The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I've read these books dozens of times over my life and in anticipation of the movie I've opted to read them again. I started with the Magicians Nephew and just finished the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe today with my kids.

I don't think the movie is going to suck.

I hope not anyway. But the story is so oddly simple yet so much else is going on in it. It's ripe for dissection in a mythological sense (it's a retelling of a much more popular mainstream myth). But at the end of the day it's just an interesting and engaging story.

I have to tell you the first and foremost reason this movie could go south.

The director is the man responsible for Shrek.

I know, I know, I'm doing all I can to control my gag reflex as well. Shrek was a terrible movie and five will get you ten that the sequel was too.

I just hope the quality of the source material has some Deeper Magic from before the Dawn of Time that will let it come through this man's hands unscathed.

So, I'll see everyone on Thursday night for the midnight show. I hope.

SIDENOTE: I'm probably not going to write a review about Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang! Suffice to say that it skates a thin line of being too stylized and pretentious (like Snatch was). And I think the only thing that keeps it on this side of sanity is Robert Downey, Jr. And it's not a "great film" either. It's just entertaining as all hell.