Loki (Season 2)

Time travel is impossible in real life, but it’s also difficult to make believable in fiction, where a neat plot device can easily devolve into a knotted nest of confusing exposition. The first season of “Loki” avoided this problem, making this Disney+ show a shining light in a somewhat quiet era of the MCU. Following a “variant” of the Norse God of Trickery in the depths of the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, the series partnered with flawless production design with a simple emotional narrative – especially once the protagonist Loki (Tom Hiddleston) met his match in his female counterpart Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), a relationship that opened questions of identity, free will and self-determination. Tracking the potential branches of the so-called Sacred Timeline could confuse the viewer. Alison Herman said in her review, “Like a Zen koan, “What makes a Loki a Loki?” is grounding and easy to grasp.”

The final scene of the first season, “Loki” revealed it would be the first Marvel Studios show for Disney+ to have a second season. This realization came as a relief, with the cliffhanger ending. After Loki and Sylvie traveled to the end of time, Sylvie killed He Who Remains, played by Jonathan Majors, the founder of the TVA and the main obstacle keeping the Sacred Timeline from becoming a complete multiverse. Herman said, “When Loki, having tried to stop her, returned alone to the TVA, he found an office transformed, with statues of He Who Remains looming everywhere and employees like Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) having no memory of their quarry-turned-collaborator.”

This past year, “Loki” is back, and at the right time. Because the show started the MCU’s Multiverse Saga strongly, the franchise’s latest installments have caused people to have serious criticisms. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” was a critical and commercial disappointment that failed to build on what started in “Loki,” despite using some of the same concepts and characters. Herman noted, “Meanwhile, Majors is facing trial for charges of assault and aggravated harassment against his former girlfriend, throwing Marvel’s plan to make his character the next Thanos-style archvillain into question. (Not that blockbuster business planning should be anyone’s main concern when it comes to allegations of domestic violence, but with this much money on the line, it is a concern to some.)”

Herman continued, “Such circumstances place a great deal of pressure and scrutiny on “Loki” Season 2, which has also seen some personnel shuffles behind the scenes.” (Eric Martin became the head writer from creator Michael Waldron, while director Kate Herron gave the job to a larger group led by collaborators Justin Benson and Aaron Morehead.) However, even though “Loki” seems to be the best of the MCU shows, second only to “WandaVision,” Season 2 falls into the same traps the original story so cleverly avoided.

Herman said, “While the first episodes of “Loki” used its namesake as an audience surrogate, gradually laying out the purpose, customs and bylaws of the TVA, Season 2 begins in media res. Right away, Loki is tasked with finding Sylvie, figuring out why he’s hopscotching through time and navigating the chaos of a TVA workforce that’s just discovered all memory-wiped variants from “severed” — or less euphemistically, eliminated — timelines. It’s a lot, perhaps too much, for both Loki and the viewer to process, especially since the story feels increasingly unmoored from Loki’s own journey of (literal) self-discovery.”

Instead, the season introduces new MacGuffins like the Temporal Loom and characters like Ourobouros, played by Ke Huy Quan, a type of cosmic IT guy with the job of keeping TVA equipment in shape. Herman said, “There’s frantic motion and momentum, but not as much of a sense of who wants what, and why, when it comes to complicated questions of personal autonomy versus the collective good. In fact, one gets the sense that “Loki” maintains the breakneck speed precisely so it doesn’t have to slow down and root the action in its characters’ wants and needs. Online explainers will surely lay out the logistics in exhaustive detail, but they can’t create the sense of emotional urgency the season palpably lacks.”

At least there are performances, delivered by an ensemble inside the MCU’s giant ensemble that remains one of its best. On a long victory after his Oscar win for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Quan brings an experienced energy to Ourobouros, or OB, that complements the crazy antics he’s asked to perform. Rafael Casal is less well-served as a TVA employee who’s barely introduced before becoming a fugitive, we’re told is important to the story, though through no fault of his own. Herman said, “And when taken on its own terms, Majors’ work as He Who Remains in his various incarnations is an idiosyncratic and strangely magnetic break from Marvel house style — though whether it should be considered separately from his off-set behavior is another question entirely.”

The playful, inventive visuals also continue to give “Loki” an added edge, from the congested gadgetry of OB’s workshop to a quick detour in 1970s London to an entire episode set in 19^th century Chicago. Herman said, “But where everything from the set design of the TVA to its complicated cosmology once felt in service to Loki’s burgeoning ability to feel camaraderie and love, the hierarchy now feels reversed. Even though, via spoiler-y means, Loki and Mobius do get to resume their buddy routine, there’s less space for either their friendship or Loki’s bond with Sylvie when everyone is racing around for unclear reasons.” “Loki” is still a good time, but despite the second season, it may not have been built for a long one.

I still think this was a good season. I did not find any complaints in it and I liked how everything is at stake and that something bad may happen if they do not jump at the chance to stop it. Loki has come a long way from the one villain the MCU did right and changed into a hero that we all love and adore. Then again, I think this is a different variant of Loki compared to the villain we loved to watch, but still, he has changed. You should check this season out and see for yourself, as I think there was a lot to see and get hooked on.

And with that, we have reached the end of “Disney Month 2023.” I hope everyone enjoyed it because, as always, this was a busy month for me. I had to decide what I was going to review and unfortunately had to change the list around a few times because some shows were delayed to next year. Some movies came out that I wanted to check out, so now that I have, I will take some time off and think clearly about what I want to review next.

Have a great end to the year, everyone. I will see you all next year for the next series of exciting reviews. Take care.

Ahsoka

Over the last few years, Star Wars fans have been having complicated feelings about the franchise. On one side, fans have been enjoying the movies, shows, cartoons, and theme park attractions that people spend a year's salary on. Erin Maxwell said in her review, “Disney’s greed quickly saw an oversaturated market and so we got some lackluster entries, cruddy hotels, and Porg plushies, causing the desire for more galactic adventures to diminish.”

The Franchise needed a save that makes sense and brings fans back to the franchise, but will be it this past year’s “Ahsoka” series?

Ahsoka is a Togruta (sentient humanoid with cone-like horns and white facial pigments), which fans were first introduced to in their teenage years training under Anakin Skywalker in the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” back in 2008. She returned to animated design in “Star Wars Rebels” in 2014 before she finally came to live-action in “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett.” Now in her series, Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) follows the former Jedi after the fall of the Galactic Empire as she tracks down old enemies and lost friends with the help of her former Padawan, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo).

Written and co-directed by Star Wars defender Dave Filoni, “Ahsoka” sees him doing what he does best: connecting the dots between films and the extended universe. However, this time around, there is a separate focus on female empowerment and leadership thanks to the female-led cast. Maxwell noted, “But the world of Ahsoka isn’t an easy romp. The show will be quite complicated for most newbies, especially those who only have the movies under their belt and a Grogu t-shirt. Those who skipped out on Rebels and Clone Wars might be a bit lost in space when it comes to these characters, politics, and past narratives.”

To understand the show, “Ahsoka” requires viewers to do a lot of homework, and there’s much to catch up on. Maxwell said, “Hardcore fans will appreciate the poignant relationships that have been carefully cultivated since they were in toon form, but others will find the show slow-moving and bogged down in politics. Still, the essence of good vs. bad is at the forefront of any great hero saga and it deserves to be explored.”

Maxwell continued, “Breathing new life into a galaxy far, far away is difficult, especially when the fan base seems to want familiarity –AHsoka is basically a live-action version of Rebels: Season 5.” Still, like the previous show, “Andor,” “Ahsoka has enough going for it to move the franchise in a new direction, making it different from Indiana Jones, recent Marvel movies, and a few previous Star Wars installments that failed to do so.

This is a very good show. Dawson and Bordizzo are amazing in the lead. Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sakhno are believable and great as the villains. There are some great action scenes and the story, even though you don’t want it to move in a certain direction, you know it goes there. Check it out on Disney+ and you will love it, I promise.

Tomorrow we will be ending “Disney Month 2023” with another installment in the MCU.

Secret Invasion

Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Don Cheadle’s Col. James Rhodes meet at Berners Tavern in London, with Rhodes’ security man and a bartender the only others in the room. The two men have had minimal contact recently, and their tension is intense. Let’s not get into details, but let’s just say the talk turns tough and deep.

“We owe each other,” says Fury. “Men who look like us don’t get promoted because of who are daddies know. Every ounce of power we wrestle from the vise grasp of the mediocre (people) who run this world was earned in blood…”

Rhodes’ reply, partly: “You should know better than most, the reason we wrestled this power from mediocre men who don’t look like us was not simply to turn around and hand it to mediocre men who do. The point of this power is to be uncompromising, to be unsparing…”

Richard Roeper said in his review, “The verbal confrontation goes on for some six minutes — just these two powerful, scarred, world-weary men laying it all on the table. It’s a brilliantly written and acted scene, and a reminder there are times when the Marvel Universe is about a lot more than great-looking people flying through the skies and bantering while taking on the latest megalomaniacal villain.”

The six-part 2023 “Secret Invasion” is set in the current time MCU, and while the main story does indeed involve an observed threat to Earth and there is plenty of expensive-looking, big-picture action sequences, it’s also about damaged friendships, family ties, divided loyalties and betrayals that dig deep. Based on the first two episodes, the ninth TV series in the MCU has the potential to be a standout.

Roeper credited, “Show creator Kyle Bradstreet (“Mr. Robot”) and director Ali Selim do a splendid job — this is a great-looking show with a cinematic vibe — and they’re blessed with a first-rate cast that includes not only Jackson and Cheadle but Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull leader Talo.”

There’s also Oscar winner Olivia Colman giving a completely evil performance as a veteran MI6 operative. Emilia Clarke is Talo’s daughter, G’iah, who has conflicted loyalties. Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, the revenge-seeking leader of the Skrull resistance, and Charlayne Woodard (Elijah Price’s mother in “Unbreakable” and “Glass”) as someone with a very close connection to Fury. This is a great cast.

In flashback scenes set in 1995, a computer-de-aged Jackson as Fury promises the shapeshifting Skrulls, “While you work to keep my home safe, Carol Danvers and I will find you a new one...You keep your word, I’ll keep mine.”

Roeper said, “Flash forward to present day, with Fury returning to Earth after a long, self-imposed off-world stay on the S.A.B.E.R. space station.” Fury has returned home because his old friends Maria Hill (Smulders) and Talos (Mendelsohn) need him – but things have changed. Fury has changed. “After the blip,” says Talos, “You were different, and you disappeared. Carl Danvers disappeared.”

We’re more than three decades since Fury made that pledge to the Skrulls to find them a new home, but they’re still here (in surprising groups and some powerful government positions), blending in with the humans because they can shapeshift – and some of them are done waiting. Roeper said, “Led by the clever and ruthless and power-hungry Gravik, who has no qualms about resorting to terrorism to achieve his goals, the Skrull rebellion believes they HAVE found a home, and it’s right here on Earth, and the humans will have to be disposed of or at the very least put in their place.”

Roeper continued, “This sounds like a job for the Avengers, but their absence is explained in a throwaway line that sorta-kinda makes sense, making it clear this is going to be a grounded, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” type sci-fi slice of the Marvel Universe.”

“Secret Invasion” has some impressive production design, like the “Skullquarters” camp location “312 KM West of Moscow,” as the title card informs, where members of the Skrull rebellion are free to be themselves and can even eat Skrull food and drink Skrull wine, rather than the bland stuff humans have.

Kinglsey Ben-Adir makes for a charismatic lead villain, and Emilia Clarke is terrific as Talos’ daughter, who is split between her loyalties to her father, who wants nothing to do with the rebellion, and her feelings of resentment and anger over the death of her mother and the fact she’s never had a real home. Roeper credited, “Olivia Colman is a marvel as Sonya Falsworth, who has the chipper demeanor of a nanny or your favorite aunt but will literally cut your finger off if she needs answers.” Mendelsohn and Fury are great together as two friends from different worlds who wonder if time has passed them by. “Secret Invasion” is one of the good series we had this year.

I think this is a fine show. I don’t think this is a good show, as there are pacing problems, but I don’t think it is in any way bad. You can check it out and judge it based on yourself, but if you don’t like it, I understand.

Tomorrow we will go back to Star Wars with the next show in “Disney Month 2023.”

The Mandalorian (Season 3)

Even though the world-building in season 3 of “The Mandalorian,” released back in March, continues to be top-notch, especially the planet of Plazir-15, and the neon-looking Coruscant, the creatures stay wild and wonderful, and Grogu lovable as always, the storytelling feels like it has gone down a predictable path.

After pulling Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) out of the Living Waters in “The Mines of Mandalore,” without telling him about the mythosaur sighting, Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), Din, and Grogu go back for the secret Mandalorian territory where both are accepted as they enter the Living Waters. The Armorer, played by Emily Swallow, gives Bo-Katan the extra responsibility of bringing so many Mandalorians together to reclaim their land and their legacy, with the option of keeping her helmet off as she “walks both paths.” She accepts Bo-Katan’s mythosaur sighting as significant. Mini Anthikad Chhibber said in her review, “The mythosaur is a telling name, signifying a gigantic myth or truth.”

In the shining land of Coruscant, after a pardon from the New Republic, Dr. Pershing, played by Omid Abtahi, is being rehabilitated. He is uneasy about the presence of Elia Kane (Katy M. O’Brian) who was a communications officer with Moff Gideon’s (Giancarlo Esposito) Imperial Forces before being rehabilitated. Elia seems ready to help Pershing continue his cloning research, but naturally not. Chhibber said, “Incidentally, those city trains in the sky are so cool as is the only part of the planet that is not built upon being kept like a fenced-off exhibit.”

“The Foundling” sees Grogu training in the ways of the Mandalore and he intelligently defeats his opponent with his new upside-down flip. There is a raptor to be subdued and younglings to be rescued. While Grogu watches the Armorer work the forge, he has a flashback of the chaos and bloodshed in the Jedi temple during Order 66. The Armorer forges a rondel for Grogu which she assures him he will grow into and as he murmurs in delight, all thoughts of the desperate flight with Jedi Master Kelleran Bed, played by Ahmed Best, are filed away.

Chhibber said, “Gorian Shard, who looks like a cousin of Davy Jones from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, in retaliation for previous wrongs, is back at Nevarro in “The Pirate.” High Magistrate Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) sends a hologram to Captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) for help – just like Princess Leia a long time ago. With the New Republic having enough of its problems, it is left to the Mandalorians to help, which they do perfectly.

Bo-Katan, Din, and Grogu head to the lotus-eating planet of Plazir-15 in “Guns for Hire” in a bid to get her former army back. The army, now led by Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) are mercenaries for the rulers of the nice planet, former Imperial officer, Captain Bombardier (Jack Black), and his Bridgerton-style group, The Duchess (Lizzo). Chhibber said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch and the Mandalorians are asked to neutralize the threat of repurposed droids who are going haywire.” The two head to a bar because naturally, that is where you can pick up various useful information. Commissioner Helgait, played by Christopher Lloyd, does not have much faith in outsiders. Everything is set up for the big confrontation between the Mandalorians and Moff who escaped his prison transport and is up to his usual evil tasks.

Chhibber noted, “The final episode, ‘The Return’ is just that bit underwhelming with its vanilla happily ever after.” Grogu in a repurposed IG-11, played by Taika Waititi, repeating, yes, yes, yes, and no, no, no, is nice as always but now “The Mandalorian” seems to be more a placeholder for the larger Star Wars story.

Chhibber mentioned, “Well, there is enough eye candy, with fantastic worlds courtesy of the 360-degree video wall.” With two spin-off series, “Rangers of the New Republic” and “Ahsoka” following “The Book of Boba Fett,” and a film in “The Mandalorian” universe which is set between “The Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens,” there is a lot more fun to expect from this ongoing franchise.

As everyone knows, “The Mandalorian” is one of my favorite shows currently streaming. Unfortunately, the third season is not as good as the first two. The reason why I said that is because there is one episode that felt like filler because there was no mention of the character again throughout the series, and the beginning of one episode felt pointless because the characters are never mentioned again. Still, I love the characters, planets, effects, writing, and action this series has been giving fans. This is still the best thing Star Wars related currently, and I would love to see what the series has next in store for its fans. Please don’t make us have to wait another two-three years for another season.

Tomorrow we’ll be going back to the MCU with one of its shows in “Disney Month 2023.”

Zombies 3

“Zombies 3,” released in 2023, continues what the franchise has been so good at doing, sending messages of love, acceptance, and addition via song and dance.

From the beginning, the “Zombies” theme has been accepting others for who they are internally, not what they look like externally. The movies have taught children (and adults) not to judge a book by its cover, and to include those who are different. Addison, reprised by Meg Donnelly, has been the ray of hope and bravery from the very first time we saw her, and it is no different in “Zombies 3.” She has been the best through the trilogy but she truly becomes her own in this fantasy film.

In “Zombies 3,” aliens appear in Seabrook looking for its most precious thing so that they can find their utopia. While a large number of the residents are scared and unwilling to accept them, Addison immediately comes forward inviting them to stay in their peaceful town and participate in the cheer-off competition that she has arranged.

On top of their visitors from outer space, Zed, reprised by Milo Manheim, is working hard to impress college recruiters and become the first Zombie to attend college – and of course, it just so happens to be the school Addison is going to. If that isn’t enough, relationships are disrupted as new crushes are made.

“Zombies 3” gives fans more of what they love about this franchise – great song and dance numbers. With eight new catchy songs, fans everywhere are given new lyrics and dances to learn. Tessa Smith said in her review, “The original movie still takes the cake when it comes the best songs, but this one certainly has some great ones as well.”

The choreography is on point, as the actors are getting more and more comfortable with dancing. Smith credited, “The opening song, Alien Invasion, is sure to put viewers in a great mood and leave them with their jaw on the floor thanks to some kick butt dance moves.”

For the plot, it’s not perfect, but it stays entertaining throughout – especially for the main audience. Fans already know the majority of the characters very well, and they remain true to themselves in this third film. The aliens are newcomers and it is pretty easy to fall in love with them thanks to great character development and some hilarious moments. Smith said, “Being a harmonious species who don’t have human emotions allows them to be most of the comedic relief in ZOMBIES 3.”

While the plot twists are predictable for adults watching, a lot of the kids will be shocked as the story continues. Smith noted, “There is one moment in particular that many will be surprised by (pleasantly), and might even cause those who truly love these characters to shed some tears — so have tissues handy.”

Kylee Russell (who plays Eliza) was, unfortunately, unable to film alongside her long-time “Zombies” co-stars because she was pregnant at the time, however, the writers did a great job of making sure she was still included in the movie in a way that makes sense and works. Eliza has been a huge part of the franchise from the beginning, so fans will appreciate seeing her do what she does best. That was better than not including her at all.

The biggest problem with the film is that some plot points feel like they jump to a conclusion without enough time to explain exactly what happened. Smith said, “Again, it is pretty predictable, and while there are many great songs and dance numbers, they don’t hold a candle to the ones from the first two movies.”

That said, it is a really fun movie, especially for long-time fans, that feels like a nice end to the franchise leaving the lovable characters in a place everyone can be happy about.

“Zombies 3” once again shows audiences that we can all get along, no matter how different we are. It teaches acceptance, love, and addition in a way that comes naturally. The actors have all settled into these characters and know them so well that they are easy to relate to. The three main characters, the aliens, add some great moments, along with some conflict, to the story.

Overall, it is wonderful to see the zombies, werewolves, cheerleaders, and now aliens, put aside their differences and learn to get along. They don’t always trust each other, but they are willing to try their hardest to do so. Smith said, “It is just a bonus that this movie adds in the lesson that love is love, and allow LGBTQ+ kids to see themselves on screen.”

“Zombies 3” could be the end of the franchise, as it finishes a trilogy with an ending that feels like the end. However, if Zed and Addison have taught us anything it is never say never. Fingers crossed, fans will get to explore what our favorite cheerleaders and monsters have been up to…someday.

Personally, I thought this was a fine addition to the series. It is nothing special, although I didn’t like how they included aliens, but whatever. Still check this out if you’re a fan of this franchise because you will like it. Especially with the great songs.

Look out later when I review a film that I saw last night.

Invisible Sister

Mark Baker started his review by saying, “One of the advantages of watching Girl Meets World is seeing ads for more Disney Channel original movies I might be interested in.  Granted, I mainly decided to tune in to Invisible Sister because Girl Meets World star Rowan Blanchard was going to be in it, but it sounded like it could be fun.  Turned out, it was.”

Cleo, played by Rowan Blanchard, is the younger sister in the family and everyone pretty much ignores her. She’s gotten used to being the invisible one, living in the shadow of her more popular older sister Molly, played by Paris Berelc. Cleo even feels like her parents ignore her.

On Halloween Friday, Cleo’s science experiment goes wrong, and Cleo accidentally makes Molly invisible. Since Molly has an agenda at School, Cleo dresses up in Molly’s costume and takes her place, the whole time hoping she can find out how to undo her experiment. What might the sisters learn about each other during the duration?

No, the movie isn’t original. Baker admitted, “I could pretty much see most of the plot complications coming early on.  This is especially true if you’ve seen Freaky Friday.  And yet, I had a blast watching it because I was having fun.  I really did like Cleo and Molly and found it easy to root for them to succeed.” There were some fun moments and a lot of laughs during the duration to the climax, and the quieter character moments worked just as well.

Baker said, “In fact, I was very impressed with the fact that Molly wasn’t a jerk.  I kind of expected her to be before I started watching the movie, but she was actually pretty nice.  I’d say that how both sisters started out was in part thanks to their own actions, something that they realized over the course of the movie, and an element of the film I really appreciated.”

The film’s cast was of current Disney Channel stars. Baker said, “I can’t tell you what shows they are all in, but I do recognize them from various previews.  The acting was a bit over the top at times, but for the most part it worked and never threw me out of the movie.” Yes, Rowan was toned down from her performance on “Girl Meets World.” (Baker credited, “Yes, I think she’s perfect as Riley, but this isn’t as frantic.”)

The effects were very well done. Baker said, “Since one of the characters is pretty much invisible for most of the film, there are lots of effects, and I bought all but one or two of them.  The one thing that tripped me up is that, while the characters can’t see Molly, sometimes we can, so we can see her reactions to things.  That took me a little while to get used to, but once I did, I didn’t mind it.”

If you have pre-teens, they’ll enjoy this movie. And if you give “Invisible Sister,” released in 2015, a chance, you just might find yourself enjoying it too.

I found myself liking this movie just fine. That’s probably because I was watching “Girl Meets World” around the time this premiered on TV and I actually thought Rowan Blanchard was great as Riley on that show. This film is no exception because I think this film has some nice moments in there that people can get into. Check it out and see for yourself.

Later today I will be reviewing a film that I saw last night.

The Wild

Although the creators of “The Wild,” released in 2006, might say that because this movie was in production for so long, it didn’t copy ideas from “Madagascar,” since they started it before “Madagascar” was released, that doesn’t matter. You can’t help but notice that the two films are so similar in their story and compare them. Even though “Madagascar” was not a great cartoon, looking side-by-side with “The Wild,” it was fantastic.

The story is about Samson, voiced by Kiefer Sutherland, a lion at the Central Park Zoo. His son, Ryan, voiced by Greg Cipes, doesn’t like living in his father’s shadow and can’t wait until he can roar. Throughout his childhood, he’s been told his father’s life in the wild and Ryan becomes convinced that if he grew up in the wild, he’d have a roar like his father’s.

After Ryan sneaks on one of the metal containers at the zoon he is taken onto a cargo ship that is heading for Africa. Samson goes after his son along with a misfit crew of animals from the zoo (James Belushi, Eddie Izzard, Janeane Garofalo, Richard Kind). After a drive through Manhattan, the group steals a boat that they are somehow able to drive to Africa without running out of gas or being famished. When they arrive, they go into “The Wild” to rescue Ryan.

Ever since Pixar released “Toy Story” there have been countless CGI films. They all want to copy Pixar’s success, but no one has and you can see why. Not only does Pixar make great-looking cartoons, but they are also well-written cartoons. For example, “The Wild” looks pretty good, but the script is really bad and the jokes are ear-bleedingly awful.

Scott said in his review, “With a running time of an hour and a half, the story should fly by, but instead, dragged down by lame jokes and a plot we've seen before, seems nearly twice that. At a recent screening of Ice Age 2, the children packing the audience were laughing uproariously, here the laughter was sporadic and half-hearted. When even the target audience for a movie can't get into it, you know something's wrong.”

The only enjoyable character in the film is Nigel the Koala, voiced by Izzard. Izzard manages to be the only one who seems to be having fun with his character and brings some needed humor to the film. His moment of insanity on the tugboat and his mimicking of the Statute of Liberty are two of the movie’s highlights.

Scott admitted, “Since I'm not sure if my brother Eric will see this movie, I'll just mention for him that once again Disney has created a cartoon that features a single parent.” Ryan’s mother is never mentioned and since it has absolutely no meaning on the story whether she’s there or not, the omission seems pointless other than to copy from Disney.

Since Disney owns Pixar, we left well enough alone and let Pixar keep making animated movies after the preview of “Cars” that year ran before “The Wild” had more laughs than this movie did.

I can’t help but notice the similarities this movie had with other animated movies, like “Madagascar,” “Finding Nemo,” and “The Lion King.” Nothing about this movie was original but felt like they were ripping off other movies. That is why I say don’t watch this movie because you will not like it at all. There is nothing good in this movie. Not to say it is one of the worst, but it is just a bad one.

Stay tuned later today when I do my yearly Christmas movie review.

The Rookie

Jim Morris was a kid who dreamed of playing baseball in the major leagues and played for two seasons. Few athletes reach that high of a place and even fewer do so, when they’ve reached 35. In most other careers, that’s the age when most begin to reach their steps. However, the punishment that playing sports does to the body, sends baseball players into retirement way before they’ve become senior citizens. Morris could throw a 98 MPH fastball at an age when most ballplayers have been retired for quite some time from the game.

In “The Rookie,” released in 2002, first-time director John Lee Hancock, who also wrote the scripts for Clint Eastwood’s “A Perfect World” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” treats Morris’s career like it is a visual story. Dan Lybarger said in his review, “He and screenwriter Mark Rich (Finding Forrester) play up the larger-than-life elements of Morris's quest, making the unlikely nature of tale seem more palatable.”

Lybarger continued, “The movie opens with a sepia-tinged prologue in which two nuns discover that prayer can make seemingly foolish decisions, like loaning money to a wildcat oil driller, can later turn into acts of providence.”

Similarly, young baseball lover Jim Morris, played as a child by Trevor Morgan, spends a lot of time playing baseball despite his family never staying in one location long enough for Jim to join a team. Naturally, his dad, played by Brian Cox, a Navy man with little time for sports, wants his son to try more obviously realistic things. As Jim gets older, he and his family move to a small Texas town ironically named Big Lake where baseball is almost non-existent. Even Jim’s arm betrays him. Some injuries prevent him from furthering from the minor leagues.

As an adult, Jim, now played by Dennis Quaid, has left behind his lifelong dream. He’s now teaching high school science classes and has married a guidance counselor named Lorrie, played by Rachel Griffiths. With three kids of his own, played by Angus T. Jones and Rebecca Spicher, the only time Jim has for baseball is for coaching a very poor team at high school. Unknown to Jim, years of keeping himself in shape and off the pitcher’s field have left him with an arm that can throw fast.

In the center of football country, the only people willing to attend the baseball game are the deer that walk on the outfield at night. The team’s performance doesn’t help. However, the kids notice the skill left in Jim’s arm, so they make a bet with Jim that if they can make the state finals, he will try out for the majors.

Both events occur, and Hancock and Rich somehow manage to keep things interesting. Lybarger said, “It helps that movie readily acknowledges the difficulties that a thirtysomething player would have in the minors. Jim may be in better condition than his younger peers, but he has far more obligations than they do. AA ballplayers, unlike their brethren in the majors, earn wages more akin to a fry cook. The movie also, thankfully, depicts Morris' home life in an unflinching manner.” Jim’s family is happy that he can still be great on the field, but they can’t decide if him trying for the pros are brave or foolish.

Lybarger credited, “There are a fair amount of cornball touches here and there (do we really need to hear the ball go "whoosh" every time Jim throws it?), but Quaid's performance proves to be a solid anchor. He might be a good decade older than Morris was at the time, but he does look convincing on the mound. As he has matured, a look of resignation has accompanied his trademark grin. This diffidence gives The Rookie a dramatic weight it wouldn't have had otherwise.”

Ron Shelton, the writer-director of the classic baseball film, “Bull Durham, said that for a sports movie to work, the cameras have to be able to go where a TV crew can’t. Because “The Rookie” manages to delve deep into Jim Morris’s thoughts, the inevitable cliches don’t seem like that much of a problem.

As I stated yesterday when I was in eighth grade and we went to Philadelphia, different coach buses were playing different movies. One of my classmates who was on a different bus said that they were watching this on the way to Philadelphia. I saw it On Demand for free, and I started to watch it, but I never finished it. Then, earlier this year, I went back and saw the entire movie. This is a good baseball movie. If you haven’t seen this, you should, especially if you love baseball. I don’t know anything about Jim Morris, so I can’t say how accurately this film portrays his life. This is a good sports film.

Tomorrow I will be looking at a film that isn’t good because it feels like it is copying other films as we continue “Disney Month 2023.”

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Genuine TV films are rare, which makes the 1997’s “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” a blessing. ABC’s $12 million musical was a real hit.

Brandy Norwood, the R&B singer and star of the “Moesha” sitcom, rose to superstar status in the film. She was 18 at the time and was on her way to being the next famous actress that producers had already made a call to about this film.

Brandy, in a fancy new Disney musical, was just enough to make this a sensation, but when they included the late Whitney Houston as the Fair Godmother, and Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters, this was a TV film that was for just about everyone.

The late Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who you could call the greatest composers in Broadway musical history, wrote only one original show for television. This was the one.

Ron Miller said in his review, “It first was performed live on CBS in 1957 with a promising young star named Julie Andrews as Cinderella. Andrews was then starring on Broadway in “My Fair Lady” and was still years away from her “Mary Poppins” Oscar and her biggest hit, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music.” A second version was done in 1965 with Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella. But it was Whitney Houston who really spearheaded the project, after seeing the CBS revival of “Gypsy.””

She reached out to the producers of that show four years prior, they suggested the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical and she agreed to star in it for CBS.

Before production could start, however, Houston decided that at the age of 33, she was too old to play Cinderella. Miller noted, “By the time she decided to produce the film with Brandy in the leading role and herself as the Fairy Godmother, CBS balked at the rising costs - roughly three times the cost of the average two-hour TV movie - and Disney-owned ABC stepped in.”

Miller credited, “The result is an amazing, rainbow-hued production designed not only to appeal to all ages, but also to all ethnic groups.” Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother are black and the Prince, Paolo Montalban, is Filipino. Cinderella’s stepmother is white (Bernadette Peters), while her stepsisters are two different ethnicities, Veanne Cox, who’s white, and Natalie Desselle, who’s black. The Queen is black (Whoopi Goldberg), but the King is white (Victor Garber, who you might remember as Martin Stein/Firestorm in the CW’s “The Flash” and “Legends of Tomorrow”).

Everything works like magic.

Whitney Houston starts the film with a brief chorus from Impossible, the original show’s large number, then reprises it in a wonderful duet with Brandy. Miller credited, “Decked out in gold, waving her wand with vigor, Houston is a street-savvy Fairy Godmother, but not obnoxiously so.”

Miller went on to praise, “There’s no question, however, about who owns this show: Brandy is magnificently sweet and ethereal, proving she can step away from her contempo hustle and the “Moesha” image, giving a bravura performance as a wistful girl living off dreams.”

Her smooth, soft voice is right for the Broadway songs and she can raise her volume and hit them out whenever needed. It’s a real star turn for her.

I remember seeing some parts of the movie when it first aired on ABC. I had completely forgotten about this movie until I saw it browsing through Disney+. I decided to see it again and I had forgotten how good of a TV movie this was. Check it out because you will not be disappointed, I promise. Especially with an all star cast that you might like, this is one not to be missed.

Tomorrow I will be looking at a film that I first heard about when I was in eighth grade, I started to watch when it was On Demand, but didn’t see it in its entirety until earlier this year in “Disney Month 2023.”

Return to Oz

Based on L. Frank Baum’s “The Land of Oz” and “Ozma of Oz,” “Return to Oz,” released in 1985, return Dorothy to the magical land “somewhere over the rainbow.” Paul Attanasio said in his review, “Inventive in design, and with a sort of hokey grace, it's one of the better kids' movies in a year full of them.”

A Walt Disney release, it takes place sometime after “The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) keeps talking about Oz, so her Aunt Em (Piper Laurie) takes her to an asylum where a nurse (Nicol Williamson) will give her the shock treatment. Along with a joking hen named Billina (Denise Bryer), she’s taken out of danger and back to Oz.

Attanasio said, “In the opportunity society, the new Oz would be an enterprise zone. The yellow brick road is a disintegrating berm of weeds, the Emerald City a Beirut beyond the clouds. Harlequin-clad vandals run free through the city -- they call themselves the Wheelers, because they roll on all fours, like a TV table.” The evil Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh) rules Oz, as a substitution for the Nome King (Williamson). Mombi is headless, but keeps so many heads in glass cases, choosing one to wear each day, as others might choose a hat. Attanasio noted, “The Nome King is made of rock -- a grotto will take on his features and begin to talk, and sometimes, his whole figure will emerge in all its granitic glory.”

Attanasio continued, “Dorothy, little charmer that she is, soon acquires a coterie of misfits: Tik Tok (Sean Barrett), a windup soldier who looks as if he could moonlight as a samovar; the aptly named Jack Pumpkinhead (Brian Henson); and the Gump (Lyle Conway), a Pegasus jerry-built from a hunting trophy, a couple of sofas and two palm fronds.” Together, they fly off to fight with the Nome King and free the kidnapped Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion.

Attanasio credited, “"Return to Oz" was cowritten and directed by Walter Murch, a fabled film and sound editor; as you'd expect, the movie is briskly edited, the sound complex and carefully organized. There is some nice knockabout ragtime music (by David Shire). The delights of the movie are the Nome King and his subjects, created by Will Vinton through his process of "Claymation" -- human features pop out of a schist of rock, a sneering visage blinks out of a grotto.”

“Return to Oz” won’t make anyone forget “The Wizard of Oz,” or even “The Neverending Story,” which it has a lot of similarities to. The script could be a lot funnier (Attanasio noted, “The wisecracking hen inspires thoughts of roast chicken). Then again, it's as good an excuse as any for treating the family to popcorn.” Just a word of warning, this may be frightening to very young children.

I had heard about this movie through James Rolfe and the Nostalgia Critic. I saw how this is the polar opposite of “The Wizard of Oz.” I decided to finally check this out earlier this year and this was not what I expected. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good movie, but I can see why this movie is not meant for kids. Check it out because I think you will like it and you will get scared by it. The only criticism I have is the age difference between Judy Garland and Fairuza Balk. In “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy looks like she was at least in her teenage years, like 13, but here, she is a little child that must be less than 10. What happened? Aside from that, still see this film on Disney+.

Tomorrow I will talk about a film that I saw a majority of on TV as a child in the continuation of “Disney Month 2023.”

Herbie: Fully Loaded

Disney drove the “Love Bug” franchise into the ground with four sequels of very fading quality. However, in case people have forgotten, the 1969 original was a family classic and a charming movie.

The movie taught everyone it was okay to love a vehicle. You might even say its thick Volkswagen hero, Herbie – who made beeping noises, defied the laws of physics, and had a superior intelligence – predated R2-D2.

The good news about “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” Disney’s 2005 attempt to revive the declining series, is that it returns to the source. William Arnold said in his review, “It doesn't try to rethink the concept for a less naive generation or goose it up with special effects and New Millennium movie crudity.”

Like the company’s successful 1998 remake of “The Parent Trap” – another remade ‘60s comedy, also starring Lindsay Lohan – the filmmakers have carefully looked at the original and tried hard to recapture what made it work: Arnold said, “in this case, a certain wide-eyed innocence.”

The story stays close to the spirit of the original script, only this time the cute 1963 Beetle comes out of nowhere to befriend a recent college graduate (Lohan) from a famous stock-car racing family.

Arnold said, “And the big race that the movie heads toward is a duel with a Snidley Whiplash of a NASCAR champion (Matt Dillon), a race that will emotionally reunite the heroine with her father (Michael Keaton) and force her to accept her destiny as a racing champion.”

To its credit, this is a kid’s movie. It takes place in a place where no one seems to find the entry of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle at the California Speedway unusual, or even notice that the vehicle has expressive facial features and a will of its own.

Arnold said, “But, within this context, the film basically works: It draws us into its somewhat sappy story and makes us feel sympathy for its anthropomorphic hero. When Herbie faces annihilation in a demolition-derby right out of "Gladiator," the heart tugs.”

There are some showy effects (a look inside Herbie’s engine) and some innuendo (Herbie’s antenna shows it getting infatuated when seeing a female Volkswagen), but the film mostly tries to recreate the organized, harmless naturalness of the old Disney comedies.

Arnold criticized, “The human element here is fairly weak. Even though she's considered a hot young star, Lohan really doesn't have the kind of charisma that can carry a picture, and the supporting players -- Breckin Meyer, Justin Long and Cheryl Hines -- are as flat as Kansas.”

The exception is Matt Dillon, who does everything to be arrogant and despicable. Arnold ended his review by saying, “Indeed, building on his scary performance earlier this year in "Crash," he's shaping up to be quite the movie villain: definitely someone you love to hate.”

I will be honest; I didn’t mind this all that much. I noticed that this one wasn’t well received, but I thought it was nice. I would say check it out and judge for yourself if you like it or not. I won’t be seeing the franchise after one viewing, but let’s see what everyone else decides.

Now that we’re done with this franchise, tomorrow I will be looking at a film that I heard a lot about but never bothered to watch until earlier this year in “Disney Month 2023.”

The Love Bug (1997)

“The Love Bug” is a 1997 TV Movie remake of the original “The Love Bug.” The original film was the film that introduced the character of Herbie the Volkswagen Beetle. Herbie subsequently went on to have its franchise, three sequels, a TV series, and another film that we will look at tomorrow.

Moira said in her review, “This version of The Love Bug was one of a spate of remakes of their live-action classics that Disney conducted for tv during the mid-90s. Although, The Love Bug 1997 bills itself as a remake of The Love Bug 1969, it is not so much a remake as it is yet another sequel in the series. The plot has vague similarities to The Love Bug 1969 – down-and-out racing driver inherits Herbie and goes on to win races – but not that many. Dean Jones, star of The Love Bug 1969, also turns up playing his original character of Jim Douglas.”

The good thing is that this film is one of the better films and a whole lot better than anything that has been made in the franchise since at least “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo.” Moira said, “Indeed, it is the first of the Herbie films to throw some interesting conceptual spins on the series.” For the first time, Herbie is given an origin story that tells how a German scientist was employed by the US military to make a ‘people car’ (Moira noted, “an amusingly literalistic confusion of the English translation of ‘Volkswagen’)” who brings it to life when he drops a photo of his wife in the ingredients.

We find out that Herbie is also an empathic car that feels the thoughts of its owner. We even get a bad car made as a villain to race against Herbie. This film puts the Herbie idea through more of an abstract workout than the other Herbie films combined.

Moira credited, “Bruce Campbell, known from various Sam Raimi productions and horror films, is surprisingly well suited to playing a standard Disney comic hero with his lantern jaw and cartoonish mock serious expressions. On the minus side, we do not get much of the cute car antics that were the mainstay of all the other Herbie films until almost right at the end. Certainly, when it gets there, this version does have some wonderfully dotty images in the tradition of the other films, like the two halves of a bifurcated Herbie racing for the finish line. If The Love Bug 1997 had been made on the theatrical budget that was wasted on the useless Herbie: Fully Loaded, it could have been a reasonably good film.”

As a television film, this isn’t all that bad. I actually thought this was a nice, enjoyable entry in the series. If you want to see this, you can watch it on YouTube. Check it out, especially if you haven’t been impressed with some of the other entries in the franchise.

Look out tomorrow when I look at the final film in the Herbie franchise in “Disney Month 2023.”

Herbie Goes Bananas

Director Vincent McEveety’s 1980 film, “Herbie Goes Bananas!” is the fourth and final film of Walt Disney Productions’ original Volkswagen Beetle Herbie story that began with “The Love Bug.”

Cloris Leachman plays Aunt Louise, who sponsors Volkswagen Beetle Herbie in the Brazilian Grand Prix. However, on the boat to South America, evil Captain Blythe, played by Harvey Korman, throws the car into the ocean. Derek Winnert asked in his review, “Didn’t he know that they are air tight and will float?”

Disney got rid of Dean Jones as Jim Douglas and now has Stephen W Burns as Pete Stancheck, who has received the living Herbie from his Uncle Jim, with Charles Martin Smith playing his friend Davy Jones.

Winnert noted, “Don Tait’s script may not be air tight, but Herbie Goes Bananas! is an amiable enough comedy, and the comedy stars seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.”

The main cast includes Charles Martin Smith, Stephen W Burns, Cloris Leachman, John Vernon, Elyssa Savalos, Harvey Korman, Richard Jaeckel, Alex Rocco, Fritz Feld, Joaquin Garay III, Vito Scotti, Iris Adrian, Alma Beltran, Steve Boyum, Buddy Joe Hooker, Jorge Moreno, Ruben Moreno, Ray Victor, Patricia Van Patten, Hector Morales, Alex Tinne, Antonio Trevino, and Allan Hunt.

One funny line from the movie is when Aunt Louise says, “I think it’s trying to tell us something!” Captain Blythe replies, “It’s a car, woman, not Lassie!” Side note: Leachman played Ruth Martin in 28 episodes in the “Lassie” show.

Winnert noted, “Herbie was the first car to press its tyre-tracks in the concrete at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.”

Overall, this film is not as good, but I don’t think this is really bad. It’s just underwhelming. There are some crazy stuff in here, but overall, I don’t think it will really get people that furious at it. I don’t recommend seeing it, as this is one of the lesser films in the franchise.

Tomorrow we will look at the made-for-television sequel in “Disney Month 2023.”

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo

Herbie, the lovable VW Beetle with a big heart and a mind of its own, is back again, this time racing through France. The third film, “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo,” was released in 1977, is another in the franchise that focuses on simple joys, basic charms, and the car’s lively personality that makes it not only the support in the franchise as human friends come and go but one of the most recognizable faces/non-faces in movie history. Martin Liebman said in his review, “The car is again adorable this go-round, following many of the same basic antics as characters are taken for joyrides, as Herbie spits up oil on those who mock him, and this time, he plays a part in foiling a couple of bumbling criminals. It's a movie in high spirits and built for good, clean fun, delivering a tidy, well-paced little bit of family-friendly entertainment that, thanks to another great looking Disney Movie Club Blu-ray, holds up even today and, arguably, better than ever.”

Herbie does, indeed, go to Monte Carlo! The car and its driver, Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), and Jim’s friend and the car’s mechanic, the friendly Wheely Applegate (Deputy Sherriff Barney Fife from “The Andy Griffith Show,” Don Knotts), have arrived in Paris. They’re there to participate in the Trans France Race Exposition where they face tough competition from several drivers, including German Bruno von Stickle (Eric Braeden) and fellow American Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars). Despite Jim not racing with Herbie in so many years, he and the car are the main attraction at the pre-race celebration. However, it’s not all fun and games. While everyone’s attention is on the cars and the drivers, bumbling thieves, played by Bernard Fox and Roy Kinnear, steal a large, precious diamond from a nearby vault. Freaking out when barely escaping, they drop the diamond in Herbie’s fuel tank, meaning the car isn’t just racing but also unwillingly stealing diamonds. He’ll have to pull out all the stops if he’s to win the race and save the day.

“Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” might be the most illustrative of the series’ appeal and success. This a very fun, very brisk little movie where the car’s personality shines, the laughs rarely yield, the romance blooms with time, and the other drivers are rightly villainous, all the while outside interference – the jewel thieves – adds a bit of nerve and spirit to the movie beyond the track racing excitement. Liebman said, “All categories contribute to the film's agreeable presentation. Dean Jones' return is most welcome and Don Knotts, always good for a laugh or a few dozen, is the unquestioned comic highlight. Racing scenes are zippy and fun, the diverse vehicle roster is a pleasure to watch take their paces through the film, and the support elements and actors are right on the money.” This is basic entertainment done right.

“Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” isn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be. It’s a fun movie on and off the race track. The performances are great, the movie is brisk, the laughs come regularly, and Herbie’s personality shines throughout.

The only complaint I have with the movie is that Herbie finds love in a Lancia Scorpion, which is driven by a French driver, Diane Darcy, played by Julie Sommers. Which questions people about what happened to Carole from the first movie. I cannot remember if they mentioned something about her in this movie, but they might have. Also, it feels strange that they would make a film about racing cars who fall in love, which seems farfetched. However, the film is still a good one to see, especially with the comedy from Knotts. Check it out on Disney+ and see for yourself.

Look out tomorrow when we look at the next installment in the franchise in “Disney Month 2023.”

Herbie Rides Again

This 1974 film, “Herbie Rides Again” is like an ad for Volkswagen. It’s the first sequel to Disney’s 1968 popular film “The Love Bug.” The Disney comedy is about a Volkswagen Beetle that is alive and acts to save the home of an energetic old lady forced to vacate her home by the antagonist, a greedy real estate developer.

Evil San Francisco magnate developer Alonzo Hawk (Keenan Wynn) is focused on building a skyscraper office building in downtown San Francisco but is frustrated because a sweet old widow, Mrs. Steinmetz (Helen Hayes), who owns a dilapidated Victorian firehouse on the proposed property won’t sell to him. Her late husband, a fire captain, left her this charming house.

Hawk sends his naïve lunatic rustic lawyer nephew, Willoughby Whitfield, played by Ken Berry, to talk Mrs. Steinmetz into selling. However, Willoughby meets Mrs. Steinmetz’s car, the intelligent Volkswagen named Herbie, a former racing car, and instead of insisting Mrs. Steinmetz realizes Willoughby’s uncle is not a nice man and also becomes attracted to Mrs. Steinmetz’s protector – her attractive airline stewardess niece Nicole Harris, played by Stefanie Powers. Henceforth, the fight starts between Hawk, wishing to demolish the firehouse, and Herbie and the team fighting him.

Dennis Schwartz said in his review, “The comedy is derived from its nonsensical absurdities and the surreal images of the VW in action; there’s also a tepid romance between the nerdy Willoughby and the most appealing Nicole. This might be the best of the Herbie series, but that’s not saying much.”

I didn’t like this one at all. It felt as though the film went off the rails and just didn’t care. The team must have thrown their hands in the air and thought of creating just a weird film that no one would have gotten. Don’t see this one because it is just pure madness.

How did the next film in the franchise turn out? Stay tuned tomorrow to find out in the continuation of “Disney Month 2023.”