By Aaron 12/17/2007

Beyond the fact that the two movies both have map symbols as their names, these two flicks have absolutely NOTHING in common. But, that shall not stop me from writing a “versus” about the last two movies I have seen, The Golden Compass, and I am Legend. Both are big movies in the sci-fi/fantasy genre with big publicity and big budgets. The rules are simple, Thunderdome rules: two movies enter, one movie leaves.

The Golden Compass tells the story of Lyra Belaqua (Dakota Blue Richards), a young girl living at an orphanage who is swept off her feet and to the big city by Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman). The world they inhabit is a parallel universe where our spirit animals walk by our side and for the right price, where the Magisterium (a thinly veiled allusion to the Catholic Church) seeks to rule all, witches speaking of prophecies fly to and fro, and much more. For Lyra though, all that matters is to get to the north and uncover the kidnapping of her best friend and the other missing children taken by “the gobblers,” who Lyra discovers are more than just childhood-horror-stories. While Lyra embarks on her voyage, guided by a truth-telling device banned by the Magisterium, an alethiometer, while her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) goes north to uncover the origins of “dust” a scientific-evolutionary type theory that questions the power of the Magisterium.

I am Legend follows Robert Neville (Will Smith), the last man in New York City, who along with his dog, Sam, tries to survive, find others, and cure the rampaging, blood thirsty ‘infected.’ K-virus, ninety percent fatal yet irrelevant to the one percent who are naturally immune, turns the remaining six hundred million or so into blood thirsty monsters. For three years Neville sends out daily radio messages for other survivors, combs the city for supplies, hunts the wild flocks of deer in central park, all before the sun sets and the infected come out to hunt. Neville races to find the cure, testing it on animals, and with high risks, the infected, before they discover his location and overwhelm him.

Challenge 1: Acting

This challenge is dealt with pretty easily in a utilitarian sort of way: there are simply more actors in Compass than in Legend. While Legend is pretty much a one man show, Compass showcases the talents of Freddie Highmore, Ian McKellen, Eva Green, Sam Elliot and Christopher Lee along with the already mentioned Richards, Kidman, and Craig. While Highmore and McKellen just lend voices, Green stays clothed, Elliot maintains typecast, Lee is barely seen, Richards is still green, and Kidman and Craig have few scenes, that stacks up pretty well against Legend’s cast. Smith is of course great, but it’s kinda tough to give him the edge here when his best dialogue is with his dog. Move over Dakota Fanning, there's a new Dakota in town. Edge: Compass.

Compass – 1; Legend – 0

Challenge 2: Directing

Most people probably don’t know these two guys, but Chris Weitz helms Compass while Francis Lawrence is in the driver’s seat for I Am Legend. When it comes down to it, Legend simply has no flubber. Meaning there are no auxillary plot devices or even scenes that I would take out of the movie. Sure, maybe that’s an editing caveat but hey, the guy directed a great flick. You can really see his improvement since Constantine (underrated). Perhaps Weitz’s great film is already behind him (About a Boy), because while Compass is good, it just isn’t great – nothing more than an above average kids’ flick. Next time Weitz, follow Matthew Vaughn's lead. Edge: Legend.

Compass – 1; Legend – 1

Challenge 3: Writing

Both movies are based on novels, Matheson’s for I Am Legend and Pullman’s for The Golden Compass. I Am Legend almost loses outright because of the low role dialogue plays in the film, but it hangs in there. While Compass has the feel of a briskly paced, efficient fantasy movie (short by LOTR standards with a running time under two hours), it is actually hurt by this factor, as the movie feels like it is always missing something more. Legend on the other hand tells a good story, avoids possible pitfalls (like overusing flashbacks), and capitalizes on a great asset (hello, Will Smith), among other things. So, big Willie Style. Edge: Legend.

Compass – 1; Legend – 2

Challenge 4: Action

Either way you slice it, when you role into a theatre you want some action. And I Am Legend has adult action while The Golden Compass is shackled by it’s desire to be a family friendly kids movie. I say, no excuses! Both movies are PG13, so Legend manages to cram in plenty of zombie shootouts without pushing the R-envelop while Compass doesn’t come close to the realist levels of LOTR-style action. Maybe you’re starting to notice a pattern? M16's beat out wants most any day. Edge: Legend.

Compass – 1; Legend – 3

Challenge 5: Comedy

They each have their own feel and their own humor. Compass has that sort of kiddie humor kids love as well as some funny scenes with some of the animals. Legend has the running gag of Neville talking to his dog as well as that swagger and attitude Will Smith takes to all of his movies that imbues almost every action with a smile. Come to think of it, I Am Legend is not that funny. And on further thought, The Golden Compass is even less humorous. Ahhh, a race to the bottom. Edge: Legend.

Compass – 1; Legend – 4

Challenge 6: Intrigue

The Golden Compass spins a whole new world full of alethiometers, blimps, fighting bears, ad spirit animals. I Am Legend shows an unfortunate future where deer herds run roughshod over New York City. This was close, but the physical embodiment of souls as animals, in The Golden Compass, takes the cake. I just loved this, and it’s hard to explain, but I could not get past it. I wanted my own spirit animal! Not that Highmore’s ferret is really all that, and Craig’s white tiger doesn’t do much, but man, the potential there is limitless. And then there are fighting bears! Fighting polar bears! Edge: Compass.

Compass – 2; Legend – 4

Challenge 7: Suspense

Compass was a children’s novel going through the motions; Legend was grown up flick that could go either way. Sure, I felt for Compass’ Lyra, but she pretty much had the answer to every question at her fingertips – literally. Neville on the other hand was one man against everyone. He had gone through so much already, and so much lay ahead for him to do – alone. There was never really a worry Lyra would fail, and definitely, never that something would happen to her. Neville was on his own, and he could fail, die, or worse, become one of the infected. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, a master of suspense, who would have thought. Edge: Legend.

Compass – 2; Legend – 5

Challenge 8: Entertainment

What is entertainment? Is it unfair to equate entertainment with action? Maybe not the cinematical definition of shoot-em-up, but the pace and feel. And Legend wins. As the above challenges indicate, Compass was pretty predictable, and offered little in the guns blazing action category to make up for this. Legend on the other hand had plenty of plot, surprise, and action to keep the average movie-goer smiling. Popcorn and blood - a devestating combo. Edge: Legend

Compass – 2; Legend – 6

Challenge 9: Intangibles

Despite the apparent lopsided lead of Legend, both movies, as I predicted in my Thursday column, were worth $10 (for the most part). But one was worth more than the other. What did I rate these movies independent of their relative superiority to the other? Compass got a solid 6.5/10; Legend a more impressive 7.5/10. I expected Compass to be a run of the mill, below average kids flick that I took a chance on. It was better than that. I expected Legend to be a kick-ass movie that knocked my socks off and impressed the hell out of me. It was not that. But at the end of the day, Legend was still a good flick – and better than Compass. Next time Dakota, take on zombies instead of the Church! Edge: Legend.

Compass – 2; Legend – 7

Could “Avatar” Win Best Picture?

By Brett Hogan

 

Last week, the trailer for James Cameron’s sci-fi experiment “Avatar” debuted. While initially unimpressed with the teaser, I began to wonder: Could this film win best picture? 

 

Buzz has been generating for this movie for years. Years. The technology to make this movie didn’t exist when Cameron conceived it, so he invented it. When is the last time you heard of a director spearheading the invention of anything? The casting started in 2005. Most movies these days, even epics, are done in half that time. I could go on. 

 

The most important thing to take away from all of this is that people are saying this will be the future of movies. Now, I don’t agree with the idea that CGI will become more prevalent than it already is. But I do believe that this will set the bar miles higher for sci-fi. I mean, that is what Titanic did. And that won some awards if memory serves.

 

I’ll bet you’re asking yourself, how can you even suggest that a film like this will win Best Picture when the initial trailer was nothing better than visual stimulation? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, the Academy has expanded Best Picture to ten films. This doesn’t guarantee anything other than improved chances for most films on the cusp.

 

Second, after last year’s Oscars debacle, which saw the best film of the year, “The Dark Knight,” not only get shafted in awards but nominations as well, the Academy is pulling out all the stops to appease those with the loudest voices in the film industry, the fanboys. Now, the Academy probably didn’t lose anything because of that other than some viewers of the award show. Perhaps if people are again outraged with the winners or nominees, the heads of the Academy would lose their jobs. So this is all about the Academy protecting itself, which is not so outrageous.  

 

 

Third, there is an economic motive here. I’ve heard this film will cost $190 million, not counting the R&D costs associated with Cameron’s inventions or the cost of getting 3-D cameras into every theater in the country. The Academy will do everything in its power to get people into the seats and make this the next “Titanic” or “The Dark Knight.” But the Academy doesn’t have much power, besides nominating and awarding, so they will slap the “Nominated for Best Picture” moniker onto every commercial and print ad to get the people who didn’t believe the critics to relent and see this movie.

 

Of course, all of this is pure conjecture, and no revolutionary film (Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, etc.) has ever won the Best Picture category because it changed the game. Except maybe Titanic. But still, could this movie actually win? My answer is no but a nomination is certain and who knows what could happen from there. We’ll know more come February 2010.