Tron: Legacy

Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappeared one day, leaving behind a son and an uber successful business, ENCOM. Twenty years later, Flynn's son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is unsure what to do with his life and with his power within his father's company. One evening Alan Bradley ( Bruce Boxleitner), Flynn's business partner, receives a page from Flynn's office sending Sam into the digital world his father created.

Let me begin this review with a tiny disclaimer. I have never actually seen Tron, the original film. But I thought that I was going to be okay because I figured most of the people who watched Tron: Legacy had never seen the first film. I was impressed and unimpressed at the same time. There some aspects of this film that were truly impressive--visual effects, music, and Jeff Bridges--of course. But the plot and many of the character's undeveloped parts kept the film from being better.

The plot was the main component holding the film back. It was basic and all-together very predictable. This is just another instance proving that movie producers and production companies truly believe that if enough explosions and special effects are attached to a film project that audiences won't be able to recognize the sub-par writing. I hope this will not always be the case.

But while studios may believe that all the special effects distract audiences from the bland writing, it actually makes it more apparent. The special effects--while no Avatar--are really, really fantastic. The suits and the light cycles were stunning. Not to mention Jeff Bridge's and Bruce Boxleitner's transformation to play CLU and Tron. While the digital makeup wasn't one hundred percent convincing, it is amazing to see how far technology has come and to imagine where it will take us in the future.

Tron: Legacy was exciting at times and visual stunning at most but overall it was a bit of a disappointment. There was a certain..lacking in the film as a whole. There were parts that were a bit confusing even for a fantasy/action/sci-fi lover like myself. It was an okay movie but I probably won't be watching again.

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The Kids Are All Right

Nic (Annette Benning) and Jules (Julianne Moore) wanted to start a family and sought out a sperm donor to make their dream a reality. Eighteen years later their two children (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) seek out their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) and chaos ensues.

Don't be put off because this movie is about a lesbian couple. I know that a lot of people will never watch this movie because of the content but don't let that happen to you. It's a really sweet film. And it deals with topics much larger than just the struggles of being in a homosexual relationship. Topics that anyone could relate to--kids going off to college, appreciation in a marriage, infidelity.

I was extremely impressed by the young talent in this film. Wasikowska, known mostly for her role in the block buster Alice in Wonderland, was utterly delightful in this role. After such a huge successful debut, it is impressive to see her picking roles with more depth. Hutcherson was also a joy to watch. He is very talented and if he continues to pick roles like these, there is no question that he will effortlessly make the transition from child star to well respected actor.

The ending was my favorite part. I won't give anything away, I promise. But it was...perfect. The middle section of the film lost me a bit because I wasn't quite sure where it was going. But the last scene is my favorite. Hutcherson's last line is perfection. This film, while it deals with dramatic topics, manages to look at it in a slightly humorous way. I understand why this film was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

But I must say that I was a little taken back by how much sex there was in this movie. And all sorts too. There was no discrimination in this film. More than anything, this is a story about love and marriage. It just happens to be told through a lesbian couple, their children, and their sperm donor. Life isn't perfect but that doesn't mean it can't be magical.

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