Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, the Movie

 

5.5/10

This movie version of the popular French cartoon series is a retelling of the show except it's a musical now (I guess to spice things up; best not to worry about it). It's currently on Netflix in the US. In this, young teenagers Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are gifted with magical jewelry known as Miraculous which turn them into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir.

This feels like one of those late 80's or 90's animated movies that were not by Disney or Don Bluth. Story feels very basic. Even emotional moments feel very simple. (In fairness, I believe this is for younger viewers.) A lot of this involves Marinette's insecurities which feel very manufactured. There are moments with jokes and other scenes that feel like a little effort when in, so this isn't a complete no-one-tried effort, but nothing really shines.

One may ask why retell the same story instead of coming up with a new adventure? I wouldv'e preferred more creativity, but I can understand why they might want to make this accessible to newcomers. Also, the show was still in production, so I can also see why they wanted to avoid continuity issues.

Visually this movie is excellent. Yeah, this doesn't have a Disney or other American studio budget, but this is the second most expensive French film ever made. One part of what made the show so successful is its fun look to its heroes and villains and their outfits, which clearly sells dolls, and a fanciful depiction of Paris. The larger budget here gives the animators a chance to include a lot more detail. The scenery is so picturesque and the bright use of color is so well done here.    

The songs are pretty innocuous; again that basic animated movie feel. Also, a lot of the songs sound the same. The English singing voice for Marinette (at least I think the speaking and singing were separate people) is, I'll give you that. The background score for this, well at least in the third act, is more effective than the songs themselves.

Not recommended for adults by themselves, unless they're big fans of good animation, but children will probably like it. If your kids are already fans of the show, there will probably be no complaints. Again, this has a bright and colorful look that will definitely catch a lot of younger eyes.

Hijack

8/10

In this new British limited series on Apple+, a flight from Dubai to London is hijacked. The show focuses on passenger Sam Nelson (played by Idris Elba), who has to use his wits and skills to keep himself and the others safe. 

Movies about hijacked planes have been done before, but they've never done a show about one to the best of my knowledge. Making this turned out to be a good idea. A longer running length allows more time for details, plotting, and getting to know the characters. But, the showrunners were enough to keep itself to only seven episodes so the whole affair doesn't feel too drawn out. (The Brits are usually good about not overextending.) Though the show doesn't advertise, this is kind of a 24 in that each episode covers one hour of the flight.

What ensues is a truly suspenseful work. The writers do a grand job of surprising the audience. The motivation of the hijackers is actually a mystery, and Hijacked keeps you invested in what exactly is going on.

The show manages to balance a large cast pretty effortlessly as it covers events in the plane and on the ground (everything unfurls and people are introduced at such a natural pace). Idris Elba gives peak Elba. He doesn't really do anything outside his box, but you get what you pay for. To be clear, this mostly isn't an action show. This isn't a situation where Elba's Sam has to rely on muscle. He has to out think the situation, and you want to see what he tries next. They provide a solid background for why he's so good at this.

Elba's the only household name in this, but Hijacked has a fine cast all around including a few faces you might've seen before. Max Beesley is very watchable as Daniel O'Farrell, a cop and the main guy seen dealing with the situation on the ground, who though he doesn't have as much screen time as Sam also has a pretty eventful seven hours. Neil Maskell gives a rather human performance as the hijackers' leader who's trying to maintain his control on the plane.

Show also has an excellent song selection for each of the ending credits. Opening credits are well done.

Probably the show's biggest weak point is that some of the things that happen feel arbitrary and more for the sake of the story and drama than happening realistically. Sam definitely has plot armor on. It gets harder and harder to argue why the hijackers just don't kill him. I also wouldn't have minded a little more to the epilogue.

Highly recommended. If you like thrillers where people are trapped in an area, this is definitely for you.

Captain Fall- Season 1, Episode 1, An Unconventional Cruiseline

 

4/10

I watched the first episode of Captain Fall the new Netflix show about Jonathan Fall (voiced by Jason Ritter), who's been made a captain of a cruise line, but unbeknownst him to him it's a smuggling operation and he's a potential fall guy. After this episode, I won't be returning.

If you've seen the trailer, Fall's that trope where the guy isn't liked much for no good reason by his toxic family. You'd think the storyline of his background would only be the beginning of the episode and that he'll soon be on the boat, but NO, the full first episode is mostly the family.

The problem is that the family isn't funny at all. I think the toxic parents trope is getting old these days and then the show runners had to dial things up to eleven. Their dialogue is a chore to get through.

Another issue with the show is that all the jokes are stretched out so much, which makes the characters disapproving of or upset with other characters moments so tedious.

Understand that so far this show is very, very dark. This is far more cold-blooded, especially in terms of murder, than you'd suspect.

The animation's good-looking and distinct I'll give you that. It looks like a European indie comic book. 

Not recommended. Yeah, I didn't even stay through to the ship, the main part of the story, and I hear the show gets better in the last third, but after such a botched first episode so bereft of laughs, I'm not inclined to be charitable.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

6/10

It's been twenty years since the first Haunted Mansion movie which didn't do that well. (Never understood the hate for it. I liked it. Can we at least agree that Terrence Stamp was great in that?) Now, Disney has made a second attempt at doing a film based on its theme park attraction. In this, Ben Matthias (played by Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck former astrophysicist dealing with tragic events in his life, becomes involved, based on a previous interest in ghosts, with breaking the curse on Gracey Manor.

This is one of those movies that have some good ideas and moments but fail to reach a cohesive whole. The editing is rather circumspect.

There are many decent lines but not all of them land. 

I like that this movie was more faithful to showing actual elements from the attraction and when you see the ghosts they're definitely fun and one of the highlights of the movie. They can even be a little scary but not too much for kids. You also get them early enough, so that you don't have to wait for them. However, the emphasis is on the human characters more than the ghosts, and I think that was a mistake. The movie's always more entertaining when spooky things happen.

The mansion and and the main antagonist The Hat Box Ghost (voiced by Jared Leto) both have interesting backgrounds to them. Ben's past is pretty emotional and well written. However, all the current goings on just aren't as intriguing or cohesive. There's one subplot involving a ghost that you think would be resolved, but it isn't.

I think that a problem with this is that the movie has too many characters to focus on. Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Rosario Dawson would be a dream team, but they're not. Part of it is the writing for their characters not being the best to work with, but also there just isn't as much personal interaction between the talented actors as you'd think. Sure they're in a lot of scenes together, but they don't do that much together if you get my drift. 

Lakeith does a great job as Ben who's one of the best written parts. He really is a tragic, three-dimensional character, and a fairly solid guy once his mettle is tested. Second best character is Tiffany Haddish's psychic Harriet. Her character has the second most going on next to Ben. Haddish may be the best actor in this as she really sells a someone who's often trying to put on a confident face. 

Wilson as Father Kent and DeVito as history professor Bruce Davis do their best, especially the latter who shines when given a chance, but they're given so little to work with. I honestly feel Devito got a lot of scenes edited or cut, and he probably had a backstory that didn't make it in.

Dawson as the mansion's owner Gabbie is wasted. She's just a nice mom/love interest who isn't given much to do and definitely not proactive enough. She also gets the worse dialogue. There's one delivery from her that's truly awful, and I hope it was due to direction/editing. Chase Dillon as Gabbie's son Travis is one of those child actors who deliver their lines too much like an adult. Something always feels off about him.

I genuinely liked the villain in this. The Hat Box Ghost is an old school genteel, loquacious baddie, and I liked his retro style. 

Visually, director Justin Simien (Dear White People) has a great sense of visuals for not just the mansion, but all buildings. Even Ben's small place has a distinct look to the exterior.

Not recommended. It's not a hard no. It could be a decent watch for the kids, but there's no need to see this and definitely no reason to spend big bucks on it. I'd say the original Haunted Mansion was better. Yeah, Ben's conflict is definitely better than the "dad who's too busy working and has to learn to spend time with his family" conflict, but the original's overall plot was stronger.

The First Slam Dunk

9.5/10

This is a follow-up film to the anime Slam Dunk, and a retelling of the original manga's final match. (Yeah, First Slam Dunk makes it look like a prequel. Very confusing.) In this movie, the Shohoku high school basketball team compete against their rivals the unbeatable Sanno for the championship title. The focus is on not the series' main lead Hanamichi Sakuragi but on Ryota Miyagi, the short but fast member of the team, and gives us his backstory.

This may be some of the most impressive 2D animation of the decade. I've been impressed with how recent animation, even for television, has been able to get closer and closer to manage to duplicate the specific looks of the original manga illustrators' pencilings. This may be one of the closest to a manga page truly come to life I've ever seen. The coloring even feels like the type you'd see used sometimes in manga pages. This is written and directed by the manga's original creator Takehiko Inoue, and the character design and animation looks so good in this. The movement is also really lifelike, like rotoscoping. Even the motion of faceless background characters in the crowd look good.

Characters have a 2D1/2 look to them and sometimes the use of this juxtaposed against regular 2D backgrounds or the use of CGI in general can look a little off sometimes. Also, the coloring of character's hair tapering off at the border of the their heads can look weird. However, none of these issues are deal breakers.

Direction itself is so tight. The baseball scenes are intricately executed. The movie makes you feel the tension at the end and the struggle the players go through against such a powerful team. You don't notice at first, but it becomes apparent as things heat up that the music and sound editing also really complement the game. I loved how the gym (or whatever facility, it's never specified) they're in looks. The flashback scenes for Ryoto also have fine detail that help tell the story.

What differentiates this from other sports movies is that the current plot all takes place during one game; no series of matches building up and not even scenes of the characters preparing beforehand or entering the facility. It turns out that focusing on only one game can really work. It doesn't feel drawn out or boring (in fact things pick up as the game goes on) and really shows the stress and passion that one can have in playing a very important game.

It's a pleasant surprise that the rival team isn't portrayed, as they are often stereotypically done in American movies and television, as jerks, or its coach as an angry or corrupt guy who's consumed with winning. Sure they're a little overconfident with their success and not as charming as their leads, but that's it. They're true athletic forces on the court and that's all they need, and the coach is a shrewd operator.

Ryota's story, though admittedly can't match the game itself, is a well told tale of rising above tragedy and the relationship between him and his mother is something I hadn't seen done in quite this way before. 

The movie works well enough for first time watchers. (I've read that that was Inoue's intent.) You're just thrown in and don't get a lot of backstory on characters, but they tend to fit basic types, so it doesn't take a lot of work to figure what these characters are about.

The back-and-forth between timelines can get a little annoying. For the first half, I was hoping the game scenes would switch back to the flashbacks, so I wanted to see how story points would be resolved or answered and for the second half, I wanted to keep watching the game because I'd gotten so involved. The past scenes also could've been shorter. I commend the movie for saying a lot with little or no dialogue, but it still could've been streamlined.

Fans of the original manga and anime may be disappointed that they've been waiting for the finale to be animated for years, and it turns out to not be a pure adaptation. You don't get to see much of a follow-up after the game (which I assumed would be in the manga). Most importantly, if you were following Sakuragi all this time, you'd might be frustrated that he's second fiddle in the culmination of his story.

Highly recommended. This may be the best sports movie I've ever seen and it looks amazing. I've never been so drawn into a fictional sports match before this.

Secret Invasion

6.5/10

In this new Marvel limited series on Disney+ based on the comics storyline, Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) must deal with a secret rebellion planned by rogue Skrulls, alien shapeshifters, refugees who've been living on Earth for decades and are tired of their hidden status and Fury not realizing his promise to find them a new homeworld.

Secret Invasion is a mixed bag. On one hand they're truly surprising reveals, great scenes and character moments or deliveries, and solid action. The sociopolitical history of the Skrulls is interesting. I also give this credit for being one of the darkest and most violent MCU entries.

On the other hand, the story doesn't go to places as good as you've set up in your mind. Everybody's motives are explained, but it always feels like they needed more time or flashbacks to explain things. It really feels like time wasn't properly utilized. Some of the big risks the writers take do not pay off. I definitely wanted more from the conclusion.

It may have been a miscalculation to center the entire show around Fury. For a show about a global plot, this may've worked better as an ensemble show darting back and forth between various players to get a better look at the big picture.

We don't get Fury in the prime of his energy here. Don't get me wrong, this is Samuel Jackson, so he gives a fine performance, but it's as a world-wearier Fury (who was kinda world-weary to begin with) haunted by his failings. Fury has a long history working with the Skrulls, and I applaud the writers for having him have real mixed feelings about how events have turned out.

Ben Mendelsohn returns as Fury's ally the Skrull Talos. He's one of the high points of this as the most optimistic character in the show. He's got a great dynamic with Fury, and you get the feeling that they've been work friends for years. Mendelsohn often gets typecast as villains, and he's clearly jumping at the chance to play a good guy.

Olivia Coleman is both funny yet kinda scary as Sonya Falsworth, Fury's British counterpart who's always cheery and level-headed, yet easily mows down the enemy without mercy. Sort of a lawful chaotic character.

I wouldn't say Skrull terrorist leader Gavrik is one of the top Marvel villains, but his actor Kingsley Ben-Adir (who was recently the loyal friend to the main Ken in the Barbie movie) iss clearly talented and when the script gives him the chance to shine, he sure does. His final confrontation with Fury is one of the highlights of the show.

If you're expecting so see a lot of Skrull makeup or CGI, prepare to be disappointed. Disney is clearly saving on money by having them appear in human form as much as possible. 

The opening credits are controversial because they used AI to create them (though, they say that actual creatives oversaw the whole affair). I must say that I haven't had an open credits catch my attention like this in some time. (With the exception of the opening credits to Housebroken, an adult animated show about pets. The theme song is catchy as hell.) It has this intriguing, surreal quality to it that has to be seen. 

Kinda recommended. The show never reaches its full potential, but there are some very good parts in this. This is one of those situations where people will probably be divided on whether they like it or not.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

8/10

In 1969, Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) is retiring, but he's dragged into artifact hunting one last time by his goddaughter Helena (Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge). What ensues is an Indy-style chase for part of a compass created by Archimedes.

Dial definitely feels more like classic Indy than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (And I'm not trying to knock KotCS. Had a decent time. Don't understand the hardcore hate for it. Yeah, yeah, there was the refrigerator scene. Temple of Doom had Indy rafting down a mountain slope from a plane and a minecart track built over lava without melting. Suspension of disbelief, people.) Spielberg had gotten a bit tamer by the time of KotCS and this movie brings back the harder action edge found in the original trilogy. The opening fight scene in particular is just peak Indy and so enjoyable. (Admittedly, some chase scenes could've been shorter.) The final act is also definitely something and different.

This is also one of the darkest Indy films. This goes harder with civilian casualties than usual and this might not be ideal for you if you prefer more lighthearted action fare. This movie also carries on this nasty recent trend of having the protagonist or protagonists of a film series that has had long gaps between entries wind up in a worse place in life than where we last saw them. It's nihilistic, and I'm getting tired of it. In fairness, this plot point does have its reasons and does emotionally resonate more than with other films of this type.

There is one unresolved plothole that's impossible to ignore. I don't know what they were thinking with letting that string hang.

Harrison Ford is 81 years old, and he still KILLS it as Indy. Yeah, he isn't able to get into physical fights with people now (I congratulate the film on being completely realistic that Indy's gotten old), but he still has that energy and sheer passion he holds for archaeology. This movie does something that no other film really does: it shows Indy being truly emotional and honest and again Ford KILLS the performance here. You may argue that the IJ saga should've stayed a trilogy, but I thinks it's Indy's dramatic scenes here that justify the film.

Phoebe-Waller works well as a sharp-tongued comedic foil/sidekick for Indy. She's merely interested in profit which easily conflicts with the more noble Indy. (Yes, yes, Indiana should probably return artifacts to their countries of origin. Let's not get into that.) 

Antagonists are also stronger than in KotCS. Mads Mikllelson is the villain, former Nazi scientist Dr. Voller. Yeah, American films tend to typecast Mikkelson as the baddie, and he's got greater range than that, but he does do it well. Here he manages to make Voller different than some of his previous roles by adding a little dimension to the character than just being calmly evil. (Admittedly I haven't seen his Gindewald, so I can't comment on that.) Voller is clearly fueled by a desperate urgency in his search for the compass. He's also got a couple henchmen, the typical one who's HUGE and the typical one who's got a mouth on him, and they work pretty well.

Movie looks pretty nice. Yeah, I miss the more practical effects and natural lighting of the original trilogy, but the computer animation and artificial look isn't as in your face as KotCS. There are a lot of exotic locales here (perhaps too much) and director James Mangold (Girl Interrupted, Logan, Ford vs. Ferrari) puts a lot of detail into the crowds and historic setting. The digital face for younger Indy for the flashback at the beginning is quite realistic and you have to focus on it for a sec before you realize it's fake.

Recommended. Again, latter Indy isn't as good as the original trilogy, but this is still an entertaining film and is definitely the most moving of all of them. If anything, watch it for Ford's performance.