"Prince Caspian"...

[Uberfuhrer]

I just got back from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Quite an adrenaline-pumping, fast-paced adventure film if you ask me. It was somewhat an improvement over the first film. Though I must confess that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the only Narnia story I was familiar with, due to the fact that I was exposed to the BBC movie in grade school about fifteen thousand times.

The visual effects, farmed out by The Moving Picture Company, Framestore-CFC, Weta Digital, and ScanlineVFX.

Notable effects sequences: The Moving Picture Company handled the battle sequence, which was very exciting and skillfully crafted, although there were certain flaws in compositing; many of the shots were clearly greenscreen and were not as convincing as they could have been.

Framestore-CFC took over the duties of animating digital characters such as Aslan, who was animated by Oscar-winning effects house Rhythm & Hues in the first film, and a vast assortment of other talking animals and mythical creatures, many of which were farmed out by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Industrial Light & Magic in the 2005 predecessor.

Weta Digital was in charge of the castle raid; curious how that whole sequence looked like it was footage from any one of the Lord of the Rings films, in which Weta Digital was also instrumental in.

My favorite effects sequence, however, was done by ScanlineVFX in Munich. ScanlineVFX is a relatively unheard of effects company in the US, but judging by the sequence they handled, I'm hoping to see a lot more of them. ScanlineVFX was in charge of the River God, who was basically a monster that spawns out of the river -- a truly stunning and fantastical creation, he was.

[Mozzes]

I'm going to see it tomorrow (Speed Racer as well, although I don't look as forward to seeing that one) with some friends.

The only thing I've heard about it so far is, like with the first movie, they had to expand upon the source material so there'd be enough to work with to make a movie. In particular I overheard a radio interview with one of the individuals involved with the film where a relationship of some sort between Susan and Caspian was being discussed which is interesting since I don't think they even met each other in the book.

[Uberfuhrer]

I fucking loved Speed Racer. The critics are full of shit on that one (as usual).

[Mozzes]

I fucking loved Speed Racer. The critics are full of shit on that one (as usual).

Yeah, it's been panned by critics which is why I haven't been particularly enthusiastic about seeing it. If they're full of shit then I'll try to go in with an open mind.

[Uberfuhrer]

Yeah, it's been panned by critics which is why I haven't been particularly enthusiastic about seeing it. If they're full of shit then I'll try to go in with an open mind.

Really, people who read reviews obviously are too lazy to form their own opinions.

Although I'll glance at reviews in the newspaper or movie sites, it in no way affects my decision to see a movie.

[Mozzes]

Really, people who read reviews obviously are too lazy to form their own opinions.

Although I'll glance at reviews in the newspaper or movie sites, it in no way affects my decision to see a movie.

I disagree. I think finding a critic with whom you share cinematic tastes is a good way to help determine whether or not you want to put $6.00 down for a ticket.

Otherwise the only thing you really have to form an opinion on is the trailer and everybody knows that a studio will pretty much blow their load on the trailer. I've seen a lot of good trailers, much fewer good movies.