John Callen Movies

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) joins Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a band of dwarves led by the brave Thorin (Richard Armitage) on a treacherous quest to reclaim their mountain home from the fierce dragon Smaug in this epic fantasy adventure adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved novel by the creative forces behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Long before Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) made his arduous journey to Mordor, his brave uncle Bilbo embarked on an adventure for the ages. Bilbo's story gets under way when the great wizard Gandalf appears at his front gate with a most unusual offer. Displaced from their massive fortress in the Lonely Mountain by Smaug - a greedy dragon who coveted their gold - a community of noble dwarves were decimated by a surprise attack by monstrous orcs, whose dreaded leader the Pale Orc slew their king in a gruesome battle. Now, Thorin, the descendent of the king, is determined to reclaim his mountain kingdom for his people. Together with a fearless team of dwarves, Thorin and Gandalf recruit Bilbo to aid them in their quest since Hobbits have the unique ability to go undetected when they wish to. Before Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves can reach The Lonely Mountain and defeat Smaug, however, they'll have to contend with trolls, goblins, stone giants, Gollum (Andy Serkis), and even the dreaded Pale Orc himself. Peter Jackson directs a screenplay he co-penned with Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

"Rainbow Warrior" was the name of a real-life Greenpeace vessel, which embarked upon a worldwide pro-ecological mission in the early 1980s. While docked in New Zealand in 1985, the Rainbow Warior was destroyed by a bomb, and a crew member was killed. In this dramatization, Sam Neill and Jon Voight play two polar opposites-a hardbitten cop and a eco-activist, respectively--who team up to track down the bomber. Wisely, the script avoids making "save the whales"-type speeches, concentrating on the matters at hand in a no-frills fashion. Rainbow Warrior was released directly to video. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Pictures is an expansive biopic about pioneer photographers Walter and Alfred Burton. Through the eyes of the ubiquitous Burton brothers, we are treated to the history of New Zealand's colonial era. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi