Yabba Dabba Do! Welcome back to the Lighttrain, I am your host and conductor today. Despite what the stigma of James Bond movies will tell you, not every imitator was attempting to create their own quick-buck franchise. In fact, some were just spoofing the Bond genre, rather then boarding the band wagon. Case in point, The Man Called Flintstone from 1966. As that title would lead you to believe, yes, this was a motion picture based off of the popular Hanna-Barbara animated series The Flintstones. What in the name of Betty Rubble was this really, though? Buckle your seat belts, we’re about to find out. Let’s get this show on the road!
After a spy named Rock Slab is hospitalized, the Bedrock secret service recruits an average joe who bears a striking resemblance to the operative. Who is this fellow? Why, it’s Fred Flintstone, like you’ve never seen him before! Will he be able to dodge his family and friend’s suspicions and defeat the diabolical Green Goose? “Legionnaire” is his middle name after all. Fred Legionnaire Flintstone… has a nice ring, wouldn’t you say?
The show was meant to be a so-called swan song for the television show since shortly before the film’s release The Flintstones was cancelled for good. But… really? You want to cap off your highly influential cartoon with a James Bond parody? Well, you do you, Mr. Hanna and Barbara. From what I have gathered, the film gathered a mildly amused response, but not much else. There’s a reason you likely haven’t even heard of this. The clips are alright in my books, as is the series it’s concluding.
A Cartoon Network advert for the film
What’s even stranger is that The Man Called Flintstone was additionally a musical on top of the already thick secret agent homage. I have not seen the movie for myself since I don’t have the kind of spare cash to have Amazon.com send me a Flintstones box set I’ll probably never watch again, so I can’t really confirm or judge the quality of these musical interludes. But hey, that’s what the poster claims! In the opening credits as can be seen online, the film’s distributor Columbia Pictures, known for the Statue of Liberty as their studio’s logo, actually stars Wilma Flintstone as the torch lady. Somewhat a delightful tidbit, I suppose. Shame is, that intro was permanently nullified from all of the DVD prints. I’m pretty sure it’s accessible on Youtube, albeit in slipshod condition.
An added bonus for familiar fans, the film’s one-time antagonist the Green Goose has no relation with the alien Great Gazoo. The latter character does not appear, nor even worthy of a mention, in The Man Called Flintstone, having only recurred halfway through the final season of the show as to “jump the shark”. Basically the term applied when a once celebrated, later dulled TV program attempts to infuse a gimmick to bait back in audiences; funny story, the phrase was coined in 1977 after the sitcom Happy Days, struggling in the ratings, promoted how the character Fonzie was going to jump over a shark while on water-skis. You learn something new every day.
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How did I find this random ad from Japan is the real question…
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So…what happened? Afterwards The Flintstones sort of went underground, appearing in Cartoon Network airings until 2004 and the occasional Fruity Pebbles commercial. I suppose even after retiring from Cartoon Network’s schedule it found a contemporary home in the former’s sister channel, Boomerang. Though, Boomerang had the legacy of that one network the kid with the flu watched at 2:00 in the morning since they couldn’t watch Cartoon Network because Aqua Teen Hunger Force was on. Sorta sad, but comforting enough. It may have played on a loop for a whole decade, although it still managed to introduce me to unique stuff before my time like Top Cat, Wacky Races, and those odd music videos with vintage Hanna-Barbara characters. I can totally include that Jabberjaw one on my mixtape and be fine with it.
“🎶What does Scooby do that we neglect?🎶” Song by Pain
The legacy, if that’s what one may call it, is a bit strange. Strange in the sense that it is nonexistent. Granted, it’s a very bewildering project midway through the psychadelia of the 1960s, which also explains the Great Gazoo! That little floating bulbous breath mint must’ve been the brainchild of that era, am I wrong? Even through and through, The Flinstones has definitely delved into far more peculiar territory. A Seth MacFarlane remake that never saw the light of day, The Flintstones meet WWE (whatever that is), and Viva Rock Vegas was just something else all together.
For now, it’s just another of those obscure conversation topics. Next time you message your friends you could tell them about how Fred Flintstone was a secret agent in a full-length movie before. Maybe that would crack a grin, I dunno. What I do know is that I’m likely going to forget that this ever existed, then possibly bury it back up again while procrastinating. Hey, it happens. For the second motion picture by Hanna-Barbara, this ain’t all that bad. Mainly plain vanilla, but I’m in the mood for that subtle taste every now and then. I rarely watch many animated James Bond lampoons. Like… three, that’s including this one. And even if I watched a macroscale of them instead, I would more or less review it the same way. Later.
~ Transmission Disconnected ~
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 | Dewey Finn + Rock ‘n Roll… School of Rock Valentine’s Review!
Good evening ladies and gentlemen! It’s that time of the month again… the time for announcements. This February is filled up with spy-fiction goodness, more lost media munchies, and a special Valentine’s day review baked up just for you guys. Without more delay, here’s some news for your palette.
As we kick off the month strong, part 3 of our very merry espionage Christmas will be a retrospective look on The Man Called Flintstone, a crazy oddball animated film starring Fred Flintstone of the titular Hanna Barbara series as a secret agent! Kooky stuff indeed. Plus a tangent about Boomerang and the forgotten Cartoon Network music videos, and a rare Japanese Flintstone bump. All that coming this Thursday. Then the following week I’m curating a mystery Valentine’s day romantic affair. It’s going to be a review for the rock and roll lovers out there. Later this month as well, expect Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession on our show Out of Order and the fourth and final espionage Christmas look-back.
Also in the scoop, thank you guys so much for 100 passengers to the Train! This truly means everything to me, and I’m grateful of your persistent returns and kind words. It’s so amazing to bond with others about vintage oddities and the like. Once again, my condolences. I would additionally feel like giving shout outs to smaller blogs similar to mine that I feel deserve equal, or even more, subscribers to myself. Go check out them here:
For your information, I’m going to discontinue listing every single one of my subscribers at the end of all my weekly posts. Since that at this point I have reached 100, and who knows if it will grow even further in the next year, it simply absorbs far too much time. It may even eat up a fourth of the entire post. Instead, so I can still pay tribute to you folks, I’m going to infuse the list at the end of these updates post.
Well, thanks for stopping by and reading today, and catch you on Thursday. Tally ho!
This one’s going out to all the fallen media we shall not forget. My name is Gavin, or you may better know me as your conductor. Welcome to ‘Out of Order’, the midnight snack for geeks of nostalgic film and TV memories from the days of yore. Tonight we’re returning to a random roulette of lost, destroyed, or unused media. Whether it be a million dollar tree house or an R-rated cut of a classic, lost media is gripping to look back on and spinning up wonders revolving around the whereabouts. Let’s not waste any more time with it, here’s volume two of lost media!
Case File I: Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine
Our Very Merry Espionage Christmas marathon continues next Thursday, but consider this segment a minor tidbit in the series as well. The roots for this film was concocted by American International Pictures, in particular it’s president James H. Nicholson. The studio was at the time best realized for their minimum effort beach party movies (literally based on teens hanging around the beach) and the truckload of schlock filler-ups by Roger Corman, but Nicholson desired to spread their range. Integrating elements from their Edgar Allen Poe features, their de facto beach party sentiment, and early James Bond hits such as Dr. No and Goldfinger, and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine was born.
A special episode of Shindig! dedicated to the movie
However, not everything was exactly peachy keen during production. It has been made crystal clear in an interview that the mad scientist’s actor, horror icon Vincent Price, was more than disappointed when the camp musical style wasn’t apart of the final picture. In fact, it was a studio formula to have songs woven into their films, yet on a rewrite from Elwood Ullman it morphed instead into a light-hearted spy spoof with zero scenes of Mr. Price singing. It was a shame to him… the dream of a Little Shop of Horrors-esque experience was buried in the studio basements.
Susan Hart, another star of the American International Pictures alumni, said, “One of the best scenes I’ve seen on film was Vincent Price singing about the bikini machine – it was excellent. And I was told it was taken out because Sam Arkoff thought that {Price} looked to fey. But his character was fey! By taking that particular scene out, I believe they took the explanation and the meat out of the picture… it was a really unique explanatory scene and {Price} was beautiful in it, right on the money.”
I couldn’t have phrased it better if I tried, after all, I wasn’t there! The movie was still a success and earned a steady fan base thanks to its Mario Bava helmed sequel Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, the title bit featuring Art Clokey and the Supremes, Price’s appearance, and the medley of in-jokes and humorous sexuality.
Case File II: Hard Times in the Pit of Despair
Nickelodeon; the world’s first kids network. That slogan featured for the growing channel in the late 80’s and early 90’s proved true, with the warm retrospectives on childhood usually including this network in the frame. It was a powerhouse. One of the programs popular on Nickelodeon was Legends of the Hidden Temple, which alongside the infamous Double Dare would victor as the leading game show for the young demographic. None of these episodes have been lost necessarily, but rather confiscated. According to info from web series host Kirk Fogg, a female contestant had been participating in the Temple Run when she began having a panic attack inside the so-called “Pit of Despair”. Ah, the irony.
Man, Nickelodeon has become a shadow of its former self…
The cameras eventually had to stop rolling after the contestant quickly became very ill and vomited on the set, and the crew were influenced to cheer said player up and tidy up the mess before they could resume with filming, also claimed by Fogg. Uncertainty seems to be inference the odd meltdown. As the episodes were done late at night, perhaps apt tiredness is the answer. Anything is possible though. Some of the mystery here is when it happened, too; Fogg as of 2020 has not explicitly noted the exact season, episode, or date of the incident. And on where the take is, it sort of goes without saying that it was shelved by Nickelodeon executives due to the unfitting nature. I would hope to chat with the contestant about the episode, but her name was not identified either. Under wraps indeed.
Don’t go anywhere, Out of Order will be right back!
Case File III: Kahuna, Tootsie, and Perry Mason Soap
I don’t mean actual hygiene related soap bars… case in point, there is in fact a genre of television serial called “soap operas”, which often run for decades, conclude each episode with a cliffhanger, and include over the top drama. Affairs, murders, and UFO sightings just happen every day in the soap opera fantasy (perhaps 2020 was a soap opera itself, like The Truman Show)! But back in the day networks didn’t have as much fine-tune material or the mindset to save shows, so let’s browse a threesome of lost soaps and see what could have been.
“Soap” was actually a soap opera parody, but close enough
Airing on NBC primarily in 1977, Big Hawaii only survived a single season run before being axed off the schedule. A soap set on the tropical islands sounds interesting enough, as I did enjoy five years of living there personally. Although I guess it simply didn’t get off the ground. Not much information on this one to be honest. All the food for thought we can chew on is that it centered on a Hawaiian ranch owned by the Fears family, it aired 9 episodes before cancellation (despite having 12 planned), and the only piece of remaining existence is Danger in Paradise, a feature-length pilot that aired during the summer. Danger in Paradise can be scourged for on the bootleg market online, but not much else.
With humble beginnings presented as a 15-minute companion serial to Guiding Light, Search for Tomorrow would run for a decent 35 seasons. However, evidence in the form of clips and stills is barely enough to commend its existence. I’m positive it must have, but still. From 1951 until 1968 Search for Tomorrow was always broadcast live before episodes began to be pre-recorded, though I’m not certain why because, like I said, not much evidence. A true gee whiz took place in 1983 when NBC, the show’s broadcaster, had lost all of the prepared episodes and thus the cast had to perform live once again. None of these so-called “lost” episodes have been dug up, leading to some rumors that it was all a publicity stunt. What do you think?
And lastly, we have the Midwestern police soap The Edge of Night. Most destroyed media remain as low-profile one-season whoppers like Big Hawaii, yet this series lasted for approximately 7,420 episodes! No jokes here. It premiered nearly sixty-five years ago in 1956, originally a moody detective serial that, due to creative differences with the channel, later clicked with the legacy of a moody soap opera deep fried in some Perry Mason elements. Even after three decades of episodes, the story had still not come full circle and ended it’s run on a cliffhanger. And as of today, thousands of The Edge of Night adventures have been long since cleaned from the tapes.
Case File IV: They Might Be Buttons
Our final lost media profile for tonight features the 2009 claymation film Coraline, directed by Henry Selick and hand-crafted by Laika. I adore both’s works on movies like The Nightmare before Christmas and Kubo and the Two Strings, and this picture was also rather good. The dark tale was based off an award-winning children’s book about a young girl who ventures into an alternate universe that soon becomes vile and twisted. You want to know another thing I have a fondness for? Answer: They Might be Giants. The duo of John Linnell and John Flansburgh form a dynamic formula of quirky music, such as the hits “Particle Man” and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”. Well, how about combining Selick’s dark storytelling with Linnell and Flansburgh’s whimsical style of music?
This was the best thing I could find. A tv spot starring the Other Father on piano.
Believe it or not, a colleague of TMBG, also named John, voiced Coraline’s father in this film. Rather, in the scene where the Other Father sings, he was instead voiced by Linnell. Very early, maybe even from the film’s conception, TMBG was recruited to write various songs for the movie. Later on down the road however, the crew of Coraline unfortunately didn’t feel the tunes were “creepy” enough for the film’s tone. Detailed in an interview, Burghman said that “we never really found a rhythm to work with them.” It’s a shame to watch a dream dissipate, but maybe the idea wasn’t all gone. Subsequently on their album The Else, the musical duo released a fraction of the Coraline sessions, a song titled “Careful What You Pack”. TMBG stated eventually that they hoped to release other pieces intended for the film on new albums, nevertheless it is unclear if any of them have seen the light of day, but judging from the interview it sounds like they certainly exist in one way or another.
Perhaps even a dark fantasy movie soundtrack could still be possible! Henry Selick, Coraline‘s director, stated: “They actually did some other demo songs that are brilliant, they are beautiful, but the film just kind of changed; it wasn’t going to become a musical. I was very happy to work with them and I’d love to work with them on another show where they have like ten songs in it. I’m wondering whether to convince them to write all new songs for… Yellow Submarine, or to just work with them and pick the ten best songs and see if I can find a way to string them together for a story.” That would be pretty unique, though no word on any sort of project like that has been leaked. Oh well…
~ TRANSMISSION DISCONNECTED ~
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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 | Updates for February and Shout-Outs
Hello friends and welcome back to the Train; I am your host and conductor for this evening continuing our very merry espionage Christmas. Foremost, thank you all for the warm feedback from the first outing in this marathon, where I reviewed the classic comedy TV series Get Smart. This week we’ll look over the Steven Spielberg semi-sweet caper Catch Me if you Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Let’s get this show rolling!
In a biographical depiction of a real-life con artist, the tale follows the timeline of Frank Abagnale Jr.. Imitating in his father’s footsteps, he fabricates intricate replicas of checks and extorts thousands of dollars. He is a man of many faces, posing as a doctor, an airline pilot, and a lawyer, all while being pursued by FBI agent Carl Hanratty. The charismatic criminal leveraged by many ironic twists and a handful of narrow escapes is able to maintain a years-long cat and mouse game with the bewildered Feds.
This doesn’t feel like a Spielberg film in the normal regard, although there are many great touches added into the experience, especially a certain one. The performances, in particular Hanks, DiCaprio, and Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr., are astounding. Our leading role has the facade of a charming young fellow, masking his less-than-savory, fraudulent methods. Hanks provides unquestionable confidence and gusto for the officer constantly trailing the con man at every side road. And I could say we can all admit that Christopher Walken isn’t always a hard-hitter, but his job here is executed well enough to blossom into one of my favorites from the actor.
A thing I do not recommend is being turned off by the roughly 140 minute length of Catch Me if you Can. Honestly, the intimidation was oh-so palpable for me, but I was pleasantly relieved when I found myself swept up in a easygoing breeze. Not much feels stretched thin or utterly unfeasible, just steady and a nearly effortless watch. I also tend to be a sucker for opening title sequences, and this one’s was no exception. By the way, the art style of the extended titles has an appetizing story behind it featured on ‘artofthetitle.com’, which I immensely suggest to those whom wonder.
Do I have any problems with this Spielberg outing, I ask myself. Not necessarily, it’s filmed and written and directed well-done, thus a fresh inquiry comes knocking at my door; why isn’t this a so-and-so perfect film? Well, in my square mindset, there is two notes I believe in this situation. One, I’m not sure there really is a flawless motion picture. Nothing’s perfect, after all. And on the contrary, it relatively boils down to personal preference. Flaws can be transparent, but some flicks might not have the novelty of pure entertainment, scene consistency, nor all-around admirable characters. Allow me to phrase it in this sense, DiCaprio presents a marvelous performance as Abagnale, even if I don’t truly root for his role in the traditional manner. Yes, his con man personality is wrong and criminal, neither of which I respect, although the acting shines well.
In conclusion, Spielberg’s Catch Me if you Can is a lively ride with never a dull moment in it’s over two-hour runtime. The experience, thanks to the engrossing disjointed narrative and pleasurable execution, it barely takes a moment in-between the lines. Not as brilliant as, say, Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List, but most viewers will guaranteed have a whiz-bang time. Written with sharp wit, richly acted… folks, this is top notch stuff! Switch on and enjoy.
RATING: 8/10 “100% Raw Recommend (or your money back)”
HAVE A MERRY ESPIONAGE CHRISTMAS!
PASSENGERS WHO PUNCHED A TICKET
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Gary
Markgtr
Shelia
Jon
Ilene
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Mrs. Bubblebath
Apostle Takim Quote
Stuart
The Randomness of My Crazy Life
Sweet and Nice Things
Lapiel
PatrickWhy
Mr. Blue
M. Darwich (previously Mounzer)
Phil (Perkins Designs)
Anees
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Mark Bierman
NEXT WEEK | More Lost Media, including the infamous Dr Goldfoot and the Unused Coraline Album by They Might Be Giants, on {Out of Order}
Hello everyone! It’s a pleasure to see you here yet again for my review of every Pixar animated feature film to date. For my thoughts on the last 10 movies, here are the links to them:
The groundbreaking animators have touched the hearts of many and connected audiences with a plethora of sympathetic characters by taking old tropes and adding a drop of their own unique spin. Although their creative genius shines in the earlier features, a sudden influx of tripe continuations throughout the 2010s have staled the studio’s influence. Diving into the duds, the masterpieces, and everything in-between, this is the third collection of Pixar films reviewed. Let’s get this show on the road!
EDITOR’S NOTE: My editing program to touch upon the featured drawing isn’t exactly functional at the moment, but when you check in next week I’m sure the drawing will be in much better quality. And now, on with the show!
Toy Story 3 (2010)
“Hello?” “You ain’t ever getting out of here… “
11 years following Toy Story 2, Woody and the toys have become distraught due to Andy moving on to his college years, no longer a jovial kid fidgeting around his room with playthings. They land up in a kindergarten daycare in the hopes of finding a bright new horizon being played with forever by young children. They soon come to the attention that the daycare toys, including the pink teddy bear Lotso, perhaps have something more sinister going on under wraps…
For the first time on this blog so far, I may have a controversial opinion on a film I’ve reviewed. Before we dive into this anomaly, remember that I wouldn’t label Toy Story 3 as a so-called “bad” flick, I just have varying thoughts on the whole thing that definitely deviate from the nearly universal consensus. I believe a factor to my review have to relate with the bar being raised do high; once more, with a catalog this prime, even the great efforts fall in the middle. And personally, this Woody and Buzz adventure is just meagerly decent.
But in other notions, the writing and direction is honestly quite well-done. This is a peculiar case when the paths the premise drove down and the tone draw my criticism, yet I can admit they handled it the best they could. I’m not sure. Perhaps my least favorite of the Toy Story tetralogy, but nonetheless entertaining, unexpectedly grim, and emotionally vivid.
If I were to shift down the gold nuggets present, I absolutely adore the evolution of the previous two’s themes, such as one’s owner and how to spend their time as a toy. To be loved my dozens? To have a special individual? To be on display? It’s such a welcome wonder how a series with this kind of plot has removed the fat and rendered something so brilliant with the dullest of potential. The characters continue to charm, and the Great Escape inspired plan is wildly fun to watch play out. My seething problems that arise are Spanish Buzz, which clones the same pattern as Toy Story 2‘s sub-plot (and is also kind of a odd idea in the first place), as well as the stark tonal strike away from the prior installments. Lotso’s hate-filled rant at the dump and the furnace sequence feel so pitch coffee black in contrast… will kids actually be enjoying themselves too?
In summary, my rating on Toy Story 3 is going to be a mixed bundle. There are some fantastic elements sprinkled throughout, but again, was a prison escape buildup the best pitch they had? Not bad per say… an extremely scrambled mindset on this one.
RATING: 5.5/10
Cars 2 (2011)
What an odd trailer. And yes Mater, or course the pope-mobile is Catholic
The Cars franchise, echoing what I said in volume two, is generally regarded lower from other Pixar offerings. A couple of folks I know, including the passenger Vic, are fans of the first automobile animation. But, what do those people think of the sequel, Cars 2? In the film which spoofs James Bond storylines (the Espionage Christmas strikes again next Thursday), the country-slang spewing tow truck sidekick Mater is lassoed into the smoke and mirrors underworld of British Intelligence and car-imploding emitters while his friend, speed demon superstar Lightning McQueen, competes in a worldwide racing event. Will Mater prove his innocence and save McQueen from the despicable threat in motion?
This movie is a Shakespearean tragedy. Up until this point, Pixar had an unprecedented decade-long streak of critical acclaim. A Bug’s Life and Cars have been slightly less glowing, but the reception still displayed warmth. This was the poison that brought a dissatisfying drop of signature quality; according to a handful of my sources, the Pixar team behind the scenes also took a toll on their morale due to the newfound lukewarm feedback. But even despite all that, I may one of the few “critics” who doesn’t despise Cars 2.
In fact, I might not even genuinely regard myself as a critic. I prefer more of a “film romantic” sort of image. I love film through and through, and I frankly don’t see the commonplace art of criticism.
Heh, I’m not even paying much attention to the flick at hand, am I? So ricocheting back to that, obviously the animators are remarkably gifted, as proved through their previous work in the studio. All the colors and background design is well-done, seeping with professionalism. The opening action scene on the buoyed oil rig with Finn McMissile, the lead British secret agent of the film, is pretty ambient and entertaining, even if the next scene cuts to Radiator Springs. What a way to bait my interest then drown it, Pixar.
A handful of scenes in Cars 2 aren’t all that terrible, though the promotion of Mater from sidekick to protagonist as well as the klunky script drag the film down due to the heavy baggage. This is one rusty van that is worthy of the junkyard.
RATING: 4/10
Brave (2012)
That one gag about the Lord’s war hero son actually did manage a chuckle…
Set in the Scottish highlands, Merida is the unruly and objectionable daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. She has been arranged to be wed to one of three princes, but her passionate desire not to do so churns the kingdom into disarray. Fleeing home and using her archery talents and arcana for aid, Merida must take a stand against her own family as well as the elements to resolve an equally beastly occurrence.
There is also a center-stage emotional turn of events from the second-third of the way through, but for viewers who haven’t seen Brave, I’ll keep the drapes over. Now, Merida is arguably the most unlikeable main character in all the Pixar catalog. She’s always making a fuss about everything, her sour rebellion against her parents, and the fact that she does something so unspeakably antagonistic that it completely drains all the credibility the “hero” could have had in the first place. And yes, it literally is unspeakable since it ties in with the midway plot twist. But if you’ve watched this movie, you’ll understand what I’m jabbing at.
Honestly, it isn’t just Merida. Her bitter personality was so repugnant that it spread like a blight onto the other side characters! None of them are nearly as bad, but they range fro either being grading, make irrational choices, or deliver truly unpleasant humor. The word for those kinds of characters are “comic reliefs” in theory, but in Brave, they just end up being “comic woe”. Or “comic misery”, whatever sounds better in your ears.
What’s the real comedy of errors is that it feels as if Pixar and Disney exchanged animated features that year, Brave and Wreck-it-Ralph. Think about it, the offering here has the tone of a sub par Disney princess flick the studio has been milking for a rough century, and Wreck-it-Ralph presents the question ‘what if video games had feelings?’, which is a interchangeable phrase applied to every Pixar film. So what does that make Brave‘s term… ‘what if redheaded Scots had feelings?’
Not awful, but lacking in every way I can imagine. The smug demeanor displayed from the writers, holding their so-called clever subversion of a tired trope, doesn’t add any new spritz or sham to make it feel earned. Throw in cliched plot points, an abysmal bunt at laughs, and an out of place ensemble and wa-la, Brave is created. And as the flick seems to get weaker the more I dwell upon it, it’s probably best I end the review here.
RATING: 4/10
Don’t go away, reviews of Monsters University and Inside Out will return after these brief messages…
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Thank you so much for 100 subscribers to the Train! I never even dreamed of getting this far, and I give a kudos to every single passenger who have come back to read my thoughts on movies and television each week. I merely started the blog, not really for any fame or fortune or recognition, but so that I could have a creative outlet to express my love for media. I would honestly be happy if all I ever got was 20-something loyal passengers in my planned 5 year runtime (yes, five years… this is only my second season!). So from my heart to yours, thank you once more. Stay stellar out there in this crazy world, and safe for that manner as well.
All the best, G.h Nowak
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I’m glad you’re still here, now back to the show!
Monsters University (2013)
“I love college. “
Another sequel? Oh, apologies, a prequel! *sigh* To be fair, Monsters University isn’t actually all that it makes itself out to be. A precursor to the classic Monsters, Inc., it shows wannabe “scarer” Mike Wazowski meeting his future close companion James “Sully” Sullivan in college. Despite their eventual friendship their beginnings would be less than so, first as budding accomplices transitioning to a bitter rivalry. Will Mike’s ambition land him in a dark place? Or could Sully’s outgoing nature get the duo expelled?
I couldn’t agree more with Keith Phipp’s review of this film which states; “The perfect movie for 8 year-olds who are also college students”. Jokes aside, a lot of folks seem to share the same idea that this attempt is easily not one of Pixar’s worst and packs a punch during the final 15 minutes or so, which I suppose is true, but it’s additionally disappointing and unengaging during the rest of the film. The climax offers great tension and atmosphere, but it simply doesn’t provide Monsters University worth enough value for viewer’s to switch on.
The newly introduced characters are kind of there, you know. Not bad, but predictable and not used to effect the plot. That position is mainly steered by Mike and Sully, and the emotional arc that eclipses is nice and all. The animation is… alright, by this stage I don’t think it’s practical to point out the gorgeous animation for each and every feature of theirs, unless it peaks their boundaries or is vital to my criticisms (both will happen in the future). But for the pantheon from here out, remember that the beautiful maestro of moving sketches is a given. Also, my only strong feelings towards something in Monsters University is the new college band style theme, which has a great melody even if it pales against the original jazz tempo present in Monsters, Inc.
In the metaphorical sense, this sequel, er, prequel, whatever it is, is lacking that snazzy and fast-paced wonder of the first. Instead it is filtered with a tune, while still good, has a distinctly different flavor but is more run-of-the-mill. So yeah, the theme music that highlights the duo speaks for the respective film’s creativity and beat. Screwy, ain’t it?
RATING: 5/10
Inside Out (2015)
This one felt the most proper for a Pixar review marathon, with the clips and all
Here we are folks, the final film of the night. This was the third outing for director Pete Doctor, who is a key player for the studio thanks to his works Monsters, Inc. and Up. Does this one live up? In lieu with Doctor’s recurring intrigue with abstract imagination, Inside Out details the main emotions operating a girl named Riley. Ever feel happy? Of course, I love a good slice of pie. Down in the dumps? I’m melancholy whenever somebody betrays me. Frightened? Death is my worst nightmare. I could go on. However, what would take place after Joy is snatched off and Sadness goes nutty? If you assume that Fear, Disgust and Anger don’t handle the dilemma very well, you would be correct.
This production is a masterclass in evoking connection, memory, and obviously emotion. I think my greatest gripe is that the story is very thinly structured, and unresolved points in the premise are as frequent as potholes on an average road. Maybe skimming the problematic issue is earned; since the sentiment is prime rather than practicality I understand fully why not a ton of things need to make perfect sense, or how there are multiple conveniences sprinkled about. For all I know though, the structure is the weakest link by a landslide.
The casting on the other hand… that’s something special. Only lingering in my mind because of her performance in Parks and Recreation as Leslie Knope, Amy Poehler was an excellent choice for the sunny embodiment of Joy. Phyllis Smith, portraying Sadness, and Mindy Kaling as Disgust both come off the backs of Parks and Recreation‘s sister show The Office and do solid jobs. Bill Hader is a favorite of mine, and he nails the living reincarnation of Fear, anxious and worried on the constant. Anger, played marvelously by Lewis Black, steals every scene he’s in by creating such a hilarious persona for the fiery midget. To be honest, most of the jokes do stick the daring acrobatic stunt, with an unforgettable gag about a gum advert that leaves me in shreds on every rewatch.
Creatively delectable, but not in an overwhelming way. The acute ideas are executed with the finesse of a real auteur. A chunk of the drama is somewhat forced in my opinion and the plot as related is far from strong, but Inside Out is heartfelt and funny and bewitching to an extent where those critiques are vaporized. I will revisit my favorite Pixar feature of the 2010’s again very soon.
Hey, how’s it going? Welcome back to the Train; I am your conductor as usual. Well, we have a new year ahead of us, 2021. And, despite all the pitfalls and rough times and shutdowns regarding this historical era, I can see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel. This up and coming year will definitely have it’s struggles, but I’m positive things will stitch up and we could have a sense of normalcy eventually. With that mentioned, I’m here to provide you folks with information on my projects mapped out for 2021. Let’s get cracking!
First and foremost, today would be a day where I upload a brand new review or episode of our series Out of Order. However, this is not so. This Thursday and the next will both be vacant of the common weekly content. The train is just taking a two-week period away from blogging simply to have air to breathe and to recollect my clutter and focus a bit more on additional aspects of my life. We’ll return with a massive bundle of five Pixar films reviewed as part of our ongoing series on January 14.
As you may have heard, A Very Merry Espionage Christmas has already been kicked off with a retrospective review of Get Smart… what you might not have known are the three following episodes in the marathon. I mean, why celebrate the Christmas spirit for 25 days when we can spread it out throughout this difficult winter instead! The next volume will be released in January while the final two will bookend February. Stay tuned for more of that spy-fi action, and don’t forget to check out the Get Smart review from the week prior if you haven’t already (in such case, thank you!).
What will become of Out of Order? It will continue once a month like it has been circulating for a while now, but starting in May the show is taking a short hiatus. It’s unfortunate, but all television programs similarly need to have a break every now and then. The 14 total episodes will become season 1. Luckily, Out of Order has been renewed for a second season as well, set to premiere sometime in August. A ranking of each and every Mandalorian episode, which clocks in at 16 entirely, and a surprise April Fool’s special are among the last couple in the first season to look forward to.
My novel, Volt Vulture, is a recurring name for longtime members of the train. But, how has it been going? I want to be honest here with you guys, progress on it has come to a halt. I’m trying my best to get back to working on it, now that the holidays have passed. I’ll make you guys a surefire promise; I will without a doubt complete writing through it sometime this next year. Publishing is a whole other puzzle to solve on its own, but I will hold the project’s finalization as a high priority.
And that’s all for this evening; tell me in the comments more of what you want to see from me, as well. Whether it be more reviews, more Top 5s, lost media… always feel free to suggest ideas. I can’t wait to spend another 365 more days of posts with you guys! Enjoy your New Year’s and, please, wear a face mask and respect each other. Aloha! Over and out.
Heya, Chief! I’m Agent 23 here on this Christmas Eve show tonight. Regarding the whereabouts of the Conductor, I’m afraid the details must be kept under wraps. I really enjoy segments from Get Smart. Would you believe that back in the day I enlisted for CONTROL, the secret agency Maxwell Smart operates in? Didn’t actually exist, surprisingly. If you’re only familiar with the Steve Carrell film adaption, don’t worry, because I’m here to fill in for the Conductor and look over the fruitful history of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry’s Get Smart. Who knows, maybe this writing project will earn me a raise in the organization. Well, what am I stalling for?
Starring Don Adams as the slapstick meld of James Bond and Inspector Clousea, Get Smart featured the titular Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, going on undercover missions with his partner, the gorgeous Agent 99, most of the time to infiltrate the dastardly schemes planted by the KAOS society. The intro displays the oddball over-the-topness of many popular espionage programmes that lavished in the first half of the 60s. The phone booth entrance to a subterranean narrow hallway, leading agent Smart through an unnecessary excess of top secret sliding doors. Couldn’t they just erect one giant metal security wall rather than a multitude of openings, though? That’s how it’s done where I’m at. Amateur mistake.
One of the series’s sole creators was Mel Brooks… ringing any bells? Before his work on Get Smart he wrote alongside Woody Allen and Neil Simon on Sid Caesar’s sketch comedy Your Show of Shows. And then, following the show’s success he slammed the momentum towards Tinsel town, including the sugar-coated witzeg risk The Producers in 1967 and later the controversial mockery of the politicos, the Wacos, and the Warner Bros. in 1974’s Blazing Saddles. According to those features with both riffs on Nazis and African-Americans, he pushes in some naturally no-holds-barred comedy and stereotyping if it will earn laughs. Does Get Smart follow in those footsteps? To an extent, namely the Chinese tong arranged by “the Claw” and the often comic and heavily exaggerated accents of the villainous antagonists. But, the spoof aspect of this show definitely bounces back in the rest of Brooks’ works, with parodies of aforementioned Westerns, black and white Universal monster flicks, and space operas all continuing the tradition.
With that out of the way, I personally believe that the episodes have aged like a wine. It’s been 55 years since the initial premiere in ’65 and a majority of the jokes are golden even today. Although watching a lengthy string of episodes in succession can blossom into a bit too much for my tastes, the snack-sized portions are a testament to the writers and actors who did wonders with the concept. Perhaps the glue that practically bound Get Smart together as a respectable comedic force was the acting chops of Don Adams as Maxwell Smart. His stand-up gigs prior proved himself ideal for the role as the resourceful yet absurdly clumsy high-ranking talent within CONTROL. Adams provided the character with the elements, perfecting his timing and physical humour along the ride. Agent 99’s undercurrent romantic chemistry between her and Smart and the patient friendliness glowing off the Chief also combine two equally strong flavours of rapport to the brilliance. But in the end, the amusing lines sneered from the villains turn the tables to inspire myself to root for them. So conniving, but oh so charming as well!
This retrospective remembrance of Get Smart will return after these messages…
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When all else fails, there was always creative set design and fictional gadgets that influence a smile here and there. And years before the government could access your email, agents on covert affairs would hide in foot lockers, mailboxes, and washing machines. The “Cone of Silence” , which was of course invented by the intellectual Professor Cone. Easily the most infamous of these was the hidden telephone on the bottom of Smart’s shoe. In fact, the television block Nick at Nite actually offered a real replica of the widget in the 90s, albeit expensively priced. Imagine that!
In conclusion, Get Smart was a very consistent and, should I say, smart series. It’s legacy, while not dimmed, has certainly remained under the public knowledge. Three films – the self-explanatory theatrical misfire The Nude Bomb, the TV reintroduction Get Smart, Again, and the fairly recent 2008 cash-grab of the same title – haven’t helped much leveraging this remarkable classic piece of television. If you’re late to the party and are able to track down the dvd box sets for the first season, I’d recommend giving it a whirl. It’s a ripe highlight of Brooks’ career and well worth watching any given cloudy Sunday day.
Happy birthday, Get Smart. Moreover, I’ve got a promotion to collect with the old article trick… over and out.
Hello! How’s it rolling? I’m your conductor on this Winter’s episode of Out of Order, here to take quite the gamble. “What’s that, a gamble?” you may be wondering on the other side of the screen. On a very early installment of the show I watched and laughed at a couple of trailers for some rather foul features. Although the episode apparently underperformed, it has always remained a personal favorite idea for an episode. So yeah, at long last it returns. Striking yet again are the moldy oldies, the out of the ordinary, and a few one-hit wonders, here’s volume 2 of trailer trash. Let’s get this show on the road!
Grab a couple of snacks at our concession stand… It’s Intermission time!
Theatre of Blood (1973)
Starring the great Vincent Price, Theatre of Blood is a masterfully and darkly comic tale of a stage performer who, though believed dead, begins killing off the 8 critics who mocked his acting prior. *gulp*, hopefully nobody hunts me down for disliking their film, geez! The movie is also partially inspired by another grotesque comedy starring Price called The Abominable Dr. Phibes. And when I mean inspired, I instead sort of mean that it is an utter duplicate of Dr. Phibes‘ premise and style. No, I’m not even kidding myself.
Superbman (1981)
Man, the new sequel for Man of Steel certainly looks… interesting. Created as a clear spoof of the Richard Donner Superman installments from 1978 and 1980, Superbman was a remarkably odd creation that sounds like a weak joke someone in your friend circle would through out. The project is pretty hard to come across; to be honest, this was the only available trailer footage that I could implement here. I’m not sure I would be drawn to view this parody, primarily as it feels too similar to the actual Superman series, give or take the updated, more silly character names and a cream pie battle. Yes, really. Who knows, perhaps it’s even better than Superman IV!
Hold That Ghost (1941)
Okay, the film actually is free from ghosts – but there is still nothing more scarier than haunted mansions, crooked mobsters, stolen cash, and the Andrews Sisters! Among one of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s strongest pair-ups in a motion picture, Hold That Ghost was ignited off or the duo’s previous series successes Buck Privates and In the Navy. They were such a catastrophic hit with audiences that at the time about 4 individual Abbott and Costello films played in the cinemas. Wow, that’s bonkers!
The Apple (1980)
Fueled by lots of hallucinogens, The Apple was an incredibly odd blend of Christian themes, Illuminati conspiracy, and disco. The rock musical is set in the near future world of 1994 where people jazzercise to no bound and wear fashion probably made out of tin foil. It’s so bonkers and out of the rocker that it has in fact amassed some fans over the years. That, to me, proves that if you think you’re weird, there’s a whole other league of folks that are on a different level! Tell me in the comments, would you pay the price of admission to see The Apple? A relatively perfect example of a midnight movie, but a severely dated and rotten fruit indeed.
Star Crash (1979)
Ah jeez, not again. This exploitation miracle is majorly a rip-off of the superior Star Wars feature, a smash surprise on release in 1977. But with Christmas lights and babes in bikinis. I mean, okay. Though the searing question is this – how on Earth did Star Wars hit big, yet not Starcrash? It’s an outrage! In all honesty here, Starcrash is a fantastic description on how passion when creating a motion picture will always make it better than one with the foundation being to collect loads of money. Even some really terrible flicks such as Birdemic or Plan 9 From Outer Space you can give the benefit of the doubt that at least the directors had a vision and had a blast making them. Here? I don’t see it. Sorry, Starcrash.
Foodfight! (2012)
If you are a cinema lover like myself, you may have heard of this certain film. Foodfight! is notoriously recognized and loathed by the critic community, often titled the worst animated feature of all time. This trailer isn’t the finished product though, as you may have thought. To the crew’s dismay, hard drives of footage were stolen in a work of espionage. Many theorists have believed that Foodfight!‘s director was behind the act, and that he thought that his creation would flop. Instead of the animators simply quitting from the dead film like the director would think, they pressed on and had to rush out entirely new rigs and tests and movements. In a way, I do feel bad for the crew if that’s what took place. It’s like making the same movie twice! And the critical dumpster fire was the icing on top of this mess of a cake. To be fair, this early version doesn’t cause my eyes to melt off, so there’s something. Maybe the plodding story and nonsensical dialogue would have remained, though the animation could have been generally lively and passable. At least we could have gotten even the slightest sliver out of it!
This trainwreck is such a deep and frustrating topic to converse about, so much so that perhaps it can be explored further in a future episode of Out of Order. If you guys are interested in a lost media post like that, please share your encouragement. And if you do want to plunge into the final feature’s visuals online elsewhere you can go right ahead after this post. But do be warned! The trailer is somewhat symbolic too, because just like Chester the Cheetah, the director sped out of the doomed production soon as he found the opportunity.
Casino Royale (1967)
A movie marketed as “too much for one James Bond” with arguably too many James Bonds, Casino Royale was among many of the classic series’s rip-offs rooted from the psychedelic 60s. So sadly, no, not the Daniel Craig installment. The film holds some promise, particularly in the decent ensemble cast; Peter Sellers, a pre-success Woody Allen, David Niven, and a bevy of gorgeous women all grace the screen. They even roped in Orson Welles himself as the secondary villain, how about that! Even considering its high box office numbers, the 5 directors, almost a dozen screenwriters, bagpipe machine guns, false advertising and flying saucers are enough to imply the sloppy legacy. Also, isn’t it wonderful how possibly the best and the worst James Bond films both have the exact same title? Oh the irony.
I’m glad you’re still tuning in! We’ll return after these messages…
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THURSDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE
“A Very Espionage Christmas” Begins with a Review of the Classic Spy Spoof Get Smart
Pull up a Couch and Get Yourself Comfortable… We now Return!
I’m sorry but I didn’t get the name of the movie; could you repeat it again? All jokes aside, Defenders of Space was selected for this list at random. I had a friend scroll through “cult film trailers” and pick one based off the thumbnail and title. Guess this is what he got. But this trailer really is all over the place. There is a duel between two Transformers or something. A innocent robot being shot at. Lasers, as well? Then these two anime kids have to uncover the Secret of the Pheonix? And then the booming narration dissolves into action choreography. Not sure what’s going on there, but alright. My largest brain-scratch here has been unsung; is it ripping off Transformers, Hanna-Barbara, or Star Wars again? Place your bets.
Who’s Minding the Mint? (1967)
Let’s take a look at this kooky comedy directed by the one and only Howard Morris. Sound familiar? Chances are you’ve come across him in one form or another. He had tidbit roles in tens of hundreds of movies and television shows including Jerry Lewis’ masterpiece The Nutty Professor and High Anxiety, and in addition did vocal performances in a medley of cartoons like The Flintstones and The Jetsons. Having coming off of the celebrated sketch comedy Your Show of Shows he directed a couple of features, with Who’s Minding the Mint easily being his best. Heck, it may even be one of the funnier It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World-esque endeavors. Add in a magnificent score by Lalo Schrifin and a interesting look into the US Mint, this is among my favorite underlooked screwball fests.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
The last trailer! In lieu of the holidays I knew something had to be tossed in here. Funny enough, instantly my mind knew which cruddy Christmas junk would be used. Can I also come out from behind the buzz surrounding this flick and say that the title is lying to you. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians sounds like a remarkable idea for a B-movie! It is as if there was a movie called John F. Kennedy Destroys the Trix Rabbit… I’d pay good money to be entertained by something that ridiculous. But rather the extraterrestrials are jealous because Kris Kringle doesn’t deliver them presents, so they kidnap him. Does Santa escape and crown himself king of Mars and become a dictator, maybe enslaving the Martian race like elves? No, he spreads some transparent holiday spirit to the aliens. Very original, don’t you think.
Good riddance, that was a hot bundle of trailers. Enough trash to stuff one evening, for sure. Thank you bunches for reading this episode! I hope to see you back again next week, and if you haven’t joined our subscription as of yet it would mean a lot. Only 8 to go until 100; you could be in the first major milestone if you wish! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a stellar New Year to you. Peace out!
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Grab a potion brew and don your boots as we venture into the woods tonight. Hello and welcome to the Train, where we explore the realms of film. My name is Gavin, but you would know me best as the conductor. Now, fetch a freshly made cup of cocoa on this cold winter’s night while I talk about a most adventurous genre of Fantasy. Yes, the wizards, the dragons, the daring swordfights, and all the mystical wonder that accompanies it. Some well-realized series in this aura are The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. But here on the tracks, some of you may recall our deviation from more mainstream media. Instead we enjoy the strange projects, ones that never saw the light of day, or others whom have been forgotten in the nostalgia flush. So, in that regard, what about darker fantasies? Oh yes, the bedtime tales that are infused with some realistic or twisted storytelling is what we’ll be looking back on here this evening. What makes them so interesting, how they accomplish it, and ways to recreate this rare appetizer. Let’s get this show on the road!
How Can the Genre be Done Right?
That’s an excellent question. Is it comparable to a certain style that must be mastered to get correct? Or could it be like comedy, in which the quality is somewhat subjective varying from person to person. First, let me develop my particular speculations on the ever-growing genre. I see it as very misunderstood through the big picture, but when it’s funneled down into the details it can be remarkably complex. I could hastily slash this conversation off with a simple explanation; the dark fantasy genre is grim and somber. But am I? No, I have passengers I’m incredibly grateful for hearing my thoughts! I can’t simply put out terrible content or answers. Thus, we shall delve further into the rabbit hole here. Now we should probably advance forward by defining fantasy. As the name implies, it in fact contains the fantastic like magic, monsters, unorthodox lands, and a well-knit battle against the forces of good and evil. However, dark could define a wide meaning of explanations. In my mindset, a dark fantasy has one key deviation away from normal fairy tales. The clean cut separation of morality is scrubbed indefinitely until it becomes fuzzy. This paves a pathway for either villains to be fleshed out a smidgen or our formerly daring and courageous do-gooder to become spearheaded with flaws and insecurities. Division between the opposites rather absorbs into a whole ensemble of struggling characters sprinkled with their own goals, allies, rivals, and demons.
As with nearly anything you may come across, a couple of indecent scums must additionally be pointed out to those who dip their toes in the genre. One, don’t go so far as to create unlikable characters, because then the audience will easily drop all interest towards the plot. Always notice the difference between flaws and pure despicable nature. Second, shoehorned shock and depravity doesn’t make a dark fantasy. Writing something that’s so outrageously violent or explicit should not be an assumed must for every piece of fiction in this category. With that out of our way, let’s look at two films in this peculiar subgenre to explore if they qualify as a dark fantasy, and what does or doesn’t click within the established cognition.
Gremlins (Joe Dante, 1984)
The film follows Billy Petzler, who is gifted a “mogwai” named Gizmo for Christmas. Unaware of three very important guidelines, Gizmo begins spawning scaly, devious imps. With a trusty soak of water, they multiply by the hundreds and instigate violence and mayhem in the quiet town. I know, there isn’t any majestic realms here, but stick with me. I feel that Gremlins has all the workings of a modern dark fantasy classic. Well, does it work?
I’m not sure. The flick does have very clear good and even more recognizable evil to boot. In this convoluted case, I would eventually determine that the tone is 100 percent of the dark but the construction isn’t. Gremlins did have a good start in the fast lane by having Billy’s father and a shopkeeper’s son making an exchange for Gizmo against the owner’s will, a point that could make the father seem conniving. But the rest of the road doesn’t continue the cycle, apparently so. The movie is by no means a bad one, it’s actually among my favorites, though it is not really worthy of the title we’re discussing. Still, the undertones of American consumerism and the amusingly malicious nature under the wraps of a holiday coating is inches close to absolute perfection. Not a dark fantasy for those scouring for such entertainment, but a recommended Christmas treat that will delightfully subvert your expectations. Maybe I’ll talk more about this movie in a more in-depth individual review on a later date…
RATING: 8/10 IS IT DARK FANTASY?: Not Quite
Coraline (Henry Selick, 2009)
From the director of Nightmare Before Christmas despite everyone claiming it was Tim Burton comes Coraline. This was the creator’s big return to the cinema screen following the mammoth failure that was Monkeybone, and it was also a beginning for other creative minds. Enter the Oregon based stop-motion studio Laika, which was overflowing with imagineers prepared to aid in a new masterpiece. Based off a children’s novella, the story takes root at the Pink Palace Apartments, where the young Coraline Jones is down on her last legs. Away from home and neglected by her workaholic parents, she soon discovers an alternate world. Everything appears to be lively, bright, and whimsical in contrast to reality’s gloom, even if the replacement of human eyes for buttons sows in a skeptical urge to leave the merriment behind. With each of her escalating visits to her other family, things begin to take a terrifying turn.
Now this is how you do it! What I love so immensely in Coraline is the characters and imagery. Coraline isn’t exactly a role model, being as she’s brash and sometimes rude to those around her, especially Wybie in their first scene together. But, her bravery in the face of unspeakable horror is admirable. In fact, the whole cast of larger-than-life personalities are usually morally grey or struggle with their deeds as well. And yes, I can already hear the remarks daring to me that the Beldum is quite obviously the villain, and you’re correct on that regard. Meanwhile in the setting, the uniquely sculpted world is beyond stellar. Admittedly, the folks over at Laika don’t receive enough praise for the long nights and artistic patience working within this medium. They can convey the creepy atmosphere you need, and the ever-present whimsy is always supporting. And I’m general, Coraline is a delectable and rather magnificent journey into the peculiar depths of Selick’s imagination; a welcome addition to his creative catalog.
RATING: 9/10 IS IT DARK FANTASY?: Yes
Here’s to wrapping up this venture! What’s your favorite dark fantasy media? Thanks for 90 subscribers to the Train and I hope you visit again next week. Later.
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Back in April of 2019, which I can’t believe has been so distant from now, I sat in a cinema with an enthusiastic crowd to watch Avengers: Endgame. Of course, taking into consideration the fanbase the Marvel films have accumulated over the last decade, filmgoers cheered and shared their equal satisfaction. I may not have been absorbed to the following, but I enjoyed the blockbuster bursts anyhow. And even, the contagious energy and the entertainment found in the feature all in all still makes me sit upon the nature of these Summer Blockbusters. More importantly, what elements can uplift one? I lately took a whip at Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, a flick I had dwindled to the sidelines for many years. Then, my mindset was altered completely.
Well, what’s the premise of the film? In San Dimas, California, two slang-slinging friends Bill Preston Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan aspire to rock out in their own band. However, they flunk remarkably in school, and it may take nothing short of a pure miracle for them to excel in an upcoming history report. If they fail, Bill would be sent off to a military service in Alaska, severing their friendship. Luckily for the two, folks from the future are equally concerned, and send a man named Rufus to the past to aid Bill and Ted with the report. With a time machine coming in dandy, they travel through the past, abducting a group of historical figures such as Socrates, Joan of Arc, and Abraham Lincoln for some useful information. Can the two dull fellows succeed in their task, or will it end up absolutely bogus?
We’ll return more on the subject of a blockbuster gold later. Additionally stay tuned until the review’s end for updates on this coming month. Trust me, I have quite exciting news!
The 1980s sure were a magnificent and frankly very odd decade to be apart of. Any kid from that era would remember playing on their Intellivision or Colecovision, listening to Prince, and repeated viewings of Beastmaster on HBO and Nick at Nite. Those were the times alright! And pushing aside the hilariously flashy fashion and dominant mullets, the decade paved way for many iconic products, commercials, innovations, shows, and film. I mean, the Chicken McNuggets were introduced in ’81 for Pete’s sake! And highlighting the film aspect, one of these freshly baked classics was Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, released in ’89, nearing the 1990s close behind.
The movie prevails where some other time travel plots can; not focusing on complicated quantum mechanics of space-time continuums. Although there still remains complex but enjoyable films of this kind, notably the 80s own birth child Back to the Future and Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, I admire this more laid back and straightforward approach. The pace and story actually line up with the boneheaded yet likeable main leads rather nicely. Everything flows by, jumping place to place, dilemma to another, but not feeling disconnected. This was my primary complaint towards Gilliam’s own Monty Python and The Holy Grail, in that it felt more like a medley of loosely woven together sketches instead of a storyline. Bill and Ted almost stumble into that valley, though they stand tall above it overall.
Maybe the film also might have botched up if it weren’t for the amusing performances, particularly Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves, and George Carlin, despite the latter’s limited appearances. Winter and Reeves share a charmingly dynamic pair with each other so well. It’s hard to describe what binds this whole experience together so strongly. Whatever the glue is, this duo was “most excellent” indeed. Assisted by the amusing script, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure definitely ranks high on the fun-o-meter, as long as you’re brain is switched off for the runtime!
As a boomerang richochets back to its former coming, I now segway into my deliberation on blockbusters. So, honest to myself, these big blowouts aren’t popular to me for their exquisite quality and attention to details. They’ve always seemed to be raw time spenders with meager substance beyond that. But since watching this picture, I think the answer may be “relatability” . The audience should have something to root for and connect with. Not action, romance, explosions, big budgets, nor hollow paper cutout stereotypes. This response can be utterly unimpressive. A universally acknowledged consensus is very unlikely. But for me, that’s my head canon.
Yes, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is an unabashed absurdist folly, and an inspired one with that. In a world that is growing bleaker day by day, Bill and Ted’s buoyant smiles are like a beacon of hope. And I believe we should all learn a little bit more from these optimistic dopers. So, always remember to be excellent to each other. And party on, dudes.
RATING: 7/10 RECOMMENDATION RATING: 10/10
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UPDATES FOR DECEMBER
Hey ho again! On this month’s episode of Out of Order, we’ll take a second gamble and watch some retro B-movie trailers and commercials! From the good, the bad, and the Christmas goodies, stop by on Thursday, December 17 for the holiday hullabaloo. We’re also kicking off our “Very Merry Espionage Christmas” , a quad-post marathon spread out across December, January, and February reviewing the most obscure of spy fiction. Who says Christmas lasts one month? Join us for our marathon, which kicks off with a top secret review on Christmas Eve. However, with every good news there is also some not-so-great news. The Lighttrain will be having a short break; therefore, no normal reviews on Thursday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve – or Thursday, January 7. We’ll return with the next installment of the Espionage Christmas followed by Every Pixar Film Reviewed volume 3 beginning January 14.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, and I wish you the best for the Holidays up ahead. Thank you for 87 subscribers to the blog; spread the word and let’s get this show to a hundred!
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