City of Ember

[thatguy]

I'd recommend it. Aside from the log ride effects, it was well put together. A kid's movie, but not really just for kids. The child actors did a good job. The adult actors (Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau) were mostly incidental and not particularly outstanding.

A believable world - another dystopia. Has the retro feel of the "Myst" or "BioShock" games or something like that - also, the styling made me think of the toy in "Zarathrusta" (a futuristic variation of the "Jumanjii" story). Really nice sets.

I just watched "Logan's Run" the other day with my son and there were a few parallels to the two.

Not to give anything away, but the penny off the Empire State building bit at the end is a little unbelievable, but you have to let some of that go...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

I felt that it was rushed, like there were huge concepts that were fleshed out in the book but didn't quite make the movie. Murray and Landau were good, as was Saoirse. The soundtrack kept reminding me of Prince Caspian. Like Golden Compass, Ember is based on a book series hoping to become the next Harry Potter franchise. Unfortunately, they spent $55 million on Ember hock: and didn't even make $20 mill back.

If Terry Gilliam had directed this, it would have rocked. Gilliam could have nailed that claustrophobic feel of Ember.

T & Mrs Dm liked it better than Dm.