Pokémon the Movie Destiny Deoxys (2004) Review:

Despite the Pokémon franchise continuing on and on with its show and some viewers feeling the formula had gotten repetitive, movies were still being released. Of course like any other entry before it, the means of it was to make money whether it had something new to display or not. While the first trilogy of films was unbalanced, the second trilogy seemed to be a stronger effort. Starting in the seventh entry, this film attempts to make a concept fresh out of a somewhat familiar idea. That is a Pokémon from outer space. Okay…that’s not too different from another dimension or time. Unfortunately, it’s because this idea has already been explored more than once that the viewing experience here is not as engaging as would expect. It’s not bad though, more so forgettable. You can’t win them all!

The plot to this installment follows Ash and company to LaRousse City where Ash wants to test his skills at the battle tower. It’s also the location of high tech gadgetry. Living in the city is Tory (Tara Sands), the son of Professor Lund (Sean Schemmel) who four years earlier witnessed the arrival of an alien Pokémon they ended up naming Deoxys. However, because it arrived so suddenly, another powerful Pokémon called Rayquaza seeks to destroy it thinking it’s a threat. Now in LaRousse City, Deoxys returns and so does the impending battle between the giants. As usual the original script and direction in Japan was worked by the Sonoda, Yuyama duo. In the US, Darren Dunstan did the English direction adaptation, while Norman J. Grossfeld, James Carter Cathcart and Kathy Pilon handled the English script adaptation. Honestly though, all these credits didn’t amount to the greatest of entries.

The two biggest attributes to this feature that work against it is first the focus. Unlike the film before which didn’t focus on Ash but on Max, who was also a main character felt acceptable. Ash can’t be the only character to get development among the group. However, this entry aims its attention at Tory who the audience has no history with until now. The character of Tory is about a scarring moment that left him reluctant to be near Pokémon. Why couldn’t this be put one of the original characters? Additionally, while Ash and company visit La Rousse City, they encounter more side characters that very much are the same kind of forgettable characters inserted in past films. Ash creates a small rivalry between another trainer named Rafe (Sebastian Arcelus) and Misty runs into another trainer Sid (Matthew Labyorteaux) who develops a crush on her. Okay, but is it needed?

If Team Rocket’s Jessie, James and Meowth are put in the film only for laughs and not used in the plot, then meaningless cardboard cutout side characters shouldn’t be given anymore or equal focus. The other strange thing about the story is the setting. La Rousse City has security box robots, which manage the area. There are a number of them, but apparently there can be so many that they can be more overwhelming than anything else. That idea is just silly. Aside from this though, the acting is still well done, including the characters that aren’t or shouldn’t be important to the story. The new Pokémon shown in this feature are unique in design and the two giants that cause the whole stir are impressive looking. Deoxys looks intimidating considering it can change form in a number of ways depending on the situation it’s in.

The animation looks good as always though. Rarely has a Pokémon movie looked out of date or had bad animation. This doesn’t omit the fact that there’s still cinematography linked to this film, shot by Takaya Mizutani. For what reason, is yet to be explained for any of the films. As for music, the film score was composed by the consistent Shinji Miyazaki. While he reprises the title theme as done before, Miyazaki also creates a new motif for Deoxys which sounds accurate for the character. The track contains electronic synthesizers that match Deoxys’ mysterious alien qualities. As usual though, no domestic US release for the album. Only in Japan, only in Japan. Still a good listen though if one can get a hold of it.

After two trilogies of films, the next film in the anime franchise starts off rather shaky. Animation, voice acting and music are all fine. But the setting is a little odd seeing how it impacts the story later on, and, the random side characters getting more attention doesn’t make the viewing experience as entertaining.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Candyman (1992) Review:

Horror novelist Clive Barker may not be as ear catching as Stephen King, but he should be considered very much on the same level. Even though his creations would receive critical acclaim years after King’s adaptations, they were still well deserved. Despite having a rough start, having his licensed works being completely changed, it was his self-directed film Hellraiser (1987) that got him on people’s radars. And while the character of Pinhead was iconic by itself, Barker would help in creating another iconic horror figure in another feature, being this. With assistance from director Bernard Rose, who also spoke with Barker, the pair was able to recreate a short into a full length feature film based on a written work by Barker known as “The Forbidden”. The difference is, instead of originally taking place in England, the setting was moved to the US, more specifically Chicago.

The story for this film revolves around people living in the projects of Cabrini Green. There they are terrorized by a ghostly assailant known as Candyman (Tony Todd). Wanting to understand more so they could add credibility to their thesis is Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) and Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons). What they don’t realize is just how serious the matter is and how the locals feel about the situation that’s been going on. All the while tenants like Anne-Marie McCoy (Vanessa Williams) have nowhere to go despite the uneasiness of the subject. Adding to that is Helen’s husband Trevor (Xander Berkeley) having the usual female students flirting around for silly reasons. For this film, Bernard Rose directed and wrote the screenplay which can be difficult, but it looks like that wasn’t an issue for him.

What works really well in this horror film is the change up in the usual tropes witnessed in this genre. There are no dumb teenagers looking to fornicate every second. The area in which the story is based on is an actual place in the US. The lead characters are self-reliant and the overall story reflects on the historical context of the setting. That’s the big picture. From a more focused perspective, the actors who perform in this picture give quite a show. Virginia Madsen, known at the time from starting in films like Dune (1984) and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), will really make the viewer sympathize with her character. The same could be said for the characters played by Vanessa Williams and Kasi Lemmons. There’s even DeJuan Guy in his first feature film giving a believable display.

Adding to that are supporting actors like Xander Berkeley better known as John Conner’s step father in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and even appearances from Ted Raimi and Rusty Schwimmer. Last but not least, the film would not be so well known if it wasn’t for Tony Todd who brings in so much charisma into his role. His presence as Candyman feels very much just as imposing as Doug Bradley playing Pinhead. It’s that memorable. Unfortunately, the small weak points to the movie are predictable outcomes for side characters. That and the on screen violence isn’t as abundant as one might think. The gore and creep factor is there, but it’s all for the most part aftermath, which isn’t exactly the same. Nevertheless, it can get fairly intense.

When it came camerawork, it was another added benefit to the experience. Handled by Anthony B. Richmond, the scenes shot are able to give the audience a very clear picture how much Cabrini Green is in dire need of support. From the dilapidated building structures, the practically unusable facilities and dangerous gang members lurking around, how would anyone feel comfortable being there? Finally, the film score composed by Philip Glass is another key component to watching the film. Despite him not really being known for working on horror films, Glass managed to create chilling album. Using mainly organ and chanting choirs, Glass’ score haunts unlike other any horror scores. There are no stings either and thankfully, this work did get an album release which should be rightfully done. The main title sequence alone is a great track that isn’t even in the album!

Even though the film isn’t really scary and the side characters are more or less predictable, there’s so much more going in the movie’s favor that makes it stand out from the typical horror film. The actors in general give great performances, especially Tony Todd. The camerawork captures the environment well and the music is a new listening experience.

Points Earned --> 8:10

Pokémon: Jirachi - Wish Maker (2003) Review:

While Pokémon has been one of Nintendo’s mascots for a long time, even popular icons go into hibernation. After the lackluster performance of Pokémon: Heroes – Latios & Latias (2002), the franchise would finally begin its venture into home video territory with this sixth film installment. For some tent pole franchises, this is the kiss of death as most don’t return to theatrical releases. Additionally, that means the stories lose more and more of their connections to the original films. However, because these films are playing in line with the TV show, that hasn’t seemed to be the case yet. Which is good otherwise that would really throw off the legions of fans who watched the episodes religiously. Another thing to note is that while this entry is the beginning of home video releases, it is also the beginning of other changes.

The story, taking place during the sixth season of the show, follows Ash, Brock and their new crew comprised of May and Max where they seek to catch a glimpse of the millennium comet. It is said the comet contains a large amount of energy capable of generating lots of power. Making its appearance in parallel to the comet is Jirachi (Kerry Williams), a Pokémon with special powers who befriends Max (Amy Birnbaum). Where they meet is at the local festival headed by Butler (Wayne Grayson) and Diane (Megan Hollingshead). The script and direction were headed by the usual crew members working on the past films There’s also a bit of additional support from Norman J. Grossfeld returning for script adaptation as well as voice actor Eric Stuart doing direction adaption for the first time.

What both Japanese and American crews accomplish in this feature is changing the formula slightly for fans who have been wanting something more. Of course by no means would the sixth film in a series change any new comers but for fans of the show, this should be entertaining enough. For once, the plot revolves around a main character other than Ash. While he is a central character, laying him off for a while is needed and it fits in with the show since much of Season 6 essentially reset Ash and has put him more in a mentor role than a mentee. That’s a nice way to show Ash is growing up…despite the fact that he’s still the same age even though it seems like years have passed. But that’s not something that can be really faulted for, as fans have come to accept this.

The structure of the story also has slightly changed for the better. This entry did not start off like it typically does with Ash battling some stranger with the current season’s theme song behind it. Even the continuity is adequately referenced for the most part. Unfortunately, even with all these good parts, the film does get caught up in some real juvenile things like not giving the antagonist a very clear backstory. It’s certainly not as bad as the antagonist from Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999), but there are parts that feel like more could be said. It’s just not that clear. The acting though is still great. Veronica Taylor who used to voice only Ash now also plays May and her interactions with the other voice actors is good too. Kerry Williams as Jirachi is fine, the Pokémon is supposed to be childlike so it seemed like an easy role. Mike Pollock also steps in as narrator instead of Roger Parsons, who sounds fairly close in performance.

What still makes no sense as to why it would be needed is cinematography. This time not only handled by Hisao Shirai but also Takaya Mizutani. Seriously, what is camerawork needed for in animation? The only thing maybe is digital camera movement for anything CGI but who’s to say? Shirai has been doing cinematography for the series since the very first film. Lastly Shinji Miyazaki returns as composer to this feature which looks to remain intact even for the English release. That’s always good, but again no domestic album release. What can be said is at least there’s consistency in the production where people who’ve worked on an entry before come back again for another time.

None of the Pokémon films have ever managed to hit ground breaking levels of entertainment and this one is no different. It still makes no sense how cinematography is incorporated and the villain still doesn’t have the best backstory. But the production crew that work on these films are a reliable bunch with acceptable voice acting and good music. The direction has also been slightly modified to keep its fans attention.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Waxwork (1988) Review:

Wax figures always seem to get the least appreciation when it comes to three dimensional art. Unfortunately, the reason for that is their eerie presence and synthetic likeliness to that it was based on. It’s also because of these traits that they’ve been best used in horror pictures starting with films like Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), House of Wax (1953), Nightmare in Wax (1969) and Terror in the Wax Museum (1973). All of which had the same idea but only the original and remake are known the best. After that, feature length films disappeared focusing on this concept…until this film came along. Thankfully this movie does something unique with the premise instead of rehashing for another round of familiarities. However, the way the premise is used tends to make it more camp than anything else.

Written and directed Anthony Hickox, who would later direct Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), makes his debut with this feature. Sometimes when doing more than one task the end result is not the desired outcome, but here it fairs out okay. The story is about Mark Loftmore (Zach Galligan), China (Michelle Johnson), Sarah (Deborah Foreman) and some other friends who get invited to a mysterious waxwork building headed by a nameless man (David Warner). Little do they or other strangers know that behind the displays are parallel dimensions where people can be transported and trapped. As mentioned before, it’s a twist on the classic story, just this time it’s not a crazed psychopath going around killing people off the streets. There’s a little more fantasy involved here.

Sadly, this still doesn’t remove the campy experience viewers may feel. There’s a couple reasons for this. First, the main characters themselves lack any relatable charm. Zach Galligan best known from Gremlins (1984) plays what seems like a character who wants to grow up, yet he still cares about who China (his ex) sleeps with. Michelle Johnson known for also later playing in Dr. Giggles (1992) is okay but again her character seems conflicted in motivation. In fact, so does the character of Sarah. There’s too much flip flopping. Nevertheless, the actors perform well with what they have. And despite the main characters not feeling strong enough, they are well supported by other veteran actors like David Warner better known from Tron (1982), Joe Baker who’d voice Lon in Disney’s Pocahontas (1995), Patrick Macnee who had roles in The Howling (1981) and A View to a Kill (1985) and even a cameo from John Rhys-Davies.

Two other aspects that play against the experience of this film are the rules explained in the story. While there is a moment where a key part is explained, there is another scene where another variation to the proposed rule is countered. Some consistency or at least clarity would’ve been good. The other issue is just the plot itself and the antagonist’s motivation. In all honesty, it’s a rather vague and preposterous plot why this whole situation even occurs. This is why the experience of watching this film feels campy. It’s just a ridiculous idea. The effects in this film are credible for 1988. There’s a good volume of blood and gore to be had even though the tone does not convey serious horror. Working on those effects was Bob Keen, the same guy behind movies like Superman (1978), Alien (1979), Highlander (1986) and Hellraiser (1987).

Behind the camera for this film was Gerry Lively, who also worked on Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) and even Friday (1995). The scenes shot by Lively are decent and show competence in their presentation. The best shot belongs to the waxwork building. Finally, composing the film score to this feature was Roger Bellon. Surprisingly, it is an interesting work that has gotten an album release. Bellon has a number of themes that occur throughout the run time and are memorable in their own way. The listening experience is very dated though by the instruments used. Almost anyone could tell it came from the 80s from certain tracks. For Bellon, this might be the work he’s most remembered for because much of the rest of his filmography is in the TV Movie realm where few scores get publications.

This movie puts an interesting spin on the old wax museum tale from past films. While the main characters feel inconsistent at times and the plot is just silly, it does provide mild fun. The camerawork is decent, the music is composed well and the supporting cast contain some big names.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Pokémon: Heroes - Latios & Latias (2002) Review:

The Pokémon franchise has always been one of the most recognizable icons of Nintendo. There’s an intense loyal fan base who take pride in the wide variety of Pokémon events. One of those moments being the annual film releases. With Season 5 coming to a close, the next film was on its way for fans of the show. While this film itself marked quite a low for the brand due to its poor box office return, over time it has garnered a following because of course it would. Despite the nostalgia many fans have for Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back (1999) and that the majority of those watching this entry would only be fans of the show anyway, this movie actually surpasses the original film to some degree. This is in part due to technology and the rest is because of the experience in general.

The story for this entry follows Ash & company to the city of Alto Mare, the Pokémon version of Venice Italy. There they learn the legend of Latios and Latias, the legendary Pokémon that protect the city after it was once attacked from an evil Pokémon trainer. Keeping the city alive is the soul dew, an orb that contains the past Latios’ essence who saved the city. This would all be fine if it weren’t for Annie (Megan Hollingshead) and Oakley (Lisa Ortiz), top members of Team Rocket looking to steal the soul dew. Watching over this item is Bianca (Tara Sands) and her father Lorenzo (Wayne Grayson). The crew behind the Japanese and English productions are again the same pretty much as they’ve always been. Original direction is from Kunihiko Yuyama and the adaptation was done by Jim Malone. The script was written by Hideki Sonoda.

While the production crew is very much the same set of people, the reason why this story hits a higher mark than the last is due to a number of factors. For one, the story is dialed back in scale. Pretty much every film before it felt huge when it came to the number of Pokémon and trainers involved. Here, the narrative is focused more on Ash and the new characters introduced. Not even Jessie, James and Meowth do much in this film despite them also having their own scenes. And somehow that’s okay because of how the story is executed. Not everyone has to be involved every waking minute. Additionally, the fact that the antagonists in this feature have a clear background and the audience will easily understand their intentions is a good thing too. Perhaps the one thing that doesn’t make sense is a hint of a romantic relationship between two characters.

What throws this off though is that it is between a human and a Pokémon. It’s a little…odd and because of the situation, it’s not specified what it was really supposed to mean. Of course, voice acting is going to be good. The regular recurring cast members who voice Ash and company do what they do best, no questions asked. Tara Sands as Bianca who’s no newbie to anime in general or Pokémon does just fine. Wayne Grayson is also not fresh to anime voice acting before this but became best known for playing Joey Wheeler in Yu-Gi-Oh. The same could be said for Lisa Ortiz as Oakley, who also voice Serenity Wheeler. Megan Hollingshead as Annie is also best known in Pokémon as Nurse Joy. As for action, while it’s not as abundant as the previous entries, it is just as entertaining mainly because of the look of the film.

Cinematography again was provided by Hisao Shirai and it still isn’t the clearest on the usage. With the use of more prominent CGI, there are sweeping camera shots in the film. Maybe it was used there? This does make the experience feel more cinematic than any other Pokémon entry before it. This also blends well with the animation which not only has better shading but more detail as well. It’s the best it’s ever looked. Lastly the music composed by Shinji Miyazaki was a great listen. Unfortunately, the soundtrack did not get a domestic release but it still can be enjoyed because of how unique it sounds. Because of the setting, it has a more Italian feel with instruments sounding like they came from the country. Additionally, there’s the usual Pokémon cues and even a new spy genre motif for Annie and Oakley. Also, the song Secret Garden by Madoka is a very relaxing song.

Deep into the series, fans of the franchise should find this entry not only entertaining but also even better than all other entries before it. Aside from one little out of the blue romantic subplot and cinematography, if that exists, the animation, acting, action and music makes for a solid Pokémon feature.

Points Earned --> 7:10