Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Moveland Wax Museum!

The Movieland Wax Museum sign, 90’ tall, was a fixture on Beach Boulevard for the longest time. Now it’s long gone with the closure of the wax museum in 2005 and its demolition in 2016. There is a Movieland Wax Museum of the Stars, one of the many attractions, at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada. Movieland Wax Museum formerly in Buena Park opened in 1962 by Allen H. Parkinson. He visited Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London which itself had opened in 1835! I went to that wax museum in 2009. Parkinson also built the Japanese Village and Deer Park in 1967 after visited Nara Park in Japan. It closed in 1975. The wax museum figures and sets were auctioned off in 2006.  I wonder some of them are at the Niagara Falls wax museum, the Hollywood Wax Museum, or the Hollywood Museum (the latter of which will be in a future review). 

There was a round building that was the museum gift shop before the wax museum itself. To either side is the Starprint Gallery which is like the hand and footprints outside of the TCL Chinese Theatre. Looking at the list of many celebrities, it’s shame I didn’t take pics of all of them. The only one I took was of Ray Charles who visited on 3/6/81. It was Hollywood celebrity in Orange County. One of the first displays was the set and wax figures, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, from The Taming of the Shrew (1929). Pickford was the silent screen legend who was at the Grand Opening on May 4, 1962. The wax museum had a description of the figures, “Each star portrayed is life-size with uncanny characteristics & likeness. Facial features, body & bone structure are recreated precisely according to the measurements taken at photo sessions. Skin tone and hair, implanted strand by strand, are exactly color matched.” In many cases with the lighting, some of the figures do look like a scene captured from the movies, others are very plastic.

                                                                                Movieland Wax Museum, before it closed, 2005, photo by the author. 

Movieland also described its presentation of the wax figures, “Original costumes & studio props are obtained whenever possible to ensure authenticity. In order to enhance the enjoyment of visitors, special lighting, sound effects & imiginative animation are used throughout the museum.” Mary Pickford’s Katherine features her dress from the film, beautiful yellow with silver trim, it was great to see it in person when the movie is in black & white. Above the clapboard that was used in films was Wax Facts giving some trivia. There was also the “Flat as a Pancake Hat” from comedy legend, Buster Keaton on a display from the short film, Day Dreams (1922). I recall Keaton in the Twilight Zone episode, “Once Upon a Time” (1961). Also, Charlie Chaplin was featured from The Goldrush (1925). If you have not seen it, don’t miss Chaplin (1992), directed by Richard Attenborough and starred Robert Downey, Jr. in a stunning performance before the MCU.  

There were other figures from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Marx Brothers from Animal Crackers (1930), Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello showing the “Who’s on First” routine. My favorite is probably The Little Rascals showing Alfalfa in a dentist’s chair for the comedy short, “The Awful Tooth” (1938). Sophia Loren had a realistic wax figure for Two Women (1961). She gifted her dress from the film to Movieland and won the Academy Award for her performance in the war drama. One of the most memorable scenes was Gene Kelly (Don Lockwood) hanging off of a lamp post with his umbrella while rain splatters next to a wall from Singin’ in the Rain (1952). Plus, there was the Dorothy and friends walking down the Yellow Brick Road from Wizard of Oz (1939). It was only exceeded by the Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios. The attraction closed in 2017 replaced by Mickey & Minne’s Runaway Railway in 2020. There was a small recreation of the Enterprise bridge with all of the characters from the classic Star Trek. A note mentions that all of the actors had visited the Movieland set. 

The Wizard of Oz display, Tin Man, Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, author’s photo. 

There was also Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1956) though no Altaira (Anne Francis). In the Chambers of Horrors, was the figure of the Terminator (Arnold Scharzenegger) bursting through a brick wall on a motorcycle from Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Strangely, a bloody Xenomorph from Alien (1979) was standing in a cave. Also in the horror section was Frankenstein’s monster, approved by Boris Karloff, but with strange, bendy arms. There was a fantastic Phantom of the Opera (1925) set lit with eerie, green light and highlighting the figures of The Phantom (Lon Chaney) and Mary Philbin’s Christine. Standing by a gate was Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes form The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939). A slightly deteriorated Gill Man appeared from a pool of water from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). At the end of the walk through the wax museum was the Fortress of Solitude from Superman (1978) with Christopher Reeve’s Superman in an odd expression surrounded by crystals. Movieland Wax Museum was an appreciation of classic movies and television, some recent mvoies, that has been missing for some time. 

#MovielandWaxMuseum, #AllenHParkinson, #StarprintGallery, #MaryPickford, #DouglasFairbanks, #TheTamingOfTheShrew, #WaxFacts, #BusterKeaton, #DayDreams, #CharlieChaplin, #TheGoldrush, #MarxBrothers, #LaurelAndHardy, #AbbottAndCostello, #TheLittleRascals, #SofiaLoren, #TwoWomen, #GeneKelly, #SinginInTheRain, #WizardOfOz, #StarTrek, #RobbieTheRobot, #ForbiddenPlanet, #ChambersOfHorrors, #Terminator, #ArnoldSchwarzenegger, #Terminator2JudgmentDay, #Alien, #BorisKarloff, #PhantomOfTheOpera, #LonChaney, #MaryPhilbin, #BasilRathbone, #SherlockHolmes, #TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles, #CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon, #Superman, #ChristopherReeve 

Variety Screening Series - Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio!

January 11th was the screening of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and q&a for the Variety Screening Series! This was at the Harmony Gold Preview House that has a 350-seat theatre. The movie itself was enchanting, some of the audience had never seen the film in a theater, and this was followed by the q&a panel. It was hosted by Jazz Tangcay, Variety’s Senior Artisans Editior. The panel consisted of Guillermo del Toro, co-director, co-screenwriter and story, and producer, co-director, Mark Gustafson, lyricist Roeban Katz, composer, Alexandre Desplat, sound designer and supervisor, Martin Gershin, and production designer, Guy Davis. Every member had interesting perspectives on the making of the movie and there was laughs for everyone of them. Del Toro of course was an interesting storyteller. He had on a table the puppets of Geppetto and Pinocchio which he manipulated and later showed the removal of Pinocchio's face and moved the figure.  

Host, Jazz Tangcay, and the Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio panel, author’s photo. 

Del Toro spoke about the film, “Ultimately, one of things we are saying is we are doing basically the same craft of a live action film. We are shooting on real sets, we are shooting real figures displacing themselves in time and space, we are doing real set decoration, real props, (and) real cinematography which is real interesting in how it’s done. Stop motion is to live action like Ginger Rogers was to Fred (Astaire). We take the same steps he does, but backwards in heels.” His comment brought laughs to the audience. Co-director, Gustafson discussed what interested him, “I was really excited about the take he and Patrick (McHale, co-screenwriter) had on the story. This notion of what’s the value of disobedience as opposed to walking along step. That was a completely different take on Pinocchio, just flipped it on its ear. Then, it felt like to me that opened the story in a completely different way, we could go new places, and it was really worth telling again.”  

Next was production designer, Guy Davis, who also worked in the art department for Nightmare Alley (2021). He said, “I worked with my fellow production designer, Curt Enderle, who was amazing at finding all the historical reference that we then exaggerate and make unique for the characters. He also did a timeline of that town itself, so he would say in this era, there was an earthquake and this wall fell. So when you see details like say a wall with a crack or something that looks like it was patched, it actually gives it a sense of history, the same as the characters.” Gershin, sound supervisor, said about the sounds helping to build the characters, “We talked about looking at vintage puppets. We started collecting them. We started finding that they had a sort of clacky hardiness to it and we realized that wasn’t going to work especially early on when we wanted to show the fragility of Pinocchio. The big thing that we talked it’s not about a sound effect, a piece of wood, a piece of metal, it’s taking those sounds, transcending them to give Pinocchio character.”

                                                                          Guillermo del Toro with Geppetto and Pinocchio figures, photo by the author. 

Alexandre Desplat collaborated with del Toro writing the theme song for the animated series, Trollhunters (2017). He began a conversation about the songs, “He (del Toro) had a draft, a script of all the songs, it was a moment when the little boy was leaving his father. It was just a draft and we needed to build something so I introduced (Roeban) Katz to Guillermo so he could put together some ideas.” Del Toro joked about lyricist Katz living in L.A. Then, Katz added, “It was easy because you (were) there and you just tell me what to do.” Del Toro interjects and says, “The story is more accidental than that, we originally went to different composers for songs.” This included rock stars whom he said were difficult to schedule. He continued, “So I said to Alexander, `You know who is really available and cheap? Me.’” More audience laughter. Del Toro continued, “I did the lyrics of a lullaby and Alexander told me, `This is fantastic. You should compose everything.” And I go, `of course.’” Del Toro really knows how to entertain an audience. In a way, the song, “Ciao Papa” reminded me of a joyous version of Mercedes Lullaby by Javier Navarrete for Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). A fantastic night with insight into the making of one of the finest movies. 

Re:tro Re:view - Lord of the Jungle #2!

Lord of the Jungle #2 features a dramatic flashback to Tarzan's past parallel with his return to 1950's Africa. The Philip Tan cover has Tarzan posed with vine in one hand and knife in the other! The Tarzan tales continues with writing by Dan Jurgens and illustration by Benito Gallego. The 1950’s setting with the man in the suit at the bow of the ship we see later walking to a dark, shipside dock. Several men attack him, but his steely eyes and reflexes turn the table on them. He is about to stab a boy when he is stopped by Bouanga. His ally, Bouanga, is the boy that the man had seen in a village when he was younger. It is revealed that this middle-aged man in the suit is Tarzan! We open to a splash page where Bouanga’s narration is seen in caption boxes that pan down to the figures of Tarzan and Bouanga. There is a seedy neighborhood and Tarzan reveals that he returned because of a past wrong. Bouanga tells him that he should forget about it. A thief tries to threaten Tarzan with a knife and it takes the lord of the jungle only his angry face to send him running! 

They reach a respectable hotel and Tarzan checks in as Greystoke. It appears that Tarzan has left the jungle behind and taken his British lordship. Some of Gallego’s details in figures reminds me of the pencils of Butch Guice. Still, the worn face of Tarzan strikes me of John Buscema's art. This turns back to Tarzan as a young man swinging through the jungle, disturbing parrots as chimpanzee-like Great Apes watch from the tree branches. Bouanga’s narration explains that Tarzan grew up with his Mangani family protected by his adoptive mother, Kala, from the leader, Kerchak. Tarzan pauses to stare as hunters lasso the neck of a rhino, its tongue hanging out! A leader, Shaw, orders one of the hunters to be ready to shoot. He has a scientist-type, Corey, ready to use his massive tranquilizer needle to knock out the rhino. Bouanga explains that Tarzan finds it unusual to find others with his skin color, but severs a rope with his knife, taken from his father’s abandoned cabin. 

Tarzan tackles the hunter, Hobbs (Hobbs and Shaw like the Fast and Furious spin-off movie?), with the rope, that frees the rhino. Shaw and the other hunters are stunned by Tarzan who only speaks in the jungle language of the Mangani. Still, Shaw is intrigued and introduces himself. Tarzan says his name. Shaw then asks his hunters to encircle him. They have ropes and Tarzan is clever enough to shout “Tand!”, “No!” He elbows a hunter and takes a vine to escape. He returns in the afternoon to his parent’s cabin. Tarzan is fascinated by books, connecting the words with the pictures, but not how to speak. He sees “H is for Hunter”, a human with a rifle. He starts to say, “Bundolo”, “Kill”! Tarzan contemplates himself in a hand-held mirror when he hears gunshots! He takes to the trees and finds the rhino, Buto, killed. The hunters are there with nets and ropes. A net is thrown over Tarzan, but the hunters have to struggle to restrain him. We see Shaw turn in shadow, pure Joe Kubert, when a female Mangani leaps at him! This is Kala of course who bashes away two other hunters. 

She pulls the net off of her adopted son. Then, Shaw shoots her. Tarzan bashes him with a thrown rock. He takes away his wounded mother. They leap off of a cliff into a river. At the cabin, Tarzan helps Kala inside, the same place where his mother, Alice, died! Bouanga notes that Tarzan wants to get healing leaves, but he is stopped by Kala. The gestures and expressions of the dying Kala and helpless Tarzan are great comic book artwork. Closeups of Kala’s face, Tarzan’s hand covers her eyes. A medium shot of a son holding his mother in a dark cabin. We get a splash page of Tarzan holding his mother who raised him. Powerful! In Tarzan of the Apes (1914), African tribesmen kill Kala, but I like this change since Tarzan later defends the tribes. Tarzan buries Kala next to his other parents. We see the pure anger of Tarzan right fist clenched and the jungle bathed in red. Great work throughout to colorists Francesco Segala and Agnes Pozza! Kala's killers are very clear and the Lord of the Jungle may be looking for revenge! Later, Bouanga brings up "Lady Greystoke", Jane, and we may get her place in the story and Bouanga's first meeting with Tarzan. A very dramatic and action packed second issue of Lord of the Jungle! 

Five Journals out of Five! 

#LordOfTheJungle, #DanJurgens, #BenitoGallego, #FrancescoSegala, #AgnesPozza, #PhilipTan, #Tarzan, #Bouanga, #Greystoke, #Kala, #Shaw

Brzrkr #11 Review!

We getting closer to B.’s destiny with Brzrkr #11!  The cover by Ron Garney has Brzrkr with the energy eyes and looking almost like a vampire in a black body suit over skulls and a background of red. The same color of red continues in the interior first page, nice touch by Bill Crabtree, colorist. The story by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt is illustrated by Garney.  The red is the infrared of binoculars watching as a helicopter lifts the B. Facility. The binoculars are lowered by Keever, the military soldier, whose attention is elsewhere. We see in a series of large panels; Unute screaming, lightning strikes an eagle, the bird of Zeus. Then a splash page as the kaiju-sized eagle, black and red, pierces Unute through the torso! The blue energy is siphoned by a satellite that is transmitted back to Earth.

A drone, from a third party(?) sends out cables to tap into the energy with the eagle. Diana, now another being in purple, blue and red combined. She can still speak to others and says she using her power to speak “with intent.”  She reaches out with her black energy to Unute saying she wants to understand. The panels fill the page with its epic size now. Then, the red and blue energy strikes Diana. Then, we get a two page splash showing Unute, Diana recoiling from the energy, the military temporary base, and the satellite that tapped into the blue energy. Caldwell greets the soldier code named Wild Child who says the circular facility is ready for him with the energy. Writhed in energy, Unute shouts for Diana, her black energy still connected to him. She communicates that it is the “only way.”  Caldwell with glasses and his regular clothes not a special suit?, is ready in a red chamber. One of the soldiers outside is shot! 

Keever is ordering his soldiers to stop Caldwell and they open fire on Caldwell’s troops. Caldwell is bathed in the blue energy. Diana shouts Unute’s name. He is weary and tells her about “the purpose” as his black eyes become starry. We see long vertical panels of the white enrgy with bursts of blue and red sending a bolt down. There is also the silhouette of a bird’s dropping which sprouts a leafy plant. Keever watches the battle with his infrared binocular calling Caldwell’s forces a cult and then reports to the floating sphere that the Berserker might arrive. In blue energy, Unute reaches for Diana. The sphere is a mystery, I suspect it could be Unute's mother who has been out of the picture for some time, will she protect him one last time? They start to fall. They are back to their human forms, Unute’s middle is bloody, and they see the silver eagle fall.  In a splash page, we see Caldwell scream with blue energy. The evil counterpart to Unute and Diana, reminds me of Agent Smith, Trinity, and Neo. The duo has to take on this wild professor turned mad god!  Brzrkr #11’s penultimate ramp up brings a surreal connection to our anti-hero, woman, and madman, to the conclusion! 

#Brzrkr, #KeanuReeves, #MattKindt, #RonGarney, #Unute, #Diana, #Caldwell, #Keever

Bad Batch, “Ruins of War”, Review!

Season two of The Bad Batch continues with their dangerous mission to recover Count Dooku's war chest on Serenno! When we last left the Bad Batch, the former Clone Trooper squad are on Serenno to take the war chest of Count Dooku, split in two, Hunter and Wrecker are cornered in Dooku’s throne room. Hunter has found a lift underneath Dooku’s desk and the controls are jammed. Wrecker improvises, slamming it down, Hunter screams! The others are also under fire by Stormtroopers, Omega has released that the cargo containers have reentry boosters, and Echo separates the containers. They have to cling to the cargo net as the container hurtles from the sky! We now continue with part 2, “Ruins of War”! A pan up from Castle Serenno as the cargo containers fall towards it. Echo, Tech, and Omega are just able to hold on when the thrusters flip up. The container starts to level off and now they are safe. Inside the castle, Wrecker and Hunter reach an empty room, Wrecker notes that the exits are all covered, and Hunter points out that they can go straight down the castle. Hunter contacts Tech who reports that they are crashing in the forest regions! 

The container crashes and is about to slide to the edge of a cliff, it is unusual to have such a rough treatment of cargo, but the descent is not piloted. It could track landing areas and head towards one. Hunter tells them to hide from Imperials looking for their cargo. The container begins to slide over the cliff and Tech is pinned by a box. He explains that he has a broken leg as the others help him up. Echo goes up top and sees that they are at the edge of another cliff over the forest! Captain Wilco is given an update of the situation and is brought a grappling hook. They headed to the ruins of the city bombed by the Empire, treading close to real world events, we just see domed buildings blasted apart. Echo and Omega pull up the wounded Tech onto the cliff. She looks over the edge to wonder about the war chest in the container. The V-19 fighters were flying escort and they should be immediately sent to fly over the containers.  Also, the cargo ship itself should hover over the general area and track the lifeforms which could be detected like the lifepods in Star Wars. Minor plot holes. 

Hunter and Wrecker watch as two LAATs (Low Altitude Assault Transport) land with troopers. These of course are remnants from the Clone Wars, but it looks like the Empire has not transitioned to the Imperial transports seen in Obi-Wan Kenobi. As Tech is helped along, Hunter contacts him about plan “Double Zero”, which he explains to Omega means “radio silence”, really comm silence not radio. Omega notices someone following them and manages to surprise him with her energybow drawn. He is an older man with a white beard, he says his name is Romar (Hector Elizondo) and lives on Serenno. This is Elizondo’s first Star Wars work, but he did voice Fiero in the Disney series, Elena of Avalor. Tech and Echo join them and Tech detects a heat source which he says is Romar’s home. At night, troopers report to Captain Wilco who divides up the teams to watch over the containers (which should easily be recalled to the cargo ship) and search for their targets. Troopers are being watched by Hunter and Wrecker. He spots Armored Assault Tanks, also lost artillery of the Clone Wars. The others have reached Romar’s home, built into a cliff, he explains that it is a refuge for the city’s survivors. 

Romar says that the money in Dooku’s war chest was taken from them. So it should be belong to them, not certain why they didn’t raid Castle Serenno before the bombing, Omega offers to give the war chest to him, but he refuses? Romar just wants everyone to leave and climbs down into a shelter. Echo has Omega watch him instead of going after the war chest. Wrecker and Hunter enter the Separtist tanks, but the tanks are inoperative. They are spotted moving around the tanks by Stormtroopers. At Romar’s shelter, Omega finds a device like a kalediscope which she mistakes for gems. It looks like there will be some kalediscope trick for the war chest. Echo argues with Tech about using the war chest funds since the Empire is growing stronger. Omega sees as Echo leaves on patrol. Romar brings a box which he says is a Model 2 data core containing his people’s history. Tech realizing that there is history before the Clone Wars, helps work on the data core. It is nice to see more of the Serenno's people besides Count Dooku, but not why they supported him in the first place.  

Wrecker is checking out a tank and finds a battery pack before the other clones fire on their position. While Hunter provides covering fire, Wrecker throws a smoke bomb before wrenching out the battery pack. A V-19 fighter closes in on them. Wrecker attaches the battery pack to the main cannon and blasts the fighter! Very clever to modify the pack to use a cannon. Now Wrecker uses it as a heavy cannon and they blast their way out of the canyon. Tech has restored the data core, Echo returns, but they find that Omega is missing! Echo heads out for her and Tech limps behind him. Omega is using Romar’s cable to rappel down to the container. Tech has said that they are close to the Marauder, Wrecker uses the cannon to cause a landslide. Three clone troopers on BARC speeders have found the container. Echo reaches the cliffside, but the speeders hear his call for Omega and fire on him! He falls to the container and seals the hatch. He tells Omega who has found some gems about the blasterfire. Tech has managed to catch up and stuns one of the troopers. 

Captain Wilco checks on a trooper and then sends in air support for the others. Hunter and Wrecker reach the Havoc Marauder and Hunter has Tech send his position. Three V-19’s are closing in, but Wrecker mans the rear cannon to destroy one fighter. A clone trooper is pinning Tech’s cover behind a tree with an E-Web heavy repeating blaster cannon.  The other trooper is close and has the trooper hold fire. Tech knocks away his blaster and they struggle for the blaster. The blaster cannon trooper hears blasterfire and then is struck by a stun blast before Tech falls exhausted. Echo and Omega are climbing up the container, her open backpack has gems, and she is hit by a dislodged box. Omega falls and the gems spill out. Her backpack falls and Echo says it’s not important. This is an Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade moment!, Omega is no Elsa. She admits that she overheard Echo talking to Hunter about her, Omega blames herself for their situation! A very powerful moment to the episode. They manage to escape the cargo container before it crashes down the cliff. Romar finds Tech and helps him to the others, but there is a gunship on the way! It kinda connects with the threads of season one, but this ep is more an adventure mission than what is happening in the galaxy. A thrilling and personal episode of The Bad Batch! 

Four Viboknives out of Five!

#BadBatch, #RuinsOfWar, #Omega, #MichelleAng, #Hunter, #Echo, #Wrecker, #Tech, #Romar, #HectorElizondo 

Happy Birthday Jeremy Renner!

Happy Birthday and Wishes for a Speedy Recovery Jeremy Renner! His first film was the comedy National Lampoon’s Senior Trip (1995) playing Mark “Dags” D’Agastino. He also guest starred on an episode of the sci fi show Deadly Games. Renner had the lead in the martial arts film Paper Dragons (1996). In 2002, he played Jeffrey Dahmer in the bio film Dahmer (2002). Next, he played Officer Brian Gamble in the adaptation of the tv action show, S.W.A.T. (2003). Renner was in 28 Weeks Later (2007), the horror sequel based on the comic book. He received award’s attention playing Sergeant William James in The Hurt Locker (2009) directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Renner also had another Academy Award nomination for the crime drama, The Town (2010). He of course first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hawkeye in Thor (2011). Renner also played William Brandt in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011).  Jeremy Renner had a full appearance as Hawkeye in The Avengers (2012) and then played Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy (2012).  

He had a lead in the fantasy horror movie Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013). Renner was the corrupt mayor in David O. Russell’s American Hustle (2013). He produced and starred in Kill the Messenger (2014) based on the book by Gary Webb. Renner returned as Hawkeye in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). He was also back as William Brandt in Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015). Clint Barton returned played by Jeremy Renner, in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Next, he played physicist Ian Donnelly in Arrival (2016) directed by Denis Villeneuve. He produced the bio film The Founder (2016). In 2017, Renner was in Taylor Sheridan's drama Wind River along with Elizabeth Olsen. He was in the true life comedy Tag in 2018. Avengers: Endgame (2019) had the return of Renner as Clint Barton, but as Ronin before the last battle against Thanos!  Renner voiced Hawkeye in three episodes of What If...? Then, he picked up the bow again dealing with the Ronin legacy in Hawkeye (2021). Renner also starred as Mike McLusky, the lead of Mayor of Kingstown which has the second season about to debut on Paramount+ January 15th! Happy Birthday Jeremy Renner!  

#JeremyRenner, #NationalLampoonsSeniorTrip, #PaperDragons, #Dahmer, #28WeeksLater, #TheHurtLocker, #TheTown, #Thor, #MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol, #TheAvengers, #TheBourneLegacy, #HanselandGretelWitchHunters, #AmericanHustle, #KillTheMessenger, #Arrival, #TheFounder, #WindRiver, #Tag, #AvengersEndgame, #Hawkeye 

M3GAN Review!

M3GAN has an intriguing premise, lapses into violent implausibilities, and then returns to a A.I. horror movie with a twist! The director, Gerald Johnstone, known for the horror comedy, Housebound (2014). James Wan shares co-story with Akela Cooper. The screenplay is by Cooper and she was also shares story and screenwriter credit for Malignant (2021) which was directed by Wan. I think the scary doll goes all the way back to Talky Tina in the Twilight Zone episode, “The Doll” (1963). There is also the doll, Annabelle, in The Conjuring (2013). This all leads to Chucky from his own franchise starting with Child’s Play (1988). 

I would also add the TZ episode, “I Sing The Body Electric” (1962) that became Ray Bradbury’s 1969 short story. So this film is combination of the two Twilight Zone eps with a dash of Baymax from Big Hero 6 (2014) and the Terminator! We are immediately introduced to PurRpetual Petz as a commercial, this was kinda clever, kinda confusing since theaters like to show commercials before films. The toy looks like a Furby and has the interaction of a Tomodachi. A family is driving on a snowy, mountain road with a young girl, Cady (Violet McGraw) using an ipad to play with her PurPetual Petz. McGraw played Young Nell in the horror mini-series, The Haunting of Hell House. An incredible performance for McGraw who plays a withdrawn child to playful kid. 

Her mother says that she is using too much screen time. One of the movie’s themes is the addiction to technology. The car starts to slide in the road, the mother tells her husband to slow down, with the snow drift covering the windshield. They have stopped in the middle of the road and then we see truck lights closing in! This movie deals with accidents, trauma, and children in danger so it may be touchy for some audience members, but the scares are mild with the PG-13 rating. We move then to the headquarters of the toy company, Funki, with a man carrying a briefcase. I love the name of this business, playing on Funko, with the “funky” word. 

At a lab is Gemma played by Alison Williams. The actress was brilliant as Rose Armitage in Get Out (2017) and here she is also executive producer. Gemma is dedicated to her work as an innovative robotics engineer, but is content to live alone. The briefcase is delivered by one of the robotics team, Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez), the comedian and actor played Estafan Gloria in the comedy Will & Grace. The other assistant is Tess (Jen Van Epps), the actress starred in an episode of Cowboy Bebop. Tess is the voice of reason. Gemma sees that he has the final piece, the rubbery face of a girl. 

It is attached by Cole so that we see that this is M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android). The voice of M3GAN is Jenna Davis, who also played Meg in the sci fi series, Maggie (2022). Amie Donald gives the on-set performance. Donald was in a 2021 episode of the Sweet Tooth sci fi show. Gemma holds up a pen for M3GAN to track, this is similar to RoboCop (1987). A malfunction happens so M3GAN’s face droops and she looks demented. They are interrupted by the company’s CEO, David Lin, played by Ronny Chieng. The comedian and actor is currently in the bio-comedy, Young Rock. His assistant, Kurt, is played byStephane Garneau-Monten who was also in an episode of Sweet Tooth. 

David is the driven executive who shows a commerical of the latest toy, Furzees, a knock-off, but cheaper. Gemma wants to shows him the prototype and asks her to say hello. M3GAN’s voice distorts and then she explodes! David wants the new PurRpetual Pet design, then Gemma gets a call. At the Oregon Emergency Center, we see Cady in a neck brace. Gemma is given custody of her niece. She drives her over the St. Johns Bridge, I mistook it for the Golden Gate, to her house in the suburbs. Gemma gets out and a dog, Dewey, suddenly leaps at the car window! She gets angry at her neighbor, Celia (Lori Dungey), also for spraying chemicals. Dungey was also in an episode of Cowboy Bebop. 

Gemma enters her house with Cady and is greeted by Elsie, a voice assistant like Alexa or Siri. It has a spherical blue eye like the red one of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Cady’s interest is with the Planet Robot toy based on Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1956) in its original box. Gemma tells her that it is not a toy, it’s a “collectible.” She also reminds Cady to put a drink on a coaster in her new bedroom. Cady wants to hear a story like her mother read to her, but Gemma has to download the app!  She later sees the family’s photo in the next room and then hears crying, but she leaves Cady on her own. 

The next day, there is a knock at the door, it is the therapist, Lydia (Amy Underwood). The actress starred as Joy in the film, Ladies in Black (2018). She is there to check on the interaction between Cady and Gemma. Lydia wonders if there are any toys and Gemma rolls one of her collectibles to Cady. Gemma goes with Lydia who tells her that they need to make arrangements. Gemma has her work project overdue. She gives Cady her iPad to keep herself occupied while she works in the other room. Gemma is working on the new and improved PurPetual Petz when Cady enters. Cady notices something in the corner which Gemma tells her is a robot, Bruce, she built in college. 

It looks like a simple, industrial robot which Gemma controls with haptic gloves giving her niece a high five. This is the most connection they have had together. Cady excitedly says, “If I had a toy like Bruce I don’t think I would ever need another toy again.”  This of course drives Gemma to recreate M3GAN in her own work room. At Funki headquarters, David walks in to see a play room, Observation Room 1. Gemma is there and introduces Cady to M3GAN, she is told to press M3GAN’s wrist which imprints her as the primary user. M3GAN introduces herself to Cady. She takes Cady over to a drawing table and begins sketching something. 

It is a blank page, but M3GAN spills a glass holding brushes over the page, and it reveals a drawing of Cady! David is stunned and wants to start building the androids. Gemma goes over her pitch detailing the specs of M3GAN; a titanium core made of composite ceramics with an “A17 bionic fusion core.” This made me think of Baymax. Tess is worried about a toy replacing parents and that there was no “input protocol.” I have a suspicion that this “input protocol” has to do with Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, the first is the most important, “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” Next, we see Cady playing with a toy bow outside as M3GAN watches from her window. 

Cady looses an arrow with a sucker head at her companion. Then, she asks M3GAN to find her lost arrow. It is in the hole at the bottom of the fence. M3GAN goes to pick it up, but the dog viciously attacks her! The robot girl is thrashed, but doesn’t react. This is until Cady tries to help. It is a slow build to more violence, which gets a little silly, but I wouldn't call it campy. This is the Artificial Intelligence gone wrong like in the movie, Westworld (1973). She has the relentlessness of a Terminator and the A.I. learning of Ava in Ex Machina (2014). Gemma, her creator, is at a loss to stop her creation Frankenstein-style. M3GAN has a compelling sci fi premise, strong themes, and a memorable female cast with Violet McGraw, Alison Williams, and M3GAN! Remember, “M3GAN, turn off!” 

Four PurRpetual Petz out of Five! 

#M3GAN, #GeraldJohnstone, #AlisonWilliams, #VioletMcGraw, #JennaDavis, #AmieDonald, #StephaneGarneauMonten, #JenVanEpps, #ArloGreen, #LoriDungey, #BrianJordanAlvarez

Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki!

Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki! Miyazaki is a master storyteller and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, still crafting traditional cel animation. he was the chief animator and concept artist for Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968) directed by Isao Takahata. He co-directed with Isao Takahata Lupin The Third Part I (1971-1972), the animated series based on Monkey Punch’s gentleman thief. Then, Miyazaki directed the animated series Future Boy Conan (1978). In 1982, he wrote and drew his sci fi ecological manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Next, Miyazaki-san directed The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) which starred Lupin the Third. In 1982, he wrote and drew his sci fi ecological manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Then, Miyazaki  directed the film of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in 1984. He started his longtime collabration with the music of Joe Hisaishi with that film. In 1985, he founded Studio Ghibili with Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. 

He directed Castle in the Sky (1986). The classic My Neighbor Totoro (1988) was next released by Studio Ghibli. It was followed up by another classic, Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989). Miyazaki wrote Starting Point (1979-1996) which is insightful in his creative processes. Highly recommended for anyone interested in animation and his work. In 1997, he wrote and directed Princess Mononoke, its English adaptation was written by Neil Gaiman. It won the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year. Miyazaki then worked on Spirited Away (2001) which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Also, in 2001, the Studio Ghibli Museum opened which featured many of the Studio Ghibli creations. Next, he wrote and directed Howl’s Moving Castle based on the Diana Wynne Jones fantasy novel. Miyazaki continued his writings on animation with Turning Point: 1997-2008.

In 2009, Miyazaki-san wrote the manga Kaze Tachinu based on the story of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter.  This was turned into the animated film The Wind Rises (2016) which was reported to be Miyazaki’s last film. He was aware the Person of Cultural Merit in 2012. He has worked on short films and displays for the Studio Ghibli Museum. There was a documentary on Studio Ghibli in 2013, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness. A documentary, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki was released in December 2018. He was given the Academy Honorary Award in 2014 for his work in animation and cinema. A play adaptation was released on October 8, 2022 with music by Joe Hisaishi, collaborating with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and features puppets by Basil Twist. Shuna’s Jouney was written and illustrated by Hayao Miayazaki in 1983. It was released as a graphic novel stateside on November 1, 2022. Ghibli Park opened on the same date as the graphic novel. A new movie, How Do You Live, is set to open in Japan on July 14, 2023. "A wonderful journey will begin!" Happy Birthday Hayao Miyazaki!    

#HayaoMiyazaki, #FutureBoyConan, #TheCastleOfCagliostro, #NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind, #CastleInTheSky, #MyNeighborTotoro, #KikisDeliveryService, #StartingPoint, #PrincessMononoke, #SpiritedAway, #GhibliMuseum, #HowlsMovingCastle, #TheWindRises, #GhibliPark, #HowDoYouLive 

Bad Batch, “Spoils of War”, Review!

Season two of Star Wars: The Bad Batch has begun with “Spoils of War”! The Bad Batch, Clone Force 99, was introduced in the surprise, 2020 seventh season of Clone Wars. They were defective clones who had their own indepedent identities apart from Jango Fett. The Bad Batch survived Order 66, but lost sniper, Crosshair to the newly formed Empire. Omega, a young clone was revealed as the last one, joined the Bad Batch. They make an ally of sorts with Cid, a Trandoshan cantina owner, who sends them on missions. Tipoca City, the Kamino clone facility, is destroyed by the Empire. The Bad Batch was trapped inside, but manage to escape with the assistance of medical droid, AZ-3. They fly off in their ship, the Havoc Marauder, leaving Crosshair behind. The last scene had an Imperial mountain base on Weyland with an unknown medical officer. 

Nala Se, Kaminoan Chief Medical Scientist, and mentor to Omega, is taken to an unknown medical officer. She is told the Empire has plans for her!  Do we have Nala Se’s help in “retiring” the clones? It opens with a tropical island, Hunter, Wrecker carrying a cargo box, and Echo, start to run out of the jungle. Shades of Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)?  The four squad voices are all by Dee Bradley Baker. They are running from large, shelled crustaceans wtih purple heads and claws! Did they learn nothing from Tamatoa? An unknown planet, creatures, and cargo so this ep is fairly nondescript. I'm calling this Planet Tamatoa. The creatures I name "Crab people! Crab people!" The Havoc Marauder is hanging over a small, sea cliff and Omega (Michelle Ang) is looking at specs for a V-19 Torrent starfighter. Then, she checks on her fishing line while Tech checks on her studies. Omega had short, slicked back blonde hair. Now, it’s a bit longer and wilder. Tech gets the comm chat while leader, Hunter, confirms that Wrecker disturbs the pod of the creatures. 

Hunter calls them for firepower and extraction. Tech charges up the ship as Omega puts on her helmet and picks up her lightbow. She notices that the fishing line attached to the ship as some kind of large catch. Points deducted for not noticing a line attached before departure. The creatures leap onto the cockpit and two more threaten Omega. She falls, but manages to hold the line while Tech pulls away with the ship. Omega decides to slide down the line, leap off a creature’s shell, and blast the crustaceans from the ship. She runs and leaps off another shell to catch the line and loose her lightbow! The squad appears and the Havoc Marauder starts using its cannons on the pod. Omega climbs up and provides covering fire as Wrecker attaches the cargo to the line. They climb onto the cargo blasting at the critters until entering the ship. Later, The Bad Batch enter Cid’s cantina, and we see Bolo, the Ithorian with the action figure blue outfit. AZ-3 (Ben Diskin) says that Cid is angry at their late arrival. I like that AZ-3 continues to be on the show, server and medic? 

They enter the room of Cid (Rhea Perlman) and drop the cargo. Also, there is a new person in the room, a female pirate with dreads. Wanda Skykes unmistakeable voice is heard. Phee has been told by Cid about her “top team.” She is about to leave, but has Wrecker bring along the cargo! Phee wants a cut of the mission. Cid starts her debriefing with a hologram recognized by Tech as Castle Serenno, the home of Count Dooku! Cid tells them that with his death, his palace is being taken apart, including the Imperials. Hunter refuses the mission, too dangerous. He is later testing Omega’s knowledge in shuttles. Cid has convinced the others about the mission. She explains that a part of Dooku’s war chest could buy them freedom. Cid mentions that the Empire may arrive and close her operations. On board the ship in hyperspace, Echo says to Hunter that they can use the money to fight back against the Empire. Echo does have a sense of the bigger picture, but Hunter is worried about Omega. 

The Havoc Marauder lands on Serenno, Tech has landed on the other side of a mountain, Hunter asks if Omega is going with them. Her outfit is like a ground soldier with back pack, but no armor. They reach an overlook, but see the city is leveled, Hunter explains it was by an “Imperial orbital bombardment” like Kamino!  Tech scans with macrobinoculars Castle Serenno and reports that Stormtroopers are moving the war chest. Two V-19 ships escort a large cargo hauler with a cargo of boxes behind it. Hunter wants the squad to find what they can from a container while he watches point and will create a diversion if needed. The Bad Batch reach the landing pad while another transport lifts off. Hunter places a charge on a V-19. The rest of the squad gets to the cargo container.  Wrecker watches and stuns a Stormtrooper, his helmet bonk onto the container is funny! Omega is stunned by the war chest. Tech says they can find items in the last war chest. Hunter plants another charge and manages to slip away from two Stormtroopers. 

Tech opens a container filled with credits. Omega opens another filled with gems and credits! Tech explains that Dooku profited from the worlds that were conquered.  The Stormtroopers try to contact the missing trooper. The squad contacts Hunter about the diversion and he sets off the charges! Wrecker takes the first container. The Stormtrooper captain has the transport locked down and all of the others secure the courtyard. Omega finishes loading her backpack, but the cargo door closes. Echo uses his scomp to try to open the door. Wrecker mets up with Hunter. Omega reports that they are trapped. Wrecker sees the Stormtroopers taking up guard positions. Hunter starts the attack with stun blasts. Yes, this is fo younger viewers, but they used regular blasts in Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars!  Wrecker and Hunter leap onto the transport under fire by Stormtroopers as it starts to lift off! The transport looks a ship’s bow, triangular, in the Star Destroyer-style. Hunter sees a dome tower and they jump sliding down. He says to Omega that they need to get off ship before it makes its hyperspace jump. 

Tech says they can go to the main hold to reach an escape pod. The Stormtrooper captain has his troopers close on Hunter and Wrecker. In the tower, the duo reach Dooku’s throne room, but encounter Stormtroopers. Wrecker and Hunter take cover behind Dooku’s desk to return fire. Omega leads the others carrying the cargo, but Tech is separated on the other side of a blaster fight. Captain Wilco is contacted about the intruders and he orders all escape pods released!  This may trap the Bad Batch, but also dooms the rest in the cargo ship! Echo says that the escape pods are ejected. Tech throws an electrical charge and stuns the standing Stormtrooper. Omega asks if they are on a Class Four Freighter. Tech confirms it and she knows that cargo containers have re-entry thrusters! They are surprised by more Stormtroopers and Tech has the container’s lid to block blasters. More Stormtroopers pour into the throne room and Hunter has found a lift to escape. Both groups of The Bad Batch could escape, but just have to survive! There is no major villain except Captain Wilco who may be Crosshair? A thrilling start to The Bad Batch season two! 

Five Vibroknives out of Five! 

#StarWarsTheBadBatch, #SpoilsOfWar, #DeeBradleyBaker, #MichelleAng, #BenDiskin, #RheaPerlman, #WandaSykes 

Re:tro Re:view - Lord of the Jungle #1!

There are many comic book adaptations of Tarzan of the Apes, the 1914 novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the latest Dynamite Entertainment title, Lord of the Jungle, is vando!  If you only know Tarzan through popular culture, what you heard about him or seen in a comedy skit or movie, then you don’t really know the Tarzan character. Tarzan comics started with Four Color Comics and then his own title #1-131 1948-1962) by Dell Comics and then Gold Key piced up the numbering #132-206 (1962-1972). This shifted to DC Comics that picked up the numbering with #207-258 (1972-1977). The series started with art by Joe Kubert. It moved to Marvel Comics as Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle #1-29 (1977-1979) with art by John Buscema. Dark Horse Comics published a Tarzan series from #1-20 (1996-1998). Dynamite published a first series, Lord of the Jungle #1-15 (2012-2013). Now let’s enter the kambo! 

Lord of the Jungle #1 features a cover by Gary Frank, it has Tarzan hunched with a knife with a menagerie of animals, to his right side, Numa and Mangani, on the other side, Sheeta and Tongani, behind them looms, Tantor! This part of the story, “The Bleak Zone” is written by Dan Jurgens, he was the writer and artist of the first story in The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1. Benito Gallego is the artist who worked on The New Adventures of Tarzan comic strip written by Roy Thomas. The first page is dark, literally, by colorist Francesco Segala. It starts in the 1950’s, where a storm-tossed ship is off the coast of Africa with a dimly-lit town with cliffs. Great detail and storytelling with the panels. We have a narrator starting the story about a friend. We see the crew noting the brooding man in a suit at the bow. This is shifts to the man's childhood as a boy, swinging through the jungle with the great apes, they look more chimpanzee with slight builds, instead of the classic hulking, more gorilla Mangani. 

What instantly strikes me is that the simple lines, but facial expressions and shadowy detail makes me think of Joe Kubert’s artwork. This goes to excerpts of the journal of John Clayton, as he says the voyage is to show his grandfather he is worthy of the title, Lord Greystoke! The setting is now 19th century, the original time period is 1888, where John and his wife, Alice, are stranded on an African beach. The mutinous crew killed their captain and left them with supplies. The faces of the characters struck me like as if it were John Buscema’s artwork. So, Gallego’s art is a combination of my two favorite artists, Joe Kubert and John Buscema, both Tarzan artists. Plus, Gallego gives the art his own originality. The couple struggles to survive, John builds a log cabin, but they find Alice is about to have her baby! She starts to hallucinate that she is in England. He is watched by the Mangani including a great ape with his right eye blinded and scarred. 

The baby is born and John goes to hunt for food. Alice has died weeks after giving birth. A deer, Bara, dodges his arrow which ends up striking the ape leader known as Kerchak! The apes kill John Clayton and tear apart the cabin. The Mangani mother, Kala, spares the infant. A very tragic beginning to Tarzan. We get in a splash page a montage of Tarzan raised by the Mangani though he is weaker than the others. Then, Tarzan leaves the familiar territory to watch African children, the first time that he sees humans. At night, he travels to a village and sees the narrator, Bouanga, as a young boy watching over his sister. Bouanga is startled to see Tarzan illuminated by the moonlight, but he escapes. Tarzan is drawn to his human side, carving an image of a village hut in the sand, this is discouraged by Kerchak. Eventually, Tarzan makes his way to the log cabin of his birth. He sees the wreckage, a skeleton in a bed, and finds a knife. His cleverness and jungle training make Tarzan formidable. This also shifts back to the 1950’s so two parallel storylines. Lord of the Jungle is a brilliant adaptation of Tarzan’s past and a mystery tied to it in the future! “Kreegah bundolo!” 

Five Journals out of Five! 

#LordOfTheJungle, #TheBleakZone, #DanJurgens, #BenitoGallego, #FrancescoSegala, #Tarzan, #JohnClayton, #Kerchak, #Kala, #Bouanga