The Golden Compass (PG-13) Doug Steve Status: In Theaters Listen to Review It is the Alethiometer. It tells the truth. As for how to read it, you'll have to learn by yourself."

• Starring:   Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig
• Directed By:   Chris Weitz
• Running Time:   113 min.
• MPAA Rating:   PG-13 for Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence
• Genres:   Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Synopsis:
Is there anybody on the planet who hasn’t received an Email warning of the dire atheistic consequences of the movie, “The Golden Compass?” While some have worked themselves into a righteous lather, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops seems not to be caught up in the fervor and has given the movie a thumbs-up review. Phillip Pullman’s story takes us into a parallel universe where humans are only complete with their daemons, an animal extension of themselves that houses the soul. The story focuses on Lyra-played by Dakota Richards-a young, very curious orphan who has been placed under the tutelage of esteemed scholars by her uncle, Lord Asriel-played by the woefully underused, Daniel Craig. It seems Lord Asriel has made a discovery that could shake the foundations of society. Lyra thwarts a plot to kill her uncle and gets entangled in a greater conspiracy by powerful ministers and the sinister Mrs. Coulter, icily played by Nicole Kidman, to grasp permanent and absolute power. Missing children are feared to be part of the plot and terrible rumors regarding their fate are only whispered. Lyra, guided by a devise that reveals truth, ends up aligned with disenfranchised peoples, witches and even a disgraced ice-bear-given magnificent voice by Ian McKellan-in the battle to save the children and world they know. “The Golden Compass” is nowhere near as fanciful and magical as “Harry Potter” and nowhere near as profound as “Lord of the Rings,” even “Narnia.” And since this film seems to borrow liberally from others in the genre, comparison can’t be avoided. Dakota Richards delivers an admirable performance and endears herself as the story unfolds but if you’re drawn to the film by Daniel Craig, forget it, he’s only in a few scenes...oh well, there has to be more in the sequels. The special effects, sets, costuming and animation are wonderful, but we’ve seen wonderful before and we’ve seen it in a more compelling story. While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops give “The Golden Compass” a “rave” review, I’m giving it 3 stars, rated PG-13

Movie Showings Links:
MovieFone
Cineplex Odeon
Cinemark

Offical Web Site for 'The Golden Compass'...
www.goldencompassmovie.com/

KSL Real Audio Review:
You can listen to the actual review from the KSL Radio Movie Show using the Real Player.
Click to Listen to Real Audio of Review for this Movie

Movies in Theaters...


10,000 BC
21
27 Dresses
30 Days of Night
88 Minutes
A Plumm Summer
Alvin and the Chipmunks
American Gangster
Atonement
Atonement
August Rush
Baby Mama
Be Kind Rewind
Beau Jest
Bee Movie
Beowulf
Billy the Kid
Bonneville
Charlie Wilson's War
Chicago 10
CJ7
Cloverfield
Control
Dan in Real Life
Deception
Definitely, Maybe
Drillbit Taylor
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Emma Smith: My Story
Enchanted
Expelled
Falling
Fool's Gold
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Fred Claus
Funny Games
Gone, Baby, Gone
Good Luck Chuck
Happy Valley
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Honeydripper
Horton Hears A Who
How She Move
I Am Legend
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
In Bruges
In the Valley of Elah
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Jumper
Lars and the Real Girl
Leatherheads
Lions for Lambs
Love in the Time of Cholera
Made of Honor
Martian Child
Meet the Browns
Michael Clayton
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
My Blueberry Nights
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Never Back Down
Nim's Island
No Country for Old Men
Over Her Dead Body
P2
Passage to Zarahemla
Penelope
Persepolis
Rambo
Redacted
Redbelt
Rendition
Resident Evil: Extinction
Run Fatboy Run
Saw IV
Semi-Pro
Sex and the City
Shine a Light
Shutter
Sleepwalking
Smart People
Son of Rambow
Southland Tales
Step Up 2: The Streets
STEVE SALLES' BOTTOM TEN MOVIES OF 2007
Steve Salles' Summer Movie Preview
STEVE SALLES' TOP TEN MOVIES OF 2007
Stop Loss
Strange Wilderness
Street Kings
Sweeney Todd
Sydney White
The Bank Job
THE BUCKET LIST
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Darjeeling Limited
The Feast of Love
The Forbidden Kingdom
The Game Plan
The Golden Compass
The Heartbreak Kid
The Jane Austen Book Club
The Kingdom
The Mist
The Orphanage
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Perfect Holiday
The Ruins
The Savages
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Then She Found Me
There Will Be Blood
Things We Lost in the Fire
U2 3D
Untraceable
Vantage Point
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
We Own the Night
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins
What Happens in Vegas
Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden
Wild West Comedy Show
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Young at Heart

Coming Out Soon...

Movie Show Review Archives...

Index By Rating:

G - PG - PG13 - R

Index By MovieWise Rating:

1 - 1½ - 2 - 2½ - 3 - 3½ - 4

Index Alphabetical:

A-F - G-L - M-R - S-Z

Index by Type:

Action - Comedy - Romance
Drama - Animation - Horror - Doc.

Movie Show Home Page