Dan and Derek Morrow seem to be on the right track with their stop motion animated shorts. With a larger budget, their ambitious and touching narratives could become wonderful films for all ages. “Comet” was adorable, and “Token Hearts” really has potential to be widened in to a great Christmas oriented fantasy film.
There are no weapons, there’s no fighting, no Shredder, no April, no Casey, and no foot clan. And those aren’t the worst crimes this monstrosity commits. This is the definition of a quick cash grab. I am quick to believe someone raided a storage closet from a party entertainers’ warehouse, and decided to release their own Christmas themed Ninja Turtles video. Even at eleven years old, I would have shut it off after the first few minutes. “We Wish You a Turtle Christmas” doesn’t even last longer than twenty five minutes in length, and still feels long as hell.
The plot to this anomaly is that the turtles are trying to find a present for Master Splinter. So they prepare for Christmas, and go looking for a perfect present. Cue the mind numbingly terrible cash grab that is “We Wish You a Turtle Christmas.” Here are five of the more head scratching aspects of the twenty minute “special.
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“Birdman” is by no means a subtle dissection of the life that Michael Keaton has led after his role as the iconic Batman on film. Once a very respected and comedy actor, his role as the dark knight kind of stifled his developing film career, and he unleashes his obvious bitterness and resentment toward the art of acting and the rise of fame over talent with “Birdman.” Alejandro González Iñárritu’s experimental drama is brilliant and absolutely mind blowing In the way it both mocks the superhero movie craze, while also conveying a sense of resentment toward its success. Keaton’s character Riggan Thomson sits in his dressing room before a play he’s gone nearly broke to fund, hearing on the news about Robert Downey Jr garnering millions to play a superhero. There with his own thoughts, Riggan dwells on how ahead of his time he was and how he may never be able to reclaim the ears thanks to his age.
Fifteen years ago, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was one of the many forgettable teams from the Marvel Universe. In 2014, Marvel handed the premise over to someone who knew what they were doing and now we have a blockbuster. Not just a blockbuster, but a movie with substance, heart, resonance, and pure characterization. Director James Gunn has a knack for filming the unusual and the eccentric, and “Guardians of the Galaxy” relies on an environment where aliens and beasts lurk at every turn, and its team of ragtag superheroes is mismatched orphans. Gunn’s directing is excellent, dropping audiences in to the start of a lovable band of pirates that find a common bond and form their own impromptu family.
I appreciate what Clive Barker set out to do with “Lord of Illusions” by introducing us to Harry D’Amour, a reluctant private eye who’d be thrown in to horrifying situations that far outstretched mobsters and cheating wives. In “Lord of Illusions,” Scream Factor gives Barker the chance to present audiences with the director’s cut. This new cut is longer, re-edited, and given a heavier emphasis on the neo-noir crime investigation by D’Amour that leads him to the front door of a satanic wizard that intends to destroy the world, and everything in it. I really wish I could have seen what D’Amour would get in to in future cases. Perhaps the cenobites? Something Lovecraftian?
Director Nicholas Stoll’s comedy at least has entertainment value going for it. It may not be the most consistent or tonally even film of the year, but it’s kind of fun when you get down to it. That’s mainly thanks to Zac Efron and Dave Franco that save the movie from being another self indulgent Seth Rogen improv-athon. Rogen literally can’t play anyone but Rogen anymore, even when playing an alien from outer space, but the supporting cast for “Neighbors” really keeps the film from diving in to abysmal depths and keeps it a notch above mediocre. That also includes Rose Byrne, and the hilarious Carla Gallo.
I don’t really understand the “Friends” nostalgia, since its aged very poorly since its days in the nineties. Even the episodes in the early aughts vary from mediocre to awful. But I’d be lying if I said I was never a “Friends” fan. In fact I used to watch the show religiously despite the main characters being woefully unlikable. Let’s face it, they are. Rachel is so despicable, it’s a wonder Ross chased after her for so long.
In either case, “Friends” is making its way to Netflix in January, and its loyal fan base are awash with excitement, so here are five episodes from the series that are still very funny and worth sitting through. They also require little to no knowledge of previous storylines. What are your favorites?