REVIEW: Bolt

Well, I'm excited for Star Trek Beyond tomorrow, but right now, I'm on kind of a Disney/Animated movie kick, and today, I came across a lone copy of a movie I haven't seen in a long time. And when I did watch it, it was in bits and pieces in French Class in High School.  I couldn't remember much about it, but hey, having been watching a lot of Disney's recent animated films lately, such as Wreck-It Ralph, and Big Hero 6, both good films, and of course this year, we had Zootopia, which I absolutely adored (Part of me actually wants to do a second review of it, or a followup of a sort, but for now I'll hold off), I decided to pick this up, and give it a much needed second viewing. I'd not picked it up before and I'll. be honest why...the name Miley Cyrus turned me off.  I'm no fan of hers, but I guess I shouldn't let a name be the sole reason I close the door on a movie...unless that name is Michael Bay. Because screw that guy.

Bolt is...well...Bolt is cute. What can I say? From the opening scene, you are treated to this absolutely adorable puppy in the pet store, which is being swarmed by all sorts of other cute little puppies, and he's getting battered around as he plays with this silly carrot toy, and it's just one big giant fluffball of adorableness that is impossible not to like. At first I thought this was going to be a story similar to that of the Ugly Duckling or something, but right off the bat, we see our white puppy picked up and adopted by a litle girl, and I then predict that it'll be one of those tales about a girl and her dog.  And it kinda is, but not nearly in the way that I predicted. Straight out of nowhere we get this plot that is as if another movie just trainwrecked its way into this one, and the little white dog, now named Bolt is enhanced with incredible powers, and his owner, a girl named Penny, is playing Spy Kid, as she looks for her father, and fights off hordes and hordes of goons under some forgettable man with a green eye (the guy doesn't even have a name), with the aide of her puppy of steel, who is pretty much the dog version of Superman. Does this sound crazy yet? I knew you'd say yes, and if Disney actually did this, I'd be scratching my head.

While all of what I just wrote is true, the thing is, that this whole superdog, spy kid thing is just a big TV show.  However, Bolt thinks that the TV show, is actually a real thing, because the prodcers have come up with a clever idea, though I will say highly improbable, to keep him isolated from the real world, so that as they film him, he isn't acting so much, as he is working. So basically what they did on 1998's "The Truman Show" only with a dog instead of a person.  But with low ratings, and the need for a fresh story, they decide that in the show, Penny will end up kidnapped. Which is a bit of a mistake because Bolt flips out, and in his fear of losing her, knocks himself out and is accidentally shipped off halway across the country.  From there he meets a cat he mistakes as a cat of the green-eyed man, and decides that she will help him get back to where Penny is.  From there, it pretty much becomes "The Incredible Journey", minus one dog, and adding on a Hamster who joins them later on.

The setup and concept of this film is comedy-gold, with a hint of Plato's Cave (for those of you who enjoy a little philosophy). I'm a huge fan for comedy that involves misunderstanding, and with Bolt (who is excellently voiced by John Travolta) having never been introduced to the world outside the studio he knows, there are plenty of chances at this happening, which are executed brilliantly.  I absolutely love how he fears styrofoam packing peanuts, as he feels they make his powers incredibly weak.  Watching the cat hold him up with it is worth the laugh. Also the Pidgeons of this film are easily one of the best things of the film, always recognizing Bolt, and acting as rabid fans, brimming with ideas, or whatnot. Bolt's interaction with the real world, while still under the impression that he's still living the actual show is absolutely well executed, though I will say there are times I felt a little more could have been done. For example, when we're introduced to a hamster who watches Bolt's show, and sees him as the real superdog, almost immediately afterward, Bolt is told the harsh truth about him being part of a TV show. And is thus, revealed to the light outside the cave. How does he react?  Well of course he tries to deny everything, but reality hurts and the film does a good job of portraying him as he slowly comes to terms with it.

And though his coming to terms with it is also maybe a little rushed, I gotta say that sequences that follow, in which Mittens teaches Bolt how to be a dog, are some of the cutest moments of the film.  I had a good laugh when Bolt first stuck his head out a window of a moving car. It's these little moments that can just carry this film in ways I normally wouldn't think possible. It can be funny, and at times, it had some genuine heart-touching moments.  The ending of tis movie is one of the warmest Disney endings I've seen in a long time. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I will say that it can tug a bit at the heart-strings. It's one of those movies, but what more can you expect from a film about a girl and her dog, and how that dog will go through mud and water to get her back?

Bolt earns a nice three and a half star rating out of four.  Yes, despite the occassional clunky narrative, this film is coherent and tells a very fun story.  It's fun, warm, surprisingly action-packed (and it's very well done action), and just one of the best movies I can think of that tackles the special bond a human and a pet can share. It's one of those films I can legitly say "I laughed, I cried" to. And from my understanding, it was one of the first films to come out recently, to really give Disney a kick in the rear with the success it's found lately.  With other films to follow such as Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia...etc all coming out lately, to a lot of acclaim, I can't help but wonder if we're in the middle of yet another DIsney Renaissance.  I would certainly welcome one in a period where almost everything else Disney is doing is either Marvel, Star Wars, or remakes. Disney is showing some very strong ground in their animation department lately, and this was a good way to start it off. So don't be like me.  Don't let a simple name turn you off to this movie if you've let it.  It's one fun adventure...it's a fireball of cute.  See for yourself.

Please feel free to request any movie you'd wish for me to review, and I will do my best to get to it. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts of the film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

REVIEW: Independence Day: Resurgence

Walking into the theater, there was one thing I knew this movie would need to address. In the very first film, there is a scene in which the President addresses an alien at Area 51, and experiences a form of a mental telepathic attack. After this attack, he says that he saw into their thoughts and how they lived. By moving their entire society from planet to planet, consuming every last available natural resource before moving into the next planet. Well if that's true, then by some measure of standards, this sequel shouldn't exist. We won. We foiled an alien invasion with the heroic sacrifice of Randy Quaid, a computer virus, and a good old fashioned can of whoop-ass. And I called it one of the funnest alien invasion movies you can see. So...do they address this plot point? Did they make this sequel worthwhile?

Well...if I'm gonna be brutally honest, no they kinda didn't. But it's still the fun you'd expect from Roland Emmerich. Right off the bat as the opening logos fade away, you are treated to a visual experience, one which almost makes me wanna recommend a 3D viewing of the film, as the visuals can at times be absolutely incredible to watch, from the exciting action, to alien drone swarms, to the backgrounds themselves. But as far as actual storyline, character, and overall enjoyability is concerned, Independence Day: Resurgence falls short of its predecessor. Now granted, the first film is no masterpiece, but the simplicity in that movie, the fact that it knows not to take itself too seriously, the clichés that it pulls off yet somehow gets away with, make it a very enjoyable film for me. Add a kickass soundtrack to that, and it's a movie I will continue to defend, despite its flaws. 

Enter Resurgence. I will go ahead and give a bit of a warning, I may talk MINOR spoilers here. I don't usually talk spoilers, but in this case...I'm not too worried. Literally two decades later, we are given surprisingly very little as to what has happened since the "War of '96". While we do get a bit of a background as to what's been going on since then, it's very brief.  We figure out that Will SMith's character was killed in that time period, we get that we've adapted the alien technology of our own, and that the world has been united in peace since the aliens first attacked us.  We've got orbital defenses (which honestly kinda do jack shit in this movie, surprise surprise), there's a lot of tribute paying to the heroes of 1996, and life is good. Then the aliens come back...again, they kinda address that we knew they'd be back, despite them saying that they attack planets as a society. But at the same time, this little detail is kinda glanced over. Thus begins...a very confusing story honestly.

The first Independence Day has a simple story that has been told before, but tells it in its own unique way that is fun and followable.  Here, I found the beginning of this movie dragging on itself, and even when things started to happen, I found it hard to follow.  Maybe I just gotta see it again, but they don't do a very good job of passing the torch for a new generation.  I am getting the feeling that Independence Day is trying to do what Star Wars did back in December. Reboot something for a younger audience.  The thing is, none of the newer characters are that memorable enough to warrant it. So many of them are forgettable. The stereotypes are even blander than the first film, and we barely get time to know any of these characters.  From a guy who kills aliens for a living...to this guy who literally no one likes, who manages to get maybe five minutes of glory in the film. Good job rookie. Hell, even some of the older characters that appear didn't even need to be here.  Like David's father. You know, the Jewish stereotype from the first movie.  What the heck is he doing in this film? His role serves absolutely no purpose to the story. He could have been killed off, or cut from the film entirely, and the story would literally be no different. Honestly, the only two characters that I found even remotely likable in this film were Brent Spiner, and Jeff Goldblum's characters, which I'm sorry to say, I can't exactly remember Brent Spiner's character name. I was actually surprised to see him in this film, as the first film gives you the idea that his character was killed. 

Another disappointing thing about Resurgence is that the soundtrack...is nowhere NEAR on par with that of the first film. I kinda saw this coming.  Much respect to Harold Kloser, he did fantastic music for "The Day After Tomorrow", but I don't think Independence Day is exactly his strongsuit here. While the soundtrack has its moments, there is nothing that really carries the scene, like David Palmer's score does in the first film. Sure you hear the classic theme at the end credits, and a couple times in the film, but it seems a bit out of place. The soundtrack of the first film pushes forward that the film is meant to be taken lightly, and strictly for fun.  This seems more like a serious alien invasion film, and Roland Emmerich, I love the guy, but he's not capable of doing that.  And with a subplot that I won't give away here in this movie, which is just baiting for yet another sequel at the end of this film, I'm not sure I exactly like where this series is going. The final words of this film are literally "We're going to be kicking some serious alien ass." Right there, they might as well put in bold letering "See you in Independence Day 3! Right after we do an unnecessary reboot of the Stargate film!" 

I may be hampering down on this film, as if I hate it, but truth is, I don't. As I said, Roland Emmerich's mastery of visual effects is still present. When we see the action, it can be absolutely mind blowing at times.  The alien's field of gravity, altering that of objects in it's vicinity (which seems improbable, but it looks gorgeous) is absolutely mind boggling. The combat, both in the air and on the ground is as fun as it always was and towards the end, I got feelings that I would get from watching a Godzilla movie. When the action gets going in this film, we can finally get that sense of light-hearted fun that the first movie portrays.  It's just a damn shame that those moments just aren't nearly as present as they are in the first film. Maybe the charm of Will Smith really WAS needed here?  I may be putting too much thought into this movie.  Maybe I wasn't exactly fully prepared to see this movie in the way that I should have.  I guess I like Independence Day to the point where getting this sequel was something I expected Roland to hit dead on target.  I mean...this is something he has a lot of fun ideas with. Lately, he's been trying to hammer home films that touch on global warming or homosexual issues, and he's missing the target.  Seeing him go back into the territory that he's good at, and missing the target at times, makes me wonder if the guy needs to take a break.  I don't know.  

Independence Day: Resurgence scores a two and a half star rating out of four for me. The action and visuals carry the film where the story, and characters do not. But the overall story is forgettable, and the fact that it is just begging for a sequel just makes me slightly annoyed. I know this sequel wasn't needed, but we should have seen it coming. I was hoping for something along the lines of likability in the first film, and while I enjoyed it for what it was, it needed more of the magic the first film had.  Whether that was better music, stronger characters, a more familiar story...whatever it was. If you were to ask me if you should see it right away?  Honestly that would depend. If you want a good action movie with little story, sure, go ahead.  If you're hoping for a worthy sequel, I'd save the money. Rent it or see it in a cheaper theater. It breaks my heart to say that, but if Roland expects me to be merciful just because he's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me...he's gonna have to impress me with this upcoming sequel that we'll probably see in a few years...don't let me down Roland.

Please feel free to suggest any movies for me to have a look at down below. Leave a comment describing your own thoughts on the film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 2.5/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Independence Day

This week, we get a sequel, granted none of us really asked for, but will probably go see anyway, because it'll probably be boatloads of fun. I've said it before, but director Roland Emmerich is a director I call a huge guilty pleasure. He is by no means, a guy who crafts a masterpiece, but I don't think anyone can deny he has a lot of fun ideas, and a lot of fun movies. Whether it was the 1994 sci-fi film "Stargate", the 2004 disaster movie "The Day After Tomorrow", the 2013 shoot'em up thriller "White House Down", heck some of you, myself included might even find some fun in his reimagining of 1998's "Godzilla".  And I'm sure a lot of us find his classic fourth of july alien shoot-em up movie, "Independence Day" as a popcorn classic to pop in and just enjoy around this time of the year.  Why is this?  Who knows?  Nearly every movie by Roland Emmerich that I've seen, (all of the above, plus "The Patriot", and "2012") have something in them to enjoy.  They are all predictable, clichéd, silly, dumb fun.   And "Independence Day: Resurgence" will be no different. I'm looking forward to it none the less.  So let's take another look at the movie that started it all.

The first time I saw this movie was ironically enough, when I was in high school I believe. I'd not seen it in theaters, and it wasn't in our family movie collection.  I saw Day After Tomorrow before I saw Independence Day. And well...when I finally got the chance, I loved it. Of course, I've since grown up a bit and am able to tell for the most part what makes a movie good or bad.  I mainly look at the factor of my enjoyment.  And Independence Day is absolutely full of enjoyment, even amongst it's many many...many flaws in it's black and white character stereotypes, predictable elements of storytelling, and overdramatic clichéd reveals. The story is one that's been told a hundred times before, of aliens who come from billions of light-years away, all the way out to Earth, out in the middle of nowhere, and decide to exterminate the human race. The story has been told for decades, the only difference is that this one takes place on the Fourth of July.

But I will give the movie credit, where credit is due, it tells it in it'sown fun little way, that makes the film a blast to watch from beginning to end.  Even when the film falls on its face, there's something to enjoy.  For one thing, the ways we are introduced to the multiple characters in this movie is by no means, that good.  Right off the bat, we all see that stereotype they are meant to signify.  And if the characters aren't two dimensional enough, the story itself gives you so many of the typical plot elements in your typical alien invasion story, that you wonder if they even tried to write something original.  From a drunken redneck pilot who claims to have been kidnapped by aliens years ago (and may or may not be right in this movie), to aliens moving to exterminate all life on this land, to Area 51 of all things. There are some silly things in this movie that may make you rub your head a bit, but with how fun it's all executed, you can't help but just keep watching. Some of the performances of these characters, as goofy as some can be are actually very fun to watch.  Brent Spiner outside his normal role as Data is an absolute riot at times. And Dr. Ian Malcom...I mean Jeff Goldblum is a riot when you catch him acting just like his Jurassic Park role.  I mean come on, he straight up says a line straight from the movie. And of course there's the always likable Will Smith, who can just carry the show at times. Paired with Jeff, they can be downright funny. And of course you got Bill Pullman, responsible for delivering the most likable cheesiest movie scene in American Cinema history. 

On the legitly good aspects of this movie, the effects strangely still hold up. I'm not even kidding either. When you see the alien ships, as bland as they look, raining their destructive beams down on major cities all across the globlee, from New York City, to Washington D.C., it is just something you sit back and enjoy from start to finish. Yeah, even in these scenes they manage to practically invent the "save te dog" cliché, and throw in some levels of goofiness, but the wall of flame is still very cool to watch. And the action, oh my God, the action. Watching fighter jets taking on swarms of alien fighters is nothing short of absolute fun. DUring these scenes, you can feel the excitement in your chair, and at times you will actually feel like you are in the scene itself.  If you manage to do that with me, you get massive points. I love immersive scenes like that. And the music that backs these scenes up is absolutely incredible.  I must give a huge props to David Arnold for his musical score. ESPECIALLY during the last fight.  THe pacing and heroic tones that music has gives me chills down my spine.

All in all, there's a lot of good, and a lot of bad things about Independence Day that are pretty much universally known by this point, but what makes Independence Day so special is the fact that it pretty much knows how to tell a good alien invasion story, without taking itself too seriously.  It doesn't need to be on the levels of things like District 9 in order to be enjoyed.  Every goofy aspect, every laughable line, every silly character fits nearly perfectly in this silly movie, and though critics are divided, I think most of us can say, "Hey, there's something to enjoy in this movie." And when the film hits the target, it really does shine in ways that make it more unique than other alien flicks. To date, I cannot think of any other go-to alien shoot-em up movie that I'd rather see. I only enjoy it more each time I see it, I always find something to criticize or praise whenever I see it, and you can bet your ass I'm looking foward to seeing the undoubtedly silly sequel that comes out in only a few days.

Independence Day scores a three star rating out of four. Despite it's many faults, which can at times be somewhat annoying to the point where you're wondering if that really happened, the fun that this film is most successful at portraying will make you forget most annoyances. It's an alien invasion film with the title Independence Day, I think we all should know what to expect. It's Roland Emmerich. It isn't gonna be a masterpiece by any means, but man does he know how to entertain the masses. If you're one of the few out there who hasn't given this movie a chance?  If you're into sci-fi, check it out if you're in the mood for one of the funnest films out there in the genre. It's got plenty of action, plenty of humor, and plenty of aliens. And it's probably one of the most American movies I can think of. Coming from a German director, I think that's the best irony out there.

Feel free to request a movie for me to review in the near future. Leave a comment down below expressing what you think of the film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

Civil War is what Batman v Superman is, only done right. Now granted, I didn't exactly see Batman v Superman (Superman isn't exactly one of my favorite heroes out there), but I think I can take the word of some of my respected critic colleagues out there on the consensus that it could have been better. A lot better. Personally with me, superheroes aren't exactly on top of my world. I don't know if they ever really were. They can be fun to follow, but every now and then, I'll come across that movie that will peak my curiosity. Guardians of the Galaxy did that, and I had a lot of fun with that. And that was the first marvel movie I'd seen since Iron Man. Well here I am, watching Captain America, haven't even seen Avengers, and I'm sitting here. Now I can hear some of you yelling at me that I should have seen the other movies, and I'll just say....continue reading.

Going into this, I had a basic idea of what has happened in the Marvel universe. Decently, and the movie was kind enough to give me a rough outline of peak events that had happened before this movie. Climactic events from the Avengers movies and whatnot. And despite my lack of knowledge at to the origins of characters like James Barnes (who o thought was literally James Bond at first...I mean come on that last name is too similar), I followed the story will enough to thoroughly enjoy myself. I said up above that this is likely what BvS should have been like. From what I've heard, the writing of that movie was atrocious, and the reasons for fighting were ridiculous. Thankfully, this film presents a clear, understandable, and genuinely good conflict of interest. The resulting conflicts make this one of the darkest films that Marvel has ever done, or likely ever will do. Coming from a studio that's never too sure whether or not to take their product seriously, or goofy, it's quite refreshing to me.

Now that's not a bad thing to say. Civil War may be dark, but the goofy moments are still there. Tony Stark's smartass persona hasn't gone anywhere, and there are a few lines that legitly had me chuckling. From characters all over the place. I honestly wish there was more of that, because the middle third of this film...drags. Maybe it's my fault for drinking too much coke, but in the middle of this film, the setup is painfully slow. I understand that you need buildup, and you don't just show fists, but there were times I felt things could have been sped up a little faster. Because there were times all I could do was ask myself how long I'd been sitting there.

When the action gets going though, everything just goes smoothly, and at a piece that will keep your attention fully.i must commemorate the studio for giving some of the coolest action I've seen in theaters. Watching two teams of heroes on both sides collide was easily one of the coolest things I've seen on the big screen this year.  It's the climactic, over-the-top, brawl fest that the fans could wish for, with some of the most iconic characters of the universe, and even some of the newer ones.  And yeah, looks like Marvel's got their hands on Spiderman now. Because the tease at the end of the movie might as well read "Sony is our bitch." So there's something for the fans to look forward to.  

The story was easy to follow, and the conflicts of interest I will say kept my interest.  There were a few times I scratched my head wondering why certain things were as they were when there were these other factors to take into consideration.  Without spoiling too much, the condemning of the Avengers seemed out of place. And I do feel that the vengeance side of Iron man seems just a bit off character, but then again, maybe I just need to rediscover the character.  My biggest problem with this movie however....ironically is the title.  I can't help but feel that marketing manipulated this movie ever so slightly.  The concept of a Civil War is a nation divided amongst itself. The thing is, not once is America, or any other nation divided, Civil War is just one big metaphor for the turmoil that the central characters face. But...with trailer lines that don't even appear in the movie such as "You just started a war!" Or "You chose the wrong side." (Though to the film's credit, that last one is at least part of a sentence), I can't help but feel that the conflict we were supposed to believe happened, never happened.  Or maybe it's to setup the next Avengers movie?  If that's the case, save it for the next damn movie. I'm not saying I didn't like the film, far from it.  But I will call marketing out for their BS moves...and I think I smell one.

All in all, Civil War has succeeded in something I didn't think possible.  Not only has my interest in Marvel been rekindled a bit somewhat, but after the movie, I found myself going to Target to check out prices of the Captain America, and Avengers movies.  Why?  Because I realized that I wanted to get invested in this universe more than I had before.  I don't think I'll find myself buying the Thor movies anytime soon, but I found myself at least wanting to look into Captain America, because though Iron Man seems to be the fan loved character, I think Captain America has a better background and is the more interesting character, It's making me want to look into his movies...and the Avengers.  These are movies I honestly didn't see myself watching in the near future, and now I'm looking for a decent price. When your movie makes me want to look into more of your universe, you've done something right, and Civil War did more than hit on target there.  Despite it's flaws that I did find, I had a lovely time,, and perhaps, I may just get more into Marvel than I thought I would.

Captain America: Civil War earns a three and a half star rating out of four. Dark, gritty, and full of risks not often seen in most Marvel movies, it was a ride I fully enjoyed from beginning to end, even if it dragged itself out a bit.  The action was stellar, the acting, spot on, the characters, fun, and though the clichés that were used now and then made to some predictable circumstances, and the musical score was nothing special, I won't lie that it's fun to watch the captain and Iron Man during it out.  DC should be taking notes on these movies, especially since the most anticipated comic book film of the year was such a letdown.  But all I can or will say is this. If you were disappointed by Batman v Superman...Civil War will give you what you want, and may just erase that movie from your mind.  

Please feel free to request any movie you'd like me to review.  Leave a comment down below telling me what your thoughts on the movie were, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Balto

My childhood was full of movies I can point out by name, each one having a bit of a special place in my heart.  Balto...was not in my childhood. Nope, Balto kinda came into my film collection about twenty years after its release. And I didn't even know it existed until a friend I have drew some art of it. I didn't really know anything about it, but finding it for about five dollars at Walmart?  I decided to check it out. So...what do I think of this movie? Well....I like it.  But let's just say it's got it's fair share of flaws.  But the pros outweigh the cons.  It's a simple story, that is stronger than I probably give it credit for. When an outbreak of diphtheria breaks out in the small town of Nome, Alaska, it's up to a team of dogs on a dogsled team to rush essential medicine to the town when extreme weather prevents other methods of delivery.  Based on the real serum run that occurred in 1925, the movie does a fun job of giving its own elements of story to make it a fun movie to stand out on its own, and that's a good thing as historically speaking, this movie isn't accurate at all. 

So how does the film hold up? I guess the first thing that I notice about this film that I don't particularly care for, is the amount of filler that this film can have.  Particularly between Balto, and the secondary character Boris.  While it can provide for some silly moments that I'll admit made me chuckle, they ultimately serve no purpose to the story.  And it doesn't help that in the beginning of the movie, there's a scene on a ship with the two that lasts three to five minutes which is just completely filler. We understand that Balto is a little down that the other dogs harass him, but was the sequence of Boris doing...dog-things needed?  Or dancing?  It's just little sequences like this that kinda make this film slightly tedious to watch at times.  Those two polar bears don't exactly help the situation either. They serve only, and I mean only as comedy relief that is very hit or miss...and it misses most of the time. 

Another thing I don't particularly care for is the clichéd, and kinda forgettable villain in Steele. Now I understand that for this movie to likely have worked, some sort of conflict was likely needed, which meant transforming Balto into a hybrid of dog and wolf breed, that the other dogs don't exactly look favorably upon.  In a way, it actually gives off a similar, but more subtle message of acceptance in ways that Zootopia did, and we all know how much I loved that movie. But with Steele and some of the other dogs as well, the dialogue that is spoken is just silly.  There are scenes that aren't necessary where Balto is just bullied by these dogs.  And you can't help but wonder why these scenes were included when half the time, most of the dogs do a 180 and start talking about Steele behind his back. It kinda kills the message they're trying to convey because half the time you don't even know who's side the dogs are on. You'll also notice how I haven't mentioned their names, and that's because of the animal characters, I can name four off the top of my head. You have Baltor, his romantic interest Jenna, the Russian goose Boris, and the villain/jock dog Steele. Every other animal in this movie is entirely forgettable.

But when you are over the things this movie doesn't really get right, the movie is actually a very fun movie. Though limited, there is some action in this movie that not only is tense to watch, it's on the borderline of brutal. In fact I can't help bit feel that the central human dog musher and a few other dogs should have died in a few scenes (kids movie I guess). The animation of this film can be near flawless at times, with certain stances, or sequences that look damn near real. One sequence that immediately comes to mind is when Balto is fighting a bear about midway through the movie. Of course a bear has the upper hand, but watching the bear pressing down on his body into the snow, squeezing the life out of him, and seeing him so helpless in that situation is actually depicted incredibly well. It's these little things that make Balto one heck of a visual experience. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of one disappointing scene visually.  Even the Polar Bears, who seem a bit more....fluid than they should be are animated well enough to the point that I can't dock points for that. 

One thing I also found very surprising was just how dark this film could be. While it's not the first time we've seen a children's story in which someone was on the verge of dying, most films by Disney and other kids stories are pretty tame on the subject of death, especially when it comes to the deaths of younger characters. Yet in this movie, all sorts of children are on their deathbeds and lay helpless with their sickness, and we even see a scene of an adult building several child-sized coffins. The first time I saw that, it took me by surprise. Not too many films have guts like that. Now granted no one dies, but imagery like that can hit home with me in more ways than one. 

Another good thing I'll say about the film is the films subtle, yet central message of accepting who you are inside. While we see Balto ashamed to be a wolfbreed of dog, in the film, especially towards the end, he embraces that other side and uses it to the best of his advantage. But the film isn't in your face about it. It's just kinda nursing at you with this message, and I actually kinda like it that way. When Balto has that sense of acceptance, and does everything to get the medicine home, it can be a very powerful scene, combined with already gorgeous animation. As far as storytelling is concerned, it's got plenty of clichés that have been done a thousand times, such as the jerky villain getting left in the cold when the hero comes home, but by the time the hero returns, and the day is saved, you get a most happy feeling, and we even see the verbal human character as a grandmother, remembering Balto. While not the best scene ever written, it is good for the movie, and leaves you with a smile on your face. 

Balto is a solid three star rating out of four. Though I didn't grow up with it, it's safe to say that watching Balto, I could see why it had an audience, and I'm glad to be part of that audience. Despite the flaws in storytelling and character it can have, when it his the target, it can be one of the most fluid films I can think of in animation. The fast racing, the occasional action, and dramatic shots carry this film in ways no other film can. And even when it's off target, there's always something redeeming to find that will keep your interest. Pity I can't say the same for the bad sequels that would follow this movie. So if you're in the mood for a fun film in animation, and you can find this little gem? Give it a watch. Guaranteed you'll find something you'll like. 

Please feel free to request any movie you'd like to see me review. Leave a comment down below telling me of your own thoughts or feelings on this movie, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: The Jungle Book (2016)

When I first saw the trailer for this film, only one thing was going through my head. Christopher Walken as King Loui??? Sold! You sold me movie! Okay, on a more serious note, I had mixed feelings going into this movie.  On one hand, I'm absolutely tired of the Disney remakes. They missed on Alice in Wonderland (and the sequel doesn't look any better), Maleficent seemed pretty silly and clichéd, Cinderella was hit or miss, and with only more remakes on the way of Winnie the Pooh and Pete's Dragon...let me tell you I'm really not looking forward to the future too much with Disney's remakes, and don't get me started with Marvel and Star Wars.  Cool your jets Disney.  But this one got me into the theater, and as I sat myself down with my popcorn and cherry icee (my trademark kind of thing), I held nothing but high hopes.  And by the times the familiar music begins to play and your transported into the deep of the jungle, you realize that you're witnessing a remake that probably actually needed to happen, and you realize that Disney has finally hit that bullseye when it comes to their remake plan.

For those who don't know, I'm not that big a fan of the original animated classic of this film.  Nothing against it really, I just don't really find it to be that interesting. There's too many subplots and side-characters that get pushed out of the screen, and it's just not all that gripping of a story. The remake sees this, and does something about it, and I'm actually kinda impressed. The wolves aren't just shelved at the beginning, the villain Shere Kahn doesn't just wait to appear until the end, he actually plays a much bigger role in this film, there's action to keep you into the story, and you know...I for one am thankful that it doesn't do too much to stray from the original concept.  And it doesn't rely on prophecy! Alice in Wonderland and I'm gonna throw in Maleficent kinda do that. The people behind this movie knew what they wanted to do.  Remake a movie, but not go overboard.  And honestly, they near perfectly balanced out the original concept with their own unique personal touches.

That's not to say the movie is flawless, because Lord knows it isn't. There were a few scenes I found myself laughing at at how silly it was, or rubbing my head at because of how forced it seemed, or a few scenes in general I felt jsut...didn't need to be in at all. And I'm not gonna spoil anything, but there were a lot of scenes particularly toward the end that were guilty of this. Just little moments that didn't make sense to me as to why they were included. Okay I gotta talk a little about certain moments, so if you don't want anything spoiled skip to the next paragraph, but know that NOTHING MAJOR WILL BE SPOILED. The first scene that I really rubbed my head at was Baloo's sending of Mowgli away. When we were maybe halfway through the film. I didn't mind the talk that they were gonna do, but the whole "Mowgli we were never friends" thing was just so forced, and so...well for lack of better words, bullshit phony that I just rubbed my head at it.  Did we really need a buddy-cliché of the two friends having that kind of blow-up argument? It felt so unnatural and forced. Another thing I really kinda felt was unnecessary was toward the end when Mowgli is facing off against Shere Kahn, and a wolf puppy who has been worried and wondering about him is suddenly scared of him simply because he has the fire in his hand, and the fact that half the jungle is now in flames. It's like...come on, you know why Mowgli is there...to me personally, it just didn't fit the picture.

Another thing I kinda took minor annoyance at was the somewhat forced inclusion of the iconic music. As amusing as it was to watch Christopher Walken do his rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You", or Bill Murray break into a jam of Bare Necessities, none of it felt natural enough to make me think that the movie earned the right to be a musical number.  And the fact that those are literally the only two songs from in the entire movie, makes me think that they just put them in to give you a playful nudge of nostalgia.  A sense of "Hey, you remember this song?  From the original movie?  Yeah we're doing that!" And that's not to say that they didn't perform it well, because I thought Bill Murray and little Neel Sethi (who didn't do that bad a job for his debut on screen) performed the song rather well, and Christopher Walken...well he was Christopher Walken, but the songs just didn't fit the movie in general if you ask me.  I honestly don't think they needed to include them.  With that said, the musical score of this film is a wonderful treat.  I wasn't joking when I said that by the time you hear the first few notes, you're immediately immersed in this film.

Despite the few clichés and other annoyances that I didn't care for in this film, I love what they did with the original story.  Everything has a set purpose in this film, and a select role, and even if it can seem a little weird at times, the original animated film doesn't come close to this kind of storytelling. One thing I actually found kinda cool was that the elephants, though their role was minor, they actually contributed much more to this film than anything the elephants did in the original. The same can be said about literally every other animal in this film. Even the main characters do more. This is how a remake should be done! You don't wanna just rehash the film you're looking to do, and you don't wanna stray too far from the original concept. You want to reinforce what people love in the first place, and for the most part this film does that.  The main characters are incredibly portrayed, the casting was spot on, the added action and faster pace is welcome, and...I can't believe I'm saying this, but the ending, which isn't the same...is open to interpretation, and I actually kinda like that. We don't get a solid answer for an ending of this film. And...I like it. I like it a lot.

The Jungle Book is a solid three star rating out of four.  As far as Disney remakes are concerned, it's their strongest one yet, and honestly, I don't think it'll be matched in the near future. From solid visuals, strong character, and just an overall better storytelling experience, The remake has proven it had what it took to be worth our time. It doesn't just lean on nostalgia, it adds its own touch to what many call a timeless classic, and but the time those credits are rolling, you're already satisfied. A movie I originally was only going to see because of Christopher Walken turned out to be much more than a silly remake I originally predicted. It's got a kick to it. If Disney can harness that magic to it's future remakes and other projects, perhaps there's some reason for other things to be made in the future.  Maybe not.  I still have no plans to see other planned remakes, but I am glad I saw this one.

Please feel free to request or suggest any movie you'd like me to review. Leave a comment describing your own thoughts on the movie down below, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back

Twenty years ago, a franchise emerged in Japan that would impact, mold, and shape culture that we grew up in, particularly if you were what we like to call, a 90's kid. Ah, the 90's, the time of butt-scooters, Wonderballs, and weird dance music (hey at least I can go to my Alice in Chains or Pantera if I'm not in the mood for Fatboy Slim). Growing up in this little time Era was a lot of fun. Yeah, maybe for a time, the movies weren't exactly the best, but you know what, it was still a lot of fun. And there are certain things that were done back then that I wish were done today, particularly that of kids animation. I've long praised Kids WB, as it was my go-to channel for everything cartoon after school, and Saturday Morning. And it was the birthplace for Pokémon Fever in the United States. If you were a kid,  you were hooked. If you were older, you just had to deal with it.  I was a fanatic. The game, the cards, the books, and the show. I loved it all. And you can bet that once I heard about the movie, I was gonna go see it.

The hype behind this movie if you were a kid may as well be compared to that of a new Star Wars movie. The advertising, these weird collectable cards you could collect, the endless...and I do mean endless trips to Burger King, who had all 150 Pokémon toys in their kids meals...it was every definition of an early Christmas. I went into that theater with my friend, my dad (who I feel sorry for), and sat myself down, ready to indulge in nonstop action, fun battles, and just immerse myself, wondering what exactly it was like to be in the shoes of a trainer called Ash Ketchum.

Yeah...it's hard to imagine that was only 18 or 20 years ago.  Regardless of whether you like it or not, no one can deny the impact that Pokémon has had on pop culture, for better or for worse. It's not nearly as big as it once was, but you know what? It doesn't need to be. It was big for us, and that was what mattered. And so to celebrate 20 iconic years, I'm going to sit through each and every Pokémon movie that was ever made, and I'm going to give my thoughts in a review. Strap yourselves in guys, this will be a tough one. It's not that they're terrible, it's just that I'm going into this with the mindset of both an old fan, and a critic. And the fact that there's 18 of these damn things right now...and they aren't slowing down either. What can you do? So I hope you'll join me as I go through a marathon of Pokémon movies as I look back on my childhood, and see if the movies still hold any life.

Please note that I will only be reviewing the feature pictures themselves. That means the shorts that occasionally came before them, like Pikachu's Vacation will not be reviewed. So...what are my thoughts on Mewtwo Strikes Back?

Whether it's for nostalgic reasons or whatnot, This tends to be the film that most Pokéfans regard as the best, or like talking about the most.  And you know, for their first attempt at filmdom, it's not half bad. In fact a lot of it is surprisingly still pretty dark for the franchise. Particularly the opening segments revolving Mewtwo's birth, and rampages in which Mewtwo kinda just...kills a large number of scientists. And that's not even the only death in this movie.  When Mewtwo is conjuring up this storm, there's a trainer flying across the sea on their Fearow (God help me for remembering all these names), and they doesn't make it to the island...did they drown?

Now there are a few moments I found myself laughing at watching this again.  Particularly regarding the legends of Pokémon tears and whatnot...which serve as absolutely nothing more as a hint as to why the silly revival of Ash Ketchum at the end makes sense...oh by the way Ash kinda dies too. I'd say spoiler alert, but if you haven't seen this movie by now that's your own fault.  However another thing that kinda gets me is the missing Nurse Joy plot.  Throughout the series, we are led to believe that Nurse Joy is part of a very large...identical family of numerous cousins, sisters, sister-in-laws, etc etc etc...yet one Nurse disappears for one month, and they shut down the Pokémon Center she's a part of? Couldn't transfer another employee temporarily at all?  I'm certain they got someone laying around...

Team Rocket...While we'll get to their roles in these movies, they ironically have their biggest role in this film if you ask me, in which they have...albeit very small character development, but seeing how Mewtwo erases everybody's memory at the end of the film, I guess it's pretty much pointless. Though the fact that this is actually one of the few instances in which our heroes mingle with Team Rocket, and they don't just serve as background fodder for the film. Though the Vikings thing? "They mostly live in Minnesota!" ....har har har....come on. I don't think even our heroes can be that incompetent. Oh who am I kidding?

I may be nitpicking a lot here, but as far as whether or not I like this film...well I do.  You can say there's a nostalgia factor here, but for the most part, the story is competent enough, and I gotta say that the origins of Mewtwo in this film are some of the best storytelling elements of the franchise. It's also worth noting that the debate over who is more powerful between Mew and Mewtwo remains undetermined, and an iconic debate in the fandom...though future films will kinda glorify Mew. And there are some legit jokes that keep me chuckling, like when James verbally asks "Who's that Pokémon?" And the change that Mewtwo goes through in this film, from a raging angry Pokémon, hellbent on purging the world to a more understanding Pokémon towards the end is something that the fandom still holds in high respect. The message for the younger viewer is solid and understandable.  And some of the sound effects I gotta say...they sound like they came straight out of Star Wars. Pretty cool.

Factor in the classic action of Pokémon in battle, and an actually pretty cool musical score, and you got a fun movie that remains a solid favorite and steady movie amongst the franchise.  Maybe some don't like or understand it...but hey...I guess it only makes us like it a little more. All this factored in...I'm gonna go ahead and jump to the final verdict.

Mewtwo Strikes Back earns a three star rating out of four.  Despite some silly aspects, and black and white morals, and character problems, the story is still fun, the action is still pretty impressive to watch, and the message is still regarded as one of the franchise's finer messages it's ever attempted. If you're a fan, and you've not seen this film, it's a must see.  And though for a while, it was out of print and hard to find recently it's found its way back onto the shelf, even if the new cover isn't at all as cool as the old...but that's not too much a factor in the movie itself.  

Well...thanks for reading my thoughts on Mewtwo Strikes Back, I'll return next week to talk about movie two, while I search for the rest of the movies I need, and try to write some stronger reviews (I found myself slightly distracted on this one).  Please feel free to suggest any movie you'd personally like me to take a look at in the near future.  Leave a comment down below, discussing your own thoughts on the film, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3/4