The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass [Blu-ray]
$39.98
Before I start this review, I would like to comment on the "religious" factors of this film. I am a Catholic and loved this! There was nothing atheist about it. The way I viewed the Magisterium was a Communist government. Even if it was a jab at the church, it was probably referencing back to old times when the people of the church did want to control everything (Uber-Christians should really learn their history). And, judging by how some people reacted to these "atheist" tones, they must be working for the Magisterium, trying to say what's best for others when they should just mind their own business and let people decide for themselves.

Now to the movie. Dakota Blue Richards is a very good actress and one of the very few child actors who aren't annoying. She seems undaunted for her first film and I really hope they film the next two installments as I would like to see her improve and hone her talent. Daniel Craig, Eva Green (reuniting from Casino Royale but have no scenes together), Sam Elliot and Nicole Kidman (can't believe I'm saying something good about her) are all excellent in their supporting roles. Though I will admit that Craig floats in and out of the picture like that Prudence character from Across the Universe (though not as much as her, at least Craig's character is important to the plot) and Kidman's revelation that she is Richards' mother seems a little out of left field though Mrs. Coulter could be lying. Christopher Lee has very good billing in the end credits for having one line of dialog in a very small scene. I wish the explanation of dust had gone into a little more detail instead of the Magesterium just talking about it like its a drug or whatever. Action scenes are spectacular, especially the final battle in the north. Music is also very good and, if they ever film the next two, I certainly hope they use the same composer. A fine film that I hope to be the next successful book-to-film translation like Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter/James Bond.

His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)
$22.50
I reserve a special place on my bookshelf for this trilogy; Pullman knows how to write good characters, and by the end of the book you'll feel like you just spent time with good friends. If you're reading this book for the religious aspect, please don't. Read this book for the story, the characters, and the morals. Pullman's epic story is an amazing way to spend a week.

The Golden Compass (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition)
$14.96
Before I start this review, I would like to comment on the "religious" factors of this film. I am a Catholic and loved this! There was nothing atheist about it. The way I viewed the Magisterium was a Communist government. Even if it was a jab at the church, it was probably referencing back to old times when the people of the church did want to control everything (Uber-Christians should really learn their history). And, judging by how some people reacted to these "atheist" tones, they must be working for the Magisterium, trying to say what's best for others when they should just mind their own business and let people decide for themselves.

Now to the movie. Dakota Blue Richards is a very good actress and one of the very few child actors who aren't annoying. She seems undaunted for her first film and I really hope they film the next two installments as I would like to see her improve and hone her talent. Daniel Craig, Eva Green (reuniting from Casino Royale but have no scenes together), Sam Elliot and Nicole Kidman (can't believe I'm saying something good about her) are all excellent in their supporting roles. Though I will admit that Craig floats in and out of the picture like that Prudence character from Across the Universe (though not as much as her, at least Craig's character is important to the plot) and Kidman's revelation that she is Richards' mother seems a little out of left field though Mrs. Coulter could be lying. Christopher Lee has very good billing in the end credits for having one line of dialog in a very small scene. I wish the explanation of dust had gone into a little more detail instead of the Magesterium just talking about it like its a drug or whatever. Action scenes are spectacular, especially the final battle in the north. Music is also very good and, if they ever film the next two, I certainly hope they use the same composer. A fine film that I hope to be the next successful book-to-film translation like Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter/James Bond.

The Golden Compass
$9.98
The book The Golden Compass is like a parallel world, dark and cold, with daemons, boat-dwelling gypsies, armored bears, and a girl with an odd destiny. As Lyra battles the Gobblers, who separate children from their souls, and follows a mystical device to a universe-changing confrontation in the Arctic.

Even Lyra's best friend Roger, start disappearing, victims of mysterious kidnappers called Gobblers. Lyra is given a magical instrument that tells the future and is sent off with Mrs. Coulter. When she learns that Mrs. Coulter runs the Gobblers, she escapes, starting a race to save the kidnapped children.

With the help of the Gyptians, a boat-dwelling people, and Iorek Byrnison, a talking, warrior polar bear, she travels to the Arctic, where she finds that the children are being forced to test bad experiments that separate them from their daemons. Meanwhile Iorek battles for control of the warrior bears.