It’s pretty shocking that a film meant to be life affirming is probably so depressing it likely drove most of its original audience to suicide. I get that Vincent Ward’s movie about the after life is trying its hardest to assure audiences that no matter how sucky your life is, there are rewards in heaven, but come on. “What Dreams May Come” is by no means an inspirational fantasy film, so much as it is preachy religious hokum that turns the after life in to Middle Earth.
Say what you want about “Hook.” Many people do. And many movie fans love it because it’s been a part of their childhood. Those who didn’t have the fortune of watching “Hook” as a child consider the 1991 Peter Pan throwback to be a gaudy Spielberg misfire dripping with sap. By virtue of nostalgia, “Hook” is still great. But as a fan of JM Barrie’s “Peter Pan” novel, and the mythos in general, “Hook” is a solid effort, that still manages to pack in the entertainment at all corners. True, it’s by no means a mastepiece with cloying acting by most of the child stars, and some odd casting. I mean, bringing aboard Robin Williams as the dashing Neverland warrior is still poor casting, and while Williams does his best, the movie suffers with him on board.
If we had to have a sequel to “The Lion King” I much would have preferred to see the journey of Simba and his rise to king status than another telling of the first film. Truth be told, “Lion King II” is a retread of “The Fox and the Hound” with a further emphasis on Timone and Pumba. Rather than show more of Simba and his heroism, Disney follows suit and goes back to focus on a younger character while also handing half of the sequel over to Timone and Pumba, whose popularity begins to become the important factor in the “Lion King” series. In the end of “The Lion King” we see Simba and his wife have birthed a young cub. In the sequel we find out that–here’s the twist: Simba had a female cub! Named Kiara, Simba’s daughter is exactly like young Simba, except she is hesitant to take up the royal mantle, much like every princess in the Disney mythology.
I never really read the graphic novel upon which “Superman Unbound” is based on, but I thankfully know of it, and what the new Brainiac is supposed to look like in the mini-series. With the adaptation, there really isn’t a lot to “Superman Unbound.” Brainiac wants to go to Earth to collect a city, Superman and Supergirl have to stop him. Fighting ensues. As an adaptation, it’s an entertaining animated film with some great action sequences, but not too much substance. The focus of “Superman Unbound” is mainly on Superman trying to live the human life, now that he and Lois are a relationship. Lois wants Superman/Clark to become the boyfriend she needs, the supportive and loving man who can give her a life. But Clark is hesitant to press his luck. Especially when she’s always in peril.
I was fortunate enough to grow up around classic movie lovers, and since I was a child I was given a very hefty education in classic movies of all kinds. From Drama, to Science Fiction, I was able to understand the wonders of the classic films while also enjoying the modern cinema to boot. I loved the special effects spectacles, but I could also appreciate films like “Jason and the Argonauts” or “The Valley of Gwangi.” During my childhood, Ray Harryhausen’s works of art and amazing special effects astonished me. While they were low tech considering it was a new time for film, Harryhausen’s creations had a light and a life to them that computers and CGI animators could not duplicate. They had a spark within them, and within every motion, and I appreciated them with every film that Harryhausen left his signature on. Years later, I’m still a fanatic for Ray Harryhausen’s incredible work.
Syfy really wants another “Battlestar Galactica,” since the series itself was one of the most compelling and unique pop culture landmarks in the 21st century. But with “Defiance” I really doubt they’ve caught lightning in a bottle twice. In face one of the main caveats of “Defiance” is that it’s so heavy handed in its pursuit to explore racism and prejudice, that it becomes the bases for the entire series. So far with a two hour pilot movie, and two one hour episodes, as well as a game, “Defiance” has proven to be a well produced, and beautifully constructed science fiction epic that when watched is just… okay. It’s by no means a lemon of a science fiction offering, but I’m not going to be following its mythos any time soon, either. In fact, I had a hard time remembering any of the characters’ names, even after three episodes.
In honor of Earth Day, Scholastic releases a DVD compilation of four episodes of one of the best educational animated series of the nineties, “The Magic School Bus.” A series that taught kids about everything involving science, while entertaining with its diverse characters and ability to turn every episode in to a unique adventure, “All About Earth” is a DVD gathering of episodes about the glory of the planet Earth and what it has to offer.