Lupin III: Prison of the Past

7.5/10

In this latest Lupin anime TV movie, master thief Lupin and the gang try to break Finnegan, a famous Robin Hood-style thief, out of a formidable prison in the Kingdom of Dorrente.

This is one of the most lighthearted Lupin movies in recent years. The director Hatsuki Tsuji was a key animator during the second series during the eighties, perhaps a reason for it's more playful, old-school feel. 

The movie's creative in a weird way. A lot of unexpected concepts are thrown at you. Though this isn't the first story where Lupin has had to get out of a prison, this is the best executed. In fact the movie manages to be one of the more memorable Lupin entries in general as it does things a little differently than the traditional formula. (Not to say that you won't find certain Lupin cliches in this.)

Movie's entertaining, but I admit it's not perfect. There are a lot of fun ideas, but, especially in the beginning when the exhibition is set up, you also get a bunch of dialogue scenes that are just okay. Some of the random or goofy parts might be too random or goofy, especially if you prefer more adult or serious Lupin. It's difficult to connect point A to point B when it comes to the villain's plan and how he or she got his or her operation set up in the first place. 

The movie does a good job of juggling all the main cast and having them interact with each other. This is one of those situations where Lupin and his rival Investigator Zenigata end up being in the same boat and have to work together. That's always fun because it doesn't happen too often. I'm liking how they handled Zenigata all together here. The script manages to include him in the main story more than a lot of other films. They also play him smart and resourceful here, which not always interpretation of Zenigata does. Interestingly, this special reuses a character other than the main five. (Lupin is like Scooby-Doo in that's it's a small gang of recurring characters.) Zenigata's assistant Goro Yatagarasu returns from Lupin series six. I'm okay with adding someone new to the formula. Since Zenigata isn't on Lupin's side, it makes sense to finally give him a regular to talk to and interact with. Though the movie might lean a little too hard on Goro's being wet-behind-the-years, he's a decent enough character who's endearing in his earnestness. 

Since this is TV, you can't expect the film to be theatrical quality. The budget only goes to far, but the animators are clearly doing the best with what they have. Especially like the backgrounds in this; nice use of color.

Recommended. Not perfect, but it's fun. Not one of the best Lupin entries, but one of the better ones. Definitely more likely to leave an impression than many of the other Lupin films that tend to merge together in your memory.

Jack@$$ Forever

8/10

In what is supposed to be the last JA entry (at least for the original gang), Johnny Knoxville and company do what they always do: subject themselves to a ton of intensely rough pranks and stunts. 

Except for maybe one or two clips, I didn't see the original show or the first three films. Never had much interest. However, the movie trailers have been shown a LOT in theaters and for what feels like forever. It got in my head, and I couldn't resist it's siren's call.  

I can't say as to whether this is as good as "classic" JA, but I found it to be hilarious. The pranks and stunts here are pretty clever, sometimes bizarrely so, and delightfully violent. (Yes, I'm aware I am taking pleasure from people royally messing themselves up, which might have terrible long term effects on them later in life. I'm not proud of this.) The guys are having fun and their merriment is infectious. 

Be prepared for a lot of male genitalia in this. I mean a LOT. Also, there's a lot of gross stuff. (Not a fan of that part.) I was not expecting to see so much poop, or any poop at all. Weird thing is, there's more poop in this than vomit. I'd have thought it'd be the other way around. Live and learn.

The pacing in this is really tight as we're competently switch from one prank or stunt to the next. I can read between-the-lines with this film and a lot of pranks or longer scenes got cut. They clearly knew what to stick with. 

I give Knoxville and company credit for being honest about the toll and dangers of the stunts on this show. The movie doesn't flinch from showing when the paramedics are called in. Knoxville got brain damage from a stunt here.

Speaking of the toll the movie took, that's one reason it's the gang's last film. They're not getting any younger, and one can only take so much. To help lighten the load, the movie brought in several new faces, which I liked well enough. Again, not a long time follower of the show, so I really can't compare them to the OG crew. Understand that this is missing a couple JA members. Ryan Dunn died in a car crash (supposedly another reason this was made as a sort of tribute and last hurrah) and Bam Margera broke his sobriety clause.

If you like hardcore pranks and stunts, then this movie is for you. I guess this would probably satisfy any longtime JA fan. However, if you don't like gross out humor or things just getting weird then you'd best avoid.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

6/10

In this new reboot for the Resident Evil franchise based on the first and second video games, a group of people become trapped in Raccoon City (which I'm not sure is actually a city; feels more like a large town; kinda isolated) when there is a zombie outbreak. 

This movie can both be entertaining and frustrating. The horror is solid. There's a lot of freaky, memorable imagery. Interesting use of color in this; makes you feel like you're watching a 70's scary movie. The original RE films got criticism over the years for drifting so much from the original look and feel of the video games. This one really tried veer closer. Loved some of the sets in this. It has that sort of grandiose gothicness that doesn't really exist in American architecture and that you'd only find in Japanese video games. I also like the northern forest area, brings a secluded look to the area separating the town. (Also, I just like pine trees in films. I think they make nice scenery.) 

But as creepy and good looking as the movie is, the script is really weak. The first act exposition and dialogue is pretty clunky. The whole backstory for the leads siblings Claire and Chris Redfield (Kaya Scodelario and Robbie Amell) and the villain's choices feel really mishandled, and I really wish they went with something completely different. Going back to the dialogue, it's nothing to be proud of, but in fairness there are a couple fun lines when the movie isn't taking itself too seriously.

I recommend this to horror fans, because the scary stuff really delivers. I would've considered this an 8/10 if it wasn't for that pesky script. Just make sure to temper your expectations.

Hawkeye

8.5/10

In this new MCU show on Disney+, the retired-from-superheroing Clint Barton/Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner), on a trip to New York, has to go back into action when a shadow from his past resurfaces and ends up having to work with wannabe superhero Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), who's his biggest fan.

Of all the the MCU shows, this is the one that's just trying the most to just have fun (not to say there aren't serious parts, especially with Clint). This is a bit of a madcap program as Clint and Kate run into one big personality or out-of-control situation after the next as they keep sinking deeper and deeper into trouble. This takes place on Christmas, and the festive feel adds to the show.  Also, action's pretty good with some occasional memorable moments, though expect more street level hand-to-hand style combat than the other shows.

Admittedly Hawkeye is no one's favorite Avenger, but I'm glad he finally got a solo project. Clint's more of an every guy. What's interesting about him is he didn't go through a major life-changing event to cause him to want to become a hero. He's a soldier who sort of fell into it. Unlike a lot of the other Marvel superheroes, you really don't go into his back story and have to fill in the gaps, which I like. A lot is said about guy through actions and attitude alone. Renner does a great playing a job playing a man who's burned out and just tired of the costs of supeheroing. Plus, he's shouldering his own guilt not in a brooding Batman way, but in a more realistic manner.

The core of this show is definitely the relationship between the jaded, grumpy Clint and the optimistic, but unprepared Kate. Hailee does a great job selling the character. Though there have been plenty of Marvel superheroes who have to learn to be a hero really quickly, Kate feels a little different as she's clearly always wanted to be a hero and already has her skill set, she's just a bit vague on the details on how to do it. Also, I love the explanation of why out of all the Avengers, Hawkeye's her favorite. Excellent exposition scene.

Thing is, they do spend a little too much time on Clint and Kate. There are a lot of interesting characters in this, but most of them don't feel like they were fleshed out or given enough to do. The show suffers the same kind of issue Loki did in that it feels like they posed most of the mysteries early on and just dropped all the answers on us in the last couple episodes. What made Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier work was that they doled out plot points carefully throughout the shows. Here we get a LOT of Kate and Clint shenanigans that start to run together, and there could've been more variety in the plotting.

Overall, highly recommended. I'd say this is the weakest of the four live-action Marvel shows, but that's just compared to the others. This is definitely a fun romp with some good Clint beats and more entertaining than a lot of other shows out there.

Hilda, the Mountain King

9/10

In this Netflix movie follow-up to the Hilda series, which is also based on the original Hilda graphic novel Hilda and the Mountain King, the adventurous girl Hilda (voiced by Bella Ramsey) has been turned into a troll and taken to the mountain of the trolls. She desperately tries to get back home while security in her town of Trollsberg has built up due to a wave of anti-troll fervor. 

This has that same unique charm and old-fashioned comics-esque feel of the show. Story is well-written. The movie especially does a good job with Hilda's Mum (Daisy Ridley), really selling her desperation for reuniting with her daughter. Hilda's been switched with a troll child, and I'm pleased that this isn't a case of their minds being switched. One's now a troll and one's now a human. Mind-swapping is such a cliche and by avoiding it we don't have to waist time with characters figuring out what's going on. Speaking of the trolls, though they've frequently been shown in the show, this movie really sheds light on the world of them, and I like the imagination and their various designs.    

Though you can see some stuff and the ultimate message coming, the movie does it well enough that you don't care. I thought the it did a pretty good job of warning kids of the dangers of fear and intolerance. 

If you liked Hilda's friends Frida (Ameerah Falzon-Ojo) and David (Oliver Nelson), don't expect to see as much of them as you'd like. They have roles to play and decent screen time, but they feel like they're going off on subquests. To the best of my knowledge, they were created for the show, so Hilda would have some kids her own age to interact with and you kinda need a bigger cast for an entire season of the show. They're not in the graphic novels. The creators appear to have stayed true to the original story while having the unenviable task of having to incorporate elements from the show, meaning they couldn't have Frida and David do anything to radically alter the story beats. 

This is a direct continuation to the season 2 finale cliffhanger. You'll have a lot clearer understanding of what's going on if you watch it.

The animation is just like the show's: colors are a bit muted and odd for my taste, but I love the design and the comic come-to-life feeling to it. The opening credits are a really well done sequence.

Overall, this is a wonderful film. It might be the end of the show. I'm unclear on whether their final third season deal was for an actual season or it was substituted for this film. If so, this was a great place to end on.

American Underdog

5.5/10

American Underdog, based on the book All Things Possible, tells the story of Kurt Warner (played by Shazam!/Chuck's Zachary Levi), the NFL MVP who took more years than most to make it into the league, and his relationship with the woman who would become his wife Brenda Meoni (True Blood/X-Men's Anna Paquin).

This focuses a lot more on the home life/dramatic aspects than the sports aspects. The advertising made this feel like it'd be more about football. That's what I would've liked. I didn't know anything about arena football, which Warner played before making the big leagues, till this film, and I would've liked seeing more stuff like that. 

This tries to be a Christianity-light, inspirational drama, but while it's competently made, it feels very by-the-numbers. Though there are a few fun lines, the end result wasn't very interesting for me. Not downright bad, or sleep-inducing, but I could've been doing other things with my time. The script feels like it's scraping the barrel when trying to come up with conflicts. Every big setback Warner encounters feels manufactured, and character actions often don't feel natural.

Levi and Paquin are good actors, but they aren't able to do much with the basic dialogue they're given. They give the latter a short hair cut to match that of the real Brenda, but it doesn't work with Paquin's face at all.  Dennis Quaid's in this as coach Dick Vermeil. Isn't in this much (again advertising is deceptive), but he's more entertaining when he's on. Again, Quaid can't do much with the dialogue, but he's clearly having fun and gives a lively borderline over-the-top performance as the coach.

Not recommended. I'm not saying this isn't inspirational and feel-good, but there are other films that do a better job.

Scream (2022)

8/10

In this fifth entry in the film series, but with the same name as the first, a new group of teens become targets of yet another Ghostface killer. 

Pretty clever, solid and entertaining script with a lot of funny lines. There a couple surprises. Not since the first film and its meta look at its own genre of horror movies, has a Scream film has such solid things to say about movies. This is a fairly entertaining commentary on requels/soft reboots (the movie itself), franchise fatigue, and fandom. The movie's also self-aware of how the slasher and basic violence-based horror is a dying breed in a world where elevated horror (psychological or social commentary) currently reigns.   

The attacks and kills in this can get pretty brutal. Although the big finale is appropriately violent as is the course with these movies, it does lack a certain oomph that you found in 1, 2, and 4. (I rightfully can't remember 3's ending much. It's been years since I've seen it and I can't go back. I tried once, but it's so unwatchable.) Though I like this movie, I admit that the choreography and cinematography can't match what Wes Craven brought to the first and second Screams.     

Liked the new cast. Unlike the last film, which balanced the new group of teens and the franchise's main trio, I felt this one took the wiser route and focused more on the new faces that may help carry the franchise onward allowing us to get to know them more. To be honest, Sidney Prescott's story feels played out and you can only do so much with her after a while, not to mention Gale and Dewey. Remember how their last subplot was a dull and unnecessary difference of opinions? By focusing on new lead Sam Carpenter (played by Melissa Barrera), I became invested in her. Of the new cast, I'd say the best would have to be Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Sam's boyfriend Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid). Mindy is the new horror movie expert and she is able to differentiate herself from her predecessors in that role in by having a personality that's a little too chill and laid back with all the horrible things going on. Richie is just funny; he has some of the best lines and delivery here. That having been said, of the original trio, Dewey (David Arquette) definitely has the best material to work with. The once amateurish deputy has developed into a sorta grizzled, hardened veteran by this point. 

I'd rate this below 1 and 2 and above 4 and 3. (To be clear, I'm a fan of 4 and this didn't beat it by much.) Recommended. I can't say it as good as the original or quite have the magic brought Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson, but it's another good entry in a franchise that's been surprisingly solid for the most part.