Merry Christmas 2019

    It’s that time a year again and boy did it seem to come out of nowhere.  One minute it’s Thanksgiving and then bam, it’s already Christmas.  It hasn’t been an easy year for me but I have also been blessed with amazing people in my life who have been there for me in some of my darkest hours.

    Christmas time is difficult for me, having lost my oldest brother and parents.  The only immediate family I have left is my one older brother who needs help taking care of himself.  Still, Christmas is a time to thankful for the things I have.  I have an amazing girlfriend who has helped me through the years even though it’s been more difficult for her.  She is beautiful and sweet and could be with anyone she wanted and yet she loves me.

    I started this blog as a sense of escapism to some degree.  I guess my love for cinema has also been a sense of escapism over the years.  Still, it is something I have enjoyed doing and I feel like I have grown as a writer over the last few years.

    Thank you to the people who support me, the people who read my blogs, people who also enjoy cinema in general, and for distribution companies like Mill Creek Entertainment who provided me review copies.  Thank you everyone and have a very Merry Christmas.

“Klaus” Movie Review

    Over the past few years, it has seemed like less and less Christmas movies have been released in theaters.  I looked forward to possible new Christmas classics but they seem to be few and far between these days.  Sure, you get a movie like “Last Christmas” this year, but nothing that really screams Christmas tradition.  When I saw Netflix released “Klaus” this year, I knew I had to give it a shot.

    The film tells the story of a spoiled post officer worker named Jasper Johansson who gets assigned to the small freezing town of Smeerensburg by the head postmaster (and Jasper’s father) in the hopes that the job will straighten him out.  Jasper has to make the town’s post office successful before he is permitted home.  When Jasper encounters a local woodsman named Klaus, Jasper hatches a scheme to make his post office a success by manipulating the townspeople and their children.

    This film is an interesting spin on the Santa Claus legend and is very unique as a result.  Sometimes a break from traditional Christmas stories make for the best new traditions.  “Klaus” manages to teach children the values of the holiday while still telling a new origin for Santa Claus that is original.

    What helps “Klaus” the most is it’s animation style which isn’t like anything you have seen before.  It is an English language film made by Spanish animators.  Sergio Pablos actually made his directorial debut with this film and he certainly impresses.  Pablos managed to obtain a skilled voice cast led by Jason Schwartzman as Jasper and J.K. Simmons as the title character Klaus.

    “Klaus” has the honor of being Netflix’s first original animated film and it couldn’t have been more impressive.  It should be noted that “Klaus” clothing can actually be currently purchased at an Old Navy by you.  The film is a winner all the way around and is destined to be a new Christmas tradition for many families.

Grade: B+

“Lady and the Tramp” (2019) Movie Review

    With “The Mandalorian” seemingly taking the world by storm, it is easy to forget that the streaming service Disney+ also launched with two original movies, a live action remake of the Disney classic “Lady and the Tramp” and the Christmas themed “Noelle”.  Being a huge dog person, I had to check out “Lady and the Tramp” for myself.

    The film opens with a dog named Lady as she quickly warms her way into her owner’s hearts (and bed).  Lady is part of the family and enjoys being an indoor dog with all the comforts that come with it.  By contrast, we are introduced to a canine simply known as the Tramp who seemingly enjoys the freedom he has being a street dog.  Lady and the Tramp soon cross paths when Lady helps the Tramp escape a dog catcher who has it out for him.  Soon after their encounter together, Lady finds her place in the home threatened when a new baby is born and takes all of her owner’s attention.  When Lady ends up getting loose one day, the Tramp ends up helping her find her way back home as she worries if she even has a home to return to.

    The film is more or less a more politically correct live action update of the classic cartoon.  The new film removes the controversial ‘Siamese Cat’ song with an updated new song.  While I certainly understand and even support some of the changes in the film, it still leaves the film feeling as if they played everything a little too safe.  I am not saying Disney films need or should be edgy, but a little cultural subtext like Disney cartoons used to have wouldn’t be the worst thing either.  Maybe that is just the cynical adult of me talking though.

    The dog actors used in the film did an incredible job (with some help from the cgi department).  I loved the fact that Disney actually used real life shelter dogs for this film and the studio was smart enough to spin that into headlines.  Good publicity can go a long way.

    The remake has currently been hit with mixed reviews stating it lacked the heart of the original cartoon classic, much like the criticism of the latest “The Lion King” remake had.  While I fully admit that I think the cartoon is overall superior to this live action remake, I still found this film to be quite entertaining and I think it had the same amount of “heart” as the original did.

    This remake was enjoyable overall and a fine attention to Disney+.  While I do wish the new streaming service had more original content out of the gate, I do prefer quality to quantity.  “Lady and the Tramp” won’t change your life or make you think but it will provide you (and especially your young ones if you have them) a cute movie to enjoy for a few hours.

Grade: B-

“Shazam!” Movie Review

    When this project was first announced, I was very excited about “Shazam!” because I knew how amazing it could be.  The comic book featuring the character is original and heartwarming.  Plus the prospect of DC expanding their film brand outside of proven commodities like Superman and Batman was a refreshing sign of faith in their own properties.

    The film follows a young foster child named Billy Batson who keeps running away from his foster homes in an attempt to find his biological mother.  After defending his current foster brother from bullies at school, Billy is teleported to a magical realm where a wizard named Shazam transfers his power to him.  The primary job of the wizard is to keep the seven deadly sins imprisoned.  Billy is challenged from the get go by Thaddeus Sivana.  As it turns out, Sivana was actually rejected by the wizard Shazam to be his champion which led Sivana on a quest to release the seven deadly sins.  Can Billy Batson stop him now that he is the new Shazam?  No spoilers from me.

    Now I can finally discuss my thoughts on the movie and I loved it!  It was everything I hoped it would be and more.  The film was both hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt at times.  “Shazam!” isn’t your typical superhero movie and works largely because of that.  At it’s core, “Shazam!” delivers pure wish fulfillment, which is why comic books were made in the first place.  What kid doesn’t dream of becoming a superhero?

    “Shazam!” has an interesting comic book history.  Before Marvel released their “Captain Marvel”, there was Fawcett Comics’ own Captain Marvel, the character later renamed “Shazam!”.  In the original comics, Shazam was the name of the wizard who provided Billy Batson with his powers by saying his name (like in the film).  This may be hard to believe now, but at one time, the comics featuring Shazam outsold the likes of Superman.

    This isn’t the first film adaptation of “Shazam!” made to the surprise of some.  In 1941, “Adventures of Captain Marvel” serial hit the silver screen and delighted audiences.  A few decades later, the tv show “Shazam” ran from 1974-1976 and was about as corny as corny could get.  Speaking of films, this modern “Shazam!” also references many other films in fun ways.  The best reference to me was the “Big” reference, seeing as “Shazam!” is basically “Big” crossed with “Superman: The Movie”.  I also enjoyed the several nods to “Rocky” since the film was also set in Philadelphia.

    A large part of the success of “Shazam!” comes from the cast.  Zachary Levi does an amazing job as Shazam and channels his inner kid amazingly.  Asher Angel is also a great find as Billy Batson.  Angel and Levi do such a good job channeling each other that it seems perfectly feasible that Billy Batson and Shazam are one in the same.  I thought Jack Dylan Grazer did a phenomenal job as Freddy Freeman, Billy Batson’s foster brother.  Mark Strong did a good job capturing the tragedy behind Sivana and his evil doing.  Director David F. Sandberg delivers a special superhero movie that really separates itself from the pack.

    The movie is a treat for all ages.  It features many amazing special effects and imaginative visual gags that will delight the entire family.  It is also full of surprises, from cameos to nods of things to come.  Much like “Iron Man 3” and “Batman Returns”, this film also makes for a fun new non-traditional Christmas film.  Be sure to stay after the credits for a treat, but don’t get your hopes up that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam will appear.

    “Shazam!” marks yet another success for the DCEU as it tries to course correct after “Justice League”.  At this rate, the DCEU might just become the juggernaut of a franchise the MCU has become.  So, if you are looking for a great movie, just say the word.

Grade: A-

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

    Hello everyone!  I know it’s been a little while since I have posted on here but I have more content coming soon!  Unfortunately, November and December are two of the busiest months for me due to my job and from selling on eBay.  I will soon have reviews posted from movies in theaters including “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and classics including “The Karate Kid Part III” and “The Next Karate Kid” (review copies were provided by the very kind Mill Creek Entertainment company).  Anyway, I just wanted to take this time to wish all my readers a very merry Christmas.  Also, for those amazing readers who celebrate holidays other than Christmas, I hope you have a happy holiday season!  Lastly, if you don’t celebrate a holiday, I still wish you the best and hope you have a great week!  Thank you!