all the "magic" in the world can't stop them!

movie 1 was august rush. what was i expecting? not much. i knew what it was basically about going in. it's not a complicated plot. 2 people meet and fall in love. they have one "magical" night in new york on the rooftop of some building and then, despite all their efforts, part ways. she got pregnant (i will refer you back to the "magic") and the baby ends up being given to the state. boy grows up and searches for his parents. i'm leaving out a bit, but that's the gist of it.

what did i get? much more than i was expecting, i'll tell you that much. more than any other movie i recall seeing, music became a character in this movie. see, the 2 people who got "magic" together were both musicians (she was a little bit classic, he was a little bit rock and roll). the kid then ends up hearing music in his soul without even really understanding it and basically can play and compose almost anything (like mozart). he then inadvertently follows the music to the city that his parents "composed" him in. anyway, throughout the movie the music kinda speaks. it's spooky in a way and, as the warden put it, can give you chills.

some of the human players aren't bad either. freddie highmore is a great actor and demonstrates a maturity that is shared by few child actors (hailie joel osment comes to mind). as the 2 "magic" makers, keri russell and jonathan rhys meiers are pretty fantastic (didn't really have respect for keri before this movie). then there are the supporting roles...the most notable ones are terrence howard and robin williams (mykelti williamson isn't bad either, but he had a less significant role).

in the end i would recommend this to pretty much anyone whose heart isn't completely and hopelessly made of ice and brick. those who consider themselves lovers of music should either see this in theaters or, at the very least, make damn sure that a DVD viewing is supported by 5.1 or 6.1 surround (don't bother with 2.0...just entertain yourself with an etch-a-sketch). this movie is an experience that i won't quickly forget.

my review of movie 2 is next...