Thursday (1998) Review:

Drug dealers and gangs are two things that typically go hand in hand. Usually one relies on the other, or at least that's how it's portrayed in various films and shows. Whether or not they're sympathetic is another question entirely, but in general they all have one goal in mind and that's to make money. It's never been known to be a clean or a nice business to be a part of and yet plenty of people par take in it all the time because how loaded they get from it. But what happens when someone finally wakes up and realizes that this life is no longer for them? Well this is what happens to someone who at first looks like an ordinary man, only to soon understand it can be very difficult to escape one's past. That is the story that takes place here and it is certainly one interesting film to watch solely for the purpose of execution.

Hi,....Frank Castle isn't home right now, please come back in 2004

As a narrative, it's strongest point is displaying just how insane someone's problems can get. Not long after the film begins, the plot begins to tail spin and continues to do so until the end. To see a story do that is astonishing because it's amazing how long it lasted. Married man and architect Casey (Thomas Jane) is living his life with his wife Christine (Paula Marshall) as normal as can be until an old friend drops by. The acquaintance is Nick (Aaron Eckhart), a former partner of Casey's past in California. What Casey's wife doesn't know is that he and Nick were drug dealer's in California. And when Casey recognizes a certain briefcase, he knows Nick has brought his "work" with him. To his misfortune from there on, Casey is bombarded by several associates of Nick while his wife is out on business related travel.

Written and directed by Skip Woods, the script's lesson on how sometimes leaving the past behind you isn't as easy as one would think is a significant one. On top of that, seeing how skillful Nick and his pack are at being criminals is shocking too. To evade the authorities for so long seems almost impossible, but they somehow do it. However, the fact that Casey hides his former profession from his wife does not make him entirely a sympathetic character. There are some redeemable traits like him not hurting anyone he comes across but considering he still lies is not a good idea either. Woods also includes a scene where Casey is forcibly raped by Dallas (Paulina Porizkova), a cohort of Nick's. Like in other movies that have depicted this, these kinds of scenes are not necessary to show. They add nothing for the viewer except making them uncomfortable.

Thankfully Skip Woods didn't bother to make this a trend and include it in all of the later projects he contributed to like Hitman (2007), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), The A-Team (2010) and A Good Day to Die Hard (2013). Another thing that was left unresolved was Casey's oh so important project that he was working on before Nick arrived. It is mentioned a bunch of times throughout that he's trying to make something that even his wife isn't aware of, yet it is never revealed what it even is or if it affects the plot. Oh well. To their credit though the cast act well in their roles. As much as Casey isn't a role model protagonist, Thomas Jane does his best to give him some charm. The same goes for Eckhart who's constantly grinning. Even Porizkova as Dallas is quite convincing. There's also appearances from Michael Jeter and CSI: Investigation's Gary Dourdan.

Nick and Dallas

Camerawork for this picture wasn't all that noteworthy however. Covered by Denis Lenoir, the cinematography throughout this feature is for the most part standard and but nothing out of the ordinary either. Much of the shots feature the house Casey lives in, which isn't all that big to begin with. It's just your regular suburban two story house with bland colors and the typical set of rooms. Lenoir also worked on films like Control (2004) and So Undercover (2012). Lastly the music for this movie was provided by an artist by the name of Luna. The music itself is a mix between soundscape type music, rock and goofy comedy music. Being that this is a black comedy of sorts, they all fit in their places but they do not give the film itself a signature to it. It's just a hodgepodge of various kinds of music that work within its context.

There are parts to this film that do not add substance to the plot and it is difficult to truly feel any kind of empathy towards the main character. Yet with an unusual premise, credible actors and appropriate music, this black comedy will manage to hold its audiences' attention at least for one viewing.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway (2013) Review:

With more recent specials receiving better ratings and appreciation among fans, the Thomas & Friends brand at this point was beginning to have a comeback. Not only were older characters returning, but the plots were becoming more crafty. This attracted more of the older fan base and began making people feel more optimistic about the show's future. However there were still a number of changes being implemented that further distanced the brand from its origins. A big one was dropping Michael Brandon and Michael Angelis and replacing them with Mark Moraghan as universal narrator for the show. Adding to that were other things being altered that demonstrated the creative team behind everything was looking for new ways to bring in old and new fans.

Stephen

The plot to this story has a mix of threads that intertwine into one. With the Earl of Sodor arriving on the island, Sir Robert Norramby looks to rebuild an old castle that had been abandoned for some time. Along with that he brings an engine to the island named Stephen who was one of the first railway engines around. From what's been told though, there's a possibility of the king's crown of the old castle lying around the land somewhere. The direction and writing for this feature was handled by a whole new set of people this round. Directing went to Rob Silvestri, an animator to other films like 9 (2009) and Gnomeo & Juliet (2011). The screenplay was written by Andrew Brenner, a long time fan of the show and writer to shows like Fireman Sam. These were things that made fans look forward to what this feature was going to offer.

What makes the plot to this feature more engaging than previous ones is how it merges all threads together at the end. The Earl of Sodor voiced by Mike Grady is about the second most significant human being aside from Sir Topham Hatt on the island and his personality is quite energetic. There's also some new engines being introduced. Stephen voiced by Bob Golding as the new old fashioned engine is great. His voice is enthusiastic and makes the old timer engine quite a peppy guy. Accompanying Stephen is another small engine called Millie (Miranda Raison) who has her own spunk and will not be pushed around by other engines. Then there's two streamlined engines Conner (Jonathan Forbes) and Caitlin (Rebecca O'Mara) who play the exact opposite of what would typically be expected by such an engine. They are mold breakers.

And for these characters mentioned, they at least have purpose in the development of other characters. Unlike the other specials where there were several newly introduced characters, they ended up not being used in the execution leaving them as background characters. Even Jack the bulldozer (David Menkin) from the sodor construction company returns and is utilized in the plot to some degree. These are the reasons why multiple fans from the classic era returned so they could witness the upcoming strides the new features were showing. The interesting thing is too, these actors voicing these new characters play their roles like they've been a part of the show for a long time. When in fact, they have no other acting history in the show to begin with. Either way, it's impressive to how well they do.

Caitlin & Connor

The animation to this feature is also well done. The motions the engine characters make look more realistic in their physics and it's believable. With various people in the animation department having experience in other films like Hoodwinked Too! Hood Vs. Evil (2011), The Backyardigans, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) to name a few, it certainly feels like the people working on the film knew what they had to do. Not to mention all the great looking sets like Ulfstead Castle, the Vicarstown Bridge and the Sodor Suspension Bridge all look well detailed. Music unfortunately has remained anonymous as usual like the past several specials. Composed by Peter and Robert Hartshorne, the music has respectable tunes but lacks the identity that the older series had so well. The sing-along songs though help make up a little of that, but that's it.

Music as usual is the underlining weak point of the feature even with its jumpy catchy sing-along songs. However the characters introduced and how they are used in the plot are done much better than prior specials. The animation also looks great and the look of the locations is spot on.

Points Earned --> 8:10

Deliver Us From Evil (2014) Review:

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson has definitely been through a lot when it comes to movies even if he hasn't output a large volume. He's also been through several areas of the movie industry; everything from home video, independent to mainstream blockbuster studios. And of course now that he's been inducted into the family of Marvel Studios, his credibility has been more or less confirmed. Prior to this though he was still trying to make a name for himself in way that would make him stand out. While The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) remake was boring for most, his comeback with Sinister (2012) turned the tables in his favor. While Sinister (2012) did engage its audience at the beginning, the predictability became fairly obvious as time went on. Sadly it seems as though Derrickson did not notice this when he released this movie as his next feature.

Mendoza & Sarchie

The story for this movie displays events that allegedly were told to be true by a New York police officer named Ralph Sarchie. According to him, he came across a number of strange moments where he would be on duty and witness abnormal actions by people. Playing Sarchie is Eric Bana and soon he teams up with a priest by the name of Father Mendoza (Edgar Ramírez) who believes the cases are related to a greater evil. With the screenplay adapted by Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman, the execution of the story feels very similar to that of Sinister (2012). At the start, the plot will capture the viewers' attention, but over time it begins to lose its grasp on what matters most. This is unfortunate because initially it has an interesting detective supernatural vibe going for it, but then it turns to a rather conventional method of execution and begins to lose traction.

And there's a reason why the play out to this feature feels similar. The explanation to this is that Paul Harris Boardman has been a familiar writer to that of other Scott Derrickson productions, surprisingly not Sinister (2012) though. Putting this aside however, the acting by the main cast is fairly good. Eric Bana as the tough Sgt. Sarchie has a captivating presence along with his partner Butler played by Joel McHale, who seems to find a way of making light of any situation. Olivia Munn is also involved as Sarchie's wife who adds some tension to the story being that most married protagonists are easily held as leverage. Edgar Ramirez as Father Mendoza has a peculiar back story working with the supernatural and also serves as a good backup to Sarchie. Lastly there's Sean Harris who plays a significant part to the plot, and Sarchie's investigation.

The visuals to the film were properly placed. Derrickson has done horror films before and this one does not divert from what's been done before. The gore is not over the top but can get grotesque.at times. This makes for an effective take on just how bad things can get surrounding Sgt. Sarchie. The worst it gets is body contortions and really freaky looking faces. The special effects themselves though are well done. There's no areas in the run time that look heavily edited or overly fake. Though some of the events that happen are questionable as to if they actually happened at all. Of course this comes with the understanding that certain liberties will be taken with the story that was given from the original source. The question is, exactly how much of it is true? That's to be debated over since the screenplay is based off of a book by Sgt. Sarchie.

Olivia Munn

The camerawork was well done too. Filmed by Scott Kevan, the cinematography is displayed competently. There are dark areas throughout the film but it is not to a point where the audience will not be able to see what is happening. If anything it helps emphasize how peculiar some scenarios get. Occasionally there is some shaky cam and dutch angles, but it occurs quite infrequently that it's not really a bother. Kevan was also the cinematographer to Cabin Fever (2002), Death Race (2008) and The Darkest Hour (2011). Composing the film score to this feature was Christopher Young who has not only worked with Derrickson before but has done many horror scores in general. Sadly, what's only heard here are repeated tracks from other movies like Sinister (2012), and the rest are all stings. It's pretty underwhelming because only a couple areas actually sound unique.

Music and story execution is unfortunately a large portion why the movie could not be as good as it presents itself. Yet the actors, horror visuals and premise make the view enjoyable to watch for the most part. It's decent enough to warrant at least one watch but that's it.

Points Earned -->6:10

Thomas & Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery (2012) Review:

With the slump of Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue (2010), that many fans saw it to be, hope was slightly redeemed when a year later Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels (2011) came out. The writing was a tad better and had some of the biggest gripes fixed many were not pleased with. However there were still things that needed correcting, as much as that movie had made its improvements. Fans would only begin to feel less concerned over the brand when this special was released. The reason for this were attributed to a few things. First, the narrow gauge engines return for this story and are more or less at the center of this plot as oppose to the standard gauge engines. Second, the movie focuses on a new interesting character as oppose to an old returning character. On top of that, other bits from the show reveal signs of restoration that was once questionable.

Luke & Thomas

The plot for this special is when Thomas discovers an unknown narrow gauge engine by the name of Luke at the blue mountain quarry. Being that Thomas nor anyone else had ever seen this engine before, he makes it his mission to find out why nobody is aware of Luke. For a screenplay written entirely by Sharon Miller, it's surprising to say how much better of a job she did this time than the last two specials. No rhyming in the dialog ever comes about, the focus on Luke is a fresh take on a new character compared to how other new characters were introduced in the show. Plus with the narrow gauge engines returning, it gives a large throwback to the older fans of the show. Seeing this being done the right way is actually amazing and it tends to be forgotten that Miller worked on this project.

Occasionally the standard gauge engines are featured, but much of the time the story revolves around the narrow gauge engines. Either way, the voice actors for the standard gauge engines like Michael Brandon (as narrator and Diesel), David Bedella, Jules De Jongh, William Hope, Glenn Wrage, Martin Sherman, Steven Kynmam and Kerry Shale, all return for their respective roles. With that said though, having Keith Wickham and Matt Wilkinson voice majority of the narrow gauge engines was a good step forward. Both actors perform well and make the characters believable. Michael Legge as the newcomer to the show as Luke does a good job too. His voice makes quite a match to the mysterious and overly sensitive narrow gauge engine. Not to mention the back story that the little guy has. It's not a blow you away kind of history but it certainly is relatable.

However this does not leave this special without its problems. The biggest problem that seems to becoming more and more noticeable is the making of inanimate objects living. Prior to this feature, there were new characters being introduced but not to the point where it seemed to just to cash in on a new role credit. This was most noticeable in Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels (2011), with all the new diesels but none of the viewers having any clue who they were. The same could be said for three new characters introduced aside from Luke. Merrick and Owen are two new faces at the blue mountain quarry but are not engines. Then there's Winston, Sir Topham Hatt's new railway car where he can ride the rails easier. It's fine and all to have new faces, but some of them seem like they won't ever be used again. Sounds and feels kind of pointless.

The narrow gaugers

This doesn't take away the quality of the animation or music though. Animation continues to look better and better for the specials. To see the narrow gauge engines finally rendered in their CGI forms is quite a sight. Seeing Skarloey, Rheneas, Rusty, Sir Handel and Peter Sam all on the same screen is cool. Although the thought of showing Duncan seemed to have slipped the mind of the film crew. Everything from the lighting and shadowing looks great. As for music, the score has continued to be underwhelming for the most part. Peter and Robert Hartshorne know how to make good music, but nothing seems to truly stand out in these specials except for the one or two songs at the end credits. The sad thing is, the score will probably never be released for these specials, which isn't fair to them.

While the music and introduction of most new characters is disappointing, the rest to this feature is well done. The animation is respectable, the return of the narrow gauge engines is quite welcome, and the writing for the story is much better than most specials written by Sharon Miller.

Points Earned -->7:10

The Incredibles 2 (2018) Review:

When Pixar released The Incredibles (2004), the thought of super hero movies being as big as they are today was certainly not as popular. However, several aspects to the original film made it so that it stood out from the norm. Yet sometimes even greatness proves to be a challenge when it comes to a proper follow up. For director Brad Bird, that was exactly his dilemma. The first film was so well received that it was not easy for him and the rest of the film crew to determine what would make an adequate sequel. Thankfully, the time came where Bird and everyone else felt that what the story at hand was ready to be put into action. To some extent, everyone was right, but even so there's still one noticeable element to the story that feels less creative than it should have been. However, if anything else had changed this sequel would not have been as good as it is.

The Incredibles are back!

The plot picks up right after the events of the first movie where the Parr family (the incredibles) decide to take on the Underminer. Unfortunately they fail at foiling his plan and because super heroes were still illegal, they get forced into hiding again. That is until Lucius AKA Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) comes to them with a new proposition. The proposal is to reinvent the image of super heroes led by billionaire tycoon Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener). Together they push Helen Parr AKA Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) to the forefront while Bob Parr AKA Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) becomes a stay at home dad watching over Dash (Huck Milner), Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Jack-Jack. As this goes on, a sinister individual known as the Screenslaver begins to make their move on the public, looking to permanently damage the image of supers.

For a movie directed and written solely by Brad Bird and who also voiced Edna Mode, it's impressive with how well the execution made out. Doing all of these is not easy but for the most part everything turned out rather well. Within the running time, the main characters experience much development. Helen Parr becoming the breadwinner of sorts for the family is typically unheard of in modern society, while Bob Parr acting as a stay at home dad is also not a very typical occupation for most fathers. Violet also goes through a series of emotions dealing with her confidence and being able to talk to her crush from school. There's even a history as to why the Deavor siblings are so passionate about helping out the Parr family and all other super heroes. Lastly Jack-Jack gets a chance to show off more of what was missed during the first film while he was being baby sat.

Unfortunately the script does miss some things. One of them being that Dash and Frozone do not really get much of any time to do something out of the ordinary. Dash still runs fast but doesn't learn something new about his abilities or his relative behavior. Frozone, who suggests the Deavors to the incredibles is not as involved as one might think either, which is kind of misleading. The biggest problem though is the premise for the script. The similarities to how everything is set up feels very much like the first movie, with somebody making a very special and secret deal, when behind the scenes, there's more going on. Or at least, so it seems. On top of that, these offers would seem rather obvious being that these stories take place pretty much back to back from each other. Wouldn't one be skeptical after coming across such an incident so recently?

Screenslaver

Aside from this though, the final bits to this feature film are well done. As to what Mahyar Abousaeedi and Erik Smitt contributed to this movie with cinematography, it's possible to say they did a good job. But there would need to be more information on the matter because this was an animated movie. For that, the animation was great. The details to various objects are much more profound now and the movements among characters and other things are much more fluid. As for music, the score composed again by Michael Giacchino was just as competent as the first score he created for the original movie. With jazz instruments livening up the mood and energy, the tunes played throughout most of the scenes will engage the viewer quite easily. And of course without the signature cue for the Parr family, the music would not be as incredible or memorable.

While the script suffers from a couple developmental flaws and fails to set up the plot any differently from that of the original, it still manages to entertain and perform well as a sequel. The main characters are fun to watch, the action is cool, the music remains bombastic and the animation is even more profound.

Points Earned --> 8:10