Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019)

Tags

Family, Mystery

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a poem describing a place in detail. I didn’t quite do that, but I used the theme of details to versify a mystery climax.)

The floorboards near the bookcase creaked,
And everyone’s concern was piqued
As, slow and calm, the expert sleuth
Prepared to publicize the truth.
She said, “I know who did the deed”
And eyed all three suspects to read
The guilt or panic on their faces,
Gathered near two fireplaces.

“Mr. Jones, you’re known as mean,
And as the gardener, less than clean,
But you are guiltless thanks to dirt
That’s caked upon your shoes and shirt.
The night in question, I could see
The room was spotless as could be,
And so your dirt is now defense
To soundly prove your innocence.

“And Mrs. Garber, you could well
Have been the culprit, but for smell.
Your strong perfume is hard to miss,
But as I think and reminisce,
The air was mildewy that day
And not at all like your bouquet.
So that leaves you, Miss Jefferson.”
Upon her heel, the Sherlock spun.

“You had the chance, the time, the aim,
Yet you are also not to blame.
The crime scene held a scrap of robe
Too rough and plain for your wardrobe.
Your taste is clear from how you’re clad,
(You really do look good in plaid),
And so I know you too are clean.”
The three, confused, looked round the scene.

“The culprit, though, is present still,
Too curious about my skill
To not be here tonight and see
If I could solve the mystery.”
She stepped two paces to the right
And huffed and heaved with all her might
To push the bookcase from the wall
And show the man behind it all.

He stood in shock, his pant leg torn,
For still he wore the clothes he’d worn
That fateful night, and as police
Led him away, he needed peace
And asked the sleuth, “How did you know?”
She donned a smirk and faced her foe.
“To notice things is my technique.
I heard the bookcase floorboards creak.”
____________________

MPA rating: PG

My VC has recently become enamored of mysteries and true crime stories, but the origin of that interest probably originated in her early love of the Nancy Drew books. I was curious to see what she’d think of a modern interpretation, and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, based on the second book in the series, was a fairly decent adaptation.

Sophia Lillis of It fame plays the titular teenage sleuth (is it all right to call her the It girl?) and gives her some likable spunk and humor as she must deal with a catty rival (Laura Slade Wiggins, who looked a little older than a teenager) and a haunted house. The production values are on the level of a Hallmark TV movie, but the mystery tries to keep you guessing, even as it’s kept at a tween-friendly level. I suppose the best part was its moral development; Nancy pulls a cruel prank on a bully early on, and it was nice to see her slowly recognize her own faults and choose to be better.

With the fond memory of reading the Nancy Drew series when she was little, my VC wasn’t particularly impressed with this film version, which she said was greatly changed from the source material, but it still felt like a more faithful attempt than the new CW series trying to be edgy like Riverdale. There are plenty of better mysteries out there, but Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase has a pleasant innocence to it that works well for the younger would-be sleuths.

 

Rank: Honorable Mention

 

© 2020 S.G. Liput
671 Followers and Counting

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, Family

We’re told that, if one can’t be kind,
It’s best if one not speak their mind,
But in our minds, we also need
More gentleness to intercede,
That we may speak them free of shame
And help the world to do the same.
________________

MPA rating: PG

I vaguely recall watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood when I was a kid. I remember the puppet king and the camera zooming in on the educational videos playing on Picture Picture. I think I even read a children’s biography of Fred Rogers for a book report. As I grew older, I thought his style was too tailor-made for kids to appeal to me anymore, yet I still viewed him as an admirable figure. My mom, however, remembers the years when he was practically a laughingstock among cynical adults, so it warms both our hearts that he’s finally getting his due, at least in the movies.

Tom Hanks has made a living playing America’s most trustworthy figures, from Walt Disney to Captain Sully. In both cases, and with Mr. Rogers here, he doesn’t entirely disappear. He still looks like Tom Hanks, yet he manages to wield the audience’s good will so well that it doesn’t matter. He can practically be two people at once. He manages to adopt Fred Rogers’ soft-spoken manner and genteel politeness so well, that it’s no wonder cynical reporter Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) finds him hard to believe when Vogel is told to profile Rogers for an article about heroes.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood isn’t quite what is advertised, its greater focus being on Lloyd and his troubled relationship with his father (Chris Cooper) rather than Mr. Rogers. Well, there’s a reason Hanks was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Yet, Lloyd’s story (loosely based on Tom Junod, who also profiled Mr. Rogers in the 1990s) is still meaningful, with Rogers acting as sort of a homespun shoulder angel for him, urging him to rediscover his priorities and even the value of silence. I was surprised at how much I identified with elements of Lloyd’s story, particularly his father’s terminal illness, and it touched me more than I was expecting. I also liked the visual style borrowed from Mr. Rogers’ show, with most outdoor scenes presented as a miniature diorama, though one dream sequence of Lloyd’s threatened to get too silly at times.

I think the reason Mr. Rogers is so beloved now is his unsullied brand of kindness, regardless of the person or whatever they’ve done. In a world where nastiness seems to be rewarded all too often, we as a society have begun to crave what once was viewed as quaint and puerile, and he was the paragon of a gentleness we’ve largely lost. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a lovely tribute to a lovely man, not some subversive exposé but a confirmation that Rogers’ public persona was him. If it makes even one person choose kindness over the alternative, then it will have lived up to the example of Fred Rogers.

Best line: (Mr. Rogers) “There is no normal life that is free from pain.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2020 S.G. Liput
665 Followers and Counting

 

Little Women (2019)

Tags

Drama, Family, Romance

(I may not have been able to review all the Best Picture nominees before the Oscars ceremony tonight, but I assure you they’re all coming down the pipeline.)

Men have always dominated
History and stories told.
In the meantime, women waited
For the day, ordained and fated,
That the whole world could behold
The stories they illuminated.

A new perspective, underrated,
Now has found its own foothold,
Different, same, and liberated,
Making man, a bit belated,
Wonder why he’d undersold
The tales that females had created.
___________________

MPA rating: PG

Confession time: I’ve never seen any of the seven film versions of Little Women, and I’ve only ever read an abridged version. Thus, I had little investment in Greta Gerwig’s latest adaptation of the famed Louisa May Alcott novel, no preconceptions or overly high expectations, and I must say that I found it an absolute delight. Greta Gerwig has cemented herself as one of the foremost female directors working today, and she brings the potentially dated material of a 151-year-old novel to invigorating life.

The little women of the title are, of course, the March sisters, Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Amy (Florence Pugh), Meg (Emma Watson), and Beth (Eliza Scanlan), who gradually mature into womanhood over the span of seven years. Through familial joys and trials, petty disagreements, romantic pursuits, and the chasing of dreams, their stories carry something that everyone can relate to and never lose the sense of semi-autobiographical genuineness. (I always identify with struggling writer characters, so Jo was my favorite of the family.) Gerwig reinvents the plot with nonlinear flashbacks, jumping back and forth and making it sometimes unclear what’s happening when, but it is used effectively in contrasting the story’s happiest moment with its saddest.

In many ways, Little Women feels like the kind of movie Hollywood doesn’t make anymore. As the first PG-rated Best Picture nominee since Hidden Figures in 2016, it was refreshing to watch a completely clean entry in the Oscar race that deserves its place. (Why it was largely snubbed by the Golden Globes, I don’t know.) Its period detail and costumes are impeccable, and every actress is at the top of her game, Ronan especially. The difference of seven years isn’t always convincing, particularly with Watson and Scanlan who always looked the same to me, but Pugh manages to make her maturation the most convincing as her bratty behavior evolves with time.

While I wish I had something to compare it to, it’s hard to imagine another version of Little Women surpassing this one in my eyes. It’s made me want to read the book (a measure of success for any novel adaptation), if only to see how much of the wonderful and insightful dialogue was from the book, or else embellished by Gerwig. The film manages to give voice to more modern feminist sentiments while remaining faithful and old-fashioned in the best way. By the end, it offered a sense of humor, joy, fullness, and satisfaction that few films engender these days. Little Women made me glad that such wholesome films can still be made today, without subversion or dark revisionism, and even if it has been overshadowed by the competition, it deserves every bit of praise.

Best lines: (Meg, to Jo) “Just because my dreams are not the same as yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”

And

(Marmee) “But do you love him?”
(Jo, tearing up) “I know that I care more to be loved. I want to be loved.”
(Marmee) “That is not the same as loving.”

 

Rank: List-Worthy

 

© 2020 S.G. Liput
659 Followers and Counting

 

Klaus (2019)

Tags

Animation, Christmas, Comedy, Family, Netflix

The world’s getting louder and meaner and prouder,
Content to be less than the best it can be.
Our good angels shrivel when others aren’t civil,
And we follow suit with acute savagery.

The worst in a person can come out and worsen,
And wrong leads to wrong for as long as we let it.
Yet kindness courageous is also contagious.
The bar is as low or high, though, as we set it.

What good can be started by all the kindhearted
Can spread just as quickly as wickedness can.
Right actions and choices speak more than raised voices,
For goodness expressed frees the best part of man.
____________________

MPAA rating: PG

It might be too late for Christmas, but Netflix’s Klaus isn’t just a great Christmas movie; it’s a great movie. I wasn’t expecting much from Netflix’s first original animated film, but good word-of-mouth convinced me to give it a look-see, and now I’m happy to contribute to its positive buzz. Being nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar doesn’t hurt either.

Does anyone else recall a 2000 animated film called The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus? I remember it nostalgically as a sweet origin story for Santa, and Klaus is similar in that regard. Whereas the other film featured extensive magical elements, Klaus is far more down-to-earth, gradually developing the myths and trappings surrounding Santa in a way that could feasibly happen, albeit still with some cartoonish absurdity and a dark undercurrent.

However, the titular Klaus is not the main character. Instead, it is the vain and spoiled Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), whose father, exasperated by his son’s laziness, makes him the postman for the remote and desolate island village of Smeerensburg, where a family feud has raged for generations. In a town where no one is eager to send letters to each other, Jesper concocts a plan to get the children to send letters for toys, a plan that might eventually get him transferred back to his well-to-do life. Essential to the plan is Klaus (J.K. Simmons), a mysterious woodsman with a wealth of toys, and, while Jesper’s goals begin as self-serving, he eventually starts to see the good that can come from an act of kindness.

The most noteworthy aspect of Klaus is its unique animation. In an age where most of the 2D hand-drawn animation around originates in Japan, director Sergio Pablos (creator of the Despicable Me franchise and character designer for several Disney Renaissance films) and other former Disney animators wanted to show how 2D animation might have evolved if it hadn’t been abandoned by the industry in the West. The result is gorgeously rendered and looks somewhere in between 2D and 3D, thanks to meticulous attention to shadow and shading.

If Klaus had come out twenty years ago, I know it would have become a classic annual watch in my home, and I’d like to think it will be for this generation as well, despite its exclusivity to Netflix. The last decade has seen 2D animation flourish on the small screen, and Klaus gives me hope that it’s not dead for feature-length films as well. Despite some predictable elements, it’s filled with humor, sweetness, and a stellar voice cast (also including Rashida Jones, Norm MacDonald, and Joan Cusack) and carries the perfect heartwarming Christmas spirit that reminds us how much better it is when kindness guides our choices.

Best line: (Klaus) “A true selfless act always sparks another.”

 

Rank: List-Worthy

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
659 Followers and Counting

 

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Tags

Animation, Comedy, Disney, Family, Pixar

The life that you pour into somebody else’s
Is just as much fuel as a life for one’s self is,
A reason to get up each morning, assured
That you have a purpose by which you are spurred.

But what of the time when the mission is done,
The journey completed, the races well-run?
When nobody needs you and life seems bereft,
What purpose remains here? What journeys are left?

Such crises are normal for those left behind,
But purpose is everywhere. Those who seek find.
_________________

MPAA rating: G (the highest grossing G-rated movie ever, in fact)

I’m sure I wasn’t alone in my groan when Toy Story 4 was announced. Toy Story 3 ended the series with such a definitively satisfying conclusion, being handed off from college-bound Andy to little Bonnie, that I just wanted Pixar to leave it there. A cute little short would pop up occasionally, and I kept wishing they would leave the characters alone. No more sequels, or, Lord help us, a remake! Yet Pixar has pulled off the unlikely so many times before that there was no way they were going to screw up their best franchise. Toy Story 4 still feels unnecessary, but it’s a sweet epilogue to Woody and Buzz’s story.

The Toy Story films have always thrived off their diverse cast of toy characters, and Toy Story 4 still does, joined by a collection of hilarious and welcome additions, but this particular tale is clearly meant to offer full-circle closure for Woody (Tom Hanks). The cowboy doll was always Andy’s favorite, and it’s no surprise that he’s lost that status in Bonnie’s room, yet he finds new purpose in protecting her newest friend, a googly-eyed spork she crafts and names Forky (Tony Hale). Being made of trash, Forky only sees himself as something to be thrown away, yet Woody strives to get the cobbled-together toy to see his own value, running into more than their fair share of trouble when the two are separated from Bonnie during a road trip.

In addition to new characters ranging from a Canadian stuntman plagued by self-doubt (Keanu Reeves) to a pair of plush carnival toys named Ducky and Bunny (Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key), Woody is reunited with Bo Peep (Annie Potts), whom we get to learn much more about than in the first two films. The main change, which is practically a retcon, is that she’s a natural, daring leader who’s grown beyond needing the love of a single child. (I also learned she and her sheep were part of a lamp. Did I just not notice that before?) Also new to the cast is the genteel doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), whose deep-seated neediness casts her in the role of villain, though the movie presents her with far more empathy than the other films’ antagonists, to the point of offering her redemption without so much as an apology to earn it (something I only realized after reading another review).Bo offers Woody an alternative to his desperate attempts to stay relevant, and I felt like this conflict resulted in some mixed messages. There’s a clear parallel between the toys watching their kids outgrow them and the empty-nest anxiety of parents, so it’s a worthwhile lesson that life doesn’t have to end once “the mission” is complete, that one can find another purpose. Yet with Woody’s repeated pleas throughout the series that “Andy/Bonnie needs us,” it vaguely feels by the end that he’s contradicting the loyalty he’s instilled in everyone else. My VC was more bothered by the end than I was, but it is a complication worth pointing out.

Yet for all these philosophical holes poked in the plot, the world and players of Toy Story never fail to entertain and remain as lovable now as they were back in 1995. With the spotlight so much on Woody, much of the extended cast, like Rex, Hamm, and Slinky, don’t get much screen time, but that doesn’t diminish the entertainment factor. (P.S. Ducky and Bunny are hilarious.) In some ways, the plot mishmashes elements from the other three films, yet it still bears that Pixar polish and lump-in-throat sweetness that never gets old.

I hope that Pixar has now finally gotten the need for an epilogue out of their system and can let Toy Story rest in peace. Toy Story 4 is easily the least of the bunch and not quite as good an ending as the third film, but it still satisfies, as well as dwarfs most other animated fare these days. All good things come to an end, or should, Toy Story included.

Best line: (Trixie) “I have a question. No, wait. I have all the questions.” [As someone with a reputation for asking questions ad nauseum in any class, this line spoke to me.]

 

Rank: List-Worthy (joining its forebears)

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
655 Followers and Countin

Aladdin (2019)

Tags

Action, Disney, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

There once was a popular tale
That viewers would watch without fail.
So Disney said, “Wait,
Let’s remake and update
A classic that never was stale.”
Despite the naysayers
And unanswered prayers,
That’s just what they did for resale.
And we, the civilians,
Still offered them billions
And all the support they entail.
__________________________

MPAA rating: PG

Like so many others, I rolled my eyes when I heard Disney was continuing their trend of recycling their animated hits into live-action by setting their sights on 1992’s Aladdin. Even so, I thought Aladdin at least had plenty of additional story material in the 1001 Arabian Nights to draw from, so it could potentially be not terrible. Even the Internet freakout over Will Smith’s blue CGI genie didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. (I swear, people judge movie effects far too quickly, whether it’s Alita’s eyes or photorealistic Pokemon, and usually it turns out fine once you get used to it.) So despite Disney’s so-so track record with these films, I guess I was optimistic but not exactly excited about another Aladdin, and now that I’ve seen it, my opinion hasn’t changed much.

The biggest weakness of these live-action remakes is that they repeatedly tread the same ground, replicating entire scenes and musical numbers that were already perfect in the original and cannot help but pale in comparison. It’s why I despised 2017’s Beauty and the Beast, yet Aladdin somehow seems more forgivable and entertaining, even if it does suffer from the same fault. I think the actors help immensely in this regard: Mena Massoud is a spot-on charming Aladdin, sporting great chemistry with Naomi Scott’s equally well cast Jasmine, who now champions some non-subtle feminism. And while Will Smith as Genie is no Robin Williams, he isn’t really trying to be, instead replacing some of the frenetic jokes with more of a hip-hop swagger. Plus, he even gets his own love interest in Jasmine’s handmaid, a welcome addition played by SNL’s Nasim Pedrad.

Director Guy Ritchie doesn’t really bring much of his unique action style to the proceedings, but it’s all still competent, fast-paced, colorful, and just different enough from the original to make you say, “Hey, why didn’t Jafar fool Aladdin by dressing up as a little old crazy man?!” Honestly, Jafar is the main weak point. Marwan Kenzari does fine with the role, playing him with more of an inferiority complex, but he’s missing so many aspects that made Jafar an iconic villain – Jonathan Freeman’s deep voice, the imposing stature, the goatee – and Iago and the snake staff don’t make up the difference to make him particularly memorable. The musical numbers are similarly not quite as vibrant as their animated counterparts (although the effects team did better with “Friend Like Me” than I was expecting), and Jasmine’s added girl power anthem is lovely but awkwardly placed as far as pacing.

It’s hard to judge these movies on their own merits since it’s hard not to compare them to the original, but if the original Aladdin didn’t exist, I think this one would be an amazing and innovative family film. As it is, it’s a pretty entertaining if uninspired family film with a laudable message, which still isn’t a bad thing these days. It’s at least not the kind of remake that does a disservice to the original, and since Disney insists on making more and more of these, that might be the best case scenario.

Best line: (Jafar) “Steal an apple, and you’re a thief. Steal a kingdom, and you’re a statesman.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
653 Followers and Counting

And a very Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

Detective Pikachu (2019)

Tags

Action, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Mystery

If Pokemon really existed, as shown,
Which creature would you want to claim as your own?

A friendly Charmander with flame on its tail?
A giant Wailord? (Let’s be real: it’s a whale.)

A psychic Kadabra to bend all your spoons?
Or maybe some ghostly balloon-like Drifloons?

If you’ve a green thumb, then Sunflora earns smiles,
And Ursaring’s cute…when they’re still juveniles.

I’d love a Sandslash to dig holes with aplomb,
But perhaps you’d prefer the more handy Aipom?

A Seel or a Spheal would be (honestly) cool,
But know that for water types, you’ll need a pool.

If you need sleep, Jigglypuff’s known for its pipes,
And Eevee has options for multiple types.

Oh, come now, you must want at least one of these?
Arcanines? Kirlias? Sweet Caterpies?

What’s that? You say none of these names ring a bell?
You only know Pikachu then? Very well,
I shouldn’t be “shocked” since that mouse sure can sell.
_______________________

MPAA rating:  PG

Who would have thought that a live-action Pokémon movie would be the first film based on a video game to be deemed “Fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes, even if it is only at 67%? There was something about the trailers for this movie that strangely fascinated me. I don’t know if it was the faithfully rendered CGI pocket monsters or the casting of Ryan Reynolds as a talking Pikachu or just the inclusion of “Holding Out for a Hero,” since I love that song. But whatever it was, I had unusually high hopes for Detective Pikachu, and thankfully it did not disappoint this nostalgic fan.

While I was once an avid Pokémon player, I never played the Detective Pikachu spinoff game, so I didn’t have any preconceptions about the plot.  Justice Smith of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Paper Towns (remember the Pokémon scene?) plays Tim Goodman, a young man with no interest in Pokémon who is nonetheless drawn into a mystery involving the powerful Mewtwo, his missing father, and his dad’s mysteriously talkative Pikachu. Plotwise, it’s nothing groundbreaking, but the mystery had enough twists and turns to be engaging and even some decent heart by the end. All the actors, from Bill Nighy as a wealthy industrialist to Kathryn Newton as an intrepid reporter named Lucy, give their utmost to the sometimes hammy proceedings, but Reynolds is clearly the source of star power, making the most of the script’s funny double entendres (aside from an eye-rollingly dumb gag about climate change).

I find it funny that there was such backlash against the “creepy” look of the live-action-ish Pokémon, because the effects are top-notch. It’s not easy for creatures with otherworldly powers and body proportions to look ostensibly real, but the effects team did an excellent job at bringing the 2D characters into furry, feathery, scaly life, as well as integrating them with the actual live-action characters and action scenes. It didn’t take long to get used to the visual style, making it just one of the film’s strengths. (On a side note, I was delighted that Kygo and Rita Ora contributed the song “Carry On,” which deserves placement in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. Boy, that list needs some updating.)

The story doesn’t dwell on the whole “gotta catch ‘em all” motif, instead setting the action in a metropolis of peaceful coexistence, not unlike Zootopia. While the creatures are commonplace and treated as both partners and near-sentient wildlife, I wish there were even more of them on display. I fell away from the franchise after Generation IV, and with the mix of newer and older Pokémon featured, I’ll admit there were several I didn’t recognize. Yet, there were also plenty of originals for us original fans, from Charizard to Psyduck to an evolving Eevee (even the original Pokémon theme song too), so I commend the filmmakers for their equitable fan service.

I doubt those with no history with the Pokémon franchise will enjoy this movie as much as I did, but there’s still enough fun and creature cuteness/coolness to appeal to everyone on some level. And if I’d seen this as a kid, I would absolutely love it to pieces! As it is, Detective Pikachu proved to be a thoroughly endearing piece of effects-heavy family fun, especially for those who were ever in its target demographic. Luckily, that includes me.

Best line: (Lucy, describing a potential lead) “Down by the docks. Rough part of town, not the sorta place you wanna visit alone at night.”   (Tim, trying to impress her) “Well, I’m actually pretty good at being alone at night.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up (could go up with future watches)

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
642 Followers and Counting

 

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Tags

Disney, Family, Fantasy, Musical

They say that you cannot return to the days
When the world held the awe it no longer displays.
The people and scenes are no more in their prime,
And you aren’t the you that you were at the time.
The flavors and sounds may be echoing still,
But the farther you get, the more gone is the thrill.

The memory seals them away as in glass,
Preserving their pricelessness as the years pass.
And even as foolish modernity tries
Revisiting heirlooms to revitalize,
Nostalgia may warrant a smile and sigh
At the echoes that fade but are sure not to die.
_______________________

MPAA rating: PG

There are some movies that shouldn’t be touched by Hollywood’s incessant need to remake its old classics, not necessarily because the originals are better by default, but because there’s no way they can compete with a film that was, is, and always will be a classic. I thought for sure that Mary Poppins was one of those movies, but Disney had other ideas. What they delivered in Mary Poppins Returns is as close as the modern day can come to the old-school style that created its predecessor, but try as it might, there’s just something missing.

Julie Andrews is irreplaceable, but when I heard Emily Blunt was to play Poppins, I figured she had the best chance of anyone to fill her shoes. And in many ways, she does, right from the moment she floats in on the end of a kite flown by one of Michael Banks’s children. Michael (Ben Whishaw) is all grown up now, a widower still reeling from the loss of his wife and struggling to hold onto the family home. Despite his and Jane’s (Emily Mortimer) best efforts, Michael’s three largely responsible kids are in need of some comfort and whimsy, and thus Mary Poppins steps in, perhaps a bit more smile-prone than before but close to the way they/we all remember her.

Mary Poppins Returns is a lot like Star Wars: The Force Awakens in its faithful adherence to the original (some might say too faithful). It follows the general plot of its forerunner to a tee, the same character types, the same sequence of events. Instead of jumping into a chalk drawing, they spin into a cracked ceramic bowl for another semi-animated holiday; instead of floating with Mary’s Uncle Albert, they turn upside-down with her cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep). In place of Dick Van Dyke’s chimney sweep Bert, there’s Lin-Manuel Miranda as lamplighter Jack, doing an excellent job at being casually charming. There are differences, of course, such as the presence of a genuine villain in Colin Firth’s bank president, but sticking so close to the original formula just begs for direct comparison, and Mary Poppins Returns just doesn’t quite match the first.

Yet it’s so close to the spirit of the original that I can’t help but wonder how much the original relies on nostalgia. Mary Poppins is an incomparable, wholesome family movie, but I am surprised at times to think that Julie Andrews won her Oscar for it rather than The Sound of Music. Its plot is loose and episodic, so I can’t criticize the sequel for being the same. I knew my VC, as a staunch fan of the first film, would have the hardest time accepting Mary Poppins Returns, and while she gave it a good try and liked the beginning, she essentially checked out when it no longer conformed to her idea of what Mary Poppins should be.

At one point in the entertaining segment with animation, Mary gets up on stage to perform with Jack and sings some slightly risqué lyrics. My VC immediately thought, “Mary Poppins would never do that,” and the facsimiled magic was broken. That’s why revisiting such classics is so potentially treacherous; while original content is subject to the creator’s whims, sequels and remakes depend on the audience’s. The same happened with The Last Jedi and the whole “not my Luke” debacle; I loved the film but couldn’t deny all of its criticisms. As with Mary Poppins Returns, it’s simply a matter of whether it bothers you or not.

It probably sounds like I didn’t like Mary Poppins Returns, but I did, just not as much as its classic forebear. The music and choreography aren’t as memorable, and by the two-thirds mark, it was bordering on boring, making me think it could have benefited from a shorter runtime than 130 minutes. Yet it has an old-school charm, evident in both the vintage streets of live-action London and the small but welcome return of some 2D Disney animation. In many ways, I’m just glad that movies like this can still be made today and perhaps capture the hearts and future nostalgia of another generation. It at least does no harm to the legacy and spirit of the original and, especially toward the end, comes closer than I ever thought a modern-made Mary Poppins sequel could come.

Best line: (Mary Poppins, singing) “Nothing’s gone forever, only out of place.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
633 Followers and Counting

 

Teen Titans Go! to the Movies (2018)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Family, Superhero

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a meta-poem, so instead of just a poem about poetry, I tackled the very idea of a work being self-aware or meta, paired with a highly meta movie.)

A meta-poem? A meta-poem?
Sure, now they want a meta-poem,
The kind that references itself
And thinks itself a better poem.

I’m not against the whole idea,
And I’ll admit it has potential.
It’s a tricky trail, however,
Getting so self-referential.

Whether it’s for thoughtful musing
Or for entertaining snark,
How can people judge a thing
That knows its own creative spark?

I might look back some years from now
And wish I’d picked a different foot.
Iambic’s fine, and yet this poem
Is analyzing my output.

Should I have used pentameter?
I’ll never be the first to ask
Because this poem is self-aware
Enough to beat me to the task.

And that’s the case with film or verse
That lets its sentience supersede.
It might cause you to roll your eyes,
But still, it’s fun to watch and read.
__________________

MPAA rating:  PG

Can a good movie come from a bad show? That’s the question I asked myself when I heard Teen Titans GO! to the Movies was getting positive reviews. I grew up devotedly watching the Teen Titans animated series on Cartoon Network, and I loved its balance its unique anime-like style and balance between lighthearted comedy and dark, high-stakes drama. That’s why I’ve been so disappointed with the more recent Teen Titans Go!, which has jettisoned the drama for all-out silliness rivaling and often surpassing that of SpongeBob.

So is the movie version more of the same? Well, yes, but I still managed to have fun with it, as is likely the case with anyone steeped in comic book culture. The Teen Titans, still voiced by the same voice actors from both TV series (Scott Menville as Robin, Hynden Walch as Starfire, Greg Cipes as Beast Boy, Khary Payton as Cyborg, and Tara Strong as Raven), think of themselves as real heroes yet are continually thought of as sidekicks and jokes by the Justice League. Robin, in particular, feels that they need their own movie to be taken seriously and endeavors to be worthy of having their own arch-nemesis in the form of the evil Slade (Will Arnett, more comedic but paling in comparison to Ron Perlman in the original series).

Indeed, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is admirably nerdy, poking fun at every level of the modern superhero genre. As a fan of superhero movies in general, I found plenty to laugh at, from digs at past DC films to a random time-travel detour to the writer’s obvious comics knowledge, throwing in obscure DC characters and a scene where Slade/Deathstroke is mistaken for Deadpool. (“Look into the camera, and say something inappropriate.”) Sometimes, it doesn’t even have to point out its own jokes, like casting Nicolas Cage as Superman (look it up, if you don’t get it). A few of its gags are even quite insightful, such as when everything about Batman is given its own movie; I couldn’t help but think of this film when I saw there’s an upcoming TV show about Alfred called Pennyworth.

My ultimate beef with Teen Titans Go! still remains, namely that it’s sad how the characters are dumbed down to annoying levels for the sake of being kid-friendly. The first series proved that wasn’t necessary, but its successor is content to be all about the jokes. I guess that’s okay when the jokes are at least funny, which is the case here but not always on the show. Beyond the meta-humor, the film also benefits from committed voice actors, including Kristen Bell, and manages a few well-animated action scenes when it tries. If you can look past some weird moments and the juvenile stupidity of its characters, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies should earn more than a few laughs from superhero fans and is worth seeing if only for an incredibly meta cameo from Stan Lee, his only one in a DC movie.

Best line:  Probably the aforementioned line about Deadpool

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
627 Followers and Counting

 

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Tags

Animation, Comedy, Disney, Family, Fantasy

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a remix of a Shakespearean sonnet, so I took some inspiration from the theme and first line of Sonnet 141, mixed in to fit a friendship theme of this film.)

In faith, I do not love you with my eyes;
You’re not the most appealing sight, you know.
Your voice can grate; you’re anything but wise;
And every chance you get, you tend to blow.
I’m not your friend for mere appearance’ sake;
If so, I would have bolted long ago.
And yet you’re first in mind when I awake
And last to fade beneath my sleep’s shadow.
It’s true to most our pairing seems bizarre,
So different by the judgment of the crowd,
Yet you as friend are dearer still by far
Than what the world approves or not out loud.
I dread the day you tire of our bond,
For I can see no life for me beyond.
___________________

MPAA rating:  PG

It’s hard to believe that Disney has resisted sequelizing its own animated films for so long. Sure, they’ve churned out plenty of substandard sequels through their separate animation subsidiaries, but Ralph Breaks the Internet is the first sequel since Rescuers Down Under to be included among Disney Animation’s official canon. Of course, this year’s Frozen 2 suggests a continuation of the sequel trend, but I was glad to find that Ralph Breaks the Internet was a funny and worthwhile continuation of the first film.

Some have called it a Toy Story rip-off, but I still think 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph had one of the most imaginative premises of any Disney film. Ralph’s quest to be a hero may have been basic motivation, but the inventiveness of the visuals and world-building was delightful. Not surprisingly, Ralph Breaks the Internet continues that visual innovation, taking Ralph (John C. Reilly) and his best friend, the semi-annoying cart-racing princess Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), outside their arcade home and into the wide and wondrous world of the Internet, visualized as a bustling cityscape of possibilities. The same voice actors thankfully return to deepen their character’s bonds, along with the welcome new voices of Gal Gadot, Bill Hader, and Taraji P. Henson.

While Wreck-It Ralph was certainly successful, it did have some detractors who didn’t entirely buy into the story, my VC among them. Yet one thing I noticed from some critical and blogger reviews was that those who didn’t care for the first film somehow liked the second one better. Sure enough, my VC enjoyed herself with it, and I’m still trying to puzzle out why this one and not the other. I suppose it’s partially that she has never been into gaming, while her familiarity with the Internet helped her understand and enjoy the sequel’s many jokes aimed at online culture, from the intrusion of pop-up ads to the absurd allure of YouTube stardom (or BuzzTube in the film). Oh, and let’s not forget the brilliant cameos of other Disney properties, most notably the Disney Princess lineup, all but three voiced by their original actresses. Sure, it smacks of Disney showing off everything they own, but it left me with a nerdy grin in the same way Ready Player One’s mashup of pop culture did.

Beyond the jokes and setting, Ralph Breaks the Internet is different from most other animated flicks of recent years, in that its conflict is much more internal and emotional than your basic defeat-the-villain climax. Ralph’s friendship with Vanellope is first and foremost, and his own insecurity provides fuel for the finale. It’s hard to say the resolution is subtle, when it’s taken to massive, ridiculously metaphorical heights, but it’s uniquely relatable to anyone who’s been reluctant to lose a friend.

It’s hard to say how Ralph Breaks the Internet will age, with so many of its meme-y jokes and sub-themes based in current Internet culture, which seems to change on a weekly basis. Future generations may roll their eyes at its potential datedness, but for me here and now, it was a whimsical, stunningly animated delight just like the first film. I would have liked a bit more of Fix-It Felix and Calhoun, who are basically cameos, but Ralph and Vanellope provide a sweeter conclusion than I would have guessed from a film about video game characters. (By the way, it has possibly my favorite post-credits scene ever. I guess I’m a sucker for certain memes.)

 

Rank: List-Worthy (joining the first film)

 

© 2019 S.G. Liput
627 Followers and Counting