Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007) Review:

The Pokémon films all have on average performed with acceptable storytelling so far. Only some were truly just lousy in their execution. Some depending on weak villain motivation or backstories. When audiences can see through that, is when it feels very disappointing. It’s even more disheartening though when there is no villain and viewers are left to seeing events happen due to nonsensical reasons. As the first feature film with the new US voice cast after getting through the rough time that was The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon (2006), fans would be expecting an improvement. After viewing, it’s slightly better…but still has issues but for different reasons. Really, it comes down to the how the story is set up more than anything else and this is unfortunately where it gets difficult to sit through.

Worked on by the same Yuyama Sonoda duo, the story is about the city of Alamos which has two musical towers built at the center of it all. The two towers represent space and time which is also related to the legendary Pokémon Palkia and Dialga respectively. Unfortunately, when these two creatures cross paths their dimensions’ warp causing catastrophic damage. The only one who seems to be aware of this is Darkrai (Scott Williams), a Pokémon that causes nightmares and is shunned from the city of Alamos. And of course, Ash and company are headed straight towards that event that is bound to happen. There they also meet Alice (Khristine Hvam) and Tonio (Rich McNanna) who are close childhood friends. The concept sounds initially okay…but upon further analysis, things don’t really add up or seem rather pointless.

The biggest issue is the conflict between characters…in this case the Pokémon. Palkia and Dialga are this entry’s “big baddie” Pokémon. But the thing is, they aren’t villains and that’s okay. The problem is their purpose. The whole plot is due to them crossing paths and deciding to fight about it. For what? What’s the reason? Does one want the other’s job? Or did just one Pokémon wake up that morning in a rotten mood? And being that their Pokémon and answer in English is like expecting to win the lottery; the chances are beyond low. Prior to the main story, the film refers to all past movies and shows how Pokémon live among each other…including the legendary ones. So why can’t Palkia and Dialga? Aren’t they aware of each other’s presence? If these two hard heads didn’t get mad each other, then this whole issue could have been avoided.

Not to mention wasn’t Celebi from the 4^th movie the Pokémon that controlled time? Topping it off are the other side characters. Of the new characters Alice is the only one who has stake in the game. The script probably could have found a way to just make it about her and the two new legendries mitigated Tonio and Darkrai altogether. The problem is, the characters just aren’t that interesting. Darkrai just plays elusive the whole time despite that it’s a Pokémon that can speak English like Team Rocket’s Meowth. Speaking of which, Jessie, James and Meowth have more of a part to play in this feature. Why does it have to be when the story isn’t as good though, is hard to tell. And although the side characters are not that interesting, the voice acting is better than The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon (2006).

Emily Bauer as Dawn joins Sarah Natochenny in Ash’s company after doing Season 10 of the show and she performs just fine. Rich McNanna as Tonio also voice Jack Walker in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006). Khristine Hvam as Alice was her first voice acting credit and managed fine too. As for Scott Williams as Darkrai, he actually managed to sound like Dan Green sometimes. How Darkrai became a liked character is a mystery. Cinematography was again taken care of by Takaya Mizutani but again not sure what that was. If anything the animation and music composed by Shinji Miyazaki was nice to hear. Although not many tracks were distinguishable and no domestic album release is available, the main song Orácion is quite nice to hear coming from an organ.

The actors all perform well along with some different sounding music. Regrettably, this does not make up for the premise this particular entry is based on. The reason for the whole plot feels baseless and the majority of supporting characters feel like they weren’t exactly needed to resolve it either.

Points Earned --> 4:10

The Addams Family (1991) Review:

Among the many macabre and bizarre characters to make a popular landing, The Addams Family created by Charles Addams seemed to have stuck with audiences the most. Originally starting as a series of illustrations and then adapted for television in 1964 for a brief period, it was mainly syndication airing did other generations get exposure. Thankfully, that influence worked its way to a movie producer’s child which lit the green light for a theatrical film version. Despite Charles Addams not living long enough to see it, most would probably think he’d enjoy it. This first shot at bringing the characters from the small to big screen is a very faithful tribute. There are though things to discuss within its execution as avid fans of the franchise may be a little surprised after learning of the story.

Larry Wilson, writer of Beetlejuice (1988) and Caroline Thompson writer of Edward Scissorhands (1990) are credited for this screenplay. It is often a mistake that although both have worked on Tim Burton project, that this film is one of them. When in fact, the movie is directed Barry Sonnenfeld in his first credit in such a position at the time. The story is about Gomez (Raul Julia) fretting over an argument that happened decades ago between him and Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). Now upon the “anniversary” of that moment, Gomez is hoping his brother will come home. Meanwhile, lawyer Tully Alford (Dan Hedaya) is hoping to seize the Addams’ family fortune to pay off loan shark Abigail Craven (Elizabeth Wilson). To do this, Tully convinces her to use her adopted son Gordon (also Christopher Lloyd) who looks awfully like Uncle Fester.

On paper, the story sounds interesting. After all, the Addams family were always known for being super wealthy. In regards to character focus it can be disappointing to fans as the story is not aligning itself with the basic structure the show was known for. The concept of the series was that “father knows best”. It was the top down who led the way (mostly). Perhaps it’s due to the change in times but turning the spotlight into something of an Uncle Fester chronicle is not exactly what fans may have been expecting. Especially since this is the first outing on the big screen. Why make it about Uncle Fester? Making it less Addams family oriented are the side characters like Tully and his wife Margaret (Dana Ivey). They just aren’t needed; it could’ve just been about Abigail Craven if necessary.

These are really the biggest issues. However, everything else with the film is spot on in any way one can think. The main actors and their performances are by far the best part – especially Gomez and Morticia. Raul Julia as Gomez brings the right flair to the title role and is equally as charismatic as John Astin was in the TV show. Anjelica Huston as Morticia may not play her character like Carolyn Jones but it is just as passionate and attractive. Playing Wednesday and Pugsley are Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman respectively. Both have charm but of course many remember Ricci for her deadpan delivery. Christopher Lloyd is decent as Uncle Fester although he could have made his voice a little higher in pitch. Judith Malina as Mama Addams is fun to watch as is Carel Struycken as Lurch even though he only growls with no dialog. Christopher Hart as Thing must have had an interesting job playing just a hand and even John Franklin plays Cousin Itt, even though he’s never seen.

Visually speaking the film properly reflects the gothic imagery known to be in the Addams family. The production design from Richard Macdonald makes the Addams’ house feel ten times larger than the TV version. Credit should also go to Owen Roizman for helping make that happen as cinematographer even though Sonnenfeld had taken over by end of production. Music to boot was fantastic. Composed by Marc Shaiman, the La-La Land release contains the full soundtrack and score material using all kinds of instruments although mainly organ and full orchestra are heard. Thankfully the original Addams family theme composed by Vic Mizzy is also referenced within the album and film for those who feel it should be acknowledged. With over an hour of material including bonus tracks, it should be stressed any fan of the series should acquire this for an entertaining listening experience.

The core of story may not be what fans want but this doesn’t make the entire experience insignificant. Side characters aren’t really important but the actors chosen for the roles perform well. The comedic dynamic between the family members are just as strong as before. The look of the film also wins big points as well as the music.

Points Earned --> 7:10

The Toxic Avenger (1984) Review:

In the world of movies, many know of the main genres that cover all kinds of stories. But like anything else, there’s always sublevels to these groups which can be broken down even further into their own genres. These genres are not the ones people either readily know about, have access to or is spoken of. An example of this are films produced from “The Asylum”. Their reputation has become known for either making cheap knock offs or making cheap sequels to popular mainstream blockbusters. There are people who actively invest their time into those films. The same could be said for films made by Lloyd Kaufman under the Troma Entertainment banner. In a way, it’s just another acquired taste like the previous company mentioned earlier. And although Kaufman was directing films a decade or so before this movie, it was this that got people’s attention.

The story written by Kaufman and Joe Ritter in his first credit is about the fictional town of tromaville located on the outskirts of New York. The town is filled with polar opposite citizens; those who have common sense and others who literally do the most absurd things no reasonably sane person would ever do. Among them all is Melvin Junko (Mark Torgl), a loser pool boy at the local health club. He’s by no means socially equipped to navigate through such an environment and is easily bullied. One day after a group psychotic adults play a practical joke exposing him to toxic waste, he transforms into The Toxic Avenger (Mitch Cohen) and voiced by Kenneth Kessler. Now having superhero strength, Melvin takes it upon himself to rid the evil in his town of Tromaville. The film was also directed by Kaufman and Michael Herz, who collaborated with Kaufman on a few previous projects.

What works in the movie’s favor is the tone audiences will experience from the execution. It’s a simple plot about a discarded protagonist whose misfortune seen to others, turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to him. While out on his crusade Melvin crosses paths with a blind girl named Sara (Andree Maranda) and soon develops a connection. Its cliché but seeing the protagonist earn the respect from someone is something anyone would want. Does that mean the acting and characters well rounded? Absolutely not. Except for Melvin and Sara, no other character has redeeming qualities or resembles that of any regular human being. The way the actors play them and the way they’re written are bizarre caricatures of what someone having no idea how a real person would behave.

It’s very strange to watch but that’s partially the appeal because it is so out there. Of the adults that badger Melvin, Julie (Cindy Manion) and Wanda (Jennifer Babtist) are the women of the group who have the most reprehensible interests. Topping it off though are their partners beating up grannies in the street who are rightfully named Slug (Robert Prichard) and Bozo (Gary Schneider). How more obvious can a movie be with how serious they want their audience to take these characters? It’s ridiculous and stupid to watch. Surprisingly, many of the actors in this feature didn’t move on from it. The only two to kind come away with a career was Patrick Kilpatrick and Pat Ryan. The rest kind of dropped off shortly after. Adding to that are the violence and special effects.

This is mostly the reason why Troma Entertainment got more attention. Many of the films before were strictly adult. But somehow this found a wider release. There’s plenty of blood and gore for those who love it despite not being a horror film. The camerawork by James A. Lebovitz was acceptable. Some of the not so hidden things within the filming process were not even noticeable and the action sequences are decently put together too. Lloyd Kaufman also assisted in this work. Finally, the music behind this movie was mediocre at best. There was no soundtrack unfortunately to get the full experience. There is a recurring theme for the Toxic Avenger…and it sounds familiar, but can’t pinpoint it. There’s other original songs sprinkled throughout the movie making it clear this is from the 1980s, but nothing that’ll be a real ear catcher or sung by any popular artists.

This is by no means a great film. The characters and the acting behind it is so outlandish it’s beyond realistic. Music wasn’t that memorable either. Yet with that said, the way the simple story is executed along with good effects and camerawork make this worth a watch even if it wastes time.

Points Earned --> 6:10

The Skulls (2000) Review:

In life, people learn to like all kinds of things. In time, they will realize there are groups for these interests. Some groups are just for recreational reasons, while others can be for more serious topics. There are also some people who don’t even know about it. The reason is for the amount of power or influence these associations may have on society. The thing is, what most of these secret cliques have in real life is the capability to conceal itself so far that it is very hard to pinpoint. This of course leads only to a very select few who can speak to it but in the end, sound like they’re out of their mind. In short, conspiracy nuts. That’s essentially the topic of focus in this feature film. It’s an interesting idea, but the overall execution is just average. It’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Written by John Pogue (U.S. Marshals (1998)), the plot is about your everyday looking college student Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson) hoping to be a success after he graduates. He, his best friend Will (Hill Harper) and close female friend Chloe (Leslie Bibb) very much share the same values. Additionally, they all think a group known as “The Skulls” is one of the strangest ones around. That is until Luke is brought in to join them. That’s when things turn all upside down for him. Again, the idea of secretly powerful societies is not an uncommon plot but if done right, can be captivating to watch. This unfortunately is just watered-down. For one, the group is publicly known but operates secretly. It’s a bit contradictory to say the least. Who operates a tight ship with sloppy security? How is that even allowable?

That’s just one question out of many. The group has a rule book of over 100 things to follow by. Yet, there seem to be a lot of loose ends hanging around. Additionally, while the group is promoted internally as being able to effect outcomes elsewhere, there’s no examples of it. Much of everything is so vague someone could assume they could impact anything. That’s not the only odd thing going on. Once Luke the protagonist and his “soul mate” Caleb Mandrake (Paul Walker) meet at their first initiation, Luke’s character flips to the exact opposite of the values to Will and Chloe. It’s not that Luke is an unlikeable character, but he is a clichéd dull one. It’s surprising director Rob Cohen who wasn’t fresh to the job by this point didn’t callout any of these issues.

Not even Caleb Mandrake is consistent in his character arc. One moment he’s saying one thing and the next he’s doing the exact opposite. That’s not saying the acting is unwatchable though. Joshua Jackson is believable as the lead. It’s just his character is motivationally confused. Paul Walker who at the time was mostly unknown still pulls in a performance that mostly makes sense for the story. Leslie Bibb is also okay despite her character falling into the expected clichés as well. She would later have roles in Trick ‘r Treat (2007) and Iron Man (2008). What’s more interesting is that William Petersen is also in this movie as a member of The Skulls and would later share screen time with Hill Harper in the CSI shows. There’s also appearances from Christopher McDonald, Craig T. Nelson and Steve Harris.

The camerawork was acceptable for the picture. Shot by Shane Hurlbut, the camera makes use of its surroundings as well as incorporating dizzying shots to convey hysteria. This is pretty good considering this was his first theatrical film credit. Also done acceptably was the film score composed by Randy Edelman. While known for having more stock sounding music, Edelman does create a main theme for the story. It’s not the most memorable, but it’s not really forgettable either. Better that than just soundscape textural noise produced by other composers. What Edelman relies on for this work is piano keys to convey the feeling of the tracks. Thankfully the album is very much easy listening as well. Like usual though, Edelman’s albums do not consist of much runtime. So best not to expect too much.

The crew behind the camera and actors performing do their jobs like they should. It’s just the writing that challenges those things and weighs it down. The premise seems sloppily put together and the character arcs are erratic.

Points Earned --> 5:10