Reasons to Believe: The Five Reasons to See Rise of the Guardians

The Holidays are near, and with Thanksgiving around the corner comes the holiday television show specials, Macy day parade, and the movies theme with the magic occasion that comes once a year. But as I go through my usual list of possible movies I either saw when I was a child(and going to see again with much joy of nostalgia) or going to see from some of the new shows I watch today. The specials that makes us treasure the holidays, make us at peace with one another, and to show the true meaning of happiness. Now, I can make a list of holiday episodes and movies whether it is Halloween, Easter, and most of all Christmas that come on television for awhile now (hmm next list post maybe) and we will be here for hours, but when there is probably millions of holiday specials on television displaying what and why we love to celebrate the joyous occasions once a year with the character figures being the overall theme to their holiday, how is it they never just came together? as one big team-up as some comic fans would say. Sure, there is some who do it but only to center they main character. But one movie seems to add the holiday folk tale characters we heard as children into a butt kicking team to protect the dreams and wonders of children all over the world from a villain we fear as children that lives under our beds to make dreams into nightmares. In DreamWorks Animation much anticipated movie Rise of the Guardians directed by Peter Ramsey and produced by Guillermo Del Toro is doing exactly just that with Santa clause, The Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and last but certainly not least Jack Frost coming together to fight Pitch, the boogeyman. I am listing five reason why everyone should see this movie for the holidays.

When you first hear the premise of the story, kind of scratch your head and think ummm huh. Because there is many versions of these iconic fairy tale figures, some good and some bad so what version are we going to see in these characters to protect the worlds dreams. The back story to them change every time to The Rock and Larry the Cable Guy being the tooth fairy (a reason to prefer a Dentist ripping your teeth and keep it in a cup then have a six foot five former wrestler or comedian to sneak in your room to put money under the pillow without being scar of your childhood, root canal anyone?) or Michael Keaton being a dead musician who comes back as anthropomorphic snow man (I prefer Beetlejuice hanging ten in Hawaii) and of course the millions of reincarnations of Santa clauses in movies. So what is going to be this rendition? well I am glad to say it will not involve any snow men or eye brow raising. As these characters are not being on folklore but a twist on the new series books by author and illustrator William Joyce who made The Guardians of Childhood by his daughter asking a question that would change his life as an author "Do they know each other?” then on we got these characters background.

• Santa Clause, or many other names he is associated by as people all over the world know him to be is name Nicholas St. North (or North for short) the leader of the guardians. In William Joyce's version Santa is a former Russian Cossack who is described by Joyce as “the bravest man in the world.” he got two tattoos on both arms, "Nice" written on one arm and "Naughty" written on the other, he carries two big swords to wield against evil doers. In this version it is not elves that make the toys but Yetis as also his army when if the north pole gets over run.

• The Easter Bunny, a.k.a. Bunnymund in this version is a boomerang throwing armed with egg bombs, 6 foot 1 bunny and has an Australian accent. He is more of the action go getter as opposite of North and the rest of the guardians, he jumps into action (literally) and would fight on the side of good when threaten. He has a high strung attitude, where action speak louder than words or at least his actions. And do not call him a Kangaroo.

• The Tooth Fairy, a.k.a. Tooth for short is a half-human, half-hummingbird creature who collects children’s teeth because they contain important feelings and memories from early childhood that are returned to them by her at crucial moments in their adult lives. she has little fairies to go under beds to collect the teeth and replace them with a dime, fifty cents, or even a dollar if you been really good.

• The Sandman a.k.a. Sandy is the small silent type, as he does not speak but only by his dream sand as of thought bubbles being seen for communication. As gentle as he looks he is a fierce fighter armed with Dreamsand whip that he expertly use against Pitch. He is the first guardian to fight against Pitch.

• Jack Frost, the new member of the guardians or so they want him to be. He is the original rebel without a cause, he does not have a holiday but is love by children for his snow days cause by his power to control the weather and conjure ice to his will for using them for pranks. He is not originally from the book series but is added in the movie for his morals being questioned as he is only pranks people to saving them. With no memory of his past this character as being produce as the lead protagonist to find out what he is truly made of when the guardians needs his help.

• Pitch, The Boogeyman opposite to The Sandman is a figure who hides underneath your bed giving you nightmares. the original villain who in this version is mostly motivated by that he is resenting the fact that he is not as believable and beloved by children as the guardians are as Peter Ramsey says "Sort of the classic Paradise Lost story,” ‘I’m booted out of heaven, I’m not as powerful or as loved as the angels. I don’t deserve this fate. I should be just as big as them.’ He’s going to fight this war to be believed in by destroying belief in the Guardians.”

Now mainly some animated movies do not have much of star power other then the Toy Story (Tim Allan and Tom Hanks) and Shrek (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas) movie franchises but this cast for Rise of the Guardians have a star studded cast in which viewers would know from they're past success in film and love as they put life and belief into these characters. the stars in the movie consist of.

• Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), playing the fearless Santa Clause with the Russian accent. This would be Alex Baldwin's seventh voice over role as he did Makunga from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. So he is familiar to the Dreamworks Animation family.
• Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Plays The elegant Tooth Fairy this will be her third voice acting role, her last voice over role was from Rango as Beans.
• Hugh Jackman (X-men franchise, X-men Origins: Wolverine), plays the furious furry Bunnymund this will be his third voice over role, his last voice over role was in Flushed Away playing as Roddy.
• Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes 1 and 2) Playing the main villain Pitch, The Boogeyman, this would be his first voice acting role.
• Chris Pine (Star trek) Playing the Rebellious hero Jack Frost, this will be Pine's first voice acting role.

Technology is growing day by day and nothing is more of proven fact then in cinema with the visual effects. In Rise of the Guardians it shows the story of these five heroes coming to life in 3D, from the scenery of each individual characters area to the north pole or my favorite thus far is Bunnymunds spring time outback area to The Sandman's Sand and you can see it on the video below how it came together.

Since this is based on series of books and on folklore for children it is the question of who can handle the material, bringing it to life with satisfying the audience with story and visual.

• Peter Ramesy, Directer has quite a record of being mostly storyboard artist for movies like Fight Club, Men in Black and Independence Day and tons of other successful movies but this will be his second directing role and also second movie with Dreamworks as his last one was the television movie Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space.
• William Joyce, author The Guardians of Childhood has big resume himself for being a children's story teller as he created conceptual art of early Toy Story and Bug's Life movies He has also written and illustrated over fifty children's books including George Shrinks, Santa Calls, Dinosaur Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo, Rolie Polie Olie, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs and A Day with Wilbur Robinson. This is not his first time his work has been adapted into media as his Rolie Polie Oilie series won him three Emmy's airing in Disney Channel 1998 through 2004.
• Guillermo del Toro, Executive Producer of the film has his recognition from his Hellboy franchise and Pan's Labyrinth films. Now a days he is mostly Producing films.
  

The number one on the list is as you can see just one word EPIC, as it is almost closed to the day of the screening the movie shows potential to be a classic holiday movie on its own showing such a star list of actors playing iconic characters we grown up with that symbolize the holidays. With a following on Facebook and other websites this will come together to be a family film of all ages. The fight scenes look amazing the story is original and the characters are of joy to see when they interact with one another or to the kids in the movie. For such a simple concept to a daughter's question 20 years early of can these characters co exist with each other and why. To show the hopes and dreams not just the holidays but in our hearts when we see a movie just like this. As you see the video below Santa says it better himself "This going to be EPIC!!"