Ponyo (2008)
Animation, Adventure, Family, 101 minutes
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Starring the voices of Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin and Betty White (US dub)
I am overwhelmed with emotion as I sit here contemplating what to write about Ponyo. That might sound silly, but it's true. Here is an animated film which focuses on two children who are about 5-years-old, but the story works for any adult who is open to being moved by its charming characters. To be precise, one of the children begins life as a fish, before undergoing a transformation.
Director Hayao Miyazaki is some kind of magician. If you have ever seen My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, or Princess Mononoke, you'll know what to expect from Ponyo. It's closest in feel to Totoro because of the ages of the main characters. Miyazaki's animations look like watercolor paintings rather than the 3D worlds found in Pixar's releases, but although they are less real, they have more warmth and heart than the world's second-best animation studio. I don't say that lightly.
If you're put off by the title, or the fact that the film was made in Japan, set aside those fears immediately. The Blu-ray comes with the original Japanese dub (although only in 5.1 Dolby Digital), and an HD dub from Disney for the US market featuring actors you mostly already know.
Ponyo has a special place in my heart because it is the first Studio Ghibli title that I ever bought. I had borrowed one or two before from my local library, but this first glimpse of Miyazaki's work in HD is something I will never forget. The experience begins with five minutes of action without any dialog, and the colors, imagination, movement, and sheer beauty of the animation will take your breath away. If Kubrick had made an animated film, the first five minutes might look similar.
After the initial sequence, we meet Sosuke (Jonas). He's a small boy who discovers something while he's playing by the beach; it turns out to be Ponyo (Cyrus), who he mistakes for a goldfish. She's trapped in a discarded bottle, so he helps her break free. When he cuts his finger in the process, she licks the wound and heals him. Yes, Ponyo is a magical creature. The taste of human blood changes her nature. Sosuke takes care of her and keeps her in a bucket, but she is later returned to the ocean.
Ponyo's undersea world is just as fascinating as the one above. Her father, Fujimoto (Neeson), is some kind of wizard who makes elixirs and helps keep nature in balance. He doesn't trust humans and fears for Ponyo's safety, so he's reluctant to allow her to leave her home. What he doesn't know is that Ponyo has come to love Sosuke, and wants to transform herself into a human girl so that she can be with him.
The two most common complaints I have heard about the film are that it is intended for small children and the story is hard to follow. I have never had trouble following the plot, and I think it will work for anyone who doesn't dismiss it as being too childish without even seeing it. This is a film for parents as well as children.
Miyazaki is an incredible study of human nature and knows exactly how to depict emotion in his drawings. I would say that it's almost impossible to watch without being moved in a positive way. Like Totoro, the story takes place in a world in which people care about each other. There are no villains of any kind. The story relies on events to drive it, and it's never boring. Notice how supportive Sosuke's mother (Fey) is when he tells her that he's rescued a fish and that she has turned into a girl, or the respect that Sosuke has for his elders. There are a lot of good messages here for children (and adults).
I want to mention two more scenes before I stop talking about the plot. The first is one of the purest expressions of joy I have ever witnessed in a film, and shows Ponyo running along on top of the waves as she tries to reach Sosuke. Look at the expression on her face. She only has one thought, and it's driven by love. The other scene shows Ponyo and Sosuke recovering indoors after being soaked in a storm. It's meaning might not be immediately apparent, but if you have ever been cold or wet, remember how good it felt to be warmed by a meal and a hot drink. Miyazaki includes these scenes because every human being can identify with such feelings. Instead of being bombarded by action and conflict, we are shown a world in which real things happen, and the scenes are stronger because of it.
Ponyo is a magical story. It's hard to watch without breaking into a grin, and that feeling lasts for the duration of the film. If you decide to watch it and find that it touches you in the same way, I urge you to check out Miyazaki's entire catalog if you haven't already done so.
The Blu-ray presentation is excellent. The image can't be faulted and the US dub sounds great. The only tiny criticism is that the Japanese dub is not lossless, but at least it is present for those who insist on seeing films in their original language.
If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll know that I love everything by Studio Ghibli. So I decided to pay tribute by putting together some desktop wallpaper featuring my favorite Ghibli titles. It's 1680 x 1050.
I've been staring at my blank Twitter profile for weeks, and it's starting to bug me. As a result, I've put together four headers with moments from some of my favorite films (above).Which one do you prefer?
Can you name the 27 films from which the images were taken?
When I first became interested in movies as a kid, I used to look forward to certain genres more than others. Science fiction and superhero movies were firm favorites at that early stage. As I got older, I began to look for my favorite actors, such as Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, or Bruce Willis. Now that I am all grown up, I look for upcoming movies by my favorite directors. I find this is the best guide of all as many directors produce movies that are similar in tone or style.
What names would make my list of favorite directors? It's actually very difficult to name just ten, even with my somewhat limited knowledge of film history. To make things easier, I have decided to make two lists; the first will focus on English language movies, while the second will consist of directors who make films in a foreign language. To help me even more, I'm listing them alphabetically rather than ranking them in order of preference.
Should I include directors who have impacted me with one or two great films, or should there be a minimum requirement of four or five titles? I decided to go with a minimum of four, so that rules out Frank Darabont, even though The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile are both ranked in my overall Top 10. The majority of the people on this list have been responsible for ten or more films, but there are exceptions.
Other directors who just missed out include Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Sidney Lumet, Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, James Cameron and Ron Howard. I consider some of those as merely responsible for a large number of entertaining movies, while a few make wonderful films and might make my Top 10 one day as my knowledge increases.
Not every type of humor makes me laugh. Some even annoys me to the point where I can't watch it. But Anderson manages to hit the mark every time and balances drama with intelligent humor. He's fond of deadpan or bizarre comedy, but his films have a lot more to them than that. I identify with most of the themes, whether it is family, friendship, parenting, romance, or daring to be who you really are.
His films are also stylish, and feature vivid color palettes. I particularly like the choice to depict children as serious characters and making them sound like adults. Anderson often writes and works with Owen Wilson, while Bill Murray appears in all of his films. I'm not usually a fan of Murray, but I think he's produced his best work in his collaborations with Anderson.
Here's one of my favorite examples of Anderson's comic style:
I've only seen 12 Coen brothers movies, but I feel that I have enough information to determine how much I like their work. The first two films listed above are superb, but quite different. Fargo is fast-paced, despite containing a lot of dialogue. No Country for Old Men is a slow-burner with excellent performances from the three main characters.
The Coens aren't confined to one genre by any means, but each of their movies has a distinct offbeat style. The humor, when present, is smart and dry. You'll see Westerns, thrillers, comedies, heists, murders, and some movies which blend several genres.
I've been a fan of Eastwood since I saw Dirty Harry in the 1970s, but he may be even better as a director. I don't like everything he has directed, but the majority are worth seeing or owning.
His work in the past decade has become more reflective, and it's these films which appeal to me the most. Eastwood doesn't shy away from realism, and I would label many of his films as important, as well as entertaining. He tackles such weighty subjects as war, death, and racism, and usually draws good performances from his actors.
I like Eastwood as an actor too, and he seems to be capable of performing both roles effectively. I think the Oscar recognition is fully justified.
Here's a scene from Gran Torino:
Alfred Hitchcock
Favorite films: Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, and Dial M for Murder.
Has there ever been a more influential director in the history of film? I remember many of my friends claiming that Hitchcock directed horror movies, but that's misleading. Psycho and The Birds contain horror elements, but most of his films are mysteries, often with a lot of suspense. Some can even be described as comedies.
I think it says a lot when something made in the 1940s or 1950s still stands up well today, and that's true of several Hitchcock classics. Fans must be delighted that so many of his films have been released on Blu-ray this year. If you haven't seen much of his work, there has never been a better opportunity.
Hitchcock managed to work with most of the best actors of the time during a career spanning more than half a century. James Stewart frequently appeared in his films, including two of the best (Vertigo and Rear Window). Hitchcock's plots often featured the MacGuffin, which were plot devices with no actual purpose other than to give the characters a motivation for their actions. Some of his films appeared to be one thing, such as a romance, and ended up being something else entirely.
With more than 50 features to his credit, Hitchcock's legacy is hard to measure. How many horror movies were influenced by Psycho, I wonder?
Here's a discussion where he explains how to create tension:
Kubrick was reportedly a hard man to please, and he regularly demanded excessive takes to get something just right. One of the things I love about his 13-film career is his ability to switch genres. I believe he gave us the best science fiction film ever made, and the best horror film a few years later.
The Killing is a fun heist movie and was ahead of its time. He tackled war in an intelligent manner with Paths of Glory and Full Metal Jacket, and was not afraid to push the boundaries with efforts such as Lolita and Eyes Wide Shut, not to mention the dark comedy of Dr. Strangelove. There are plenty of people who would rank A Clockwork Orange or Barry Lyndon ahead of everything else, but I am not among them. However, I do admire the sheer audacity and ambition of both films.
Kubrick worked with Jack Nicholson, Peter Sellers, Malcolm McDowell, James Mason, Kirk Douglas, George C. Scott, and Sterling Hayden, among others.
It's easy to look back at some of these films now and miss just how innovative they were. 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably the best example. Can you remember, or have you investigated science fiction movies before Kubrick released his masterpiece? Most were laughable monster movies. There are a few exceptions, such as War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, but nothing that came before was even remotely similar to 2001. Think of the special effects, and how difficult they were to produce; the spinning pen in zero gravity, the image of Earth from space, an intelligent computer, the use of classical music, and the sparse dialogue. Kubrick even got the details right, correctly observing that there is no sound in space. Here was a science fiction film which treated its audience with respect. It's not an easy film to watch, but multiple viewings are worth the effort.
My favorite film of all time is Lynch's Mulholland Dr. and I could spend a week explaining why. I credit it as the film which transformed me from a casual watcher of movies to a passionate film buff. I started to think about what was on the screen, and the hidden meanings which weren't so apparent. Like most of Lynch's films, Mulholland Dr. won't work for everyone. He loves to play with dreams, alternate realities, and imagined events, so it can be a lot of work figuring out what's real.
Lynch is a craftsman. He is very particular about every little sound and the way something looks. If he can't find the right prop, he might just gather together some junk and build it himself. He's easily one of the most polarizing directors, and I often hear people complaining about how they will never have back those two hours of their life after seeing one of his films. The reason I continually champion his work is that those who have the kind of mind and personality required to dissect his stories often name them among their favorites.
If you own all of Lynch's movies, you'll know that he likes to work with the same actors at every opportunity. Regulars include Kyle McLachlan, Laura Dern, Jack Nance, Brad Dourif, Grace Zabriskie, and Harry Dean Stanton. Throughout most of his work, you'll hear the haunting sound of Angelo Badalamenti's music.
Lynch is weird, but in a good way. His films are mainly challenging, although The Elephant Man and The Straight Story offer more conventional experiences. Both are incredible studies of human nature.
One thing I love about Lynch's worlds is that they keep you off balance. Moments of tranquility can be interrupted by violence. Bizarre humor can be inserted at any moment, so you never know what is coming next, But on reflection, everything flows well and makes some kind of sense.
Here's a clip from Mulholland Dr. to illustrate my points:
All of the four films listed above are memorable, but they are very different. Memento tells the story of a man who can no longer form any short term memories. He can remember everything up to one moment in his life, and nothing more. Nolan shows how he tries to function with this handicap, and puts the viewer in the position of the main character by telling the story in reverse. That may be hard to comprehend, but watch it and you'll understand what I mean.
Nolan also made a superhero trilogy which I can enjoy. That's high praise because I find the vast majority of movies in the genre forgettable and without substance. The Prestige takes us back in time and tells the story of rival magicians, while Inception tells a futuristic story which has five series of events happening at the same time, but all at different rates of speed. Throughout all this complexity, Nolan never loses his audience. His writing is intelligent, and he makes interesting films with incredible stories.
Actors who have worked with Nolan include Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale, Guy Pearce, Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Leonardo DiCaprio, and many more of note.
I'm not sure whether we have seen the best that Nolan will ever produce, but I have enjoyed everything he's given us so far.
This may be the most surprising name on my list, but I can't stop watching Reitman's films. It would be wrong to label them as comedies, because there is so much more to them, but comedy is certainly present in each film.
Up in the Air is my favorite George Clooney film, and contains Vera Farmiga's best performance to date. Anna Kendrick is also vital to the mix and the three play off one another to perfection. The dialogue is fast-paced and genuinely funny. Beneath the comedy, the subject matter is serious and relevant to the modern world.
Juno is another masterful blend of drama and comedy and includes a memorable performance from Ellen Page. Again, the dialogue is key, with the ability to make me laugh, or occasionally reflect more seriously on life.
Young Adult and Thank You for Smoking don't quite reach the heights of Reitman's other two movies, but I love them all the same. Charlize Theron and Aaron Eckhart play their respective roles superbly. I'm looking forward to Reitman's next film, Labor Day, which arrives in 2013 and stars Kate Winslet.
I thought for a long time before deciding to include a director with just four full-length movies to his name, but I love them so much that it feels like the right choice.
An added bonus is that J. K. Simmons has a part to play in all four films.
Here's one of my favorite scenes from Up in the Air:
With more than 20 features to his credit, Scorsese has covered a lot of ground over the course of his career. Many of his films include stories about the Mafia or crime, but he's also created human interest stories in Raging Bull and Hugo. It must have been hard to go wrong working with Robert De Niro at the height of his career, but I think Scorsese was responsible for De Niro's best performances. Four of his films in the past 10 years feature Leonardo DiCaprio, and he also worked with Daniel Day-Lewis.
I like that Scorsese tried something new at this point in his career, so Hugo was an unexpected delight, telling the story of a forgotten filmmaker.
Scorsese creates gritty worlds for the most part, and I feel as if I am a part of them for the duration of the film. His style completely transports the viewer, in a similar way to that of David Lynch.
Here's one of my favorite scenes from The Departed:
I hope Tarantino makes a lot more films, because I will happily buy anything that he's involved with. Even the weakest of the bunch, Death Proof, has enough redeeming qualities to make it worthy of a place in my collection.
Tarantino has a unique style. He's often accused of ripping off older movies, but that's totally unfair. Sure, he pays homage and references other movies frequently, but his style is all his own. He does things which simply shouldn't work, such as writing the names of characters next to them on the screen. He utilizes all kinds of techniques, changing aspect ratios, switching to animation or black and white, and messing with the traditional linear story structure. Whatever he does, I love it.
As well as incorporating bizarre and intelligent humor into his stories, his use of music has to be mentioned. He has the ability to perfectly match the music to the scene, whether it's the theme at the beginning of Reservoir Dogs, Bowie in Inglourious Basterds, Bang Bang or the theme from Twisted Nerve in Kill Bill, or the unforgettable Stuck in the Middle scene in Reservoir Dogs. Other directors do it well, but Tarantino is a master when it comes to choosing the right song.
Hitchcock would probably appreciate the opening scene in Inglourious Basterds, where the tension is increased during a 20-minute conversation. We know that it's going to end badly for someone. If that's not Tarantino's best scene, then it would have to be Christopher Walken's watch scene in Pulp Fiction or the conversation between Walken and Dennis Hopper in True Romance (which Tarantino wrote, but didn't direct).
If there was a machine that could tell everyone their ideal career in life, it would tell Tarantino to keep doing exactly what he is doing. I can't think of anyone who is more enthusiastic about their occupation. I imagine I'll be in a cinema on Christmas Day, watching the first showing of Django Unchained. Genre has no meaning when it comes to Tarantino; he has created a genre of his own.
Here's the watch scene from Pulp Fiction:
That concludes my list of favorite (English language) directors. Thanks for making it to the end if you're still reading. I'll rest my brain for a while and tackle foreign language films in the coming days.
If you have been following the progress of The Fitzroy fundraiser, you'll know that the project is aiming to raise £60,000 by December 23rd. My original post has the main details and you can donate or follow the progress of the project here on Kickstarter. The latest news is that the team are planning to make a short film this coming weekend, set in the same world. Here is their promotional piece: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Mini-Fitz-Challenge
We're going to make a short film in 48 hours using ideas provided by YOU!
We've been lucky enough to speak to some awesome filmmakers & actors throughout the course of this campaign, so we thought we'd do something special just for you!
Next weekend (8/9th Dec) we will produce a short film based around the world of The Fitzroy feature film, we'll have 48 hrs only to shoot and edit the final piece. The short will not appear in the finished feature film, however some of the characters may do and it could be based around a sub plot behind the scenes or even a mini prequel. The finished short will be part of the special edition DVD and will be premiered online on the 10th December.
We want YOU to help us make this film! Helping us create the story and make the film in 48hrs by being part of the cast and crew.
We'll be setting tasks everyday throughout the week so keep and eye out. The first task is one all of you can engage with. We've come up with three scenarios for the Mini-Fitz but we really need a fourth! You have today only to send us your ideas and our favourite will be selected to go to public vote tomorrow, with the winning idea going into production at the weekend.
The RULES
1) It must be set in one location. 2) The story for the film should be no longer than 2 minutes in length. 3) A gas mask must be involved in the story. 4) Most importantly, the idea must be set around the post apocalyptic world of The Fitzroy. On the sub, off the sub, during the film, before it, whatever you like - check out www.thefitzroy.com/ks to better understand the world.
To help as well here are the ideas we have so far. 1) A fast talking door to door sales man tries to sell a washer woman his last gas mask just minutes before a nuclear bomb is due to go off. 2) In a derelict office building a fastidious council inspector looks to hire his replacement, but just who will get the job? 3) On a wet cold beach a young couple try to have a 'lovely day by the seaside'. The man secretly plans to propose but as everything he attempts goes wrong will he win her hand? 4) Created by you!
Please send your strapline ideas to hello@thefitzroy.com
We will announce our favourite on Tuesday morning with the poll opening on Facebook straight after.
Can't wait to hear your ideas, and GOOD LUCK!
Please Note: If your idea ends up going into production you will receive a writing credit. Dresden Pictures will retain all rights to the final film.
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So, do you feel like contributing? How cool would it be to see one of your ideas used in the film!
Here's one idea I had:
A scene showing the crew visiting IKEA or a similar place to buy curved furniture for the submarine, with a maximum height of five feet. The crew are all wearing gas masks and finding it tough to get help from a sales associate. The staff patiently explain that they don't stock gas mask racks of any kind, but they can give a discount on metal polish if you buy in bulk.
As always, here are the team's Twitter details:
General: @the_fitzroy Producer James Heath: @jamesjheath Producer Liam Garvo: @lgarvo Director Andrew Harmer: @andrewharm Head of press Rebecca Wilson: @BecsGW
Please consider taking part, donating, or retweeting relevant posts.
The Fitzroy (2013)
Comedy
Written and directed by Andrew Harmer
Produced by Liam Garvo and James Heath
If you read my article last month, you'll know that The Fitzroy is a comedy that will be entirely funded by contributions from fans. For full details, please see my original post.
If you don't have time to read the full article, I'll summarize. The film will be a comedy in the style of Monty Python and Jean-Pierre Jeunet and it will be set in a post-apocalyptic version of the 1950’s.
The filmmaking team have set up a fundraiser which you can access here on Kickstarter. The team needs to raise £60,000 by December 23rd and the current total is £20,572 after three weeks. As you can see, that leaves almost £40,000 to raise in the next three weeks. It's Christmas, so maybe you are feeling generous?
However, if you want to help and just can't afford to donate, please consider promoting the film by writing an article or simply retweeting any of the posts promoting the film. This is our chance to make a small difference and encourage an original idea to develop into an actual film. Anyone who makes a significant effort may be rewarded with some merchandise. The details are in the post I linked to above.
I'll close by adding a couple of videos: This first one is a quick message from producers Liam Garvo and James Heath:
And this is from the team's event night:
You can follow the progress of the project on Twitter, and perhaps you'll be kind enough to pass along any important news by retweeting to your followers. Here are the team's Twitter details: General: @the_fitzroy Producer James Heath: @jamesjheath Producer Liam Garvo: @lgarvo Director Andrew Harmer: @andrewharm Head of press Rebecca Wilson: @BecsGW
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Mystery, Thriller, 174 minutes (extended cut)
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, and Alfred Molina
Did you see The Hunger Games and read the books because everyone was talking about it this year? How about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo three years ago? We live in a world in which hype can have a huge effect on people's behavior. It drove the Harry Potter franchise a decade ago, and I'm sure you can list other examples dating back to Jaws, The Exorcist, or even Psycho, if you are old enough. Well, in 2006, The Da Vinci Code was the must-read book and the must-see movie of the moment.
Did the reality match the buzz?
Despite grossing $758 million, it's surprising that The Da Vinci Code is regarded as a failure by so many people. One common complaint is that Tom Hanks' hair looked silly. I guess it says something about the movie if you are focusing on that aspect? I've read the book, seen the movie, bought it on DVD twice, upgraded to Blu-ray, and I have never understood all the negativity surrounding Ron Howard's adaptation of Dan Brown's novel. By the way, the novel also received a lot of negative comments claiming that the writing was terrible.
I have come to the conclusion that many of the negative comments are due to the perception that the movie is attacking religion. There is a long sequence in which we are shown an alternative interpretation of Da Vinci's The Last Supper. I won't reveal the details, but I would imagine that scene is the source of the trouble for most of the viewers who objected to the subject matter. I find it a little disturbing that people who supposedly believe completely in something can feel threatened by a story which contradicts those beliefs.
Would you avoid seeing Alien because you don't believe such creatures exist? They are stories, intended to entertain, not documentaries claiming to depict actual events. The Harry Potter franchise is not evil or damaging to children. I'm also disappointed that Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy was abandoned after The Golden Compass. Again, it's probably because of the perceived religious stance. We lost what could have been an incredible trilogy, but you can still read the books.
Anyway, enough of that, while I still have a few readers left.
The Da Vinci Code is a mystery and something of a treasure hunt. Robert Langdon (Hanks) is a professor who is promoting his latest book. The book deals with symbology, and explains the origin of some of the symbols and clothing that we may have encountered during our lives. Hanks is convincing in the role and we see him delivering a lecture, in Paris, at the start of the story. Before he can finish signing books for the crowd, he's approached by the French police; they claim to need his help in explaining an unusual murder, so he accompanies them to the crime scene inside the Louvre.
The murdered man is Louvre curator, Jacques Saunière. He's naked and has apparently arranged himself in the same position as Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. He's also left other messages, and one mentions Langdon. It's here that Langdon encounters Sophie Neveu (Tautou), who is a police cryptologist. But unlike the other police, she appears to have an agenda of her own. She teams up with Langdon and they attempt to solve the riddles left in Saunière's message.
Although the running time in the extended version is just short of three hours, the pacing makes the movie feel much shorter. The revelations are frequent and make the viewer feel as if they are involved in the story. It would be wrong to reveal any more of the movie's secrets because it's better if you experience them for yourself.
The story won't work if you analyze what's happening too closely. After all, it contains an albino monk (Bettany), a priest who is more concerned with money and power than religion (Molina), and a historian (McKellen) who is obsessed with the Holy Grail. When you look at the movie in that light, it's clearly nonsense, but so is the Indiana Jones franchise, and that's held in high regard by both critics and moviegoers.
The Da Vinci Code also introduced a lot of people to Audrey Tautou. She has produced some incredible work, starring in Amelie, A Very Long Engagement, and Coco Avant Chanel, but American audiences finally had the chance to see her appear in an English-language movie. If you are a fan, I urge you to give Amelie a try. However, I may be biased as I think she's the most beautiful actress since Irene Jacob graced our screens in The Double Life of Veronique and Three Colors Red.
The movie has a little action, but it will work better for fans of mysteries. The conclusion does leave us with a few questions, but it's quite satisfying nonetheless.
Tom Hanks had some incredible roles in the 90s, and was arguably the best actor in that decade, but we haven't seen any memorable performances from him since Cast Away (2001) and Road to Perdition (2002). His biggest successes in the last decade came as a voice actor for Pixar. Although The Da Vinci Code is far from perfect, I always find it enjoyable, and would rate it as Hanks' best role in the past ten years. Angels & Demons also features the Robert Langdon character, played by Hanks. It wasn't a box office success, so it's unclear whether The Lost Symbol will ever be made.
If you are open to preposterous stories, you might find that The Da Vinci Code is a lot better than people would have you believe. It's certainly better than National Treasure. Fans of Hanks and mysteries should take a look. Ignore the negative comments and make up your own mind.
