Safe Haven (2013) Review:

Relationships between people are always a constant experience of development and attention to detail. It requires two people to make the relationship happen and actively work at maintaining the strong bond. Unfortunately, not all relationships end well. Whether it is due to a lack effort from both or one side, simple ignorance to what’s causing friction or worse, destructive behavior. Most however do find their partner that will do what they can to be the best version of themselves, for themselves and their partner. No couple should take each other for granted but make the most of their time together as time is not exact in life. One never knows what could happen in the coming future. This is one of the main points made in this film adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel.

Written by Dana Stevens (City of Angels (1998) and later Fatherhood (2021)), and Gage Lansky in their only credit, took Sparks’ novel and made into a watchable romance film with some typical clichés. The story is about Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widower with two kids Lexi (Mimi Kirkland) and Josh (Noah Lomax) who are living life as best they can. Things are going as normal when a random woman Katie (Julianne Hough) enters the frame. Things start picking up as Katie begins involving herself with Alex’s family. However, Katie isn’t disclosing much about her past. Meanwhile, detective Tierney (David Lyons) is trying to get a hold of Katie. The film was directed by Lasse Hallström, who in his early days directed a lot of ABBA music videos. But he also directed another Nicholas Sparks film called Dear John (2010).

Overall the writing suffices in its narrative. Over time audiences will begin to understand exactly what it is that Katie is trying to keep from resurfacing but like most things, it comes back to bite them. As for Alex, it’s understandable what someone like him would be going through to an extent. Being a one parent family is not easy even though there will always been existing units. However, the story doesn’t go much into what could help Alex grow. Katie arbitrarily does this for plot reasons. Both main characters and the children characters are likeable in their own way but much of what has been seen in other romance films is repeated here too. It’s cliché but not unwatchable thanks to the acting. One thing that doesn’t make sense though is the conflict of interest a certain character is a part of.

When this is revealed it begs the question how the situation even happened the way it did. The other aspect to the film that may come across cliché or perhaps even in the wrong genre is the injection of some spiritualistic themes. Some may even take it as faith based which typically does not resonate with many viewers. If viewers can let these callouts slide, then it may be more entertaining for some than others. Aside from this movie, Julianne Hough is probably best known from Footloose (2011) and Rock of Ages (2012). She still acts but it doesn’t seem as prominently. Josh Duhamel is best known from Michael Bay’s Transformers (2007) series. David Lyons is a more of a TV actor. Mimi Kirkland would later play Rachel in the Walking Dead series and Noah Lomax had a role in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015).

There’s even appearances from Red West playing Alex’s uncle and Cobie Smulders, playing Katie’s new neighbor. Smulders is also known for playing Agent Maria Hill from Marvel’s movie lineup. The cinematography was decently shot. Handled by Terry Stacey, the shots taking in the sandy coast of the Carolina’s is a nice view. Really not much of any one scene has CGI in it so there’s not much to mention there. Stacey also worked on Dear John (2010). Lastly, composing the score was Deborah Lurie. Throughout the film score, Lurie creates a theme for Alex and Katie, incorporating southern instruments with piano mixed in. There is an album available as well which is nice. Lurie also composed for 9 (2009), Dear John (2010) and Footloose (2011). Lots of overlap.

This is by no means a standout film of excellence. There is one big plot hole in the story and in can feel a bit generic. But the actors have good chemistry and the overall message is an important takeaway along with good camerawork and music.

Points Earned -->6:10

Innocent Steps (2005) Review:

Unless one truly is a well-rounded person or likes all kinds of film genres, some may not be aware that movies involving dance is actually a thing. Although if anyone has seen a musical, play or live performance one could easily realize this. There are however stories that revolve around dance but do not involve the actors or characters breaking out into song either. No matter what though, dance is an undeclared love language in some cultures because it truly can bring people together. Now to those even more unfamiliar to the international market, dance can obviously cross over into other countries. South Korea is no different. For every Step Up (2006), there will be other movies that are in the same genre. Of course the film would have its own cultural twist on it though.

The story is about Na Young-sae (Keon-hyeong Park), a renowned dancer and teacher who almost made it to the finals if he wasn’t sabotaged by his opponent Jung Hyun-soo (Chang Yun) at the last moment. This ended up leaving Young-sae with a bum leg and out of commission. Trying to help, his manager Ma Sang-doo (Park Won-Sang) finds Jang Chae-rin (Moon Geun-young) a Korean raised in China. However, it turns out she does not know how to dance and it’s up to Young-sae to teach her for them to both make the rematch against his rival. Written by Gye-ok and Young-hoon Park, the narrative is a wholesome one about redemption and learning from failure with the support from others. Gye-ok Park has had experience working in Korean film before and Young-hoon Park who also directed this feature has also worked in other films with stars like Lee Byung-hun.

Overall the writing is decent. It contains a blend of romance, drama and even small amounts of comedic moments from the main cast and even side characters. Moon Geun-young who rose to fame after My Little Bride (2004) a year before still has her youthful characteristics here. Her character is more mature though and displays those moments accurately. Keon-hyeong Park shows how troubled his character is after his fall from grace and then being paired up with someone with less experience than him. Together both show likeable chemistry and have their tender moments. Park Won-Sang as Young-sae’s manager performs fine. The character itself though is a bit abusive. One would almost think the same for Chang Yun as Jung Hyun-soo although it is never shown. Yun as Hyun-soo plays quite a confident character and will stop at nothing to succeed.

The part of the writing that is less clear are some of the questionable decisions various side characters make. Perhaps this goes back to Korean culture during the 2000s? Not sure but some of it is weird in the sense that it would be seen as uncalled for. That or the fact that after some individuals’ action to another, the two still remain friendly. It’s a little bizarre considering how out of hand some situations become. Since this is a film involving dance, this component can’t be left out. The choreography for the dancing sequences are well executed and performed by the actors. When it comes to nailing down moves and rhythm, one must imagine how much practice that takes to get it right. Pretty much nothing to point out as a flaw there.

For cinematography, the camerawork was handled by Jong-yun Kim. For what the film shows, the scenes are well lit and capture the right actions to be seen. What’s interesting is seeing how Young-sae began in his apartment, only to see how Chae-rin brings his world to life in several ways. One aspect maybe that could’ve been done better was the CGI which is minimally used to begin with. As for the music in the film, Man-sik Choi composed the score which there does seem to be an album available. For whatever’s heard, the score does bring out the right emotions for the scenes filmed. Much of the instruments heard among the tracks are performed on piano The one song though that seems to be popular is “1000 Years” by Kang Eunsu, which was the main song for the two main characters. It is memorable in its own way.

The simple digital elements to the feature along with some out of touch character decisions are just small flaws within this dance romance film. The actors are likeable, the music is easy listening and the dancing is mesmerizing.

Points Earned --> 7:10

TaeGukgi (2004) Review:

War time dramas are typically not easy topics to cover, especially for those who have family members involved or people who were directly apart of the setting. Looking back on it through the lens of today works, but only to an extent. To many in the United States, the Korean War was something not really spoken of. It was never seen as a victory really nor was it seen as a total loss. For South Korea though it remains one of the most pivotal moments in its history. With that noted, long since then films have been made about this moment in time. Some documentaries, while other dramatizations of characters within that time period. To clarify there’s nothing wrong with making stories that are in this kind of setting, but it does feel off when the story isn’t based on any actual event.

The plot to this film is about two brothers, Jin-tae Lee (Jang Dong-Gun) and Jin-seok Lee (Won Bin) who are as close as brothers can get. They are living their lives until North Korea invades the South. Now things are changing and the military has drafted Jin-seok. Fearing he will lose his brother to the carnage of war Jin-tae follows suit and joins as well to protect his brother at all costs and send him back home to the family with Mother Lee (Yeong-ran Lee) and Young-shin Kim (Eun-ju Lee). However, as time progresses, the war begins to affect the two brothers differently. The script was written by Sang-don Kim, Han Ji-hoon and Je-kyu Kang. Kang directed the picture too. According to many, this film is highly regarded and thought to be one of the best films that take place during the Korean war.

As mentioned before though, dramatization around the setting is fine provided it makes sense to the history. Here though, there doesn’t seem to be any “true story” based on the events that take place in this narrative. Sure, the Korean War happened no questions asked. But there doesn’t seem to be record of a soldier under the name Jin-tae Lee who made his way through the ranks. If the soldier was that brave and memorable, it would have been all the more interesting that the film was based on a “true story” or “true events”. However, the writers seemed to have crafted this story on their own. Credit to them for making such a captivating story surrounding actual events. But it still is weird that the actual characters didn’t exist, at least so it seems.

Aside from the historical inaccuracies the story about the characters is worth the watch anyway. It is because of the brothers’ change in perspective on war that helps give the audience new takeaways from such moments in life without having to experience it like soldiers in the army have thankfully. It should also give many viewers an appreciation for their fellow infantryman who put their lives on the line from then and now. As much as films love to indulge in glorifying war and the people involved, it really is something no one should ever have to experience. And yet, humans are flawed enough where it’ll happen anyway. There are several moments where viewers will get emotional or tear up due to just the sad nature of the inevitable dread that comes with war and its consequences.

The visuals were well on point with the film. Hong Kyung-pyo was credited as the cinematographer. The film throughout has large of enough shots to show the audience the scope of the war and the toll it takes on the characters. Kyung-pyo is able to show the realism of war as well, it is not pretty. Kyung-pyo would also shoot for Parasite (2019). The only part that doesn’t work are the close up fight scenes which involve shaky camera. It’s understood that the idea is to disorient the viewer because that’s essentially how the scene would feel in first person, but it does get annoying at times. Lastly the film score composed by Dong-jun Lee was impressive. Containing full orchestra along with a male choir really helps give the film a heroic feel. The soundtrack also exists and is a great listen.

There are many positives to this film. It’s production, components and cast all make the viewing experience worth the watch. It has all the characteristics of a good war film. The only downside is that the character story doesn’t seem to be based on anything historically other than the war setting.

Points Earned --> 7:10

My Little Bride (2004) Review:

Among the big movie studios known around the world, Hollywood and Bollywood are probably the most out there. Japan is mostly known for their anime films, and anyone else is pretty much beneath that. However, in the recent decade, Korea entertainment has become more of a mainstream offshoot. K-pop was a big aspect but now their films have begun making an impact as well. An example of this was Parasite (2019). Looking back though on some older films from this country, perhaps there might be a reason why it took a while. While arranged marriages are not unheard of, they are very much not the usual western way of conducting things. Unless it is one’s religion, believes in the concept and the other side is also in on it, then that’s fine. But forcing something between two who do not feel a connection is where it gets questionable.

The premise to this story is about two families where the grandfathers agreed their children, which ended up being grandchildren, would wed before they passed away. The catch is, Park Sang-min (Rae-won Kim) is an adult while his bride Seo Bo-eun (Moon Geun-young) is only fifteen. According to the movie, as long as both families agree, it is legal. Forget that part and the whole being forced idea. The idea of a minor being married to an adult is definitely a no-no in most of modern society. It’s just not done or proposed, let alone thought of. Perhaps the writing is accurate either to the time of the film or for Korean culture in general, but the concept is likely why this hasn’t had any kind of resurgence in popularity. Directing this feature is Ho-joon Kim in their first theatrical film credit. The writer is Sun-il Yu in their only writing credit. Wondering if that’s again because of the premise.

Despite the idea for the film, the writing does address the whole idea in itself. This is good because it’s by no means glorifying the situation in any way. Bo-eun and Sang-min are both childhood friends but never saw each other as a couple. Again rightfully so due to the age difference, but in order to fulfill an aging family members request, they do so reluctantly. Of course this is where various scenarios and hijinx ensue where events are made fun of, misinterpreted or hijacked. One example of this is that Sang-min is assigned as the new art teacher in Bo-eun’s school. Meanwhile, one of the faculty develops a crush on him that wasn’t wanted named Ms. Kim (Sun-yeong Ahn). All these moments are cheesy and can produce a chuckle but they don’t cause hysterical laughter. However, this does not mean the story execution doesn’t have its moments.

The actors and their chemistry works to the advantage of the viewing experience. Both Moon Geun-young and Rae-won Kim give their own personalities and flaws to the characters that make them unique. Sang-man may be older but he still acts juvenile at times but does his best to be supportive as possible. Meanwhile Bo-eun very much is a young school girl trying to fit in and find her place. She also has the attitude when its needed at times, along with a very expressive face of disgust. As time progresses though, viewers will see these characters change and discover things about themselves they didn’t realize. Rae-won Kim has continued to act in movies since as well as Moon Geun-young. Although for those unfamiliar with Korean films, this may not mean as much.

The technical aspects to the film are fine. Since this is not some big budget action film that’s highly reliant on digital and practical effects, there’s not as much to find unrealistic. The camerawork was handled by Jeong-min Seo who worked on films going all the way back to 1959. Quite a history there; in fact, this movie was their second to last to be credited. From what is shown the shots are fine and have a standard display to them that is competent looking. The film score was interesting to hear, composed by Sun-shik and Man-Sik Choi. Together they produce music that does hit its mark when needed and other places stands out for incorporating not only the usual orchestra but also singular instruments. Even whistles which are normally not done or recommended. Yet for this film, it adds to the charm and lightheartedness that is the story. There’s even a soundtrack available.

The idea may make viewers initially cringe at the thought but after watching, it is a respectable effort. The comedy bits are not as strong as they could be, but the more sentimental moments are poignant enough thanks to the actors and their chemistry. Cinematography is handled well and the music supports the experience with its different sound.

Points Earned --> 6:10

The Lucky One (2012) Review:

Nicholas Sparks is an author who most romantics would see as the person behind the inspiration of several films that were released between the early 2000s and mid 2010s. If there was a popular love story that was remembered the most during a certain year, it was likely based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. The one movie that people would likely remember the most is The Notebook (2004). A recurring theme that Sparks tends to throw into his stories are about fate and how what seems like coincidence turns into something deeper. This is sort of a neutral way of approaching love stories where the film crew doesn’t want to involve anything with religious undertones. In reality though, there’s a belief somewhere among the characters even if it is not explicitly mentioned.

Directed by Scott Hicks, the same person who helmed No Reservations (2007) and with a screenplay adaptation from Will Fetters. The story is about marine Logan Thibolt (Zac Efron) who finished his last tour in middle east. His new goal is to find the woman in the picture he found on the battlefield who kept him safe all those moments while in combat. The woman in the picture is Beth Green (Taylor Schilling), a wife who lost her brother in the same war Logan was in. Her separated ex-husband Keith (Jay R. Ferguson) wants custody over their child Ben (Riley Thomas Stewart) and makes family life difficult. Meanwhile, Beth is supported by her mother Ellie (Blythe Danner) who helps with the family business. Once Logan arrives though is when things get complicated and this is kind of expected. Since it is a love story, there’s always going to be someone who thinks the pairing of two people shouldn’t happen.

There are a number of positives though. The performances from all actors are done with nothing sounding questionable. The main characters are likeable and can be relatable for their circumstances. Even some of the supporting characters get development which isn’t something that gets focused on very often. There were plenty of areas where the story had a near miss and fell into predictable territory but it actually had some moments that were unexpected. The premise though really doesn’t make it sound completely original though. It just comes across too cliché for the main plot until it finally digs its heels into the group some. The other issue is part of the lead belonging to Logan. He’s mostly displayed as a guy with no flaws. Yes, because he’s from the marines he has his moments war flashbacks which can be problematic.

However, from all other perspectives he’s given a squeaky clean image. A lead can be likeable and still have major flaws. This was also several films into Efron’s career after Disney’s High School Musical franchise ended. So of course, he’s shedding the young boy image. Taylor Schilling had some movies before this but would get just a much attention the same year as this movie as Argo (2012) came out too. Blythe Danner who was a seasoned actress at this point had many roles prior as well as, like being in Futureworld (1976). Riley Thomas Stewart as Ben had experience too prior to the film, showing up in various TV shows. Jay R. Ferguson as Beth’s husband fits the character he was cast for almost too perfectly. Having a square jawline and the southern drawl makes it almost too easy to see where his role is in the film.

For camerawork, the director of photography was Alar Kivilo. Since much of the setting takes place in the south, plenty of wide open farmland is captured along with occasional swamps and internal house shots. Everything seems set up competently and that even includes the brief scenes in middle east. Kivilo also worked on Hart’s War (2002) and The Blind Side (2009). As for the film score, Mark Isham was the composer to this production. Unfortunately, it seems there wasn’t an official album release for this work but there should be. Even though this is not a franchise, Isham created a main theme for the story which appears throughout the film using piano. These kinds of traits are important as it gives the experience more of an identity the audience can remember it for. There only seems to be a soundtrack which features the songs used within the film.

The setup to the story feels generic as it sounds all too coincidental. To audiences’ surprise though the execution is not as predictable as one might think. The acting is well done, as it the music, camerawork and even the development of supporting characters.

Points Earned -->7:10

Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018) Review:

It’s probably safe to say with the long history of the Pokémon franchise, none of the returning or diehard fans should be expecting newcomers. The TV series has many seasons and to boot, many movies in between. Any convert would have to start from the very beginning and work their way through all of that just to reach this point. On the other hand, if that is the drive, then fans should be happy that another film in the list of entries remains to have standout qualities for its viewing experience. Know that there are still some aspects that still make it the typical entry for this franchise, but it’s not as average as some of the other previous films. At this point it seems like the films are no longer sticking to the TV show timeline which is okay since the movies never seemed to play into the TV show anyway.

This entry drops the audience into Ash Ketchum’s world with no indication of time or place, other than around the same time as the shows latest season. Along with him are several other characters that end up weaving their way into the story line which in time cross paths with Ash. Unbelievably, the writer director duo attached to this project is not Kunihiko Yuyama or Hideki Sonoda. This time, it’s Tetsuo Yajima directing and Eiji Umehara writing the screenplay. Umehara has other credits to their name but nothing Pokémon related. However, Yajima does go all the way back to season one, so it’s nice to know the director has experience with the franchise. The key part of the story and direction that make this film another strong entry is the focus of the plot.

Unlike other films which revolved around a legendary Pokémon and how capturing, controlling or destroying them would disturb the balance of nature or something like that. This time it focuses more on the human characters and the development of their arcs. Since this story has nothing to do with the show now, Team Rocket, Ash and Pikachu are the only main cast to return. Risa (Haven Paschall) is a new trainer who has yet to discover how important the connection is between Pokémon and trainer. Toren (Eddy Lee) is a timid researcher who hopes to be able to speak for himself one day for his love of Pokémon. Harriet (Kathryn Cahill) is an elderly citizen who hasn’t learned how to love Pokémon again. Callahan (Billy Bob Thompson) is a lying uncle to his niece Kellie (Laurie Hymes) who doesn’t know he lies. Then there’s Mayor Oliver (Marc Thompson) and his daughter Margo (Erica Schroeder) who’s hiding a secret from him.

The secret is a legendary Pokémon that no one else knows about. This is one of the couple pitfalls to the movie. No matter what, it seems like no movie can stay clear of directly being about a legendary Pokémon. The good thing is again, the main focus is on the human characters and their development. Of course even with some of these characters are tropes that viewers could anticipate what’ll happen part way through the story because how obvious it is. The voice acting is also obvious but in a good way. None of the performances heard within the viewing experience sounded wrong, off or read poorly. Much of the cast are voice actors who have taken part in the franchise many times before. Additionally, it would be noticeable if they didn’t sound invested in the project.

Visually speaking, the animation is another great part of the viewing experience. The colors and character expressions are as vibrant as ever. There’s also fairly good CGI work thrown in as well. What this has to do with cinematography again though goes unknown. This time handled by Kenji Takahashi and Ryou Kujirai. As for film scores, Shinji Miyazaki returns once more as the composer to the project. Also again there is no domestic release for the album but it does contain an hour of tracks to listen to. At this point it would be more of a surprise if it was released domestically only. However, that won’t happen considering the country of origin of the franchise. The music sounds good as usual and has its moments memorable tunes.

Showing that films related to the franchise can be entertaining, the viewing experience this time focuses on the human characters. As usual it includes the annoying character familiarities and legendary Pokémon, but also completely new characters, great animation, and consistently pleasant music.

Points Earned --> 7:10

The Vow (2012) Review:

If there’s something that usually inexperienced partners in a relationship cannot retain, it’s keeping promises. Admittedly promises are not always the easiest to commit to if a partner overextends themselves or doesn’t realize how critical it is to the health of the relationship. If both understand what they’re signing up for then there’s a chance of success. However, what if only one remembers that commitment? This is what this movie is loosely based on coming from Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. Despite the couples’ religion being left out of the final film, the financial performance was still quite well received. To some, the premise to this story feels like it’s coming from novelist Nicholas Sparks, but surprisingly, he had no involvement with this production. Even with that fact, people who liked those films should also have an easy time enjoying this movie too.

The origin coming from Stuart Sender, with the screenplay written by Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, (He's Just Not That Into You (2009)), Jason Katims (The Pallbearer (1996)) and directed by Michael Sucsy in his first theatrical film headed this production. The story is about a couple Leo (Channing Tatum) and Paige (Rachel McAdams) who end up in a near fatal car accident that leaves Paige with almost complete memory loss after recovering. This leads her to not remembering that she was married to Leo and where their life was at the time the accident occurred. Meanwhile, Paige’s parents Rita (Jessica Lange) and Bill (Sam Neil) want her to return home so she can start over. Similarly, Leo wants Paige to return home with him so he can get literally get his wife life back.

For a premise, it doesn’t sound like something recently done before, although it has likely been in a film prior. The concept is unique and can attract many couples’ interests since it is a love story of sorts. Of course though, the film execution is where it falters in various places. One issue being unrealistic scenes; like when Paige and Leo meet up for the first time. There could likely be crazier or coincidental stories by nature but the way it happens feels like no one would ever consider such an incident occurring. Either because it would be too creepy or just that very few people are ever that infatuated upon initially meeting each other. The other part of the script that isn’t really well put together are the supporting characters. Much of them just come off as the cliché character most viewers know where they stand and their role in the story is.

Even though these weak points in the film are bit obvious in nature, there are other parts of the script that are elaborated on to support the audience. For example, it is explained why Paige can remember parts of her life before the accident but not after. That’s important because if missed by the audience, it won’t make sense later on the film. The acting can’t be discredited. Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams are both great leads and have the chemistry to carry the story. Both of their characters are also quite likable considering they are the protagonists viewers want to see win in the end. Other performances also work coming from veteran actors like Jessica Lange and Sam Neil, both of who have participated in films for several decades. There are also appearances from Jessica McNamee, Wendy Crewson, Lucas Bryant and Scott Speedman playing an ex of Paige.

The cinematography by Rogier Stoffers was a commendable attribute to the viewing experience. Stoffers was also credit in his work for John Q. (2002), School of Rock (2003) and Disturbia (2007). For what’s depicted, Stoffers shots are well lit and share with the audience the important parts of the scenes that need to be shown. For the film score, the music was created by Rachel Portman and Michael Brook, both who are not as well-known as other composers but do have several credits to their names like Home Fries (1998), Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997), Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) and The Fighter (2010). The tracks heard throughout the film invoke the right emotions in the right scenes. Much of the cues revolve around small guitar strokes or piano keys to invoke that warm intimate romance feeling.

Hallmark channel tropes may feel a bit forced in this story but it is still a decent effort coming from the whole crew. Acting, music and cinematography are all done well. It’s a nice little romantic film reminding viewers how important promises are during rough times.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You (2017) Review:

There really hasn’t been much variation to the slew of Pokémon films released since the first few trilogies. After some time, narrations become familiar and repetitive. This leads to the law diminishing returns and lack luster praise from fans who crave a fresh new change. Believe it or not fans did get that, first in the twentieth season of the anime. The biggest noticeable difference was the animation style. While the anime’s look has changed over the years, much of it remained similar to how it began. Now though the designs were childlike and even more expressive than before. However, that wasn’t the case for the next film to roll out. For one, the year of this film’s release also marked the twentieth anniversary of the anime’s beginning.  Rightfully so, it seems the film crew behind this production made sure to make this entry stand out from the recent films that came out.

What really shakes up the way this entry plays out is that it no longer follows the current anime and is instead a retelling of the first several episodes of season one. To some this may seem a bit blasphemous, but what helps is seeing this as an alternate continuity, not as a part of the original anime. Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and written by Shôji Yonemura, viewers are introduced to Ash just starting his journey with Pikachu with the classic setup. Once he and Pikachu become best of friends they witness the Legendary Ho-Oh and catch a feather from the mythical creature. Along his travels he meets other trainers Sorrel (David Oliver Nelson) and Verity (Suzy Myers Jackson), learning and growing together about Ho-Oh and the stories surrounding it. The story itself actually focuses on why Ash receives the feather from Ho-Oh and the significance behind it. It’s a moment that has never been touched on in the anime other than being mentioned from time to time.

It is definitely thought out in a better way than Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999) with the whole chosen one storyline feeling forced or random. What also makes this entry better than several before it are the numerous references shown in the film. Some of these nods are to parts of the season one anime, while others are spread out among later eras that aired in the past. It’s almost like someone was watching very carefully at each film from before and took note of what resonated most with fans. There they then insisted those elements would be included in various aspects of the movie. Shôji Yonemura is no newcomer to the franchise as they’ve been involved since very early on in the anime. The only thing in the writing that will show viewers not everything has changed, is one usual trope this franchise is notorious for. There are emotional moments that come up, but they are short lived.

The voice acting though is still as good as its been. While people wanted Veronica Taylor to reprise her role as Ash, many have become accustomed to Sarah Natochenny as Ash too and since this film takes place in an alternate timeline, it’s better Taylor did not come back. It would give fans false hope of further returns despite how much Taylor will always be the original Ash. David Oliver Nelson is good as Sorrel even though this remains to be their only voice acting credit. Suzy Myers Jackson though has worked with the anime before and works as Verity too. There’s also appearances from Billy Bob Thompson playing Cross, a selfish trainer and Mike Pollock as Bonji, a researcher who’s spent his life learning as much as he can from Ho-Oh. Of course there’s also the Team Rocket crew who are not as involved again like before, but do provide some comedy relief as expected at this point.

Visually as mentioned before the twentieth season of the anime experienced a change in character design. For this feature though the animation is closer to that of the seasons before it due to it being related to the anime’s twentieth anniversary. Cinematography is still a mystery with Aya Aoshima being credited for the work. As for music though, composing the score was Shinji Miyazaki with Ed Goldfarb attached for some reason even though an album release exists only in Japan. The music appears to be the most diverse sounding in its selection of orchestrations. There are number of different tracks that match the scenes depicted and are quite distinct in their sound. As an overall listening experience, the album is just over an hour long which is nice to see how much music there is to this entry.

Though it has not risen passed even the best in the franchise’s archive of films, it is one of the best in a long time. It may have the usual pitfall here and there, but the story focuses on an event that’s been given little attention throughout the entire anime run. References to other moments within the anime are fun recognizing too. Animation, music and voice acting are as credible as usual.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Ricochet (1991) Review:

When the name Russell Mulcahy is brought up for movies, fans will remember him for two well-known properties. The one fans will most fondly remember is Mulcahy’s first entry in movies, that being Highlander (1986). The other widely recognized character that Mulcahy made a movie on was in The Shadow (1994). Of course in between those was Mulcahy’s biggest blunder which was Highlander II: The Quickening (1991). That same year though Mulcahy also directed this movie featuring a different up and coming star. A young Denzel Washington was making his way through movies leaving a generally memorable impression on the characters he took on. At the time, the last big film that Washington got people’s attention in was Glory (1989). He wasn’t a lead, but his supporting role still played a very big part to the story.

The plot here is about Nick Styles (Denzel Washington), a cop who sky rockets to a high promotion after foiling the plans of Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow). Upon this moment, Blake makes it his mission to ruin the life Styles built for himself after he breaks out of prison. When he does, Styles is already the district attorney and has a wife Alice (Victoria Dillard) and kids. The original story was written by Menno Meyjes from The Color Purple (1985), Empire of the Sun (1987), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and Fred Dekker of House (1985) and Night of the Creeps (1986) fame. The screenplay was then adapted by Steven E. de Souza who wrote for Commando (1985), The Running Man (1987) and Die Hard (1988). Together, these individuals produce a very mindless action thriller. There is entertainment value to be had, it’s just not a story that is game changer in the genre.

A lot of what makes this viewing experience a fluff show are a few things. One thing is that there are moments that are meant to be lighthearted. The dialog just makes it sound like it’s trying to be a buddy cop movie. Even though Styles’ partner Larry (Kevin Pollak) isn’t the funniest if the laughter is relying on him alone. Some of the lines Blake says are also typical villain-esque, like “you’re fired”. There’s also the issue with proof blindly being disregarded by people that any sane person could have figured out. It’s like when there’s an obvious change to something that’s clear as day and yet no one can see that change. It looks stupid that anyone could fall for such an obvious callout. Then there’s just the unrealistic events that happen in various spots. Two guys sabre fight in the middle of jail mess hall. Okay…who gave the inmates the approval to do that? It’s things that take place such as this that question how much in the real world would this happen.

Apparently there is some valid connections to it though. Actress Mary Ellen Trainor plays a new reporter by the name of Gail Wallens. She also played that same character in Diehard (1988),…so a Diehard expanded universe? Strange; guess de Souza was kind of thinking for the long term? Aside from these flaws there are still good parts to the feature. All the actors provide what they can. Denzel Washington is still that likeable protagonist very few if anyone would want to see harmed. John Lithgow as Blake is a decent villain. He certainly can make his presence known and definitely shows no mercy for whoever he has in his sites. Lithgow would later play Lord Farquaad in Shrek (2001). There are appearances from other actors like Ice-T, Lindsay Wagner, John Amos, John Cothran, Lydell M. Cheshier, Sherman Howard also known as Bub from the original Day of the Dead (1985) and even Jessie Ventura.

The action and violence on scene is not abundant but when it’s there, the viewer won’t miss it. Some of it is actually pretty gruesome which is why it clashes with the comedy bits. It’s not a dark comedy. The camerawork fits well with in the picture though. Shot by Peter Levy who worked on A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) and Predator 2 (1990), the shots are correctly taken with no real issues. For the film score, Alan Silvestri took the job of composing the music. While the album for it contains only a third of the entire run time, the tracks work to the films credit. Several of the cues have similar sounds to that of prior works like Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). There are lots of horn blasts and timpani rumbles. Not the strongest composition but still a fun listen.

Premise wise the story is fine, but the details within it, tone of certain scenes and hyper violent action makes this more of a fluff piece. Maybe consider it Diehard (1988)-lite since it’s in the same universe? It has good acting, action, camerawork and music.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016) Review:

Pokémon is a franchise that continues to fascinate despite how repetitive the formulas have become for several films. Roughly after the first two trilogies, the writing was already starting to waiver on originality but it was the likable main characters, voice acting and music that kept it mostly tolerable. Now, with way over ten films the level of quality has remained at average. For the devoted casual viewer, it’s serviceable. To a diehard and unfamiliar viewer, it is likely to not impress from either side. Reason for this are the narratives not doing anything different or taking risks. Each story execution had roughly the same setups and outcomes, almost to the exact moment with minor variations. The last generation of black and white was not impressive from a storytelling perspective and the recent XY generation wasn’t improving much either. Surprisingly, this entry just managed to squeeze by.

Written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and adapted in English by James Carter Cathcart, the story is about Ash and company being drawn into the Azoth Kingdom, a steam punk esque mechanical city, only by happen stance. A legendary Pokémon named Volcanion (Mike Pollock) is trying to save a mechanical Pokémon named Magearna being taken by Prince Raleigh (Laurie Hymes). Alongside the prince is Alva (Billy Bob Thompson) who feels he can help bring the Kingdom to its rightful glory. Meanwhile Princess Kimia (Riley Joseph) feels her brother is mistaken. Direction is once again headed by Kunihiko Yuyama and that can also be said for the execution of the story. Let’s see, do we have a legendary Pokémon involved? Yes. Does the Pokémon speak English through telepathy? Yes. Are the antagonists attempting to do what past villains wanted to do with a special Pokémon? Yes. Why can’t anything different be done with the setup?

For once at least the main characters are dragged into a conflict as opposed to just walking into one, but that’s not a big change. Voice acting in general from the cast is fine. This is a standard that has been met consistently though for every entry, thankfully. The few additions like Laurie Hymes and Riley Joseph are both fine, despite Joseph having very few credits. Billy Bob Thompson as Alva works. He has what sounds like the right voice for the role. And for Mike Pollock who’s been with the franchise before is by far the more intriguing actor in the film. Even though the use of Telepathic Pokémon is just obnoxious now, Pollock’s role as Volcanion is not some cutesy eyed puff ball. Volcanion is like an old crotchety man who has no time for fun with a gruff deep voice. That’s a much better attention grabber than the others before it.

It was even more eyebrow raising to see that Team Rocket’s Jessie, James and Meowth were way more involved in this story, which hasn’t happened in quite a long time too. And of course because this entry is in the XY generation, mega evolution is prevalent but so is this new form called a “mega wave”. Also known as a mega evolving hack. Sure, all these minor changes are appreciated and it can keep the interest of the viewer. However, this is still not enough for this story to break the all too familiar rut it’s dug itself into. The plotline is very much the same from previous film entries and the reason why the antagonist is doing their evil deeds is the same as other villains before them. Because Pokémon contain a power far greater if used a certain way that unleashes life altering changes to the norms currently held by everyday normal people and Pokémon alike.

Again, visually there are no issues. The animation continues to work in the films favor. For those who love steam punk related themes, viewers should get a kick out of all the mechanical parts and gears flying around the kingdom of Azoth. Cinematography by Aya Aoshima is an unexplained and undetermined credit to the picture but okay sure. As for music the film score was again composed by Shinji Miyazaki and Ed Goldfarb respectively per their country of origin even though only one score exists. So weird. The music to this entry was also unique and different this time with what sounded like incorporated Harpsicord or calliope giving the setting a more medieval feel surrounding the mechanical kingdom. Too bad all the pluses are not enough to make it far better than it could have been.

At this rate, an entry with even small updates seems to be a nice change. That still doesn’t make it great though. While it continues to suffer from the same recycled storytelling and villains, the voice acting, animation and music make it okay to watch. Once.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) Review:

Many consider of all Batman iterations to be depicted on television that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s version is the definitive one. The animated series which ran for three successful seasons, had a memorable film score, was quite mature for a kids’ cartoon and even had two special features; one theatrically released and the other released on home-video. But that wasn’t the end of the character’s universe. Superman the animated series was also running in parallel which further expanded the realm of the two characters’ worlds. So why stop there? Thus came Batman Beyond, now seen more as a favorite of a select set of fans than a complete success. However, it did reprise the role of the original Batman as a supporting role, which had much of the same traits as the original series. It’s also no surprise this series got a special feature too.

The plot to the story is exactly what the title suggests. After several years being gone, Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) learns that his infamous most difficult enemy, the Joker (Mark Hamill) has returned to Gotham. Except now Wayne is too old to subdue his nemesis and it’s up to Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) as his new protégé to defeat him once and for all. Written by Paul Dini, the script is well written with reflective character development between Wayne, his past, people he’s worked with and whom he works with now. It’s also a learning experience for McGinnis as he discovers more about himself and the kind of Batman he is versus his predecessor. And being that Dini had written for the original and new series, it makes sense he would continue the story. The direction was head by Curt Geda who has more experience as a storyboard artist but has also directed episodes for the same set of TV shows. Again, it makes sense he would be involved.

The only fault in the screenplay is the reason for Joker’s return. An explanation is given which is great because most of the time, reasons aren’t provided. However, once the reason is given it seems the audience must suspend their disbelief in order for it to make sense. It just seems so tacked on as the full justification for the character’s resurgence. That’s really it though when it comes to narrative execution. The voice acting was always on point with the show and maintains that consistency here in this special. Will Friedle who get his start in Boy Meets World and would also voice Ron Stoppable in Disney’s Kim Possible makes a great Terry McGinnis. The attitude is all there and dialog is witty, especially when conversing with Kevin Conroy’s elder surly Bruce Wayne. Rounding out the circle is when Mark Hamill enters the picture laughing the entire way as Joker. This is just another reason why fans feel this animated version of the character remains the best one out there.

Playing as supporting characters is Law & Order’s Angie Harmon as Barbara Gordon, Dean Stockwell as an older Tim Drake (Batman’s 2^nd Robin), Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn, Tara Strong and lastly Frank Welker. From a listing like that, it would be hard to see these credible voice actors not giving it their all in a feature like this with such iconic characters involved. The action sequences are entertaining too. Whether it be explosions or one on one physical combat, the scenes capture the energy and weight behind the movements being depicted on screen. Overseeing production was Shôjirô Nishimi as animation director and its likely safe to say this was a critical component as the colors and movements of the scenes are great to view.

Speaking of which the animation in general is well done. Koji Takeuchi served as the animation producer from TMS Entertainment which has handled other productions like Sherlock Hound and even Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Someone definitely needs to explain the purpose of four different cinematographers though for an animated film. It makes no sense, let alone one. Lastly the film score composed by Kristopher Carter was a great effort. Resembling much of the brash guitar based score from the TV show, this film score mixes much of that into its cues along some more organic orchestrations inbetween for more serious or somber moments. It’s not as striking as the original TV shows film score but it is a fun listen either way. Well worth the experience.

Even though the reason for Joker’s return feels a little last minute and cinematography goes unexplained, there’s not much wrong with this. It’s another solid animated Batman entry with good voice acting, music, animation and story in the Batman list of sagas.

Points Earned -->7:10

Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015) Review:

Rarely has Pokémon ventured into territory that is either unfamiliar or done anything super different in their formula for film entries. This base template was adequate for a while and had some variations to it along the way. Now though with more than ten films in, it has begun to feel very much the same and unoriginal. Having multiple entries lined up to be released after every season doesn’t seem to help with its freshness. Perhaps releasing a film after every region Ash and friends visit would have been a more reasonable approach. That way there would be more time in between films to develop a better story and make it worthwhile for the fans. Cranking out a film that is basically a copy of the last really does nobody a service. This one still falls in the same trap with some very small differences.

This entry finds Ash and company on their way to another random city, this being inspired from the look of Dubai. There they randomly encounter a new Pokémon by the name of Hoopa (Lori Phillips). Believe it or not, this Pokémon not only knows English but speaks it this time too, wow! Of course it still has the small big eyed cutesy look to it. Hoopa belongs to Baraz (Daniel J. Edwards) and Meray (Emily Woo Zeller) and are looking to restore Hoopa’s power by giving its unbound power back (Ryan William Downey). Currently Hoopa exists in its confined state due to lack of maturity and understanding. Surprisingly this entry is not handled by that usual duo always being mentioned. Yes, it is still directed by Kunihiko Yuyama but the script was written by Atsuhiro Tomioka in their first Pokémon movie credit. Maybe Hideki Sonoda finally took a needed break from doing that last several entries. Unfortunately, Tomioka only adds some new things to this entry.

The pluses to this film are the usual categories pointed out for several films before this one. Voice acting works just fine for this project. The main cast of actors all voice their characters like they should and emote properly when the scene calls for it. Even for the supporting characters, Daniel J. Edwards and Emily Woo Zeller have experience working on other animes. Of all the voices Ryan William Downey who plays the unbound version of Hoopa is pretty cool sounding, even though he has lesser credits to this name. Lori Phillips is also fine as the confined version of Hoopa although the Pokémon is very much a copy of Zorua; laughing and smirking thinking it’s clever. Actually it’s annoying, can’t something more unique be made with these focal point Pokémon’s personalities?! The character arc for Hoopa is okay to be clear, that at least isn’t the usual super power Pokémon in need of saving.

This doesn’t mean the rest of the writing works though. The continuity to this narrative doesn’t make sense. The reason why the title says “Clash of Ages” is due to it involving the many legendary Pokémon on screen. However, some of the legendaries called into question are ones that either should appear and don’t, ones that shouldn’t appear but do, and ones that look nothing like they’ve been depicted before. It’s very confusing because this is obviously supposed to take place as the latest point in time in Ash’s journey. Yet with these discrepancies, it’s very difficult to understand why things are the way they are. Then again, being that Ash and friends have done some time traveling in various stories, maybe that’s what’s causing these changes? It’s really not clear and doesn’t make sense why these loose ends can’t be tied up.

Visually though the animation is still very good looking. The 3D CGI images against the digital 2D animation blends well together with nothing that looks like an eyesore. Cinematography was handled by Tatsumi Yukiwaki who seems to be taking over this role for Hisao Shirai. Of course, the clarity of the role goes unknown. Music on the other hand was another interesting listening experience provided once again by Shinji Miyazaki even though Ed Goldfarb is credited for some reason. Because the location of the story takes place in the area closely resembling the middle east, Miyazaki incorporates a lot of instruments and cues that match the setting and it gives the scenes a much more engaging feel. And as expected there is a Japanese album release but that is all. As we all have come to know and expect.

The franchise is still languishing in the average viewing experience realm. Aside from some minor changes in screenwriter, change in musical sound, standard animation and credible voice acting it is still a regular ho-hum entry. The main Pokémon still isn’t that interesting and continuity is baffling to say the least.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Dawn of the Dead (2004) Review:

Usually sequels are planned to be released in an ordered process. The standard lead time is between two to three years. Sometimes there are delays which can push it out. Then there are also the rushed ones where a film is pumped out in a little longer than a year’s length. To do that is nuts but it’s proven to be done before. For George A. Romero, it seems he truly went at his own pace when it came to making his movies. Even though Romero had worked on other films in between the “dead” entries, the intervals at which each film came out was almost consecutively ten years apart. That’s a long time. Weirdly enough, it seems the remakes of his films are following the same path despite him not even being involved. While Night of the Living Dead (1990) was an amicable update to the original, it did have some issues. Almost fifteen years later, came this sequel. It’s about the same but for some different reasons.
 

The setup to the story is the same as the original involving a bunch of strangers taking refuge in an abandoned shopping mall after the world is turned upside down with undead corpses attacking the living.  This was directed by newcomer at the time Zack Snyder, who is now best known for several comic book related films. Before this Snyder was directing music videos, similar to Michael Bay’s startup before turning action director. The screenplay was written by James Gunn, the same person who is also best known for his array of comic book films too. Before this though, there was hesitation for him writing for this production. Reason being, that his biggest credit at the time was penning the script for the live-action Scooby-Doo (2002) film. And of course, most know pretty well how that movie did with viewers and fans alike.
 
The cast of actors to play these everyday people are Ana (Sarah Polley) a nurse, Kenneth (Ving Rhames) a cop, Michael (Jake Weber) a TV salesman, Andre (Mekhi Phifer) and Luda (Inna Korobkina) and CJ (Michael Kelly) a security guard to the mall along with his rookie Terry (Kevin Zegers). Together these main characters spend most of their time together in the mall. There they learn about their histories as well as how to cope with what’s around them and support each other. This script includes way more characters in general than that of the original but it works out okay. Gunn even has a couple twists in the story that can play to the opposite to what viewers may expect for certain characters. Sarah Polley is a good lead and being that her character’s a nurse, growing accustomed to the horrors around her seemed easier to handle. The same could be said for Ving Rhames as the cop.
 
Jake Weber although plays what seems like a wimpy character quickly toughens up. And of all thespians, the actor who has the best lines and best character arc goes to Michael Kelly. Clearly it looked like he had the most fun. However, this does not totally omit any typical character tropes seen in other horror films. Two good examples of this are Mekhi Phifer’s role and Ty Burrell as some snobby rich guy. Guess one can’t avoid all the pitfalls. Yet casting director Joseph Middleton was able to nab Ken Foree, Tom Savini and Scott H. Reiniger from the original film for cameos. Very nice. Still there is one other thing that’s a bit odd that likely was not mentioned in any other zombie film which was raised here. Apparently dogs can run circles around zombies and not be seen as food? That’s something new…why’s that? Unanswered question. Additionally, the zombies in this film are far more aggressive as opposed to all others featured before. They run now.
 
Visually, as Snyder fans would come to know and love, the film is very good looking. The special effects look mostly practical which is good because even for 2004, CGI didn’t always look real. Behind the camera was Matthew F. Leonetti, a cinematographer with quite a history behind him. Before this he had worked on Raise the Titanic (1980), Poltergeist (1982), Hard to Kill (1990) and Rush Hour 2 (2001). Finally, the film score was composed by Tyler Bates. For this project Bates had the chance to make something of the franchise being that none of the films ever had a signature identity. He didn’t do that though, but managed to still create themes that worked for the scenes. Before this, Bates’ most notable credit was to another remake by name of Get Carter (2000), another film from the 70s.
 
For a remake, it entertains surprisingly well even though there are still some regular clichés the genre will come across. These small flaws are made up for through the actors’ performances, the music, special effects and camerawork.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014) Review:

The Pokémon anime never lets up on what seems to work despite that plan not really working. For the last several entries, the films revolving around Ash and company has been average at best and sometimes falling beneath that. Only occasionally has the story been slightly above average, but that’s going back to around a decade ago of films. Unfortunately, it’s also getting more difficult to go on about the differences in storytelling especially when the changes feel so minimal. One would think that with a series running for so long that there could be some variety to the films but it looks like the franchise may truly be out of new ideas. This entry really feels no different from that of the past several films. The biggest change are the main protagonists…but that’s been expected now. Then again so are other aspects.

The story is about a new Pokémon named Diancie (Caitlin Glass) who can create diamonds but not well. She is the princess of her kingdom that is dying and needs to replace the current diamond which acts as their power source. To do this, she must find the legendary Pokémon Xerneas (Mary O’Brady) to help make this ability stronger. On her travels she runs into Ash and friends where they decide to follow her. However, Team Rocket and a few other bandits are out looking to capture Diancie as well. Shocker. On top of that, there’s Yveltal, the dark version of Xerneas who is rumored to be nearby. Anything else needs to be thrown in there? Of course, who’s handling this project? None other than the Yuyama Sonoda duo. Geez, these two must really feel confident that these stories are still solid.

Let’s tackle something that does work, the main characters. In the black and white seasons, Ash, Iris and Cilan’s chemistry were okay but probably rank lowest so far. For the new X & Y seasons, Ash is now joined by Serena (Haven Paschall), Clemont (Mike Liscio) and his little sister Bonnie (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld). These characters are already proving themselves to be more interesting than the last bunch. Clemont with his ill-fated self-destructive contraptions, Serena with her secret crush on Ash and Bonnie for always trying to match a girl with Clemont; the reversal of Brock’s situation. They all have their quirks but are fun and goofy in their own way. The team rocket gang are still fun although they are no longer as serious as they were a couple seasons ago. Despite that, they do get more screen time here than the last few films.

However, that’s kind of the extent of the engaging characters. The voice acting is fine by all cast members but the characters still don’t amount to much. Caitlin Glass plays a great princess but the role of her character isn’t new. Further making things a usual go to are the telepathic abilities and legendary Pokémon. It is understandable to a point that new seasons require new legendaries to keep things going…but the legendaries aren’t anything to be impressed over. Xerneas is just another “life giving”, “wish granting”, insert the god-like term here Pokémon. As for telepathy, it seems like more and more Pokémon are able to speak English with the main characters. Can it least vary some? The other thieves looking to capture Diancie aren’t memorable either, even though Marc Thompson is one of the voice actors.

Unfortunately, more could have been done to develop a portion of these characters. The amount of individuals in this story is just more than it needs to be. Animation though is still good for the quality of the franchise. No complaints there. Cinematography was taken care of again by Tatsumi Yukiwaki and now also Aya Aoshima. No reason given as to why it’s needed. For music, surprisingly the US dub had its own score composed by Ed Goldfarb instead of Shinji Miyazaki even though he scored for the Japanese dub. The weird thing is that it doesn’t look like there was a US album released on this…so the point of rescoring was for…what? What can be said though is that the music sounds a lot livelier and has interesting cues throughout. In some ways it sounds like something of another genre, but it works.

The general components to this entry work like viewers expect. The animation is good, the voice acting and main characters are their usual selves and the music is decent. However, those same familiarities find themselves showing up in the same bland villains, boring legendary Pokémon and generic storytelling.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Love at First Hiccup (2009) Review:

Growing up and maturing into an adult can bring on a multitude of feelings. Hormones are raging and everything is changing at a faster rate than normal as this process happens. Of course most adolescence experience this as they go through the education system; learning from their parents, friends and their own senses. One particular actor that many could relate to during this period of time was Devon Werkheiser from Nickelodeon’s Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. Young adults were proud to be a part of and go through the motions with Werkheiser’s star making show. After the show ended, Werkheiser still had that image of playing a school kid. Here this film plays more into some adult themes which is good, except for how its executed. That’s probably the biggest issue with this production.

Directed by Barbara Rothenborg in their first theatrical film and co-writing with Foren Frellesen, this is actually the remake of a Danish movie of the same name from a decade before. Based on a novel from Dennis Jürgensen, the Danish version actually has several sequels. The story is about a geeky freshman Victor (Devon Werkheiser) having an unrealistic crush on a taken senior in his high school Anya (Scout Taylor-Compton). Anya is with a pompous jock named Peter (Ken Luckey) and is friends with Marisa (Tania Verafield). Victor’s only got his unhelpful buddies Ernie (Nicholas Braun) and Nick (Sean Marquette). Meanwhile, Victor and Anya’s little brothers Zack (Daniel Polo) and Brian (Adam J. Bernstein) play pranks on both their siblings because family stereotypes. Victor’s problem is that he doesn’t have the confidence to talk to Anya, and when he does, he gets hiccups.

At the same time, Anya hopes to lose her virginity to someone she finds truly special. At the moment she’s not sure if Peter’s the one. The biggest red flag in this story is Anya’s character arc. Not sure what the legal age of consent is for the people of Denmark but in the US, a senior in high school, who should be 18, looking to fornicate with anyone younger than them is a no. Why couldn’t Victor and his friends also be geeky seniors in high school? That would be one less counter against this film. The story itself is also fairly cliché. What teen drama hasn’t depicted a down on their luck rejected protagonist that somehow pulls all kinds of stops to get the attention of their ever so out of reach love of their life? There isn’t really much to go into how things occur because a familiar viewer of this genre could guess how most scenes that are set up will go.

It’s unfortunate because there are some interesting actors attached to this project. And because this is a comedy, there is going to be dialog that’s supposed to be funny but not much of it is. Most of it just strange in how it’s executed or just completely nonsensical when thinking about how it makes any logical sense. The characters of Zack and Brian are the worst little brothers and are actually quite crass. Also their moms and dads are even worse as parents. Perhaps the conversations between Victor and Anya’s friends respectively are more in line with what viewers would expect from those particular characters. But the others just seem a little too out there. Despite all this though the cast of actors perform the best they can given the material. Being that Devon Werkheiser came from Ned’s he naturally fit the bill.

Scout Taylor-Compton at the time just got off playing in Rob Zombie’s remake of Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009). There’s also appearances from James Eckhouse, Ann Cusack, Octavia Spencer and even Ray Wise, who by far is the most entertaining even if he shows up only once and a while. The cinematography was adequately shot for the production. Handled by Steven Bernstein who also worked on The Waterboy (1998), Monster (2003) and White Chicks (2004), the shots filmed fit the right scene even though it won’t blow anyone’s mind. Lastly the music by Raney Shockne worked for the film too. By no means should any viewer think that a score would be available because it wouldn’t seeing that it’s no blockbuster production. Overall though the cues work with the scenes even if they aren’t memorable.

The actors all do what they can, the music is appropriate for the style of the film as well as the camerawork. Unfortunately, the writing is not strong enough though. The premise is an awkward setup dealing with differing legal ages, the dialog feels a bit out of place and the story itself has been done many times before.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013) Review:

Not sure exactly what bug bit Nintendo’s Pokémon studio but their string of features during the Unova region just hasn’t hit the mark in entertainment. As mentioned in the previous entry, it seems like things are just on auto-pilot. The stories tend to feel repetitive despite trying to appeal to their current fan base while expanding on the foundation when the anime began. There’s even been callbacks to certain things but it just hasn’t been enough to feel like anything new is really being done. Unfortunately, this entry is very much the same again with only slight variations in different places. It’s possible the production crew thought this story would get more viewers’ attention because it involves a familiar face other than Ash, but that would be the only familiarity.

Once again handled by the Yuyama and Sonoda duo, this film finds Ash, Cilan and Iris headed to another city looking a lot like central park of New York City. Inside the park is a sanctuary where Pokémon of several regions live together. Meanwhile far away a group of 300-million-year-old telepathic Pokémon called Genesect are searching for their home. Thinking the area Ash and company are in reminds them of it, they begin attacking everyone so they can claim it for themselves. At the same time, Mewtwo who can relate to Genesect’s feelings gets involved in the situation too. Really it’s not that good of a story for several reasons. For one, it’s just not engaging. Genesect was apparently resurrected by scientists and no longer trusts humans. See how Mewtwo understands? But even after all that Mewtwo has from its previous experience, it too doesn’t trust or like humans. So no one’s learned anything then.

Let’s also not forget Mewtwo began the whole concept of telepathic English speaking Pokémon (other than Meowth). Genesect is just another copy of those usual things to be expected. Aside from finding their home as its repeatedly mentioned, there isn’t much else to really get behind for these new Pokémon. Making things even worse is how botched Mewtwo is as a character. Upon meeting Ash again, Mewtwo recalls nothing of what it went through with Ash from the first movie or when it crossed paths with Ash after that. Unless this is a new Mewtwo, which makes no sense. Where’s the continuity? So much for Ash promising they wouldn’t forget what they experienced together several movies back. Making things even more confusing is whether this is actually the same Mewtwo from before. Reason being the voice is totally different and Mewtwo can now transform into another form. When did this come about?

There really are more questions now than from before. Miriam Pultro who now voices Mewtwo is okay in her delivery, but because the original performance was different it is very jarring. This also seems to be Pultro’s only voice acting credit to date. The same could be said for Samia Mounts who voices the Genesect who befriends Ash and company. However, voicing the lead Genesect is Scott Rayow who does have experience doing anime dubs before and even in Pokémon. Then there’s Eric who is Ash and friend’s tour guide through the park voiced by Jake Paque. The character is useless as he tries to fix the tech being destroyed by the fighting Pokémon. Somehow he’s the only one working among all other park employees. It’s almost pointless to have this character.

Voice acting in general is fine though as usual. Even Team Rocket gets lines this time, which is cool. Animation was also an equally good looking component. Featuring bright colors and fluid movements there isn’t much that needs correcting either. Cinematography was credited to Tatsumi Yukiwaki in their first Pokémon project although, like everyone before them, no idea what it’s used for. Finally, the music composed by Shinji Miyazaki believe it or not felt a little more noticeable this time. The tracks heard in this feature feel a little more heartfelt despite the connections not fully being there. But like always there was no domestic release so the album is again unattainable locally. One day, maybe one day they’ll get a rerelease. That’s all there is to it though.

Regular components like the animation and voice acting are kept the same. Music even picks up some but the story in general is still bland. Continuity is also very confusing with the changes made to Mewtwo.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998) Review:

Warner Bros. DC animated series of Batman and Superman are known for being a part of the best adaptations of said characters. Very few people who are fans of the characters would have a negative opinion of these renditions because of their quality storytelling and production. This is also the reason why the theatrical film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) was created as well. It was just that popular and well regarded. So with that, it’s no surprise another production would be made. Maybe not as high in scale but still very good. There was one major drawback though and that was its release date. This was all thanks due to the poor performance of Batman & Robin (1997). Which it’s likely true many also are aligned with their feelings on that production too.

Directed by Boyd Kirkland, and co-writing with Randy Rogel who both worked on Batman: The Animated Series, the story is mainly about Mr. Freeze (Michael Ansara). The chilly villain that is more tragic than just insane. The film is an important link between the first two seasons and the later rendition of the show. Without this, what happens to Mr. Freeze doesn’t make much sense. After sinking under the ocean with his wife Nora, Freeze lives a life of solitude before being disturbed once again by outside forces. Almost losing his love again, Freeze captures the financially desperate Dr. Greg Belson (George Dzundza) to perform the needed organ transplant. Being that Nora is a rare blood type, the two do some back alley digging and find Barbara Gordon (Mary Kay Bergman) as the perfect match for the job.

What this film puts on display is truly the last amount of humanity that Mr. Freeze ever had. He’s just one of those villains that really doesn’t hurt for the sake of chaos. He causes chaos, but out of his desires that are of course to most, seen as selfish but he sees out of love. There will always be that moment where the viewer will say to themselves “If only he had done…he wouldn’t have to do what he’s doing now”. Again, not seeing this feature creates a gaping hole in the next story to focus on Mr. Freeze in the TV show. Unfortunately, for someone who wants to watch things in which they were released will cause this issueIt was probably the right move to not to release this feature alongside the financial blunder that Batman & Robin (1997) ended up being, but still.

It also doesn’t help that the later series had differing designs for all the major characters. It’s truly not the biggest problem considering the story arc does not change but it is jarring either way. The feature itself still maintains the original series design and look, no complaints, just observation. Although there is one added addition and that is the use of CGI in various shots. Some of which is okay, while others are a bit rough. That’s not to say the rest of the animation doesn’t hold up. It’s also very difficult to tell (except for the CGI) that the budget wasn’t the same as Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993). All the scenes animated and colored look great and provide a lot of visual entertainment for the audience. The action sequences also help a lot in that too.

The same could be said for the voice acting which has always been top notch in quality. Because the focus is more on Mr. Freeze, Michael Ansara really had time to shine and in his final acting role. Additionally, George Dzundza had voiced Scarface in other episodes of show. As for Mary Kay Bergman, she sadly passed away a year after but voiced several other characters in shows like South Park and The Little Mermaid. Finally, the music had the right idea too. Surprisingly not composed by Shirley Walker, the score to this picture was handled by Michael McCuistion. However, the reason why the music still works is that he too supported the TV show. While Batman’s theme isn’t really heard, it all sounds like its cut from the same cloth. Additionally, there are other themes related to Freeze’s wife Nora. With almost an hour of music, it is definitely something to have with the collection.

Some will be scratching their heads when seeing the animation revert to old designs and filling in missing story elements if going by release date, but that shouldn’t be a big deal. The CGI can be iffy at times but the story is still good, as is the acting, music and animation.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012) Review:

The Pokémon franchise has made quite a habit of using their film entries to introduce new legendary Pokémon to their seemingly unlimited roster. One thing though that would be nice is to try something different in structure. Sometimes very slight alterations were made which helped, but very much the overall execution was the same as before. It really could be that the director and writer pair Kunihiko Yuyama and Hideki Sonoda are running out of ideas, or this is what truly satisfies the fan base. For a franchise to go on like this however, there should be something to keep feeling new and nostalgic about it, once time passes on. The earlier films might retain more of that feeling for varying reasons. As for the latest films to come out after the new production company took over, the entries just haven’t been as unique.

The plot for this film does actually take another approach as what is being asked here. It’s not enough, but credit should be given where a request is fulfilled. The story is about Keldeo (Vic Mignogna), a Pokémon looking to become a sword of justice, which is a group of other noble Pokémon that consist of Cobalion (Tyler Bunch), Virizion (Emlyn Morinelli) and Terrakion (David Manis). All of whom are telepathic, can create a sword-like horn of light out of their head and fight for those in need. In order to become a sword of justice, Keldeo is to train and battle Kyurem (Marc Thompson), the strongest dragon in the world who contains the power of Zekram and Reshram. Oh and it’s also telepathic. Really this is Keldeo’s movie and character story. Ash and his friends are in this movie too, but are definitely not the focus. Team Rocket just has cameos this time!

So the change in focus is different, that’s fine but the amount given is a little drastic. It almost feels like Ash and friends don’t even really need to be involved. Can’t there be a balance? It can’t be all Ash or nothing. As seen in the film though, there really is no development among the recurring characters. So what’s their purpose other than to move things along? One thing that’s definitely been overdone is the whole telepathic Pokémon aspect. Thankfully, Keldeo is also nowhere near the same design as others like Victini, Mew or Celebi, but the design feels closer to that of My Little Pony. That’s not an insult, it’s more of how the design fits in with other characters. Even more strange is that Keldeo shoots geysers from the bottom of his hooves. That just doesn’t look very useful other than for jet propulsion.

Voice acting can’t be knocked here. All the voice actors in their recurring roles do just fine now that they’ve established themselves well. Even the voice actors who voice the swords of justice and Kyurem match what is on screen in energy. It’s just weird seeing a bunch of telepathic Pokémon talking to each other with no humans involved. Vic Mignogna is known for voicing Broly in Dragonball Z. Marc Thompson voiced Duke Devlin in Yu-Gi-Oh. Tyler Bunch has also worked as a muppet performer. Emlyn Morinelli has played miscellaneous characters in some Pokémon episodes, while David Manis hasn’t done much voice acting at all let alone Pokémon. The right cast members are here to get the job done, it’s just the quality of the script that is lacking unfortunately.

Visually the animation is also competently handled. There aren’t any noticeable spots that looked unfinished or needing touchups. Cinematography which is again this time taken care of by Shinsuke Ikeda is unclear for what reason. There are some scenes that look like realistic photo backgrounds were used…perhaps that’s what the cinematography was needed for? Finally, the film score by Shinji Miyazaki is stock at this point. There really isn’t a whole lot to his music right now as it feels like very much the same from entries before. The only good thing is that the runtime on this entry is the shortest of all so far, which makes the viewing experience somewhat painless. Too bad, because that’s not how a film should be seen as.

Right now it seems like the franchise is on autopilot with its entries. The production continues to be good whether it be the voice acting or animation. But the music and variety in how the story is executed has been one too many of the same kind presented before. The difference here is, it’s about a Pokémon’s journey, not Ash and his friends.

Points Earned --> 4:10

Duel (1971) Review:

To even the most uninvolved moviegoers, the name Steven Spielberg is not something easily forgotten. Crowned as the inventor of summer blockbusters with films like Jaws (1975), many consider this guy one of the greats with hit after hit after hit coming out early on in his career. Although now he takes up more of a producer credit in most productions, he occasionally still lends his directing abilities to projects he wants to helm. Before he was really on the map though, he did direct some lesser known features and of them was this made for TV movie. Believe it or not though the studio threw extra money at Spielberg just to have more added to the story. As a result, this bare bones budget film still pulls some pretty hard punches at the viewer with an interesting setup.

The film, directed by Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson is about a regular guy by the name of David Mann (Dennis Weaver) who’s taking a business trip out west. While out on the road passing by numerous vehicles, he ends up behind a fuel truck. A very well worn, grungy, smoke billowing fuel truck. Ok, not much to really consider here. As he begins to pass, he receives an annoyed response. Thinking nothing much of the exchange, little does David Mann know that the driver behind the truck has just had one too many drivers go by. And what Mann thinks of as just another one-off occurrence, will end up being an encounter he won’t so easily avoid. Considering the time this movie was released, it still can strike an impression with viewers today. Any reasonable person understands that people act differently on the road in their own vehicles.

Sometimes though, it’s never known what the other person not in the same car or truck is thinking. Some individuals just snap and go off the deep end. This is essentially the entire conflict of the film but what makes this thriller significant is just how realistic this situation could be. To a person in Mann’s position, it’s not only scary but could be completely horrific. In some ways the film almost feels like a horror film only because the driver of the truck is barely visible. If those specific shots were not shown, it would almost feel like the truck itself was alive and yet it still comes across that way of having a personality of its own. This is partly why the tension created in the movie is fairly effective. The other part is the psychological aspect. Sometimes audiences will here Weaver playing the inner voice of Mann, thinking of what to do next.

It’s because of this and the driver being so elusive that can make a viewer bite their nails like crazy. The parts viewers may not totally get behind is the lack of main characters. There are other supporting characters that show up, but none are important enough for the story to hang on to. Not to mention, the personality of David Mann is not the most charming. Sure, people could sympathize with the character and his problem, but as for the character in general not so much. David Mann comes across very much like a book worm or someone who doesn’t have much of a backbone. On top of that are some choices made, by either Mann or the antagonistic truck driver. Of course, without these decisions maybe there’d be no movie? But some of what the characters do is just illogical when it comes to safety and consequences of the actions.

The cinematography was a great component to the viewing experience. Shot by Jack A. Marta as the director of photography, there a number of shots emphasizing the dangerous speeds that are reached between the two dueling vehicles. Marta also does an excellent job concealing the truck driver as well as highlighting the menacing front of the truck itself. Marta would also shoot for the original Walking Tall (1973). Finally, the score by Billy Goldenberg was an interesting listening experience. Known for his music on the Columbo series, Goldenberg composed music that would rightfully get an album release much later after the film’s release. The score is a mix of mostly strings and harps, with the occasional piano going in and out. While there’s no real main theme, the score makes sure the viewer hears the uncertainty and erratic nature of the plot.

For a TV turned theatrical production, this simple almost no cast film is still able to create a high strung thriller based on an identifiable matter most people could bump into. While the main character isn’t the most affable and some really nonsense choices are made, the music, camerawork and acting all make this a story no one would want to deal with.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Pokémon The Movie: Black / White - Victini and Reshiram / Zekrom (2011) Review:

Starting off the first year of the 2010s, Pokémon’s Black and White finally let go of Ash’s remaining friends he had met from the beginning of the anime. However, that basic group outline would stay consistent. Venturing into the unova region he would be joined by Iris and Cilan having somewhat similar roles to fill as previous characters. Along with that came a new film entry but released in a very weird way. For some reason two productions were made having the same storyline except for some slightly different scene changes. As for reception of the release, it seemed like many enjoyed it. This is good for familiar fans of the show but to anyone just joining, it still would be hard to get fully involved. Realistically though, this is one of the weaker entries in this shows run of films.

The story feels overly complex dealing with ancient ancestry and how a kingdom was removed from its rightful place. This was done after two legendary dragon Pokémon Zekrom and Reshiram clashed. To settle the spat, another legendary Pokémon by the name of Victini gave its powers to accomplish just that. And it just so happens Ash and his new friends are headed in that direction. Considering again the guys heading it – Mr. Yuyama and Sonoda, this entry or set of entries is nothing to feel invested over. Making it all the less inviting is the release of this film. What is the point of having two similar versions of this story? If it’s a director or producer’s cut, that’s something, but just altering various scenes to fit a different perspective? It just feels very horseshoed in. Which one should a viewer watch, both?

If so, that’s truly wasted time. What also doesn’t help is the over reliance on main characters with cuteness. Victini is too reminiscent of several other tiny “legendaries” that have appeared throughout the franchise of films. Now, it’s just overstaying it’s welcome. This doesn’t mean the antagonists don’t have development, but it is very distracting when the main focus always pivots on the tiny big eyed Pokémon. One other thing to note of is the change in Team Rocket and their approach taken in stories now. Yes, for this they are still relegated to sideline characters, but they are far more competent than what they used to be. Instead of making jokes, puns, rhymes or even blasting off, they actually manage to hold their own. What got into them lately?

The acting is good even though some consider the black and white series main characters not as great as others. Eileen Stevens who voices Iris plays her character well. Having voiced Zorua in the last film, her expansion into a full blown recurring character works. Jason Griffith voices Cilan and his performance doesn’t miss a beat either. While he hasn’t spent too much time with the franchise, he did voice some minor characters in Pokémon films before as well shows like One Piece and Sonic X. Then there’s also J. Michael Tatum playing Damon, Leah Clark as Carlita and Lisa Ortiz as Luisa, who are natives and descendants of the old kingdom. All of whom have experience working on other animes. The animation is also credible.

Being how far the films have come since they began, the CGI components are not as jarring anymore when next to their digitally animated counterparts. Cinematography is still a questionable thing to have in an animated film unless explained. The only shocker here is that it’s not who it normally is. This time its Shinsuke Ikeda which is their first time working on a Pokémon film. As for score, the music is again composed by Shinji Miyazaki which again provides a very underwhelming experience. For some reason, the music here is just not that interesting to listen too. Maybe the guy just needs a break? That’s probably understandable after working on it for so long. At least he likely didn’t have to score music for both versions of the film.

The animation and acting are really the only highlights because they are competently done. That’s not to say music or the basic story structure isn’t, but it just feels stock. Having a big eyed baby sounding Pokémon at the center of the film has been done enough times now. Additionally, making two versions of the film with practically no differences makes no sense.

Points Earned --> 4:10