Eric Tiansay Articles

by Alan Mowbray

The follow-up to the 2008 hit, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island copies the same “what if?” scenario of the original: Is it possible that Jules Verne’s books weren’t just concoctions of the author’s imagination, but a chronicle of his scientific discoveries?

In the sequel, Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) discovers a coded distress signal from his grandfather Alexander (Michael Caine), which only a true Vernean—people who believe that Jules Verne was writing nonfiction—could decipher.

The message leads Sean and his new stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson, taking over for Brendan Fraser, who played Sean’s uncle in the original) to a mysterious island located where none should exist. With the help of rogue helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his mechanic daughter Khailani (Vanessa Hudgens), Sean and Hank set out to find the island and rescue Alexander before it’s too late.

If you’re looking for a movie that you and your kids can enjoy, Journey 2 fits the bill. It’s full of the gags, jokes, oddities, visual twists and other ingredients that kids love. Although it has a bit of a predictable storyline, the CGI and associated imagination that went into its creation is enough to satisfy a grown-up as well. To put it another way, Journey 2 is a fun, enjoyable movie, but you won’t be discussing its literary qualities when the credits are rolling.

The movie offers some teachable moments. Sean’s father died when he was young, and his mother has remarried. Hank is the outsider here, and it’s frustrating for him because Sean doesn’t really want to do anything with him. Admirably, Hank has a long-term, nurturing father-style; he is just waiting for the right opportunity to connect with his “new” teen son. Hank’s patience and understanding in love is evident.

by Alan Mowbray

There is just something so cool about a show that can combine danger, science/biology, fun and fishing—Animal Planet’s River Monsters easily fits the bill.

Jeremy Wade is a one-man guide to the dangers that lurk below the surface of freshwater rivers and streams around the world, including Germany, Australia, India, Brazil, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Africa, the Republic of Congo, Alaska, Florida and Texas.

In the same spirit as those crazy guys at Mythbusters, Wade—biologist and extreme angler— investigates what can seem to be outlandish fishing stories, mysteries and folklore of man-eating river predators to see if they’re true or just legend.

Sometimes it’s about finding just how vicious a certain species really is. Other episodes, Wade searches for a purported “man killer,” which turns out to be a pussycat with gills—although it generally has a mouthful of ridiculously sharp teeth. But whatever the quarry, he almost always lands his catch, including piranha, goonch catfish, alligator gar, Wels catfish, bull shark and arapaima.

Since I dabble in fishing, I enjoy River Monsters because it offers a fun and informative behind-the-scenes look at finding, understanding and catching the “big one.” Even for those who are not even remotely sport fishing inclined, Wade makes each episode a riveting mystery that must be solved. In minutes, you find yourself hooked by his story—pun intended and much more easily than the creature he’s looking for.

by Eric Tiansay

I didn’t get to see The Secret World of Arrietty when it landed in theaters earlier this year, so my four boys—5-month old baby Blake still too small to care—were excited to catch the movie about little people.

The Secret World of Arrietty is based on British author Mary Norton’s children’s book series “The Borrowers,” which tells the story of 4-inch tall tiny people who live under floorboards and swipe what they need from the Beans (what they call humans) upstairs.

The movie was the year’s top grossing film when it was released in Japan in 2010, winning the Animation of the Year award. Translated, dubbed by an American cast and distributed stateside by Walt Disney Pictures, The Secret World of Arrietty was made by legendary Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away and Ponyo).

My wife, Tammy, had read The Borrowers to two of our older sons, Alex and Andrew, so they were obviously excited to watch the film version.

Arrietty (voiced by Disney TV star Bridgit Mendler) is a plucky 14-year-old Borrower who is eager to go on her first “borrowing” with her father, Pod (Will Arnett), on a night-time expedition into the Beans’ house to get a sugar cube and one tissue.

Despite angst from her hysterical mother, Homily (Amy Poehler), Arrietty goes with her dad, but is seen by sickly 12-year-old Shawn (David Henrie), who tries to befriend her. Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) slowly trusts Shawn. However, after they have been seen, Borrowers must leave their home and relocate to a new one. Meanwhile, the suspicious housekeeper Haru (Carol Burnett) makes it her mission to nab the Borrowers.

by Alan Mowbray

The Muppets have not seen the big screen since 1999’s Muppets from Space, so Jim Henson’s lovable creatures were long overdue to return to the cineplex.

In The Muppets, a fan named Walter (voiced by Peter Linz, It’s A Big Big World) is on a backlot tour at the old Muppet Studios while on vacation in Los Angeles with his brother, Gary (Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother), and Mary, Gary’s girlfriend (Amy Adams, Julie & Julia).

No longer in business, the Muppets have all moved on—scattering to the ends of the earth to pursue their dreams, leaving the studio to slowly rot in disrepair. After sneaking off during the tour to take a closer, unauthorized look at Kermit the Frog’s former office, Walter is almost discovered by ornery, disagreeable old Muppet characters Stadtler and Waldorf as they conduct the surreptitious presale of Muppet Studios to oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper, The Bourne Supremacy) who, unbeknownst to them, has discovered oil under the property and plans to tear the studio to the ground and drill.

After Walter informs Gary and Mary of the plot, they decide to go find Kermit and tell him of the impending sale. Kermit decides that if they can put on one more show and raise $10 million, they could make enough money to save Muppet Studios. All they have to do is round up the rest of the Muppets. The Great Gonzo is the CEO of Gonzo’s Royal Flush, where they make toilets. Fozzie Bear performs in a Reno casino with a group of Muppet impersonators called the Moopets. Animal works at a celeb anger management center. On the other side of the pond, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor for Vogue Paris a la The Devil Wears Prada.

Can they pull together a show in time to save the old theater? Hilarity ensues. We’ve all grown up with The Muppet Show or its reruns. We know what to expect. This is classic Muppets, and it doesn’t disappoint. Yes, the humor is corny. Yes, there are Muppets flying through the air, crashing into things, explosions, comic fighting and general goofiness. If you’re looking for serious, you won’t find a drop of it anywhere in this tale.

by Alan MowbrayAre you thirsty for a little adventure? How about a mysterious sunken ship? Maybe being kidnapped and loaded on to a freighter bound for ...? Want to attempt to refuel a single-engine airplane in-flight? From a bottle? And, even better—pirates.If...

by Eric Tiansay

Out of all the survival reality shows, Man vs. Wild—the Discovery Channel television series featuring Edward “Bear” Grylls—is my favorite.

I especially like Man vs. Wild because Bear, with his cool British accent, engaging personality and clever demonstrations with survival techniques when faced with nature’s extremes, is a committed Christian.

Although Bear was recently let go from Man vs. Wild, that’s a story for another time, my two older boys (10-year-old Alex and 9-year-old Andrew) and I still enjoy the show and the Man vs. Wild Game on the Wii.

The game offers in a role play-style adventure, which requires puzzle-solving tasks throughout five expeditions—stranding players in expansive areas of virtual wilderness and challenging them to make it out alive. The action begins when a player, as Bear, is dropped into extreme conditions and forced to demonstrate indigenous survival techniques such as escaping quicksand in the desert, exploring dangerous jungles, traversing ravines in the mountains and navigating some of the world’s most treacherous waters.

by Eric Tiansay

I was disappointed when I missed Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close at the cineplex this winter, so I was eager to catch it on DVD.

Based on Jonathan Safran Foer’s acclaimed 2006 best-selling novel of the same title, the movie tells the story of a 11-year-old boy Oskar (Thomas Horn) who lost his jeweler father, Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks), during what he calls “The Worst Day”—the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, although it failed to win, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a powerful drama that extols the bond between a father and son, family and forgiveness. A year after his dad died in the World Trade Center, Oskar, who has problems socializing and had been tested for Asperger’s Syndrome, is determined to continue his vital connection to the man who playfully pushed him into confronting his wildest fears.

While looking through his father’s closet one day, Oskar finds a small envelope marked “Black,” with a key in it. Oskar decides the key must belong to someone named Black, and he starts a methodical search for the right person. “If there was a key, there was a lock,” Oskar surmises. “If there was a name, there was a person.”

His quest is an attempt to maintain his father’s memory of his father, and to participate in the sort of mysterious search that his dad sometimes sent Oskar. “If you don’t tell me what I’m looking for, then how will I ever be right?” Oskar asks his father. Thomas responds: “Well, another way of looking at it is how will you ever be wrong?”

by Alan Mowbray

As a movie buff, there are certain films that I consider traditional, yearly family must-sees—age and maturity permitting: Easter (The Passion of The Christ); Christmas (The Nativity Story,The Polar Express, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story); Memorial Day (Glory and North and South); and Veterans Day (Tora! Tora! Tora!, Saving Private Ryan and now I’m adding War Horse to the list).

Based on the Tony award-winning Broadway play and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, War Horse tells the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and his young trainer, Albert (Jeremy Irvine). When they’re forced apart by war, we follow Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets.

Some would say it’s a formula movie designed to hold your heart for two-plus hours using every sort of cliche imaginable. Yeah, maybe … fine. But it’s also an fantastic story directed by the master Steven Spielberg and paired with a terrific score by another master himself, John Williams. I say it’s a masterpiece that you get to watch with your kids.

by Alan Mowbray

The recipe for Wrath of the Titans: Fire. Stern looks of determination. Destruction.

Add some slimy underworld demons. Mix with an old, somewhat decrepit, dysfunctional family of Greek gods who still haven’t figured out their personal differences—let alone the differences of the world. Did I say destruction?

Top it off with some loud roars of anger, more stern looks of determination, and an incredibly, unbelievable amount of computer-generated stones and rocks exploded, crushed and destroyed. Add lava and stir.

This fantasy film is a sequel to the equally destructive and surprisingly successful Clash of the Titans, released in 2010. Better CGI and 3D rendering make this installment easier to watch than the last, which was rebooted from the classic Clash of the Titans, released in 1982. This isn’t a flick for those who love snappy dialogue and deep characters, but judging from the audience that loaded up the theater where I was screening, Wrath of the Titans will be a hit with the age 13-24 crowd.

by Alan Mowbray

Based on Tarzan creator Edgar
Rice Burroughs’ classic novel A Princess of Mars, which inspired
generations of filmmakers and science fiction writers, including George Lucas,
James Cameron, Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury, John Carter—with its
sweeping scope and $250-million budget—touches down in more than 3,500 screens
this weekend.

Directed by Andrew Stanton, best known for
directing the acclaimed and popular Pixar films Finding Nemo and Wall-E,
the film comes across as a cinematic epic, seeking to rival movies such as Star
Wars and Avatar with its look, feel and storyline.

John Carter tells the story of war-weary,
former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights),
who is an honorable and courageous man. A veteran of the U.S. Civil War, he is
broken—tired of fighting for the causes of others. His fighting spirit remains
strong, but Carter has turned to self-interest, and he is done with war.