on the Rotten Tomatoes site.  Following is the consensus opinion on the movie as of its opening day:

Tense, nicely shot, and uncommonly intelligent, The Crazies is the rare horror remake that works.

According to Uncle Creepy of Dead Central, “The Crazies knows what scares you, and once it pins you to your seat, it won’t let go until the film’s stark finale.”  And Todd Gilchrest from FEARnet claimed that “The Crazies is the kind of horror movie you can enjoy being scared by.”  James Berardinelli of ReelViews was less enthusiastic about the movie saying that it is “a slicker production than the original but some of the grit is gone.”  Overall, though, the movie has received mostly favorable reviews and should be worth a look for genre fans.  You can read more of the critics’ views at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page and you can catch the trailer for The Crazies at its official website.

Get more information on this and other upcoming Science Fiction and Fantasy movies at our 2010 Movie Preview page. And you can check showtimes in your area and buy tickets online for these and other movies now playing at Fandango.com:

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and The Wolfman hit theaters today and critics seem only mildly favorable toward the former so far, but have few words of praise for the latter.  Percy Jackson, based on a popular series of novels about a modern day boy who finds out he is the son of the Greek God Poseidon, looks set to pick up the torch that Harry Potter will pass shortly as that franchise winds down.  Critically, the movie has not received rave reviews, though it has garnered some good marks so far.  It’s Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes currently stands at 54% with the following consensus opinion:

Though it may seem like just another Harry Potter knockoff, Percy Jackson benefits from a strong supporting cast, a speedy plot, and plenty of fun with Greek mythology.

Rich Cline of Shadows on the Wall notes that “the Greek-gods premise lets the filmmakers indulge in some visually whizzy sequences that keep this rather lightweight action movie entertaining.”  Ethan Alter of The Hollywood Reporter was less than enthused by the movie, though, saying that “what’s really lacking in The Lightning Thief is a genuine sense of wonder, the same thing that brings viewers back to Hogwarts over and over again.”  You can read more of the critics’ views at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

The long delayed remake of The Wolfman finally makes its way to the theaters today, but the critics do not seem to think it was worth the wait.  The movie has only scraped up a Fresh rating of 33% so far with the following consensus opinion:

Suitably grand and special effects-laden, The Wolfman suffers from a suspense-deficient script and a surprising lack of genuine chills.

Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald really slammed the movie saying that “there’s a dispiritingly rote and uninvolving air about The Wolfman that keeps the movie from being the slightest bit frightening for anyone old enough to see it.”  On the other hand, Sci Fi Wire’s Michael Marano really loved the movie saying that it did a great job of paying homage to old-school monster flicks and gives us “a straight-up, unapologetic monster movie that hits all the same dramatic notes as the 1941 classic.”  You can read more about what the critics said at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

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Legion and The Tooth Fairy hit the theaters today and critics have had little good to say about either of the films so far.  Marking the third post-apocalyptic movie in as many weeks (preceded by Daybreakers and Book of Eli), Legion apparently did not get too many advanced screenings (which is never a good sign for a movie) because the Rotten Tomatoes website had counted only three reviews by this morning and did not have a rating or consensus opinion on it yet.  The comments from the critics they had polled were not too favorable, though.  Brad Miska from Bloody Disgusting said “When all is said and done, Legion is all talk and no ‘do’, a prude film with some seriously wasted potential.”  Uncle Creepy from Dread Central thought even less of the movie saying “The finished product is shockingly bad … an exercise in futility.”  You can keep track of the movie’s Fresh Rating and the thoughts of additional critics as they roll in at the movie’s Rottem Tomatoes page.

Dwayne Johnson’s latest family comedy The Tooth Fairy did not fair much better with critics.  That movie has only received a Fresh Rating of 9% so far and following is the consensus opinion from Rotten Tomatoes:

Dwayne Johnson brings the full force of his charm (and his appropriately pale chompers) to the title role, but flat direction and a committee-written script render The Tooth Fairy unacceptably dull.

Dustin Putman pretty much summed up what the other critics had to say about the movie with his comments: “A made-by-committee studio product that took five scribes to write what amounts to The Santa Clause 4: The Tooth Fairy Clause.”  You can read more critics opinions on the movie at its Rotten Tomatoes page.

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Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington, takes its bow on the big screen today and Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones gets its wide release debut after running through a limited engagement late last year.  Neither of these movies have wowed the critics through their early screenings, however.  Book of Eli has thus far garnered a “fresh” rating of around 47% at the Rotten Tomatoes site (these ratings fluctuate depending on additional critics surveyed).  Following is that site’s consensus opinion on the movie:

It’s certainly uneven, and many viewers will find that its reach exceeds its grasp, but The Book of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some fresh stylish fun into the kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen more than enough of lately.

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly had little good to say about the movie, calling it “a ponderous dystopian bummer that might be described as The Road Warrior without car chases, or The Road without humanity.”  Fred Topel of Sci Fi Wire felt quite differently, though, saying “brilliant and masterpiece are not words I use lightly, but Book of Eli would have been the best movie of 2009 if it had come out a month ago.”  Apparently indicating that this will be one of those polarizing love it or hate it movies.  You can read more about what the critics said at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

The Lovely Bones, Peter Jackson’s detour from blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings and King Kong, has been anticipated by many of his fans but has received only a lukewarm reception from critics so far.  Its “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes is about the same as Book of Eli with around 36% at this point.  Following is that site’s consensus view on the movie:

It’s stuffed full of Peter Jackson’s typically dazzling imagery, but The Lovely Bones suffers from abrupt shifts between horrific violence and cloying sentimentality.

John Shirley from i09.com thought favorably of the movie calling it “a surprisingly seamless fusion of Hitchcock and Salvador Dali.”  Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times slammed the movie, though, saying that “The Lovely Bones is a deplorable film with this message: If you’re a 14-year-old girl who has been brutally raped and murdered by a serial killer, you have a lot to look forward to.”  You can read more of the critics’ views at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

Get more information on these and other upcoming Science Fiction and Fantasy movies at our 2010 Movie Preview page. And you can check showtimes in your area and buy tickets online for these and other movies now playing at Fandango.com:

The post-apocalyptic vampire movie Daybreakers and the Terry Gilliam directed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus open in theaters today and both have received decent reception from critics so far.  Daybreakers has received a 61% approval rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website as of its opening day (these ratings vary at any point depending on additional feedback received) with the following consensus opinion:

“Though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies, Daybreakers offers enough dark sci-fi thrills — and enough of a unique twist on the genre — to satisfy filmgoers.” (RT)

The Hollywood Reporter reviewer, who did not much care for the movie, called it a “a bloody cautionary tale with a bloodless script”.  The Toronto Star reviewer thought more favorably of it and said that it “has substance and smarts, plus lots of visual treats for the fanboys — a mix to keep everybody happy”.  You can see the opinions of more critics at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

Terry Gilliam’s Parnassus, which opened in limited release on December 25th and is now expanding to arthouses across the country and stars Heath Ledger in his final appearance, has received a 68% approval rating so far with the following consensus opinion:

“Terry Gilliam remains as indulgent as ever, but The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus represents a return to the intoxicatingly imaginative, darkly beautiful power of his earlier work, with fine performances to match all the visual spectacle.” (RT)

Shawn Levy of the Oregonian spoke positively of the film saying that “The whole thing teems with the sort of imagery and clatter that Gilliam’s fans adore”.  The Miami Herald reviewer was less enthusiastic, though, say that it “feels like a cobbled collection of ideas and conceits rather than a stand-alone story”.  You can read more about what the critics said at the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes page.

Get more information on these and other upcoming Science Fiction and Fantasy movies at our 2010 Movie Preview page.  And you can check showtimes in your area and buy tickets online for these and other movies now playing at Fandango.com: