Do you feel that chill in the air? Can you sense the atmosphere changing? The days are growing shorter, the nights longer. That means it's time for your ghost host with the most most to return once again. The Fright Fest re-awakens from it's slumber for another voyage into your deepest, darkest fears. This year, Halloween Horror Nights was cancelled, and COVID19 is busy wrecking havoc on the USA and the world...but that doesn't mean we can't still party like there's no tomorrow from the safety of our homes. Expect plenty of ghoulishly good reviews to be haunting your computer screen soon. Get ready, Fright Fest will commence soon!
Monday, September 21, 2020
Friday, September 4, 2020
SMALLS RETURNS TO THEATERS (DRIVE-IN THEATERS) FOR TENET
In Tenet, a CIA operative (The Protagonist, played by John David Washington. We never learn his actual name.) finds himself embroiled in a modern cold war that is being waged in the shadows. The evil, abusive, and scary Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh), an arms dealer, has been trading and selling special, never-before seen ammo and equipment, and he has some dark plans in store for reality. With the assistance of fellow CIA operative Neil (Robert Pattinson) and Sator's long-suffering wife Kat (Elizabeth Debicki), The Protagonist sets out to stop Sator once and for all.
All of our leads do a superb job and are incredibly well-cast (including Dimple Kapadia as arms trafficker Priya, who interacts with The Protagonist quite a bit.). Tenet is a plot-centric film, which isn't a bad thing, but there is a trade-off to be made: almost all of the characters are given minimal development as a result.
Surprisingly, John David Washington's Protagonist gets the least amount of development out of everyone. Luckily, he still sells the hell out of his role and is a compelling, cool, and bad-ass hero. Robert Pattinson is also very impressive as Neil, a suave, calm, collected and super-cool 2nd man to The Protagonist. Kenneth Branagh is fantastic as the unhinged and scary Andrei Sator, a madman with a plan. Elizabeth Debicki gets the most development out of the bunch as Kat. She is stuck in an abusive, controlling marriage with Sator, who holds her son over her head as motivation to do as he says.
Tenet is a film that, despite being well-paced, might be Nolan's easiest to get lost or confused in if you aren't paying close attention (There were times where I wished I could pause it so I could process the information I had been given. Repeat viewings are practically mandatory, and I can understand why some might say Tenet is convoluted.). Nolan continues to excel as a director and writer (I seriously want to buy the script for this flick.), and he has some insane and inventive ideas at play here. Unfortunately, he could use to work on his sound mixing (done here by Willie D. Burton.), as there are moments where the score and sound effects drown out any dialogue, or sound like they are breaking the speaker system. It's not as bad as Dark Knight Rises, but it's still not great.
The score for Tenet is done by Ludwig Goransson. He does an incredible job. There are times where it sounds like it's going back-and-forth between being played forwards and in reverse. The cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema is great too. Tenet has plenty of exciting and thrilling moments throughout, and you will rarely be bored while watching it. The special and visual effects utilized are phenomenal, creative, and unique as well. Time is a major theme and element in the film, and Tenet uses and plays with time in inventive, fun, creative, and trippy ways.
Ultimately, the best way to go into Tenet is knowing next to nothing about it and letting it take you on one wild ride. In the end, Tenet is a masterpiece about time that will simultaneously blow and melt your mind. It's unlike anything you have ever seen, and it's incredibly inventive, creative, and unique. Tenet is the best film of 2020 thus far, and it's easily my favorite Nolan flick by a large margin. Tenet was absolutely worth the wait. See it in IMAX, if you can.
5 STARS
I now consider Nolan a true genius. #YesDaddyNolan
Friday, August 28, 2020
SMALLS JOINS WYLD STALLYNS IN BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC
"Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes!"
In Bill and Ted Face The Music, our most triumphant duo have fallen on some totally bogus times. After the devastating realization that the song they performed at the end of Bogus Journey was not the song that would unite the world, Bill S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) have spent the last two decades desperately trying to write and perform the one song that will fix everything.
Now, in 2020, Wyld Stallyns have lost all musical credibility, The Grim Reaper (William Sadler) has been booted from the band due to copyright infringement, Bill and Ted have garnered a reputation for trying way to hard with very little payoff, and the bodacious princesses (Joanna as portrayed by Jayma Mays and Elizabeth as portrayed by Errinn Hayes) are close to divorcing the duo. What's worse, the very fabric of space and time has started to unravel. Bill and Ted are given a deadline in which they must write and perform the one song that will unite the world, or else reality as we know it will cease to be.
At a loss, our excellent duo decide to use the classic phone booth to travel into the future and steal the song from a version of their future selves that have already performed it. Their super cute daughters (Billie as portrayed by Brigette Lundy-Paine and Thea as portrayed by Samara Weaving ) go on their own time traveling adventure through the past in an attempt to create the best band possible for their dads.
Bill and Ted are back, baby! Without a doubt, the main draw of this latest outing is not only to see Reeves and Winter reprise their roles, but also to see how Bill and Ted are as adults. Alex Winter steps seamlessly back into the role, and Keanu Reeves is entertaining, although it feels like he is struggling to get back to the essence of Ted. That said, the Ted we know and love definitely can be felt in some moments. William Sadler also effortlessly returns as The Grim Reaper, and is a joy every second he is on screen. In this outing, The Grim Reaper has been demoted in Hell due to his friendship with Bill and Ted, and he has had a falling out with the duo over a lawsuit and his love of bass. Amy Stoch as Missy (who in this film is recently married to Ted's little bro Deacon, as portrayed by Beck Bennett) and Hal Landon Jr. as Ted's long-suffering dad, make appearances and aren't given much to do, though it is still nice to have them back regardless.
Bridgette Lundy-Paine and Samara Weaving are perfection as the daughters of Bill and Ted. They are a duo in their own right, and both are massively entertaining (especially Lundy-Paine, who definitely feels like a female version of Ted). Kristen Schaal definitely has some funny moments as Kelly, daughter of Rufus. Dazmann Still as Jimmi Hendrix, Jeremiah Craft as Louis Armstrong, and Daniel Dorr as Mozart are the stand-out as far as historical figures go. Kid Cudi also appears as himself and is the subject of a one-note joke that works incredibly well and doesn't get old (He is a highlight of the film).
Bill and Ted Face The Music is, ultimately, highly entertaining but uneven. I would say most of the jokes land, but some still fall flat. Some of the bits involving Bill and Ted meeting their future selves are hilarious, but most don't fully work, and after a while Bill and Ted's various voyages into the future become repetitive and one-note. Surprisingly, it's Billie and Thea's adventures through the past that are the most memorable parts of this film.
Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson, the creators of Bill and Ted, return to script this latest outing and they prove they've still got it. As stated above, most of the humor works and the essence of the Bill and Ted characters still shines through throughout (There are definitely quite a few bits that feel like classic Bill and Ted), but I'd be lying if I said this last outing didn't feel like it was trying too hard at times. Dean Parisot takes over the directing reigns this go-round, and does a more than serviceable job.
In the end, Bill and Ted Face The Music is not as bogus as it could been, but it's also not as excellent as it should have been. The film likely won't appeal to anyone who isn't already a fan of Wyld Stallyns (though I imagine Thea and Billie might be able to bring in a new generation of fans, and could garner their own following as well. Honestly, I'd be ok with some spin-off films featuring these two alone.), but for long-time fans, this will likely do the trick. Bill and Ted Face The Music is uneven (with a very abrupt and sudden end), but highly entertaining and consistently funny. It makes for a good pick-me-up during these troubled times. It may not be excellent, but will likely leave you feeling most excellent regardless. STATION!
3 STARS
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
SMALLS TRIES NEW COKE
This review was originally written way back on Aug 14, 2019.
So, I finally got to try New Coke, the infamous discontinued soft drink from the 80s. It's really not bad...at all. I'd say Classic Coke is better, though. That said, New Coke is still pretty good. It's got a lighter flavor to it, but still tastes sweet. Best way I can describe the flavor is imagine something between Diet Coke (minus Aspartame) and Pepsi, and that still doesn't perfectly capture it. It's certainly different and odd, just not in a bad way.
So, I finally got to try New Coke, the infamous discontinued soft drink from the 80s. It's really not bad...at all. I'd say Classic Coke is better, though. That said, New Coke is still pretty good. It's got a lighter flavor to it, but still tastes sweet. Best way I can describe the flavor is imagine something between Diet Coke (minus Aspartame) and Pepsi, and that still doesn't perfectly capture it. It's certainly different and odd, just not in a bad way.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
EVERYTHING ISN'T QUITE SATISFACTUAL WITH SONG OF THE SOUTH
Song of The South is the most controversial Disney movie ever made. Disney has spent literal decades doing their best to bury the film and act like it never existed (Most of their efforts undone thanks to what is undoubtedly one of the best attractions in any of their parks: Splash Mountain, a log flume ride based loosely/partially on the film.). I am a rare lucky one, having managed to watch the film three times over the years. With the current social situation we find ourselves in (protests, riots, police reform, BLM, etc), I figure now is as good a time as any to attempt to analyze this problematic little film, and see exactly how racist it really is. So, if you're ready, dive into the Briar Patch with me as we explore Walt Disney's Song of The South.
In Song of The South we follow Johnny (Bobby Driscoll), a young boy from a rich family who finds himself transplanted to a southern plantation during Reconstruction times. It would appear that Johnny's mom (Sally, played by Ruth Warrick) and dad (John, played by Eric Rolf) are close to having a falling out, so Sally has moved Johnny and herself to the old plantation Johnny's grandma (Lucile Watson) owns while Jack stays back in Atlanta to continue work as a muckraking journalist. Johnny, distraught over the potential end of his family, attempts to run away only to cross paths with Uncle Remus (James Baskett), a sharecropper who is known for his tales of Brer Rabbit and friends. It doesn't take long before Johnny has become firmly attached to Remus and his tales, finding a comforting form of escape within them. Along for the adventure is Ginny (Luana Patten), the daughter of a poor family, who befriends Johnny.
Let's start with the good. Walt is clearly attempting to weave a message about friendship breaking the bonds of color and class. The story and message could be very sweet and poignant, but it's held back by some obvious reasons we'll get to later. The animated segments (which total 25 minutes) and songs found within them are easily the best, most memorable parts of the film. The animation is gorgeous (such a shame we'll never get a proper blu-ray transfer/clean-up for them), and the characters of Brer Rabbit (Johnny Lee), Brer Fox (James Baskett), and Brer Bear (Nick Stewart) are classic and unforgettable. The biggest shining star of the film is James Baskett as Uncle Remus (Though even he isn't exempt from some of the film's issues). Baskett is downright magnetic, incredibly likable, and very memorable in a classic role. He really is the hero of the story, and honestly feels like a bad-ass a good deal of the time.
Song of The South is set in a heavily fantasized and unrealistic version of the old south, and that, unfortunately, is where it's problems begin. In this fairy tale, African Americans happily choose to stay on as sharecroppers at the plantation where they were formerly slaves...seemingly because they see it as the only home they know. This in and of itself is incredibly sad. Sharecropping is when the owner of said land allows a tenant (in this case freed slaves) to use the land in return for a share of the crops (usually 1/3 or 1/2) that the tenant produces or farms. Sharecroppers often fell victim to manipulated prices from the landowner. Most of the time freed slaves found themselves penniless, and without any real way to support their families. Sharecropping often was the only option they had. So, no, most sharecroppers didn't happily choose to stay on at the plantations. To say otherwise would be false.
Song of The South chooses to portray all of the sharecroppers in the film as happy and content in their current lives. Obviously, this likely wasn't the case. It's hard to believe all of the sharecroppers would stand outside a window and mourn the potential loss of white life, as the film shows later on in the third act. This reinforces the idea that African Americans were pleased as punch to be at the mercy of their white former slave owners, and really did love them. It's possible that they were grateful to have their own land, but likely not as grateful as Song would have you believe. After all, at the end of the day they were still being taken advantage of and manipulated by the white folks that still owned the land.
Remember how earlier I said that the character of Uncle Remus wasn't exempt from the film's numerous issues? In the film, you can't help but get the feeling that Remus' sole purpose is to entertain our young white protagonist. Walt tries to depict a growing friendship between the two, but it comes across as one-sided. The only real reason Johnny is friends with Remus is because Remus entertains him and is the only one giving him the care and attention Johnny so desperately craves (His self-absorbed parents barely spend any time looking after him and are too caught up in their own issues to really even notice him). Remus, as much as I love him, does fall squarely into the trap of the magical negro stereotype. He is in the story to "fix" the numerous issues Johnny (and even his parents) are experiencing as well as dishing out some life-lessons along the way. He has a generally happy demeanor that I imagine many African Americans would likely find offensive (The happy slave/ former slave who is more than happy to serve his masters/former masters trope).
Onto the animated segments. While, as previously stated, they are easily the standouts of the film, even they are not without their issues (least of which being the dialects that Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear speak in). There is some racist imagery featured (including noose's and the obvious Tar Baby), and the tales of Brer Rabbit and company can easily be viewed as a prime example of cultural appropriation (The first message of choosing to stay in the Briar Patch can be viewed as problematic as well. Sure, the Briar Patch is thorny, tough to navigate, and can cause pain to those living within it, but better the evils you know than those you don't. See a relation to African Americans living on plantations? I personally don't interpret it that way, but I know some who do so it's worth pointing out). The original tales of Uncle Remus were written by Joel Chandler Harris, a poor Irish immigrant. When he was denied admittance to the Confederate army due to his age, he wound up on a plantation where he found he related to the slaves there due to their poor background. He overheard them sharing tales of Brer Rabbit and was intrigued. Later, while writing at a newspaper, he created the character of Uncle Remus as a way to share their stories. He never credited any of the slaves, and wound up profiting off black culture. In a way, Disney did the same exact thing by making Song of The South.
The film's theme song (as well as the theme song for Splash Mountain and the unofficial Disney theme parks tune) is Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Sounds innocent enough, right? Unfortunately, while it is an iconic Disney anthem...the song's origins aren't pretty. The main chorus of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay, My-Oh-My, What a wonderful day. Plenty of Sunshine, Heading my way. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay" is a variant of the main chorus of Zip Coon. Zip Coon is a song that mocks both educated African Americans as well as newly emancipated slaves. It's chorus goes: O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day, O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day, O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day, Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day." Zip Coon also went on to inspire the creation of the Zip Coon character that was used in Minstrel shows (Minstrel shows were performances where white actors would wear black face and sing African American songs. ). Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah doesn't have the same meaning as Zip Coon, but it's ugly roots still remain.
The animated segments of the film were penned by Bill Peet, George Stallings, and Ralph Wright. The live action portions were directed by Harve Foster, and the animated parts by Wilfred Jackson.
Song of The South was released in 1946 (Gone With The Wind was released in 1939 and suffers from many of the same issues as Song). Walt claimed he fondly remembered the Uncle Remus tales from his youth, and had always wanted to make a movie out of them. He originally had wanted Song of The South to be a fully animated film focusing solely on the adventures of Brer Rabbit and Co.. Later on he decided to make it a mixture of live-action and animation (possibly because he saw how well Gone With The Wind had done financially and with awards.). He hired first time screen-writer Dalton Reymond to penn the live-action portions, Reymond was later joined by Callum Webb and Maurice Rapf. Apparently Reymond was quite a racist and it showed in his drafts of the script. Rapf was concerned about the content of the drafts, and intended to do his best to solve the racism issue (He was also against Walt making the film, which is why Walt hired him. Walt thought if anyone could make Song more sensitive, it was Rapf). Unfortunately, Rapf was taken off the project after 7 weeks due to a personal dispute with Reymond. Afterwards Morton Grant was brought on to further help with the script.
Some might say Walt was naive when it came to making Song of The South, others would say that Walt was a known racist and anti-Semite and those views are reflected in the final product, and still others say he knew the material would have glaring issues and just didn't care. Either way, it's clear Walt did want to share a message about tolerance and friendship (Johnny befriends both a sharecropper and a girl from a poorer family than his despite strong objections from his mother), he just got it across in a very problematic way.
Putting all the issues aside, is Song of The South even any good? Is it worth checking out? Unfortunately, as a whole, Song of The South is far from being one of Disney's best films. The main plot and live-action portions are pretty mediocre and dull by Disney standards. Most of the acting (with the exception of James Baskett of course) is sub-par as well. As stated numerous times, the animated segments and the songs found within are the saving grace of this film, but even they are not without their issues. I think The Walt Disney Company would have done better by confronting the multiple issues with the film head-on instead of trying to bury it and act like it never existed. By doing so, they have inadvertently given Song of The South more of a "status" than it otherwise would have had (It doesn't help that one of their greatest attractions of all time is based on the film, though Splash Mountain has far less issues than the film does). This has led to consumers seeking it out through various means online (I imagine most are disappointed with what they find).
In the end, Song of The South is a challenging, controversial film. It paints over it's numerous issues with catchy songs, gorgeous animation, and lovable animated characters. Some might say this is insidious. I have conflicting emotions about Song of The South. I love Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear and their adventures. I adore the animation and songs (though the score for the live action portions is just plain bad). That said, I can clearly see the numerous problems the film poses and I acknowledge that it all makes for a fairly uncomfortable watch . Ultimately, the best thing that could come out of Song of The South is if it can spark meaningful discussions about race, prejudice, racism, etc...unfortunately, that can only happen if it is seen and analyzed (This is in no way an endorsement of the film). Song of The South remains a fascinating, frustrating, and important piece of Disney history.
1.5 STARS
In Song of The South we follow Johnny (Bobby Driscoll), a young boy from a rich family who finds himself transplanted to a southern plantation during Reconstruction times. It would appear that Johnny's mom (Sally, played by Ruth Warrick) and dad (John, played by Eric Rolf) are close to having a falling out, so Sally has moved Johnny and herself to the old plantation Johnny's grandma (Lucile Watson) owns while Jack stays back in Atlanta to continue work as a muckraking journalist. Johnny, distraught over the potential end of his family, attempts to run away only to cross paths with Uncle Remus (James Baskett), a sharecropper who is known for his tales of Brer Rabbit and friends. It doesn't take long before Johnny has become firmly attached to Remus and his tales, finding a comforting form of escape within them. Along for the adventure is Ginny (Luana Patten), the daughter of a poor family, who befriends Johnny.
Let's start with the good. Walt is clearly attempting to weave a message about friendship breaking the bonds of color and class. The story and message could be very sweet and poignant, but it's held back by some obvious reasons we'll get to later. The animated segments (which total 25 minutes) and songs found within them are easily the best, most memorable parts of the film. The animation is gorgeous (such a shame we'll never get a proper blu-ray transfer/clean-up for them), and the characters of Brer Rabbit (Johnny Lee), Brer Fox (James Baskett), and Brer Bear (Nick Stewart) are classic and unforgettable. The biggest shining star of the film is James Baskett as Uncle Remus (Though even he isn't exempt from some of the film's issues). Baskett is downright magnetic, incredibly likable, and very memorable in a classic role. He really is the hero of the story, and honestly feels like a bad-ass a good deal of the time.
Song of The South is set in a heavily fantasized and unrealistic version of the old south, and that, unfortunately, is where it's problems begin. In this fairy tale, African Americans happily choose to stay on as sharecroppers at the plantation where they were formerly slaves...seemingly because they see it as the only home they know. This in and of itself is incredibly sad. Sharecropping is when the owner of said land allows a tenant (in this case freed slaves) to use the land in return for a share of the crops (usually 1/3 or 1/2) that the tenant produces or farms. Sharecroppers often fell victim to manipulated prices from the landowner. Most of the time freed slaves found themselves penniless, and without any real way to support their families. Sharecropping often was the only option they had. So, no, most sharecroppers didn't happily choose to stay on at the plantations. To say otherwise would be false.
Song of The South chooses to portray all of the sharecroppers in the film as happy and content in their current lives. Obviously, this likely wasn't the case. It's hard to believe all of the sharecroppers would stand outside a window and mourn the potential loss of white life, as the film shows later on in the third act. This reinforces the idea that African Americans were pleased as punch to be at the mercy of their white former slave owners, and really did love them. It's possible that they were grateful to have their own land, but likely not as grateful as Song would have you believe. After all, at the end of the day they were still being taken advantage of and manipulated by the white folks that still owned the land.
Remember how earlier I said that the character of Uncle Remus wasn't exempt from the film's numerous issues? In the film, you can't help but get the feeling that Remus' sole purpose is to entertain our young white protagonist. Walt tries to depict a growing friendship between the two, but it comes across as one-sided. The only real reason Johnny is friends with Remus is because Remus entertains him and is the only one giving him the care and attention Johnny so desperately craves (His self-absorbed parents barely spend any time looking after him and are too caught up in their own issues to really even notice him). Remus, as much as I love him, does fall squarely into the trap of the magical negro stereotype. He is in the story to "fix" the numerous issues Johnny (and even his parents) are experiencing as well as dishing out some life-lessons along the way. He has a generally happy demeanor that I imagine many African Americans would likely find offensive (The happy slave/ former slave who is more than happy to serve his masters/former masters trope).
Onto the animated segments. While, as previously stated, they are easily the standouts of the film, even they are not without their issues (least of which being the dialects that Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear speak in). There is some racist imagery featured (including noose's and the obvious Tar Baby), and the tales of Brer Rabbit and company can easily be viewed as a prime example of cultural appropriation (The first message of choosing to stay in the Briar Patch can be viewed as problematic as well. Sure, the Briar Patch is thorny, tough to navigate, and can cause pain to those living within it, but better the evils you know than those you don't. See a relation to African Americans living on plantations? I personally don't interpret it that way, but I know some who do so it's worth pointing out). The original tales of Uncle Remus were written by Joel Chandler Harris, a poor Irish immigrant. When he was denied admittance to the Confederate army due to his age, he wound up on a plantation where he found he related to the slaves there due to their poor background. He overheard them sharing tales of Brer Rabbit and was intrigued. Later, while writing at a newspaper, he created the character of Uncle Remus as a way to share their stories. He never credited any of the slaves, and wound up profiting off black culture. In a way, Disney did the same exact thing by making Song of The South.
The film's theme song (as well as the theme song for Splash Mountain and the unofficial Disney theme parks tune) is Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Sounds innocent enough, right? Unfortunately, while it is an iconic Disney anthem...the song's origins aren't pretty. The main chorus of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay, My-Oh-My, What a wonderful day. Plenty of Sunshine, Heading my way. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay" is a variant of the main chorus of Zip Coon. Zip Coon is a song that mocks both educated African Americans as well as newly emancipated slaves. It's chorus goes: O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day, O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day, O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day, Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day." Zip Coon also went on to inspire the creation of the Zip Coon character that was used in Minstrel shows (Minstrel shows were performances where white actors would wear black face and sing African American songs. ). Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah doesn't have the same meaning as Zip Coon, but it's ugly roots still remain.
The animated segments of the film were penned by Bill Peet, George Stallings, and Ralph Wright. The live action portions were directed by Harve Foster, and the animated parts by Wilfred Jackson.
Song of The South was released in 1946 (Gone With The Wind was released in 1939 and suffers from many of the same issues as Song). Walt claimed he fondly remembered the Uncle Remus tales from his youth, and had always wanted to make a movie out of them. He originally had wanted Song of The South to be a fully animated film focusing solely on the adventures of Brer Rabbit and Co.. Later on he decided to make it a mixture of live-action and animation (possibly because he saw how well Gone With The Wind had done financially and with awards.). He hired first time screen-writer Dalton Reymond to penn the live-action portions, Reymond was later joined by Callum Webb and Maurice Rapf. Apparently Reymond was quite a racist and it showed in his drafts of the script. Rapf was concerned about the content of the drafts, and intended to do his best to solve the racism issue (He was also against Walt making the film, which is why Walt hired him. Walt thought if anyone could make Song more sensitive, it was Rapf). Unfortunately, Rapf was taken off the project after 7 weeks due to a personal dispute with Reymond. Afterwards Morton Grant was brought on to further help with the script.
Some might say Walt was naive when it came to making Song of The South, others would say that Walt was a known racist and anti-Semite and those views are reflected in the final product, and still others say he knew the material would have glaring issues and just didn't care. Either way, it's clear Walt did want to share a message about tolerance and friendship (Johnny befriends both a sharecropper and a girl from a poorer family than his despite strong objections from his mother), he just got it across in a very problematic way.
Putting all the issues aside, is Song of The South even any good? Is it worth checking out? Unfortunately, as a whole, Song of The South is far from being one of Disney's best films. The main plot and live-action portions are pretty mediocre and dull by Disney standards. Most of the acting (with the exception of James Baskett of course) is sub-par as well. As stated numerous times, the animated segments and the songs found within are the saving grace of this film, but even they are not without their issues. I think The Walt Disney Company would have done better by confronting the multiple issues with the film head-on instead of trying to bury it and act like it never existed. By doing so, they have inadvertently given Song of The South more of a "status" than it otherwise would have had (It doesn't help that one of their greatest attractions of all time is based on the film, though Splash Mountain has far less issues than the film does). This has led to consumers seeking it out through various means online (I imagine most are disappointed with what they find).
In the end, Song of The South is a challenging, controversial film. It paints over it's numerous issues with catchy songs, gorgeous animation, and lovable animated characters. Some might say this is insidious. I have conflicting emotions about Song of The South. I love Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear and their adventures. I adore the animation and songs (though the score for the live action portions is just plain bad). That said, I can clearly see the numerous problems the film poses and I acknowledge that it all makes for a fairly uncomfortable watch . Ultimately, the best thing that could come out of Song of The South is if it can spark meaningful discussions about race, prejudice, racism, etc...unfortunately, that can only happen if it is seen and analyzed (This is in no way an endorsement of the film). Song of The South remains a fascinating, frustrating, and important piece of Disney history.
1.5 STARS
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
DOLITTLE DOES LITTLE
Dolittle is a complete, slap-dash, convoluted mess. It's hard to comprehend why RDJ would choose this as his next film after his successful long-term stint as Iron Man/Tony Stark (maybe he just wanted a film where he wouldn't have to try as hard, which is understandable). The film itself feels like it suffered from production troubles. There is an abundance of ADR (never a good sign), tons of modern humor that is painful and unfunny (at one point an octopus says: Snitches get stitches, bro!), and RDJ as Dolittle acts as if he is relapsing (It doesn't help that he consistently looks like a mess). RDJ also speaks in a bad Welsh accent, and mumbles his way through the role (Naturally, this makes it hard to understand what he's saying at times).
There's an interesting undercurrent of grief that could work in a better film, but completely fails to connect here (Dolittle is still grieving over his wife's death and has retreated from society. The few scenes where he is asked to portray the good doc's grief are some of the only times where it feels like RDJ is actually trying) .
RDJ and his wife produced this big-budget flop, but you could never tell from his acting: RDJ feels disconnected from everything and everyone here, and like he couldn't be less interested in the film he is making. His Dolittle is fairly unlikable (He only agrees to save a dying Queen after he finds out that if she dies he loses his posh estate, he seems to be fairly incompetent at adventuring, and gives up easily when the cards are stacked against him). He isn't someone you particularly want to follow.
Rami Malek (as Chichi the Gorilla), Tom Holland (as Jip the Dog), John Cena (as Yoshi the Polar Bear), Octavia Spencer (as Dab-Dab the Duck), Emma Thompson (as Polly the Parrot, she might give the best performance in the film), Craig Robinson (as Kevin the Squirrel), Kumail Nanjiani (as Plimpton the Ostrich), Ralph Fiennes (as Barry the Tiger), Selena Gomez (as Betsy the Giraffe), Marion Cotilliard (as Tutu the fox), Jason Mantzoukas (as James the Dragonfly), Will Arnett (as a jailed rabbit), and Frances De La Tour (as Ginko-Who-Soars the dragon) lend their voices and are all wasted. Antonio Banderas (as Rassouli, king of an island and father to Lilly Dolittle, The Doc's deceased wife), Jim Broadbent (as Lord Thomas Badgley), and Martin Sheen (as Dr. Blair Mudfly, a rival doctor) all pop up as the human antagonists and are wasted as well. Kasia Smutniak appears briefly as Lilly Dolittle, she is pretty and kind but barely leaves an impression.
The directing by Stephen Gaghan is unfocused and sloppy, and the script penned by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Stephen Gaghan is just awful and unfunny. RDJ has built up enough good will over the past ten years or so that the decision to produce and star in this film shouldn't completely tank him (luckily). While I certainly do not like this film, I still very much love RDJ and hope he makes better decisions in the future.
In the end, Dolittle is a film that means well and will certainly entertain the very young, but will likely leave everyone else longing for a better movie (Easily the best part is the pretty animated intro). Tony Stark died for our sins, he deserves better than Dolittle.
1 STAR
There's an interesting undercurrent of grief that could work in a better film, but completely fails to connect here (Dolittle is still grieving over his wife's death and has retreated from society. The few scenes where he is asked to portray the good doc's grief are some of the only times where it feels like RDJ is actually trying) .
RDJ and his wife produced this big-budget flop, but you could never tell from his acting: RDJ feels disconnected from everything and everyone here, and like he couldn't be less interested in the film he is making. His Dolittle is fairly unlikable (He only agrees to save a dying Queen after he finds out that if she dies he loses his posh estate, he seems to be fairly incompetent at adventuring, and gives up easily when the cards are stacked against him). He isn't someone you particularly want to follow.
Rami Malek (as Chichi the Gorilla), Tom Holland (as Jip the Dog), John Cena (as Yoshi the Polar Bear), Octavia Spencer (as Dab-Dab the Duck), Emma Thompson (as Polly the Parrot, she might give the best performance in the film), Craig Robinson (as Kevin the Squirrel), Kumail Nanjiani (as Plimpton the Ostrich), Ralph Fiennes (as Barry the Tiger), Selena Gomez (as Betsy the Giraffe), Marion Cotilliard (as Tutu the fox), Jason Mantzoukas (as James the Dragonfly), Will Arnett (as a jailed rabbit), and Frances De La Tour (as Ginko-Who-Soars the dragon) lend their voices and are all wasted. Antonio Banderas (as Rassouli, king of an island and father to Lilly Dolittle, The Doc's deceased wife), Jim Broadbent (as Lord Thomas Badgley), and Martin Sheen (as Dr. Blair Mudfly, a rival doctor) all pop up as the human antagonists and are wasted as well. Kasia Smutniak appears briefly as Lilly Dolittle, she is pretty and kind but barely leaves an impression.
The directing by Stephen Gaghan is unfocused and sloppy, and the script penned by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Stephen Gaghan is just awful and unfunny. RDJ has built up enough good will over the past ten years or so that the decision to produce and star in this film shouldn't completely tank him (luckily). While I certainly do not like this film, I still very much love RDJ and hope he makes better decisions in the future.
In the end, Dolittle is a film that means well and will certainly entertain the very young, but will likely leave everyone else longing for a better movie (Easily the best part is the pretty animated intro). Tony Stark died for our sins, he deserves better than Dolittle.
1 STAR
JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL
The first sequel, Welcome To The Jungle, got lucky and was actually a surprisingly great, fun time. Unfortunately, the decision to go back for more is a risky move that doesn't pay off. The Next Level is entertaining, but the plot of the film, and the why and how our leads from the first film get back into the game is contrived as hell.
This three-quel desperately wants to be more than its predecessor while still reminding audiences why they might have enjoyed Welcome To The jungle (via some painful and bad call backs) .The villain this time around feels like an after-thought, and has less screen time and less to do than Van Pelt in Jungle. The humor here feels more forced and doesn't work as often as the humor in Welcome To The Jungle did, and this film makes an attempt at some serious themes that it can't pull off. To put it simple: It bites off more than it can chew.
The actors here are all more than game for the material they are handed, and all do fine jobs in their respective roles (Indeed, seeing the gang back together is the main reason to see this film). The Next Level certainly isn't terrible, but it also ain't great and is nowhere near as good as Jungle was. It also doesn't help that The Next Level appears to hint at what could be a far better sequel in the thirteenth hour.
This latest outing for what appears to be shaping up to be a Jumanji franchise is an unnecessary and unneeded sequel (especially when Jungle seemed designed to be a self-contained film considering how that one ended) that isn't all that memorable, but still manages to entertain for the most part.
3 STARS
This three-quel desperately wants to be more than its predecessor while still reminding audiences why they might have enjoyed Welcome To The jungle (via some painful and bad call backs) .The villain this time around feels like an after-thought, and has less screen time and less to do than Van Pelt in Jungle. The humor here feels more forced and doesn't work as often as the humor in Welcome To The Jungle did, and this film makes an attempt at some serious themes that it can't pull off. To put it simple: It bites off more than it can chew.
The actors here are all more than game for the material they are handed, and all do fine jobs in their respective roles (Indeed, seeing the gang back together is the main reason to see this film). The Next Level certainly isn't terrible, but it also ain't great and is nowhere near as good as Jungle was. It also doesn't help that The Next Level appears to hint at what could be a far better sequel in the thirteenth hour.
This latest outing for what appears to be shaping up to be a Jumanji franchise is an unnecessary and unneeded sequel (especially when Jungle seemed designed to be a self-contained film considering how that one ended) that isn't all that memorable, but still manages to entertain for the most part.
3 STARS
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