Hey, during the big dinosaur craze of the nineties, owning your own dinosaur was something almost every kid dreamt of. Owning your own miniature dinosaurs was just the icing on the cake that Charles Band and Full Moon pinpointed with accuracy. Sure “Prehysteria!” is one of almost two dozen films in the Full Moon library about miniatures of some kind, but “Prehysteria!” succeeds in being a novel family film. Granted, it’s cheesy as all hell, but in the context of the nineties, it gives kids their ideal fantasy: Owning and befriending their own pet dinosaurs. Dinosaurs with their own sweet personalities, to boot!
Tag Archives: Family
Mockingbird Lane
This is one of the few times where my fandom has kind of come back to bite me in the ass. I am a fan of “The Munsters” and from day one was opposed to this radical reworking of the series. The darkly comic tone with a violent dramatic atmosphere made me irritated beyond belief. “Mockingbird Lane” surprising enough ends up being a wonderful re-imagining of the series that doesn’t quite alter the comic tone of the original series so much as it adds a lot of menace to it. Instead of a sitcom it’s a dark comedy drama, and instead of the eccentric tone there’s a more menacing and brooding color palette. What makes this special even better is that it completely changes the dynamic of the Munster family.
Casper (1995)
For all of its flaws, 1995’s big screen adaptation of Casper the friendly ghost, actually manages to be a dark fantasy worth watching. Not only does it play all the right chords by casting in vogue and talented child star Christina Ricci as the heroine of the film, but it depicts a Casper the Friendly Ghost who isn’t a downer. While the animated shorts almost made you get in to a bathtub with a toaster in both hands, the feature film is life affirming and uplifting in its own ways. And to give Casper something of depth and plot friction, there’s the wise addition of three rude, crude, and disgusting specters who make everyone’s lives miserable.
The 1995 “Casper” wisely gives an identity to the ghosts that loved to scare while Casper refused to submit to his duties, and in the end, the feature film works very well. Much more than “Richie Rich” ever did. “Casper” is mainly a coming of age film that features Casper as a key to main character Kat to not only growing up but dealing with the concept of her mother’s death. Years after the death of her mother, she and her father James spend their days travelling and trying to uncover the secrets of the paranormal and the after life. Though James passes it off as research to his daughter, secretly he hopes to uncover the secret to connecting with his wife one more time and speak to her.
The duo decide to live at Whipstaff Manor in Maine where the mansion has been abandoned by its descendents thanks to its rabid hauntings, in spite of the fact that there is rumored to be a treasure hidden within the bowels of the house. While there James attempts to uncover the psychiatry of specters, dealing with random pranks and mean spirited play from the trio of uncles, all of whom take every chance to make the father and daughter miserable, while Kat finds a friend in Casper. Thankfully the portrayal of Casper is never cloying or abundant with cutesy dialogue. Casper as a character is lovable, and utterly adorable. He’s a being filled with optimism and love, but has also lived long enough to mutter nuggets of wisdom about death, the after life, and what it means to be alive.
And though originally many thought the addition of Casper’s uncles Stretch, Stinky, and Fatso to the fray would be a cheap grab for merchandise, the film actually sparks a great and logical argument for their presence. Ghosts are often thought as restless spirits that dwell in their past homes. Casper is a boy who died from a painful illness and died saddened and in terrible conditions, thus his state of misery keeps him perpetually stuck as a ghost. His uncles were three rotten and awful individuals who were so evil in their past life, they’re forever stuck as specters haunting their mansion because their evil prevents them from a peaceful slumber in the after life.
For a film made in 1995, “Casper” really does manage to re-invent the formula in many ways that are clever and very welcome. Rather than just animating Casper, he’s a very gelatinous translucent being who seems to be stuck between the after life and our life, thus he’s always faded but very eye catching. The trio of evil ghosts are almost always in a tint of green inadvertently creating this sense that they’re made from the same essence of Slimer from “Ghostbusters.” Christina Ricci is one of the finest child actors of the nineties, thus her role as Kat is empathetic and very heartbreaking, if derivative. Kat’s whole journey as the new girl in Maine plagued by bullies is very cliché as the main lure of the story is her relationship and bond with Casper, who offers her clarity in her darkest times.
What keeps “Casper” from being excellent is that though it’s touted to children, it tries to pass off a painfully ridiculous deus ex machina involving a machine and magic potion that could transform ghosts in to living beings once more, and never makes a really definitive bit of reasoning for even injecting it in to the story. Save for the final scene where Casper gets one of his biggest wishes, a fleeting and heartbreaking moment but one that really defies the film’s logic. Nevertheless, “Casper” is still an entertaining and adorable fantasy film that gives the character of Casper a hint of dignity and respect. It’s a shame this was followed up by endless piss poor direct to video sequels. In a decade that gave us “Flintstones” and “Richie Rich,” the cinematic adaptation of “Casper” is one of the very rare instances where they not only got it right, but improved on the original formula. Offering a sweet story, smart casting, and a sense of humor, “Casper” is still a nineties favorite that doesn’t get enough credit.
Girl vs. Monster (2012)
While many kids of the nineties will agree that DCOM’s simply aren’t as good or as innocent as they used to be, the talent has improved enormously. Most of the actors in the past DCOM’s (Disney Channel Original Movies) were always so blustery and stilted in their performances, in spite of the fact that Disney took more risks with their movies. These days, they’ve traded subtlety for talent. “Kickin’ It” is one of the few successful boy oriented shows Disney has launched. It’s a show about a group of kids who deal with growing up through the skill of martial arts, and one of its stars Olivia Holt has displayed a real charm and charisma that’s tough to keep contained.
In “Girl vs. Monster” she has a real magnetism and appeal that makes her the ideal choice for the role of a young girl about to come in to her own as a monster hunter in a legacy of master monster hunters in her family. “Girl vs. Monster” contains elements of “Supernatural,” and “Ghostbusters,” with a hint of “Hocus Pocus” and manages to be rather entertaining. Skyler Lewis is a bold and brave young girl who isn’t afraid of anything. She leaps on to a rafter to fix a Halloween banner and lands the fall with grace, and before leaving with her friends engages in a performance with a local band for the room. She’s the envy of many people, and we’re forced to believe somewhat of an outcast. Her parents are primarily mold specialists whom are incredibly over protective and refuse to let her attend the Halloween party thrown by musician Ryan, who begs Skyler to sing for the group when lead singer Myra is hurt in a hilarious accident. Refusing to let her go, Skyler’s odd parents leave her in the charge of her uncle, and lock her inside the house.
Determined to make it out, she shuts the power down to the house and accidentally frees the evil Deimata from the ghost chamber in their basement. On a mission to possess Skyler and feed on her fear, Diemata is intent on hunting Skyler down as Skyler comes to grips with the fact that she has to be a hero. Very much in the vein of “Halloweentown,” Skyler is a girl who loves Halloween whose over protective parents are suppressing her until a certain age where she can become a hero of some kind. In that regard it’s rather derivative. I also never understood why the parents would house a ghost chamber in their basement and make their power grid so functional and easily shut down by hand when their house is protected by a key pad. And what would Deimata accomplish by possessing Skyler? Was it a part of a master plan to destroy the legacy of monster hunters? Or was she trying to inflict revenge on Skyler’s parents? As with most DCOM’s, “Girl vs. Monster” is entertaining and very charming, but often very silly and doesn’t entirely make a lot of sense in the end.
But the primary reason to watch “Girl vs. Monster” is because it’s such an interesting concept worthy of a few follow-ups for the character of Skyler, and star Holt has a real enthusiasm and draw that’s tough to ignore. As with all DCOM’s, this new film is about a character coming of age, and ultimately she has to learn how to cope with fear and use it as a means of thriving in life rather than letting it control her. As the film progresses we learn that Skyler may not be too normal, while her two friends often paralyzed by their insecurities may be more in control around demonic beings. The trio of ghouls feast off of the insecurities of teenagers, and are basically just metaphors for anxiety, insecurity, and self-esteem. They’re manifestations of those flaws, and they feed on such horrors.
To defeat them they must ultimately face their fears, which means Skyler’s friend Sadie must confront her fear of public speaking, goofy Henry must battle a bullying scarecrow, and Skyler must perform her music for the party she’s attending. As with all modern DCOM’s, the cast is intended to do more than just act, so Olivia Holt pulls in double duty as a singer and actor and accomplishes some strong singing paired with some very catchy music for the film’s inevitable soundtrack. While it has bumps along the road, “Girl vs. Monster” has a clear message for its teen audience about confronting fears, while marketing on the growing popularity of talented star, Olivia Holt. It’s a very pleasing Halloween treat. With Disney trying to re-invent their Halloween tradition for a new audience and move away from the classic “Halloweentown,” the new “Girl vs. Monster” is a fun and exciting action comedy for the teens, but I doubt it’ll be as well received as the former more festive fantasy film. Olivia Holt has real potential, and I hope Disney banks on her more in the future.
Zombie Cat: The Tale of a Decomposing Kitty [Paperback]
One of the aspects of author Isabel Atherton’s book about a zombie cat and its master in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is subtlety. It manages to be both an advantage and a downfall, especially since the ending feels somewhat abrupt. The trick is, I’m assuming, that the ending is the beginning. In either case, from Skyhorse Publishing, “Zombie Cat” is yet another in a slew of kids books showing how life in the zombie apocalypse is different and drastic. Particularly for Tiddles and her master.
Roseanne: The Complete Sixth Season (DVD)
One of the many things “Roseanne” Season Six has going for it is the casting of Michael O’Keefe as Jackie’s love interest Fred, who is the often mild mannered and funny boyfriend who is mostly played to react off of the dysfunction and lunacy of the Conners most times. It’s a shame O’Keefe was never brought on to be a permanent cast member like Johnny Galecki or Glenn Quinn, since the character’s mild temperament makes for some instant laughs. This season is much more a shift as the series continues its glimpse in to dysfunction and family pain while also shifting the cast yet again.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) [Blu-Ray/DVD/Ultraviolet]
I’m one of the very few people who actually enjoyed “Journey to the Center of the Earth” for what it was. It was nothing more than a ninety minute roller coaster ride with 3D specks that took the audience through some fun sights and sounds. “Journey 2” is basically the follow-up practicing that very routine all over again. It’s intent is to take you through the various dangers and awe inspiring wonders of the mysterious island before actually telling a story or exploring its characters. One thing it does have going for it, is that it makes reading and compiling information look sleek and exciting. If Dwayne Johnson is doing it, maybe the young audience this film appeals to, will.