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

Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying (1999) Review:

Movies range between all kinds of entertainment levels. The most surprising to viewers are the ones that are bad enough to still make a lasting impression. Then there are those that are just bad. Turbulence (1997) was one of those bad movies. There wasn’t much to enjoy because of how frustratingly idiotic the script was while watching it play out. Who puts criminals onto a civilian aircraft? Despite the cast of actors being relatively well known, the acting was bad and the lead was really not that engaging. The film didn’t even make its budget back. So with that kind of outcome, who would be stupid enough to produce a sequel? Well apparently someone, because Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying (1999) came out two years later. The thing is, why make it a sequel if it has nothing to do with the last film? This is not a franchise, who are these people trying to kid? This is just the beginning of shockers.

The story for this entry is about a group of random people who, cue the title name, have a fear of flying. Really, like no viewer could tell. Apart of this group is Martin (Craig Sheffer), Jessica (Jennifer Beals), Elliot (Jeffrey Nordling), Russ Bell (Andrew Kavadas) and assorted other lesser known actors. All of whom have their own goofy quirks that make them sort of one dimensional except for the few specifically mentioned. Together, they attend a class to overcome taking a flight to another destination. Is that even a thing? Little does anyone know that something dangerous has secretly been brought on board too. The script for this entry was written by three people; Brendan Broderick, Kevin Bernhardt, and Rob Kerchner from Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997) and Addams Family Reunion (1998). The director was David Mackay from Breaking Free (1995) and The Lesser Evil (1998).

Most of the credits listed so far don’t mean a whole lot considering where they stand among popularity. Though this does say something in regards to the quality of the script. The writing itself is nothing special. Characters are formatted a certain way that any familiar viewer would be able to anticipate their outcome by the completion of the film. If there’s a love triangle somewhere, there’s bound to be a change in that since there’s always got to be a guy who ends up with a girl or vise versa. Most of the acting is also very unenthusiastic. The movie even has Tom Berenger in the film as ground control and almost every line that comes out of his mouth sounds tired and annoyed. More interesting is that joining ground control is Tamara Phillips playing the boss of Berenger’s character. Phillips would later voice Komari Vosa in Star Wars Bounty Hunter for PS2.

However, despite these callouts, the lead characters are far more inviting in their performances. Jennifer Beals may not have the craziest of roles but she puts up a far better front than the previous female lead in the first film. Craig Sheffer as Martin is okay as the lead. At least for him, he sounds intelligent and seems like the most reasonable person. His voice also catches the ear pretty well too. Lastly the villain behind the whole situation is by far the most entertaining for one sole reason; they are terrible at their job. Half the time, the villain is throwing tantrums and nonchalant comments that no real threatening hijacker would make. This is the main reason why this entry is so much more watchable than the first film, which may have people scratching their heads. Wasn’t Ray Liotta in the first film just as over the top? Yes, but his performance felt too familiar since he’s played killers before.

This villain is played by someone nowhere near the same level and managed to make it something. The cinematography shot by Gordon Verheul was decent. Having done only TV work prior, as his first theatrical run it pays off. The interior shots of the plane and lower deck look real. There are only a couple shots of CGI that don’t look believable but it’s not much. Lastly the film score by Don Davis wasn’t much to say anything about. The musical tracks themselves sound very stock and generic making them practically indistinguishable from each other. It’s kind of a shame considering that he would compose music for The Matrix (1999) of the same year. Maybe he got too caught up in that. Yet somehow this sequel got its own album release. That’s very amazing.

As a franchise, it doesn’t pull up much from where the first film left off but does have a little more to give. The music and story are still bland and overall acting still isn’t good. However, the main leads are okay with decent cinematography and a wildly moronic villain.

Points Earned --> 5:10

Pokémon Zoroark Master of Illusions (2010) Review:

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

Points Earned --> 6:10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Points Earned --> 5:10

Die Hard (1988) Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Points Earned --> 7:10

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Points Earned --> 7:10

Pokémon Giratina and the Sky Warrior (2008) Review:

Despite the change in the Pokémon franchise with ownership and the voice actors behind it, newcomers still found it entertaining. It also wasn’t like these changes would halt any production going forward because some avid followers would still watch whether the original voice cast was there or not. With that said, it should be no surprise that after one bad anniversary special and a film entry in the lineup, another one would come around. Interestingly enough, this entry somewhat improves upon the last film but is still needlessly complicated in the world this franchise is trying to expand. That’s not to say there isn’t effort here but there are several questions about what gets set up. As it has been before, the Yuyama Sonoda duo are the main headers to this entry, which is good but some are probably wondering how much longer are they going to remain attached.

The story relatively picks up where the last film left off where Palkia and Dialga had their spat over what seemed like nothing. However because of the last event, another Pokémon called Giratina is annoyed by this. Giratina who is the Pokémon of the reverse world watched as its home became invaded by the disruption the two others causing dark matter to appear. To try and stop that from happening again, Giratina tries trapping Dialga in its realm only to be foiled by another Pokémon called Shaymin who has powers that can convert pollution into freshness. Meanwhile a man by name of Zero (Christopher Kromer) is seeking to get his hands on Giratina to control the reverse world. So it’s nice to see the consequences of the last film impacted this one, which kind of explains the reasoning behind it too. Why that couldn’t be said for the film itself instead of here, who knows.

There is reasoning why Shaymin is involved with the plot which is helpful. Sometimes these tinier Pokémon seem to be thrown in more for cute factor based on marketing more than anything else. However, the use of this character has nowhere near the same kind of charm compared to previous ones. For some reason this particular Shaymin can communicate via telepathy with Ash and company. The reason why is never explained as it is later shown other Shaymin exist and do not interact with such abilities. Okay…whatever. That’s not where the issues end though. Although it is more entertaining compared to the last story, a couple minor subplots do not get resolved when it concludes. For the characters though, the actors put in well-earned performances. The five main cast members who voice the characters fans know and love are fine.

The new characters to join for this film are Shaymin also voiced by Michele Knotz. Shaymin as a character is ok for the story but personality wise comes off frustrating. Christopher Kromer is good for voicing Zero having past roles in Berserk and Giant Robo. Lastly there’s Marc Thompson voicing Newton Graceland a scientist also studying the reverse world. Thompson has also had various roles in anime like Duke Devlin in Yu-Gi-Oh. He even had a role on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Aside from those additions, everything else is very much standard which means nothing to really go on about because things have been in place now for quite some time. With this entry being apart of the eleventh season, the new voice actors have had enough time to settle in.

The visuals to the film were fine. Takaya Mizutani as the default cinematography was acceptable for however that applies. Maybe. The blend of digital animation and CGI have gotten pretty good now where the renders don’t look completely out of place. Lastly the music from Shinji Miyazaki is no shocker either. He’s been scoring the series for several films now and looks like he’s just another component to the franchise as like the Yuyama Sonoda duo. And of course, no domestic release on the soundtrack. The tracks heard in the film have that familiar sound which is good. Nothing really felt out of place, but an album would have been nice sometime.

The story reverts back to its sort of status quo entertainment value which is okay. From a narrative perspective it misses on some subplots and explanations but perhaps that’s expected by now. The animation, voice acting and connective tissue to the last film makes up for that a little bit.

Points Earned --> 6:10

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