Clue (1985) Review:

Movies based on games in general have definitely become a thing in the last two decades or so. However, those adaptations are more relegated to video games. There are in fact other movies based on board games, but this pool of choices is significantly smaller by comparison. While the film wasn't a success, Clue (1985) has gained a reputation among its fans and is considered to be one of the best. It's quite intriguing to say the least considering making a board game into a full motion picture is not the easiest sounding thing to do. However, with the help of some entertaining performances and unique direction, any viewer who watches it probably won't come across anything else like it. In order to come up with such ideas, one would really have to sit down and think creatively.

The story follows very close to the game by having the audience introduced to group of individuals all under pseudonyms. Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull), Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), Yvette (Colleen Camp), Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving) are all the guests, served by Wadsworth (Tim Curry) the butler. They all soon realize they have common connections between each other that could hurt each other’s reputation. However, when the host of the gathering is killed, it's up to the group of mysterious characters to figure it out for themselves. This is the directorial debut of Jonathan Lynn, who would later direct My Cousin Vinny (1992), The Distinguished Gentleman (1992) and The Whole Nine Yards (2000).

The screenplay was also penned by Lynn and director John Landis (The Blues Brothers (1980)) would help in the story prior to the screenplay. For what's shown, the way the mystery plays out is pretty rare for its time, even by today's films. Even the film crew made three different endings and had them played at different theaters. No one does that anymore! How the characters interact with each other is mostly how one would expect them to behave. Each scene leads to a new discovery, which drives more verbals spats and relinquishment of secretive information. All of this is believable because anyone in such a situation would feel the same way. Panic and frustration can cause people to make irrational decisions. That doesn't mean the execution doesn't have its flaws. Was it due to it being Lynn's first directorial outing? Maybe.

The biggest thing that perhaps doesn't translate well to the film medium is time. Unlike a board game that immerses a player in the story. The film doesn't actively have the viewer participate in the story other than watching. And with that, the runtime is an issue. There are parts in the movie that go about explaining how things are done. Yet, due to the run time, that exposition can feel rushed. Contrary to a board game where players can sit, discuss and explain to each other what's happening for as long as they want without a time limit. If a viewer misses a piece of information here though, forget trying to catch up. This can be confusing. The only other minor tidbit is that the comedy isn't laugh out loud funny. It has some good chuckles and moments that'll make a viewer laugh, but nothing that's fall over laugh inducing.

The visuals to the movie are well crafted for 1985. The set of the mansion provides a great atmosphere with the setting. The camerawork was handled by Victor J. Kemper and it was competent enough for the movie. Kemper was also the cinematographer for The Gambler (1974), Magic (1978), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) and Tommy Boy (1995). The music was another plus to this film experience. Composed by John Morris, the score to this picture captures the goofy frenetic nature and mysteriousness of the setting at hand. There's a mix of synthesizers, organic horn orchestra and even a calliope. Morris would also lend his talents to The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), The Elephant Man (1980) and Spaceballs (1987). Well done!

Due to the translation of board game to movie, viewers need to be quick to pick up on hints and explanations. Otherwise, they may get lost. Aside from the comedy not being gut busting, the actors do a great job, the story is a fascinating watch and the music compliments the style of the film well.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Poltergeist (1982) Review:

Tobe Hooper will always be known for injecting a shot of fear into viewers after he released The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Fans also remember him for The Funhouse (1981) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986), but he still managed those projects himself. What was probably more surprising was when he decided to collaborate with Steven Spielberg on a movie between those entries. While Spielberg did make his own horror film with Jaws (1975), the director was known for more wonder and adventure type themes going on in his stories. So to have an actual horror director work with him may have seemed like a mismatch. Turns out though many enjoyed this film, however it's not as scary as some may say; especially those who have seen much darker stories.

The story is about an average family who ends up being visited by some spirits and capture their youngest child into their dimension. Then they bring in some paranormal specialists to investigate and help recover their lost child. With Hooper directing, Spielberg, Michael Grais and Mark Victor wrote the screenplay. The cast of actors playing the family is Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Dianne (JoBeth Williams), Robbie (Oliver Robins), Dana (Dominique Dunne) and Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke). The paranormal investigators are Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight), Marty (Martin Casella), Ryan (Richard Lawson) and Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein). The unfortunate thing is, while the use of these actors was a strategic choice, they're just not that interesting as characters. Craig T. Nelson is just a grab, now that people know him from Pixar's The Incredibles (2004).

The character that is interesting to watch is Tangina. In a way, the story feels like what James Wan's Insidious (2010) drew inspiration from. Tangina is the know all of spiritual infestations. What probably makes the viewer pay attention is Zelda Rubinstein's voice alone; it's so light in pitch. However, that's it for characters. She may provide more exposition to the story, but at least she provides context in a captivating way. Not even the understanding of how Carol Anne communicates with the specters is explained in much detail. Yet, she's constantly quoted as the staple of the franchise. What the script does do correctly is not following the usual clichés horror films contain in terms of death. That's a nice change. Sadly, this doesn't help with how the viewer will perceive the horror on screen.

While the horror elements on screen would be scary to anyone in real life, the way they're used here is half and half. The real disturbing imagery doesn't really come about until later in the film. Initially, the "scary" activities start very mild and do very little. The moments are more eyebrow raising than anything else. The real scary thing is that this franchise has its own curse. Both Dominique Dunne and Heather O'Rourke would not live long after this film was made. For an improperly rated PG film though, there are moments of blood and gore. Martin Casella would have one of the most shocking scenes in the entire franchise, which would also be parodied in other media. The practical effects used are well done, considering the film crew used actual skeletons on the set without telling their cast. Talk about something that makes your skin crawl.

Adding to the visuals is the camerawork provided by Matthew F. Leonetti. The shots captured are dynamic enough to show different portions of the house and the creepy spooks that end up terrorizing the Freeling family. One of the best shots featured was of the cemetery located on top of the valley, it is a gorgeous view. Leonetti also filmed for Raise the Titanic (1980), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Commando (1985), Hard to Kill (1990), Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) directed by his brother John R. Leonetti, Rush Hour 2 (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Dawn of the Dead (2004). Lastly the film score composed by Jerry Goldsmith was entertaining to listen to. Carol Anne's theme is the most recognizable using a children's choir but there are other tracks that work. One thing that never made sense was the US national anthem....why was that a thing?

This film is liked by numerous people, but for those who don't, it's apparent why. The scares are not really there, things are left unanswered about one of the main characters and the rest except one are just there. That doesn't take away the music, camerawork and practical effects looking good though. It just slightly above average.

Points Earned --> 6:10

We Were Soldiers (2002) Review:

War is nothing like it used to be. The act of military aggression has transformed over the years, but the end result has usually remained the same. No matter what, innocent lives will be lost and casualties will be had on both sides of the combatants. The worst part, is that it's basically people being pitted against each other and being convinced their side is right vs the other. All this because the higher ups in their respective governments either cannot stay out of each other’s business, or because they cannot come to an agreement on a specific issue. It's truly unfortunate when countries just can't get along. There's always someone stirring the pot and messing things up. For the Vietnam war, it was seen as a necessary intervention to prevent the spread of communism, while others felt it wasn't anyone's business to get involved.

The plot about this film is specifically about the battle of Ia Drang, which took roughly three days. Writing and directing was handled by Randall Wallace, adapting this from a book based on the accounts of two soldiers in this film. The soldiers were Hal Moore (Mel Gibson) and Joe Galloway (Barry Pepper), one being a Lieutenant Colonel and other being a photographer. Together, they meet at which the setting takes place and they both take away things from it they never forgot. Randall Wallace was also the writer to Braveheart (1995), The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) and Pearl Harbor (2001). Probably what's the most unique about this feature is the story line and the way it is shown. Other war films tend to show characters as they progress through the war from beginning to end. Here though, it's only for three days. That's it.

What's more interesting though is how much happens in three days So much happens in that short time span and viewers also get to see just how quickly a life can be lost. Predictability is probably the only downside to this film. Like any story, characters are introduced at beginning, For this movie, by actors Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Ryan Hurst, Jon Hamm, Clark Gregg, Josh Daugherty, Jsu Garcia and Brian Tee. However, since this is a war film, it should be known that not all the characters introduced will live to the end. Mind you this was just list of the actors from the US side. The same is also portrayed for those who fought on the opposing side. Each person had at least someone who was thinking about them. Madeleine Stowe, Keri Russell and Simbi Kali play those kinds of roles - the veteran's wife.

The realism to this film is another huge positive. Much of the production looks like the effects were all practical which can be tough to pull off. Here though it looks good. Whether it be the explosions, gunfire or hand to hand combat, it is a very intense to watch. The sounds will really immerse the audience in the setting. Even when people are talking to each other on the battlefield, it's not the easiest to hear what's being said. It makes sense though because there would be a lot of noise and chaos happening all at once. There's also burns and blood squibs depicted on screen, some of which are not pleasant looking at all. If anything it just shows how serious war is, no matter how much it's fun to play on a video game. In real life, it is by no means a fun experience, there are no cheat codes.

All around the camerawork is visually accurate looking too. Managed by Dean Semler, the footage shot captures the carnage and atmosphere of those fateful days. Semler also worked on Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), The Three Musketeers (1993), Eye See You (2002) and xXx (2002). Lastly the musical score composed by Nick Glennie-Smith was an interesting work. The score has a mix of thumping drums and music box like tunes that give the viewing an eerie and horror like sound that accompanies the bloody violence on screen. It's effectively left out though for certain scenes to maintain their realism too. Smith also composed for The Rock (1996), Home Alone 3 (1997), The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998) and Highlander: Endgame (2000).

Predictability is the only aspect to this picture experienced viewers will see coming a mile away. Despite that though, the acting, camerawork, realism, practical effects and narrative are a sobering reminder of the casualties of war, no matter how glorified it may seem.

Points Earned --> 8:10

Fritz the Cat (1972) Review:

The idea of taking certain concepts to the extreme has been happening forever and it's no stranger to the film industry. Originally, the thought of making animated movies was scoffed at, until Disney made theirs. Then as time progressed, people began to treat animated features with more relevance towards adults. However, it wasn't until the experimental era of rock, fornication and drugs did that particular push come into play. Classic cartoons that came before the 1950s were considered for adults, but they didn't contain blatant drug abuse and graphic sexual content. That is until Ralph Bakshi became one of those pioneers of said genre. Having worked on several other animated projects prior, Bakshi was very familiar with this aspect of filmmaking, which led him to his feature film directorial debut.

Fritz the Cat (1972) is Bakshi's satirical take and social commentary on the 1960's in the United States. Plot wise, it follows the adventures of Fritz the cat (Skip Hinnant) looking to fine the "inner meaning" to life and such. Being a college student, he floats around hopping to different places and experiencing different kinds of people with their ideologies. Also written by Bakshi, the script finds itself bogged down with a hodgepodge of events and underdeveloped motives for the audiences’ "protagonist". It's rather unfortunate because the film itself isn't meant to really make Fritz a likable character, but the film also partially fails to provide any sort of understanding as to why he acts the way he acts. It's just Fritz being hypocritical doing things with different people; which was already spoiled in the plot synopsis.

In a way, it feels like Bakshi's version of Alice in Wonderland but grittier and graphic. The audience bumbles along with Fritz on his misadventures watching him try to fit in with all sorts of individuals that in no way fit him. Worst yet, is that Fritz himself feels weightless in his motivations. He just keeps searching, and searching, not really getting to a definitive state of understanding. Fritz is a lost puppy....how oxymoronic. Along his travels, Fritz tries drugs, fornicates with whatever character he finds appealing that he can woo over, joins extremely dangerous cults and causes tensions between different groups of people. All to find that "inner meaning" he so desperately wants to understand. In some ways, it feels like what some of the 1960s were about, but was it that chaotic and scatterbrained?

The acting is fine despite the cast being a very short list. Skip Hinnant as Fritz is fine, he gets the job done adequately. He didn't perform very much after this, returning for The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat (1974) and I Go Pogo (1980). Rosetta LeNoire also plays the role of Bertha in this film. She does fine for the role while also voicing other characters too. LeNoire would later have roles in The Brother from Another Planet (1984), Gimme a Break! and Family Matters. There are some other actors involved in this production, but their contribution is so little in comparison and they didn't go on to do much later, so it's not worth covering. If there's one thing Bakshi got right, it was making this cartoon directed towards adults because no youth should see the amount of graphic nudity and violence that is in this picture. There's blood, private parts and racial undertones that would not be accepted at all today by any means.

As for the visual aspects, it's a little confusing as to why two cinematographers were needed as this was an animated film. There are some settings where the picture gets rotated but I'm not sure if camerawork was needed for that. As for the animation itself, the colors and movements to the characters are good. The textures to the animation are unique too since it was most likely cell animation. The coloring in every stage of the animation looks like no frame was filled in exactly the same. It's a different look for sure. Lastly the music composed by Ed Bogas was okay for the time and budget it was produced on. Bogas would also go on to compose for The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show and Garfield and Friends. He would also go onto compose music for video games like Gameboy's Swamp Thing and even the dreaded NES Action 52 cartridge. Very interesting indeed.

As a whole, the movie should be looked at more as a trial in pushing the limits of acceptable animated films. Sadly, this movie tries to make a point but doesn't. The animation, music, social commentary and acting are okay, but the point of it is lost with its haphazard story, overly graphic detail and half-baked script.

Points Earned --> 5:10