In a barren wasteland of endless towers and canyons of refuse, a single creature stirs: a small robot chugging tirelessly about, almost imperceptibly bringing order out of disorder.
Kit Kittredge is a charming, wholesome, old-fashioned story celebrating perseverance amid misfortune, humility and courage in the face of diminished circumstances, and solidarity with social outcasts and others less fortunate. That this story represents the world of the high-end “American Girl” merchandising phenemenon that includes $90 dolls, $25 toy outfits, furniture, magazines, juvenile self-help books and much much more is certainly ironic, to say the least.
Let the record show that the makers of The Incredible Hulk want it clearly understood that their film is not, repeat not, a sequel to Hulk of 2003, Ang Lee’s arty and ambitious but unpopular take on the comic-book movie.
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a smart, scary fantasy family thriller that offers depth and meaning in a genre littered with mere competent entertainment. Where films like Zathura and Night at the Museum offer roller-coaster excitement but little more, The Spiderwick Chronicles is actually about something.
Like the Paramount logo mountain peak in the now-famous opening dissolve that started it all nearly three decades ago, Raiders of the Lost Ark towers over the surrounding landscape.