FILMS/
BATTLE FOR TERRA
New Directors
USA, 2007, 100 minutes
SHOWTIMES
Sat, Apr 25 / 12:00 / Kabuki / BATT25K
Wed, Apr 29 / 6:45 / Kabuki / BATT29K
CREDITS
- prod
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Keith Calder, Dane Allan Smith, Jessica Wu, Ryan Colucci
- scr
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Evan Spiliotopoulous
- cam
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Aristomenis Tsirbas
- editor
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J. Kathleen Gibson
- mus
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Abel Korzeniowski
- cast
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Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Dennis Quaid, Brian Cox, Chris Evans, James Garner, Danny Glover
- source
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Roadside Attractions, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 402, Los Angeles, CA 90046. FAX: 323-882-8493. EMAIL: meghannb@roadsideattractions.com.
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CAUSES
Environment; War, Conflict & Reconciliation
In his first feature-length, independently produced animated film, director Aristomenis Tsirbas has created a beautiful, tranquil world most anyone would love to inhabit. That’s just the problem. While the moon-eyed, tadpole-like denizens of Terra live peacefully amid towering reeds and gentle space whales, another species is eyeing the planet as a potential new home—and this time the invaders are us. As Earth Force’s giant ship appears in the sky, the predominantly passive Terrareans are slow to recognize they are under attack. But freethinking, strong-willed Mala (voiced by SFIFF52 Midnight Award recipient Evan Rachel Wood) sees her father being abducted and knows something is terribly wrong. She comes across wounded pilot Jim Stanton (Luke Wilson) and decides to rescue and revive him, with the understanding that he will help secure her father’s release. Mala and Jim gradually forge an unexpected alliance and begin to understand both the motivations and moral failings of their two species, as the conflict between Earthlings and Terrareans escalates into a desperate fight for survival. With an all-star vocal cast (including Brian Cox, James Garner, Dennis Quaid and a hilarious David Cross as the WALL-E-esque robot sidekick) and lush CGI animation, Battle for Terra’s family-friendly, sci-fi action comes with a socially conscious spin—posing tough ethical and philosophical questions around the environment, war and human compassion. We’ve experienced many on-screen alien invasions over the years. It’s an intriguing turn of events to find ourselves on the opposite side of the death ray. Who’s the alien now? Recommended for ages seven and up.
—Joanne Parsont
Presented in association with the Visual Effects Society Bay Area Section. West Coast Premiere.
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