Day 257 – The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 – 2013

This is an animated feature from Warner Brothers Animated Studio and tells the comic book story of The Dark Knight Returns, in particular, the second part of the film – Part 2. This story was split into two thanks to the long structure of the comic book and showcases Batman as an older man who hasn’t fought under the mantle for a decade until an evil rises. Featuring the voice talents of Peter Weller, and story by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson – the second part released directly to DVD in 2013.

The Joker has been released from Arkham Asylum and appears on a talk show to tell his story. He tells his story, and kills the host an entire studio with gas and makes his escape. He then makes his way to a fairground, killing innocent bystanders while Batman chases him. Batman catches the joker, and then kills him – the one thing the Joker wanted him to do. Batman goes on the run from the authorities, and Superman is called in to bring him in. What will happen when the two meet for the ultimate showdown?

This comic book adaptation is up there as one of the greatest, behind Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and All-Star Superman. This adaptation shows what The Joker is like, killing innocent people with graphic content. You can tell that the animation was done with care, as showcases the true insanity of the Joker when he is let off his leash. Clearly, Frank Miller wanted to showcase that he is more than a man, an insane being destined to take out his arch nemesis.

The fight with Batman Vs Superman is ok, overrated thanks to the live-action adaptation featuring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill – which sucked. This adaptation is more than the average comic book, it showcases the humanity behind Bruce Wayne and what he originally set out to do as the Batman. It has a faster pace than the average animation, and the fact it was released on DVD is a shame, and the bigger fact is that the amount of violence throughout deemed it to be an 18, yet the film was released as PG here in the UK. WTF BBFC did you even watch it.

Overall this is one of the greatest comic book adaptations ever. The Joker is perfect, and the Batman is flawed which showcases his humanity. I think having Robocop aka Peter Weller as the voice of the caped crusader sold the deal to me, he was perfect.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 241 – Aladdin – 1992

You know what, this film doesn’t even require a review. Its the classic caper tale of Aladdin of which Disney have created to be one of the best-animated films of the 90’s.

Starring the beloved Robin Williams as the Genie, the film has been loved by generations of fans young and old from all over the world. It personally has been a favourite of mine thanks to the musical numbers in the film and the animation. One of the best from the Disney Renaissance of the 90’s.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 216 – Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker – 2000

There has always been something interesting about the life of Bruce Wayne. What happened to the mantle of the Batman when he was too old. Luckily for us, there was a man to take that mantle. Terry McGinnis. In 2000 the animated show Batman Beyond, of which was set in the future wanted to bring back the Joker in front and centre, so they made this direct to DVD feature. It was amazing.

Set in Neo-Gotham City in the near future, the Batman mantle has been taken by Terry McGinnis who works under Bruce Wayne who has taken the role his butler Alfred used to be. The Batman suit has undergone a change, its more futuristic, sleek and can fly unlike the more traditional Bat Suit. Terry McGinnis takes down a bunch of Jokerz – a team of criminals who based there look on the original Joker. Then at Wayne Manor, Bruce is attacked with a toxin, the trademark grin of the Joker. Terry meets Barbara Gordon, who tells the story of the Jokers Death. Its up to Terry to find the cause of Bruce’s agony, and locate the man parading around town as The Joker in Neo-Gotham City.

The great thing about Batman Beyond was its futuristic setting. The city, its inhabitants and locations were all futuristic. It also used the same look as the animated Batman show from the early 90s which made it look amazing. I loved this film when I was younger thanks to Batman being streamlined and slick. Terry McGinnis was a true successor to Bruce Wayne in everyway and thanks to the suit, made him a badass. The voice acting from Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne was always on point, and Will Friedle as Terry was forgiving and honest. The reintroduction to the Joker was always going to be hard, but bringing in legend Mark Hamill as the Joker was clever, concidering his character died many years ago in terms of the animated universe. His eerily and creepy tone was perfect for the return of the Joker, and his voice was perfect.

This film should have been the gold standard to make a Batman film, brining humour, drama and fun to the franchaise – all whilst keeping it grounded in a reality that could actually happen thanks to it being set in the future. This film was the first time I looked at Bruce Wayne as a person, rather then as the Batman and the respect he had for the mantle of Batman

Should you watch it: YES

Day 215 – Batman: Assault on Arkham – 2014

Did you know this animated tale is based on the Batman Arkham Asylum game series by Rocksteady Studios. It is based on their take of the Batman mythos, and this time around they base the story around the Suicide Squad, and their mission to find a bomb planted by the Joker and get information about it from the Riddler. Released in 2014, the film has the voice talent of Kevin Conroy and a host of other actors. This film is based on the DC Universe Animated Original Movies.

This film chronicles villains Black Spider, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, KGBeast, Killer Frost and King Shark being hired by Amanda Waller to find the Riddler, and retrieve a thumb drive. She maintains control by planting nano-bombs in the necks of the team, in case one goes rogue she can detonate. They go on the hunt for the Riddler in Gotham, and at the same time, Batman is chasing down the Joker to locate his bomb.

The film is based on the game, so many attributes are shared such as a style of character and the way they look. Harley Quinn and Batman are taken from the game from Rocksteady Studio’s interpretation of the character and on a story level, the film completely works. The characters all work together in tandem and mixing the story with Batman trying to locate the Bomb planted by the Joker. Also because of this a more adult story there is a lot more graphic scenes compared to the animated features of Batman. Humour, sex and violence are present and centre in this tale of which many critics praised the film for this.

This film also incorporated the first time we have seen Task Force X aka the Suicide Squad in a film. Personally, this film placed the nail on the head when it came to the story, it was an adventure for both the team and Batman, unlike the 2016 Hollywood reproduction of which Warner Brothers wanted to make into a franchise and failed miserably.

Overall this film is great, it may be animated but is a great adaptation of the game to video material it once was. I think if you love Batman, then this is the adaptation to make you fall in love with the animated aspect which was lost many years ago.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 185 – Transformers: The Last Knight – 2017

You would have thought the Transformers saga would have finished by now, but alas we have the fifth iteration of the robots fighting robots once again directed by Michael “Everything Explodes” Bay. This time we lose some stars and receive new ones with Mark Wahlberg’s Cade Yaeger being front and centre for the second time. With him is Viviane Wembley played by Laura Haddock who you may remember as Will’s girlfriend from the first Inbetweeners film, and for some unknown reason, Bay got Anthony Hopkins along for the ride playing the elusive Sir Edmund Burton. Back once again is John Turturro and Josh Duhamel as Lennox who tried to stop the whole shebang from going belly up. Another wasted opportunity. Critics hated it, and to be fair so do I.

Essentially the plot starts in 484 AD when King Arthur is fighting the Saxons. He is losing and waiting for his wizard Merlin (played by Stanley Tucci) to bring his magic and defeat the forces of evil. We learn that he makes a deal with 12 Transformers who have hidden on Earth, and give Merlin an Alien Staff of which is biologically grafted to him and only he or his descendants can use. They defeat the Saxons and move to present day with Optimus Prime searching for Cybertron. He finds it, turns evil and essentially tries to blow up the earth and only the alien staff can stop him. It is up to Cade, and his team to find the staff before it’s too late.

The plot is a rollercoaster of genres mixed up to create this monstrosity of a story. How did the producers get from Aliens from space to the legend of King Arthur which was essentially a millennium before they arrived on earth. That’s right, they hid in plain sight like always. I remember the kids animated TV show, and used to watch some when I was younger down my friend’s house. I don’t remember this story line. Who thought this was a good idea. I understand the logic of having an adventure but isn’t it overkill to make the Planet Earth the villain all along, and skimp on the details. This franchise should have ended with the third instalment but someone keeps throwing money in Michael Bay’s face to come back. Don’t get me wrong he isn’t a bad director, but this is killing his soul I believe.

Let me start with the best part. The visual effects. Goddamn, they are beautiful. Every scene featuring a Transformer is beautifully lit, shot, and animated in a way you think the creature was real. Mix that with some fantastic cinematography from Jonathan Sela and we have a beautiful looking film. ILM are truly the masters of visual effects and it kills me everytime they lose out on the Oscar for it. The colour palette is bright and vibrant, compared to the first film which was washed out and soulless. The film makers are learning, but not fast enough to save the picture.  Also, the music from series veteran Steve Jablonsky is on point once again bringing the warmth to the depths of hell the story takes us. The janky editing can only be blamed on the 6 editors the film had. 6 EDITORS? I would understand 2, but 6?????

Marky Mark and Wills girlfriend from the Inbetweeners Movie are ok, and so is Anthony “Wasted Opportunity” Hopkins, but the story is what lets it down. Again as this is a Michael Bay movie, the female roles are overtly sexy, to a point where you ask yourself “why is this Oxford graduate wearing an outfit fit for porn star before she gets naked”. John Turturro has a large cameo, and Josh Duhamel has a larger role, trying to aid in stopping the war between humans and machines. It is a shame because I have always enjoyed Lennox as a character, and Duhamel as an actor but again he was wasted thanks to crap plot.

Overall I did not like this film, I felt like they made it for the sake of it and also what was the point of King Arthur. Transformers 5 is exactly what you think it was going to be: BAY-HEM!

Should you watch it: NO

Day 101 – 101 Dalmations – 1961

101 Dalmatians is about 2 Dalmation dogs, who live with their owners Roger and Anita. They have 15 puppies and are stolen by Anita’s conniving boss Cruella De Vil. It’s a Disney classic, with some of the best animation even by today’s standards. Walt Disney struck gold with this great tale of evil over good.

Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske and Clyde Geronimi it is the 17 animated Disney feature by the studio. It showcases Disney’s ability to create a character that you love to hate with Cruella De Vil. The epitome of evil, the mistress of distress.

This is a family favourite across the world. It hasn’t aged a single bit thanks to the animation studio in the 60’s being on form. Originally Walt Disney was going to dismantle the studio thanks to the loss it made with Sleeping Beauty in 1959, but against the artists, he kept the studio alive when they discovered a technique to make is cheaper to produce the cartoon. In collaboration with the studio was a team of artists who shot footage of people walking, and rotoscoped over the footage to create a realistic walk sequence for many of the opening characters in the film.

The film itself is fantastic, thanks to it being based on the gloomy streets of 60’s London. The physical atmosphere created thanks to the dark lighting in conjunction with the great dialogue enabled the directors to spend more time introducing the characters to the audience. The opening monologue by Pongo the dog is cleverly written to introduce that that owner of the dog usually has attributes associated with the dog. It’s wonderfully told. Another part of the plot which is realistic and could have happened back in the day was the point of Cruella De Vil wanting 101 dogs to make a coat out of their skin. A despicable thing to do, but it would have been possible in the 60’s.

This film also has moments of song and dance, with Roger being a songwriter for radio and television. Dalmation Plantation is a wonderful, fun filled song of which has the entire cast jump into song making the end of the film feel entertaining and fulfilling despite its short run time of 1 hour 20 minutes.

This is a film for all the ages. Everybody can relate to the characters in the film, thanks to the fantastic character introductions and the gloriously animated sequences. The singing in the film is also a joy to watch, so a definite watch in my case.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 50 – Moana – 2016

Day 50, I can’t believe I have reached this checkpoint. Another film released in 2016. Is it any good?

Moana is from the people who brought us Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. It is a tour de force when it comes to emotional punches and truly is return to form for Disney with its incredibly intricate introduction to new characters, its large-scale world building and its truly extraordinary talent behind the music. The animation is magic.

Moana tells the story of the title character who lives on a Polynesian island somewhere in the Atlantic ocean. It recognises the natural habitat and folklore of the surrounding islands and it sews seeds for the great tale which takes Moana on a journey of self-discovery and friendship at the sea. She meets Maui (played by Dwayne Johnson) who is a demi-god and has lived for a thousand years. Wanting him to return a stone to bring back life to the island she left thanks to the corruption occurring all around her. Along the way, we meet a whole host of characters such as the chicken Heihei, the giant crab Tamatoa and my personal favourite; the ocean itself.

The story is fun and adventurous and takes Moana, Maui and Heihei across the ocean in a humorous yet strong character development which showcases Disneys talent to always remind the audience that family is forever. It is an incredible achievement on both a story level and a technical level thanks to its beautiful animation from Disneys Animation Studio which is separate from Pixar. Maui’s hair and tattoos are very responsive to the actions that the character takes with the latter having a persona of his own. It’s both hilarious and sweet thanks to the portrayal of the sweet animation. Did I mention that Maui’s tattoos were all hand drawn then digitised into the computer? Disney has returned to the roots that made them great in the first place.

The score was drafted by Lin-Manuel Mirinda who currently is massive on Broadway for his play Hamilton. The music is incredibly subtle and packs a large punch thanks to the Polynesian style and beat which made it big for replays across the Spotify playlist lovers. The songs are very personal because it showcases the mind of Moana and Maui as they cross the ocean. The Polynesian language in the songs also adds a sense of authenticity and also very catchy. I myself have listened to some of the songs on full blast while smiling across the city.

The main attraction in the film in my eyes is the character of the ocean. How did Disney create a character out of the environment and make me feel like it was an essential part of the story. The animation and fluid detection in the film is second to none. It is beautiful. We are really living in the future of cinema.
Overall a beautiful return to form for Disney after Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. All are fantastic, but this is even better.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 44 – Ghost in the Shell – 1995

Anime is a Japanese way of animation. It’s intricate, jolty and overall a fantastic way to tell a story, and what a story it is.

Based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, set in 2029 the world is connected to an electric network. Most humans have cybernetic enhancements of which makes their daily struggle easier. Some use it for good which is the majority, then some use it for evil. The Major is a member of Section 9, the team of which takes down terrorist organisations across the Neo-Japan. With her is Batou and Ishikawa who work in tandem to take down these threats. They come across an elusive hacker called the Puppet Master and it’s their mission to eradicate the threat during the movie.

As its set in the near future, there is a lot of things in the film (which was made in 1995) that we have in today’s culture, with the main thing being the interconnected network of which we call the internet. It is interesting to look at this film and see what has become reality. Many other film and game makers have taken stuff from this film and the world and used it in their own way. An example is the augmented in Deus Ex, the machine world in The Matrix universe and the ability to have a surrogate body like in the film Surrogates from 2009. The Major is heavily augmented.

The film was revolutionary at the time, showing what could be achieved using animation and telling an adult story. They utilised a mixture of cell animation and CGI to create the world of the Neo-Tokyo and some of the scenes in the film are incredible. An example would be when the Major jumps off a building and assassinate a certain individual. It’s incredible cinematography considering it’s an animation. Using the animation in tandem with the music showcases a fantastic variety of technology in motion especially in 1995 when it was scarce, to begin with.

I actually viewed the Remaster of the film called Ghost in the Shell 2.0 which has digital animation and opening sequences. Also, the audio had been redux to include a 6.1 surround sound audio which was amazing. Certain inconsistent scenes were also removed to incorporate the larger universe from the later films to have consistency in the world. The voice over work was also redone to showcase the Japanese talents across the pond where the film did fantastically at the box office. Unfortunately in 1995 when the film was simultaneously released in the US, UK and Japan it bombed. But as any film, it carried an incredible cult following across the world. And that’s why Hollywood is now finishing making their interpretation of the film with Scarlett Johansen and Rupert Sanders directing. Hopefully, it will be true to this film and manga that came before it. With some incredible cinematography and beautiful landscapes of the city.

Overall a fantastic film. Everyone should witness the Major in all her glory!

Should you watch it: YES

 

Day 42 -Youth in Revolt -2009

 

Doppelganger

 

Now Michael Cera is quite a funny person. His dry humour, his childlike personality and his almost perfect comedic timing can make a bad film watchable. This is one of them films.

Essentially the hype train left the station as Cera was a big movie star after appearing in Superbad and Arrested Development, film studios wanted something with the new up and coming star, so Youth in Revolt was born. Based on the novel from C.D Payne, Nick Twisp is about to go insane thanks to his parents on the edge of a bitter divorce trial, so he sets his eyes on a trailer trash girl called Sheeni Saunders played by the insatiable Portia Doubleday (who you may have seen in the show Mr Robot). She likes him as a friend so he creates another personality, causing chaos and confusion along the way. He revolts against society with some hilarious consequences.

It’s a hilarious film with some standout performances from Cera and Doubleday. Their chemistry on screen creates this palpable tension between the two teens in the film and you can feel it from the direction from Miguel Arteta (whose former work include a variety of television work).

As it is based on romantic comedy literature, it does translate well to the silver screen thanks to some great writing from Gustin Nash. The cinematography is also top notch, thanks to some clever work. Using stop motion, claymation and some incredibly crude drawings to portray some of the more expensive shots show the filmmakers has some money saving ideas. Its an ingenious way of changing location without actually going there. It reminds me when in Wayne’s World 2 when Wayne and Garth travel to London to visit Del Preston, the legendary roadie. Filmmakers shot some footage with doppelgangers from behind across London, never showing their faces giving the illusion they sent the actors there. It was clever, saving the budget for more expensive story element (nude and crude drawings animated in the most sexual way).

Another hilarious sequence is when Nick goes to visit Sheeni at her French-speaking boarding school. We meet Nick’s friend Vijay Joshi who is also a virgin and then we meet Rooney Mara, playing the sexy Taggarty. A hilarious ensemble occurs, with Vijay scoring in all the right boxes. The aftermath, however, is the culmination of what I feel sex comedies lack. The thrill of being captured. Hilarious.

Overall a coming of age sex comedy tale, with some hilarious scenes and some standout performances from Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday.

Should you watch it: YES

Day 41 – Ratchet & Clank – 2016

Waste of time.

Seriously, waste of time. Ratchet & Clank is an adaptation of the game also released in 2016 which is a reimagination from the original game from 2002 by Insomniac Games. The game was received quite well by critics across the board, the film, however, was not.

Ratchet & Clank is an adaptation of the game also released in 2016 which is a reimagination from the original game from 2002. The game was received quite well by critics across the board. The film, however, is a car crash as it is all over the place.

I’m not going to talk about the plot because it would waste your time. Google it if you really want to know. Essentially the film is trying to clone the plot from the game, including the large set pieces, the dialogue and in my opinion which is the best part, the comedy. The physical size of some of the action sequences are mindboggling thanks to it being an animation, and all done on the computer. Some of the camera shots also could only be done via CGI and to absolutely honest, the Director of Photography should be highlighted as one of the most impressive members of the crew of the film, they did an impressive job. The look of the film is silky and sleek, and I give it the animation team. They made the film look amazing. The animation is top notch in my opinion, but I felt that some of it were stolen from the game, as its a little too silky smooth. The character models are incredibly detailed, and the world building done on screen is pretty good. But that’s all I can say for this film.

Shame about the plot.

They tried to take the game and transport it to the silver screen. Unfortunately, the filmmakers forgot who to cater the film for. Its definitely not for kids, teens or adults. I think its for the fans, and you can tell thanks to the amount of money it made via the box office: $8 million. That’s nothing in this day in age when Avatar made $2.7 billion back in 2009/2010.

The voice acting is subpar, surprising when you read the cast of big names in the film. John Goodman, Rosario Dawson, Paul Giamatti and Sylvester Stallone. They couldn’t save the film with just them being connected to it.

Overall a bad film from a great franchise. It is a shame when game makers put their trust in the wrong hands and create this kind of monstrosity. The physical games have been fantastic over the past 10 years, shame about this pile of junk.

Should you watch it: NO