Despicable Me 2

"Just because everybody hates it doesn't mean it's not good."

When a secret laboratory is stolen by mystery villain with a giant magnet, the Anti-Villain League, "AVL", turns to reformed villain Gru (Carell) for help.  Gru has given up his villainy to focus on his adopted daughters Margo (Cosgrove), Edith (Gaier), and Agnes (Fisher), and make jam and jelly.  Dr. Nefario (Brand) misses the life of crime and quits.

The AVL pairs Gru with new agent Lucy Wilde (Wiig), and sends them to the mall to find the villain.  The mall is populated by strange characters, including Mexican restaurant owner Eduardo (Bratt) who resembles a legendary villain.  While Gru tries to save the day, everyone else is trying to find him a girlfriend.  With his Minions disappearing, can Gru capture the culprit and put things right?


Like most people, I fell in love with Despicable Me back in 2010.  A sequel was inevitable, with expanded screen time for the Minions (the Minions are getting their own film in 2015).

Like it's predecessor, this film is a lot of fun.  The voice cast is phenomenal : once again, the actors disappear into their characters and give them quirky personalities.  Steve Carell continues to nail it as Gru.  Carell is matched by Kristen Wiig.  Lucy is an interesting character, very different from her role in the first film as Miss Hattie.  She is the perfect foil for Gru.  Benjamin Bratt's Eduardo is hilarious and plays to the rafters.  Ken Jeong is funny as wig salesman Floyd Eagle-san (didn't know it was him until after the movie).

The Minions steal the show.  They get to sing together (about ice cream).  You get to know a little bit about the Minions, a few get names, and the even get a few surprises.

A delightful, entertaining family film.

Despicable Me 2 (2013) 98 minutes
Director: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud
Starring: Steve Carell as Gru
Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde
Bejamin Bratt as Eduardo Perez
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo
Elsie Fisher as Agnes
Dana Gaier as Edith
Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario
Ken Jeong as Floyd Eagle-san
Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom

The Mistle-Tones

"Under that corporate robot exterior beats the heart of a rockstar"

Holly (Mowry) loves to sing and dreams about the day that she will be able to join "The Snow Belles", a pop group that her mother founded.  The "Snow Belles" perform every Christmas Eve at the mall.  When a slot opens up, she auditions and expects to make the group, but diva Marci (Spelling) runs the group and refuses to even consider Holly.  Devastated, Holly convinces the Mall Manager (Tatum) to allow other groups to audition for the right to sing on Christmas Eve.  He agrees, infuriating Marci.

Holly's victory is short lived since she does not have a singing group, but recruits her friend and cubicle neighbor AJ (Gala).  They add lovable Larry (Rogel) and shy HR rep Bernie (Duffy) to the group and begin practicing their harmonies and dance moves, but something is missing.  Holly discovers that her boss, Nick (Moore), is a talented performer and blackmails him into helping the group.  Can they work together and win the competition?


Almost every year, ABC Family cranks out a new Christmas movie (or 2).  In 2012, they made a Christmas musical.  The film includes new arrangements of beloved Christmas songs (and the potential to release a soundtrack) and entertaining performances.  It also features beloved stars from my childhood.  Tia Mowry, best known for her role on Sister Sister and other TV roles with her twin sister Tamera Mowry, and as an adult appeared on BET's The Game.  She currently appears on reality show Tia & Tamera and Nick-at-Nite's Instant Mom.  Tori Spelling is also well-known for her television background, starring on Beverly Hills 90210, various reality shows with her husband, and many TV movies.

The characters are not well developed and can be annoying.  Mowry is the lead, but her teammates are more interesting.  The Snow Belles are mostly seen as a group and don't have any personality, with the exception of Spelling who is not likeable in the film.  The songs are good and are entertaining to watch.  It is a decent, mindless TV movie (if you don't look too hard).

The Mistle-Tones (2012) 90 minutes
Director: Paul Hoen
Starring: Tia Mowry as Holly
Jonathan Patrick Moore as Nick Anderson
Andy Gala as AJ
Megan Kathleen Duffy as Bernie
Jason Rogel as Larry
Tammy Townsend as Grace
Reginald VelJohnson as Holly's Dad
Tori Spelling as Marci
Britani Bateman as Staci
Melanie Lewis as Barb
Tanisha Lang as Jennifer
Sydney Sorenson as Amber
Jason Tatum as Mall Manager

Saving Mr. Banks

"No, no, no, no, no! "Responstible" is not a word!"
"We made it up."
"Well, un-make it up."

In 1961, author P.L. Travers (Thompson), traveled to Los Angeles, CA to meet with Walt Disney (Hanks) and potentially sign over the rights to her Mary Poppins.  For the past twenty years Disney had been contacting Travers to turn Mary Poppins into a film.  Travers agreed to the meeting, with a few provisions: the film was not to be a musical, no animation, and she wanted script supervision.

Travers is underwhelmed by California and Disney.  She does not like the vision of the creative team: scriptwriter Dan DaGradi (Whitford) and songwriters Robert (Novak) and Richard (Schwartzman) Sherman.  She has each session recorded to make sure her specific wishes are met.

Hashing out the story causes her to think back on her childhood in Australia and her relationship with her beloved, alcoholic father (Farrell), who served as the inspiration for Mr. Banks.  Can she and Disney reach a compromise with the film?


Obviously we know the outcome, P.L. Travers granted Walt Disney the film rights and in 1964 Mary Poppins premiered in theaters.  The film was met with success and was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won 5.  However, Travers did not like the film and refused to work with Disney again.  In fact, she was so upset with Disney that when she was approached about adapting the story for the stage, she refused to permit any reference to the Disney version.

The relationship and discussions between Travers and Disney was the subject of Travers' biography Mary Poppins She Wrote and 2 documentaries: The Real Mary Poppins and The Shadow of Mary Poppins.  The documentaries inspired a screenplay by Kelly Marcel, which was produced by Disney Studios.

The cast listened to the recordings from Travers sessions with the creative team and consulted with people that were there, including Richard Sherman.  Emma Thompson is incredible, an inspired casting choice.  She has a difficult role, but makes it look easy.  Tom Hanks disappears into the role of Walt Disney.  He watched footage of Disney and has the mannerisms and little tricks that make you forget that he is playing someone else.  Bradley Whitford, best known for his TV roles (on The West Wing and currently on Trophy Wife).  B.J. Novak is also known for TV (The Office).  Jason Schwartzman typically plays unique characters on film.  Whitford, Novak, and Schwartzman work well together and show a range of emotions.  Colin Farrell is an interesting choice for the father, but really connects with the role and shows the good and bad from Travers' memories.  Annie Rose Buckely tackles young Travers, known as Ginty, and nails the sadness and wonder of the role.

The film doesn't try to demonize Travers or Disney, or idolize them.  Both are shown in positive and negative light throughout the film, and they don't mind showing the humanity of the characters.

The film is a roller coaster of emotions: you'll laugh, you'll get frustrated, you might cry...  And you'll remember the songs of your youth.  Novak and Schwartzman perform a few of the Sherman Brothers original songs ("Let's Go Fly A Kite" and "Feed the Birds" are standouts).  In my Examiner article of the film, I included a video of the main cast singing "Let's Go Fly A Kite" with Richard Sherman.  And over the credits they show pictures of Travers' visit to Disney and pictures from the Mary Poppins premiere.  They also share a clip of the recording of Travers' meeting with the creative team.

A strong film.  You already know the result, but it is an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the making of an iconic film.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013) 125 minutes
Director: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Emma Thomson as P.L. Travers
Tom Hanks as Walt Disney
Annie Rose Buckley as Ginty
Colin Farrell as Travers Goff
Ruth Wilson as Margaret Goff
Paul Giamatti as Ralph
Rachel Griffiths as Aunt Ellie
Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi
Jason Schwartzman as Richard Sherman
B.J. Novak as Robert Sherman
Kathy Baker as Tommie
Melanie Paxson as Dolly

Hatari!

"You have been drinking a little, hm?"

"No ma'am. I've been drinking a lot."

American Sean Mercer (Wayne) leads a team that spends several months in African capturing wild animals for zoos around the world.  The team consists of Pockets (Buttons) who drives the main truck and is afraid of animals, Kurt (Kruger) a former race car driver who drives the catching car, Luis (deVargas) a former bull fighter, Little Wolf (Cabot) "The Indian" who is a womanizer, and Brandy (Giardon) who was raised in Africa.  The team works well together, until The Indian is stabbed by a rhino and hospitalized.

Meanwhile, the San Diego zoo sends photographer Dallas (Martinelli), to ride along on the captures and take pictures of the catching experience.  She has never been in Africa, can't speak the language, doesn't know the work, and doesn't want to carry a gun.  They also need to hire a replacement for The Indian, so they hire Chips (Blain), his blood donor who is quick with a gun.  Will they fill all their orders and survive the summer, or will egos and romance get in the way?


As I mentioned (in my Top 10 John Wayne Films), I have a healthy love for John Wayne films and this is one of my favorites!  It has a little bit of everything: action, suspense, humor, romance, and a great score by Henry Mancini.  Mancini wrote the song "Baby Elephant Walk" for the film, which continues to be a well-known song.

Each character has a personality (and nationality) and gets some funny quotes.  Comedian Red Buttons stands out with some funny reactions and little comments throughout the film, especially when it comes to catching the monkeys.  They work well as a group, but all stand out.  The animals are also a big part of the film.  The baby elephants are cute and have their own show stopping moment in the film.

The movie was filmed in Africa, and the settings are beautiful.  It is a funny film and outside of the Duke's usual repertoire (of Westerns).

Hatari! (1962) 157 minutes
Director: Howard Hawks
Starring: John Wayne as Sean Mercer
Hardy Kruger as Kurt Muller
Elsa Martinelli as Anna Maria "Dallas" D'Allesandro
Red Buttons as Pockets
Gerard Blain as Chips
Bruce Cabot as Little Wolf "The Indian"
Michele Girardon as Brandy de la Court
Valentin de Vargas as Luis

Click here to see more reviews of Wayne films.

Babes in Toyland

"I don't mind a double-cross and I don't mind a triple-cross, but see that you execute no quadruple-cross. For this, to me, is insincerity."

The people of Mother Goose Village are preparing for the wedding of Tom (Sands) the Piper's son and Mary Contrary (Funicello).  Everyone is happy about the wedding, except for Barnaby (Bolger).  He hires 2 mercenaries, Gonzorgo (Calvin) who's clothes are too small and mute Roderigo (Sheldon) who's clothes are too large, to get rid of Tom.  With Tom out of the picture, he plans to marry Mary and steal her sizable inheritance.

Gonzorgo and Roderigo sell Tom to gypsies and steal Mary's sheep.  Tom manages to escape and reunite with Mary, but they must search for her missing siblings, Bo Peep (Jillian), Boy Blue (Corcoran), Willie (Brian Corcoran), the Twins (Marilee Arnold and Melanie Arnold), and her missing sheep.  With Barnaby chasing after them, can the lovebirds get their happy ending?


I first saw this film as a child... I remember parts of the film (like the ending sequence) and Barnaby's repeated line "come pussyfoot with me" (and the weird walk that accompanies the line).  I remembered enjoying the film and decided to give it a try as an adult.  If definitely loses something with time.

The film is based on Victor Herbert's operetta "Babes in Toyland" from 1903.  The operetta was also the basis for a 1934 film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  Disney's version is very different from other versions.  The story is different and the songs were re-written to fit their vision.

Annette Funicello was a major Disney star and popular Mouseketeer.  She is paired with pop singer Tommy Sands.  Both are fine in their roles, but Mary and Tom are not particularly interesting characters.  Their singing and dancing is great, but the villains are more interesting.  Ray Bolger is best known for his role as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.  Here he is having a blast as the mustache twirling villain and gets an extended dance sequence.  Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon, best known for their roles on Disney's Zorro TV show, are funny as the incompetent henchmen.  They are a great team and do a solid Laurel and Hardy impression.  The rest of the main cast are Disney regulars.  Ed Wynn appeared in numerous Disney films and provided the voice of several animated Disney characters.  Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran regularly worked together in Disney films, although their characters do not interact in this film.  Two years before this film, Kirk and Corcoran appeared in The Shaggy Dog with Funicello.

The film mostly jumps from song to song, with minimal dialogue in between.  None of the songs are particularly memorable, with the exception of the title song (which comes towards the end of the film).  The story moves very slowly and feels twice as long.  There are funny moments and the final battle is entertaining, but it isn't enough to make up for the rest of the film.  This film was a flop for Disney (and was Disney's musical until Mary Poppins 3 years later).  Children will enjoy the film more than adults.

Babes in Toyland (1961) 106 minutes
Director: Jack Donohue
Starring: Ray Bolger as Barnaby
Tommy Sands as Tom Piper
Annette Funicello as Mary Contrary
Ed Wynn as Toymaker
Tommy Kirk as Grumio
Kevin Corcoran as Boy Blue
Henry Calvin as Gonzorgo
Gene Sheldon as Roderigo
Mary McCarty as Mother Goose
Ann Jillian as Bo Peep

Mary Poppins (600th post!)

Happy 600th post!  To celebrate, let's keep with the tradition of reviewing a musical made before I was born: 100 ... 200 ... 300 ... 400 ... 500

"Kindly do not attempt to cloud the issue with facts."

The Banks family of Cherry Tree Lane do not communicate.  Mr. Banks (Tomlinson) works in a bank and desires a strict schedule for his life.  His wife, Mrs. Banks (Johns), is a leader of the suffragette movement and spends her days at rallies.  Their children, Jane (Dotrice) and Michael (Garber), continually escape the care of their nanny, who quits without notice.  The children write an ad for the qualities they want in a new nanny, which their father dismisses as childish nonsense.

The following day the ad is answered by Mary Poppins (Andrews), who meets all of their qualifications and impresses their father.   Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way and with the help of her friend Bert (Van Dyke) takes the children on a series of adventures.  Can she shake up the Banks family before the wind changes?

I have a deep love for this film.  I grew up watching it and have watched it countless times in my 20+ years (I know all the songs and can quote portions of the film).  Within the last year or so, the film has gained a new place in my heart since it my 2 year old niece's favorite film (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a close second favorite).  She sings the songs and likes to quote Admiral Boom, talking about "hottentots" and "cheeky devils," it is adorable.

The film is a well-loved Disney classic, but making the film was not easy.  The story is based on P.L. Travers "Mary Poppins" books.  Travers published “Mary Poppins” in 1934.  For over 20 years Walt Disney tried to convince Travers to allow him to make the film.  She finally agreed in the 1960s, but often disagreed with Disney over the tone and other details of the film.  The relationship / discussions between Travers and Disney have produced a book (Travers’ biography Mary Poppins She Wrote), 2 documentaries (The Real Mary Poppins and The Shadow of Mary Poppins), and the upcoming film Saving Mr. Banks (starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson).


Ultimately, Disney made a musical, with original songs by Robert Sherman and Richard Sherman.  The film won 5 Academy Awards (out of 13 nominations), including wins for the Sherman Brothers and Julie Andrews.  The film endures as a family favorite and was turned into a West End and Broadway musical.

Julie Andrews is incredible as Mary Poppins.  Prior to making the film, she was a star of Broadway, wowing crowds in The Boyfriend, originating the role of Eliza in My Fair Lady, Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and Camelot.  She has an incredible voice and owns every scene of the film... and somehow she was overlooked for the film version My Fair Lady, but at the end of the day, she got the last laugh when she won the Oscar over Audrey Hepburn (who played Eliza in MFL).  Dick Van Dyke is funny as Bert, and gets to lead the great "Step In Time" song and dance, and he completely disappears into the role of Mr. Dawes Senior.  The kids are Disney regulars and are cute in their roles.  David Tomlinson is great as Mr. Banks.

I still love this film after all these years, and I look forward to seeing the Broadway musical in a few weeks!

Mary Poppins (1964) 139 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins
Dick Van Dyke as Bert / Mr. Dawes Senior
David Tomlinson as Mr. Banks
Glynis Johns as Mrs. Banks
Hermione Baddeley as Ellen
Reta Shaw as Mrs. Brill
Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks
Matthew Garber as Michael Banks
Arthur Treacher as The Constable
Reginald Owen as Admiral Boom
Ed Wynn as Uncle Albert
Jane Darwell as The Bird Woman
Arthur Malet as Mr. Dawes Junior

Red 2

"You gave her a gun?"

"It is America, Frank."

"Everyone else has a gun."

Frank Moses (Willis) is enjoying the normal life with his girlfriend Sarah (Parker), but both long for a little excitement.  Their peace is interrupted by Frank's friend Marvin (Malkovich), who claims they are being hunted by government agents.  The government agents, led by Jack Horton (McDonough), believe Frank has information about a secret government operation called Nightshade.  They manage to escape and travel to Paris to hunt down information dealer The Frog (David Thewlis) for information about Nightshade.

Meanwhile, top assassin Han Cho Bai (Lee) is recruited to kill them.  Han has a history with Frank and holds a long standing grudge against him.  MI6 hires their friend Victoria (Mirren) for the same job.  While in Paris, they discover that Nightshade can be traced back to physicist Dr. Edward Bailey (Hopkins), who has been locked up for decades and is now insane.  The information about Nightshade is also sought by Frank's ex, Russian secret agent Katja (Zeta-Jones).  Can they save the day or will they fall to their younger foes?


After the success of 2010's Red, it was inevitable that they would make a sequel.  Both films are based on the DC Comic "Red" from 2003-2004, created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer.  The film had the same writers as the original, Jon & Erich Hoeber and feels like a companion to it's predecessor.  The main cast returned for the sequel, with some shiny new additions and a new director.

Once again, the action sequences are intense (and implausible, but that's part of the fun) but the language is minimal.  Once again, the cast is great.  Helen Mirren steals the show and you look forward to seeing her on the screen.  John Malkovich is also entertaining.  Byung-hun Lee is a welcome addition to the cast and is a well-known Korean action star (I have had The Good, The Bad, and The Weird in my Netflix queue for a few months and look forward to watching it sometime soon).  Anthony Hopkins is fine.  Catherine Zeta-Jones is eh.

Overall, the film is an enjoyable action flick with a great cast.

Red 2 (2013) 116 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for pervasive action and violence including frenetic gunplay, and for some language and drug material
Director: Dean Parisot
Starring: Bruce Willis as Frank
John Malkovich as Marvin
Mary-Louise Parker as Sarah
Helen Mirren as Victoria
Anthony Hopkins as Bailey
Byung-hun Lee as Han Cho Bai
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Katja
Neal McDonough as Jack Horton

The Way Way Back

"Where were you Duncan?"

"Nowhere."

"That's a long time to be nowhere?"

"Well that's where I was!"

Shy teen Duncan (James) is forced to spend the summer with his mom, Pam (Collette), her boyfriend Trent (Carell), and his daughter Steph (Levin).  Trent consistently belittles and humiliates Duncan.  Duncan is content to spend his summer avoiding Trent and doing as little as possible, but their neighbors have other plans.  Recently divorced Betty (Janney) and her children live next door and continually get involved in everyone's affairs.  They also spend a significant amount of time with Trent's good friends, Kip (Corddry) and Joan (Peet).

Duncan finds a bike in the garage and begins exploring the town.  On one of his trips he discovers the local water park called Water Wizz.  The manager, Owen (Rockwell), takes Duncan under his wing and hires him to do odd jobs around the park.  Duncan is happy at the park and learns to have fun with people who accept him as he is, even as his home life gets more complicated.


Nat Faxon and Jim Rash wrote 2011's The Descendants and won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.  For this film, they decided to direct and write the story from scratch, based in part on their own teen years.  The story balances deep emotional moments, uncomfortable situations, and comedy well.  Faxon and Rash are also comedy actors.  Faxon was the star of TV's Ben and Kate (which was cancelled after 1 season) and has had small roles in other films (including several Broken Lizard Films).  Rash plays Dean Pelton on TV's Community and has had many small roles in other films and TV shows.  They have funny, but small acting parts in the film as Water Wizz employees.

The cast is excellent.  Steve Carell completely abandons comedy and embraces an unlikeable character.  Toni Collette also delivers a solid performance as a woman torn between defending her son and sustaining the relationship with her boyfriend.  Allison Janney is a delight playing a character that could be seen as annoying in the hands of another actress.  She is loud and brash, but still extremely caring.  The film focuses more on Liam James' Duncan, who takes a while to warm to, but grows on you.  Sam Rockwell also kills it as Owen.  But the performances as a whole are tremendous.

An enjoyable film.

The Way Way Back (2013) 103 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, language, some sexual content and brief drug material
Director: Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Starring: Steve Carell as Trent
Toni Collette as Pam
Allison Janney as Betty
AnnaSophia Robb as Susanna
Sam Rockwell as Owen
Maya Rudolph as Caitlin
Liam James as Duncan
Rob Corddry as Kip
Amanda Peet as Joan
River Alexander as Peter
Zoe Levin as Steph
Nat Faxon as Roddy
Jim Rash as Lewis

Frozen (2013)

"Some people are worth melting for."

The idyllic kingdom of Arendelle is prepared to celebrate the coronation of their new queen, Elsa (Menzel).  Unbeknownst to the kingdom, or her sister Anna (Bell), Elsa has a secret: she can create snow and ice, but can't control her power, so she has stayed locked away from the world.  The coronation means opening the castle gates, which fills Elsa with dread and Anna with joy.

During the coronation Elsa loses control and accidentally and plunges the kingdom into perpetual winter.  She flees to the mountains and vows to stay away from people.  With the kingdom in trouble, Anna puts her new fiance Prince Hans (Fontana) in charge of the kingdom and chases after Elsa.  But finding Elsa is harder than she expected and she enlists some help: rugged loner / ice salesman Kristoff (Groff), his loyal reindeer Sven, and loveable snowman Olaf (Gad).  Meanwhile, the Duke of Weselton (Tudyk) believes Elsa is a monster and sends some men to destroy her.  Can Anna find Elsa and save the kingdom in time?

 

As an avid Disney fan, I have been excited about this film since it was first announced.  I loved the teasers and the trailers and couldn't wait for it to hit theaters.  My mom and I went to see it and we loved it!

Frozen is the 53rd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series.  The story is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen.”  Disney tried to adapt the story multiple times, but due to various complications the project was shelved.  In 2008, director Chris Buck presented a new take on the story, but they couldn't figure out how to make the film work with traditional animation.  In 2011, they announced that the film would be made using computer animation.

Directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee (the first woman to direct a Disney animated feature film) also wrote the film.  Buck was a Disney animator in the 1980s-early 2000s and co-directed Disney's Tarzan.  Lee was a screenwriter for Disney's Wreck-It Ralph.   They brought on Tony Award winning songwriter Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez to write all the original songs.  Lopez and Anderson-Lopez previously wrote the songs for Disney's Winnie the Pooh in 2011.  The nine original songs are infectious and reminiscent of the classic age of Disney animation (since seeing the film on Tuesday, I have listened to "Let It Go", "The First Time In Forever", "In Summer", "Love Is An Open Door", and "Fixer Upper" many times... planning to buy the soundtrack).

The songs and characters are brought to life by a strong cast.  The 5 main characters are all Broadway vets.  Kristen Bell (best known for TV’s “Veronica Mars”) makes Anna quirky and endearing.  She isn't known for her singing (despite appearing in Reefer Madness, and in on Broadway in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), but she is excellent here and  holds her own with her co-stars.  Idina Menzel is known for her powerhouse voice (Original Broadway Cast of Rent and won a Tony Award for Wicked, and her turns on TV's "Glee"), and brings down the house with her powerful vocals.  Josh Gad (from Broadway’s “Book of Mormon”) brings a lot of heart and humor to the role of Olaf.  He has the funniest song (embedded below) and gets the best lines.

Jonathan Groff (won a Tony for Spring Awakening, and known for TV's "Glee") gets a short, forgettable song, but is still an entertaining character.  Santino Fontana (Tony nominated for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) is entertaining as Prince Hans, and gets a funny duet with Bell.  Alan Tudyk as the Duke of Weselton.

The backgrounds are gorgeous and definitely worth seeing on the big screen.  Looking forward to seeing it again.  The story is a great story for girls and has a nice, unexpected twist towards the end.  A wonderful addition to the Disney family! 

Frozen (2013) 108 minutes
Director: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee
Starring: Kristen Bell as Anna
Idina Menzel as Elsa
Jonathan Groff as Kristoff
Josh Gad as Olaf
Santino Fontana as Hans
Alan Tudyk as Duke of Weselton

Mulan II

"It seems like only last month, you and me were fightin' off the Huns and saving China!"

"It WAS last month."

One month after saving China, Mulan (Na) and General Shang (Wong) are engaged, to the delight of her family.  Her ancestors are also pleased, since it means that Mushu (Moseley) will be demoted to "gong ringer."  Mulan and Shang are called by the Emperor (Pat Morita) for a special mission: transport his three daughters to Qui Gong to marry the princes and form an alliance.  Mulan is repulsed by the idea of an arranged marriage, but agrees to serve the Emperor.  They are joined by Yao (Fierstein), Ling (Watanabe), and Chien Po (Tondo).  Mushu tags along to break up Mulan and Shang and keep his pedestal.

During the trip, the princesses fall in love with their escorts: Princess Mei (Liu) falls for Yao's tough exterior and tender heart, Princess Su (Tom) shares Chien-Po's love for cooking / food, and Princess Ting-Ting (Oh) and Ling bond over their sense of humor.  Meanwhile, Mulan and Shang notice all of their differences, with a little help from Mushu.  With danger lurking around every bend and a tight schedule, can they complete the mission without losing their hearts?


After the success of Mulan, Disney green lit a sequel.  Portions of the storyline were originally proposed for the 1998 film, but did not make it to the actual film.  The story is weak, especially Mushu's plot... but it is a direct-to-video film, so you shouldn't expect too much.

The entire cast returned for the sequel, with the exception of Eddie Murphy who was working on Shrek 2 and his contract forbade working on the film.  Murphy was replaced with voice actor Mark Moseley.  Moseley has provided the voice of Mushu ever since, including video games and Disney attractions.  The Princesses are voiced by well-known actresses: Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh from Grey's Anatomy, and Lauren Tom who is best known for her voice work on Futurama and King of the Hill.  They also get the best song from the film, "Like Other Girls"

 

Ting-Ting's singing voice is provided by Judy Kuhn, who is best known for providing the singing voice for Disney's Pocahontas.  The Princess characters are interesting enough, but their romances with the guys is predictable, although it is cute overall.

Not Disney's best sequel, but is watchable and has a decent message... if you can get past the re-casting of Mushu and making Mushu and Shang unlikeable.

 

Mulan II (2004) 79 minutes
Director: Darrell Rooney & Lynne Southerland
Starring: Ming Na as Mulan
BD Wong as General Shang
Mark Moseley as Mushu
Lucy Liu as Princess Mei
Harvey Fierstein as Yao
Sandra Oh as Princess Ting-Ting
Gedde Watanabe as Ling
Lauren Tom as Princess Su
Jerry Tondo as Chien-Po

Mulan

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."

"Sir?"

"You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."

Fa Mulan (Na) does not know how to fit in with her family and society.  She is rejected by the matchmaker and continually brings dishonor on her family.  When the Hun army, led by Shan Yu (Ferrer), attacks, all families in China are ordered to send one man to join the army.  The only man in the Fa family is Mulan's injured and aged father, Zhou (Oh), who plans to do his duty and fight for honor.  Mulan is unwilling to lose her father; cuts her hair, dons her father's armor and joins the army as "Ping".

The Fa family ancestors fear that she will be discovered and killed.  They worry that this will lead to financial ruin and dishonor.  They want Mushu (Murphy), a disgraced guardian, to wale a guardian to bring Mulan home.  After Mushu accidentally destroys the stone guardian, he decides to make Mulan a war hero to get his job back.  With Mushu and a lucky cricket, they join the other recruits.  They are trained by General Li's son, Shang (Wong) and the Emperor's assistant Chi Fu (Hong) who believes they will never be real soldiers.  Can they survive training and go up against the Hun army?


For their first Asian centric film, Disney turned to an ancient Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan."  The poem tells the story of Hua Mulan.  Disney adapted the story, with a few minor tweaks, songs, and comedic co-stars. Despite adapting the poem, there are a few anachronistic issues with the story: the pronunciation of her name (Mandarin pronunciation of her first name, Cantonese pronunciation of her family name), etc.

The characters are entertaining, with excellent voice talents.  Ming Na brings Mulan to life, with Broadway star Lea Salonga providing her singing voice.  BD Wong, from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, is a great Shang, with Donny Osmond performing his solo on "I'll Make A Man Out of You."  Eddie Murphy steals the show as Mushu, hilarious without veering into annoying.  He is better known for voicing Donkey from the Shrek films, but he is better here.  Mulan's friends also provide comic relief: Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein is perpetually angry Yao, Gedde Watanabe is the overly confident Ling, and Jerry Tondo is the zen Chien-Po.  James Hong, who also lends his voice to the Kung Fu Panda series, is funny as Chi-Fu.  Miguel Ferrer is a fascinating and menacing villain, not the best, but still creepy.

In addition to the great cast, the film also boasts a memorable soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith.  The film was successful enough for Disney to green light a direct-to-video sequel Mulan II.

Mulan (1998) 88 minutes
Director: Tony Bancroft & Barry Cook
Starring: Ming Na as Fa Mulan (voice)
Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan (singing voice)
Eddie Murphy as Mushu
BD Wong as Li Shang
Miguel Ferrer as Shan Yu
Harvey Fierstein as Yao
Gedde Watanabe as Ling
Jerry Tondo as Chien-Po
James Hong as Chi-Fu
Soon-Tek Oh as Fa Zhou
June Foray as Grandmother Fa
Pat Morita as Emperor of China

Thor: The Dark World

"I had things under control!"

"Is that why everything's on fire?"

After the Chitauri attack on Earth, Loki (Hiddleston) is sentenced to life imprisonment in his father's dungeon.  Meanwhile, the warriors of Asguard, led by Thor (Hemsworth), have been settling skirmishes in the Nine realms.  Thor and his friends, Sif (Alexander), Fandral (Levi), Volstagg (Stevenson), and Hogun (Asano) are successful, but Thor's heart is on earth.

On earth, Jane Foster (Portman) and her team have uncovered a scientific anomaly.  The anomaly sucks Jane into another world and infects her with an ancient substance called the Aether.  The Aether is a dangerous weapon that could be used to destroy all Nine realms, so Jane is taken to Asguard for protection. Malekith (Eccleston) and his Dark Elves want to use the Aether to plunge the world into darkness and have a grudge against Asguard.  Can Thor protect the ones he holds dear and save the world from darkness?


Marvel Studios proved it could make quality sequels with Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3, but could they do it with Thor?  Thor director Kenneth Branagh did not return for the sequel and was replaced with Alan Taylor, who is best known for his work on Game of Thrones and Mad Men.  They also chose to focus more on Asguard, with a few scenes back on Earth.  The focus on Asguard allowed the writers the ability to delve more into Thor's world and the people that are important to him.  They also showed the repercussions for the events of Thor and The Avengers.

Once again Chris Hemsworth delivers as Thor.  But once again Tom Hiddleston steals the show as Loki.  The film is best when they are on screen together, especially the scene in the hallway (which features a funny cameo).  Christopher Eccleston is a fascinating villain.  He is creepy in appearance and has a menacing voice, which is a major difference from his time as the Doctor on Doctor Who.  I wish he had a little more screen time, but he makes the most of what he has.  Idris Elba is great, love everything about his character.  Zachary Levi replaced Josh Dallas as Fandral and is a great addition to both the cast and the Warriors Three.  Ray Stevenson and Tadanobu Asano returned to their roles as Thor's friends.  I was expecting more screen time for Jaimie Alexander, and was disappointed that she didn't get to do more.  Natalie Portman is phoning in her performance and hopefully will not return for future films... she is a fine actress, but is just boring here.

This film is the second in Marvel's Phase 2: Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Avengers: Age of Ultron and finally Ant-Man.  The film had a trailer for Captain America and the scene after the credits sets up Guardians of the Galaxy, which should both be interesting films.

Another hit for Marvel, an interesting story with a strong cast (and the potential to tie-in with Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).

Thor: The Dark World (2013) 112 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some suggestive content
Director: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Anthony Hopkins as Odin
Christopher Eccleston as Malekith
Jaimie Alexander as Sif
Zachary Levi as Fandral
Ray Stevenson as Volstagg
Tadanobu Asano as Hogun
Idris Elba as Heimdall
Rene Russo as Frigga
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Algrim / Kurse
Kat Denning as Darcy
Stellan Skarsgard as Eric Selvig

TV: Wonderfalls

"Standing up there I realized something."
"You're a bitch."
"Oh, sure that."

Jaye Tyler (Dhavernas) is a loner working a dead-end job at Niagara Falls souvenir shop Wonder Falls.  She is content with her underachieving life, until the animal souvenirs begin talking to her.  They give her vague instructions to help people in need.  When she refuses to listen to their instructions, they go to drastic measures to get her attention, like keeping her up all night.  She reluctantly goes along with it, while trying to appear normal.

Jaye has a supportive and successful family.  Her father Darrin (Sadler) is a respected surgeon and her mother Karen (Scarwid) is a bestselling author of travel books and is overly involved in her children's lives.  Her sister Sharon (Finneran) is an immigration lawyer and is overly ambitious and competitive.  Her brother Aaron (Pace) is a Ph.D. of comparative religion and still lives with their parents.  Jaye's best friend, Mahandra (Thoms) is a waitress at their favorite bar, The Barrel, where the new bartender, Eric (Leitso) is intrigued by Jaye.


When I was researching Pushing Daisies, I discovered creator Bryan Fuller's other TV shows.  First I tried Dead Like Me (because it was available for instant streaming on Netflix)... but I hated the show.  My favorite character was replaced with a character I couldn't stand, and the main character wasn't that interesting.  In 2012 I watched the pilot for his reimagining of The Musters called Mockingbird Lane, which I loved, but the show was not picked up.  Based on these experiences, I was hesitant to try another Fuller show that I knew only lasted a season, but ultimately decided to give it a try.

The show did not disappoint.  It was quirky and colorful and filled with interesting characters.  Caroline Dhavernas is  great as Jaye.  She is sarcastic and funny, while still showing a wide range of emotions as the show progressed.  It was easy to root for her.  It helped that she had a great cast of supporting actors / characters.  Katie Finneran makes Sharon sympathetic, while still making you cheer against her.  Lee Pace, who went on to star in Pushing Daisies, is hilarious as Aaron.  You want to be Tracie Thoms best friend because her relationship with Jaye is so entertaining.  William Sadler and Diana Scarwid are funny as the parents and Tyron Leitso is a heart throb and very funny.  The minor characters are extremely colorful and the muses have a lot of personality (you look forward to their return).

On paper the show doesn't sound like it would work... in fact, in interviews on the DVD, the creators / producers knew the show probably wouldn't last beyond a season, but what a perfect first season.  They had many ideas for future seasons (which sounded epic), but part of the shows charm is that it only lasted 13 episodes... yes, they don't solve every mystery of the show, but that is what makes it such a popular show.

Wonderfalls (2004)
Creator: Bryan Fuller
Starring: Caroline Dhavernas as Jaye Tyler
Katie Finneran as Sharon Tyler
Tyron Leitso as Eric Gotts
William Sadler as Darrin Tyler
Diana Scarwid as Karen Tyler
Lee Pace as Aaron Tyler
Tracie Thoms as Mahandra McGinty
Neil Grayston as Alec

Ping Pong Playa

Slacker Christopher "C-Dub" Wang (Tsai) dreams of playing basketball in the NBA, but settles for living with his parents and playing videogames when he isn't playing basketball with 4th graders.  His older brother, Michael (Fan), is a ping pong champion and doctor.  Their parents (Lau and Sung) own a ping pong store, and Mrs. Wang teaches ping pong lessons to kids.  When Michael and Mrs. Wang get hurt in a car accident, the family turns to C-Dub to teach the ping pong class.

C-Dub has no interest in ping pong, but starts to bond with the boys in his class.  He gives the students nicknames and Felix (Vo) and William (Chung) become part of his posse.  He also becomes the mentor to child prodigy Prabakar (Reid).  When two white, "English heritage" ping pong players, Gerald (Paige) and Tom (Lowell), start stealing their students, can C-Dub step up and save the family?

I discovered this film months ago on Netflix.  The film poster (above) and premise had me intrigued, but then I forgot it was in my queue until recently.  The film received mostly positive reviews, so I gave it a try.  The film is funny, following the basic outline of an inspiring sports film, with some interesting additions.

Star Jimmy Tsai (who co-wrote the film with director Jessica Yu) is funny, committing fully to indifference and ghetto trash talking.  He is a fascinating lead and has great support.  The kids bring out the best in his character, whether they are forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do or encouraging his shenanigans, they are funny and adorable.  One of the funniest scenes is the game they play after Mr. Wang leaves their training (it escalates perfectly).  C-Dub is interviewed throughout the film, for a local sports show, with a perplexed interviewer.  And the writers chose to replace all cursing (with one exception) with the sound of a basketball bouncing, which is funny throughout.

The film good, but juvenile.  A mindless, sports-centric flick, that will keep you laughing.

Ping Pong Playa (2007) 96 minutes
Director: Jessica Yu
Starring: Jimmy Tsai as Christopher "C-Dub" Wang
Andrew Vo as Felix
Khary Payton as JP Money
Jim Lau as Mr. Wang
Roger Fan as Michael Wang
Elizabeth Sung as Mrs. Wang
Javin Reid as Prabakar
Kevin Chung as William Lin
Peter Paige as Gerald Harcourt
Smith Cho as Jennifer
Scott Lowell as Tom
Stephnie Weir as Cheryl Davis

Star Trek: Into Darkness

"When were you going to tell me that?"

"When it became relevant, as it just did."

While on a Starfleet mission, Captain James Kirk (Pine) disobeys an order to rescue Commander Spock (Quinto).  Spock reports the incident and Kirk is demoted to 2nd officer, under his mentor Admiral Pike (Greenwood).  They are immediately called to a meeting of all the Starfleet leaders to locate a rogue officer, John Harrison (Cumberbatch), who destroyed a Starfleet archive.  Harrison attacks the meeting, killing many of the leaders, including Pike.

Fleet Admiral Marcus (Weller) reinstates Kirk's command, with orders to find and destroy Harrison.  The mission causes divisions in the team, especially when the USS Enterprise is equipped with prototype photon torpedoes.  They also are assigned a new member, Dr. Carol Marcus (Eve), a weapons expert.  Can the team stay together and save the world?


In 2009, J.J. Abrams re-imagined / rebooted the Star Trek franchise.  They effectively reset the stories and characters from the original TV show.  It was a risky move, would fans accept it and could the producers / new cast do justice to the show while making it feel fresh and new.  The risk paid off and the producers and cast were asked to return for a sequel.

This film is actually the reason I watched Abrams 2009 Star Trek film.  My boss is a Star Trek fan and raved about Abrams films.  He suggested I watch the 2009 film, and then watch Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan to prepare... and it was good advice.

The story is strong, a nice mix of action and storytelling that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.  While it isn't necessary to come into the film with any previous knowledge (although watching the 2009 film probably helps so you understand the relationships in the film), it did help to watch The Wrath of Khan moments before launching into this... because the story plays on some of the dialogue and story from that film.  They even preserved the scream "Khan!", although a different character gets to yell it this time.  In addition, the film features nods to the TV show and films for the diehard fans.

Once again the cast is good and works well as an ensemble.  While the story still focuses on Captain Kirk and Spock, other characters had the opportunity to shine.  They also introduced compelling new characters with Alice Eve and Benedict Cumberbatch.  Eve's character sparked controversy with the scene of her in her underwear... and Cumberbatch is engrossing (as always) in his role.

I look forward to seeing if they make more films (I think they could easily make more) and what other aspects of the show / films they take on next.

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) 132 minutes
Director: J.J. Abrams
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence
Starring: Chris Pine as Captain James Kirk
Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock
Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura
Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Simon Pegg as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery "Scotty" Scott
John Cho as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu
Benedict Cumberbatch as Commander John Harrison
Anton Yelchin as Ensign Pavel Chekov
Bruce Greenwood as Admiral Christopher Pike
Peter Weller as Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus
Alice Eve as  Dr. Carol Marcus

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

"Humor. It is a difficult concept. It is not logical."

"We learn by doing."

Admiral James Kirk (Shatner) is bored and feeling old.  He, and his former crew, Dr. Leonard McCoy (Kelley), Hikaru Sulu (Takei), Lieutenant Uhura (Nichols), and Scotty (Doohan), reluctantly board the USS Enterprise for cadet training.  Spock (Nimoy) is now the Captain of the Enterprise.

Meanwhile, Captain Terrell (Winfield) and Pavel Chekov (Koenig), from the USS Reliant, are seeking a lifeless planet to test a new device.  However, the find Khan Noonien Singh (Montalban), who is bent on destroying Kirk.  Khan is a genetically engineered tyrant with superior intellect and company of loyal followers.

The Enterprise answers a distress call and are pulled into Khan's plan.  Can Kirk and the crew of inexperienced cadets defeat Khan?


As I mentioned in my post about J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot, I don't know much about the Star Trek franchise.  I respect the original series, and the legacy it left behind (and it's impact on technology and popular culture), but I don't have any desire to watch more episodes of the show (or the other films that followed).

This is the only Star Trek film I had any knowledge of... mostly because of parodies of yelling "Khan!"  Apparently the original cast made 6 films together: Star Trek the Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.  This film is considered the best of the bunch, and is the reason there were subsequent Trek films.

My boss, who is a Star Trek fan, suggested watching this film prior to see Star Trek: Into Darkness, since the films features some of the same characters / situations... which is the main (only) reason I watched this film.  As an outsider to the Trek franchise, I can say that I enjoyed the film.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 113 minutes
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: William Shatner as Admiral James Kirk
Leonard Nimoy as Captain Spock
Ricardo Montalban as Khan
DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy
James Doohan as Montgomery Scott
George Takei as Hikaru Sulu
Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov
Paul Winfield as Captain Terrell
Kirstie Alley as Saavik
Bibi Besch as Carol Marcus
Merritt Butrick as David Marcus

Much Ado About Nothing

Prince Don Pedro (Reed) and his friends and officers Benedick (Denisof) and Claudio (Kranz) visit the home of Leonato (Gregg) the governor of Messina.  Don Pedro recently led a successful campaign against his rebellious brother, Don John (Maher), who is also at Leonato's home.

Immediately sparks fly between Claudio and Leonato's daughter Hero (Morgese), who are soon engaged.  Sparks also fly between Benedick and Hero's cousin Beatrice (Acker), who have a history and hate each other.  Don Pedro believes Benedick and Beatrice are perfect for each other and concocts a plan to bring them together.  Meanwhile, Don John plots to destroy Claudio and Hero's engagement, with the help of Conrad (Lindhome) and Borachio (Treat Clark).  Can the incompetent police, led by Dogberry (Fillion) and Verges (Lenk) keep the peace, or will the party and relationships spin out of control?

As I have mentioned before, I was an English major in college.  I love literature and recently purchased a book of the The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.  In addition, I am a great fan of Joss Whedon; I love his TV shows (I have every season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly) and other works.  The combination of the two was enough to leave me giddy with anticipation.  However, the film did not come to any cinemas near me, so I had to wait until it arrived in Netflix.  It was worth the wait!

This is probably my favorite version of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing."  I love Kenneth Branagh's version... but I like this more.  Apparently Whedon has staged Shakespeare readings over the years, and this film came from that.  It was filmed in 12 days at Whedon's home, immediately after he finished filming The Avengers.

Whedon maintains the original dialogue and character names, but uses modern settings and clothing.  This changes some of the job titles, but makes the story more accessible for an audience that doesn't understand the language.  He also chose to film in black and white, which keeps the focus on the characters.

The cast is excellent.  The majority have appeared in other Whedon productions.  Alexis Denisoff and Amy Acker are great in the lead roles.  They have incredible chemistry (both appeared in Angel and Dollhouse) and are great with comedy and intense moments.  Reed Diamond (from Dollhouse) seems very comfortable as Don Pedro.  Sean Maher (Firefly) is a strong villain.  The rest of the cast is great, but the standouts have to be Nathan Fillion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog) and Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Cabin in the Woods).  Fillion and Lenk (pictured above) are the inept police officers (they are constables in the play) and play off each other well.  They get some of the best laughs, along with their underlings: the Watchmen (Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney).

This film probably appeals more to Whedonites (who were already planning to see it), but I think it has a greater appeal.  Check it out (having a mild familiarity with Shakespeare helps but is not necessary).

Much Ado About Nothing (2013) 109 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some sexuality and brief drug use
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Amy Acker as Beatrice
Alexis Denisof as Benedick
Reed Diamond as Don Pedro
Nathan Fillion as Dogberry
Clark Gregg as Leonato
Fran Kranz as Claudio
Sean Maher as Don John
Jillian Morgese as Hero
Spencer Treat Clark as Borachio
Riki Lindhome as Conrade
Ashley Johnson as Margaret
Emma Bates as Ursula
Tom Lenk as Verges
Nick Kocher as First Watchman
Brian McElhaney as Second Watchman

Plan 9 from Outer Space

"This is the most fantastic story I've ever heard."

"And every word of it's true, too."

"That's the fantastic part of it."

After eight failed attempts to contact the leaders of Earth, a group of aliens enact plan 9: resurrecting the dead.  The aliens, led by Eros (Manlove), make their home base in a cemetery in San Fernando, CA.  Their first subject is a recently deceased woman (Vampira), who attacks and kills her grave diggers and Inspector Clay (Johnson) who is sent to investigate the murders.  Eros reanimates Clay and the woman's husband (Lugosi).

Their actions do not go unnoticed.  Pilot Jeff Trent (Walcott) saw the flying saucer during a routine flight.  The Trent home sits on the edge of the graveyard and his wife, Paula (McKinnon) was attacked by the reanimated corpses.  The military are also involved, under the leadership of Colonel Edwards (Keene) to stop the aliens by any means.


This film is widely considered the worst film ever made, but it has since achieved a cult status as a film that is "so bad that it's good".  There is no mistaking that this is a poorly made / acted film.  The scenery is flimsy and looks cheap.  In at least one scene it goes from day to night to day in a matter of minutes... It is careless film making, minimal to no attention to detail.  This is clearest during a scene in the graveyard when one of the officers continually points his gun at himself... which was a test to see if the director was paying attention, the fact that it appears in the film proves that he never noticed.  This was the final film for horror legend Bela Lugosi.  Lugosi appeared in many Ed Wood films but died during filming.  Wood wrote a screenplay that would allow them to use the scenes Lugosi had already filmed, while allowing another person to play the character for the rest of the film.  The result: Lugosi appears in the film, but there are several clear transitions to Wood's chiropractor (Tom Mason) filling the role.

I first encountered Plan 9 from Outer Space when I saw Tim Burton's Ed Wood.  The film is the story of how director Ed Wood made his best known film: Plan 9 from Outer Space.  You can't help but root for Wood (played by Johnny Depp), despite everything people tell him.  I enjoyed Ed Wood enough to add Plan 9 from Outer Space to my Netflix queue, although it took several years for me to actually let it get to the top of the list.

I didn't hate the film... it was enjoyable.  Yes, it is as bad as you expect, but it is unintentionally hilarious and worth checking out.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) 79 minutes
Director: Edward D. Wood Jr.
Starring: Gregory Walcott as Jeff Trent
Mona McKinnon as Paula Trent
Duke Moore as Lieutenant Harper
Tom Keene as Colonel Edwards
Carl Anthony as Patrolman Larry
Paul Marco as Patrolman Kelton
Tor Johnson as Inspector Clay
Dudley Manlove as Eros
Joanna Lee as Tanna
John Breckinridge as Ruler
Lyle Talbot as General
Vampira as Vampire Girl
Bela Lugosi as Old Man / Ghoul Man
Criswell as Narrator

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu

Jeff Philips (Davis) is stuck in a dead-end job alongside his best friend Charlie (McGinn), a comic book artist.  Nothing exciting ever happens in their lives, until Professor Lake (Lupinsky) shows up at their apartment.  He explains that Jeff is the last descendant of legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft and is charged with protecting humanity.  Professor Lake gives them an ancient relic that Jeff must protect.  The relic is part of the key to the key to release Cthulhu.  If the pieces are reunited when the stars are aligned Cthulhu will rule the world again and destroy humanity.

Jeff and Charlie are skeptical until they are attacked by sea creatures.  They turn to Paul (Hardley), a former classmate and Lovecraft super fan, for help.  They take the relic to the desert for safe keeping, while they are pursued by Starspawn (Wilde), Cthulhu's general, and his minions.


I genuinely don't know 1) how I found this film or 2) why I decided to add it to the top of my Netflix queue.  Despite being an English major in college, I've never read anything by H.P. Lovecraft (honestly, I first heard of him until he was featured in an episode of Warehouse 13).  So I came into the film with no sense of expectation and no idea what was happening.

The film didn't make me want to read any Lovecraft or delve more into the Cthulhu mythos (although I can now pronounce Cthulhu, which seems like a victory).  It was an ok film... the leads were adequate.  Barak Hardley steals the film as Paul, he is funny and gets the best lines.  The practice battle is funny, especially when Martin Starr appears.  The other two are ok, but aren't as likeable (which is sad since they are in more of the film).

It clearly wasn't a high budget film, but they work with what they have (some of the creatures look kinda cool) and the comics are well-done.  There was too much unnecessary cursing and overly stupid humor, which sometimes works.  The ending was good, without being overly apparent... and sets up a potential sequel.  It was eh... and apparently Lovecraft fans were divided.  Many were underwhelmed, but some saw the potential.  Perhaps with a little more knowledge of Lovecraft I would enjoy it more.

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu (2009) 78 minutes
Director: Henry Saine
Starring: Kyle Davis as Jeff Philips
Devin McGinn as Charlie
Barak Hardley as Paul
Ethan Wilde as Starspawn
Gregg Lawrence as Captain Olaf
Edmund Lupinsky as Professor Lake

My Fake Fiance

Jennifer (Hart) and Vince (Lawrence) meet at their friends wedding and immediately hate each other.  Vince is a womanizer with a gambling problem, while Jennifer has no time for love.  Vince owes a significant amount of money to The Monkey (Schirripa).  Jennifer just spent most of her money on a new condo and all of her belongings were stolen.  They remember all the stuff and money that their friends received at the wedding and decide to team up to solve all of their problems.  They tell all their family and friends that they are getting married and plan to split the loot: Vince gets the money to square his debt, and Jen gets the gifts to furnish her apartment.

It starts as a simple lie to their families with a planned elopement and quick divorce, but things quickly escalate.  The Monkey wants his money within the month, and expects an invite to the wedding, along with his goons (Williams and Muse).  Jen's parents, Al (Pniewski) and Val (Griffis) volunteer to pay for the wedding.  To keep up the charade, Vince and his possessions move into Jen's condo.  And Vince's absentee father (Tom Nowicki) wants back in the picture.  Can they still pull off the fake wedding?


My roommate and I first discovered this film on ABC Family and gave it a chance, because we loved Holiday in Handcuffs and were excited about the TV pairing of Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence in ABC Family's "Melissa and Joey".  Like most other TV movies, this is not great... but it is still entertaining.  It is cliched with an ending that is easy to spot, but Hart and Lawrence are good together.  Their characters are not likeable at the beginning, but they get better as the film goes on.

"Melissa and Joey" is better, but it is still an entertaining film.

My Fake Fiance (2009) 95 minutes
Director: Gil Junger
Starring: Melissa Joan Hart as Jennifer
Joseph Lawrence as Vince
Steven Schirripa as The Monkey
Njema Williams as Pants
Ricky Muse as Truck
Rhoda Griffis as Val
Mike Pniewski as Al
Patricia French as Catherine

TV: Primeval

"Oh, God! You know what? All my life I've wanted to be in a crime-busting gang! And now I am. So... I don't suppose you'd consider giving me a cool nickname, would you?"
"No."
"I thought not."

Strange glowing orbs called anomalies begin opening in England.  The anomalies are portal to other time periods and allow dangerous creatures to pass into our time.  The government doesn't know what to do, so they call on a group of scientists led Professor Nick Cutter (Henshall).  Cutter is an evolutionary zoologist and is joined by his assistant and best friend Stephen Hart (Murray), who is a skilled tracker / marksman; his student Connor Temple (Potts) who is a computer genius and science nerd; zookeeper and reptile expert Abby Maitland (Spearritt); and their Home Office handlers Claudia (Brown) and James Lester (Miller).  When creatures are on the loose, Cutter's team is called to handle the situation before too much goes wrong.

Unfortunately, they are not the only people who know about the anomalies.  Eight years ago, Cutter's wife, Helen (Aubrey), disappeared through an anomaly and was believed dead.  She survived by traveling between anomalies and now has her own plans for how to use them to change time.  Can the team stay one step ahead of Helen and the creatures, or will the battle claim their lives?

I discovered Primeval through Netflix... I had heard of it (mostly after I watched Alice the SyFy miniseries and was intrigued by Andrew Lee Potts) but didn't know anything about it.  So a few weeks ago I sat down and gave it a try... and was hooked after the first episode.

The premise is intriguing, but I wasn't sure how they would keep it from getting old.  But they manage to shake things up each series (season).  Each series wrapped up the main arc and then reset in unique ways.  I prefer the first 2 series, but each series has good and bad moments.

The cast is interesting.  Other than Potts, the only actor I recognized was Hannah Spearritt (I have to admit, I watched her S Club TV shows: S Club in Miami and S Club in L.A.).  I want to watch more BBC shows (because they are excellent and have short enough seasons that I don't lose interest / focus, like I tend to with American TV shows) to see these actors in other roles.

In 2012, after the show was cancelled, they created an American version of the show, set in Canada.  I haven't heard good things, but I already put it in my Netflix queue (it stars Niall Matter from Eureka) and want to see what they do with the premise.

An interesting show with a good cast (the 4th and 5th series have a different feel than the first 3, but they are still good).  Things aren't always what they seem and only a few characters are irredeemable villains (which is a nice change of pace).

Primeval (2007-2011)
Creator: Adrian Hodges & Tim Haines
Starring: Douglas Henshall as Nick Cutter
James Murray as Stephen Hart
Andrew-Lee Potts as Connor Temple
Hannah Spearritt as Abby Maitland
Lucy Brown as Claudia Brown / Jenny Lewis
Jason Flemyng as Danny Quinn
Ciaran McMenamin as Matt Anderson
Ben Mansfield as Captain Hilary Becker
Laila Rouass as Sarah Page
Ruth Kearney as Jess Parker
Ben Miller as James Lester
Juliet Aubrey as Helen Cutter
Alexander Siddig as Philip Burton

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch

"And no crop circles!"

"Aww, all the other aliens get to make them."

 As Stitch (Sanders) and Lilo (Fanning) get used to their new family, which includes Lilo's sister Nani (Carrere) and Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Stier) and Pleakley (McDonald), Stitch has a recurring nightmare.  Then he begins acting strange, having bouts of destruction.  Jumba understands why Stitch is having problems and works on a fusion chamber to charge Stitch's molecules and save the day.

Meanwhile, Lilo is trying to create an original dance for her hula class competition, which her mother won years before.  Lilo and Stitch vow to win the competition and go on an Elvis scavenger hunt for inspiration.  Can Lilo follow in her mother's footsteps and can Jumba finish the machine before Stitch's destructive programming takes over?


After watching Lilo & Stitch through Netflix's instant streaming, I discovered this film... and since I wasn't feeling well, I figured why not try it (especially since it was only an hour).  Apparently there is another film that falls between Lilo & Stitch and this film... but it felt like a natural sequel (and apparently Stitch the Movie isn't very good).

It is a cute, direct-to-video film.  Not Disney's best film, but not the worst either.  The characters you love from the original are back, acting in ways you expect... the animation is the same style and there are still good laughs.  Check it out if you love the characters of Lilo and Stitch.

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) 68 minutes
Director: Michael LaBash & Anthony Leondis
Starring: Chris Sanders as Stitch
Dakota Fanning as Lilo
Tia Carrere as Nani
David Ogden Stier as Dr. Jumba Jookiba
Kevin McDonald as Pleakley
Kunewa Mook as Kumu
Jason Scott Lee as David

Lilo & Stitch

"Oh, good! I was hoping to add theft, endangerment, and INSANITY to my list of things I did today!"

"Ha ha! You too?"

Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Stiers) is on trial with the Galactic Federation for illegal genetic experimentation.  His latest experiment, number 626, is

He is fire-proof, bullet-proof, and can think faster than super computer. He can see in the dark, and lift objects three thousand times his size. His only instinct... to destroy everything he touches!

The Grand Councilwoman (Caldwell) is not impressed and orders Jumba's imprisonment and 626's destruction.  However, 626 escapes and crashes on Hawaiian island of Kauai.  The Grand Councilwoman sends Jumba and Earth expert Pleakley (McDonald) to retrieve 626 without alerting the native population.

626 is taken to a dog shelter, where he is adopted by imaginative Lilo (Chase).  Lilo is being raised by her older sister Nani (Carrere) after the recent death of their parents.  Nani is being reviewed by their latest social worker, Cobra Bubbles (Rhames), who gives a 3 day window to get their lives in order.  Lilo is excited to have a pet and names him Stitch (Sanders), but she notices from the beginning that Stitch has a dark side: "This is your badness level. It's unusually high for someone your size. We have to fix that."

Can Lilo change Stitch or will his evil programming take over?


A sweet and emotional Disney film, that also has a lot of fun... here are 4 trailers that place Stitch in other Disney films (in fact, one of the posters for the film is classic Disney characters glaring at Stitch, "there's one in every family"), with entertaining results:

Everything about this film works.  There are beautiful watercolor backgrounds (according to IMDb.com, this was the first Disney film to use watercolor backgrounds since Dumbo) that make you want to pack a back and go to Hawaii.  The soundtrack is a combination of traditional Hawaiian songs and classic Elvis Presley songs.  The animators worked hard to perfect the hula style, while the actors worked on achieving the correct dialog / accent.  The cast are funny and perfectly suite to their roles, especially David Ogden Stiers, who once again voices a "bad guy."

The film was an outright success for Disney and spawned 3 sequels (Stitch the Movie, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, and Leroy & Stitch) and a TV show (Lilo & Stitch: the Series).  Stitch is cute and cuddly with a funny voice and an expressive body... and Lilo is quirky and imaginative.  They are a great pair and the film is great.

Lilo & Stitch (2002) 85 minutes
Director: Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
Starring: Daveigh Chase as Lilo
Chris Sanders as Stitch
Tia Carrere as Nani
David Ogden Stiers as Jumba
Kevin McDonald as Pleakley
Ving Rhames as Cobra Bubbles
Zoe Caldwell as Grand Councilwoman
Jason Scott Lee as David
Kevin Michael Richardson as Captain Gantu