Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 18th March, 2018

“Rock Dog” is a Chinese-American animated movie, from “Toy Story 2” co-director Ash Brannon. In this film, we meet a bouncy Tibetan Mastiff called Bodi, who discovers a passion for music, but his father insists that he sticks to protecting their village of sheep, using their ancient magical fire powers as defence.

After being convinced by a local, Bodi’s father lets Bodi head off to the city to achieve his dreams, where he meets his musician hero Angus Scattergood, and the creatively bankrupt rockstar decides to exploit the naive Mastiff’s talents for his new song.

You can really tell, that this is a production where Western and Asian production companies tried to heavily compromise both of their marketing angles, because wow, this is a messy hodge podge of colliding creative directions, and no one seems confident about what the film’s overall identity is supposed to be.

Imagine if you took “Kung Fu Panda”, squashed it with “This is Spinal Tap”, stole antagonists from a gangster movie, threw in lots of rockstar movie cliches in there, and presto! You have “Rock Dog”. Yep, it’s a weird combination of ideas, yet it’s also underwhelmingly generic at the same time. It’s an odd experience, but that’s what happens when you try to blend random formulas together, you get a big dose of “Um… What?”

All the conventions of this genre are here, from the disapproving traditional parent who hates Rock N’ Roll, to the far from shocking highlight of how the music industry can be exploitative. The Story is about as predictable as these kinds of films come, but the addition of magical martial artist dogs adds a strange spice to our expectations, and is bound to make audiences scratch their heads.

In spite of how bafflingly awkward this merging of radically different elements comes off, there’s something about this film that made it somewhat watchable, not completely engrossing, but at least okay to sit through, and I would even say that it’s got it’s own charms.

I think what holds this film together, is Bodi, as there’s something rather endearing about his personality; he’s quite dopey, but he’s full of innocent naive optimism, and a sweet love for those around him. While I wouldn’t blame people for not liking him, as he can be annoyingly reckless sometimes, I personally found some appeal to his character traits, because they really resemble how a dog WOULD act if humanized.

But I also really liked the sheep of the snow mountain village, they can be understandably terrified of the wolves, but they always seem to find it easy to recover from each attack, and there’s something admirable about that. They always have smiles on their faces, act a bit goofy, but they rarely try TOO hard to get a laugh, and I honestly thought they were very cute.

I also appreciated how this film goes into informative detail about how a recording a professional song works, from the frustrating re-writes of lyrics, to the complex stages of production. Nothing seems romanticized, everything is shown in honest detail, and I bet musicians in the audience would appreciate this, because it helps educate people about the work that goes into recording expert songs.

The Villains, who maybe the predictable choice of wolves, can be pretty funny; like how the leader is petty enough to demand a colour coordinated phone, plus the dynamic between a smart henchman who tries hard to impress his boss, and his childishly useless partner he’s stuck with. While I didn’t find them to be as funny as the wolves in “Storks”, they still managed to get some laughs out of me as comedic antagonists.

I also like how the tension between Bodi and his father doesn’t drag on for the whole movie, his father actually becomes more open minded at the right time, neither too early or too late. Of course, he’s not entirely convinced, but it’s a step forward, and making room for more development of his character.

So, that’s a lot of things to compliment, right? Well, this is still a movie with faults, a flawed motion picture that makes me see why it didn’t become a smash hit, and I’m not shocked that it was a huge box office flop. It’s not entirely bad, as I’ve provided a surprising amount of positives for it, but man does it teeter on the edge of being awful.

It’s not just the generic storyline, this can be a pretty obnoxious film at times, because the comedy is capable of thinking that over the top slapstick is instant comedy gold, and that overdoing a gag is the best approach to achieving a laugh. There’s many jokes that embarrassingly overdo their payoffs, to the point where it becomes grating, and you can tell the filmmakers are lacking in any sense of restraint or timing.

Not only that, this is also a very dreary plot to follow, as we’re basically watching an asshole rockstar exploiting a naive fan, which is far from charming entertainment, and actually quite mean spirited. Yes, this is supposed to be a way to teach Bodi to become less naive about the world outside his village, but it just comes off as an unnecessarily long and malicious lesson for our hero.

We know what Angus is up to, we can see that poor Bodi is being used, the eventual payoff is insultingly blatant, and yet this farce takes up the whole film’s middle act. Angus is just a horrible irredeemable character, who spitefully patronises and abuses Bodi, knowing full well that the dog means no harm. Where’s the joke? Why should we care that Angus finishes his song? What’s the point?!

Yes, Angus later feels bad about what he’s done, and does try to make up for his awful actions. But like I’ve said many times before, I can’t believe a character’s development if it happens as the film arrives at it’s climax, while they behave atrociously for the rest of the film.

Angus doesn’t change or grow through personal experience in the narrative, never demonstrates a softer side, and only exhibits empathy once he feels guilt tripped by his butler. This is NOT how to write a the arc of a jerk’s redemption, it’s lazy last minute character building, which I can’t get behind as an audience, because it comes right out of nowhere.

While there are lots of decent recognisable rock songs in the soundtrack for montages or sequences, the original songs our characters come up with are very uninspired, and I fail to believe that Bodi’s bland music talents are powerful enough to trigger his inner fire. It’s unintentionally funny, watching a character strum mediocre folksy riffs on an acoustic guitar, while fancy special effects imply that his skills are dramatically intense.

Why couldn’t his rock music be truly mind blowing? What was stopping the filmmakers from giving him an awesome electric guitar to shred on? They already let Angus pull off this kind of music, and Bodi clearly wants to emulate that style! Baffles me, it really does, and the end result reflects how underwhelmingly generic this film can be.

To Conclude, “Rock Dog” is extremely unremarkable, and tries to awkwardly combine ideas that aren’t meant to blend, but there’s some things here and there worth praising; like our adorable lead hero, and some mildly funny moments. It’s fiercely flawed and mediocre, but I wouldn’t complain if I had to watch it again. Give it a chance if the concept tickles your fancy, but I wouldn’t say that you’ll be missing out on anything if you skipped it.

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Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 3rd March, 2018

*WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Long ago, storks used to deliver babies to parents, a tradition that became pretty overwhelming for the poor birds. Since then, Storks now focus on delivering packages to people, for a company called Cornerstone, and things seem simpler.

We focus on a successful stork called Junior, who has been promised a promotion to boss opportunity, but only if he can fire the orphan employee Tulip; who was a baby set to be delivered to her parents, but the map to her home was destroyed. However, Junior can’t find it in himself to fire Tulip, so he sends her to work in the old baby factory instead.

Meanwhile, a little boy called Nate is tired of not getting attention from his workaholic parents, so he sends a baby request letter to the storks, in hopes that he can get a little brother for company. Tulip receives the letter, naively responds to the application, and creates a new baby for the little boy.

Junior finds out, begins panicking about how this will effect his promotion, and agrees to work with Tulip to get the baby to her home, before the head honcho Hunter discovers the screw up. It won’t be easy though, as there’s also other animals after the adorable little tyke!

The movie is very cliched in terms of storytelling. Sure, the premise of giving Storks their own world is neat, but the narrative we’re provided with is pretty uninspired. There’s barely anything fresh or new in the tale being told, which makes the film feel distractingly unoriginal.

It’s about a bunch of characters with polarizing personalities, going on a road trip together to bring another character to a new destination, along the way, they become good friends, face antagonists who want the character they’re delivering, and fall in love with this character themselves. Is it just me, or does this story scream “Ice Age” and “Shrek”? Even more so Ice Age, because the character being dropped off is literally a baby.

“Storks” also features the way too overdone plot of the overworking parents, who must learn to take time for their child. I’m sorry, but I’m getting sick of this kind of plot, it’s like the go to template for most kids’ movies, and this plot is usually done REALLY bad too.

Now, the premise was done well in Coraline, as Coraline had to learn to accept that her parents are busy for a good reason, aren’t bad people for taking their jobs seriously, will have busy periods at work that’ll drain them, and will give her love when things calm down. Also, she discovers that she can’t always be the centre of attention, and she can find friends outside her house while her folks are occupied.

CORALINE (2009)

In this movie though? The mom and dad literally abandon their jobs to spoil their kid silly, by recklessly helping turn their house into a launchpad for a stork, only to receive a cease & desist later on. Of course, this activity helps them restore their passion for parenting, and proves that they are capable of giving him attention, but it seems to be at the cost of risking the family’s business.

Yeah, these are exceptionally excessive workaholics, ones that proudly say they love working 24/7, but there needs to be a compromise if these two are going to improve, one that respects the child’s needs AND keeps the financial security of the family in mind.

Yes, kids deserve love, but they also need to be fed and sheltered! Parents can’t just simply go “Fuck it, screw my boss, my baby boy wants to play dinosaurs today” on a whim, as much as I’m sure they’d love to.

It’s like this film thinks that there’s only two realistic options, keep working like the monstrous devil you are or stop EVERYTHING for your perfect royal children, and there’s no third option where a sensible pre-organized arrangement can be made. As if you’re a beast of a parent, if you don’t spontaneously put your business on the line for an arts & crafts day with the kid. In life, there’s not simply only two doors that read “Awful Parent, but financially secure” or “Bad Businessman, but good parent”, you can be a good mom or dad AND excel at your paying job.

There’s not even a reassuring conclusion, where maybe these parents will start making a compromised schedule for the family from now on, implying that these two maybe plan on keeping this free spirited “Fun Parent” approach as a permanent lifestyle. If so, what’s the backup for finances? Ask a fairy to spray pixie dust on their bills & fridge?

I mean, we never see them worrying about their lost customers that day, do they care that this’ll anger their loyal patrons? And they’ll maybe get a bad rep for their poor customer service? This film doesn’t seem to think about those reality based repercussions.

Heck, Nate is kind of a brat too, always moaning that he’s having to play alone, and that his parents should keep him constantly entertained, but why doesn’t he just go out and make some friends? He’s old enough to do so, and nothing seems to be stopping him. Yes, his parents are being selfish workoholics, I sympathise with that, but guilting his parents into both ignoring their jobs today AND getting a new baby? Wow, self entitled much kid?

By the end, he’s pretty much handed a younger sibling, something he always demanded, making the lesson seem like “If your child wants something, give it to them, even if you end up having to risk your livelihood & house”, which isn’t realistic or healthy advice to give parents at all! If all adults followed this film’s philosophy, the world would fall apart.

A better lesson, would be to teach Nate that it’s okay to be an only child, to respect that work is important to his parents, and to fulfill his social needs from people outside his family when they are occupied with important tasks. While the parents just needed to be taught to find a way to compromise both work & family life, for their own health as well as their son’s happiness.

The Cliches don’t stop there though, there’s also a twist at the end, where we learn that our hero’s employer is committing a conspiracy, to make sure the company goes in his own direction *cough* Monsters Inc *cough*. As I said, there’s not really any remarkable ideas for this film, it’s mainly just concepts or beats that remind me too heavily of other movies I’ve seen.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I do not expect EVERY movie to be 100% original, that’d be an unfair standard to reach, but I also think there should be a line where a film becomes TOO unoriginal. I also wouldn’t say that “Storks” is intentionally ripping these films off, that card is played way too many times, Storks’ ambitions just weren’t high enough, that’s all, and the end result shows a movie that didn’t think that far outside the box.

In spite of all this though, I quite enjoyed this movie! Beneath the super duper conventional narrative, there’s a lot of good things about this film. To start with, this is one hell of a funny movie, a downright hilarious film that got LOADS of laughs out of me. Does it try too hard sometimes? Sure! These characters can have a habit of rambling, as they try to awkwardly grasp for a good joke, but the solid gut punchers outweigh the flat sinkers in my opinion.

A pack of wolves after the baby are the real scene comedic stealers though, because they try to be aggressively defensive, but there’s something goofy and sweet about them behind their feral behavior. I can’t count how many times I laughed when they would form together into different vehicles, that was hilarious!

It’s also a film that’s surprisingly more relatable to adults than kids. It touches on common life question that adults face: Do I really want to reach the highest pillar of my career? Is this really my true calling? If so, what will I even do when I get to that goal? It’s pretty deep stuff, and I’m sure grown ups will love being spoken to like this.

Even if this aspect isn’t as explored as it could have been, the conclusion we’re given is still endearingly poignant, reflecting on how we need to find careers that tap into our hearts, and that it’s not only healthy to open up your emotions, but also beneficial for those who seek sincere connection with you. Not to mention, there’s also some parenting scenes that moms and dads will totally resonate with, because the baby raising sequences realistically reflect the kind of grievances & joys that parents face every night and day.

Now, I will admit that our characters aren’t anything new. Junior is an insecure neurotic using a macho bravado to hide his anxieties, which makes him seem like just another Bojack Horseman, but I guess it’s interesting seeing a G Rated Bojack haha! And there are some funny relatable moments regarding his very human social barriers.

While Tulip is your typical over-energetic animated female lead, there’s a charm to her enthusiasm, compassion, and dry sense of humor. My favourite scene of hers, is when she’s first given her baby factory job, where she ends up playing ALL of her co-workers, to help her feel less lonely, that was both sad and hilarious at the same time. More than anything, she feels abandoned, longing for social interaction, whether it’s from fellow employees or potential family, and some adults will know these feelings all too well.

To Conclude, “Storks” is VERY uninspired & wildly flawed, but it’s comedy is frequently golden, the babies in the film are undeniably cute, and adults will connect with the grown up issues that our characters are facing. I get why critics weren’t impressed by it, but at the same time, I understand why some audiences enjoyed it.

With a more unique narrative, maybe one far more focused on the adult concerns aspect, this COULD have been a really sophisticated & memorable film, but as it is? It’s just a good family comedy that’ll keep kids & parents entertained one afternoon, but then be possibly forgotten about not long later.

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Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 1st March, 2018

“Ernest & Celestine” is set in a world where mice live in an underground society and bears exist on the surface in their own city. Bears and mice have always been divided, basing their fears on tales spread about each other.

This changes, when a bear called Ernest ends up befriending a little mouse named Celestine, after helping each other to improve their lives. Although, their methods of supporting each other are borderline criminal activity, and they grab the attention of the law on both sides. So, the two of them go into hiding, and develop a bond as they close themselves off from the world outside.

Going into this film, I was expecting a simple story of friendship, but it’s actually stranger than that. You see, teeth play a big part in this film; from the mice stealing bear teeth for dental health, to the bears selling their own teeth as business. It’s wonderfully weird seeing how bizarrely attached these characters are to teeth, especially the mice – who value their heavily useful incisors greatly.

This isn’t your typical buddy tale either. While there is chemistry between the bear & mouse as friends, there’s still this sense of taboo lingering around, and Ernest is even very reluctant to become chums. It’s Celestine’s adorable determination to break social norms, that makes Ernest grow more comfortable with their harmony.

The Two of them couldn’t be more different too! Ernest is a selfish and bad tempered bear with foolish habits, while Celestine is remarkably intelligent and mature for her age. It’s the wild contrast between their personalities & physical builds, that makes their bond so touching. The thing is, despite being opposites, they CAN relate to each other, because they’re both creatively talented outcasts; Ernest is a struggling musician, and Celestine is a budding artist.

I do admire how these two help develop each other too. Ernest encourages Celestine to embrace her artist skills, not once seeing her passion as a money making opportunity for himself. While Celestine’s intellectual laid back company, inspires Ernest to become a more mellow & mature bear. These two really do belong together as friends, because they bring out the best in each other.

“Ernest & Celestine” is also incredibly hilarious, with a bloody capital H. This movie managed to get so many belly laughs out of me, thanks to the dry witty dialogue and beautifully timed slapstick. There’s an intellectual attention to detail for character’s emotional responses to things they bump into or confront, that helps the film to successfully score chuckles from the audience.

Even though this film looks like a children’s book’s gorgeous illustrations come to life, it’s surprisingly willing to make it’s delicately drawn characters stretch & bounce in amusingly comedic ways. I think the gags excel because of this, as we get to see pretty drawings being subverted through exaggerated movements & expressions.

I do have two grievances with the film though. Firstly, the movie does kind of gloss over Ernest & Celestine’s crimes a bit, and doesn’t really address the unethical implications of our character’s actions. Yes, the police come after them, but the film frames their arrest as unfair treatment.

Sure, I can understand their motives behind their misdemeanors, considering that they’re going through poverty & social ignorance; but such acts as robbery, property damage, & auto-theft aren’t exactly victimless crimes that can go forgivably unpunished. Yes, these victims are a little shady behind the scenes, and audiences will get a sense of karma from seeing their businesses fall apart, but they’re STILL victims of someone else’s crimes at the end of the day.

It’s wrong for society to deny Ernest & Celestine’s right to be pals, but a lot of their criminal accusations ARE justified. I love these characters as much as the next person, but that doesn’t mean that I think that their cute friendship makes them above in the law. I mean, this is a children’s film, shouldn’t we be teaching kids that crime does pay?

Secondly, the film does try too hard to hammer in the juxtapositions between the bears’ & mice’s societies, to the point where it becomes TOO coincidental. We get it, both sides are being just as immature and unreasonable as each other; but constantly showing scenes this similar to each other back to back, results in repetitive storytelling at points.

To Conclude, “Ernest & Celestine” is a beautifully animated and very charming tale of forbidden friendship in a world full of racial intolerance. However, it’s not without it’s faults, and the film does wrap itself up a tad too easily through forced coincidences.

It’s like the filmmakers are putting their well meaning message before realistic storytelling, which does result in a conclusive point that feels a little on the nose. Still, give it a shot, because it’s relaxing atmosphere, cute characters, stunning watercolour art style, and laugh out loud comedy make it all worth it.

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Howdy Folks! Seeing as it’s Pokemon day, I thought i’d celebrate by listing my top 5 favourite Pokemon from the first generation.

Keep in mind, these choices are mainly based on design, nostalgic memories, or concept, NOT gameplay mechanics; as I’ve not played Red & Blue in years.

Also, this list is based on my own tastes, and doesn’t serve as the definitive countdown. Let’s begin!

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5. WEEZING

There’s something kind of sad about Weezing to me. Two conjoined heads with gloomy expressions, casually puffing toxic gas… it’s almost like it’s very existence is tragically uncomfortable. I kind of want to cuddle it better, and let it feel loved as a potential trainer for it. I don’t simply like Weezing out of pity though, I do think there’s something cool about it’s deadly looking design! And I like those little craters on it’s surface, very neat.

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4. HITMONLEE

One thing about me, is that I LOVE Bruce Lee! So a Pokemon named after one of my heroes is bound to win me over haha. Yes, it’s original Japanese name Sawamular was inspired by the world’s first kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura, but the English name is the one I grew up with (Cue an army of angry sub purists telling me off for this logic).

However, I don’t like him JUST because of it’s name! Pfft, what do you take me for? I find it cool that it’s nose & mouth are shrouded away like a Ninja’s mask is covering it’s face, I adore those ribbed limbs that look like they can stretch for attacks, I love how mysterious it’s eyes look, and I reckon it’s kind of cute how it’s face is squashed into it’s torso haha. He just looks super badass, and deserves to be named after the founder of Jeet Kune Do.

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3. GASTLY

So, I REALLY like Ghost Pokemon, as someone who is both fascinated and unsettled by the concept of the paranormal. Ghastly is one of my favourites for sure! And it’s anime episode from the Indigo League is a strong memory of mine. A BIG part of his appeal, has to be the voice it’s given in the 4Kids dub, this eerie but goofy whisper that’s fun to imitate.

But I also like that cheeky look on it’s face, it amusingly implies that he’s up to something naughty, but nothing too malicious. Also, it’s bowling bowl shape is nicely drawn, makes me feel like he feels smooth to stroke or pet haha. Not to mention, that eeries purple mist that glows from him is both spooky and kind of pretty at the same time.

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2. MR. MIME

I’ve always been particularly fond of Mr. Mime, looking wonderfully weird but appealingly friendly too. That clown-like design adds a quirky charm to it’s appearance, from it’s wacky hair to it’s curled toes. Oh and gosh do I love it’s “Gloves”, amphibian-esque hands that look like they can pack quite the slap haha! Also, in the anime, I remember that Mr. Mime was a silly, lanky, neurotic, and sensitive Pokemon; traits that really resonate with my own personality & physique.

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1. PORYGON

Oh how I love Porygon. Inspired by the Polygon mesh structure in CGI models, Porygon is a Pokemon who can awesomely transform it’s surface & body into ANYTHING. While Ditto is limited to copying other Pokemon, Porygon can morph into a space unicorn dragon. It is empowered by it’s very own imagination, and I can really connect with that as a creative myself.

It has an angular abstract design and bubblegum colours, which make it uniquely pop out from the wide catalog of Pokemon out there. I really like how refined it’s lines are too, as if it’s been carved with well calculated perfection in mind. Also, as an animation fan, how can I not warm up to it’s similarities to 3D CGI? Porygon isn’t just my favourite Gen 1 Pokemon, it’s my favourite Pokemon I’ve ever seen haha!

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So, those are my top 5 favourite Pokemon from generation 1, what are yours?

Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 27th February 2018

In this second spin off movie from “Batman: The Animated Series”, Batman/Bruce Wayne and Robin/Dick Grayson must rescue Barbara Goodson/Batgirl from the evil Mr. Freeze/Victor Fries; who wants to use the poor girl as a live organ donor to save his wife’s life. The film was made to tie in with the theatrical release of the infamously bad Batman & Robin.

Now, I will admit that this is essentially an hour long episode of the TV Show it’s based on. However, it still functions well as a movie, because a typical Batman: TAS episode is usually VERY cinematic for a TV budget. For a straight to video production, it feels and looks splendidly theatrical. The camera swoops around like it’s filming for a Hollywood blockbuster, and there’s lots of shots that are directed with a great sense of creating atmosphere.

Like the TV Show too, our heroes are written very maturely. They can be very thorough when investigating what’s going on, with all three using clever observations to clue in what Mr. Freeze is up to. They can also kick ass as always, even if their restrained! Heck, Barbara doesn’t helplessly whine once kidnapped, she feistily stands up for herself and even attempts to effectively escape.

I also respect  these heroes for showing compassion towards Freeze, even though he was disturbingly close to performing live surgery on Barbara, that shows a moving forgiveness that makes the trio endearingly sympathetic. Even when Barbara finds out that Victor needs an organ donation from Barbara, she bravely volunteers to help his wife IF the transfusion happens at a hospital – which Victor bitterly declines out of his hatred towards society.

That’s the thing, Mr. Freeze is a very tragic villain, perhaps one of the saddest cases from Batman’s gallery of rogues. Unlike your typical antagonist, he’s not after money or world domination, he just wants to save his wife’s life. Yes, his methods are dangerous and psychopathic, but the fact that he has a loved ones’ health in mind, shows that he has some sense of humanity deep down. I mean, we also learn that he took in an orphan boy, which does show this hidden soft side to him, but it’s still unsettling that the boy is naive to Victor’s cruelty.

However, he’s still a very threatening presence too! Thanks to his cold apathy, powerful freezing gun, and intimidating pet polar bears. If you ever wanted to watch the caped crusader and boy wonder take on freaking polar bears, then this is the movie for you.

The film knows this, and frames Victor with a balance of sympathy & repulsion; both shaming him for his crimes AND also making us feel for his heartbreak. This means that we’re given one hell of a complex antagonist for this film. Even after watching him kidnap Barabara, you might actually tear up at the film’s bittersweet ending to his arc.

But the film isn’t all sadness and pain, we also get to see Dick and Barbara becoming a romantic item. Even though the main plot kicks in quite soon, we still get to see these two illustrating a great chemistry together as a couple. There’s a cuteness to their affectionate exchanges, and they do look quite happy in each other’s company.

I also like how much they deeply Dick & Barbara for each other, going as far as making sacrifices or life risking decisions in order to save the other. Not to mention, the fact that they’re now getting romantically closer, makes Barbara’s rescue all the more emotional & personal  for Robin.

The only thing that holds this film back, in my opinion, is that it’s only 64 minutes long in total. I think that this  greatly hinders the film from being something more than a double length episode of the TV Show. As well told and highly competent as the story is, there’s still a very fast momentum to way the movie is following it’s beats, and it doesn’t have time to slow down. It’s not obnoxiously hyperactive or anything, it just knows that it’s only got an hour to get things across, and has to stay on track no matter what.

This doesn’t make it a bad film, it just means that I was left wishing that there was a bit more to the film outside of it’s beats, and that the movie took breathers from it’s nimble pacing. The film simply required a more ambitious running time, so it could be have been fleshed out into something truly outstanding.

To conclude, when it comes down to it, “Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero” is pretty much a very awesome longer-than-usual episode of Batman: TAS. It has smart & strong characters, a well rounded villain, and an adorable romantic subplot. It’s just that it feels like a recut of something even greater, because of the very short running time.

With an extra 30 minutes, there could have been more scenes for possible extra character development, frequent breaks from action sequences or intense confrontations, and lots more time for us to hang out with our heroes before Mr. Freeze steps in. What I’m saying is, this film is very good, a really well put together Batman film, but it’s not as phenomenal as it potentially could have been.

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Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 26th February 2018

With “Sherlock Gnomes” coming out next month, let’s check out another crossover for the British sleuth, with “Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes”. In this film, Tom and Jerry must help Sherlock & Watson uncover the mystery of some stolen jewels.

Sadly, this is yet another “Tom and Jerry” movie where they’re thrust into someone else’s story, but don’t interact that much with said narrative’s protagonist, and go off to do their own thing instead. Tuffy also yet again steps in to serve as their annoying guide and be a translator for these quiet characters.

What could have been an adventure that pairs Sherlock & Watson with Tom & Jerry, ends up being two divided movies that are struggling to mesh into a smooth collaboration. What’s the point of having a film about these characters meeting, when they only spend the beginning and end together? The whole gimmick of a crossover is seeing characters from other works interacting with one another.

When the cat and mouse DO share a scene with Sherlock, they’re usually doing their own slapstick nonsense at the side or in the background. I had to sometimes rewind the film, because the camera was pointing at Tom & Jerry screwing around, while important dialogue was being delivered offscreen. That’s like filmmaking 101, make sure the camera’s focus is on what’s important for the audience!

Sure, Jerry does a bit of detective work, which I appreciate, but Tom meanwhile just gets himself abused by his own clumsiness or Jerry’s cruelty. This is the problem with forcing the Tom & Jerry blueprint into Sherlock’s universe, how do the writers stay faithful to the Cat & Mouse slapstick formula AND tell an engaging mystery? These are drastically different intentions that clash messily, making for a very irritating film experience.

So much of the film is padded out with long winded chase scenes or obnoxiously desperate physical comedy. Yeah, there’s an investigation going on, but the film also always feels the need to find any excuses for comedic violence; even if it ends up making a scene feel grating, kills tension, wastes time, or takes away the central focus.

Yes, a big part of the “Tom & Jerry” dynamic is the slapstick, but A) This Physical comedy has none of the timing or wit of the original shorts, it’s just relentless forced pratfalls B) The film is ALSO trying to tell a coherent story, one that doesn’t necessarily need contrived slapstick every 30 seconds.

Even when we cut to Sherlock’s side of things, the storytelling doesn’t get any better. Sherlock is portrayed as a perfect flawless detective who immediately works things out after a microsecond, while Watson just bumbles along cluelessly at his side. Although, these scenes are more watchable than Tom & Jerry’s, as we get to hear Michael York’s elegant voice as Sherlock and the always charming John Rhys-Davies as Watson.

Besides the impressive voice cast, I did also like the steampunk technology being used by our villains. Diamonds are stolen with nifty bronze contraptions, plus the finale features Sherlock excitingly taking on the antagonist’s steam powered carriage. This Steampunk aesthetic did add a little cool style to the villains, and brought some much needed personality to what’s essentially a cash grab on two famous franchises.

The Animation is inconsistent in quality, ranging from surprisingly fluid for a straight to video production to pretty cheap looking movement. It’s a shame that the animation isn’t polished all the way through, because the movie can look very good when the work shows. If you couldn’t afford to make the whole film fluid and refined, then why bother? The random changes in quality are way more distracting than a movie that looks cheap all the way through.

Fans of MGM cartoons will also have fun spotting cameos from the likes of Spike, Red, Butch Dog, Wolf, and Droopy; many of which have their own parts to play in the story. Personally, while I am a fan of these characters, I feel like the film gave them too much attention, leading to a 50 minute film being overstuffed with too many character plotlines.

Isn’t this supposed to be Tom & Jerry’s movie? Why give these supporting characters their own screen time stealing narratives? The film is short enough as it is! My guess is that the filmmakers wanted to fill up the 50 minutes some how, because they felt creatively stifled by the crossover gimmick; maybe I’m wrong, but it’s the impression I got while watching the movie.

Not to mention, their inclusion in the Sherlock universe didn’t blend very well. We go from a smooth talking detective grounded in reality, to a bunch of cartoony animals who like casually bashing each other. It just doesn’t click with me personally, and I think this because the film doesn’t seem that interested in any kind of world building.

To conclude, “Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes” was a rather boring slog to me. Sure, it has a star studded cast and some neat steampunk inventions, but it’s a tediously dull mess as a whole. I felt very sleepy while watching this film, because it’s heart isn’t in the right place, and the filmmakers clearly struggled to make these radically contrasting worlds cross over.

Really, I think a better direction would have been to have Jerry as a detective uncovering a crime committed by Tom! That’d remain true to the spirit of the cartoons, while also giving a chance for the duo to roleplay as Arthur Conan Doyle style characters.

Alas, Warner Bros. clearly wanted to just simply cash in on recognisable classic characters, even if the finished film would end being a load of chaotic clutter. Slap “Tom & Jerry” and “Sherlock Holmes” on the cover, then BAM, people will eat it up off supermarket shelves. Who cares about making a good solid movie? Right? The easy path takes less effort or risk *Sigh*.

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In this straight to video Scooby Doo animated feature, Scooby and the gang become Councilors at Fred’s childhood camping ground Camp Little Moose! However, spooky things are happening, as it turns out that campfire stories being told are coming true, from the axe wielding Woodsman to the sharp toothed Fishman.

Based on this entry’s premise, and the fact that camping was a BIG part of my growing up, I had always expressed interest in this Scooby Doo movie. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed, as this is one of the stronger films in the franchise; keep in mind though, I’ve not seen THAT many movies from this feature series.

The Camp itself may be intentionally cruddy for comedic purposes, but it’s woodland environment inspires many beautiful backgrounds. I also had a good time watching the Mystery Inc gang simply chilling out and doing casual camping activities. The Sunny skies, gorgeous landscapes, and relatable traditions really made for a nice atmosphere before things got creepy.

Although, It does bug me that Fred was still willing to go ahead with this year’s camp, even though veteran councilors warned him that an axe wielding murder was hanging around. I get that he’s eager to relive nostalgia and teach a new generation, but it’s rather selfish of him to risk these children’s lives in order to do this. I mean, if their parents knew, I’m certain they’d be shockingly appealed by his irresponsibility. On the other hand, the others deserve as much blame for not overpowering him.

As for the kids who attend Camp Little Moose, we get three children: Deacon the chubby little nerd, Luke the hyperactive lad, and a moody teen called Trudy. These are very stereotypical characters, for sure, but they still present conflictive obstacles for our councilors! Because each one of them has their own flaw or bad habit that Mystery Inc. can work on. Some of these kids can be a little helpful during the investigation too, especially when we learn that Trudy is a computer wiz kid.

This Scooby Doo film is also willing to risk scaring kids watching, and is known for being one of the darker movies of the series. All of the monsters come across as effectively intimidating for children’s movie threats, and I can imagine them disturbing younger viewers a little.

There are moments where these creatures do pose as legitimate threats, and the film seems to be just at the edge of letting these antagonists commit murder. It helps that they’re all voiced by the super talented Dee Bradley Baker, who always excels at creating strange vocal effects. So Parents, if your kid is very sensitive or easily scared, consider picking a more light hearted Scooby Doo film for them. Braver kids will LOVE these villains though, and are bound to feel grateful that the film was willing to unsettle them at a young age.

Not to mention, some encounters with monsters can be thrillingly action packed. Particularly when our heroes come face to face with the Fishman, and they have to become very interactive with the beast! Surprising us with some clever instincts, and a willingness to use combat in an underwater environment. This scene really impressed me, because it demonstrated a more physically confrontational side to Mystery Inc.

The Mystery itself is excitingly interesting, linking it’s roots to local history to build a seedy crime backstory. I’ll admit that I worked out one culprit very quickly, while the other was casually spelled out to us, but it’s still engaging trying to click together their motives & intentions. I have to confess too, there’s a twist towards the end that I did NOT see coming, and I kicked myself when I realised that the clues were there all along.

The Animation might have your usual straight to video standards, but something about it really pops. The thick outlines, refined shading, and effective lighting, make the characters very dimensional. The Animators also bring some dynamic expression to little character movements, which adds to the flair of the art style. Not to mention, there’s extra work being put into explosions or substances. It’s far from theatrical quality, but it’s a decent effort for a cheap production designed for supermarket shelves.

To Conclude, “Scooby Doo! Camp Scare” is a rewardingly fun trip, and a franchise entry that seems to be made with competence & risk. If you’re a fan of the darker Scooby Doo films, then I think you’ll get a lot out of this one, because it’s not afraid to get pretty intimidating for a children’s mystery cartoon. However, it’s still got some writing choices that can make characters look foolish, plus it’s a movie that predictably follows your typical Scooby Doo Formula, so don’t expect something TOO groundbreaking.

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Written by Jambareeqi

Posted 24th February, 2018

In this French 3D Computer Animated fantasy adventure, from director Bibo Bergeron (The Road to El Dorado, Shark Tale), shy film projectionist Emile and cocky delivery driver/inventor Raoul accidentally end up creating a monster in a professor’s lab.

The Monster causes a disturbance in the city of Paris, and the local Commissioner Victor Maynott takes advantage of this as an opportunity to play hero. However, a pretty singer called Lucille finds the monster, and realises that the creature has both talent & heart. It’s up to Lucille, Emile, and Raoul to protect the monster; who has been affectionately named Francœur.

Franceour himself is very much the soul of the film, an adorably sweet creature who is simply misunderstood. He may look like mutant flea, but he holds special talents, shows kindness to others, and proves himself effectively practical during conflict with the commissioner. I really empathised with him quite a lot, feeling sorry for how Parisians immediately despised him for simply looking the way he does.

Our heroes are humanly flawed, but hold sincere compassion and intelligent wit. Their adventure pushes them to face their personal obstacles, and demonstrate their abilities related to their passions. Their journey also gives them all a chance to develop naturally! Emile gains confidence and bravery, Raoul learns to be mature and opens up his feelings, while Lucille grows the strength to stand up to the commissioner (she’s being pressured into marrying him for his wealth).

The Songs included in the film, all performed by Lucile and Francœur, are wonderfully different from your usual musical numbers you’d expect from an animated children’s movie. Why? They’re very mellow, soft, and uniquely French! I always looked forward to when these characters would sing, because they’re my cup of tea entirely. There’s a gentle breeze to them, that makes them lovely to listen to, and reflective of the film’s romantic atmosphere.

Yes, the film can be romantic! You see, Emile is trying to ask out his co-worker Maud, but he’s too shy to do so, and his experience on this wild adventure gives him the sense of self worth he needs. Maude and Emile make for a cute couple, because there’s a charm to how they’ve both always dreamed about being with eachother.

While Lucille and Raoul actually have a history together from childhood, but a misunderstanding caused tension between them, and Raoul matures enough to break this mean spirited barrier. It’s touching seeing him admit his feelings, which he adorably hides from others out of stubborn arrogance.

But, I will admit that the film has it’s weaknesses, ones that hinder it from becoming a classic. Firstly, the Commissioner is a very unimaginative antagonist, as he’s just a generic egotistical local celebrity who wants to win the lead heroine’s attention, retain his position as an idol, and slay a misunderstood creature…. Erm, Gaston anyone? He’s not that interesting or funny either, because of his rambling cliche self indulgent dialogue, making him rather forgettable as a villain.

Secondly, the movie has WAY too much momentum. Characters have a habit of talking incessantly to keep things moving, try-hard comedy gags will be distractingly forced into the background at times, and the pacing can be quite exhausting in terms of storytelling. This over-activity is most evident in how the last half hour of the movie is one big extended chase scene, that goes on forever, resulting in a finale that’s tediously long.

Thirdly, while the character’s designs are appealingly quirky, their animation is mediocre at best. I can see the model’s rigs ticking during their movement, and there’s not much intellect being put into their acting. The animation is also a tad fidgety, with characters fiddling about ceaselessly, trying a little too hard to convince audiences that they are alive & upbeat.

To Conclude, I do think that “A Monster in Paris” has charismatically charming characters, and a warm romantic atmosphere to it’s French setting. It’s classic black & white film influences are proudly tattooed on it’s skin too, as it pays homage to King Kong and Phantom of the Opera with affectionate love. It’s just let down by a weak villain, an over-excited style of storytelling, and shaky animation. It certainly deserves a chance though, because there’s something very likeable about it, so maybe give it a go!

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