Monster Summer

7/10

In Monster Summer, kids on a small island town are being attacked and turned into shells of themselves by a mysterious being. Young Noah (played by The Black Phone's Mason Thames) teams up with grizzled, retired cop Gene (played by Mel Gibson) to track the monster down.

This is one of those movies like Monster Squad (or the 1999 TV movie the Darklings; highly underrated), it's kind of a kids film, but the content is edgier than expected. The movie earns its PG-13 rating.  A lot of this feels like traditional children's fare and there's no explicit violence, but the threat is dark and dangerous and the finale is surprisingly tense.  (It's kinda like that Nancy Drew movie with Millie Bobby Brown where people were surprised with how close the villains were to messing Nancy up.) The biggest "Wha...?" about this that there are straight up references to child predators/abductors and the characters compares the antagonist to them. They never specify what child abductors do, but it's still shocking coming from a movie with more basic children's leads and shenanigans.

Admittedly, the mix of light and dark and this sort of retro old-school darker 80's kids movie feel works in Monster Summer's favor. It is a unique blend that made me nostalgic for the yesteryear of children's movies. Can't say the movie is perfect. You're just thrown into the plot and the characters. I wished Noah and friends were introduced more naturally (the movie doesn't mention that Noah has a little sister until like a half hour after you meet him and his mom; she's just there all of a suddenn), seeing them hanging out and living their lives more before the poop hits the fan. 

The look of the movie also goes for that old school 80's and 90's feel. This is the second film from Wizards of Waverly Place lead David Henrie, and for a newbie director working with a small budget, he does fairly well for himself. He uses too many closeups, but he's got some solid stuff going on too like some nice panning shots of the island and he manages to make the villain's car intimidating as of itself. Speaking of the island, they picked a pretty photogenic place to film.

A lot of the casting is just alright, but the few known actors they got for do this do lighten up the proceedings. Gibson gives the best performances and is probably the most interesting character in this. Also, the characters of Gene and Noah just work really well off of each other. Credit should also be given to King of Queens' Kevin James, who seems to be in this just to show everyone that he does a really good southern accent. (It's weird. Between this and Becky, it seems that lower budget, lower profile films are the ones that really managed to let James shine as an actor).

Recommended. Admittedly, Monster Summer feels a bit confused as to who its demographic is, but it makes for a decent watch and its divergence from the norm keeps things fresh. (Also, watch The Darklings if you can find it. It's a kids' version of Rear Window.)

Sunny- Season 1

8/10

In this new Apple TV+ show, Suzie (played by Parks and Recreation/Angie Tribeca's Rashida Jones), an American living in a future Japan where robot technology has advanced, is grieving the death of her husband Masa (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and her son in a plane crash. A coworker of Masa gifts her a robot named Sunny (voiced by Joanna Sotomura) that he created, which is a surprise to Suzie since she didn't know Masa worked in that field. Sunny turns out to be different than other robots with a stronger personality and more independence. Soon, Suzie and Sonny begin an investigation into the robot's creation, Masa's past, and his death.

This is a very unique work (not surprising that this produced from indie studio A24). It's a quirky combination of comedy, thriller, and science fiction. It's also a look at grief and loneliness. It isn't a show where everything is predictable. 

Sunny has a wide of array of varied and well-defined characters. Jones gives what may be her best performance as Suzie and really sells her depression and grief. Judy Ongg stands out as Suzie's mother-in-law Noriko, who contrasts with her daughter-in-law by dealing with her loss by keeping busy instead of being angry.

As for the Sunny the robot, Sotomura makes the character instantly personable with an upbeat voice, but her switch to anger feels just as natural. Sotomura just has this punch to her. The design for Sunny is rather different than your usual TV/movie robots. She has this cute circular, minimalist look to her with a screen that provides her facial expressions.

Visually, the show looks nice with the use of colors. The creators seemed to have a good time with the Japanese sets and locations. There is a lot of Japanese culture in this, naturally since this takes place in the country, which serves as world-view for the unfamiliar. (I mean, I hope it's accurate. White American here. If this show is inaccurate or is a thin example of Japan, I apologize.) 

Some may find Suzie's personality to be a bit standoffish, but I feel it works as part of her character and journey. The squeamish should understand that this is one of those shows where there isn't much violence, but when there is the show doesn't hold back.

Highly recommended. If you're looking for something new and engaging, check this out. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

8.5/10

In this sequel to Beetlejuice, and now grown up Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder) must make a deal with the chaotic demon Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) when her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) get stuck in the afterlife.

The Beetlejuice sequel has been gestating for a long, long time, since the 90's in fact. Winona Ryder even had a clause in her Stranger Things contract that gave her time off to do a Beetlejuice sequel if it ever came to fruition. Well, they finally did it. They made another Beetlejuice with director Tim Burton returning, and honestly this is the most inspired he's been in a long, long time. He's been cautious about doing sequels, the only reason he did Batman Returns is because they wouldn't take "no" and offered him complete creative control, but he never gave up on Beetlejuice. The reason he never faltered and regained his mojo is the same reason Big Eyes is one of his stronger latter entries, he has a genuine passion for the subject material.

This movie is nuts in a good way. So much creativity went into this with so many fun ideas and macabre humor thrown at us. It manages to do something different, which is what made the first film so popular. The third act is definitely something and the funniest part.

We get to see a lot more of the afterlife here, and it's a wild impressive-looking ride. For this, Burton tried to use as much practical effects as he could, and it really helped. If you missed the eighties/nineties era of practical effects, then you'll like this. It just feels more real than CGI, and helps lend to the movie's kitschy feel. Actor turned ghost cop Wolf Jackson, played by Willem Dafoe, has part of his skull missing, and their is just something so distinct about the colors and makeup they did for it. It may bug some that the sandworms in this looker cleaner and have less life in them than the original.

But of course, you can't have a Beetlejuice movie without Beetlejuice, and Michael Keaton's still got it. He's like Jim Carrey in the Sonic movies, he can't due to the rapid physical humor like he could back in the day, but he's got the comic delivery down pat. Beetlejuice remains a hilariously awful being. Unsurprisingly, Catherine O'Hara, returning as Lydia's avant-garde artist stepmother Delia Deetz, is one of the major draws. The writers took some inspiration from her career reviving turn in Schitt's Creek and allowed her to be more over-the-top, which feels natural as she has just become more of her major traits as she's gotten older. Her delivery is on par with Keaton and she steals any scene she's in. 

Best newcomer is Dafoe's Wolf. Though he's a real cop now, he can't help playing it like a TV actor and hamming it up. He's an unexpected character when compared to everyone else and the tone of the afterlife, but he somehow works. Torchwood/Pacific Rim's Burn Gorman is also fun as a priest who speaks in a verbose, old-school pastoral manner.

Though this is one of those surprisingly strong follow-ups made decades after original, it isn't quite at the same level as the original. (Let's be honest; a lot of Tim Burton scripts are imperfect.) First off, Beetlejuice is pining for Lydia, who he met as a FIFTEEN-YEAR OLD! And no one in the production process shot this down?! You would especially think they'd avoid something like this due to Jeffrey Jones not coming back due to his child pornography charges.  

This doesn't have quite the heart of the original and seems to revel more in being meaner. I do miss the Maitlands, the ghost couple from the first film. They were the actual main characters, and in my opinion as important to the movie as Beetlejuice was, and their normalcy and being generally nice people is what served as the backbone of the plot. The ending in particular feels less solid and more cynical. There are attempts to add an emotional element to the film, but they feel half-baked. Astrid's discord with her mother doesn't feel natural enough.

Going back to the "being meaner" part: The writers follow the recent trend for a lot of franchises saying "we need to kill more people and go for a harsher turn". (Be prepared that this is noticeably more violent than the original). If I want to watch a new blockbuster franchise film, I want to have fun, not have it be a bit of a bummer.

I felt Ortega’s talents were wasted here. She had a couple good reaction moments, but Ortega was given a basic character without much to do. The character of Rory (Justin Theroux), Lydia's manipulative boyfriend and producer is completely unnecessary. Theroux plays the role well, and he has a couple nice bits, but he doesn't add much to the plot, and you don't quite understand why Lydia puts up with him, because it feels inconsistent with the rest of her behavior.

Recommended. It's not 100% the original, but it doesn't miss by much. There are valid criticisms with the film, but I feel the spectacle, humor, and whole of it all is massively entertaining.

Suicide Squad Isekai- Season 1

8.5/10

In Suicide Squad Isekai, the new SS anime on Max, government official Amanda Waller sends Task Force X, a secret force consisting of captured supervillains, to a magical fantasy world in another dimension in order to forge relations in order to access resources.

Wit Studios and director Eri Osada do a superb job of adapting the Squad members to anime. They really nail the larger-than-life cast of eccentric characters. Harley Quinn looks how an anime version of her would in your imagination. They make the interesting choice of keeping Clayface in human form most of the time, but it works and helps humanize him, plus I like his fashionable style of attire. He also works surprisingly well as a guide for the others as he's familiar with Isekai, the Japanese genre where someone ends up in a fantasy world, and he is having fun with the situation. Soldier Rick Flagg works as a great straight man who has to deal with both his teammates' anarchy and the politics of this fantasy world. However, I feel that the character who made the most seamless transition into anime is anti-hero Peacemaker, who is quite willing to kill in the name of peace. It hasn't been uncommon for anime to have a character who's dedicated to their creed or dogma to the point of absurdity, and Peacemaker fits the bill.

The show is highly entertaining, as these wild, chaotic, foul-mouthed characters run amok amongst and in juxtaposition to a fantasy world with a far saner populace. SS fighting monsters and magic works surprisingly well. Also, the humor ain't half bad either. 

Some may be disappointed that the show focuses more on the SS than the actual fantasy world. The fact that I've haven't mentioned the place's name yet is that they never even bother naming it. It feels basic fantasy with limited world building. (Honestly, you could say this about a lot of Isekai anime these days in general. A lot of the worlds feel similar. I miss previous decades where fantasy worlds would look so different from each other.) This isn't to say that this is a deal breaker. I felt that there were just enough original characters that the investment level was met. (The harsh, serious queen of this world proves to be interesting in the long run.) 

It may bug some that the team behind this wasn't ambitious with the roster. The SS comics have had a ton of characters over the years, but with the exception of Clayface the show sticks to only ones who were in the live-action movies. Also, Clayface's constant movie referencing, though it does cement the character, can get a bit old after a while.

Animation in this is very impressive. (Wit Studios is a subsidiary of the famed Production I.G., the studio behind Ghost in the Shell). Character designs are interesting and varied, the animation is colorful, and most importantly, the fight choreography is so fluid. SSI may also have one of the best opening and ending credits this year. (The former is really stylish and the latter is delightfully nuts).

Highly recommended. The violent insanity may not work for some, but many will find this to be a wild ride. It's definitely something different.

Alien: Romulus

8.5/10

In a time between Alien and Aliens, a group of teens or young adults (they weren't specific), want to run away from the mining space colony they lived in. In order to achieve intergalactic flight, they steal some equipment from an abandoned space station. Unfortunately, said station was the host to research on a certain horrifying species.

This kind of feels like a greatest hits album. I'm not saying this does anything to break the mold or put itself on the exact same pedestal of the first two films, but this movie does the Aliens formula particularly well. The plot and characters are solid. The movie pays homage to a lot of the films in the franchise without feeling like it's derailed by nostalgia baiting (with the exception of one very obvious scene). 

But of course, being an Alien film, it's all about the look and the scares. And yeah, this does it pretty well. Alvarez works well with how disturbing the Xenomorphs are. Though I called this a "greatest hits, the movie does have a few scenes, one involving the Xenomorphs blood in particular, that are creative.

Alvarez feels most inspired by the desolate technology aspect of the first film. The space station is a Ridley Scott-esque work of genius. It is detailed and elaborate with a cold and overwhelming feel to it. The station itself is just as scary as the Xenomorphs. The music also really adds to the ambience.

Acting is decent but the real standout is Industry's David Jonsson as Andy, a member of the group of runaways. I won't give any spoilers about the character, but he steals all the scenes.

 Highly recommended. I feel this is the third best Alien movie, and a nice return to form if some of the last few weren't working for ya'.

Total Drama Island (2024)- Season 1

8.5/10

The reboot of the long running Canadian cartoon franchise sticks to the original concept: a bunch of teenagers compete on an island (northwestern, not tropical) for a million dollars.

I'm pleased to say that this really retains the original feel of the show. You've got a cast of distinct, likable, and funny characters. I particularly like the plucky Priya (voiced by Homeschooled's Farzanah Haqq). She was raised by her parents for her entire life to compete on this show. They could've portrayed her as being hardcore or completely lacking social skills, but I liked that they wrote her as positive and nice, and you can't help but root for her.

Dialogue is fun and the writers come up with a lot of crazy, over-the-top situations and challenges for the campers. Also, the show still has its gross humor, which I wasn't fond of, but a lot of kids will probably love.

It may bug some how over-the-top straight up dangerous and deadly a lot of the challenges the show's host Chris McLean (Terry McGurrin, the current voice of Snoopy) comes up with. They've really flanderized the guy with his sociopathic desire for ratings and causing suffering for his own amusement. The challenges feel kinda crazy when compared to earlier seasons and all credulity about how this show is even allowed to continue is thrown out the window. However, it's a kids show, and realism probably isn't a priority. 

Also, almost every episode seems to involve the island's animals. The characters being attacked by random critters loses its impact after a while.

Highly recommended. This is one of those shows that has elements that appeal to both younger and older audiences.

AfrAId

5.5/10

In AfrAId, a family becomes hosts for a prototype of the new digital assistant AIA, an AI that is far more advanced than the likes of Siri and Alexa. Soon, the patriarch Curtis (played by John Cho) becomes suspicious of her attentions.

This is one of those movies that has good ideas but isn't consistent. In it's defense, all the movie's commentary on the negatives of AI and an increased attachment to technology work. And yeah, M3gan also addressed technology recently, but not as strongly as the very aspect of AI itself (this is the first film to take advantage of how creepy poor AI art can be.) Also, for a movie about the dangers of technology, it doesn't feel as cookie cutter as you'd think it would.

But, it's when you get to the rest of the movie that quality fluctuates. There are good lines in this, but a lot just don't work. The movie tries to provide personality for the family members, but they aren't interesting enough. Also, the backstory and personality of Meredith (Fantastic Beasts' Katherine Waterston), the mother, is disseminated in an oddly unnatural and slipshod way. The first act in particular feels boring, because we haven't gotten to those AI shenanigans yet.

Can't fault the cast for this film, who are all doing the best with what they're given. This actually has a few solid actors in this, including several that made me say, "Oh, I like them." I have high hopes for the future career of Isaac Bae, who plays the youngest child of the family; kid has a presence. Bottoms/No Exit's Havana Rose Liu does an especially good job of voicing and expressing AIA. Yeah, she's another rogue computer program, but she definitely has personality. (She's no M3gan, but there's no shame in that.)

The film is very conservative with showing us the avatar representing her true form. Usually they do that because its scarier if the monster isn't over utilized, but here it felt more like they realized AIA's appearance wasn't working. I don't think I've been as disappointed with a monster design as I am with this in a long time. If you saw the part of the trailer where AIA says she's going to show her true face, they don't include that here. It feels like someone on the film said, "We can't have a prolonged shot on her. She looks awful!"

A soft not recommended. Like I said, there are interesting parts to AfrAId and it isn't as cookie-cutter as you'd think, but I can't in good faith say this is a must-see.