The Muppet Christmas Carol- quick review

I suppose since it's Christmas, I should be reviewing a holiday classic from my childhood. And I suppose I should do one that everyone can view right now on Netflix. So, I probably should review The Muppet Christmas Carol.

The Muppet Christmas Carol:
I'm not going to really describe the plot, as it's a story I'm pretty sure the majority of people are familiar with. But what I will say is that despite all the added musical numbers and breaking-the-fourth-wall commentary and jokes thrown in, the film actually follows the original novel very closely, even included some small details that the 2009 adaptation left out, including some direct quotations from the book's narration segments (Gonzo portrays Charles Dickens/The Narrator). Michael Caine was a great choice to play Scrooge, and his is still one of the few that sticks with me.
     As I've stated before, I'm not a huge fan of musicals, but when they're done right, I respect that, and this is definitely one that's entertaining. Maybe that's because I have a certain nostalgic attachment to it, but even after years of not seeing it, I revisited it recently and got a little more enjoyment out of it than I previously did. The performances by the puppeteers and human actors alike are satisfactory, and that's saying a lot considering this was the first film under the Muppets emblem to be released after the deaths of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt, so the cast and crew probably had a lot to deal with, as two huge creative forces were gone from the team, and they were probably emotionally in turmoil. But, they managed to pull through and still churn out a nice little movie.
     It's not quite as good as either the 1984 George C. Scott version, the 1988 satirical Bill Murray version Scrooged, or the 2009 Robert Zemeckis/Jim Carrey adaptation, but The Muppet Christmas Carol is good to watch if you have kids or have to babysit some, and need something to turn on. I'd even recommend it if you want a taste of nostalgia, or are just looking for a nice take on the source material. 3.9/5 stars.

  (Image: Wikipedia)



Note: The image above is some pretty great work by famed poster artist Drew Struzan. Look him up, he's done some pretty impressive work, the highlights being major movies form the 80's and 90's.

The Hobbit- The Battle of the Five Armies: The final chapter in Peter Jackson's epic fantasy saga

Today, I look at one of my most anticipated films of the year, which was originally titled "There and Back Again".

The Hobbit, The Battle of the Five Armies:
After the events of the last film, Smaug is violently angry with the company of dwarves, and vows to show them what true vengeance is by destroying Laketown. Shortly after this, Bard the Bowman becomes the leader of the inhabitants as they trek across the land in search of a new home. Thorin Oakenshield seems content with staying in his new underground kingdom, although Bilbo and the company of dwarves begin to worry about his deteriorating mental state. The people of Laketown, the elves of the woods, Thorin's cousin Dain, Gandalf the Grey, and Azog the White Orc all commence at the entrance to the Lonely Mountain to confront Thorin, all of the parties wanting something: Dain wants to help his cousin, Bard and the people of Laketown want the compensation Thorin promised, the wood elves want their ancestral gems back, and the orcs and trolls simply want to kill everyone else. This is where the titular battle begins.
       To be honest, despite the awesomeness of this movie, I'm not sure I was quite as satisfied with this movie I was expecting. After the last film, which was inarguably the best of this new trilogy, this just felt like a step down, in both story quality and run-time.
       The main cast, featuring Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch (briefly), Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lilly, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, William Kircher, John Tui, Billy Connolly, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Stephen Fry, and many others, are all satisfactory, and Freeman is undoubtedly the best choice for Bilbo, being able to be slightly uptight, but also brave and very likable. McKellen is still perfect as Gandalf, with Armitage being slightly more sinister as Thorin in this film, but ultimately still a hero the audience can get behind. Cumberbatch, despite his role being significantly toned down, has a terrific villain voice, which elevates his roles as both Smaug and Sauron the Necromancer, and has them sticking with you after the film, despite being borderline cameo appearances.
        Peter Jackson's direction is masterful, as always. He is obviously in love with Tolkien's work, and is very dedicated to capturing the spirit of the original novels. The cinematography by Andrew Lesnie is breathtaking and sweeping, as always. Some of the best in blockbuster cinema.
       The action sequences are excellent, and although very comic booky/video game-esque, they still are very entertaining, well-paced and creative. The fact that the battle takes up the majority of the runtime should discourage any people complaining that the movie was boring or took too long getting to the action. My only real problem is that sometimes the action scenes go on for so long it can be overwhelming, and that the Hobbit movies have far more CGI than necessary. Part of the charm of Lord of the Rings was that the CGI was used only when necessary and that most of the orc and creature effects were done through practical effects, which made them look more terrifying, as opposed to the really clean-cut looking orcs seen in this film, which are motion-capture performed.
      My other major complaint with the film as a whole is that the cliffhanger from the previous film is resolved so quickly it begs the question- why didn't they just include that bit at the end of the previous film? I understand they wanted to end the last movie on a stinger, but now that builds up a sense of anticipation over the year where I'm waiting and waiting to see how awesome the fight with the dragon will be, and then they just sort of resolve it withing the first ten minutes. The other problem is that, despite the battle being really cool, it really served no purpose other than to have an excuse to release a third film. The battle isn't in the books, as far as I know, and ultimately the battle ends in a Pyrrhic victory for the heroes (but I won't give away how). There's also too much going on in the film, where it seems like the writers forgot certain things. For one, certain characters disappear and are never seen or heard from again, and certain plotlines and character motives disappear altogether. I guess I'll have to wait for the extended Blu-ray release.
       One of the worst aspects of the film is the constant call-backs to the previous film. It's not subtle at all, it's mostly done through obvious voice overs and flashbacks, which are usually to hammer a point in when the audience could easily figure things out for themselves. There's even callbacks to things that were explicitly stated minutes, sometimes even only a few moments, before. It almost seems the filmmakers didn't think the audience was smart enough to figure things out themselves, which I thought was horribly annoying.
      The music by Howard Shore is acceptable, with some slight hints of the Lord of the Rings theme, while also trying to do its' own thing. I was disappointed not to hear an ending theme song, like the last film ended on.
      The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies may not be quite as epic a conclusion as say Return of the King. Its' not even quite as good as The Desolation of Smaug, but ultimately is a satisfying and thoroughly entertaining movie, despite being terribly flawed, slightly underwhelming as a whole, and kind of exhausting at times. It's a fair conclusion to the trilogy, and I'm glad I got to experience Middle-Earth one last time, so thank you, Peter Jackson for that. 3.8/5 stars.

        (Image: Wikipedia)



Edit, May 17, 2015: I was wrong about the battle not being in the book. It is, but not at the scale it is here, and some of the character motivations are differentm, and characters like Legolas and Tauriel (a character made up for the films) are not present.

Top 50 Television Shows: Volume 2 (REDUX)

I'm going to continue my list of my favorite television shows, counting down from 40-31.

Criteria:
No TV movies or miniseries
I can have two series tied together in one slot
Can be an ongoing series (has not concluded yet)
All networks are fair game
No web series or specials (Netflix is the exception)


40. Portlandia: Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's surreal and unique comedy series functions as both a parody and homage to Portland culture: hipsters, coffee shops, feminist bookstores, and obnoxious bike enthusiasts are just a few of the subjects tackled. It even pokes fun at other "hipster cities" like Seattle and San Francisco. With a plethora of guest stars such as Steve Buscemi, Jason Sudeikis, Kyle MacLachlan, Bobby Moynihan, Aimee Mann, Sarah McLachlan, Kirsten Dunst, Olivia Wilde, Jim Gaffigan, Jack White, Jeff Goldblum, Edward James Olmos, and Heather Graham, and some exceptionally weird comedy, it's hard not to find something to like about this IFC series.



39. In Living Color: The Wayans' funny and oh-so-early 90's sketch series was smart in the sense that it kept things simple (in particular, not stretching things out to a full hour and instead opting for a half-hour time slot to avoid filler sketches). Despite not being as influential as something like Saturday Night Live, it still had some great sketches and introduced the world to the Wayans Brothers and future superstar Jim Carrey. It's sad to think this series is relatively unrecognized today, similar to the equally entertaining sketch series such as The Kids in the Hall and Whitest Kids U'Know. I've enjoyed it and I say definitely give it a look, even if just to get your dose of 90's nostalgia.



38. BoJack Horseman: This Netflix series is still pretty new, with only one season under its' belt, but it is definitely one of the more unique and emotionally investing animated comedies out there. Following a washed-up and drunk sitcom actor named BoJack Horseman (who is an anthropomorphic horse), who is trying to write an autobiography to stay relevant. With a great cast featuring Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Aaron Paul, Paul F. Tompkins, and Alison Brie, and featuring guest stars like Olivia Wilde, Patton Oswalt, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Schaal, Ryan Seacrest, J.K. Simmons, Keith Olbermann, Stephen Colbert, and John Krasinski, the show has no shortage of star power, and all of the cast bring energy to their roles. The animation style is unlike any other and the tone of the show is surprisingly dark and dramatic, and the series is heavily continuity-based, which is pretty unique from more traditional sitcom formats. I would say give this series a chance, as a few episodes in, it may surprise you with how funny and even depressing it can be.



37. Silicon Valley: In Mike Judge's latest satirical series, a group of young coders working found a start-up company called Pied Piper to compete with a major corporation in the titular Silicon Valley. With a great cast featuring T.J. Miller, Martin Starr, Thomas Middleditch, Zach Woods, Josh Brener, and the late Christopher Evan Welch,  and some brilliant and subtle writing, Judge once again proves he is one of the kings of modern social satire, up there with the likes of Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The standouts are definitely Miller and Welch, who are both completely different types of funny, and are very strange and seemingly unlikable characters at first, but are ultimately a lot more relatable than one might assume. The series has a cool opening title card and, like Bojack Horseman, It's Always Sunny, and the latest season of South Park, it's a comedy that relies on a lot of continuity-based jokes, which makes following it episode-to-episode very rewarding.



36. Superjail!:This Adult Swim series is one of the better series to come out of the channel in more recent years, along with Tim and Eric and Rick & Morty. Superjail! is a splatter/slapstick series which is known for its' psychedelic animation style, unique and strangely lovable characters, and gruesome content. The first seasons was more of an anthology, revolving around the Warden of Superjail (a mega-prison inside a massive volcano), and his demented schemes to "improve" the facility. In the next three seasons, it's become more of a continuity-based dark comedy, but still maintains the overall feel of the first season. The scenes are bookended by strange and stylized transitions, rather than just cutting to the next scene, and the opening title sequence is different in each episode and has pretty cool theme song (save for season 4, where they cut out the theme altogether). The biggest draw of the series are the over-the-top, brutal bloodbaths that occur as the climax of each 12-15 minute episode. They are complex and intricately animated and fast-paced, so much so it requires several viewings to pick up on all the little jokes and references to other media. Speaking of which, check out the Wikipedia page to see the long and diverse list of influences on this crazy little cult show. It's definitely not for everyone, but I still recommend people check it out, especially if you love twisted and weird shows and striking animation.



35. Batman (1966): This show is a major nostalgia trigger of mine, and it is considered one of the most iconic representations of Batman in other media, despite it being a complete misrepresentation of the character. Adam West and Burt Ward make a fair Batman and Robin (and West has one of the most recognizable voices in TV), and the supporting cast of villains- including Caesar Romero as The Joker, Burgess Meredith as The Penguin, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt (and Lee Meriwether) as Catwoman, Frank Gorshin as The Riddler, and Vincent Price as original character Egghead- are so tongue-in-cheek and colorful you can't help but appreciate them. Seriously, all the actors in this series chew the max amount of scenery and all the sets and costumes are vibrant. Even though I hate this word, I guess the best way to describe it is wacky. It's like a sugar-high eight-year-old tripped on LSD and was told to make a semi-parody of Batman/live-action cartoon. If that's the case, then this series definitely succeeded.



34. Samurai Jack: This Genndy Tartokovsky creation was one of the better projects he was involved in the late 90's/early 2000's. Telling the story of a stoic samurai (voiced by Pulp Fiction cast member Phil LaMarr) sent to an dystopian future by the demonic entity Aku (voiced by legendary actor Mako Iwamatsu), the series had a variety of influences, from science fiction, to older cartoons, to traditional Japanese art style, to classic world cinema. The animation is unique and the action scenes fast-paced, and the stories are told almost entirely through visuals, with little dialogue. Jack himself only speaks through grunts and battle cries most of the time. It's also another show that's extremely nostalgic for me, as I used to tune in to Cartoon Network to watch this all the time when I was young. It's an animated series unlike any other, and it's criminally underrated and, depressingly, pretty much forgotten.



33. Firefly: This Joss Whedon project is a masterful blend of Westerns and sci-fi. Following the crew of the ship Serenity, led by Captain Mal, the show only ran one, 14-episode season, when Fox cancelled it due to low ratings. But since it's gained a strong cult following (like most of Whedon's work), and it was eventually followed by a feature film in 2005 that tied up the loose ends, despite the series never getting to really explore all the plotlines it set up. This one season of content, however, is golden, mostly due to the charm of its' main cast, featuring Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Summer Glau, Gina Torres, and Adam Baldwin, and Whedon's clever writing. The villains in the show range from standard fare to very original and utterly terrifying (and mostly talking about the Reavers, here). Not to mention the show has a cool opening theme. It's definitely a showcase of the best that Whedon has to offer, and it's one of those great shows that was tragically taken away too soon.



32. Doctor Who: Following the adventures of the charismatic time travelling alien The Doctor and his many companions, this BBC science fiction show has a well-deserved cult following. Despite some bad episodes here and there, and some cheap CGI, it's the writing and strength of the cast that holds this show up, as well as it's kind of offbeat premise. The show's tone ranges from funny to frightening to thrilling, and sometimes all of those things are packed into one episode. So far, David Tennant has been my favorite incarnation of the Doctor, with Matt Smith and Christopher Eccleston tied for second place. My favorite companion has been Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan. The villains in this series are some of the best in sci-fi, and in television in general, including the iconic Daleks and Cyber-Men, the eerie Silence, the Doctor's nemesis The Master, and the horrifying Weeping Angels (whose debut episode "Blink", who has the Doctor taking a backseat to some new characters, is one of the scariest TV episodes in recent memory). The theme music is unforgettable and iconic, and the series has a certain British charm to it I think can't really be replicated by a US remake (as many shows have attempted to do).



31. Batman-The Animated Series and Todd McFarlane's Spawn (tie): Both these series have several things in common- both are dark and have unique animation style, both are considered some of the best comic book animation out there, and both have been nominated for and won Emmys. The sad thing is that the former is still praised consistently, where the latter seems to have been mostly forgotten.
The former is the brainchild of Jean McCurdy, Tom Reugger, animator Bruce Timm, and Eric Radomski, and writers like Paul Dini. Taking its' cues from the various incarnations of Batman, but mostly early comics and the Tim Burton films, this series managed to actually be pretty dark and moving fro a children's cartoon, featuring various depressing and sometimes violent stories about the various shady character that inhabit Gotham City. The voice cast, featuring Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill (aka Luke Skywalker), and Arleen Sorkin, are phenomenal and are now some of the most respected voice actors in the medium, and have been praised as the definitive voices of Batman, The Joker, and Harley Quinn, respectively. The animation style is inspired by not only comic books and Bruce Timm's sketches but also Art Deco designs and 1930's and 40's Fleischer Studios cartoons. The theme music by Danny Elfman is obviously inspired by Elfman's own score for the 1989 Burton film, but also is different enough to where it feels not like a complete ripoff, and the score stands on its' own as one of the better Batman soundtracks. The series' success spawned many spin-offs, resulting in a DC Animated Universe, with many of the key players from this show branching off into other works inside the Universe. Overall, Batman-TAS is an entertaining and sometimes surprisingly investing show that is definitely one of the best animated series ever made.

The latter is an HBO animated series from the late 90's based on Todd McFarlane's successful and violent Spawn comics. The writing can be a bit on the nose, but the overall story is very intriguing and unique, and the animation style stays true to the look of McFarlane's art. The voice acting, particularly by Keith David by the lead, is excellent, and David manages to be the best version of Spawn in any medium besides the comics. I would also like to say that if you aren't a fan of dark and bloody story lines, then stay away from this series, which has some of the more gruesome and eerie moments in any animated series, but what can you expect from a show about demons from Hell? The music is used minimally, but to great effect, and the creepy opening titles set the mood for a dark and atmospheric show, and the sound design is actually really good for a cartoon, with lots of details that most series leave out included as minimal touches that just make you appreciate the effort put into it. This is a superhero series that is a lot more continuity-based than others, with overarching stories for each six-episode season. Speaking of which, this is another brilliant show that was cancelled too soon, after only three short seasons, despite the fact it had a set ending from the get-go, similar to Samurai Jack. I say that even though there's no real conclusion to the series, just watch it anyway, as it's one of the best animated series I've ever seen, and I'm not even that big a fan of McFarlane's work. If you want a more solid conclusion, then just go pick up the books and read those from where the series leaves off. Also: don't watch the terrible 1997 live-action film, which was so critically panned that I pretty much blame it for the death of Spawn's popularity.

    (Images: Wikipedia)


Runner-ups: Freaks and Geeks, Arrow, Legit, Nurse Jackie, Girls, Scandal, Strike Back, The Chris Rock Show, Hunted, Banshee, Turn, The Borgias, Spartacus, The Kids in the Hall, Whitest Kids U'Know, Maron, X-Men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1980's), The Transformers: G1.

The Hunger Games- Mockingjay Part One: A fair, if a bit slow, follow-up to "Catching Fire"

Today, I look at the highly-anticipated first part of the final chapter of The Hunger Games Trilogy.

The Hunger Games- Mockingjay, Part One:
After the end of the last film, Katniss has been taken in by an underground resistance group in the demolished District 13. Katniss is being groomed to be their "mockingjay", or a figurehead/martyr for their revolution. Katniss is reluctant at first, but agrees on the basis that she can soon rescue her friend/love interest Peeta from the Capitol, who are using him as their political puppet. President Snow begins to try and crush the resistance through propaganda pieces and bombings, and uses Peeta as his weapon against the resistance.
        I have to say I was a lot more pleased with this film than any previous entry. I think, despite it dragging its' feet in many places, was a lot more emotionally engrossing and thrilling than the previous two films. It had a lot more emphasis on propaganda and its' effective use as a psychological weapon, which was something the Hunger Games had teased at, but never really touched on before. This is the first time in any of these movies I was actually invested in the climax and what was happening, even though I knew that Katniss was going to live through any obstacles in the film.
        Speaking of Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence is still really good in this entry, although to be honest I found her to be the least interesting character. I also found her character very irritating because instead of just letting a scene play, the writers felt as though Katniss had to make commentary on every single scene she's in, as if to tell the audience what's going on. Josh Hutcherson is good as Peeta, despite having a significantly downplayed role in this one, and Liam Hemsworth is...there as Gale. I'm not saying he can't be an okay actor, but in this film there just wasn't much going on with him. Donald Sutherland is still a pretty threatening presence as Snow, who I really like as a villain. Hands-down, best character in the the movie. Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Philip Seymour Hoffman reprise their roles as Haymitch, Effie, and Plutarch, respectively. The film is dedicated to Hoffman's memory, and I'm not sure how they are going to work around his untimely death in the next film. They all do great and are some of the most entertaining and impactful characters in the series. Julianne Moore joins the cast as President Coin, the resistance leader. She can be cold and unsympathetic, but, in the end, I was on her side because she's a resistance leader, and ultimately, it's the leaders who always make the tough decisions, so I forgave her jadedness. Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, The Tudors) is, in my opinion, wasted as a character here. She plays Cressida, a propaganda director from the Capitol who fled to join the resistance. Dormer is an underrated actress, and I was glad to here she'd be exposed to a new audience in a major franchise to get her name out there. But then when I saw the film, I realized she was basically playing the character where after the movie everyone just sort of goes "she was alright I guess". Her character is just sort-of there. I hope she gets more to do next time around, especially considering every ad she appears on shows her holding a gun, and yet she holds no such weapon in the film. Sam Claflin and Jena Malone return as Finnick and Joanna, and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee. Stanley Tucci is a little less over-the-top as Caesar, but still very comical and flamboyant. Wes Chatham and Elden Henson appear as two of Cressida's helpers, Castor and Pollux. Overall, I'd say the cast is solid in this film, with my only real issue being that the film suffers from having too many characters, as some just get lost in the fray.
        The special effects and visuals of the films (that includes sets, props, and costumes) are incredible, and take a lot from other films and books and such but never fell too much like a rip-off. The music in the film is pretty bland (sorry, James Newton Howard), but the ending song ("Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde) is pretty cool and captures the tone of the movie pretty closely.
        My main problems with the film is the previously mentioned dragging of the feet at some portions, but also the aforementioned Katniss problem. It's mostly a problem with her character, but a few others, too. It's that instead of just letting a scene play out and the actor's expressions let us know how they fell, the writers often felt the need to have Katniss explain how everything was going. I'm going to give an example, so SPOILER Warning if you don't want to know: Peeta appears on TV several times puppeting the Capitol's demands for an end to the war. The second time he appears, Peeta is obviously not doing well: his eyes have dark circles, his face is more gaunt, and his voice more somber. These are things the audience can pick up on visually and audibly, But Katniss feels the need to just say them out loud for that odd guy out there who just can't figure it out (i.e. "Oh my God, he's so different, even his voice his different, he's so thin, look at his eyes..."). She does this a number of times on a few occasions. There's also a scene, (another Spoiler alert), where she thinks she's lost both Gale and Peeta. She instantly breaks down in tears, the perfect way to play it, and then starts talking. "Have I lost them both tonight?! Have I lost them both?!" Just overkill with the dialogue. Film is a visual medium, treat it as such. Not every line from the book needs to be in there, because books require you to describe the characters and surroundings; in movies, we can see with our own eyes! It's an issue I see many films face these days- overwhelmed by unnecessary dialogue that could be conveyed through an image or an expression. The film also feels a bit cheesy or sentimental at times, with plenty of fan service (i.e. Katniss doing bad-ass things when the situation doesn't really need it, and rousing scenes of the resistance being victorious).
      On the positive, I can respect this film (and this series in general) for putting Lionsgate back on the map. Lionsgate was once a small independent company, but in 2004, a little horror film/sleepr hit called Saw put it on the map. But eight years later, the series had ended and the cheap horror/action film thing wasn't working for them anymore. Then, after procuring the rights to The Hunger Games and Divergent, they became a major studio, competing with the likes of Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Universal, and Disney. That's a true success story.
      But back on to the actual film at hand, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1 is a surprisingly entertaining film with some flaws that aren't quite as glaring as in previous entries. With some great supporting actors, a huge cast of characters, cool visuals, and an intense climactic sequence, I must say this is the best of the series. 4/5 stars.

                         (Image: Wikipedia)

Big Hero 6: The latest collaboration from Disney and Marvel

Today, I look at the new film from the animation studio behind Wreck-It-Ralph.

Big Hero 6:
Hiro is a child prodigy/robotics expert living with his older brother Tadachi and aunt in San Fransokyo (guess which two cities this is a mash-up of). Hiro is inspired to join his brother's science institute team after meeting his idol and his brother's mentor Professor Callaghan. After a freak fire, Callaghan goes missing and Hiro's new nanotechnology project is stolen by a masked villain who is used them for a mysterious purpose. Using his brother's medical assistance bot Baymax, Hiro attempts to take down the villain and avenge his idol.
      While not as good as Wreck-It-Ralph (but far superior to Frozen), Big Hero 6 manages to be entertaining and emotionally effective, despite slipping into the over-sentimental zone a little too often for my tastes.
      Ryan Potter is alright as the lead Hiro, who I found to be the least interesting character in the film. Scott Adsit shines as Baymax, who manages to be convincing as a emotionless robot, but also make you laugh and care about him. He's definitely the best part of the movie. The supporting cast, made up of Daniel Henney, T.J. Miller (who is not as good as he was in Silicon Valley, but is still okay comedic relief), Jamie Chung, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk, Maya Rudolph, and Genesis Rodriguez, are effective and suit their roles well. The masked villain character is actually pretty threatening for a children's film, and I was surprised considering how weak the villains were in Frozen, having virtually non-existent motives and personalities.
      The animation is colorful and energetic, and always feels fluid and never too show-offy. The character designs were pretty great, even if some costumes they wear during the film are a bit stupid-looking. The look of the city is really cool, too, able to present a version of San Francisco with a very Japanese vibe that was really unique.
       The writing for the film is stronger in certain areas, and a number of the plot twists felt forced, and I was disappointed a bit by the direction the movie takes half-way through. When the villain's motive and identity are finally revealed, it's been so heavily foreshadowed in the previous ten minutes that you'd have to be brain-dead not to see it coming. Also (and this is a Spoiler, so turn away now and skip to the next paragraph if you aren't interested), why is it that in newer Disney films the villain can't ever get killed. With the exception of Wreck-It-Ralph, every film I've seen come out of this studio recently never has the balls to kill off villains, which I feel just shows that studios nowadays feel the need to pander to audiences because they fear what some whiny and overly sensitive parents might say if their children are exposed to any sort of violence in movies. And it's not like people don't die in the film, they are a few deaths in the movie, so I don't see a reason for the villain not to die. I know this is a very strange complaint, but it's a trend I've noticed that just sort of feels gutless, in my opinion. (End of Spoilers)
       Also, a song by Fall Out Boy is featured twice, so if you're not a fan of them, just prepare yourself for that. Other than that, the soundtrack for the film is fine.
        Big Hero 6 is funny, touching in some places, and fast-paced, if a little bit cheesy and sickeningly sentimental in some places. Don't be too late to it, either. There's a nice little short called Feast preceding the film that I would recommend catching, and there's also an amusing end credits scene I would say to wait around for. 3.5/5 stars.

                                     (Image: Wikipedia)

R.I.P. Mike Nichols

Today, one of the entertainment industry's most beloved and talented artists, Mike Nichols, died at 83. He was one of the most respected theater and film directors of his generation, as well as a great producer, and even actor and comedian. Even if you aren't familiar with the name, his body of work includes classics like The Graduate (which won him Best Director), Catch-22, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Working Girl, Closer, The Birdcage, Charlie Wilson's War, Carnal Knowledge, and the HBO miniseries Angels in America. He was one of the few people to win an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and a Tony. He will surely be missed and will be remembered as a multi-talented and brilliant icon of theater and cinema.

                                                             Mike Nichols
                                                         1931-2014 (age: 83)
                                                                 (Image: Wikipedia)

Birdman: An ambitious and unique project from a visionary director

Today, I look at the highly acclaimed film from Alejandro González Iñárritu.

Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance):
Riggan Thomson is a washed-up actor who used to play a superhero named "Birdman" back in the 80's and 90's. While those films were very popular and people still recognize him on the street, Thomson feels very irrelevant in the acting world and decides to write, direct, and star in a respectable Broadway play to reenter the public consciousness in a new way. But numerous problems with the cast, crew, and production start to lead to Thomson losing a grip on himself. Not to mention he constantly hears the voice of Birdman in the back of his head, pushing him to do crazy things, and Thomson also may or may not have supernatural powers.
      This is a movie that sounds very scattered and strange on paper, but somehow manages to be funny, endearing, dark, and original. In fact, when I first saw the trailer, I was like "This is one of those art movies that can't get over itself." It just looked like another pretentious attack on the movie industry and where it is today. And, like John Wick, how wrong I was.
     Michael Keaton's performance as Thomson is top-notch and very easy to empathize with. You definitely feel his frustration and pain as this dream project of his begins to fall to pieces around him. And one can't help but feel the irony of Keaton playing a somewhat forgotten Hollywood actor who played a superhero in the early 90's trying to make a comeback as an actor. Edward Norton is a dynamo in this movie as well, playing a very talented, but also pretentious and eccentric, Broadway actor who Thomson brings into the project at the last minute. Also ironic considering the various rumors that Norton is hard to work with on set. But all that aside, Norton is able to be quirky, funny, and unpredictable in this. Zach Galifianakis plays Riggan's "best friend" Jake, who is also his lawyer and basically also functions as his manager. Galifianakis doesn't over-do his performance but manages to still deliver those awkward moments and funny lines he's known for. Emma Stone, who plays Riggan's daughter, is also pretty terrific, and this is coming from a guy who's never really been a fan of her. She delivers a really great and intense speech to Thomson early on that's very impacting. Amy Ryan (The Wire, The Office), Andrea Riseborough, Naomi Watts, and Lindsay Duncan all have strong supporting roles in this film, and while not standing out like the others do, they all were satisfactory and filled their roles well. The one exception is the last one in that list. Duncan plays a harsh theater critic in this movie, and while she only has a few scenes, she's very memorable, and the dialogue between her and Keaton near the film's climax is a powerful and pretty interesting deconstruction of a certain sect of the critic world usually dubbed "snobbish".
     This is a movie with a lot of ideas, and it's a brilliant black comedy and satire of things like self-absorbed and over-serious actors, dealing with a mid-life crisis, celebrities trying to stay relevant, art critics, entertainment journalism in general, Hollywood blockbusters and where they are now, etc. That's a lot to pack into a two-hour film, but González Iñárritu does it brilliantly and never does the film feel too crammed.
      The visual effects in the movie are used sparingly, but when they are employed, they are actually very good, possibly on-par with summer blockbusters, and I was happy with the various ways they were utilized.
     One aspect of the movie everyone talks about is how it's made to look like it's in one, long, fluid shot. It's done very convincingly through clever editing and long takes, and the entire movie is a technical feat for that. This way of filming also gives the film a brisk pace, and adds a lot of energy to the film, making it feel very free-flowing, as well as chaotic during some intense dramatic scenes. This chaos also helps us feel for Keaton as he deals with it all, and the cinematography feeling unpredictable also relates to the unpredictability of Keaton's increasingly stressed-out character.
    The score for this film by Antonio Sánchez is also very fresh and unlike anything else. It's entirely done on drums, and feels very improvised, like much of the film, but in a good way. It's also very unpredictable, like the plot and characters, and adds to the sense of craziness. Unlike the film, the drumming is very simplistic, but like the film, it's very intriguing and sucks you in. The film also sneaks in drum-related imagery into many scenes, which I found clever, and it provides the viewer something to look for on repeat viewings. I really loved this soundtrack and can't wait to buy it.
    Birdman is a marvel of modern filmmaking, and I want to see it again very soon. I'll admit, I haven't seen any other films from González Iñárritu, but I've heard great things, and after seeing this film, I can't wait to see his other work. This is a movie that's very unusual and I think sometimes too weird for the average movie-goer, but if you love cinema, or art in general. If you love great acting and writing, or if you appreciate cinematography, then this is definitely a must-see. 5/5 stars.

                       (Image: Wikipedia)