Get ready for 84 minutes of Shakespeare on mushrooms. The 3D animated Gnomeo and Juliet is based off the famous writer’s 16th century play. In the opening monologue, a little gnome alerts the audience that this take will be a bit different from all the other versions. What the little gnome – and the nine other writers – forgot to mention is that this will blatantly steal the Toy Story concept. Now retreads are part of the process these days and this practice is accepted. With that said, the producers, writers and director better bring their A-game in the creative department.

After the monologue is completed, the setting of this story takes place in the connecting backyards of two upscale senior citizens. As they exchange insults when leaving for work, the one thing they do have in common is the pristine upkeep of their backyards. Both fenced in areas are decked out with tiny ceramic gnome statues. On one side we have the elegant blue gnomes. The other is the quasi-grumpy red gnomes. Once the respective homeowners leave for the day, the gnomes come to life and begin tending to their lands. Yet every now and then, the rival factions like to take subtle shots at each other. Whether it be in sabotaging ones flowers and/or partaking in the heated lawnmower races in the back alley just beyond the fence, the two sides are very competitive when interacting with each other.

The story glosses over all the characters so the audience can get a proper introduction. Yet the main focus is on the heralded son of the blues, Gnomeo (voiced by James McAvoy) and the princess like daughter of the reds, Juliet (voiced by Emily Blunt). Both have a sense of adventure in them, which leads them to an unexpected meeting, when both decide to venture beyond the fence. It becomes love at first sight, but the obstacle of being a blue and a red, forces them to hide their passion for each other. Eventually, the grudge between the blues and the reds escalates, leaving the two lovebirds in a tough position.

It’s fine to do an alternate take on a revered story. Disney’s Tangled is evidence of that, for it managed to successfully execute the formula in an entertaining way. Gnomeo and Juliet does a few creative things and pays attention to the small details (no pun), when using its surroundings. Problem is the gnome characters were not the proper vehicle to helm this tale based on the layout of the script. You would think having nine writers, the creative lighting bolt would eventually strike somewhere. Sadly, the potential (if any) is never fully realized.

Audiences – especially the younger audiences – will chuckle in a few choice spots. A chuckle is all though. Put it this way, you know when something hilarious happens on-screen and the audience is still laughing to the point you may miss a few lines of dialogue in the movie? Well, this will not happen at all in this guy. In fact, it seems the writers were cognizant of that above practice in theaters and purposely added a buffer between jokes. Which is met with dead silence. Now that isn’t to say the jokes were complete duds, but they (writers) definitely needed to spend more time on the material in accordance with the animated sequence that accompanied these said duds. What is funny though, Ozzy Osbourne voicing a ceramic deer the size of a shoe.

Comparisons to Toy Story are natural since the gnomes and a other random ceramics all freeze when humans enter the frame. What this flick is missing that Toy Story had was more depth in each character’s persona. None of the ceramic statues – which also include a French frog and a Super Mario Bros. mushroom – had the charisma necessary to make this memorable. The chosen environment the characters are put in was never fully developed, therefore, not all that interactive. It’s a shame too, because random flashes of brilliance were on display and could entertain. The not-so intelligent Pink Flamingo is an example of things the story did right.

Overall, Gnomeo and Juliet needed more preparation. The final version looks more like a second or third draft. Maybe Touchstone Pictures sent out the wrong copy to theaters. The physical animation is worthy of the big screen but the story and creativity regarding the characters is not quite there. Which suggests this title probably should have went straight to DVD. This is a product that will not annoy you in anyway, but the flick never engages the audience (old and young). At least it’s short (again, no pun intended).

RATING: 2.5 out of 5

Read similar posts to Review: Gnomeo and Juliet at Filmonic

Here’s one for the X-Men fans. James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart attended the premiere of Gnomeo and Juliet yesterday in Los Angeles. Can’t imagine what they could have spoken about.

Read similar posts to Xavier, meet Xavier at Filmonic

Back in May James McAvoy was cast as a younger version of Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, played by Patrick Stewart in the trilogy. Well according to Screen Terrier casting director Lucinda Syson is now on the look-out for a young 10-12 year old boy with blue eyes to play an even younger version of Professor X.

It looks like we may witness the manifestation of one of the world’s most powerful mutant minds.

In other First Class news Latino Review are reporting that Caleb Landry Jones, who had a minor role in No Country For Old Men as ‘Boy on Bike’, is the top contender to bag the role of Sean Cassidy aka Banshee.

In the comics Banshee is a mutant whose superhumanly powerful lungs, throat, and vocal cords produce a sonic scream which can overwhelm listeners with deafening noise, stun them with tight-focus low-frequency sonic blasts, plunge them into a hypnotic trance, disorient them, nauseate them, or simply render them unconscious. You may recall his offspring in X2, she was the girl who produced a deafening scream during the invasion of the mansion.

Given that Caleb Landry Jones has only had small roles Banshee could be just a background character, however it could be the case that he has impressed director Matthew Vaughn enough to cast him in a supporting role.

Expect casting confirmation and news to pour in throughout July as X-Men: First Class gears up for filming in August.

Read similar posts to X-Men: First Class casting call asks for an even younger Charles Xavier at Filmonic

The casting of Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier for X-Men over a decade ago was probably the best casting in a superhero movie there has been, and will ever be. Ever. So the thought of another actors cheeks warming up that wheelchair isn’t something I’ve wanted to think about, until now. Last month Bryan Singer announced his return to the franchise and said that X-Men: First Class would revolve around “the formation of the X-Men, how they began, and the relationship between a young Xavier and a young Magneto”.

This won’t be the first time we’ve seen a young Xavier and Magneto. We saw Stewart and Ian McKellen all youthful during the opening scenes of X-Men: The Last Stand, and last year producer Lauren Shulder Donner said that “you can’t do X-Men: First Class without Patrick [Stewart]“, so one assumed they would be going for the de-aging technique again. However since Donner made that statement the original script by Gossip Girl writer Josh Schwartz has been pushed to the side, and Singer is worked on a brand new script which, from what we have heard, focuses more on Xavier and Magneto than the previous treatment. This means de-aging two 70+ year old actors for a two hour movie might not be viable. Unfortunately.

Patrick Stewart recently spoke to TrekMovie about First Class, and said:

…working on X-Men with Sir Ian McKellen was “one of the best and most fun experiences” he has ever had, and that it was “the best job in the world” because every day he got to go to makeup and say good morning and give a kiss on the cheek to Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen and Anna Paquin (and even Hugh Jackman). As for the future of X-Men, Stewart talked about the upcoming young Magneto & Xavier film (joking they were going to hire 8-year olds), but he doesn’t expect to be involved. However, Stewart did note that “working with Ian again would be wonderful.”

Singer is expected to make Jack the Giant Killer before heading back to the X-Universe, so they might not have got round to rounding up the cast yet. Although it is looking likely that we will be seeing new actors playing Xavier and Magneto. I saw Ralph Fiennes’ name suggested somewhere, and I think he’d be a good Xavier if they will be needing actors in their 40′s. Do you have any suggestions?

Read similar posts to Patrick Stewart “doesn’t expect” to be in X-Men: First Class at Filmonic

Today Patrick Stewart joined the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Christopher Lee and Sir Ian McKellen after receiving a knighthood by the Queen. The actor, who’s acting career has spanned 5 decades, is best know for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films.

From AP:

Stewart, 69, said: “I am very proud to receive this honour. The theatre is and has always been my great joy.

“In particular the past six years have given me acting opportunities that at one time I could not have imagined possible,” he said. “This is an honour that embraces those actors, directors and creative teams who have in these recent years helped fill my life with inspiration, companionship and sheer fun.”

In honour of Patrick Stewart becoming Sir Patrick Stewart I have embedded a hilarious clip of his appearance on Extras alongside Ricky Gervais.

Read similar posts to Patrick Stewart is now Sir Patrick Stewart at Filmonic

Having appeared in both Star Trek and the X-Men films Patrick Stewart has become a regular at conventions over the years, and he recently attended DragonCon 09 and answered questions about both franchises.

From CNN:

When the discussion turned to “X-Men,” Stewart, who had a cameo as a younger Professor Charles Xavier in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” said that from what he had heard, audiences have probably not seen the last of the professor. He mentioned he recently co-starred in a production of “Waiting for Godot” with Ian McKellen and the two agreed that they would like continue exploring the relationship between Xavier and McKellen’s “X-Men” character Magneto.

Producer Lauren Shulder Donner said a few months ago that they couldn’t make X-Men: First Class without Patrick Stewart, so that is probably what he has heard. First Class is currently being written by Josh Schwartz and takes place during the first year at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Patrick Stewart will most likely be made to appear younger, like we saw in X3 and Wolverine.

As for that other franchise, Stewart thought that this summer’s reboot of “Star Trek” was “terrific,” but didn’t see a future for Jean-Luc Picard in the franchise, leaving open only the possibility that he would agree to do a cameo in a sequel. Stewart mentioned a proposed final “Next Generation” film, but after the disappointing box office for “Star Trek: Nemesis,” it never materialized.

“I feel that I have left behind a legacy as Picard,” he said. “In my head and heart, I’ve moved on.”

Read similar posts to Patrick Stewart talks X-Men future and Star Trek at Filmonic

X-Men Origins: Magneto is slowly taking steps to getting made. The film has had David Goyer attached to direct since April 2007, and now it finally has a synopsis! Progress!

From trade magazine Production Weekly:

“The original X-Men film began with a prologue that showed the character as a child being led to a concentration camp by Nazis and that is the period in which the Magneto film will take place. This setup will allow a future villain to at least flirt with the designation of protagonist since the character will be seen almost exclusively in his formative years.”

“The storyline will heavily involve Professor X, the wheelchair-using X-Men leader. That character was a soldier in the allied force that liberated the concentration camps. The professor meets Magneto after the war and while they bond over the realisation that they are alike in their special powers, their differences soon turn them into enemies.”

Ian Mckellen is attached to the film but will most likely serve as narrator or in flash forward sequences. From the synopsis it seems that Patrick Stewart may also be required, however as the film is set in the past Fox will probably decide to hire younger actors instead of doing the de-ageing effects seen in X-Men 3.

X-Men Origins: Magneto will begin filming whenever David Goyer finds the time and the script is complete.

Read similar posts to X-Men Origins: Magneto Synopsis Revealed at Filmonic