My Top Cancelled TV #4

Spaced

"Note to self: Shoot first, quip later."

Tim Bisley (Pegg), a comic book artist, and Daisy Steiner (Hynes) an eccentric writer, randomly meet in a cafe while searching for apartments.  They decide to pose as a couple to rent the perfect flat: affordable and spacious.  But moving into the flat is just the first problem... now they need to make money, to afford the flat, and continue to act like a couple to keep their landlady, Marsha (Deakin) from learning the truth.

Marsha lives in the flat above theirs, and is perpetually smoking and drinking a glass of wine.  The flat below theirs is occupied by Brian (Heap), a shy / awkward conceptual artist.  Tim spends his days playing video games with his best friend, Mike (Frost), a hardcore weapons expert, who lives by military codes and dresses in fatigues.  Daisy spends her days avoiding work, and spends her evenings with her best friend, Twist (Carmichael), a self-proclaimed fashionista.  With their friends and exes popping in, can Tim and Daisy keep up the ruse?


A British show, with smart pop-culture references with a fun and fearless cast.  The show inspired Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, also collaborations between Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright.  And the show marks the second collaboration between Pegg, Wright and Jessica Hynes.  In 1996 they came together to create the comedy show Asylum, which takes place in a mental asylum.  The show only lasted 6 episodes, but led the creation of Spaced.  Originally, they wanted to cast Asylum star, Julian Barratt in the role of Brian, but ultimately cast Mark Heap in the role (which is funny, because when I watched Asylum, I thought they were the same actor).

There are only 2 seasons of the show, but it is all quality, written by stars Pegg and Hynes.  The show has great characters and situations, and the recurring characters are first rate.  Much of the interaction between Pegg and Frost made it's way into their films: just little things that you notice after watching the TV show.  And if you pay attention, you'll notice most of the characters from the show pop up in their films.

Best episodes: "Battles" (love the paintball scenes) in Season 1 and "Help" in Season 2

If you love the Edgar Wright / Simon Pegg / Nick Frost films, check out this show to get the best of their humor!  Also, Hynes has great chemistry with the guys, it's a pity she only had a small part in one of their films... they should work with her more often.

Spaced (1999-2001)
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Jessica Hynes as Daisy Steiner
Simon Pegg as Tim Bisley
Julia Deakin as Marsha Klein
Nick Frost as Mike Watt
Mark Heap as Brian Topp
Katy Carmichael as Twist Morgan

Hit & Run

"You're a bank robber?!?"
"I did the getaway driving part."
"Who are you?!?"
"I knew you were going to react this way."
"Who wouldn't react this way? A sociopath?"

Charlie Bronson (Shepard), a former getaway driver who turned on his friends, is living in Witness Protection in the middle of nowhere.  The only highlight of his protection, is his girlfriend Annie (Bell), a professor.  Annie is offered a spectacular promotion in Los Angeles, and plans to accept.  Charlie offers to drive her, despite jeopardizing his safety.

Following them is Randy (Arnold), Charlie's clumsy and incompetent Witness Protection Agent.  Also in pursuit is Annie's ex-boyfriend, Gil (Rosenbaum), who doesn't trust Charlie and wants to protect Annie.  And then Gil contacts Charlie's former best friend / partner, Alex (Cooper), who also chase after the couple.  Even with police officer Terry (Rowland), Gil's brother, keeping tabs on everyone, can they all survive the trip?


Actor Dax Shepard wrote and co-directed the film, in his directing debut.  Apparently the film, from writing the script to filming / editing, only took 10 months... and it shows.  It's a bit of a mess.  The premise is interesting, and the chase scenes were impressive (with Shepard filming most of his own stunts).

The film starts slow, but picks up speed when they get behind the wheel.  Shepard and real-life fiance Kristen Bell have excellent chemistry and work well together.  Bell is one of my favorite actresses, and the reason I went to see the film... she has incredible screen presence and is a joy to watch.

The beginning of the film is building up to Alex chasing after Charlie.  Bradley Cooper seems like a strange choice for the role, especially as with blonde dreadlocks, but he is able to pull it off.  It isn't the typical role for him, but he makes it work.  Kristin Chenoweth stands out with a small but memorable role, which seems mostly improvised.  Tom Arnold also scores a few laughs, but mostly at the incompetence of his character... his scenes are funny, but ultimately take you away from the main plot line.  Michael Rosenbaum is also entertaining as Gil.  I love seeing him in comedy roles (check out the first season of "Breaking In").

The cast feels like a group of friends getting together to make a film.  Shepard and Joy Bryant, who plays Neve, portray a married couple on TV's "Parenthood."  Bell and Ryan Hansen, Allen in the film, are close friends and have appeared together on TV's "Veronica Mars" and "Party Down."  Actually, most of the main cast is populated with actors who got their start / made a name for themselves on TV.

Be aware: The dialogue is crude (lots of swearing), and there are two completely unnecessary scenes of nudity (which are played for laughs).

Overall, there are funny moments and decent action sequences. The film is mindless entertainment for a boring day, don’t try to make it into something bigger.

Hit & Run (2012) 100 minutes
Rating: R for pervasive language including sexual references, graphic nudity, some violence and drug content
Director: David Palmer & Dax Shepard
Starring: Dax Shepard as Charlie Bronson
Kristen Bell as Annie
Kristin Chenoweth as Debbie Kreeger
Tom Arnold as Randy
Bradley Cooper as Alex Dimitry
Beau Bridges as Clint Perkins
Michael Rosenbaum as Gil
Joy Bryant as Neve
Jess Rowland as Terry
Ryan Hansen as Allen

The Artist

"I won't talk! I won't say a word!"

George Valentin (Dujardin) is the most popular silent film star.  At the premiere of his latest film, he literally bumps into a fan, Peppy Miller (Bejo).  They share a laugh and a few candid photos, which wins her a small spot in George's latest film.  Afterward, they share a moment, where he gives her a piece of advice: stand out from the crowd.  As a result, Peppy begins appearing in numerous films.

Meanwhile, the head of Kinograph Studios, Al Zimmer (Goodman), decides to start fresh with talking pictures and a new stable of lead actors and actresses.  George refuses to do talking pictures and finances his own silent film.  Peppy is signed to Kinograph Studios and stars in a new talking picture, which is set to premiere the same night as George's film.


There is no doubt in my mind why this film won the 2011 Academy Award for Best Picture... the plot is interesting and flows well.  The actors are incredible, very animated and engaging.  Yes, it is a silent film, shot in black and white, but it grabs you from the very beginning and keeps your attention until the credits roll.  Not many films, with sound and color and effects, can do that.

Jean Dujardin, in his English language film debut, is a charismatic leading man.  He also claimed the Oscar for his performance here.  He lights up the screen and demands your attention.  Berenice Bejo is equally as engaging.  Dujardin and Bejo have excellent chemistry, and have worked together before (in the French film, also directed by Michel Hazanavicius, OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, which is in my queue to watch soon).  They are flanked by numerous well-known actors in small, but memorable roles.  I look forward to checking out more films featuring Dujardin and / or directed by Hazanavicius.

The dog, Uggie, is adorable and entertaining, without taking attention away from the human characters.  The dance scenes are fun and work well.  The soundtrack is great.  There is nothing about this film that I dislike.  What a great, uplifting film!

The Artist (2011) 100 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture.
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin as George Valentin
Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller
James Cromwell as Clifton
John Goodman as Al Zimmer

Friends with Kids

"So, why didn't you guys ever even try to get together?"
"It's too much familiarity. It's like she's one of my limbs."
"And that's bad, because...?"
"Because I hate myself."

Jason (Scott) is a serial dater, never keeping a girlfriend for any length of time.  The constant presence in his life is his best friend Julie (Westfeldt).  Jason and Julie had the same views on life and live in the same apartment, and their best friends have coupled up.  One night Leslie (Rudolph) and Alex (O'Dowd), their happily married friends, announce they are pregnant.  Over the next few years Leslie and Alex add a second baby, and their other married friends, Ben (Hamm) and Missy (Wiig), also have a baby.

Watching their friends struggle with raising their children, while maintaining their relationships, Jason and Julie decide to have a baby together.  They plan a "no strings attached" relationship, that gives them a child and the ability to date other people.  Can they keep a platonic relationship, while raising a child together?


In theory, this should be a good film.  It combines the talents of the stars of Bridesmaids (Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O'Dowd) with the potential for strong comedy.  The problem: the main characters, while portrayed by talented individuals, are horrible people.  I enjoy Adam Scott on "Parks and Recreation," but Jason is a horrible person, and no amount of actor charisma can change that.  I am less familiar with Jennifer Westfeldt, who also wrote and directed the film, but her character is also a bad character.  Yes, you go through the emotions with them, but neither character comes off well... and they are consistently overshadowed by their co-stars.

Rudolph, Wiig, O'Dowd, and Hamm are under-used and should appear in more of the film.  The film has an intriguing premise, but fails to deliver the kind of film you expect, based on the previews.  The ending is too abrupt... and disappointing.  It could be Westfeldt's writing style that I don't like, this is my first experience with her.  But overall, I wasn't impressed, and based on other reviews I've read, I don't think I'm alone in that view.

Disappointing.

Friends with Kids (2011) 107 minutes
Rated: R for sexual content and language
Director: Jennifer Westfeldt
Starring: Adam Scott as Jason Fryman
Jennifer Westfeldt as Julie Keller
Jon Hamm as Ben
Kristen Wiig as Missy
Maya Rudolph as Leslie
Chris O'Dowd as Alex
Megan Fox as Mary Jane
Edward Burns as Kurt

Who's Minding the Mint?

Harry Lucas (Hutton) lives beyond his means, driving expensive cars and living in a fancy apartment.  However, he does not own any of it... gliding through life on test drives to free trials.  His boss, Mr. Link (Stewart), takes notice and keeps close tabs on Harry to pounce on any problems.  Besides avoiding Mr. Link, Harry is dodging advances, and fudge, from co-worker Verna (Provine).  One day, Harry accidentally takes a bundle of money out of the U.S. Mint (where he works) and destroys it in a garbage disposal.

Panicking, he comes up with a crazy scheme: break into the mint, with the help of Pop (Brennan), a former Mint employee, and reprint the $50,000.  However, Pop and Harry need more people to successfully print the money.  They bring in Mint currency cutter Verna Baxter (Provine) who is interested in Harry, pawn shop owner Luther Burton (Berle) to front the money, Willie (Denver) the ice cream man to transport the money, Avery (Gilford) to crack the safe, the Captain (Buono) to get them to the money, and Ralph Randazzo (Bishop).  Can they print the money, plus a little extra for each participant, without getting caught?

The film is in the same vein as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, etc.  The film starts slow, but builds to a mad-cap adventure, featuring big names in comedy... with Jim Hutton serving as the straight man.  Hutton plays a boring character, but he gets better as the film goes on.  Dorothy Provine continues to prove her comedy chops, after superb turns in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and The Great Race.  She stands her ground along-side the men, in a small part.

The men do an excellent job... each bringing something specific to the table, and performing their tasks well.  The funniest sequences occur during the heist: everything that could go wrong, does... including a pregnant dog.  Their are some great visual gags, like the above picture of the team riding in the boat, and the hallway confusion.  Good times.

Good luck renting the film... it isn't available through Netflix.  But you can find it on Amazon.

Who's Minding the Mint? (1967) 97 minutes
Director: Howard Morris
Starring: Jim Hutton as Harry Lucas
Dorothy Provine as Verna Baxter
Milton Berle as Luther Burton
Joey Bishop as Ralph Randazzo
Bob Denver as Willie Owens
Walter Brennan as Pop Gillis
Victor Buono as Captain
Jack Gilford as Avery Dugan
Jamie Farr as Mario
David J. Stewart as Samson Link

Mirror Mirror

"There's I'm in the same room as a prince crazy, and then there's good old fashioned plain traditional psycho crazy...I fear she's the latter."

After the death of her parents, princess Snow White (Collins) is raised by her evil stepmother, The Queen (Roberts).  Snow is confined to the castle, while the Queen destroys her reputation and destroys the kingdom.  On Snow’s 18th birthday, everything changes.

Prince Alcott (Hammer) from Valencia is seeking an adventure, but gets more than he bargained for, when he is attacked by robbers.  He, and his squire, Charles Renbock (Robert Emms), are rescued by Snow, who escaped from the castle to see her kingdom.  Alcott and Snow have instant chemistry, but are traveling in opposite directions.  Alcott goes to the palace, and instantly charms the Queen, who decides to marry him to get out of debt.  That evening, the Queen throws a masquerade ball to impress the prince.  After the ball, Snow is condemned to death, but the Queen's assistant, Brighton (Lane), lets her live.

Snow is taken in by seven dwarfs: Napoleon (Prentice), Half Pint (Povinelli), Grub (Gnoffo), Grimm (Woodburn), Wolf (Saraceno), Chuckles (Clark), and their leader Butcher (Klebba).  The dwarfs are the bandits who steal from the Queen.  Can Snow and her new friends beat the Queen, or will they all be condemned to face the black magic?

2012 was a good year for fairytales, particularly Snow White.  There were 2 Snow White films: Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman, and the character had a starring role on TV's "Once Upon a Time."  Each one had a different spin on the character.

Director Tarsem Singh takes a lighter look at the Snow White fairytale... giving everything a colorful hue with a touch of whimsy.  It is a family film, with a dark side, and a strong slapstick / comedy presence.  He made an intriguing choice for The Queen; instead of making the easy / conventional choice, we went with Julia Roberts.  Roberts is a likeable actress, and typically plays in romantic comedies.  While I enjoy her in those films, it was refreshing to see her try a different kind of role.

The dwarf characters were the best part.  Each character had a distinct personality (and gets a nice epilogue, with pictures, after the credits).  Nathan Lane and Armie Hammer are good, but are overshadowed by their co-stars.  Lily Collins is good, and manages to hold her own against Roberts.  An enjoyable, lighthearted film (although it does get a little darker towards the end).  Check it out!

Mirror Mirror (2012) 106 minutes
Director: Tarsem Singh
Starring: Julia Roberts as The Queen
Lily Collins as Snow White
Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott
Nathan Lane as Brighton
Jordan Prentice as Napoleon
Mark Povinelli as Half Pint
Joe Gnoffo as Grub
Danny Woodburn as Grimm
Sebastian Saraceno as Wolf
Martin Klebba as Butcher
Ronald Lee Clark as Chuckles

One for the Money

"How comfortable are you with the lowlifes?"
"I sold lingerie for three years in Newark."
  "You're good to go."

Stephanie Plum's (Heigl) life is in shambles: she is unemployed, her car has been repossessed, and can't pay her rent.  Feeling desperate, she turns to family.  Her cousin, Vinnie (Fischler), owns a bail bonds company and needs another bounty hunter.  Despite not having any training, equipment, etc, Vinnie sends her after Joe Morelli (O'Mara), an old flame with a significant price on his head.

Apprehending Morelli won't be easy... especially since he always seems a step ahead.  To stack the odds her way, Stephanie gets some training with seasoned bounty hunter Ranger (Sunjata).  And the more she digs into the case, the more problems she finds, and then her witnesses start disappearing.


The story is based on the popular Stephanie Plum series, written by Janet Evanovich.  Each book in the series includes the number of it's placement in the series ("One for the Money," "Sizzling Sixteen," etc).  Everyone I know enjoyed the series, but I had yet to read it.  I had a coupon for a Redbox movie and decided to give this film a try.

Without any other information related to the story, I enjoyed it.  It was a fun and interesting story... mostly made sense (there were a few pieces of information that seemed to come out of nowhere, but I'm willing to overlook it.  However, I just finished reading the novel and have started the sequel, "Two for the Dough," and I can understand why the film did not do as well.  Evanovich's novels are engrossing and well-written... while the film sticks close to the story, they took out some important details and replaced them with predictable movie tropes.  The acting works, with major kudos to Debbie Reynolds as the scene stealing Grandma Mazur.

If you want to read the series, I would suggest watching the film first, to get a basic introduction to the characters and the story.  If you don't want to see the film, I would still suggest the novels.

One for the Money (2012) 91 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for violence, sexual references and language, some drug material and partial nudity
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Starring: Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum
Jason O'Mara as Joe Morelli
Daniel Sunjata as Ranger
John Leguizamo as Jimmy Alpha
Sherri Shepherd as Lula
Debbie Reynolds as Gradma Mazur
Nate Mooney as Eddie Gazarra
Ana Reeder as Connie
Patrick Fischler as Vinnie Plum

The Dark Knight Rises

"That's a brazen costume for a cat burglar."
"Yeah? Who are you pretending to be?"

Eight years after defeating the Joker, Bruce Wayne (Bale) is a broken man.  His body is in shambles and he never leaves the mansion.  Batman is still considered a villain and has dropped off the grid, while Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is revered as a hero.  The police, still led by Commissioner Gordon (Oldman), use Dent's death to rid the city of crime... but a new evil is on the rise.

Wayne is pulled out of retirement when cat burglar, Selina Kyle (Hathaway), breaks into his home.  Meanwhile, a renowned terrorist, Bane (Hardy), who always wears a mask, is convening in the sewers of Gotham, with big plans for the city's future.  As Bane becomes a bigger threat, Batman is once again needed to protect the city that hates him.


The third and final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, this film had a lot to live up to.  Fan expectations were high, and many were worried that Nolan could not repeat the epic success of The Dark Knight.  Every casting choice and moment in the trailer(s) were met with intense scrutiny... and in a summer of big comicbook superhero films (The Amazing Spiderman and The Avengers), would people want to see this film and would it meet all the hype?

I went to see the film with my brother, who has enjoyed the previous Nolan helmed Batman films (but somehow was not impressed with The Avengers).  At the end of the film, we were both satisfied... and I was geeking out, explaining some things to my brother.  I thought it was well-made, well-cast, and looked cool.  I love how things came full circle and effectively tied up Nolan's franchise and Christian Bale's commitments to the role... while laying the foundation for future Batman appearances, such as the potential Justice League film.

After the success of The Avengers, DC Comics has floated the idea of a Justice League film.  The Justice League included Superman (who gets a new film this fall), Wonderwoman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow (who is the focus of a fall TV show on the CW), Batman and many others.  It will be interesting to see how / if it all pans out.

Back to Batman...  The cast is great.  Bale is always a strong actor, and does not disappoint.  Once again he is surrounded by powerful actors / actresses, who elevate the material and performances.  Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman are the only other main characters returning to their roles.  All three are compelling (in different ways), with Caine and Freeman taking on smaller roles.  Tom Hardy is menacing, even with his face hidden behind a mask, as Bane... and poses a legitimate physical and mental threat to Batman.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a welcome addition to the team and an intriguing character.  Anne Hathaway and Marion Cotillard do well in their respective roles... but the men are more of the focus.


All in all, it was a good action flick... and a satisfying end to the trilogy.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) minutes
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Tom Hardy as Bane
Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake
Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate
Michael Caine as Alfred
Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox

Reuniting the Rubins

"Did you hear the one about the Buddhist, the atheist and the rabbi who turned up at a Seder? No, because it's never going to happen."

Lenny Rubin (Spall) is preparing to take a long, relaxing cruise.  Just before leaving, his mother (Blackman) is rushed to the hospital and reveals that she is dying.  Her last wish is to see all four of her grandchildren for Seder.  Lenny's children have not been in the same place for years, and have restraining orders against each other.  While he thinks it is a hopeless cause, he feels guilty and travels to find his children.  His oldest son, Danny (Callis) is a successful, cutthroat businessman.  Danny is divorced with a young son, Jake (Stevenson), and lives nearby.  His daughter, Andie (Mitra), is an eco-warrior in Africa, who is constantly in motion.  His middle son, Clarity (Newman), is a renowned Buddhist Monk.  And his youngest son, Yona (O'Connor) is a strict Rabbi living in Israel.  Yona's wife, Miri (Brealey), is pregnant with their third child.

Lenny's mother buys their old home, so that the whole family can stay together.  As she spends time in the hospital, Lenny fixes up the house, unsure whether any of his children will show up... and if they do, if they will all survive the experience.

This film was recommended to me by Netflix after watching Peep World.  I wasn't impressed with Peep World, but I enjoyed the trailer for this film and decided to give it a chance.  The cast is impressive.  It was interesting to see Timothy Spall in a leading role and as a likeable character.  All other films I have seen him in, he has been a slimy characters (Sweeney Todd, the Harry Potter series, etc.).  But he is suited to comedy, and really excels here.  James Callis, from TVs Battlestar Galactica, is excellent, as always.  Honor Blackman, formerly a Bond girl in Goldfinger, also steals the show as Gran.  The rest of the cast is good, but Spall, Blackman, and Callis own the screen.

The film is funnier than it should be, and feels very realistic.

Reuniting the Rubins (2010) 97 minutes
Director: Yoav Factor
Starring: Timothy Spall as Lenny Rubin
James Callis as Danny Rubin
Rhona Mitra as Andie Rubin
Hugh O'Connor as Yona Rubin
Theo Stevenson as Jake Rubin
Asier Newman as Clarity Rubin
Honor Blackman as Gran Rubin
Blake Harrison as Nick
Loo Brealey as Miri Rubin

Neverland (SyFy miniseries)

In London in 1906, Peter Pan (Rowe) leads a group of thieves.  His crew: Tootles (Ainsworth), Curly (Gibson), Fox (Macdonald), Twins (Patten), Slightly (Robinson), and Nibs (Willoughby), is comprised of orphaned boys.  The boys work as a group, with Peter standing watch and using a series of whistle commands to signal the others.  The boys all work for Jimmy Hook (Ifans), a fencer who has big plans for the boys.  They are offered a big heist, which is supposed to change their lives.  They are supposed to steal an ancient glass orb.  Jimmy and the boys, except for Peter, touch the orb and are transported to another world.  Peter successfully steals the orb, and learns that his friends are still alive.  He taps the orb and is transported to the same place as his friends.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and the boys have been captured by a band of pirates, led by Captain Elizabeth Bonny (Friel).  Captain Bonny takes an instant liking to Jimmy, and decides to keep him, while the boys are rescued by Peter.  The pirates are trying to find the ultimate power source, which is controlled by the fairies on the island, and protected by the Natives.  Peter and the boys befriend the Natives, particularly the chief's daughter Aaya (Kilcher).  They learn that this world, they call Neverland, keeps people from aging.  The boys just want to go home, and learn from Dr. Fludd (Dance) that there is a way to send everyone back to their world.  The Natives are content to stay and the pirates refuse to leave without the fairies secret.



Beginning in 2007, SyFy revamped classic children's literature with a re-imagining of  The Wizard of Oz.  After the series was met with success, they tried it again in 2009 with Alice in Wonderland.  When that series succeeded, they created a new series in 2011 based on J.M. Barie's Peter and Wendy (1911) story.  The series serves as a prequel to Peter Pan, telling the story of how Peter and Hook came to Neverland.

There are so many versions of the Peter Pan story: plays, musicals, cartoons, live-action films, etc.  Typically the Peter Pan role was played by a girl.  In 1960, Broadway star Mary Martin played Peter Pan, the musical was reimagined in 2000 starring Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby.  The best known version is the 1953 Disney animated film.  In 2003 they made a new live-action version of the show.  And they made a sequel, Hook,  in which Peter grows up and returns to Neverland as an adult.  In 2004, Finding Neverland, about J.M. Barrie and his inspiration for the Peter Pan story.  Obviously it is still a popular story.

The writers made the wise decision to make the story a prequel to the beloved Peter Pan tale.  The story answers many of the questions you may have about Peter Pan: how did he get to Neverland, how did Hook get there, how did he learn to fly, etc?  It was an interesting, science fiction take on the story... however, the execution was just o.k.  The story drags in places and is too complicated (my description above does not even scratch the surface of the story) and some of the characters are a bit unnecessary.  I applaud their imagination, but didn't love the story.  The cast is good.  Anna Friel was on TV's Pushing Daisies and has appeared in a few films.  Rhys Ifans is always good, and it was interesting to see Raoul Trujillo in another SyFy miniseries (he previously appeared as Raw in Tin Man).  I did not like the Tinkerbell (or other fairy) character... I love that Keira Knightley is Tinkerbell's voice, but they took away all the joy of the character.

Ok, but not the best miniseries.  I look forward to seeing what story SyFy will adapt next (and if they follow the usual pattern, we should expect a new series in 2013).

Neverland (TV miniseries 2011) 240 minutes
Director: Nick Willing
Starring: Rhys Ifans as Jimmy Hook
Anna Friel as Captain Elizabeth Bonny
Charlie Rowe as Peter Pan
Keira Knightley as Tinkerbell (voice)
Raoul Trujillo as Holy Man
Cas Anvar as Starkey
Q'orianka Kilcher as Aaya / Tiger Lily
Charles Dance as Dr. Fludd
James Ainsworth as Tootles
Patrick Gibson as Curly
Lorn Macdonald as Fox
Thomas Patten as The Twins
Brandon Robinson as Slightly
Chase Willoughby as Nibs
Charlotte Atkinson as Tinkerbell

Peter Pan (2003)

"My unfulfilled ambition is to write a great novel in three parts about my adventures."
  "What adventures?"
"I've yet to have them, but they will be perfectly thrilling."

Wendy Darling (Hurd Wood) is a gifted storyteller.  Every night the nursery comes alive with her stories, until their father (Isaacs) decides it is time for Wendy to grow up.  On her last night in the nursery, Wendy meets Peter Pan (Sumpter), who wants to take her on an adventure.  With her brothers, John (Newell) and Michael (Popplewell) in tow, they fly to Neverland.

In Neverland, they join the Lost Boys and fight pirates.  The pirates are led by Captain Hook (Isaacs), who hates Peter Pan; Pan cut off Hook's hand and fed it to the giant crocodile who prowls the water near the pirate ship.  With the pirates planning to destroy Pan, Tink (Sagnier) is bitter and banished, and the boys are danger... can Peter and Wendy save the day?

There are so many versions of the Peter Pan story: plays, cartoons, live action films, etc, and the story continues to be well-known and enjoyed.  This version of the story was a little more faithful to Barrie's story, than previous films.

The film is visually stunning, and makes the most of it's effects.  It is well acted, with well-known actors in the adult roles, and talented kid actors.  Of all the characters, Jason Isaacs and the Lost Boys steal the show.  Isaacs has the difficult job of playing 2 different characters.  His Mr. Darling is loving, but distant and awkward, while his Captain Hook is cool and calculating and a bit menacing.  He excels in each role.  The Lost Boys are also mesmerizing characters.  Each boy does a good job and as are a unified group.  My favorite lost boy is Slightly.  He has the best lines and delivery and gets the most laughs.

It is ok, not my favorite Peter Pan film, but it works.

Peter Pan (2003) 113 minutes
Director: P.J. Hogan
Starring: Jason Isaacs as Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan
Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy Darling
Lynn Redgrave as Aunt Millicent
Richard Briers as Smee
Olivia Williams as Mrs. Darling
Harry Newell as John Darling
Freddie Popplewell as Michael Darling
Ludivine Sagnier as Tink