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.  

Belle

7/10

In this new anime film Belle, painfully shy Suzu creates an avatar in the immersive virtual reality cyberscape U. Her new persona Belle becomes a popular web singer. It is in U she becomes acquainted with the beast-like Dragon who's wanted by U's self-appointed security force for causing destruction. She becomes curious about the mysterious figure and tries to find him. Belle is one of those imperfect films that has many great parts to it, but it isn't able to pull everything into a compelling whole. 

Admittedly, this feels like a rehash of various previous concepts from director Mamoru Hosoda, consisting of the digital world (Digimon/Summer Wars), young love (The Girl who Leapt Through Time/Summer Wars), and beast guys (The Boy and the Beast/Wolf Children). However, this manages to stand on its own. Although U feels like it very similar to the cyber world from Summer Wars, which I think has a better design, the U does manage to stand out and feel different. The movie features a surprisingly strong critique of internet culture and celebrity. In fact, I liked some of the brief substory parts about the social media world over Suzu's story.   

Hosoda manages to produce strong characterization with a large cast. It's not uncommon for anime to focus on a character struggling with their personal issues, but the plot has a solid backstory for why Suzu is the way she is. There are many touching moments in this. 

In case you haven't figured out yet, this movie about a character named Belle and and a beast-like character is a clear allusion to the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Admittedly, there are points in the film where they adhere a little too closely too the tale and feels a bit obvious, but ultimately the movie isn't married to the concept when it comes to the endgame. I was taken by surprised by what the movie was really going for, and I congratulate it for that. 

The movie's strengths can be its weaknesses. There are TOO many characters, though they've all got personality, and too much stuff going on that stretches things out. The movie doesn't need to be two hours and one minute. I got bored with parts, especially the hundredth scene of Suzu being insecure. (I'm looking at this from a film pacing perspective. I confess that this may be unfair to a movie looking at a character with mental health issues, as anxiety and self-doubt can be an overwhelming experience, and the movie was trying to convey that.) They also could've cut down on the high school relationship stuff. (Again, I may be too hard. This appears to be aimed at a younger, and probably a female audience, and as a 38-year old male, I wasn't the target audience.) 

I applaud Hosoda for the message of the film, but the ending has it's flaws. Like the film as a whole, it goes on too long. When you think it's over, nope there's more. This is one of those movies that can both over explain or under explain. The ending is definitely in the latter category as you'll be left with questions. Actions won't necessarily make sense. (To be fair, this may be a cultural difference situation.)

Character movement in this is really fluid. I have mixed feelings about the design of U. There are character or scenery designs I wasn't a big fan of (a lot of U is just tall skyscrapers), but there are other designs I really like, including the Dragon's home base and the look of Belle. Suzu's songs in this I can't say I remember them after, but they ain't too shabby.  

This is one of the movies where mileage will vary. Some of you will probably be bored, especially if you're not into a lot of those anime teen dramas that seem to be all the rage right now in Japan. Others will love the story and world of U. And, there'll be people like me in the middle. A pity Hosoda couldn't craft something more condensed and stable, for there are parts that truly shine and hint at a film that could've truly been great. 

Centaurworld- Season 2 (Final?)

8/10

In the second, and I thiiiiiiink... final season, Horse (voiced by Kimiko Glenn) and her friends try to recruit a centaur army in order to fight the the Nowhere King (Brian Stokes Mitchell) and his army of minotaurs. 

The show returns with its same brand of wacky, weird comedy. Basically for every two funny jokes, there's one that crashes, is too weird, or both. Again, there are parts where the weirdness can be too much. It doesn't feel quite as concentrated (they mostly cut out the talking butt and tail stuff), but there is still a lot of it. Still wished they cut down on Durple (How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor) being in-your-face simple-minded and Ched (Chris Diamantopoulous) constantly being angry at Horse. Like last season, they get old fast. (No complaints about kleptomaniac Glendale (show creator Megan Dong); she's golden.) 

The show keeps its greatest strength: the interesting balance between the Centaurworld and human worlds, comedy and seriousness, and lightheartedness and darkness. To be honest, I was lot more a fan of the saner, more serious stuff. The life blood of this is the friendship between the separated Horse and the human Rider (Jessie Mueller). Kimiko Glenn does a wonderful job of making you feel for a talking horse. The backstory of the villain the Nowhere King is surprisingly really well thought out, original, and dark and dramatic for a children's show.  

The seventy minute finale is truly something. It really feels like one of the most substantial and complete finales to a kids' show I've seen.

Parents be forewarned that going back to that whole darkness thing I've been mentioning there are two moments in the last episode that you may feel are too dark for your kids. I'm not trying to be thin-skinned here. That time Disney's postponement of and then adding a warning for that one episode with a scene of violence I thought was overt worrying and overkill on the network's part. Here, however... I know that Netflix is more hands off when it comes to children's programming content when compared to some channels, but I was genuinely shocked with what they allowed here.

Admittedly, there's some pacing issues. The show really pushed the episodic stories and pushed a lot of the important exposition to the very end. The mysterious and simply named Woman (Lea Salonga), who's important to the backstory and had been well woven into the last season, feels completely forgotten until the very end. Even then, it feels like she got scenes cut for time. Something was missing with how she moved from point A to point B.

Songs here aren't as good as last season. A few good ones, but there isn't the consistency in quality that the last season had.

Kinda recommended. This show will frankly be too weird for a lot of people. I liked this, but I preferred the whole more than some of the individual parts and can totally understand why many people wouldn't be able to make it through that. Still, a lot of other people will like the weirdness and story. For those already fans, the finale completely delivers.