Now that Hollywood is once again considering a remake of “Barbarella,” it’s that perfect time to re-visit Roger Vadim’s wonky science fiction mind fuck. Jane Fonda fresh off of beginning her Oscar caliber career took a break to headline what is one of the trippiest science fiction adventure films ever produced. Decades later it’s shocking how much “Barbarella” was a precursor to magazines like “Heavy Metal” allowing the writers to build a world and an engaging heroine, while also fully embracing the inherent sexuality of the narrative.
Tag Archives: Adventure
Wish (2023)
I say this with the utmost honesty, that despite the initial criticism of “Wish” looking like generic AI produced junk, I was very optimistic about it. I defended it often. I loved Ariana DeBose in “West Side Story,” I’m a big fan of Chris Pine, I love Alan Tudyk, so its just so sad that Chris Buck, and Fawn Veerasunthorn’s “Wish” really does end up feeling like Disney is going for the bare minimum with audiences. In a year filled with humongous milestones like the 100 year anniversary and the SAG and WGA strike (which hurt their image with a lot of audiences), you’d assume Disney would pull out all of the stops for their newest animated movie.
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hair-Raising Hare (1946)
2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
Hair-Raising Hare (1946)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Written by Ted Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Ben Washam
“Hair-Raising Hare” is one of my all time favorite Bugs Bunny Toons. It not only features one of the more simplistic but clever premises of his library, but also introduces one of his most underrated nemeses, the monster known as Gossamer. The entire set up or “Hair-Raising Hare” doesn’t really demand a lot of thinking which works to the benefit of the short as the best element of “Hair-Raising Hare” is the interplay between Bugs, Gossamer, and the audience.
Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996): Arrow Video Limited Edition [4K UHD]
1990’s “Tremors” and I go a long way. It’s not just one of my all time favorite monster movies, but it’s also a childhood favorite and has a ton of nostalgic value. I first started watching it when my mom recorded it on VHS off of cable TV back in the heyday of the 1990’s. I wore that VHS out, suffice to say. I loved it and still love it. So imagine my surprise when in 1996, in came “Tremors 2: Aftershocks.” While this follow up is not at all like the original film it still manages to be pretty darn fun.
The Marvels (2023)
What hinders Nia DaCosta’s “The Marvels” is that it literally is all over the place. This feels like Marvel is trying to squeeze in so much in ninety minutes, and while often it succeeds in getting the idea across, it can also stumble here and there. Nonetheless, “The Marvels” still winds up being a bang up Marvel entry, one that’s packed with some excellent fight sequences, wonderful conflict, and a great trio of characters, all of whom present a common goal in spite of how they operate as superheroes. Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeua and Kamala Khan are all heroes in their own right approaching the ideas of the superhero in their own mind set.
Meg 2: The Trench (2023) [Blu-Ray/Digital]
I liked “The Meg” enough to consider it a fun bit of James Cameron-lite entertainment, but I wasn’t exactly clamoring for a sequel. With “The Meg 2,” director Ben Wheatley leans heavily in to more unique elements allowing Jason Statham to be more physically active this time around, while also embracing the Asian influence. You just know Statham requested at least one action sequence of him fighting bad guys, hence the re-introduction of Jonas Taylor. Taylor is still a brainy scientist, but he’s also an ecological activist who skirts the law by breaking on to ships and stealing information from criminals. While “The Meg” was basically “The Abyss” meets “Deep Blue Sea,” this time around director Ben Wheatley opts more for “Jurassic World” meets “The Deep.”
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hare Remover (1946)
2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
Hare Remover (1946)
Directed by Frank Tashlin, Bob McKimson
Written by Warren Foster
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Richard Bickenbach
“Hare Remover” is one of the rare misses by the Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny team up. Usually their team ups and rivalries amount to some great laughs, but “Hare Remover” really hits the mark at all corners. It’s not to say that the short is bad, but in the long line of Bugs and Elmer shorts, this is not even top tier. If anything, “Hare Remoer” feels shockingly like a precursor to “Hair Raising Hare” where Bugs Bunny confronts an evil scientist and becomes the rival to a vicious monster. Here, much of the set up allows for a really raucous and funny short but everything really is just a complete misfire.