Pokémon Zoroark Master of Illusions (2010) Review:

Pokémon’s Diamond and Pearl generation may have started off uneven with fans but performed okay and has garnered a deserved following. The films revolving around the series though were just as spotty in their quality of storytelling. At least the last film for this particular generation sort of put itself back in place. Unlike the last three which added on legendary behemoths in each additional sequel, this film took the one off approach. This is actually good because the trilogy of films revolving around Palkia and Dialga were not that interesting to begin with. That’s not to say this movie is miles better, because it does have issues. In short it’s another standard film that fans would enjoy but nothing not seen before. Thankfully it ends the 4^th generation of Pokémon decently enough.
 
Directed and written by the duo everyone should be expecting by now, Mr. Yuyama and Sonoda made a slightly better entry this time. Ash and company continue moseying onto their next destination when they encounter a new Pokémon by the name of Zorua (Eileen Stevens). As it turns out, the main cast learn of an evil business man who has the power to see into the future named Grings Kodai (Sean Schemmel). It’s this power that he uses in order to make gains solely for himself by secretly using Zorua’s protector Zoroark to deceive the public. Ash and company also meet Karl (Wayne Grayson), a journalist looking to uncover Kodai’s secrets as well. Again, at least the story is different and explanations are given for certain characters’ motivations. Then again, it also doesn’t in some places.
 
One good example of this is the purpose of Zorua being telepathic? This feels all too much like Pokémon Giratina and the Sky Warrior (2008). When looking at the film, even if Zorua couldn’t communicate in English, the story would’ve went along just fine. Also the concept of Zorua and Zoroark being a shape shifter isn’t new either. Ditto was the original Pokémon who could do that. Despite that though, the supporting characters feel a bit more natural as opposed to the last bunch. There not some extraordinary group of individuals with hidden powers. They’re literally just regular people. What’s also gratifying to see is the acknowledgment of previous Pokémon that have appeared throughout the series run that take on the role of supporting characters too. Also don’t forget that Pikachu and Piplup have come a long way in partnership chemistry.
 
Acting from the recurring voice cast and other members were fine. As usual the team rocket characters continue to run parallel to the events that take place. Even for Zorua who is not the most necessary of characters is voiced well by Eileen Stevens for her first time joining the franchise. Erica Schroeder who first played a role in Pokémon Lucario and the Mystery of Mew is fine as the assistant to the main antagonist. Wayne Grayson as Karl does well. For those familiar with his voice, fans may recognize some of his lines and how he reads them. The same could be said for Sean Schemmel who everyone recognizes as the voice of Goku in dragonball z. It’s not always apparent, but when Kodai yells or makes certain statements, fans can pick up on that it’s him.
 
When looking at the presentation of the feature the animation is now fairly consistent from the last couple of films before it. The cinematography was again handled by Takaya Mizutani, as expected and the reason for it still isn’t there, which was also expected. Not like that’s it though when it comes to expectations. Reason being that Shinji Miyazaki composes the film score to this entry. Didn’t see that coming. What wasn’t seen coming was that for this entry, Miyazaki’s contribution is weirdly underwhelming here. Miyazaki really hasn’t had any times that didn’t work, but it can always happen. While the music isn’t bad, it’s just not memorable. The score does have different vocals in certain scenes but somehow doesn’t overcome the blandness. Oh well, can’t win them all.
 
Surprisingly music wasn’t as impactful as previous entries. Also the addition of another telepathic Pokémon feels very repetitive in nature with the series of films before it. The animation and voice acting is good though. It also helps that the story is independent from the last three films and changes up some of the more typical aspects of the shown prior.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009) Review:

While Pokémon’s initial start with their new voice crew was shaky at first the diamond and pearl series breathed back energy to the franchise. Over time the characters have become just as significant as the older seasons from before. From a movie perspective, the entries have varied in storytelling but mostly average on the side of acceptable. For diamond and pearl, this trilogy of films revolving around the legendary Pokémon of different realms has been inconsistent in its stories despite them being all connected. The Rise of Darkrai (2007) felt more like set of random events because of a misunderstanding. While Giratina and the Sky Warrior (2008) kind of picked up the slack. Only to then for the ball to dropped slightly on this finale. It all feels very up and down.

The plot in this story wraps up the encounters of Ash and company from the last two films involving Palkia, Dialga and Giratina into a final conflict. The new legendary Pokémon to be revealed is Arceus (Tom Wayland), a creator of worlds. Essentially a god. After being awakened by the ripples in dimensions thanks to Palkia, Dialga and Giratina, Arceus seeks what it created ages ago called the jewel of life. Unfortunately, the memory Arceus last recalled was being betrayed from Damos (Dan Green) the last person it encountered, so now Arceus descends with the intent of payback. Meanwhile Ash and company meet Sheena (Carrie Keranen) and Kevin (Wayne Grayson), two specialists in the background of Arceus and who can also connect with Pokémon’s hearts. Strange but ok.

As there should be no shock, the Yuyama Sonoda duo are back again for another round of directing and writing together. It’s crazy how long these guys have been doing it for. What’s also crazy is how uneven they’ve been as well in their entries working on this franchise. Continuity cannot be discredited here as this and last film both have made sure to acknowledge past events very clearly. On the other hand, this does not change the fact that the story telling is very repetitive in this entry. When Ash and company first learn of Arceus is past they are told by the Sheena and Kevin. Then through a series of flashbacks it’s told again. There are even flashbacks within flashbacks in this entry. It’s not terrible but it feels more like padding than actual storytelling.

Another thing that doesn’t make complete sense are the timelines involved. Pokémon The Movie: 2000 (1999) was bad because it had randomly put Ash at the center of a prophecy. Here it does something like that but in a different way and also including his friends. That should bring into question more things than just altering certain events. Voice acting performances though were good despite only some of supporting characters actually participating. Wayne Grayson, Carrie Keranen and Dan Green are known for their roles in Yu-Gi-Oh. Tom Wayland also has experience in various dubbing of Japan related content like One Piece, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And nothing needs to be said for the other main actors as they’ve already proven themselves over time to make themselves the characters know and enjoy.

Visually the animation is nothing really to criticize over. Animation is digital now and no longer cell driven so the scenes that take place look good. Cinematography again was handled by Takaya Mizutani but not much can be said about it since no real camera exists in regular animation. CGI has been integrated pretty well now into the show and its film entries. The film score composed by Shinji Miyazaki is another component expected to be around and with no domestic album release. For what is heard though sounds appropriate for the scene displayed and for the movie as a whole. Nothing that stands a lot but it’s worth hearing if given the possible opportunity to do so. The question is when will a domestic album be available again? It’s crazy there’s not enough interest for these scores.

Rounding out the stories from previous films, this entry shows how all the events are connected which is good. And while the voice acting, animation and music are all from what one would expect, the timelines involved and narrative repeats itself more than necessary. This leads to just an average finale.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Die Hard (1988) Review:

When the name Bruce Willis is mentioned, very few would remember or even think of him playing lighthearted character roles. The first thing people normally think of is either him just as an action star or the film Die Hard (1988). Like so many other movie stars, it only takes one popular film to cement one’s name for the rest of history. Plus, according to Willis it is still his favorite film taking part in. Before this, it was hard even for him imaging that being a thing since all he played before that were more comedic aimed roles. However, that pigeonholed reputation would no longer hold water after seeing Willis perform in this picture. Not mentioning the sequels that would spawn afterward, the film itself has become another staple of the 1980s as time has gone on.

The story takes place in what feels like the real world where New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) is headed to Los Angeles to visit his separated wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at her new company’s Christmas party. Unbeknownst to anyone, the holiday gathering has a set of uninvited guests. Enter Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his followers who are intending to take over the floor and get what they came for. Originally conceived in a novel by Roderick Thorp, the screenplay would be tweaked by Jeb Stuart in his first writing credit and Steven E. de Souza who wrote Commando (1985) a couple years before. Directing the film was John McTiernan, who a year before directed Predator (1987), the only film in a slew of sequels people feel legitimately deserves existing.

Honestly what works in this movie is Bruce Willis playing what feels like a real person. The character of McClane is about as human as one can get. He’s trying to amend his relationship with his wife, he doesn’t have a high paying job, nobody else thinks real highly of him, nor does he fit into this whole holiday bash that’s going on. Add to that the violent criminals now taking over the building, man is his luck just fantastic? It’s not only the setup that makes McClane a lead audiences can back, but the lines written for Willis. Quips that are just the right blend of deadpan and sarcasm lighten the mood just enough not to feel like an action comedy but to point out there’s got to be a way to cope with the issues going on at the moment.

Helping the audience relate to McClane is local cop Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson) who is called to the scene by a fire alarm. While Powell does not get involved physically like McClane, the character also has his moments of relatability when it comes to taking orders and other things that get tied up bureaucratically. VelJohnson would shortly thereafter play the father in Family Matters. Of course one cannot talk about these two characters without covering Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. Despite his hesitations, Rickman’s performance even in his first theatrical film was impressive as an antagonist. Gruber is crafty and merciless. Enough said. Aside from these three, other actors like Paul Gleason, William Atherton, Hart Bochner, James Shigeta, Robert Davi and Grand L. Bush make appearances too.

The only parts that may disappoint is the action. Some may think before seeing that it’ll be a high octane action romp; not so. Additionally, because this film feels so much like it takes place in real life, some scenes that occur would likely not be able to happen in real life. That’s where the realism is a bit over the top. Camerawork nonetheless though was proficient shot by Jan de Bont. The action set pieces and slower moving scenes all work in showing the surroundings they take place in. Finally, the music composed by Michael Kamen was interesting. The film score surprisingly does not include a main theme but he does manage to incorporate various holiday and classical related tunes in his tracks. Now with a final album in 2018, fans of Kamen can listen to three hours of music. That’s a lot.

The story feels so grounded in the real world, that anything crazy may feel unrealistic. That and it’s not a mindless blow ‘em up kind of film. The music and camerawork help along with Bruce Willis and his supporting cast members giving very authentic performances that any viewer could enjoy.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) Review:

Long before cinematic universes were a thing started by Marvel and DC was trying to catch up on that, the comic book brand had already initiated such a phenomenon with their animated universe back in the early 1990s. It all began with Batman: The Animated Series. Adopting various parts of Tim Burton’s live action films and taking inspiration from other Batman works, the animated series proved itself to be quite eventful for many fans of the property and newcomers alike. It was even more surprising to many when Warner Bros. decided to not only produce but also theatrically release an animated movie based on the TV show. And unlike much of Warner Bros. live action films, this one got some fairly decent praise. And it seemed like that trend followed through with many of the other future animated films.

The story is about a mysterious cloaked vigilante going around doing in very well-known mobsters in Gotham. Being mistaken for Batman by city official Arthur Reeves, Bruce Wayne begins investigating who is behind the mask. Simultaneously, an old friend and ex-lover by the name of Andrea Beaumont returns throwing Wayne off balance due to their complicated history. Written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, the story is very much a fun ride to experience with some expected flaws. The structure shows Wayne’s dive into becoming what he is best known for now. Adding to that are the things he wants versus what he knows he must do. All the writers mentioned have had experience working on various other shows prior to this. The same goes for directors Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski.

The progression at which Bruce Wayne transforms into someone not sure of his path, to confirming for himself what he must be, is an interesting one to watch. All viewers love Batman, but to be Batman means sacrifice and that’s never easy to watch let alone actually go through like the main character. With that there comes some intriguing revelations as more of the mystery is uncovered. This historical background adds some extra depth to some of the main characters’ relationships. However, with that comes new questions to be asked that may not ever be answered. These kinds of issues though are far and few between though. The voice cast behind the characters is of course top notch and should not be underestimated. And to those who are starting with this instead of the TV show, some may also be quite shocked.

Although best known as Batman now, Kevin Conroy began a career in live action roles in TV shows. However now, one cannot deny how much Conroy is practically Batman as much as vice versa. The same could be said for Dana Delany playing Andrea Beaumont. Her career trajectory was very similar in path. Hart Bochner playing Arthur Reeves is fine. Coincidentally he also played the love interest in DC’s live action Supergirl (1984). Stacy Keach who voices Andrea’s father Carl Beaumont and the masked mystery man does well too. There’s also voice appearances from Abe Vigoda, Dick Miller, John P. Ryan, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo and lastly Mark Hamill who some still can’t believe voiced the Joker. And if you don’t know who Mark Hamill is,…please come back after watching Star Wars.

From a visual perspective, the movie looks good. The animation very much throughout the run time is crisp and has plenty of dimension to it. Even for what many would consider a cartoon, the violence and action is also more intense than the cartoon itself. There was also cinematography by Sung-Il Choi in his only credit for this role. Perhaps this was only for the opening CGI intro where the camera pans over the city. Finally, the music composed by Shirley Walker is only a mere extension of her work from the TV show. The themes resurrected from Tim Burton’s films remain along with new themes to listen to. Additionally, the extended album comes with a rare song sung by Tia Carrera. Overall it’s an album hardly any Batman fan would ignore. It’s definitely not the hardest to find either.

Looking further into the details on the story raises some new questions on the historical background of certain characters. Cinematography credit isn’t the clearest either but that’s nothing compared to the entertainment provided from the charismatic voice acting, thought provoking story, expressive animation and music.

Points Earned --> 7:10