The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

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Loved it!

I will admit that I had my doubts going in about this movie. I mean Nic Cage can make some pretty, um, well, interesting choices and he was at the helm of this one from the beginning. And who thought a live-action movie based on the Mickey sequence from Fantasia was going to work out? Last time anyone screwed with Fantasia it was, er, well, let's go with interesting again, shall we?

But this was a solid, plays by the rules it sets for itself, "Enchanted for boys" (as J put it). Nic Cage was fab and deliciously wacky in what I hope is a turn for the positive in his career--although I seriously want to know where he got that hat after being released from the urn. And could they have found a cuter, geekier child than Jay Baruchel? (Yes, I know he's only actually 3 years younger than I am but he was playing 7 years younger than that so he's a child for this post). I also have to mention my love of the uber absurd Criss Angel/David Blaine character, Drake Stone--played by the fun Toby Kebbell who I hope keeps getting parts in movies I'm interested in (because, RocknRolla? He was fun but the movie--not so much). The bulldog, meanwhile, was seriously underused.

While we're talking cast, I always love Alfred Molina as a villain and am beyond thrilled to see he has a host of projects upcoming beyond the move to TV. I love me some Law & Order reruns but what has Jeff Goldblum done since joining the cast? (a big fat not a damned thing is what)

Something I hate that I didn't love? Ian McShane's narration. *Sigh* (He's making up for it, though).

I also could have done without the intro. scenes especially since all of that history is explained again later and if I wanted to see a movie with the historical vibe, I wouldn't choose a modern-day sorcerer movie. And, thinking about it, I might have chosen a different witch/sorcerer/bad guy to replace the Salem child witch, Abigail Williams. She just wasn't all that interesting, especially when Sun-Lok got a dragon.

But, overall, the plot was solid and I loved the mix of science and magic (as did my bestest Tracy) and the cute love story times two. And all of that makes up for the easily forgotten intro. with narration. And the end quickly erases any "eh" feelings about the witchy child.